First of Shadows is an action-packed entry point to an interesting world filled with intrigue and danger. Deck Matthews is a top-notch world-builder and a fresh new voice.

When I started, I was both skeptical and excited about reading an epic fantasy that comes in at only 170 pages. I read it in two days, which says something. Would I have loved for it to be longer? Yes. Does it feel a bit like Act 1? Yes. Yet, still, I loved every minute of it. The pages flew by and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. The magic systems (plural) are very intriguing. The flying ships are awesome. And there is clearly a rich in-world history. That said, because this is a short book, none of these were explored too thoroughly.

The one thing criticism I have is that the characters felt a little too Tolkien-inspired. The main group is basically Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and Frodo with a nazgul hunting them. I personally love LotR, so it didn't both me, but I'm keen to see Matthews take these characters and make them more of his own in subsequent books.

Overall, it's a great story. Fast paced. Inventive magic systems. And short enough that there's no excuse not to try it out! Especially since it's free on KU!