Shadowmasque

Shadowkings, Book 3

By: Michael Cobley

Narrated by: Philip Rose

Emperor Magramon is dead and his only son, Ilgarion, will finally ascend to the Khatrimantine throne, guided by the Archmage Tangaroth and protected by the Iron Guard. But dark undercurrents are moving beneath the surface of life in Sejeend, the imperial capital, and the agents of an old and malign power are plotting and waiting. Only the Order of Watchers, a band of renegade mages, has any inkling of what is afoot and their investigations lead to grotesque and violent confrontations.

©2005 Michael Cobley (P)2014 Audible Studios

Critic reviews

"... unconventional high fantasy trilogy... [Cobley] has taken traditional sword and sorcery to some new and perhaps uncomfortable places... Once again Mike has succeeded in producing an unusually dark and claustrophobic piece of work, though it is a lot less bleak than its predecessors. It is also a lot less convoluted with the battle lines more clearly drawn." (Infinity Plus)
"[Cobley] drew the characters with verve and style, encouraging the reader to participate in the story he was unfolding. The plot was complex but clearly spun out, providing tantalising teasers at the end of each episode, which made me want to skip ahead to the next time that particular thread was picked up and woven. In my opinion, a clear winner for Michael Cobley." (SF Crowsnest)
"There is plenty here to keep any fans of high fantasy happy. The familiar elements are here, but don't worry about them feeling borrowed or contrived. Cobley has presented his own fantasy world and characters, well rounded, fully explored and absorbing." (Eternal Night)
"Cobley seems to have captured much of the dark bent of [Robert E.] Howard in the Shadowkings series." (Trashotron)