Eclipsed by Shadow – Page 30 – THE LEGEND OF THE GREAT HORSE trilogy

“The Legend of the Great Horse” trilogy is a journey through history by a modern horse-rider. The story begins with a foal being born to a family with a horse-crazy youngster, Meagan. This horse carries Meagan on an adventure through history.

The new foal, Promise, is actually a Great Horse of legend with the ability to travel back to its previous lives. A mishap occurs and a frightened Promise bolts with her young rider back into time, galloping far into the distant past and leaving Meagan alone with only her horsemanship skills to help her survive.

The first horse of history that Meagan encounters is a small wild broodmare in a band being hunted by humans circa 20,000 BC. The reader knows this, but Meagan must make her own discovery that she has gone back in time.

Now, the wild broodmare isn’t talking (other than time-travel, the story is realistic and fact-based). The mare connects with Meagan through its natural curiosity, an important if perhaps unexpected trait of the species. Meagan remembers her own grandfather’s opinion that horses were the “nosiest animal in Creation.” He called curiosity a fatal weakness of the species … well, that and a fondness for oats.

The fact that a large prey animal would be so naturally curious is part of the mystery of the equine soul, but it is something we share in common. An interesting note is that the horse Meagan meets is not very different in character from the horses she knows from her own modern experience some twenty thousand years later. Horses are a much older species than humans, and their instincts as prey animals still survive.

The independence of the “wild” spirit of horses meant that mankind was forced to adapt to the horse in order to obtain the animal’s strength and speed. It is our genius as humans that we can “see” things from another’s perspective, and it was this ability that made our close partnership with horses possible. In the case of horses, we have not changed them: they have changed us…

Reader Views Literary Awards: Eclipsed by Shadow is “One of those works you will remember forever”

ECLIPSED BY SHADOW is a book well-worth reading. What a wonderful way to get factual history into a great readable fiction novel. I have passed it along to my twelve-year-old daughter and she loves it. Personally the Glossary of Terms at the end of the book was of great help as I originally knew very little about horses.— Danelle Drake, Reader Views Literary Awards

The following is the feature review of Eclipsed by Shadow by Danelle Drake for the title’s win in the Fantasy category of the 2009 Reader Views Literary Awards.

Reader View Literary Awards | Danelle Drake

“Auburn–haired and with a streak of tomboy, Meagan Roberts was not an unusual girl of twelve – except for the lucky fact that her family kept horses.” … John Royce introduces us to one of those works that you will remember forever.

In the past few years I have read several series that have really captivated me; this story is like these great series in the fact that it has the reader drawn in, but different in the fact that most all of the facts, times, and places in this book are not fiction. The places you visit in Eclipsed by Shadow were really times in our great history. “The Legend of the Great Horse” series will have you wishing the tales were never-ending.

When Meagan Roberts first laid eyes on Promise, she knew the horse was special. A little old lady from down the road tells Meagan that Promise is the “Great Horse.” She says that the powers Promise possesses are suppose to be dark but that no one will know until the owner of the horse rides it. Meagan and her mom don’t know if they should believe the old woman. When thieves try to steal the horse, we find out, and away we go. As Promise gains wings she enables us to gain understanding into the history of the horse.
We learn how the horse was used in many ways throughout history. All of the ways are not pleasant, but not all aspects of life are. As Meagan tries to help others understand her great love and respect of the horse we see inside her true soul.

Eclipsed by Shadow is a book well-worth reading. What a wonderful way to get factual history into a great readable fiction novel. I have passed it along to my twelve-year-old daughter and she loves it. Personally the Glossary of Terms at the end of the book was of great help as I originally knew very little about horses. When I came to the final sentence, “The sounds of the angry scene slipped into the wind of the gallop as the ground faded to a blur…” I knew that I would anxiously await the next installation of “The Legend of the Great Horse” by John Royce.

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of the award-winning fiction trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse, a journey through history–on horseback! The story follows the time-travel adventure of a modern horsewoman lost in the distant past.

Further information about this unique and imaginative ‘creative non-fiction’ novel can be found at TheGreatHorse.com.

Eclipsed by Shadow review: “With each turn of the page a new adventure awaits”

With ECLIPSED BY SHADOW, John Royce has created a wonderful legend sure to please historians and equestrians alike. Jammed packed with chariot racing, jousting and action galore one wonders how one book can hold so much. With each turn of the page a new adventure awaits.—Angela Simmons, Review the Book

The following is a new review of Eclipsed by Shadow by Angela Simmons for Review the Book:

Angela Simmons | Review the Book

Owning a horse was the only thing that teenager Meagan Roberts could think about. Owning a legendary great horse never crossed her mind.

In “Eclipsed by Shadow”, we see that Meagan’s horse, Promise, is just that. Unwilling to heed the advice of Mrs. Bridgestone, the keeper of the legend, that if this Great Horse is rode it would bring darkness, Meagan rides Promise.

Instantly she is transported to another place and time. 20,000 B.C. to be exact. She finds herself among a tribe that is hunting horses. From there chaos ensues as she is chased off a cliff with a herd of horses. Before falling to the bottom of the canyon, the Great Horse comes to her aid, and Meagan finds herself in the middle of a battle in the Black Sea. Running for shelter she finds herself in the middle of an ancient tomb.

Along the way Meagan makes friends and enemies while she collects knowledge. Also, she witnesses the cruelty of each place she comes to. Meagan wonders why her beloved Promise, who is so sweet and gentle, could bring her into so much darkness. After helping the Emperor’s chariot driver, Braedin, win the races, she realizes that unintentionally she has brought disgrace upon the Emperor. Once again she finds herself in a fight for her life.

The Great Horse now transports her to the year 1240 A.D. She finds herself among the Tartars and Genghis Khan as they raid and pillage each village they come to. Meagan escapes with her only friend, a pony she named Targa. Once again chaos follows…

With “Eclipsed be Shadow,” John Royce has created a wonderful legend sure to please historians and equestrians alike. Jammed packed with chariot racing, jousting and action galore one wonders how one book can hold so much. With each turn of the page a new adventure awaits.