Midwest Book Review – Bookwatch | Shirley Johnson

Meagan, like her mother, loves horses. When a new foal is born and the foal’s mother dies Meagan begins a bond with this horse that will take her on an adventure of a lifetime.

A mysterious neighborhood lady shares with Meagan and her mother a legend, one of “The Great Horse,” a horse that has been part of history since the beginning of man. A horse that is supernatural, one that was meant to help Adam and Eve. She tells them she believes Meagan’s horse may well be the next “Great Horse.” Meagan’s mother dismisses this tale as just a myth, but Meagan is not so sure.

It seems others are interested in her horse as well and plan to have him at any cost.This puts Meagan and the horse in grave danger. While trying to escape from a horse abduction, Meagan mounts her horse and to her surprise is taken to flight above the earth, and travels in time, and so Meagan and her horse begin the ride of their lives and the adventures begin. We are taken from prehistoric America, to Rome and medieval times, and are introduced to characters both cruel and tender as Meagan desperately tries to piece together what is happening and bring both herself and her horse safely home. Quite a ride!

I enjoyed this book. I really had no idea of the extent the subject matter would have in educating me to the history of the horse. I truly admire horses, although I have never been one to ride them, I have always enjoyed their beauty. In this book I learned so much about their past and what an important role they played in the development of mankind. Some of the events left me disturbed, others were intense, but each episode was definitely a learning experience. The characters were well developed and the locals were defined in an exceptional way, definitely bringing you right in the center of the action.

Final analysis: Well written, exceptional story, interesting characters, and a learning experience. It doesn’t get much better than that.

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.

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.

Amazon.com | Tyler Tichelaar

| Eclipsed by Shadow is an epic history of horses, complete with time travel, and educational material, but best of all, it is strong historical fiction.

The plot is pretty simple. Meagan learns from an eccentric neighbor lady that her newborn horse may well be “The Great Horse” of legend that has reappeared over the centuries. The Great Horse first originated as a horse meant to help Adam and Eve when they left the Garden of Eden.

I knew from what I had already heard about the book that it would include time travel and Meagan would experience how horses were used throughout the centuries by mankind.

When I started, I was a bit disappointed to see the first section went on for so long. I wanted to get right into the time travel, but once I started reading, I was thoroughly captivated by the plot and how well the author, John Royce, built up suspense in the first section. I actually think this was my favorite part of the book as Meagan learned about the legend of the Great Horse and also avoided having her horse stolen.

As for the time travel sections, the scene in prehistoric North America was brief and not quite as interesting as the later ones because after all it was prehistoric history, but I thought both the Rome and the medieval section were well done. Even though the book reads like a collection of short stories because of the different time periods that the characters do not cross over into, Royce successfully created some believable characters in each section.

Throughout, the book successfully blends fiction, character and plot with history and more than solely the history of horses. I am not interested in horses, but historical fiction, but I did come to appreciate the history of horses without ever being overly bored by the book containing too many details.

Anyone who loves horses or who loves history will love Eclipsed by Shadow, and readers will be impatient to read the next two volumes in this trilogy about the Great Horse.

- Tyler R. Tichelaar, Ph.D., and author of “The Marquette Trilogy”

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.

Midwest Book Review

The horse is the only animal that has the chance of wrestling the title of Man’s Best friend away from the dog.

Eclipsed by Shadow: The Legend of the Great Horse is the tale of a young equinophile who is swept into time. Armed with only her extensive knowledge of horses, she must find someway to survive the strange circumstances laid out in front of her.

Eclipsed by Shadow is a new fantasy that is sure to please fantasy fans and horse fanatics alike.

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.

Jackie Cassada | Library Journal

Veteran horseman Royce combines history and myth with action and adventure to create a fast-paced, well-informed tale of a flying horse and the young girl who loves her.

Following the birth of a palomino foal, 12-year-old Meagan names the young horse Promise, and an uncommon bond forms between the two. Told by an elderly woman that Promise is one of the legendary Great Horses, Meagan flees with Promise through time after she discovers that others want Promise for themselves.

This series opener should appeal to fans of equestrian novels as well as historic fantasy and belongs in most libraries’ adult and YA collections.

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