Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a young boy named Peter. Peter was a curious and adventurous boy who loved exploring the woods near his house. One sunny day, while he was playing near a stream, he stumbled upon a mysterious shiny object. As he approached closer, he realized it was a magical egg. Excitedly, Peter picked up the egg and took it home. He showed it to his parents, who were just as amazed by its appearance.
“Zestful, dynamic and addictive, Shadow Magic is storytelling at its most exuberant. Joshua Khan sweeps you up on the very first page and never lets you go. Close shaves, high adventure, wild fantasy, and giant bats — this book has it all. I haven’t had this much fun in ages. Sit back and enjoy the ride!” –Jonathan Stroud
Here is a fantasy world you will lose yourself in with Six Great Families of magic, the nicest princess of darkness you ve ever met, a peasant boy with skills to rival Robin Hood, and a supporting cast of zombies, paladins, ghost puppies, executioners, minstrels, murderers, and a giant hero bat. But it s also a beautiful story about friendship and loyalty and accepting yourself no matter how strange, with serious-yet-campy goth trappings and lots of magic.
He showed it to his parents, who were just as amazed by its appearance. They agreed that Peter should take care of the egg and see what would happen. Peter placed the egg in a warm spot in his room and made sure to check on it every day.
Review: Shadow Magic
Shadow Magic by Joshua Khan, illustrated by Ben Hibon.
Disney Hyperion, New York, 2016.
MG fantasy, 324 pages.
Lexile: 540L .
AR Level: 4.1 (worth 11.4 points) .
NOTE: First in a trilogy.
Thorn was just trying to find his outlaw father when he got caught by slavers and was sold to executioner Tyburn of House Shadow. Lilith Shadow was never supposed to rule Gehenna, but then her family was killed.
Shadow Magic by Joshua Khan, illustrated by Ben Hibon.
I picked this one up because of this review. Initially this series didn’t strike me as particularly diverse from reading the blurb, but the author’s commentary on the Middle Eastern inspiration as well as an #ownvoice Muslim reviewer’s thoughts quickly confirmed that this was a trilogy I wanted to read.
The white-guy-being a slave part made me nervous, but it was a small part of the overall story and not poorly done. I did also wish for the House of Shadow to have more skin tone variety, but some information about House Solar covered that to my satisfaction.
Khan invests heavily in three similarly-aged characters, but only two have viewpoints in this book, which was so smart. While K’leef is a main part of the trio and the plot, his motivations and actions ultimately have to be deduced, and the novel manages to be balanced. What I didn’t love, even though I understood it, is the whole arranged-child-marriage thing. Thankfully, Lilly was not afraid to repeatedly call out how ludicrous it was and exercise her own agency to change her situation (not always for the better).
Page 249 of Shadow Magic illustrates a dramatic moment in the book.The magic system is fairly complex, so a good deal of this first book had to go towards introducing readers to the workings of not just the magic, but also the political systems that work around the various types of magic. And also how daily life works in this world and how it is influenced by both politics and magic.
Khan does a good job of parceling out all this information without doing infodumps. He uses situations, like when Thorn angers the wrong noble and the other boys point out that he’s the outsider and they need to stay out of trouble. Of course, Thorn’s isolation combined with hidden heritage make him a good target for Lily’s friendship.
Lily finds that unexpected leadership comes with many more headaches and sorrows than desired. Her arc was all I could have desired, and I especially appreciated that Khan allowed her and Thorn (and K’leef) to be equal partners. Finding out that the character was inspired by Malala Yousafzai made so much sense.
The book is divided into three sections based on the location. Most is set at Castle Gloom, with the first and last sixth in another place. Chapters are kept short and the plot is always moving even when the characters are pinned down, to the very last page! Regular full page artwork is interspersed, which is mostly excellent with a few duds. Gehenna gets a full map with lots of interesting tidbits that don’t come in to this story, and I always appreciate that in a fantasy novel. This was still middle grade, but the plot was less MG-ish than most, which made it far more interesting to an adult fantasy fan.
Pages 128 and 129 of Shadow Magic show one of the full page illustrations as well as the flipbook bat in the upper right hand corner.
The interior pages made a little flipbook of a bat flying. The book as a whole had a interesting design and I appreciated that the letterer and cover designer got cover billing, even if they and the artist, were relegated to the back cover. It has a sturdy matte cover and acceptable pages and binding, which has me perplexed – Disney Hyperion is so inconsistent with paperback quality! I ended up buying a used softcover copy of this first book for expediency and cost efficiency, but maybe I’ll look at new for the others.
Be forewarned that this novel contains significant deaths including murder, zombies vampires and other undead, grave-robbing, slavery, poaching, starvation, kidnapping, attempted forced child marriage, loss of parents, burning, petty thievery, bullying, beatings, betrayal, political maneuverings, a menagerie, and lots of bats. That sounds really dark, doesn’t it? But it’s also a beautiful story about friendship and loyalty and accepting yourself no matter how strange, with serious-yet-campy goth trappings and lots of magic.
Yes, this had more death and gloom than I remember middle schoolers wanting in a fantasy novel. It’s not horror exactly, despite all the murders and zombies and so on. Those are all tied up in the magic and politics of this fantasy world. I think this would work well for kids who are into the School of Good and Evil series, or fans of Hoodoo. Simply because of said murders and horror trappings (plus very mild romance) I’d put this at the upper end of MG or a high-low read for teens.
Recommended for mature MG and up.
A woodcutter’s son’s and a new queen’s paths intertwine in this debut middle-grade high fantasy.
Days turned into weeks, and the egg remained unchanged. Peter was starting to lose hope and wondered if it had really been a magical egg after all. But then, on a stormy night, a crack appeared on the shell. Peter watched in awe as the crack grew bigger and bigger until a beautiful creature emerged from within. It was a small dragon with shimmering scales and bright, colorful wings. Peter couldn't believe his eyes. He had always dreamt of having a dragon friend, and now his dream had come true. He named the dragon Sparkle because of its magnificent sparkling wings. Peter and Sparkle quickly became best friends and embarked on countless adventures together. They flew over mountains, explored hidden caves, and even helped the townspeople in times of need. Sparkle's magic abilities proved to be invaluable, and Peter's courage and intelligence helped them overcome any challenges they faced. As they spent more time together, Peter realized that the egg had chosen him for a reason. He discovered his own innate magic and learned how to harness it with the help of Sparkle. Together, they became an unstoppable team, bringing joy and wonder to everyone they encountered. The news of Peter and Sparkle's magical adventures spread far and wide, and soon people from all over the land came to witness their incredible bond. They were hailed as heroes and were cherished by all. But deep down, Peter knew that his friendship with Sparkle was the greatest gift of all. And so, Peter and Sparkle continued their magical journey, spreading love, kindness, and friendship wherever they went. The magic egg had brought them together, but their unbreakable bond was what truly made them special. They taught everyone they met that true magic lies within oneself and in the power of friendship..
Reviews for "Enter a world of magic and adventure with Pwter's Magic Egg"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really excited to read "Peter and the Magic Egg", but I found it to be quite disappointing. The story was highly predictable, and the characters were one-dimensional. I was hoping for a creative and imaginative adventure, but instead I got a dull and repetitive plot. The writing style was also quite elementary, making it difficult for me to stay engaged. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for an exciting and original story.
2. Mike - 1 star - "Peter and the Magic Egg" was a huge letdown for me. The characters were unlikeable and lacked any depth or development. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult for me to connect with the story. The pacing was slow, and there were several unnecessary side plots that added nothing to the overall narrative. I found myself bored and uninterested throughout most of the book. I was expecting a magical and enchanting adventure, but all I got was a tedious and uninspiring read.
3. Amanda - 2 stars - I was really hoping to enjoy "Peter and the Magic Egg", but it just didn't live up to my expectations. The plot was cliché and predictable, with no surprises or twists. The world-building was also lacking, and I struggled to visualize the settings and imagine myself within the story. The pacing was uneven, with long stretches of nothing happening followed by rushed and inconsequential events. I wanted to be transported to a magical world, but instead, I was left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied. Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me.
4. Jason - 3 stars - "Peter and the Magic Egg" was an okay read for me. While it had some interesting moments, overall, it failed to captivate me. The writing style was decent, but the plot felt disjointed and lacked cohesion. The characters had potential but were underdeveloped and added little to the story. Additionally, I found the resolution to be too convenient and rushed. I think this book could have been much better with more attention to detail and a stronger narrative structure.
5. Lisa - 2 stars - I found "Peter and the Magic Egg" to be a mediocre read. The story lacked originality and felt like a poor imitation of other fantasy novels. The pacing was slow, and the action scenes were poorly executed and lacked excitement. The dialogue was also unconvincing, and it was difficult to believe in the interactions between the characters. Overall, I was hoping for a more engaging and imaginative tale, but this book fell short for me.