"An action-packed novel, Shady Rulers interweaves multiple plotlines into the ultimate cross-genre tale." - Independentbookreview.com
and as featured in Publishers Weekly Select
BookLife Prize - 2024Plot/Idea: 9 out of 10
Originality: 8 out of 10
Prose: 9 out of 10
Character/Execution: 9 out of 10
Overall: 8.75 out of 10
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Shady Rulers is a brilliantly realized story of magic, adventure, and discovery that benefits from a perfectly imagined storyline. Its dramatic action scenes and brisk plot combine to provide readers with a bold and multifaceted tale that does not disappoint.
Prose: Styrkur's text is daring and enjoyable, carving a thoughtfully developed fantasy landscape with strong characters to boot. The book's often poetic, lyrical, and stirring language is immersive, engaging, and sure to appeal to young lovers of fantasy fiction.
Originality: Shady Rulers is an accessible, memorable, and confidently written fantasy novel for young adults. The text is nicely bolstered by maps, illustrations, and a charming character index, which all help enhance Styrkur's burgeoning fantasy landscape.
Character/Execution: The characters in Styrkur's novel are all well crafted, particularly Terrack, an exiled elf desperate for revenge against his father, King Jarsophos. Shady Rulers launches a tantalizing series of fantasy adventure stories for young readers.
Blurb: A captivating fantasy adventure thriller.
A world cleaved in two: a magical, medieval-esque land with elves, orcs, and a vengeful prince, and a post-apocalyptic wasteland with a band of struggling nomads. Shady Rulers: Volume One throws you into this unique world with a whirlwind of action, witty dialogue, and surprising twists. The story unfolds through the eyes of a large cast of characters, each with their own backstory leading to a looming confrontation. Buckle up for a thrilling ride as the secrets of this divided world begin to unravel. Written by a Swedish teenage author.