The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington

Few men could gain Taag’s Peak, and fewer still desired to. The obsidian surface was worn smooth by the constant buffeting wind twenty paces from Tal it ended in another precipice, almost as sheer as the one he currently overlooked. No life grew there, not even the hard, poisonous foliage that survived elsewhere in the wilderness. Another flash illuminated the oval of jagged rocks the waves licked at them hungrily, waiting to devour any who ventured close.īehind him lay the flat, barren rock that was Taag’s Peak. Old eyes set against youthful features stared unblinking into the night, fixed upon the point where he knew the gaping maw of Eryth Mmorg lay. Only his cloak moved as it flowed out behind him, billowing and snapping in the gusting wind. Tal watched impassively from his rocky perch, high above even the spray. Another roared, hissed, sighed, even louder than the peals of thunder that followed. The world flickered back into darkness, but the waves, if anything, increased their intensity. A dark wave shattered against a barely discernible outcrop of black rocks, hissing, spitting spray a hundred feet into the air before subsiding. This book is dedicated to her, as it could not possibly have existed if it were not for her enduring support.įor a moment the waters of Eryth Mmorg were lit, roiling and churning as though a great knife had plunged deep into the pool’s murky heart. To this day it amazes me that despite how much more work the story needed, he somehow delivered his critique with enough encouragement and tact that I ended up being inspired rather than deflated.įinally, I'd like to thank my family for all their encouragement over the past couple of years - and in particular my wife, Sonja, whose love, constant optimism, and ability to soothe my fragile ego kept me sane as I worked through each draft. Thanks also go to Pat, who read what was a very rough first draft and still managed to spot the promise in amongst its many flaws. It's no small commitment to test-read a book of this size, and their feedback proved invaluable in honing The Shadow Of What Was Lost. Without your enthusiasm, love and support,Ī big thank-you, firstly, is owed to all my alpha and beta readers - Ross, Nicki, Chiara, Aiden, Brett, Jeremy, Dean, David, Rex, Callum, Tim, Stuart and (of course) Sonja.

The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington