Historical Novel Society | Rebecca Roberts 

The first in a trilogy, Eclipsed by Shadow tells the tale of a horse-crazy teenager traveling through time on a horse. This unusual-sounding summary had me skeptical at first, but the story is surprisingly page turning, and it left me yearning for the next installment.

On June 21, 2001, when a unique colt is born, Meagan Robert’s life is suddenly and irrevocably changed. This special palomino, Promise, is rumored to be the next “Great Horse,” and when thieves attempt to steal her horse, Meagan leaps on Promise and rides her for the first time. But instead of galloping across the field, Promise takes to the air and flies through time and history. Meagan’s quest to find home takes her from 20,000 B.C. North America to 100 A.D. Rome and then to 1240 Central Asia. Meagan’s only defense in these places is her 21st century equine insight as she is thrust into slavery, mistaken for a Tartar, and accused of being a witch.

The adventures Meagan experiences and the people she meets along the way create a vivid historical tale through the ages when horses were used for work, war, sport, and exhibition. This well-informed tale has great plot and character development, wonderful descriptions of equine history, and a tension-ridden cliffhanging ending that will leave you gnawing at the bit for more.

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of the new fiction trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse. The second volume, The Golden Spark, is due to be published in the summer of 2010.

Free Lance-Star | Laura L. Hutchinson

“Great Horse” takes Rider on Trip Through History
Meagan Roberts names the foal born on the summer solstice, June 21, 2001, “Promise.” The horse is unique in many ways. But when an old woman tells Meagan and her mother that Promise may be the latest in a long line of Great Horses, they doubt the old woman’s sanity.

But Meagan soon finds the woman’s tales to be true, as she is transported back through history. She finds herself in the days of cave men, who slaughtered horses for food. Then she winds up in Rome, where horses are brutally used in chariot races. She finally finds herself riding with Genghis Khan and his raiders, then with the knights of the Crusades.

Author John Royce promises that Eclipsed by Shadow is the first in a trilogy of books about the Great Horse. Though there is some graphic violence, there’s also a good read within its pages. Young adults will learn about how horses have been used throughout the ages and a good bit of world history. They’ll also find themselves engrossed in Meagan’s adventures.

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of the new fiction trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse. The second volume, The Golden Spark, is due to be published in 2010.

Reader Views | Wendy Cleveland

Eclipsed by Shadow centers around a teenager named Meagan Roberts who is a young equestrian. The story starts out in the present-day of the summer solstice, June 21, 2001, when a very unique horse is born. Meagan felt that a horse should name itself, so her foal became “Promise.” Everyone around town seemed to be interested in this special palomino, especially her neighbor Eleanor Bridgestone. Ms. Bridgestone tells Meagan the tales of “The Great Horse” throughout history and seems to think that her horse is the next in line. “The Great Traveler, with mysterious powers to bring darkness to the world. Of course, we wouldn’t be sure unless the Great Horse was actually ridden.”

Crooked horse trainers get wind of this discovery and try to steal Promise. This invokes Meagan to protect her. She gets on her horse’s back and tries to jump a fence to get away. When she does, Promise sprouts wings and turns into “The Great Horse.” She flies Meagan back in time for her to the see the way horses were used for work, war, sport, spectacle and even food.

Meagan’s adventure in this first book in a three book series goes from 20,000 B.C. (where the cavemen used horses for food) to 100 A.D. Rome (where horses were used for sport in Chariot fights), and 1240 Crusades (where horses were blindfolded and used in Jousting matches). In each time travel, Meagan uses her 21st century equine insight to try and help people understand the beauty and sole purpose of horses.

“Eclipsed by Shadow” was a magical horse story that is suitable for both teenagers and adults alike. The equine and world history aspects were fascinating and well-researched by the author. Some facts that I did not know were that horses existed back in 20,000 B.C. or when stirrups, saddles, and horseshoes were discovered. The ending left me breathless wanting to find out what time period Promise was taking Meagan to next.

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of the new fiction trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse, arriving this Summer 2008 with a fresh and original look at the colorful role of horses in civilization.

Smart Dialogue and Jaw-Dropping Action

Smart dialogue and jaw-dropping action make Eclipsed by Shadow a surprise page-turner. Although it is a kind of road trip book, there is no clicking your heels together three times to get back to Kansas in this story. The journey Meagan, the 15-year-old heroine, takes is nothing akin to traveling the Yellow Brick Road in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first volume in a new trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse. Knowing that, the reader also knows there will be a cliff-hanger ending, and there is. The author, John Royce, who really knows his horses and his history has crafted an extremely erudite novel that pitches Meagan and the reader into the thick of events you remember reading about in History classes lo those many years ago.

This time history truly “comes alive” as Royce turns Meagan into a living, breathing participant among historically accurate depictions of events. The dialog feels real. (“Be you a Tatar? For the nones, say be not a Tatar!”) The action never ends. (Charioteers, rampaging Mongolians!) The fear is palpable. (I won’t give it away!) And always, there are the horses.

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of the new fiction trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse.