Kindle
$0.00
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Paperback
$10.99
Kindle Price: $0.00

Save $2.99 (100%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Audiobook Price: $21.83

Save: $18.50 (85%)

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Moira Katson
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Shadowborn: An Epic Fantasy Novel (Light & Shadow series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Moira Katson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,231 ratings
See all formats and editions
Friendship and loyalty, secrets and intrigue, prophecy and illusion…

I was four hours old when I was cast out by my mother. I was cursed, she said. Kinder to let me die in the snow and the wind than let me live, only to be betrayed.

I was twelve when the Duke found me and turned me into a Shadow: bodyguard, spy, and assassin.

I was fourteen when he brought me to court. He wanted his niece on the throne, by any means possible. I was to be her weapon, wielded as she and the Duke saw fit.

But she wants more. She’s playing her own game.

And the court holds its own secrets. A war centuries in the making is ready to erupt, and we are in a race against time to keep it from consuming whole empires.

… If we survive.

Shadowborn is the first book in Moira Katson’s acclaimed Light & Shadow series, all free to read in Kindle Unlimited! Based on the intrigue and shifting loyalties of the War of the Roses and the Tudor dynasty that followed, Light & Shadow exists in a world that never was - a world of magic and prophecy….
Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 5
    Light & Shadow series
  2. Print length
    268 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    April 8, 2013
  6. File size
    2658 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
Next page
All 4 available for you in this series See full series
See included books
Total Price: $20.97
By clicking on above button, you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use
More like Shadowborn: An Epic Fantasy Novel (Light & Shadow series Book 1)
Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous page
  1. Light & Shadow Books 1-4
    Kindle Edition
    $9.99
  18. Tears of Blood, Books 1-3
    Kindle Edition
    $6.99
  21. Hyde: an Urban Fantasy Romance
    Kindle Edition
    $0.00
Next page
Loading...

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00CAWVLL8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (April 8, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 8, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2658 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 268 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,231 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Moira Katson

Moira Katson

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Moira Katson writes Fantasy and Science Fiction novels. Born and raised in the farmland of the eastern United States, she is now a transplant living in the oft-frigid wastes of the midwest, where she is learning to love hot dish, fried food on a stick, ice fishing, and the hilarious faces her friends make when she tells them about winter temperatures. ...just kidding, she has no intentions to learn how to ice fish.

Despite the fact that she had been writing since childhood, Moira majored in nice, sensible subjects in college and went on to have a nice, sensible job, all the while continuing to write about dragons, courts, and spaceships. She has since bowed to the inevitable and begun releasing her work into the world! Her first book was released in 2012, and her current projects include Rise of Aiqasal and several projects under pen name Natalie Grey!

To find out more about Moira and her upcoming works, visit her website, http://moirakatson.com, or find her on Facebook or twitter, @moirakatson! If you are a SciFi fan, she recommends that you try out The Dragon Corps (under pen name Natalie Grey) or Crucible, the first book in the Novum Trilogy. For fantasy fans, she recommends Shadowborn (the first book in the Light & Shadow series) or Bound Sorcery, the first book in her Shadows of Magic series under pen name Natalie Grey.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
1,231 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Azsun
5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect read!
Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2023
Verified Purchase
I could not put this book down! I loved every minute of it. The characters were so lifelike and the descriptions so vivid, I often felt like I was there. I look forward to the rest of this series. Every so often the perfect story comes along and this is one of them. Job well done!
Helpful
 Report
Rachel @ Paper Cuts blog
4.0 out of 5 stars A standout fantasy novel
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2013
Verified Purchase
Fantasy has been my favorite genre to read for, like, forever. I go through spells where I'm not especially mentally prepared to read it, but every time I read one I get so happy and remember exactly why it's my favorite genre. Shadowborn is no exception. It promises court intrigue and assassin-y fun, and that's exactly what you get!

Catwin lives with a prophecy over her head, a prophecy that made her mother give her up the day she was born. Catwin will be betrayed, and that betrayal will change the balance. She doesn't know any more, but that prophecy haunts her, even as she rockets toward its conclusion. She begins the book as a daring and mischievous child but becomes a calculating and discerning young adult--over a relatively short period of time. Catwin really isn't sure she wants to be a part of what she's gotten herself into, especially at first, but she knows there is no way out. She has to live her decisions to their conclusion, and it's great to read.

The relationship between Catwin and Miriel is really fascinating. It's a constant give and take between them, and they're never really friends, at least in a traditional sense. They're allies, and they're growing to trust one another through trial and error. Each is young and petty and believes the other to think little of them, so it's a hard-earned balance, but it's so fun to read. In many ways, I think--as much as the book is about the state of the country and its balance--the book is really about the light and dark of Miriel and Catwin. Who is the light and who is the dark, really?

There's not a ton of traditional action here. Most of the story is court intrigue and training of the girls, but that's really interesting to read--at least to me! We're given a really great groundwork for the entire series; not only do we know the history of the country, but we're familiar with all of the major players and know their general motives. I think this will set the stage for some really action-packed sequels!

And can I mention that I loved the writing style? A lot of books adopt a general style that would work for any genre any time, but Moira writes in a style that perfectly fits this book. It's formalized and a little antiquated in structure--and I LOVED it.

Shadowborn is a standout fantasy novel and has everything I love. It's got characters that are flawed but likable, a medieval setting, a lovely sense of foreboding, drama drama drama, and a friendship that's just waiting to blossom. Moira Katson has created a world that utterly intrigues me and I can't wait to get back into it!
Helpful
 Report
S. Tucker
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent! I was leery at first
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2015
Verified Purchase
Excellent!

I was leery at first, I'll admit. How many times can I read about an orphan plucked from obscurity to a life of palace intrigue?

The answer - as many times as it takes to find books like this.

The plot was excellent, the author made it very clear that the main characters were children. Where other authors skim over chronological age in stories like this, where children are groomed early to vie for a good marriage, Moira did not. They are children, for all that they are children sometimes looking ahead to marriage and politics.

The plot was excellent, and neatly avoided many pitfalls that befall the genre. The characters are beautiful. Complex and interesting. Some slight confusion as to names. The narrating character will switch between using someone's title and their name without referencing who belongs to which. But this is easily sorted, not requiring too much page switching, and a minor flaw in what is a wonderful read.

The pacing was fantastic. Months and seasons changed without dragging on or speeding by. The action increased and waned in a believable way. It ended just right to keep me interested in the series. It's an ending, but not a neatly wrapped one. There is closure to the final scenes, but there are enough questions left to ensure continued reading.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Ken E. Baker
3.0 out of 5 stars A Surprisingly Good Read
Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2014
Verified Purchase
3.5 Stars - Enjoyable and Worth the Read

At first, I was uncertain whether I would enjoy this book. It started off on a slow march, more exposition than action, the plot hinting at what was to come without truly laying down sufficient teasers to get me excited. I'm glad I didn't put the book down - because as the story began to unfold, I found myself drawn into the world Katson created. The writing is easy and manageable, her characterizations descriptive and you feel this is an author who has researched her setting well. She manages to create a history and a lore without sending the reader into information overload, and it's wonderful to see someone successfully create a teenage protagonist who isn't annoying. Kudos to that.

Some constructive criticism: I do feel certain areas of the plot could have been tightened, especially around my understanding of who the antagonist was. The court and its dangers? The Queen and her council? The relation between the lead and her polar opposite? The duke? The ever-present threat of war? Katson manages to convey the heavy threat throughout the novel, however its like a cloud - always hovering, but unable to put ones finger on it. I noticed a certain reviewer mentioned she didn't appreciate the book concluding on a cliff-hanger. For me, I felt something was missing from the ending overall - it was more a personal accomplishment for the protagonist (the completion of her character arc), rather than a victory over the antagonist force. There is nothing better than savouring the besting of the antagonist and I didn't quite get this with Shadowborn.

That said, the author excels at crafting the personal relationships throughout the story, and it's wonderful to see how she accomplishes the movement from friends to foes (and visa versa) as the story progresses. This transition is both subtle and enjoyable to read, and makes for character relationships which are dynamic and ever-changing.

Overall, an enjoyable read. I am extremely impressed with this indie author's achievement - there are no glaring errors, the cover is well done, and she has crafted a story which is better than many formally published fantasy authors. A strong sign for the indie community.

Well done, and a recommended read.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
F.
5.0 out of 5 stars Draws you right in!
Reviewed in Canada on January 15, 2016
Verified Purchase
Awesome. Great character development. Slow and methodical and purposeful. Although (spoiler!) one of villains is too easily identifiable. Can't wait to read the next one!
Report
Miss K Marsden
5.0 out of 5 stars Shadowborn
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2015
Verified Purchase
Despite the fact that Catwin was rejected by her family as a baby, and lives in a cold castle in an inhospitable place, she has led a life of freedom and kindness. She only answers to Roine, the castle healer and her mother-figure; and spends the rest of the time causing mischief. Unfortunately, her ability to sneak into places she shouldn't, brings her to the attention of the Duke, a man keen to exploit the skills of those around him. He ties Catwin's fate to that of his niece, Lady Miriel Devere. Soon Catwin and Miriel are thrust into a world of politics and danger, all to win the hand of a sickly king.

I thought this was a fantastic little book. It's a reasonably short read at 270 pages, but Katson manages to fit so much into it, without ever letting the book get bogged down, the story just flows and carries you along.
I always love a little political intrigue (as evidenced by my absolute love of books like The Other Boleyn Girl and Tales Of The Otori) and this has plenty. A young unmarried king, with courtiers vying for his attention (some with more lethal methods than others); never knowing who to trust.

Catwin is a fun character, she is a simple peasant girl who has been lucky to escape all notice. Because of her inauspicious birth, nobody wants anything to do with her, so she is free to take whatever path she will.
But when she comes to the attention of the Duke, she has to sacrifice that freedom. She is to become the shadow to Miriel's light, to be invisible and unnoticed for the rest of her life. To be Miriel's most unobtrusive line of defence; and the Duke's spy.
At first, the lessons she must learn from Temar are simply games, challenges that she revels in. But soon, Catwin starts to realise how demanding (and painful) her role will be.

Lady Miriel Devere has been raised like a princess from the moment her uncle realised that she was useful. She has purposefully been kept away from the capital, living her whole life in seclusion, with her (somewhat disgraced) mother. Miriel is the spoilt little madam, who soon makes Catwin's life hell, when the Duke forces them to work together. As Catwin is posing as Miriel's servant; Miriel knows exactly how to apply a constant level of misery on the peasant girl.
That being said, I think Miriel was one of my favourite characters. The interactions between her and Catwin were always entertaining; and as you go on through the book, you really start to admire her strength.

The plot... gah, this is the hard part about writing reviews about this kind of book. Especially when I love the story. I don't want to share anything, because each tiny revelation builds up to make this book awesome.
So, you know what, the book is permanently free to download, so go get it and tell me what you think!
One person found this helpful
 Report
R. H.
5.0 out of 5 stars Interessante Geschichte
Reviewed in Germany on December 12, 2013
Verified Purchase
Man muß sich einlesen, was für mich schon mal ein gutes Gefühl ist.

Die Geschichte ist interessant und teilweise spannend. Man wartet wie es weiter geht.

Nach Abschluß des Buches will man am Besten gleich die Folgegeschichte lesen. Das ist auch sinnvoll, da es offensichtlich für einige Handlungsstränge noch kein befriedigendes Ergebnis gibt.
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Australia on July 8, 2015
Verified Purchase
Loved it, great main characters and I have bought the 2nd book!
Report
JAN
4.0 out of 5 stars well written and mysterious. Likeable heroine.
Reviewed in Canada on December 2, 2015
Verified Purchase
starts slowly but improves as it goes along. Very well written and the mysteries along with the heroine's thoughts keeps the interest of the reader.
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report