Book Review: "The Shadowlands" by Emily Rodda

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

After retrieving the first two pieces pf the Pirran pipe, Lief and his friends go on to get the third. But the shadowlands proves dangerous, with enemies on all sides. They head to the center of trouble, learning some secrets while discovering new ones.

NEW CHARACTERS

Emlis ends up coming along after Lief has the third piece of the pipe. He says they need him because he can play the pipe and none of them know how to. But he gets injured rather fast and ends up being carried. He does play an important role in the climax.

Brianne of Lees is a character that helps them go to the factory. Lief finally remembers why her name is familiar.

Claw is a man who has been experimented on by the shadow Lord's men.

PACING

The pacing is good. In the beginning we get new information and a new party member before the action starts. But when it does, it's fast and suddenly we have enemies on both sides. From then on it goes back and forth between action and new mysteries being presented.

LIEF & JASMINE

Jasmine thinks to herself that she has forgiven Lief for lying to her. But she hasn't had any real conversations with them. They are too busy trying to survive. And later on she still seems mad at him.

There isn't much communication, which drives me mad. Lief wonders if Jasmine is getting them lost, then if she is leading them into danger on purpose.

THE VRALL

One of my favorite parts is the scene where the Vrall returns. You might remember him from the last series, where Lief barely got away with his life. Once again we run rather then fight but I loved that scene. It was very reminiscent of Jurassic Park.

THE GIFT OF GLOCK-SPOILERS

When Lief and company meet a group of strangers in a secret tunnel, Jasmine is shocked to see one of the men looks just like Glock. Turns out he is a Jalis. When they start to turn against the group Jasmine shows the talisman that Glock gave her and what he said to her when he died. Because of this the group decides to trust them and escort them to the west.

PREDICTABILITY

The one thing that bothered me in the first book was Jasmine's obviously fake sister. So when it turned out...that she was fake I wasn't surprised. Barely even annoyed. I still don't think she was necessary for the plot. Jasmine already had felt distanced from Lief, and the secret bride just made it worse.

Lief mentions that feels that Jasmine wants to go into the shadow Lord's headquarters. But couldn't they have ended up there another way?

THE MYSTERIOUS ASSASSINS

As Lief and his friends go through the factory they hear hints of something called a “conversion” as well as learn some secrets about the grey guards. Secrets mount as Lief recognizes one of the people in charge and is horrified. This is comes to a head when they make another discovery and we finally learn the truth about the assassins sent to kill Lief.

LIEF

We actually learn about how Lief feels about the object he had to hide away. How he suffered and how he tried so hard to destroy it only to fail.

CLIMAX

Everyone ends up at the arena, with a plan that is set in place but should be canceled. We learn exactly what the Conversion is and we finally test out the pipe.

MYSTERIES SOLVED

We learn just who Marilen is and why she was brought to Deltora.

We learn as to why Jinks died (which may have been obvious) and as to why Marilen went to Sharn in the first place. Once we learn this, we understand why Marilen was so important and why she was to be protected.

CONCLUSION

The pacing is good and mysteries are finally solved. Some hinted throughout, others not mentioned until the very end. Glock's death serves another purpose while we face new monsters as well as an old one in the vraal. My only criticism is the same I had for the first book: Jasmine's motivation and her fake sister. Even near the last portion of the book, her and Lief still hadn't talked. I give “The Shadowlands” three and half stars.