Kindle Edition Amazon Crusaders Crypt Category:  Fantasy ISBN-10:  1537706780 Type: Fiction Pages: 312 Copyright: Oct 24, 2016 ISBN-13: 9781537706788 Price: $2.99 (eBook) Can one Aelfborn retrieve Shadowbane and bring peace to a world in turmoil, or shall everyone suffer an eternity of despair? During a time of strife, Megildur must traverse Aerynth to rescue his sister and fulfill a destiny ordained by the All-Father. Finding Shadowbane, the mighty but cursed sword, will be challenging enough for this young Aelfborn. In a world torn apart by treachery and conflict, it is every being, or creature, for themselves. This novel combines qualities from Lord of the Rings© and Greek mythology, with a few twists on some new races. This is the first novel to reveal the lore behind the epic player versus player game, Shadowbane. Aerynth exists within a shroud of betrayal and deceit for over 100 years. In this realm of chaos, Megildur finds help from an unlikely pair…a sneaky Shade and a nomadic Nephilim. Can this unique trio bring peace and order to Aerynth, or fall prey to the Terror of Terrors?

An entertaining read by any measure
The story is perhaps not the most original, and the pacing could be better, but overall Mister Francois delivers a story that is entertaining for those who love the genre. Likely due to his inspiration from Tolkien, from whom so much of the genre is derived, his world feels a little generic at times, though there are moments that are powerful enough to lift off that heavy shroud and show some unique qualities that we cannot give away without telling more than we would like. If you love the works of Tolkien or R. A. Salvatore, Shadowbane has been struck from their molds, leaving something that feels familiar and safe, but still fun.
One place where Shadowbane: Age of Aelfborn shines the most is in the characterization of Megildur, who is everything that we yearn to see in a protagonist, and as we followed him along this journey we could not help but feel for him and grow to love him. Mister Francois has created a vivid world with real characters, and that is no simple task.

Well worth the reading!
First, the minus - there is not much character development so you never get a real idea who you are reading about - I like to feel a kinship with the characters by the time I finish a book - not so herein.
On the plus side, the book is fairly well written and packed with action. I really enjoyed it. Though the author uses many tried and true scenarios to add to the story he changes the events enough to suit his characters and storyline. Good job!