Seeking Shadows: Forsaken

After the devastating homicide of her kin, and her nightmarish captivity in a gloomy mobile for 4 lengthy months, Alex is decided to flee from an.
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By strengthening her personal power, a Forsaken can impart greater changes to the world around her. Exceptionally strong Forsaken can literally shape the world. Forgotten Shadow priests refer to this central tenet as Divine Humanism. The Cult of Forgotten Shadow plays an important role in Forsaken society. Shortly after the emancipation of the Forsaken and the formation of their culture, the Forsaken indulged in a momentary backlash against necromancers. Necromancy was seen as the art of slavery, the tool of the Scourge, and its use was repulsive to the newly liberated undead.

The most serious failing of the Cult of Forgotten Shadow is its lack of organization. Dozens of different interpretations of the three or four virtues exist, and no two priests seem to be able to agree on how the faithful should follow the Forgotten Shadow. A single city can hold several different cult leaders, all in disagreement on their philosophy. Members of the Forgotten Shadow spend almost as much time arguing with other members as they do practicing the tenets they believe.

A particularly charismatic and intelligent Forsaken may draw all the disparate branches of the cult together someday. A united front of philosophically aligned Forsaken would be a dire threat to the Church of the Holy Light. The cult is loosely organized, with a hierarchy defined by power and experience. Novice acolytes work at menial tasks, while a single shadow priest serves as bishop for a community.

Dark priests are more like archbishops ruling over wide territories. There are exceptions to the rules, as they haven't formed a strict organization as of yet. The universe is the physical manifestation of other's wills. Thus, for a person to denigrate the universe is to ignore the personal power of those around them. This is not only disrespectful, it is dangerous. A follower of the Forgotten Shadow must develop his personal power in order to exert his will on the universe, but seeking too much power too quickly puts him in conflict with other, stronger beings.

Only a foolish follower seeks to challenge his superiors right away. Showing respect ensures a measure of self-protection. Followers of the Forgotten Shadow put even greater stock in the virtue of tenacity. It may at first seem impossible for a person to change the universe when countless others seeking to do the same surround him. Through unwavering perseverance and tenacity though, they may triumph. Power is the third virtue of the Forgotten Shadow, and the most difficult to attain.

A Forsaken who grabs greedily for power might encounter power too great for him or her to handle, and die in their attempt to master it. A Forsaken who succumbs to despair and seeks no personal power has no reason to exist; he craves nothing, desires nothing, he sits alone and pines for his old life. To the cult, Forsaken who do not seek to better themselves might as well still be part of the Scourge. The quest for power requires caution, forethought, and a subtle touch. Some branches of the Forgotten Shadow consider death to be a fourth virtue; most consider it sub-virtue of power.

Additionally some members of the Forgotten Shadow still show a limited yet twisted version of the virtue of Compassion one of the Holy Light's main virtues. A Forsaken reaches the pinnacle of power when he masters death itself, transcends it. This power over death requires the same delicate touch of any other power. A Forsaken must not kill indiscriminately, nor can he withhold death from the weak. To kill wantonly escalates the Forsaken's risk of encountering power too great for him to overcome.

It also robs him of his strength; a Forsaken who spends all day slaying wildlife and human peasants might exhaust his power, and be left defenseless when a true threat arises. Likewise, a Forsaken who shows mercy to the weak and forgoes regular exercise of his power may gain a reputation for weakness himself. This draws predators and offends the cult.

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He must always preserve a balance. Despite their mercenary outlook, the cult possesses a streak of compassion. The living world fears and shuns the living dead, and who can blame them? The cult understands the plight of the Forsaken and wishes to ease their burden if only a little. This compassion tempers even the most heartless priest - though the compassion they show is only towards other Forsaken.

The ultimate goal of practitioners of the Forgotten Shadow is to ascend. Ascension occurs once a person achieves complete control over herself and the power to transcend death. A Forsaken who ascends becomes invulnerable, invincible and eternal. In essence, he becomes a god. Their undead state is a curse brought on by that weakness. Once the Forsaken learn to master themselves and control the world around them, they shake off that curse and become what they always should have been. Those on the path to ascension often become shadow ascendants.

Instead of seeing both a self and a universe and seeking to create a bond between them through compassion, the Forgotten Shadow preaches a much more self-oriented idea. Priests preach that the self has power over the universe, and the universe revolves around the self. They preach that if an undead was powerful enough to rise from the grave on their own free will, and become sentient, the undead may strengthen themselves by increasing their control of the world around them, thus becoming more godlike. Many priests dub this concept "divine humanism".

Divine humanism is the concept that the self shapes the universe. In essence, each sentient creature in the world is a tiny god, able to exert their will to manifest small changes in the universe. A minor example of divine humanism might be something as simple as mood. The Holy Light teaches that to be happy, one must work to better the universe, and the effort of reflecting joy back through the universal bond spreads happiness. However, divine humanism notes that an angry individual who shows their rage triggers anger in those around them. They do not change some insubstantial universe "out there" - they make a choice and others sense the strength of their emotions and change themselves.

In short, the Holy Light teaches that by changing the universe, you change those around you. The Forgotten Shadow teaches that by using your power, you can change those around you and change the universe.

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I liked this book. Thad McAllister suddenly becomes a best selling author following his wife's purchase of an old leather journal as a gift for him from a store called "Needful Things". And like all other gifts from this store, there is a price to be paid - not a monetary one. Thad has had a story haunting him ever since he received the journal.

It virtually wrote itself, and now it is time for it to be published. It is his greatest work, one that will guarantee him an exalted position among the l I liked this book. It is his greatest work, one that will guarantee him an exalted position among the legends of his craft. And now it is time to pay the price - She whose name may never be spoken wants to come back.

And nothing can be allowed to stand in her way. The story switches between Thad's current day life and that of "She" at the witches trials in This is cleverly written, and more than a little creepy in places. It made me think about what really does frighten me. A worthwhile read and one I will be recommending.

Nov 14, Eleven rated it really liked it. I finished this weeks ago and forgot to add it. It was one of the better witchcraft themed books I've read in recent years. I definitely intend to read the sequel. Other things just kept getting in the way of me acquiring it and reading it. Why the hell did I wait so long! Thanks Maxine she knows her books pe Forsaken by J. Thanks Maxine she knows her books people you have just reminded me why I need to follow my gut when it comes to a book. Thad McAlister is an author. He struggled to begin with but now he is at the top of the New York Times bestsellers list.

He has just finished his latest book. It is based around the witch trials in Salem in Is it something completely different?


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As he leaves for New York to meet his agent to pass over the manuscript, His wife Rachael and daughter Ashley stay at home waiting on the birth of their second child. Unbeknown to Rachael, her husband is in grave danger when he arrives in New York, being hunted by an ancient evil. Unbeknown to Thad, his wife and daughter are in grave danger in their own home, threatened by the same ancient evil.

She has been banished since She intends to use Thad and his family for just that purpose. This is what horror stories are all about. A good old fashioned story about witches and evil and monsters and death and creepiness and good versus evil. This book has it all in abundance. Thad is ignorant to all of this. All he can think about is his book and its potential and the upcoming discussions with Hollywood producers about film rights. You know something is up when a stranger pays a visit to their house in the middle of the night burying something in their garden.

From this point on the story takes off. It is non-stop to the very last page filling you full of dread as the story progresses. It weaves a wonderful story switching between the modern day story of Thad and his book and excerpts from the journal of Clayton Stone in Clayton was the scribe at the witch trials in Salem in that year and his part of the story describes all that went on in the courtroom and the evil battles surrounding the accused and her victims.

The switching back and forward is very effective in building the tension. One thing I absolutely love about a good book is being able to imagine the sights and smells when you are transported back in time. Barker does this perfectly giving you a genuine feeling of what the atmosphere would have been like at the trials. You can feel and smell the fear as the people of the time tried to understand what they were dealing with in their midst. You can really understand why they felt absolute terror.

Thad, Rachael and Ashley are a loving family. They have had tough lives but they get on with things. They are looking forward to the new baby and a new life once the book is published.

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They fit well together. Clayton Stone is the perfect narrator for the scenes during the trials. The evil characters in the book are just that. It oozes out of every pore in their bodies, both the characters in the olden times and the modern times. Without giving away anything of the story, there are monsters. Little gremlin type monsters.

Initially I thought they were going to turn out quite cute. Was I ever wrong on that one? Whenever they appear it brings sheer terror to the story. The suspense is amazing and you will have to remind yourself to breathe when they appear. I want to type and type and type about this one. You need to read this yourself and enjoy all the twists and turns it produces. Little gremlins with a huge bite. Plenty of hold your breath moments. Plenty of you shouting things and gasping I did.

Fantastic writing that just flows across the page and will keep you routed to the spot until you get to the last page. I cannot wait for the rest of them. Mar 24, Jemma rated it it was amazing. This was such an atmospheric and spine-chilling read; J. Barker has produced a unique and disturbing tale and I highly commend him for his creation.

After a difficult start to their lives, everythi This was such an atmospheric and spine-chilling read; J. Though as we probe deeper into the storyline we are led to ponder — how much of this good fortune is the influence of evil? As we come to find out, the two stories are intertwined more finitely than anyone can imagine and the consequences of this are devastating. The horror in this book is constant but never predictable; whilst reading I was in a constant state of fear and tension as each wave of scariness was just as fresh as the last.

His introduction of other-wordly creatures and witchcraft is done skilfully, and I found the setting he created highly convincing. We are not overwhelmed by the ideas in this book, they are presented to us gradually and in such a way which builds an agonising feeling of suspense. This was made all the more impressive by the vast range of horror themes that Barker covered implicitly; cultism, evil and magic to name but a few. I felt the storyline was perfectly paced, and cleverly executed — the author cruelly switches between the past and present, leaving us anxious for the fate of everyone involved.

Barker increases the tempo the further you delve into the book; the short choppy chapters at the end became almost unbearable as I feverishly flicked through the pages. This book was unlike anything I have ever read before, it brought something completely new to my palate and I savoured every moment. I received this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review. View all 8 comments. Apr 01, Noelle rated it it was amazing. I am a big horror movie fan. The creepier it is.. I also love books by Stephen King, who I believe is the master of horror books. Spine-tingling, sometimes gory and most definitely creepy.

And then I read this book! JD Barker knows how to write horror!! I found this story to be eery, creepy, and frightfully good. What I really enjoyed was the pace of the story What I also found extremely clever was the story within a story. A hard concept to master correc I am a big horror movie fan. A hard concept to master correctly Admittedly, this book did not scare me to death The characters themselves were cleverly conceived. I had a picture of each one as I read and I enjoy that experience. I also pictured who would play each character should this book ever become a film Without any spoilers, I suspect this is not the last we see of Shadow Cove or the characters within these pages and I am pretty glad about that.

This is a definite must read for anyone who likes witchcraft, horror and who is not afraid of a few bumps in the night. Highly recommend and definitely will be reading more books by this author. Watch out Stephen King JD Barker is hot on the trail of horror writing and will most certainly give you a run for your money!! Jul 03, Warrengent rated it really liked it. Can not believe this was a 1st novel read in two sittings. Barker certainly has a amazing future a head of him. And with 4MK just published and read bloody brilliant by the way I can't wait for his next novel.

Apr 20, John Hennessy rated it it was amazing Shelves: Great horror storytelling doesn't just get under your skin, it stays there, merging with your flesh and bones like this was how it was always meant to be. Forsaken , by author JD Barker , takes us into a world where the writer may have created something very nasty - very nasty indeed. Not only that - it threatens to harm our hero - Thad - and his family. Things are not looking good for the McAlisters. Thad is a writer, and as with most writers in the Stephen King universe, if you are a writer, you wi Great horror storytelling doesn't just get under your skin, it stays there, merging with your flesh and bones like this was how it was always meant to be.

Thad is a writer, and as with most writers in the Stephen King universe, if you are a writer, you will suffer. I could see the heavy King influence here, but to labour any more on that point would be to do the author a disservice. Forsaken is a very well crafted horror thriller. The modern day breakdown, to the very minute things are happening in the book isn't a new thing, but it date stamps things nicely whilst being interspersed with the writing from Thad's book - the book that almost writes itself. The witch trial and the court events are brilliantly handled I could be in the minority there.

Taking the book as a whole, whilst it certainly has its moments I wanted to be shook out of my skin - so I think I must be a bit desensitised to horror by now. The story works because everything is logical, believable, plausible. Whilst I couldn't root for Thad as much as his wife, Rachael, I found myself leaning towards her and her daughter Ashley's plight. Told over three days, it's the sinister 'creep' of the book that is the star - you really feel like some impending doom is coming, and you as the reader will want to know what it is.

I loved - absolutely loved the ending. Well, Stephen King often mentions his earlier works in his later books, but they are done more like pop culture references than anything else. In Forsaken, the author pays homage to King, but it is so well done, so clever, so 'ahhh This is book one in the Shadow Cove saga, and it's a hell of a breathtaking start. My thanks to Maxine for introducing this book to me.

Apr 07, Jen La Duca rated it really liked it Shelves: Book One of the Shadow Cove Saga. So why then did it sit in my Kindle for a few months collecting dust? If I would have realized what a little gem I had I definitely would have read it months ago: Thad McAlister is a writer of fictional horror stories but his latest manuscript is slightly different than the rest.

This story seems to pour out of him; images, words, descriptions all laid out in his mind in an instant, nothing else matters to him except writing this book. What Thad is soon to discover is writing this book has released an ancient evil that is hell bent on revenge to those who wrong it in the past.

This evil will stop at nothing yet it needs Thad to accomplish its goals. When Thad resists it uses his pregnant wife and daughter as a means to propel him into its bidding. I loved how this story was written! Barker weaves the actual accounting of the Salem witch trials into the present day storyline. The pacing of this book was perfect; fast paced with short chapters that make it impossible to stop reading.

Had to turn on more than a few lights to get through reading this one at night! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves scary stories about witch craft, cults and the paranormal. Fans of Stephen King and Dean Koontz will certainly enjoy this too! I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Hampton Creek Press and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review This is such an ominous, but powerful statement.

The majority of us living inside our own minds, the truly sick and demented trapped by their thoughts like a prison. The mind is something that for centuries that we have longed to understand, to understand behaviors and predict patterns of psychotic behavior, but deception of one's thoughts is far greater than imagined. To be fair, this novel is about witches, and not the mind Yes, it is, and it's by far the best novel I have read involving witchcraft.


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I have to be honest though, J. Barker may have set out to write a horror novel involving witchcraft, but this novel delivers so much more, which is why for a debut novel it's no wonder it's set him apart as an author. There is a psychological aspect at play here. Barker takes a story How does he do this you ask? Through the emotional undoing of his characters, it's their distress and psychological state that pulls you in. This is what sets it apart from fantasy, to what could be a truly horrific reality. I have to say, that J. Barker's ability to intermix the telling of the past while simultaneously telling the present is unlike no other.

I've read multiple novels from other authors, who shall remain nameless, where they've tried to do this, and have failed. Somehow always falling short and losing the reader in the process, never quite making the connection, and just creating more confusion rather than adding to the suspense intended. This has become a signature of his writing now, I saw this with The Fourth Monkey , and now with Forsaken.

The way he tells the story of Her, the witch, through Thad's novel, intermixing chapters with the present creates the perfect story. The influences for J. Barker is clear in his writing, we can see this by his paying homage to Stephen King's Needful Things. It's common for many authors of the horror genre to look up to the greats such as Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and John Saul, but it's another thing for them to come close to following in their footsteps.

I for one have to say that J. Nov 30, Andrew rated it really liked it. First of all I want to point out I was contacted over reading this book - so yes I have been asked to review it but all my comments are my own made after reading the book. For that I would like to thank the author for the opportunity to read this book. I have read more than my fair share of books, including horror books so the feeling of deja-vu when reading a new title especially a new book by a new author is all too easy and sometimes unfair to make assumptions and links to othe First of all I want to point out I was contacted over reading this book - so yes I have been asked to review it but all my comments are my own made after reading the book.

I have read more than my fair share of books, including horror books so the feeling of deja-vu when reading a new title especially a new book by a new author is all too easy and sometimes unfair to make assumptions and links to other works. This book is one of those titles - not helped although I can see how it was genuinely used as part of the plot by linking it to another far more famous for now book by and equally famous author.

Ok that aside the story is one long constant rush, the events build and build. If anything I was finding that at a sitting I was reading through plus pages before I realised it. The events pretty much start from page one and do not let up until the last page. Thankfully one of my personal hates as avoided I hate having the helpless whinny character who does nothing but look weak and feeble, waiting for someone to come to their rescue - everyone had their part to play and even though many were reluctant to play it, they all did it with a strength that love them or hate them I didn't want to throw the book metaphorically across the room.

So what can I say about the book without giving the plot away, well here I do have to refer back to more well know authors here yes okay call me a hypocrite but I feel that what makes this kind of story work so well is tension and fear, as one author once put you can easily gross someone out, disgust them, but to build tension and fear that takes time and patience and talent.

This book demonstrates it to a tee, without cliche. The material though familiar there is even references alluding to this in the end notes is still new and refreshing and most of all unpredictable, and that for me makes for an enjoyable book to read. So I must thank J D Barker for the chance to read this book in return for this honest review, though I will admit that I had this book listed as wanting to read it well before I was given this opportunity not that I am complaining. Mar 30, Sarah rated it it was amazing Shelves: D Barker deserves to have his name up there with them.

A horror book that grips you from the start. I actually recommend if your brave enough to read this on a night time in a dark room as for me, reading this on my kindle in my bedroom with no lights on made the story really come to life. The McAlister family are strong characters though I felt more drawn to Rachael the mother and Ashley the daughter. The story weaves between an old journal from years ago to present day and the horrors that are starting to unravel from the horror books that Thad McAlister has written.

The author does a wonderful job of describing the horrors that the family have to face and in parts you almost feel as if you are part of the book experiencing the sights and smells that the characters are experiencing. This is the first book I have read by J.

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Barker and I will certainly be reading more. I'm not too sure how to rate this novel. Its plot managed to be "simple" enough without being boring, able to bring enough elements to keep readers entertained, as well as interesting twists, especially at the end. This isn't something easy to achieve. The wink to Needful Things made me go "wait, what? I am ashamed to say I haven't even read Needful Things , not yet. I just now enough about it to get the cameo.

There's a lot of meta-ing in here, too: The literary agent whose greed translates into another kind of greed. The Journal of Clayton Stone, made of excerpts from Thad's novel, also acting as a way to pepper the plot with more information. Said novel as a medium of carrying just about anything: The short chapters also made for an easy read—I like short it when you can stop often, since I also often read in public transportation or during breaks.

Although I didn't often want to stop, because to regular shift between Thad, Rachael and Clayton kept me wanting to go on to see what would happen next. And yet, I can't explain why I wasn't more thrilled. It's the kind of book I should've devoured in two sleepless nights; I didn't. I thought it'd scare me more, with its depiction of the house becoming a trap; it didn't.

I'd read ten or fifteen chapters, and then suddenly feel like stopping. I'm not sure why this happened. It may be because some elements weren't shown enough to my liking like Zeke's role: I thought he deserved more screen time. The "followers" sort of popped out of nowhere, and the way they were led and organised was a little jumbly. And the characters felt somewhat one-dimensional: This may be why the horror part didn't touch me so much. Forsaken 's still definitely worth a read for its pacing, its descriptions, and its twists.

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Jul 02, Bill rated it really liked it Shelves: It's a good thing a I don't care if people see the cover of the book I'm reading, and b there's Kindle, if I do because the cover really is cheesy. Lose the faded in woman's face and we're fine. Otherwise it looks like the countless cheesy prints you'd find in Walmart, you know: Yes, I don't care if people see the cover of what I'm reading and I can say that with all confidence because I It's a good thing a I don't care if people see the cover of the book I'm reading, and b there's Kindle, if I do because the cover really is cheesy.

Yes, I don't care if people see the cover of what I'm reading and I can say that with all confidence because I read this on my Kindle , but what I do care about is that I almost didn't read it because of it. Never judge a book and all that, but it was close.

Anyways, this is unfair to the story, because this is a very well written novel. Barker tells this tale through three streams: Combining this with almost annoyingly short chapters, and the story is a very, very fast read. Very well done, sir. But I'll give this one 4. I very much recommend this book, and I am looking forward to reading J. Apr 11, Jacqui rated it it was amazing Shelves: I was really disappointed when I reached the end of this book. I can't start reading the next book in The Shadow Cove series, as it hasn't been published yet.

When my appetite has been whetted, I don't want to have to wait to find out what happens next! I don't like to share plot details in my reviews, as I don't want to spoil the book for others, but as this book progressed, I just couldn't predict what the outcome would be and in the end I could no longer decide who my loyalties lay with.

Yes, Her followers were a vile group, but there was also something compelling and intriguing that made me want a positive outcome for Her. I hate predictability in a novel and this contains enough twists to ensure the reader is kept guessing. I really loved the two epilogues, particularly the second one - the information about the journal of Clayton Stone hit me like a sledgehammer and called into question everything that preceded it.

The chain of events innocently set in motion by Rachael provided yet another brilliant twist and also a satisfactory explanation for the way the novel ended. This was a brilliant read from start to finish and I will be eagerly waiting for the next book in the series. For more of my reviews see https: Aug 14, J. Forsaken is the story of a horror writer, named Thad. He finally finds success when he creates a novel about a witch.

As the story continues, we realize that the characters of his book are in fact becoming real and his pregnant wife and daughter soon find their selves surrounded by the fictional world that Thad had created. I have to compliment this author on the easy flow of his story, the many twists that kept me engaged the entire time. Each time I thought I had figured Clickity, click, click! Each time I thought I had figured out who were the evil ones and who were the good, the story changed and I was yet left reading on, to find out I was very wrong. This book was creepy, completely creepy, I found myself a little frightened in parts, but that is what you want in a horror story right?

To be so scared that you are afraid to be in the dark. The visual affect the author put in your mind was unbelievable, I can honestly say, the old witch with the long fingernails, will haunt my memory for a long time. Please add new version 3 21 Apr 19, Perfect for King fans 1 20 Nov 20, He has been asked J. He has been asked by the Stoker family to coauthor the forthcoming prequel to Dracula due out in fall His novels have been translated into numerous languages and optioned for both film and television.

Barker currently resides in Pennsylvania with his wife, Dayna, daughter, Ember, and their two dogs, both of whom sit outside his office door daily, eagerly awaiting his next novel. A note from J. As a child I was always told the dark could not hurt me, that the shadows creeping in the corners of my room were nothing more than just that, shadows. The sounds nothing more than the settling of our old home, creaking as it found comfort in the earth only to move again when it became restless, if ever so slightly.

I would never sleep without closing the closet door, oh no; the door had to be shut tight.