Shadowlight

Jackie Hyman

Shadow has spent the past few years hiding under the city, being a sneak thief and living hand to mouth. She knows that if Hakin, the ruler of the Radiants in Ad-Omaq, finds her, she will be put to death. Hakin's husband fathered Shadow with a woman from the old race. Shadow is a unique mixture of the two races. The Radiants have enslaved the people from the old race and are plundering the countryside.

When Shadow's two friends Nls and Dorf are captured, Shadow accidentally reveals herself when trying to rescue Nls. Now that Hakin and her wicked daughter Briala know that Shadow is alive, they will do anything to catch her.

Outside the city, the countryside has been taken over by the Graylord and the ghouls. The Graylord takes peoples' souls, turning them into ghouls. The ghouls then attack and kill wherever they are. Ad-Omaq has been cut off from the rest of the world because of these evil beings. Shadow narrowly avoids capture by the ghouls. She learns the Graylord is planning on overthrowing Ad-Omaq and eventually capturing the rest of the world.

Shadow has a special power that helps her see clearly. She and two escaped friends look for help outside Ad-Omaq. But the help she finds may claim her soul in a different way. Together they and her friends must find a way to save Ad-Omaq and restore its proper power.

This fantasy novel is almost twenty years old. Jackie Hyman has created a world in Shadowlight that is interesting and keeps the reader going. Good and evil are clearly defined, but there are hidden currents that make the picture riskier than originally thought. Shadowlight is an easy read and was a good way to while away a rainy afternoon and evening.

Although out of print, check for this book through used booksellers such as Better World Books.