(Full disclosure--I do know the author.)

Alternate Egyptian solar punk MG fantasy. That was enough to sell me on this book. And Durham delivers on the promise with the story of Ash, a boy trained all his life for a destiny he is unaware of. When the answer is revealed, he finds himself thrust into the spotlight, competing against others for the honor of protecting the young prince of the realm. But the tests are deadly. And among gods, demons, royals, and his own competitors--everyone has secrets and many are willing to kill in order to protect them.

Balancing action and stakes with humor and a colorful cast of characters, The Shadow Prince is a fun adventure from start to finish.fantasy kids-books stonecoast4 s KathieAuthor 2 books75

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

Wow. IÂ’m shocked there are only two Goodreads ratings for this book because itÂ’s one of the best books IÂ’ve read this year. Set for release on September 28th, I think readers who enjoy high-action, fast-paced fantasies will LOVE it.

Ash grew up in a small village in the desert, but the night before his twelfth birthday, he discovers that his guardian, Tazen, has been training him for the opportunity to become Prince KhufuÂ’s shadow. ItÂ’s a position given to someone born on the same day as the prince who will become the life-long bodyguard and confidant to the future pharaoh. Ash must compete in five days of deadly competitions led by Egyptian gods and be the last one standing to earn the honour. The contestants have no idea that one of the gods is determined to see them all fail and secretly sabotages the competitions. Some of the contestants are willing to do whatever it takes to win, including cheating and lying. But Ash finds two contestants that become his friends, and the trio is determined to find a way to make it to the end together.

I’m not a big fan of long books (this one is 400 pages), but I was sucked in from the beginning and raced through it. It’s promoted as a “solarpunk novel set in an alternate Egyptian universe,” and it felt a little bit a middle-grade version of The Hunger Games at times. There’s no mention of it being part of a series, but I would love to go back and visit this world and its characters. I highly recommend it for middle-grade collections.
2 s Mark Buxton1,254 19

What worked:
The story is set in Egypt and shares information about its history, mythology, and culture. Ash grows up as an orphan in a small village along the Nile River and his job is to clean the canals in the irrigation system. Solar energy is widely used as the god Lord Ra shines his power down to earth each day. The irrigation system, sunboards, and some flying vehicles are all driven by the sun. Ash travels to the capital city of Memphis on a sunbarge where he enters a trial of tests to determine which twelve-year-old will become the shadow prince. The pharaoh, gods, and goddesses are part of the council overseeing the contest to decide which candidate will defend the prince for the rest of his life. All of AshÂ’s challenges are based on Egyptian gods and mythology.
The story addresses different forms of prejudice, tolerance, and bullying. In AshÂ’s village and the capital city, the wealthy look down on peasants as lesser humans. HeÂ’s bullied by the son of a wealthy merchant at home, and the son of a politician during the trial demeans him at every opportunity. Some characters believe the pharaoh is too sympathetic to the poor, and his willingness to negotiate with other countries displays weakness. These people have resolved to do what it takes to maintain a wide disparity between the wealthy class and everyone else. Ash doesnÂ’t feel this way, and he accepts the range of personalities and backgrounds among the candidates for shadow prince.
Most of the story is told through AshÂ’s eyes with periodic chapters sharing the covert plans of the princeÂ’s brother Rami and the god of chaos named Lord Set. These chapters share their plans to interfere and describe their tenuous relationship. The candidates to become RamiÂ’s shadow prince all perished, so his younger brother Prince Khufu will become the pharaohÂ’s successor if Ash or someone else succeeds this time. Rami and Set scheme to kill all of the candidates during the new trials, so Rami will remain the crown prince. This subplot grows throughout the book and is sure to continue in the sequel. The chapters told from AshÂ’s point of view reveal his insecurities, quick-thinking, and compassion for others that make him such an admirable character. He often finds inspiration from remembered words shared by his mentor.
What didnÂ’t work as well:
Two characters cheat, and worse, throughout the trials and are never caught. One of them is even rewarded time after time due to the ignorance/blindness of those running the trials. While this behavior is infuriating, it stokes readersÂ’ emotions and develops additional drama in the story. The end result is a plot that will captivate readers.
The Final Verdict:
Trust yourself and your abilities. This book feels very similar to Rick RiordanÂ’s stories, as Ash is an underdog human battling gods and mythical monsters. It combines adventure, tension, humor, and action to present a story thatÂ’s sure to become a middle-grade favorite. I highly recommend you give it a shot. 1 Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens2,799 60

This solarpunk novel set in an alternate Egyptian universe pits a twelve-year-old boy against demons, gods, and fellow humans in a competition to survive and become the shadow—and protector—of the prince who will grow up to be Pharaoh.adventure childrens-books fantasy ...more1 Raaven💖467 29

*Tour related read*

Ash is an 11-year-old who has been living with his mentor his entire life. HeÂ’s been trained in fighting, even though he never knew why. He never knew his parents and only knew of Yazen, the man who raised him. On the day before his 12th birthday, Yazen tells him he was meant for great things and has been training to be the shadow of the prince. Children born on the same day are all pitted against each other in order to work for the prince and protect him from evil. Ash must face foes in human, demon, & God form in order to save himself and the lives of the new friends heÂ’s made along the way in order to be by the princeÂ’s side. In the background, a vindictive God is plotting against the Shadows in hopes of overthrowing Egypt with the help of a jealous noble.

I d how deep this goes into Egyptian mythology. While I donÂ’t know much about Egypt, I appreciated everything the author explained. I wasnÂ’t sure on the time period here because itÂ’s never really stated. Also I know this is a kids book, but I love how 12-year-olds fight to the death in order to be bodyguards. YouÂ’d think theyÂ’d want adults to protect the future pharaohÂ’s of Egypt and not prepubescent children, but that obviously wouldnÂ’t work for the story.

I d Ash and I just hope he gets more assertive during the next book. There were so many times he said he thought about saying something to defend himself and didnÂ’t. He was constantly picked on and humiliated for being poor and being a village boy while the other children came from rich households. I hated when people would do awful things and of course Ash was the only one to see them and nobody would believe him. It got frustrating as the story went on. IÂ’m very excited to read the next book and see what comes next for Ash and his friends. Hopefully the loose ends will be taken care of. Marilyn16 3

"The Shadow Prince" by David Anthony Durham is a book for what is called "middle-grade readers". The main character is Ash, a twelve-year-old boy, and, thus, I would primarily recommend it for twelve-year-old boys. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it. It was a light read, to-be-sure; but it had some interesting characteristics such as Egyptian Gods of ancient Egypt as characters. Having become interested in Egypt myself initially in grade five or six via some largely fictional books, I can see this book sparking interest in Egypt in others. Mr. Durham has recently continued Ash's story with "The Longest Night in Egypt". I will ly read this book as well at some point to see what happened with Ash after "The Shadow Prince". That is, I am willing to read the sequel and am also willing to check out at least one of Mr. Durham's adult-directed books, of which he has several. His writing was not painful for me to read, despite my pickiness with regards to grammar, punctuation, spelling, ... If writing is able to allow me to rise above such sensibilities with little, or preferably no, particular note; it is a plus for me. Nowadays, both verbal and written English is atrocious with far too many, sigh. Paul113

Thank you goodreads for this book!

"Ash's life takes a dramatic turn when, on his twelfth birthday, he's called to the grand royal palace in a small ancient Egyptian village. Unbeknownst to him, he's been groomed from childhood to compete for the coveted title of the 'shadow prince,' a role that involves being the prince's companion and protector.

Set against a backdrop of enchanting ancient Egypt, this middle-grade debut offers a thrilling tale of a young boy's journey. The competition, spanning five intense days, unfolds with each perilous challenge overseen by Egyptian deities and featuring the slaying of magical creatures. But the excitement doesn't stop there; the story is enriched with fantastical elements magical sun-powered kites and ships.

Amidst this enchanting world, palace intrigue abounds, where humans and gods conspire against the contestants, adding layers of suspense and complexity to the narrative. 'The Shadow Prince' is a captivating introduction to middle-grade fiction, offering young readers a glimpse into a world where magic, adventure, and intrigue collide." Pam7,912 38

An interesting look at Egyptian mythology. The gods are very active with the Pharaoh's family as the next Prince's Shadow is selected. Readers meet Ash, an orphan, in the peasant village where he is raised by his guardian. He doesn't know who his parents are and though hints are given, this is never revealed (perhaps in a sequel?). Based on his birthday, he is one of his birthday, he is one of those who will face the tests to become Prince Khufu's personal bodyguard and confidante. These are challenges no other and result in multiple deaths for those who accept this responsibility. Durham creates characters who reveal themselves and their natures throughout the book. Ash learns more about himself, his mentor, and the new friends he tentatively makes. The gods also reveal their natures and Durham includes a glossary telling about each at the end of the book. I the twist at the end with regard to the others who test for this Shadow role. Hope to see a sequel soon.middle-grades sci-fi-fantasy JenniferAuthor 2 books29

A mix of a ancient Egypt and future Egypt relying on solar powered (infused with power by Lord Ra), this middle-grade novel is a classic peasant-to-royalty story. When we meet Ash, he's being trained by an eccentric guardian in a remote village and on his 12th birthday, he learns he is a candidate to become the prince's shadow. Battles ensue with demons from the underworld...

This is being marketed as solarpunk: "They said all solar-powered devices worked because Lord Ra, one of Egypt's most powerful gods, joined with the sun each day and shone his magic down onto Egypt." (p. 5) "Sunmills were a lot windmills, except the blades of the turbines were covered in suncloth, a thin, sparkling fabric that captured the magic of the sun and transformed it into energy." (p. 4)

Spoiler note: this is a kinder, gentler fight with candidates "vanishing" rather than dying.science-fiction-fantasy Mrs. Pierre15

Ash is a 12-year-old Egyptian peasant boy who has been raised by his mentor Yazen. Yazen has trained Ash and promised him that he is destined for something great. most 12-year-olds, Ash is impatient and tired of living his boring life of chores and being pushed around by the bullies of his village. All of that changes one day when Ash learns that he is going to try out to be Prince Khufu's shadow. In order to become Kufu's shadow, Ash must endure The Testing. The Testing is a five-day competition in which all shadow prospects must prove themselves. Only one shadow candidate can win and the competition is fierce. Things get even more complicated when Ash makes friends with two of the other candidates. Will Ash pass The Testing? Who can he trust? Find out in The Shadow Prince. Roha Imran64

it was alright. prince khufu's personality or character was very bland. also towards the end when Ash looked in the mirror the author said "He looked Egyptian". No kidding. Honestly I wouldve preferred an actual Egyptian author. Also since this is the author's first middle grade book and he usually writes adult books... I could feel some adult themes lurking. They were diluted and not easily noticeable but it was there. Also the ending was expected and slightly boring, it wouldve been more interesting if everyone had died, more character wouldve been added to Ash. Also what Ancient Egyptian is named Ash lmao, you gave everyone interesting names except him. My favorite character would probably be Yazen, he's awesome. Karen1,272 8

Ash has been raised by a mentor in a small ancient Egyptian village and unbeknownst to him, he has been in training his entire life to compete to be the next “shadow prince,” a companion and bodyguard for the prince. On his twelfth birthday, he is summoned to the royal palace to begin 5 days of competition. Each deadly event is overseen by an Egyptian God and involves the slaying of magical beasts. In addition to the fantastical creatures and magical sun-powered kites and ships, there is plenty of palace intrigue with humans and Gods plotting against some of the contestants. An excellent middle-grade debut.2021 2022-2023-msba fantasy BiblioBrandie1,115 30

Five deadly tests, only one Shadow Prince! I am not a huge mythology fan so was surprised by how much I d this book. The pace is quick and keeps the pages turning. The characters are interesting, I learned so much about Egyptian Gods. The setting, an alternate solar-powered ancient Egypt, is wonderful. You will be rooting for Ash until the final page (which leaves the story open for a sequel)! My one complaint is that it was a bit long. For fans of Rick Riordan, Harry Potter, and The Hunger Games.2021 fiction middle-grade Joshua A. JohnstonAuthor 11 books76

The Shadow Prince is a sort of Black Panther-esque take on Egypt. Imagine a world where solar powered technology runs airships, hoverboards, and other advanced technology, add in a generous helping of gods, demons, and other creatures from Egyptian mythology, swirl it all around a trial competition vaguely similar to, say, the Hunger Games or Nyxia, and you've got the Shadow Prince. It's more lighthearted and funny than those properties, though, which makes it a breezier read. Solid book overall. Libby1,086 29

"The Shadow Prince" is filled with familiar tropes: a young person unaware of his special powers, a trial he must pass before he an take on the role he has been prepared for, intense competition from a bully who will do anything to win. All familiar, but Durham writes so well, they seem fresh. I d that he didn't fall back on having a child from our world transported to a magical one. The world he builds, the equivalent of a "sun-punk" (rather than steampunk) ancient Egypt, is unique and fun. Recommend to fans of "Last Gate of the Emperor". Heaven Ashlee477 7

This was a very fun book! The world was very vivid, the "solartech" was super unique and I had a real adventure reading this!

The only reason I knocked off a star is the dialogue. There is a way to write old/classic dialogue that doesn't sound stuffy to kids. Hearing super modern words and phrases really pulled me out of this book--it sounded more Percy Jackson than ancient Egypt at times. I feel even as an age appropriate reader, I would have noticed it too. It got a little less noticeable during the last third of the book but it lingered.

That's really my only qualm. I seriously loved this little book.fantasy middle-grade Joseph Taylor46 2

THISBOOKISAMAZING!!!!!!!!! I really d that it was.about Egyptian gods because I already have some background knowledge on this topic from the Kane chronicles. Yeah if you this you definitely should read the Kane Chronicles and Percy Jackson. Anyway this book was absolutely outstanding and it held my attention throughout the whole time I was reading it. Definitely read this book if you learning about mythology. Thanks for creating this book David. Alicia6,800 136

An alternate Egyptian mythology story, I missed this book when it came out in 2021, but it has mass appeal for global mythology lovers. Following the cliched middle grade fantasy novel, there's a challenge. Our character is a shadow prince and he must excel at challenges in order to succeed. But they're death-defying and harrowing.

Plenty of action and adventure, intrigue, and a friendship to last. For fans of Roshani Chokshi and Rick Riordan.action fantasy friendship ...more Ada1,872 32 Want to read

***WHO SUCKED ME IN***
Thomas of SFF180 on YouTube in their SFF180 | Mailbag Monday | October 25, 2021 video published on maandag 25 oktober 2021

THAT COVER! Pity that it's for kids but it's a standalone and sounds very interesting.social-media-sucked-me-in sucker-for-the-cover Caitlin455

If you enjoy reading about Egyptian gods and goddesses and the world of ancient Egypt, this is a book for you! Enter the world of the Old Kingdom at the time of Khufu, mixed with solar power, and a contest for the Shadow of the soon to be pharaoh. MG readers who love Percy Jackson or reading fantasy will enjoy this book. *It has also made the list for MissouriÂ’s Mark Twain reader award. Adam Bloch302 1 follower

The book is a pretty standard raised-a-poor-orphan-but-is-really-the-chosen-one; its specific twist is that it incorporates Egyptian mythology and magic. I enjoyed the story but there wasnÂ’t anything unpredictable about the book at all. If youÂ’re ok with your kid reading about demons and the , then itÂ’s an ok kids book.

(I am reading through the 2023-2024 Mark Twain and Truman nominees)mark-twain-truman-nominees read-in-2023 Emily Cottle511 5

While this book didnÂ’t hook me as much as IÂ’d have d, I did enjoy the story. The mythology was well done, especially the descriptions of the animal-based elements, such as beetles they rode around on. I describe it as Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson, but I did find the ending a bit unsatisfactory. fantasy Elizabeth6 1 follower

David Anthony Durham

Is a fantastic fantasy author that mized STEM, Historical, and Cultural insights as he creates these epic novels, especially for the middle grades! I compled enjoyed this book!!! The second book is fantastic as well too! african-american cultural diverse-educator ...more Sarahlynn808 15

Read aloud with the kids. They loved it! I found it difficult to stomach how the main character kept getting kicked down over and over while no adults believed him, but I imagine that feeling resonates with a lot of middle-grade readers. Sarah75

Read this for work. The subject matter and themes were not of interest to me, but I enjoyed this better than I thought I would. Interesting overview of the Egyptian gods. Predictable story arc, and it depicts teamwork, moral dilemmas, fairness, and friendships. Looks this will be a series. Rebecca190

I typically don't take the time to write a review. I had to say how much I loved this book. It reminded me of a Disney movie with adventure, magic, monsters, and a triumphant ending! This is one of my favorites and I can't wait to share it with my middle schoolers! Charlotte1,159 32

tons of kid appeal, and a fun read for an adult (me) too2021 Maureen Keimig187 1 follower

Great Plot and wonderful characters. Joshua1 reviewRead

It was a fun book. Perfect for people who want to feel the sugar of adventure! Jennifer1,203 10

Autor del comentario:
=================================