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Rising Darkness (A Game of Shadows Novel Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Thea Harrison (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 318 ratings
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USA Today bestselling author Thea Harrison begins an all-new, darkly romantic paranormal saga, in which the fate of existence itself lies in the balance—and the key to victory may rest in the hands of two eternal lovers…

In the hospital ER where she works, Mary is used to chaos. But lately, every aspect of her life seems adrift. She’s feeling disconnected from herself. Voices appear in her head. And the vivid, disturbing dreams she’s had all her life are becoming more intense. Then she meets Michael. He’s handsome, enigmatic and knows more than he can say. In his company, she slowly remembers the truth about herself…

Thousands of years ago, there were eight of them. The one called the Deceiver came to destroy the world, and the other seven followed to stop him. Reincarnated over and over, they carry on—and Mary finds herself drawn into the battle once again. And the more she learns, the more she realizes that Michael will go to any lengths to destroy the Deceiver.

Then she remembers who killed her during her last life, nine hundred years ago…Michael.
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  1. Book 1 of 2
    A Game of Shadows Novel
  2. Print length
    306 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Berkley
  6. Publication date
    April 2, 2013
  7. Reading age
    18 years and up
  8. File size
    1406 KB
  9. Page Flip
    Enabled
  10. Word Wise
    Enabled
  11. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  12. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

USA Today Bestselling Author Thea Harrison…

“...is a master storyteller.” —Christine Feehan, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“...is definitely an author to watch.” —Anya Bast, New York Times bestselling author

“...supplies deliciously addictive paranormal romance.” —Ann Aguirre, national bestselling author

About the Author

A debut author at the age of nineteen, Thea Harrison had sixteen romances published under another name before she took a break to collect a couple of graduate degrees and a grown child. She’s back with the Novels of the Elder Races series, a new paranormal romance series, as well as the Game of Shadows series.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0099D48LG
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (April 2, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 2, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1406 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 306 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 318 ratings

About the author

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Thea Harrison

Thea Harrison

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Thea Harrison resides in Colorado. She wrote her first book, a romance, when she was nineteen, and had sixteen romances published under the name Amanda Carpenter. She took a break from writing to collect a couple of graduate degrees and a grown child. Now she writes in a variety of genres, including sci-fi fantasy, paranormal and contemporary romance.

You can check out her website and/or sign up for her newsletter at: www.theaharrison.com, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
318 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

mom2zoo
5.0 out of 5 stars Not an Elder Races pair of books - and I just don't care!
Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2017
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Just read this - I'd purchased it a while ago, but thought it fit into the Elder Races series and set it aside when it didn't. Really glad to discover it again, and got the sequel as well (Falling Light), because heck, once I was in I had to know! In some ways it's a subtler, quieter pair of books and I'm finding it really hard to describe them without "spoilers". In some ways I found the story heart-wrenching, and I really wanted more backstory on what happened before - how exactly did the villain get so wrong, and how do you turn away from the person who is the other half of your soul? These two books aren't as comfortable as I found the Elder Races books - this one could happen in our universe and unless you're collateral damage, you'd never know. It's about reincarnation and love (and what it can and cannot do) and souls' memory and redemption and sacrifice. If reincarnation isn't a big leap for you, the build may seem a little slow, but the protagonist's journey isn't an easy one, in any sense. Now if you'll excuse me I'm gonna go read them again.
5 people found this helpful
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Shauni
4.0 out of 5 stars Rising Darkness, A Review for the Blog Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2013
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Thea Harrison takes on the question of reincarnation in this deliciously dark story of good vs evil.. In Rising Darkness (A Game of Shadows Novel) There are no unicorns or dragons, vampires or elves.. just man against the darkest evil and a select few that have been sent to fight it.

Seven souls left their lives, their dimension their very bodies to follow the ultimate evil to earth. Throughout time these souls have battled and lost until finally there are only three left. The problem is one soul has been lost in time and no one, including her soulmate has a clue where she is. Until one day her soul shines through and suddenly everyone is after her.

Mary has spent her entire life in a colorless world. It's not that she doesn't feel, she does, but she feels seperate from life. She lives on the edges.. a Doctor committed to helping those who can not afford to help themselves she is a wonderful woman but somehow she is slowly fading away. Into the nothingness that has become her life and the grey is overtaking everything. Until one day she hears sticks talking.. now that's just odd.. but they were talking about her, her house and her life.. leaving her just a wee bit confused.. As she starts her journey to discover what is going on evil is on it's attack. Her house is burned down, goons attempt to abduct her, an innocent family is gunned down and now she is talking with wolves..

Michael has been angry and lost most of his life. From birth he knew something was missing and at eight he found out.. The other half of his soul and it had been missing for almost a thousand years. He is devoid of life.. while he continues to fight the great evil he dreams of finding his other half. The person who has shared untold lives with him. Finally, one day her light bursts through and Michael rushes to find her. Only once he does he has to explain who and what she is..

As Mary learns where she came from and just what love is evil is just hours behind.. she and Michael must find a way to work together that allows them to accept what is not what was.. and slowly ever so slowly Mary learns to remember. When she does she discovers a way to heal herself and keep her light, her very soul, from bleeding out into the universe and sending out a major homing beacon.. Instead on depending on souls she no longer knows she reaches back into her past and discovers a way to heal herself.. An amazing woman, an eternal healer... Mary balances Michael's warrior and together they manage to complete the bond that could save the universe, in all it's dimensions.

Evil has other plans for them and is not planning on going lightly.. he has managed to learn how to reincarnate without dying, consequently he keeps his memories and does not have to remember everytime. In this he is the winner and his power has grown.. He has friends and connections everywhere. Mary and Michael have the battle to end all battles on their hands and one book will not be enough to win this battle!!

A Brilliant trip into the darkness I absolutely Adored this book. I was held captive from almost the beginning.. each page drawing me further into their world. And made me question the reality of mine. Brilliant Job Ms Harrison!! I can't wait to see what is next for Mary and Michael and all those who fight evil..

Shauni
3 people found this helpful
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Popsicle Toes
3.0 out of 5 stars A different offering from Thea Harrison
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2020
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In a lot of ways, the story of this 2-book series reminded me a lot of Thea Harrison's 'American Witch'. The tone is similar, the Heroine's struggle in suddenly losing everything in her life and had to rediscover herself (and her new-found power) quickly under multiple life changing events, intriguing plots with compelling characters, yep, similar too! But the story telling failed in this book, unfortunately. The pace was uneven, the world building was just a bit convoluted with too many long winded inner monologues. But the concept was intriguing, so I plodded along.

I've read so many soul-mate stories in paranormal romance and they usually turn into insta-lust, or the couple simply take it for granted (we're soul mates, so let's just go with it even though we've just met a minute ago! - roll eyes -). Not Mary and Michael. Both grew up knowing there's something missing in their lives, although Mary is much more clueless about everything since she doesn't have her old memory, or a mentor or anyone to guide her in the beginning. I appreciate the way Mary and Michael acknowledge the fact that they're soul mates in past life eons ago, but they're also two different people now, so they must learn about each other all over again. I don't see this often in many soul-mate books. Mary's struggle to rediscover herself could be frustrating to read at times, but it was realistic and felt so real to me. I read some reviews that complained about the lack of romance, but I think it's the subtle romance that saved this book for me. It was what made me finish the 2-book series.

All in all, a bumpy opening for a series, but worth reading.
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Tabitha K Cook
5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2013
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Yet another series that I am addicted to. I cannot wait for the next book. I like how the storyline and characters are different than many other books. It creates a little mystery about what will happen and how it will happen because this book deviates from the sterotypical storyline. Yes in some ways it is similiar to other romance/fantasy/sci fi books, but the main characters have skills and powers that are unlike a large amount of other books in the same genre. The idea that the couples are fated for one other and are reborn time and time again in a relentless battle to defeat their enemy is quite engaging.
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Top reviews from other countries

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P.N.
4.0 out of 5 stars Another good read!
Reviewed in Canada on November 28, 2019
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This story was great. A bit slow getting going and somewhat disjointed in places, it still never failed to entertain!
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valentde
3.0 out of 5 stars Tome 1 - nouvelle série
Reviewed in France on February 21, 2014
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Ayant lu tous les tomes de la série elder races, je n'ai pas réfléchi avant d'avoir acheter ce livre.
J'ai été un peu déçue, l'univers créé par thea harrison fait tout le charme de la série elder races et on ne le retrouve pas vraiment.
Ce n'est pas un livre désagréable à lire, d'ailleurs j'ai acheté la suite. Mais sans plus.
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Eh
5.0 out of 5 stars More a thriller than a romance, ok but needs some humour to lighten the atmosphere.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 12, 2013
Verified Purchase
I loved Thea's other books. In this one she's obviously decided to try a change of direction and try writing a thriller rather than classic romance. It's I'd probably why it's not getting great reviews as many of their readers, including me, spend the first part of the book frustrated cos the main characters haven't met yet and that's the dynamic that interests us.

I really liked the general plot (alien spirits reincarnating on Earth and searching for their other halves while fighting evil), and the characters are strong and the writing style excellent. However I began to get bored and I think this was because the book lacked the sense of humour that Thea's other books, and most thrillers, have. In the book the author mentions Terminator as having some similar events, and Thea clearly used it as an inspiration. I occurred to me that Terminator avoids being boring, despite being a constant chase, because there's a lot of humour in it. We're amused by the irony of Sarah Connor's situation, by the Terminators dodgy accent and lines and by the wise beyond his years flawed child hero. If Thea plans to stick with thrillers she'll need to find a way to put some humour back in.

Anyway this book passed the time but I'd rather have read something else and probably won't read the next in this series.
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DD
5.0 out of 5 stars Super!
Reviewed in Germany on April 9, 2013
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Wieder ein tolles Buch von Thea Harrison, spannende Geschichte, interessant, gut geschrieben, man kann nicht aufhören zu lesen. Kann Nachfolger kaum erwarten.
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Shira
5.0 out of 5 stars 入りやすい世界でした
Reviewed in Japan on March 21, 2013
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同作者のElder Racesシリーズが非常に良かったため、続きの巻を待つ間こちらにも挑戦してみました。

ストーリーは昔あった映画「Hidden」を少々思わせる感じ。
Dragon Boundに比較するとTricksやGraydonのように笑わせてくれるキャラクターがいないため、内容はかなりSerious & intenseです。ただ主人公はPiaと同様にDown to earthで、やはり普通ではない状況ではパニックしてみたり、共感しやすいです。
転生のある設定なども日本人になじみやすく、色々な時代で異なる文化での場面が出てくるところも楽しめました。
武器に手裏剣が出てきたところだけは大変な場面なのに笑ってしまいました。でもだからこそこの作者が好きなのかも。

続きが非常に楽しみです。
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