Eclipsed by Shadow: The Legend of the Great Horse (Book I of III) by John Royce

Eclipsed by Shadow: The Legend of the Great Horse (Book I of III)
John Royce
Micron Press (2008)
ISBN 9780972412131
Reviewed by Danelle Drake for Reader Views (12/08)

 

“Auburn–haired and with a streak of tomboy, Megan Roberts was not an unusual girl of twelve – except for the lucky fact that her family kept horses.”  John Royce introduces us to one of those works that you will remember forever.  In the past few years I have read several series that have really captivated me; this story is like these great series in the fact that it has the reader drawn in, but different in the fact that most all of the facts, times, and places in this book are not fiction.  The places you visit in “Eclipsed by Shadow” were really times in our great history. “The Legend of the Great Horse” series will have you wishing the tales were never-ending.

When Megan Roberts first laid eyes on Promise, she knew the horse was special.  A little old lady from down the road tells Megan that Promise is the “Great Horse.”  She says that the powers Promise possesses are suppose to be dark but that no one will know until the owner of the horse rides it.  Megan and her mom don’t know if they should believe the old woman.  When thieves try to steal the horse, we find out, and away we go.  As Promise gains wings she enables us to gain understanding into the history of the horse.

We learn how the horse was used in many ways throughout history.  All of the ways are not pleasant, but not all aspects of life are.  As Megan tries to help others understand her great love and respect of the horse we see inside her true soul.

“Eclipsed by Shadow” is a book well-worth reading. What a wonderful way to get factual history into a great readable fiction novel.   I have passed it along to my twelve-year-old daughter and she loves it.  Personally the Glossary of Terms at the end of the book was of great help as I originally knew very little about horses.  When I came to the final sentence, “The sounds of the angry scene slipped into the wind of the gallop as the ground faded to a blur.” I knew that I would anxiously await the next installation of “The Legend of the Great Horse” by John Royce.