A meeting with an old friend changes everything for Simon Archer. Simon is used to being a rakish gentleman of leisure, focusing more on the parties of Victorian London than his magical talent. Now, Simon finds himself faced with the idea of werewolves running amok as he tries to honor a friend's wishes. When the trail puts him in the path of Kate Anstruther, Simon and Kate align themselves together in order to stop the menace that is terrorizing London.

THE SHADOW REVOLUTION kicks off the Crown and Key series in spectacular fashion! I love the genre blending as we get a bit of steampunk, dark fantasy, horror, werewolves, and the oh so horrendous homunculi. THE SHADOW REVOLUTION delves into alchemy and magic, showing us the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of society.

The character development and formation of the cadre of monster hunters is superbly done! Simon and his friend and mentor, Nick Barker, are used to working together but they have always avoided getting too involved. Simon's encounter with Kate changes everything. However, it is the inclusion of Malcolm MacFarlane and Penny Carter who up the ante and make it a team. I love the bickering back and forth between the various characters as they have to learn to work together rather than going solo.

THE SHADOW REVOLUTION is a fast paced, action-filled dark fantasy that is just sheer fun to read! This is my first time reading Clay and Susan Griffith but their prior series has now been added to my list as I love their world building and character development. The allure of this dark and conspiracy laden Victorian London has me already craving the second book, The Undying Legion, as I can't wait to see what happens next in the series!

Book Summary

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. 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.

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