I have to admit – I had a hard time coming up with my talking points for this review because the book was just so damn good that I couldn’t figure out where to start. L.J. Hachmeister’s novel is a brutal coming of age story that contrasts the conflicted feelings of a character struggling against a strict society of the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’. The xenophobia, paranoia and inherent distrust of outsiders, set against a dark fantasy background of powerful clan loyalty, is a sharp contrast and thinly veiled commentary on our world of today.
This first book of the series follows a young girl named Sen, who leaves her home in The Realm. Fearing that she lacks the powers and abilities that are required to stay in The Realm, and wanting to rid herself of her critical, abusive father, she heads out into the unknown to find her own destiny. The brutal reality of her journey soon becomes apparent as she discovers the world is not what she imagined it to be. Her only allies are a great broken-winged beast that she aided during her initial escape and her determination to find her own path. Sen soon encounters the Outliers, a shadowless clan of warriors with their own internal politics and divisions, and immediately clashes with one of their leaders; another young girl named Nya. Unlike Sen, Nya is a hardened warrior fiercely devoted to protecting her people. She doesn’t trust Sen and takes every opportunity to confront her and cast her out. But soon, events take precedence over personal conflicts as a greater threat rises before them.
This book is packed with character, intrigue, and action. And the author’s martial arts background gives her descriptions a reality that vividly allows the reader to access the harsh world of a warrior clan. In many ways, Shadowless reads like Mad Max: Fury Road with its gritty nature, hard topics, and epic rescues.
Hachmeister’s vivid imagination brings these horrors to life through her keyboard. The final battle, and final chapters, leave plenty of teasers for what we might see in a sequel.