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A thrilling new Victorian-era urban fantasy for fans of Kevin Hearne’s Iron Druid Chronicles, the Showtime series Penny Dreadful, and the Sherlock Holmes movies featuring Robert Downey, Jr.They are the realm’s last, best defense against supernatural evil. But they’re going to need a lot more silver.
As fog descends, obscuring the gas lamps of Victorian London, werewolves prowl the shadows of back alleys. But they have infiltrated the inner circles of upper-crust society as well. show more Only a handful of specially gifted practitioners are equipped to battle the beasts. Among them are the roguish Simon Archer, who conceals his powers as a spell-casting scribe behind the smooth veneer of a dashing playboy; his layabout mentor, Nick Barker, who prefers a good pub to thrilling heroics; and the self-possessed alchemist Kate Anstruther, who is equally at home in a ballroom as she is on a battlefield.
After a lycanthrope targets Kate’s vulnerable younger sister, the three join forces with fierce Scottish monster-hunter Malcolm MacFarlane—but quickly discover they’re dealing with a threat far greater than anything they ever imagined.
Praise for The Shadow Revolution
“Team Griffith creates a number of really compelling characters whose exploits will keep readers glued to the pages! Terrific!”—RT Book Reviews
“A fast-paced, action-filled dark fantasy that is just sheer fun to read . . . The Shadow Revolution kicks off the Crown & Key series in spectacular fashion!”—Fresh Fiction
“Werewolves, mad science, and plenty of smiting. Pass the popcorn.”—Emma Jane Holloway, author of The Baskerville Affair series
"A thrilling read! Clay and Susan Griffith have crafted a gritty, action-packed Victorian-era fantasy world full of dark creatures, mystery, and magic—a must read for steampunk fans!”—Shawntelle Madison, author of the Coveted series
“What happens when you kick off a new urban fantasy series with a fantastic setting and unique characters, and you throw in some dangerous, supernatural creatures, evil madmen, murder and mayhem? You get a kick-ass book to read. . . . I want more, please!”—Book Swoon
“If summer blockbuster action movies existed back in the Victorian era, they would look a lot like The Shadow Revolution. This book doesn’t mess around. . . . Highly recommended.”—The BiblioSanctum
“One hell of a read . . . [With] unforgettable characters and magic around every bend, this truly was a breath of fresh air.”—My Guilty Obsession
“The story is pretty fast-paced, the mystery intriguing and refreshingly surprising, and the action thrilling. [The Shadow Revolution] pulls you in and barely lets you up for air, and I love the intensity of that kind of storytelling.”—Refracted Light
“So good that I won’t be surprised if this book series is opted to be a TV show or movie with an accompanying video game! Great storytelling, great plot and most of all great book!”—Marienela. show less
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Member Reviews
If summer blockbuster action movies existed back in the Victorian era, they would look a lot like The Shadow Revolution. This book doesn’t mess around. It makes its goals very clear right from the beginning, and that is to stuff as much fun and excitement as it can into its three hundred or so pages.
Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith take readers on a wild ride through Victorian London in this feisty, ass-kicking yarn about magic and alchemy and werewolves and mad science. Spell-casting scribe Simon Archer and his mentor Nick Barker have an unfortunate run-in with a lycanthrope one night, and the hunt for it leads them to discover something bigger and so much more disturbing stirring within the city’s shadows. Meanwhile, the brilliant show more alchemist Kate Anstruther’s younger sister Imogen is snatched by a werewolf, prompting Kate to join forces with Simon, Nick, and a Scottish monster hunter named Malcolm in order to stage a daring rescue.
Being a fan of the authors, I was really excited when I first heard about this book. I saw the kind of magic the Griffiths worked with historical fiction, fantasy and adventure in their Vampire Empire series, and it looks like they’ve dialed things up even higher here for Crown & Key. This first installment wastes no time throwing readers into the thick of things, going straight for pure fast-paced and unadulterated fun. Sometimes it felt like the story only took breaks long enough to push things along, and then we’re plunging right back into the action again. As you’d expect, this makes for quite a page-turner.
Of course, this also makes the book a bit weaker in other areas, most notably in the character development and world building departments. That’s not to say these aspects are completely lacking, just that we get the minimum to satisfy the story and to care about our protagonists. In spite of this, I still found the characters fascinating and memorable, and a great air of intrigue permeates the setting. Simon Archer captured my attention with his roguish charm, and I loved Kate’s cleverness and stalwart determination. The story even leaves plenty of room for characters to grow and relationships to develop. Already I’m looking forward to finding out what secrets Nick might be hiding from Simon, or whether or not Kate and Imogen will ever be the same again, or how Malcolm will fit into the equation in future books.
So maybe it’s not a terribly deep or sophisticated experience, but so what? It’s not really meant to be. Entertainment value is what this novel is all about, complete with snappy dialogue, tons of throwaway violence and a sweet little romantic subplot. It's fun as hell. The book and its two sequels following right on its heels will make the perfect 2015 summer beach reads for lovers of steampunk gaslamp fantasy and urban paranormal mysteries, count on it. The story might not stay with you for very long, it’s true, but you’ll definitely want to pick up the next book straight away and get right back into the world.
All told, The Shadow Revolution is an exciting introduction to a series that knows exactly what it wants to be, and it’s scarily good at what it does. If you’re willing to go with that, then you’ll probably enjoy this one as much as I did. I'm already excited to dive into book two, The Undying Legion. Highly recommended if you’re in the mood for something fast, pulpish and wicked cool to brighten up your day. show less
Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith take readers on a wild ride through Victorian London in this feisty, ass-kicking yarn about magic and alchemy and werewolves and mad science. Spell-casting scribe Simon Archer and his mentor Nick Barker have an unfortunate run-in with a lycanthrope one night, and the hunt for it leads them to discover something bigger and so much more disturbing stirring within the city’s shadows. Meanwhile, the brilliant show more alchemist Kate Anstruther’s younger sister Imogen is snatched by a werewolf, prompting Kate to join forces with Simon, Nick, and a Scottish monster hunter named Malcolm in order to stage a daring rescue.
Being a fan of the authors, I was really excited when I first heard about this book. I saw the kind of magic the Griffiths worked with historical fiction, fantasy and adventure in their Vampire Empire series, and it looks like they’ve dialed things up even higher here for Crown & Key. This first installment wastes no time throwing readers into the thick of things, going straight for pure fast-paced and unadulterated fun. Sometimes it felt like the story only took breaks long enough to push things along, and then we’re plunging right back into the action again. As you’d expect, this makes for quite a page-turner.
Of course, this also makes the book a bit weaker in other areas, most notably in the character development and world building departments. That’s not to say these aspects are completely lacking, just that we get the minimum to satisfy the story and to care about our protagonists. In spite of this, I still found the characters fascinating and memorable, and a great air of intrigue permeates the setting. Simon Archer captured my attention with his roguish charm, and I loved Kate’s cleverness and stalwart determination. The story even leaves plenty of room for characters to grow and relationships to develop. Already I’m looking forward to finding out what secrets Nick might be hiding from Simon, or whether or not Kate and Imogen will ever be the same again, or how Malcolm will fit into the equation in future books.
So maybe it’s not a terribly deep or sophisticated experience, but so what? It’s not really meant to be. Entertainment value is what this novel is all about, complete with snappy dialogue, tons of throwaway violence and a sweet little romantic subplot. It's fun as hell. The book and its two sequels following right on its heels will make the perfect 2015 summer beach reads for lovers of steampunk gaslamp fantasy and urban paranormal mysteries, count on it. The story might not stay with you for very long, it’s true, but you’ll definitely want to pick up the next book straight away and get right back into the world.
All told, The Shadow Revolution is an exciting introduction to a series that knows exactly what it wants to be, and it’s scarily good at what it does. If you’re willing to go with that, then you’ll probably enjoy this one as much as I did. I'm already excited to dive into book two, The Undying Legion. Highly recommended if you’re in the mood for something fast, pulpish and wicked cool to brighten up your day. show less
The Shadow Revolution just doesn’t work for me, not even as mindless fluff.
The Shadow Revolution is one of those vaguely steampunk Victoriana sort of books. It’s the Victorian era and there’s werewolves plus some magic. That about sums up the world building. More specifically, the uber handsome playboy and mage Simon Archer teams up with Kate Anstruther, a gorgeous alchemist who of course thinks she’s ugly, the rugged Scottish werewolf hunter Malcolm MacFarlane, and the completely forgettable Nick Barker. Together they fight werewolves who for some reason have decided to take over London. The book’s basically action scenes strung together, and it’s remarkable how little I cared about any of them.
This might be a minor thing, show more but I found it very annoying how The Shadow Revolution spent an inordinate amount of time describing how immensely attractive all its protagonists are. Seriously, I get it. These people are hot. Let’s move on.
The best single idea in the entire book is that the Bastille was a prison for supernatural criminals who were let loose during the French Revolution. That was the high point. Other positives are that it used magic in addition to werewolves, which you don’t always see. There was also more than one female character involved in the plot, although I don’t think female characters were treated very well overall.
Let me elaborate. In the first chapter, Simon’s ex-girlfriend is tragically killed by a werewolf and dies in Simon’s arms, thus inciting the events of the book. Not only is she fridged, this woman apparently had nothing better to do with her life than follow Simon from afar because he’s just that awesome. Seriously, he finds the walls of her bedroom covered in newspaper clippings about himself, which is used a reason to fuel his guilt about her death. I think it’s actually pretty creepy.
Despite the bad start, The Shadow Revolution seemed like it’d do okay with it’s female characters. While Kate was as well rounded as cardboard (like all the other characters) she was allowed to do things and be generally intelligent. One other character, an engineer named Penny, was also allowed to be a badass. Heck, there’s even a female villain, although I’m not sure what to make about the constant comments on how manly she was. Something felt off there. Anyway, the biggest problem is with Kate, the female lead. Skip the rest of this paragraph if you don’t like spoilers. Ready for it? She’s kidnapped and the climax is the other characters having to go rescue her. Wow, way to go the damsel in distress route.
I finished this book on the plane and left it there, in the back pocket of the seat in front of me. I have absolutely no desire to read this again, and its not even worth it to cart it back home to resell or donate.
Basically, this isn’t a book that I’d recommend to anyone.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page. show less
The Shadow Revolution is one of those vaguely steampunk Victoriana sort of books. It’s the Victorian era and there’s werewolves plus some magic. That about sums up the world building. More specifically, the uber handsome playboy and mage Simon Archer teams up with Kate Anstruther, a gorgeous alchemist who of course thinks she’s ugly, the rugged Scottish werewolf hunter Malcolm MacFarlane, and the completely forgettable Nick Barker. Together they fight werewolves who for some reason have decided to take over London. The book’s basically action scenes strung together, and it’s remarkable how little I cared about any of them.
This might be a minor thing, show more but I found it very annoying how The Shadow Revolution spent an inordinate amount of time describing how immensely attractive all its protagonists are. Seriously, I get it. These people are hot. Let’s move on.
The best single idea in the entire book is that the Bastille was a prison for supernatural criminals who were let loose during the French Revolution. That was the high point. Other positives are that it used magic in addition to werewolves, which you don’t always see. There was also more than one female character involved in the plot, although I don’t think female characters were treated very well overall.
Let me elaborate. In the first chapter, Simon’s ex-girlfriend is tragically killed by a werewolf and dies in Simon’s arms, thus inciting the events of the book. Not only is she fridged, this woman apparently had nothing better to do with her life than follow Simon from afar because he’s just that awesome. Seriously, he finds the walls of her bedroom covered in newspaper clippings about himself, which is used a reason to fuel his guilt about her death. I think it’s actually pretty creepy.
Despite the bad start, The Shadow Revolution seemed like it’d do okay with it’s female characters. While Kate was as well rounded as cardboard (like all the other characters) she was allowed to do things and be generally intelligent. One other character, an engineer named Penny, was also allowed to be a badass. Heck, there’s even a female villain, although I’m not sure what to make about the constant comments on how manly she was. Something felt off there. Anyway, the biggest problem is with Kate, the female lead. Skip the rest of this paragraph if you don’t like spoilers. Ready for it? She’s kidnapped and the climax is the other characters having to go rescue her. Wow, way to go the damsel in distress route.
I finished this book on the plane and left it there, in the back pocket of the seat in front of me. I have absolutely no desire to read this again, and its not even worth it to cart it back home to resell or donate.
Basically, this isn’t a book that I’d recommend to anyone.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page. show less
A steampunk meets historical fantasy novel, this book is the first in a new series. There's magic, supernatural creatures, and an insane asylum. Think The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen mixed with the Dresden Files. It's action-packed, fun, and creates a lot of potential for the rest of the installments. The characters and gadgets are cool and the writing flows well. The action takes center stage here, not a romance. I look forward to the second one. For urban fantasy fans looking for a quick and easy read.
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While I'm somewhat underwhelmed with this novel I still might go ahead and read the rest of the books in the series; assuming that I don't have to pay for them! My issues with this story basically boil down to character development by data dump, too many plot cliches used to move the action along and the world building is rather weak. That said the main characters do hold your interest (even if they're really too "Mary Sue" for my tastes) and the dialogue is snappy. My biggest gripe might be the treatment of our female protagonist's sister, who is basically being set up for a bad end due to the classic horror trope of being a girl interested in sex; please!
Original Review published on Musings of a Bookish Kitty @ http://www.literaryfeline.com/2016/06/bookish-thoughts-shadow-revolution-by.html
The Shadow Revolution (Crown & Key, #1) by Clay Griffith & Susan Griffith
Del Rey, 2015
Fantasy (Steampunk); 320 pgs
Source: NetGalley
I am likely not the first one to say this book would make a great movie. Admittedly, it was hard not to picture some of the cast from the Sherlock Holmes movies (the ones with Robert Downing Jr.). There was hardly a turn in the book that was not filled with some sort of fight or action, with occasional gore. The dialogue is quite witty, especially between Kate Anstruther and Simon Archer.
This novel is perfectly set in a steampunk Victorian London setting with magicians, show more alchemists, hunters and werewolves. The authors captured the atmosphere of the time period well.
Simon, Nick and Malcolm prove they are good in a fight as well as in using their brains. I have a feeling there are hidden depths to all three men that will come out in later books. I never really felt like I had a good handle on Nick. And from what Nick said towards the end of the book, I imagine there is a lot more to Simon than the reader knows as well.
Fighting alongside the strong and very capable men, Kate, an alchemist, proves she can hold her own. She doesn't hesitate to jump in when the action starts, even not quite knowing what the situation at hand is. As great a character as Kate is, however, I adore Penny Carter as well and hope to see more of her in the next two books. She doesn't appear until later in the books, but she's a force to be reckoned with.
The Shadow Revolution was an entertaining novel, a story made for the big screen. Still, I am left with a lot of questions and hope to find answers to them in the upcoming novels. show less
The Shadow Revolution (Crown & Key, #1) by Clay Griffith & Susan Griffith
Del Rey, 2015
Fantasy (Steampunk); 320 pgs
Source: NetGalley
I am likely not the first one to say this book would make a great movie. Admittedly, it was hard not to picture some of the cast from the Sherlock Holmes movies (the ones with Robert Downing Jr.). There was hardly a turn in the book that was not filled with some sort of fight or action, with occasional gore. The dialogue is quite witty, especially between Kate Anstruther and Simon Archer.
This novel is perfectly set in a steampunk Victorian London setting with magicians, show more alchemists, hunters and werewolves. The authors captured the atmosphere of the time period well.
Simon, Nick and Malcolm prove they are good in a fight as well as in using their brains. I have a feeling there are hidden depths to all three men that will come out in later books. I never really felt like I had a good handle on Nick. And from what Nick said towards the end of the book, I imagine there is a lot more to Simon than the reader knows as well.
Fighting alongside the strong and very capable men, Kate, an alchemist, proves she can hold her own. She doesn't hesitate to jump in when the action starts, even not quite knowing what the situation at hand is. As great a character as Kate is, however, I adore Penny Carter as well and hope to see more of her in the next two books. She doesn't appear until later in the books, but she's a force to be reckoned with.
The Shadow Revolution was an entertaining novel, a story made for the big screen. Still, I am left with a lot of questions and hope to find answers to them in the upcoming novels. show less
I got this book to review through NetGalley. This is the first book in the Crown and Key trilogy. This whole trilogy is being released very rapidly over the course of June/July of 2015. I really loved the Vampire Empire series by the Griffiths, so I was excited to see that they had a new series releasing.
This was a very fun Victorian steampunk paranormal read. It is described as a blend of the Iron Druid Chronicles, Sherlock Holmes, and Penny Dreadful (the TV series)...this is a very apt description of this book.
Werewolves have infiltrated the nobility of London and only those who have special powers and know of their existence are equipped to fight them. Enter Simon Archer, self proclaimed playboy who hides his abilities as a spell show more casting scribe and his sidekick of sorts Nick Baker (who can bash heads just as well as he can wield fire). During their hunt for werewolves they cross paths with Kate Anstruther, who is an alchemist who is as dangerous as she is beautiful. When Kate’s sister disappears Simon vows to help find her and solve the mystery behind the increase in werewolf activity once and for all.
This was a highly entertaining steampunk/paranormal romp. There were a lot of werewolves, mystery solving, druidic-type magic, and alchemy in this story. It was an incredibly fun and entertaining to read.
I enjoyed the balance of strong female and male characters and really loved the alternate history feel to the story as well. Simon Archer reminded a lot of Sherlock Holmes with his rakish and reckless behavior. I loved the character of Kate as well; she is tough but still feminine and has some wonderful alchemy tricks up her sleeve.
The world created here was well done and I enjoyed the magic and alchemy. The story is action-packed and fast-paced and I really loved it.
Overall I thought this book was incredibly entertaining and lots of fun to read. It’s a wonderful blend of paranormal, steampunk, and alternate history at a fast-paced urban fantasy type style. I would recommend to urban fantasy fans and steampunk fans! I can’t wait to see what volume 2, The Undying Legion, has in store for us. show less
This was a very fun Victorian steampunk paranormal read. It is described as a blend of the Iron Druid Chronicles, Sherlock Holmes, and Penny Dreadful (the TV series)...this is a very apt description of this book.
Werewolves have infiltrated the nobility of London and only those who have special powers and know of their existence are equipped to fight them. Enter Simon Archer, self proclaimed playboy who hides his abilities as a spell show more casting scribe and his sidekick of sorts Nick Baker (who can bash heads just as well as he can wield fire). During their hunt for werewolves they cross paths with Kate Anstruther, who is an alchemist who is as dangerous as she is beautiful. When Kate’s sister disappears Simon vows to help find her and solve the mystery behind the increase in werewolf activity once and for all.
This was a highly entertaining steampunk/paranormal romp. There were a lot of werewolves, mystery solving, druidic-type magic, and alchemy in this story. It was an incredibly fun and entertaining to read.
I enjoyed the balance of strong female and male characters and really loved the alternate history feel to the story as well. Simon Archer reminded a lot of Sherlock Holmes with his rakish and reckless behavior. I loved the character of Kate as well; she is tough but still feminine and has some wonderful alchemy tricks up her sleeve.
The world created here was well done and I enjoyed the magic and alchemy. The story is action-packed and fast-paced and I really loved it.
Overall I thought this book was incredibly entertaining and lots of fun to read. It’s a wonderful blend of paranormal, steampunk, and alternate history at a fast-paced urban fantasy type style. I would recommend to urban fantasy fans and steampunk fans! I can’t wait to see what volume 2, The Undying Legion, has in store for us. show less
Advance copy provided by NetGalley
It was all forms, frames and figures with this one. There was never simply someone doing something. Instead, it was the figure/frame/form of someone doing something. Or someone observing the figure/frame/form of someone/something. I found this distracting.
I wasn't sure I would stick with it, but I read a review that said the book got better. And it did get better for a while. I kind of liked Kate Anstruther. But I didn't love her or any of the characters, really. I felt like I'd seen them all before.
The constant battles and high body count was tiresome, although I did like the descriptions of how Simon and Nick used their magic in battle.
If you're in the mood for non-stop action and lots of show more bloodshed, and not much else, this might be just the thing for you. It's the first of a trilogy. And to the authors' credit, they didn't end on a cliffhanger. There are plenty of unanswered questions, but this part of the story had a beginning and end. I do appreciate that. show less
It was all forms, frames and figures with this one. There was never simply someone doing something. Instead, it was the figure/frame/form of someone doing something. Or someone observing the figure/frame/form of someone/something. I found this distracting.
I wasn't sure I would stick with it, but I read a review that said the book got better. And it did get better for a while. I kind of liked Kate Anstruther. But I didn't love her or any of the characters, really. I felt like I'd seen them all before.
The constant battles and high body count was tiresome, although I did like the descriptions of how Simon and Nick used their magic in battle.
If you're in the mood for non-stop action and lots of show more bloodshed, and not much else, this might be just the thing for you. It's the first of a trilogy.
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