The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington Summary

The Shadow of What Was Lost is an epic fantasy novel set twenty years after the god-like Augurs were overthrown. The story follows Davian, a young student of the Gifted who discovers he possesses forbidden Augur powers. Alongside his friends Wirr and Asha, and an amnesiac named Caeden, Davian must confront an ancient enemy threatening to invade from beyond a failing magical boundary.

James Islington is an Australian fantasy author born around 1981 in Frankston, Victoria. Before writing, he ran a tech startup. Inspired by Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series and Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind, he began writing seriously at age 30. His Licanius Trilogy has sold over two million copies worldwide and been translated into seventeen languages.

The Shadow of What Was Lost appeals to readers who enjoy epic fantasy series like The Wheel of Time and Brandon Sanderson's novels. It's ideal for those seeking character-driven stories with complex magic systems, political intrigue, and time-travel mysteries. Readers who appreciate classic fantasy themes with original twists and don't mind detailed world-building will find this book rewarding.

The Shadow of What Was Lost is worth reading for epic fantasy enthusiasts. With a 4.14/5 rating on Goodreads from 57,000 reviews, critics praised its complex magic system, varied characters, and suspenseful plot. While some noted the premise feels familiar, the ambitious twists and intricate storylines distinguish it. The trilogy's subsequent books received even stronger reviews.

The Gifted are individuals in The Shadow of What Was Lost who possess magical abilities fueled by Essence. Following the war that overthrew the Augurs, the Gifted survived only by accepting the Four Tenets—laws literally written into their flesh that severely restrict their powers. They're despised by society and must prove control over their abilities or face having their memories and magic forcibly removed.

Augurs are powerful magic users who once ruled as god-like figures until their overthrow twenty years before the story begins. Unlike the Gifted, Augurs wielded forbidden abilities including time manipulation and shapeshifting. After the war, using Augur powers became illegal. Davian's discovery that he possesses these abilities sets the trilogy's events into motion and places him in grave danger.

The Boundary is an ancient magical barrier in the north of Andarra that contains an imprisoned enemy led by the immortal Augur Aarkein Devaed. As the novel begins, the Boundary is failing, threatening to unleash monsters and invaders known as the Blind upon the kingdom. Strengthening this barrier becomes a crucial mission, with Davian eventually joining Tol Shen to work on repairing it.

Caeden is an amnesiac Gifted man accused of massacring an entire village who joins Davian and Wirr on their journey. He deliberately erased his own memories to claim the legendary sword Licanius. The novel's shocking twist reveals Caeden is actually Tal'kamar, and he is both the shapeshifting Augur Malshash who trained Davian and the ancient enemy Aarkein Devaed himself.

The Shadow of What Was Lost ends with Caeden using the sword Licanius to destroy the invading Blind army and save Ilin Illan. The Tenets are changed to allow Gifted to fight. Caeden's memories reveal he is both Malshash and Aarkein Devaed, leaving him devastated. Davian departs to strengthen the Boundary with Tol Shen, while Wirr becomes Northwarden, setting up the trilogy's continuation.

The Four Tenets are restrictive laws imposed on the Gifted after the Augur war, literally inscribed into their flesh to enforce absolute obedience. These laws severely limit how the Gifted can use their powers, preventing them from harming others or acting freely. Elocian Andras secretly regrets creating the Tenets, and they're eventually changed during the Blind invasion to allow Gifted to defend the kingdom.

The Shadow of What Was Lost shares similarities with The Wheel of Time, as Robert Jordan influenced James Islington. Both feature young protagonists discovering hidden magical abilities, prophecies, political intrigue, and epic world-building. However, Islington incorporates modern fantasy elements like intricate time-travel mechanics and memory manipulation. The novel reads as a loving homage to classic epic fantasy while introducing original twists.

The Shadow of What Was Lost is the first book in The Licanius Trilogy by James Islington. Originally self-published in 2014, it was followed by An Echo of Things to Come (2017) and The Light of All That Falls (2019). The trilogy received increasingly positive reviews, with the later books praised as even stronger than the debut. The complete series is described as dense and suspenseful.