Shadowbridge

No, I don’t know why Gregory Frost he made Shadowbridge and Lord Tophet into two books instead of one big one, either, but I do know that I enjoyed them both. These New Weird tales of a puppet mistress and her travels in the mysterious world of Shadowbridge have both plot and ambience going for them (though I stand by my theory that New Weird novels have their essence in place rather than plot). Frost creates complex, believable characters and puts them in complicated, magical situations that are unlike any I’ve read about elsewhere in fantasy. He is also a genuine wordsmith. The first sentence of the first novel will capture you: “The first time Leodora spoke to a god, she had climbed to the top of the bridge tower and she was show more masked.” How can you not keep reading? show less

Summary: The world of Shadowbridge is a world unlike any other. It's a world built on an ocean, where vast bridges connect far-flung spiraling towers, and tiny islands underneath the spans are the only land most people ever see. But more than that, Shadowbridge is a world of dreams, of sea dragons and fox-faced tricksters, of capricious gods visiting their gifts upon unsuspecting mortals. And most of all, Shadowbridge is a world of stories.

Leodora is a collector of those stories, a sixteen-year-old orphan who has fled from the abusive care of her uncle and the tiny village in which she grew up, onto the more cosmopolitan world of the spans. Following in her father Bardsham's footsteps (but disguised as a boy), she makes her living as a show more shadow puppeteer, telling the stories of the spans. Acting as her agent and guide is Soter, a drunken old man who used to perform the same office for Bardsham. Soter is haunted by Leodora's family's past, a legacy that he hopes to keep secret from the girl, even as her talent begins to outstrip even her father's. Rounding out their small traveling troupe is Diverus, another orphan who has been god-touched. Born an idiot, left as a sacrifice to the gods, he was gifted with the ability to play any music upon any instrument… although gifts from the gods are not always blessings, and seldom come without a price.

Review: Shadowbridge is a world of stories, and Shadowbridge is also a novel of stories. There's a central story running throughout -- of Leodora and her companions traveling the spans -- but there are major digressions to tell the back stories of Leodora and of Diverus, and sprinkled throughout are the stories of Shadowbridge that Leodora collects and performs. It's a format similar to Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief, but even more so, and it works exceptionally well to weave together a feeling of the world, its inhabitants, and their mythos. Shadowbridge is a unique, imaginative, and highly textured world, and I found Gregory Frost's writing to be thoroughly transporting. However, for readers who prefer a more linear approach to storytelling, it might come off feeling fragmented.

The only real issue I had with this book is that it doesn't tell a complete story. I don't know what went into the decision to publish Shadowbridge and its sequel, Lord Tophet, as two separate (albeit relatively short) books instead of one complete manuscript. Whatever the reason, however, it leaves Shadowbridge feeling somewhat incomplete; it spends all of its time doing character introduction and worldbuilding, and seems content to leave almost all of the main plot for the sequel. That's not to say that it isn't well-written, or compelling, or interesting -- indeed, I was thoroughly hooked by the story from the beginning, and frequently found myself willingly doing household chores I'd been neglecting, just so I could have the opportunity to listen to more of Shadowbridge. However, neither piece of the duology can stand on its own as a complete work, so the decision to split it in two feels artificial and leaves a trace of a bad taste in my mouth.

I was also somewhat distracted by the narrator's voice, at least initially. Lauren Davis is a good narrator overall, and good with keeping voices consistent and recognizable, but she just sounds so young. I don't know how old she actually is, and her voice is a good fit for sixteen-year-old Leodora, but it was rather disconcerting to hear a voice that normally narrates children's and mid-grade books so casually discussing violence, cruelty, and sex.

All in all, though, I really enjoyed Shadowbridge, and will certainly be listening to Lord Tophet, as well as keeping an eye out for more of Frost's novels in the future. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: I'd recommend Shadowbridge to all fantasy fans, but particularly those who like the story-within-a-story format, those who enjoy legends and fairy tales, those who are interested in mythology and enjoy stories of gods interacting with mortals, and most of all, to those who have the second book on hand (or enough Audible credits to download it) immediately upon finishing the first. show less

I was hard-pressed to rate this one.

I loved the stories within the stories that told the mythologies of the world. The world-building was unique and left one wanting to know more.

The plot was rather thin especially from the middle to the end of the book. It felt unfinished and ended with a cliffhanger. The book was short enough that the 2nd book could have been included. It seems a recent thing to publish a series of shorter books rather than a larger one (GRRM being an exception). I suppose they can get more money that way.

I'm not sure I will get the next book as much as I want to see how the author wraps things up. I just feel cheated by having to get 2 books when they could have been combined.

Frost is a consummate writer. His show more wordcraft is exceptional. I'm surprised he isn't more well known.

I think he's better at writing short stories as shown with all the stories in this book and the fact that the plot doesn't really seem to move on. You get dribs and drabs after the beginning about the main character Leandra/Jax and her parents. You never find out about her mother at all really. Soter, her mentor and protector in a way, we never know much about at all. I hope that the 2nd book ties all this up, but again I'm worried because it felt cheated out of information in this first book. show less

This is a review for both books, Shadowbridge, and the second part, Lord Tophet. This is essentially one big book that should be read together, so it makes sense to review both of them at the same time.

First, I love this world. The way the bridges work, the way the world changes from bridge to bridge. I also liked the magic - it is there, but it is subtle. There are also Gods here. They are not quite what you think they should be, nor do they play a large part in this story.

The story follows a performer named Leodora - she is a storyteller, using shadow puppets to tell her story. She is the daughter of a legendary performer and might even exceed her fathers talent. As she gains fame, she attracts unwanted attention.

Its a slow story. show more Sometimes a bit too slow - sometimes, it is told as a story within a story. This is story of discovering oneself - finding a voice. This is not a traditional fantasy story. No swords, or epic battles. Highly recommended if you want a fantasy story with a modern feel. show less

Once upon a time, long long ago, I read a book called Lyrec written by a man named Gregory Frost. I loved this book and reread it multiple times over the next few years. This was back in the mid 1980's when I was living in Maryland. I searched everywhere for another book by this author, but I was soon transferred to Texas where there was a dearth of decent bookstores and I never could find one. After a while I had to assume he'd been a one-hit wonder and I gave up.

Imagine my surprise and delight when I found his latest book, Shadowbridge, at the bookstore this year! I had to check online to make sure he was the same Gregory Frost I remembered. Turns out he'd written a couple of other novels and many short stories in the past 20 years, show more they just never came to a bookstore near me. I also blame the army for their crappy post libraries.

Shadowbridge tells the tale of a world that was dreamed into existence. It's only inhabitants were a fisher couple who were entirely content with their lives of fish/eat/sleep for that is all they had known since before memory began. Due to interesting circumstances related to a storyfish's poisoned bite, one night as the couple slept, a huge bridge was constructed right outside their shack. The end of it was so far away it vanished into the distance. Impossibly high above their heads jutted towers that seemed to pierce the sky. The couple began to explore the bridge and each night new spans were added to old, offshoots spiraled away from their origins out into the ocean, dozens upon dozens upon dozens, curling around the world like stone and steel ivy.

Long long after this couple discovered mortality, a troupe of shadow puppeteers walks the spans and sails the seas, searching for new stories to add to their repertoire and new markets to make them rich and famous. As their travels unwind, we listen to the stories they hear and watch as they create their own stories of adventure and betrayal and romance.

Well, not too much romance yet. Hopefully we'll get a bit more in the next volume, Lord Tophet.

I'm not sure which I love the best yet: the story of our shadow puppet troupe or the tales that Jax, the master puppeteer, gathers up during her travels as she talks to the perfectly ordinary people of day-to-day life. Well, some not so ordinary. When the gods choose to touch the members of our troupe, the whole world shifts.

The tales have the rhythm of fairy tales from a picture book and the rhythm makes all the magical occurrences seem perfectly logical. The story's rhythm is a little quicker, a bit more suspenseful with a touch of horror at times. Each new span of Shadowbridge is brought to life quickly and easily so the story itself isn't bogged down in words. Each character is endearing or annoying or alien or horrifying or all of the above.

Highly recommended. show less

A story about stories, from the point of view of a storyteller.

Of course, it's really just one main story, but the lore of the world is interwoven throughout in a more-or-less seamless manner. However, I'll admit I misinterpreted the tone of the book because of the opening "story", and was rather confused when I realized this fantasy tale does not shy away from dark and uncomfortable territory.

As someone who's not necessarily a fan of the "folk tale" style employed by the insert stories, I often found myself waiting for the main plot lines to return, though some were alright.

I have to admit, my timing for reading this fantasy is rather fortunate. It's part one of a two book series, and I wasn't even halfway THROUGH it before I ran to the bookstore and bought the second book, which was just released. Now that I'm done with Shadowbridge, I can read Lord Tophet next and be a happy devil.

Like I said, good timing.

This is definitely one of the more unique and original fantasies I've ever read. Shadowbridge is a world comprised of spans arched high over the oceans, and each span has its own set of tales. Your main character is a shadow-puppeteer, a collector of stories, but she must disguise herself as a man, the enigma known as Jax. Leodora is actually on the run from her past, but what she doesn't know is that show more she's on the run from her father's past as well.

It's a great, swift read whose setting and world-building inspires awe. And trust me, if you start reading this and liking it? Just go ahead and get the second book. Shadowbridge ends with a cliffhanger, so I'm glad I've got the sequel on hand.

The full review, with spoilers, is in my LJ. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome.

REVIEW: Gregory Frost's SHADOWBRIDGE

Happy Reading! :) show less