Official Review: Shadow Runner by K.J. Fieler is another one that MUST transform into a series

I thought I’d read about every genre of fantasy, and I was right about that, hence the word ‘about.’ Shadow Runner was my first whirl at ‘Gaslamp Fantasy.’

Have you ever come across a sub-genre within your favorite genre of fiction and loved it right away, literally to the point that you want to put down every project you got, confine yourself to a closet with your laptop, and just write? Or, perhaps a mechanical typewriter would be more sufficient when it comes to Gaslamp Fantasy; at least that’s what it’s labeled on the Zon.

Some reviewers have also called Shadow Runner by K.J. Fieler ‘steampunk,’ and I find it curious. One reason is that an old friend told me about an eon ago that I’d be a fan of the genre. So, maybe the work is a bit of both, which technically tosses it into the genre-fusion category. And you all know how much I like my genre-fusion.

But, if you toss it into a rather dark setting, oh, then it’s no wonder why I’ve been sleeping so little after I’m finished writing, editing, working out for a couple of hours, and building my own brand (or at least attempting to) for the day.

Yeah, I couldn’t get enough of this one, and it started in what I thought was typical 19th-century England with some fantasy involved. Historical Fantasy, in other words. While I think I was right in that notion, Shadow Runner was so much more.

Character transformations rocked and rolled

There are two types of massive transformations I look forward to, and they don’t involve the stereotypical rags to riches. It’s overdone, and I’m likely to put a book down unless the author gives me a valid reason to keep going.

Nope, it doesn’t happen often. Instead, give me a story about either an ordinary Average Joe or Plain Jane doing something extraordinary. Or, give me a rich kid and throw them into the worst possible situation out there.

For Ada, it was the latter, and wow, what a character transformation. A young girl who was born into money and couldn’t even perform a single push-up shortly after she was kidnapped, or at least that was kind of the case until further revelations imply otherwise, Ada transformed into one of the more likable protagonists I’ve had the pleasure to meet.

Yeah, the girl became rough around the edges. But when you’re fighting to survive in a secret society in which tomorrow is never guaranteed? Hey, you gotta be rough. I also liked her straightforward personality, and she wasn’t afraid to butt heads with anyone, even if it meant risking some type of punishment.

While Ada referenced her family at times, her biological family, that is, her transformation ran so deep that I found myself forgetting that she had an old life. It was like the young girl we met in Act I of this book never existed, replaced by a self-sufficient, bold, daring, and cunning character.

Supporting Characters ran deep in Shadow Runner

It’s easy for supporting characters to lack depth, and while a cast of predominantly flat characters doesn’t break a story, it doesn’t add to it, either. Books like Spirit Legacy by E.E. Holmes, for example, had, for the most part, a rather flat cast, but it’s one of my all-time favorites. That said, it could’ve been even better.

As for Shadow Runner, that was hardly an issue, as Gilda, Nadine, and Dieb all drew my interest. Later, we met Aldrick, who I took to almost immediately, even if he reminded me in the strangest way of Percy Weasley from Harry Potter.

Yeah, call me out for my hypocrisy on the whole ‘rags-to-riches’ thing, given the main act’s backstory in that series. Anyway, my point is, if you’re looking for an outstanding read with an exceptional character arc and interesting cast, Shadow Runner is one you need to pick up.

Lessons learned lie with the characters

In a previous article that I linked above, I talked about how Ada managed to turn her dreary situation upside down and make it work. That was a lesson I took away, but I was also a huge fan of Dieb, known early on as Ratcatcher.

Dieb’s fighting spirit was on display early when, despite losing fight after fight for the right for a spot in this Shadow Society as opposed to getting forced out onto the streets, she managed to talk her way into sticking around and proving her worth.

The girl starved for a while, slept in her own waste, and often used the floor as a bed. Still, her outright toughness paid off, and she ultimately bested Ada. So, for this lesson, it was simple: Life can throw you some less-than-spectacular moments, especially when we’re forced to live in an unfree world whose superpowers and their cheerleaders lie and try to claim otherwise.

We live in a world in which they tell us to kindly give up our civil liberties in exchange for safety, only to later find out that we’re less free and less safe. Not a fun realization, but the more one takes it upon oneself to improve their own situation even if the external forces out there work against us, we might be surprised with what we ultimately accomplish.

Ada taught us that early, but Dieb may have served as an even better example. A hard, smart worker, resourceful, willing to learn even if that wasn’t the case at first, the whole nine yards. And that was the most prominent message I got from this book.

Turn this one into a series, too

There are two books I read earlier this year that I’ve begged to turn into a series: John W. Whitehead’s The Erik Blair Diaries and Julane Fisher’s The Text. Both are works I’d read again in a heartbeat, especially if they had a sequel attached, even if The Text could use another round of editing.

Shadow Runner is in that same boat as Erik Blair and The Text, and the work is begging for a sequel. We’ll see what the future holds, but memorable characters drove this one home, and they’re a cast that I, for one, hope to meet again in a new, albeit dark, adventure in this awesome genre that I’ll certainly read more of.