Black Beast (Shadow Thane #1)

Black Beast (Shadow Thane #1) by Nenia Campbell

Age: Adult
Category: Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars

Marta Thinks: Nenia Campbell. An ex-fictionpresser, member of the now dissolved Plagiarism Haven, indie author, book reviewer active on Goodreads. Yes, she is all of these things - true - but she is also something else. A very, very good writer. Her prose is gorgeous (‘…it was a golden skeleton key…it was the benediction of pristine predigree…’) and I would even go so far as to claim that it’s practically impossible to not gain pleasure from her words. She has the ability to string phrases together and create a beautiful painting, vivid and lush.

But what are words without a plot? Not much. So here’s the deal: Catherine Pierce is a shapeshifter. And there’s no problem with that. But shapeshifters are meant to settle into one animal form after puberty. Catherine hasn’t. Crown Prince Phineas Riordan notes this error in the record book and follows Catherine in order to fix the mistake: he finds something else instead. And all the while Catherine finds a magical book, has terrifying dreams about the eponymous Shadow Thane and Slayers are infiltrating the school. Fabulous.

Banner Credit: Marta

There’s incredible world building: witches, shapeshifters, slayers, vampires, magic, talking animals and prophecies. There’s order and structure within this universe, background to the current situation and mentions of past wars. And, like in every Nenia Campbell book, there is earthy sexual attraction, crude thoughts and desires, not for the faint-hearted.

A minor qualm would be that there wasn’t a lot going on (the ending is a little bit-anticlimactic) but I believe the book is worth the read, and provides the appropriate introduction and build-up for its sequel.