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Tom Fallwell
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A Whisper In The Shadows: (Rangers of Laerean, #1) Kindle Edition

by Tom Fallwell (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 39 ratings
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When the Ranger Baric meets the exotic and alluring woman from Vaar'da, called Whisper, he agrees to assist her on what seems a simple rescue mission that soon turns into something far more complicated than he expected. Their journey soon becomes a deadly and suicidal quest into the Great Divide, an area of Hir where men fear to travel, into the realm of the demonic Manenase, who live under a great volcano in the center of the Boiling Sea.

The fate of Hir depends on the courage and skills of the heroic Rangers and their small Vaar'da companion, as they struggle to save the world of Hir from impending disaster.
Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 3
    Rangers of Laerean
  2. Print length
    206 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    April 10, 2015
  6. Reading age
    13 - 18 years
  7. File size
    1457 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Reviewed By Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
A Whisper in The Shadows: Rangers of Laerean book one by Tom Fallwell is a spellbinding work with a powerful setting. The reader is introduced to the imaginary, captivating world of Hir with its peculiar seasons and legendary characters. Readers are introduced to tales of love and bravery, all constructed around the Rangers of Laerean, men who defend the prized land of Hir.

Baric of Elsu, who takes after the Bear Spirit, Odris, is one of the protectors of Hir. When he offers to help a woman from Vaar'da, Whisper, he thinks it could be a small favor to the beautiful woman who suffers from terrible nightmares. Little does he know that the encounter with this woman will lead them into a great adventure, involving the most powerful artifact of their time, and the source of the chaos that Hir has witnessed over two thousand years. Now with a group of powerful rangers, they will make the journey to the most dreaded of places, Mount Scorch where the volcano seethes. It is in this place that Baric must fulfill his destiny, revealed to him by Odris, the Bear Spirit. Does he have what it takes for this mission?

Tom Fallwell has created an epic fantasy, a story that will take readers to places they have only watched and read about in works like The Hobbit. The story is punctuated with numerous compelling scenes, the plot is spun to feature intense moments of conflict, and there are tons of surprises for the reader. The characters are awesome, and readers will remember Baric of Elsu like Thorin Oakenshield. The writing reads like magic, with beautiful, poetic names, and great descriptions. A Whisper in The Shadows is a highly imaginative and entertaining work that will enthrall fans of fantasy.

About the Author

Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1951, Tom Fallwell spent much of his career as a software developer and programmer. Now retired from that field, he has taken up writing, which he had always loved to do, but did not have the time to indulge himself in. Now he is writing the stories he had always wanted to write. Still living in Oklahoma, Tom is active in church, running the sound system and sometimes teaching adult Sunday School. He has always had a love of fantasy and science fiction, both in reading and in movies. His love of story telling came as a result of playing table top role playing games with friends, in which he created adventures for the other players to experience.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00VYL2426
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Amazon Digital Services; 2nd edition (April 10, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 10, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1457 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 206 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 154087026X
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 39 ratings

About the author

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Tom Fallwell

Tom Fallwell

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Early in his life, Tom Fallwell discovered a love for the wonderful escape into realms undreamed of through books of Fantasy and Science-Fiction. Weaned on greats like J.R.R. Tolkien, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert E. Howard, Roger Zelazny, Robert A. Heinlein, and Michael Moorcock, to name a few, Tom's imagination was forever inspired by those marvelous tales.

One day, he discovered a simple book of medieval battle rules called Chainmail, by Gary Gygax, and found a new love. The love of creating adventures and stories of his own for other players to experience. Chainmail evolved into Dungeons & Dragons, and Tom played consistently with friends as both a player and a dungeon master (DM). Such activities fueled his desire to create worlds and stories from his own imagination.

Now retired after a long career as a software developer, Tom now writes about all the adventures and characters that constantly fill his mind, and gleefully shares them with the world.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
39 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

The Minter
5.0 out of 5 stars I’d be in great shape. Joking aside
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2016
Verified Purchase
Knowledge is the goal.

Wisdom is the key.

Ignorance can be deadly.

You can never know too much.

You will always know too little.

Seeking knowledge is a lifelong pursuit.

Now, if I can convince my students to follow this mantra, I’d be in great shape. Joking aside, one of the major themes in A Whisper in the Shadows , an action-paced fantasy adventure novel by Tom Fallwell is education for the benefit of oneself and for society, and accepting that others, even those with whom you have a history of antagonism, may be of value to you. Raimerestha, aka. Whisper, seeks assistance from the Rangers of Larean, specifically from Baric. Although Whisper belongs to the Vaar’da race and has a long history of tension with humans, Baric accepts her request for help, partly out of a code of gallantry he lives by and partly because he is impressed with her skills as a Shadow Walker. As the two embark on their journey, fighting bandits, enormous wasps, and other creatures along the way, the two discovery a mutual attraction, even as Baric learns that the original mission was a ruse.

Aside from the theme of education and tolerance, there is integrity, honor, humility, and friendship/cooperation. There are a number of moral lessons to be learned from this book, but one of my favorites is the dangers of excessive pride. Allowing oneself to be driven by power, money, or glory can have deadly consequences. However, this book’s didactic value comes from the story itself, and thus does not come across as preachy or moralistic. With no shortage of action-there is always a deadly beast lurking in the shadows, waiting to attack-there is never a dull moment in A Whisper in the Shadows. The budding romance between Baric and Whisper, while not quite central enough to the story to be considered a subplot, does add an interesting element and makes you care more about the main characters. You will find yourself cheering for Whisper and his team of Rangers, and the other company members they pick up along the way, as they journey to a pivotal moment in history. The outcome will determine the fate of all humanity. The novel has a distinct and extremely interesting Medieval flavor. Some of the names and terms can be a bit confusing, but that’s true of most fantasy novels.

The novel has two “false” endings that lead right into Book 2, which I am starting today. A Whisper in the Shadows is a must-read for fans of fantasy and action/adventure, and recommended for anyone. Pick up your copy today!
4 people found this helpful
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Ryan Guy
4.0 out of 5 stars A Questing We Will Go
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2015
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A Whisper in the Shadows is a solid tale of adventure and magic. The main cast includes the warrior hero Baric and his band of altruistic and skilled rangers who sacrifice (some of them literally) for the good of the world. Throw in a beautiful assassin with ulterior motives who enlists the help of Baric and company to battle against myriad of fierce creatures in precarious subterranean locales and you have the makings of some great fantasy.
Fallwell's straightforward writing of travels and battles works well for this novel. You won't be saying, "Less talk, more action" as you journey with the Rangers of Laerean on this exciting quest.
3 people found this helpful
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Angel
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended for not merely fantasy fans, but also readers who love a well-told engrossing tale.
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2017
Verified Purchase
A Whisper in the Shadows by Tom Fallwell was an immense pleasure to read. As a long-time Epic Fantasy fan, I was immediately intrigued by the blurb and impressed by the cover.

This action-packed novel begins with a meeting with the Rangers of Laerean and an extremely alluring Vaar’da woman named Whisper (Raimerestha). Although the Vaar’da are described as arrogant and even elitist (and not too fond of humans), the rangers agree to a meeting and ask for possible volunteers (Baric) to aid the Vaar’da.

Baric is immediately captivated by Whispers’ beauty, exoticness, and nickname. In fact, after learning first hand how that nickname was earned, he decided to aid her in this quest…an enigmatic quest that was deceitfully represented, delineated in mistrust, and inundated with dangers—both physical and supernatural.

A Whisper in the Shadows will titillate every fantasy fans’ senses with numerous epic battles, magical elements, awesome creatures, new species, shadow walking, and shadow beasts. However, author Tom Fallwell has managed to integrate meaningful, ethical lessons in a manner that flows with the plot, resting beneath the layers of a magnificently crafted story.

Highly recommended for not merely fantasy fans (and Tolkien lovers), but also readers who love a well-told engrossing tale. There’s even a hint of romance to tickle the hearts of readers while delving into the greater aspects of the story. I’m on to book II!

~The audiobook is magnificent. I truly enjoyed Douglass Pullar’s narration. He has fantastic range and brought this story and its characters to life!
One person found this helpful
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Sunshine Somerville
5.0 out of 5 stars Robin Hood + Lord of the Rings
Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2016
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What a great adventure! This is like Robin Hood meets Lord of the Rings but with an equally interesting female character present. Baric is immediately likeable, strong, brave, noble - everything the typical Fantasy hero is supposed to be. Whisper is complicated, exotic, and from a whole race that is mixed up in prejudice and unique skill. They make a good team, and inevitably the resulting romantic connection makes complete sense, not forced.

This world, its geography, and the various races/peoples' histories was really well done. You can feel the author's love of Tolkien in the writing, but nothing feels directly copied - there are a lot of original ideas here. The frightening beasts and ultimate bad guy/demon add a lot of tension and danger to this journey tale. The friends met along the way are nice additions to the cast of characters, and each minor character is fleshed out and interesting on their own.

I won't spoil much about the "prophetic dreams" element to this story except to say that it's significant and important to the overall plot, and wanting to find out what the dreams meant for Whisper was something that kept me turning pages. The mysterious artifact they discover is another great twist that adds another dimension of risk to the story. All things combined this really was a unique, wonderful story.

If you like Fantasy with adventure and battles and a supernatural side, definitely give this one a read.
2 people found this helpful
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K. Meador
4.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2015
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I enjoyed reading this well thought out story. There is a lot of action and the plot moves at a nice pace. The ending isn't what you will expect.
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Top reviews from other countries

Zachary Spencer
5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful read!
Reviewed in Canada on October 7, 2018
Verified Purchase
Really enjoyed this fantasy novel. The characters had well established backgrounds and there was good details, down to the calendar system used. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series soon.
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Paul Anthony Williams
5.0 out of 5 stars TOMS MAGIC BUCKET STRIKES AGAIN.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 19, 2015
Verified Purchase
There is a great depth to Tom's writing and you get fully into the story as it seeps into your mind and imagination..you can see the world he has created and you become a part of it.
I fully enjoyed the story and much like my own work it is like a coin....whatever side it lands on there is always something hidden upon the other side. To be a fantasy author you need imagination, luck and a certain something inside and Tom has bucket loads.
Excellent book.
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Miss K Marsden
4.0 out of 5 stars Whisper in the Shadows
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 13, 2016
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The famed and noble Rangers of Laerean are drawn into a mission that could affect the whole world. Baric couldn't have guessed how big the adventure would be when little Whisper walks into his life.

I have been meaning to read this book for ages, and it turned out to be a very nice little fantasy adventure.

Baric is a Ranger, a human and skilled enough to join this elite team. He is a born leader and one of the best, so he is the obvious choice when a Vaar'da (think short, but still graceful, elf) emissary comes seeking their help.
Baric accompanies the Vaar'da, who goes by the nickname Whisper, as they journey to a distant land to fulfil their mission.
I really liked the world that Fallwell has created, and especially the use of Shadow Magic, which was always well-described and believable. I loved that little Whisper could just step into the shadows and vanish, and that she was perfectly capable of protecting herself.

The different races echoes the standard that is present in a lot of Fantasy worlds, with your humans, elves and dwarves; but this doesn't retract from the story. It is with the creatures and villains that Fallwell stamps his real imagination. For most of the book, the Manenase hover somewhere between nightmares and demons in the living flesh. There are also an array of creatures and monsters that appear along the way, beautifully-described and unique.

There is inevitably a likeness to Lord of The Rings, in the second half, in that a chosen group must go on a mission in the heart of Manenase land to destroy a small but powerful item; which Whisper carries and it gives her a certain connection with the Big Bad. There is also the growing relationship between Baric, the human Ranger; and Whisper, the Vaar'da (elf).
The likenesses aren't enough to ruin the story and, as much as I love Tolkein, this was much easier reading!

The downsides...
This was a nice read, as I stated before. It has a very nice feel to it, and builds a nicety to it. I'm using the word nice to much, aren't I?
Well, that's what stayed with me most. Baric is nice; Whisper is nice. They go on an adventure and come across many dangers, but I never felt that it was dangerous. Don't get me wrong, the action scenes were awesome in themselves, but the atmosphere of the story never moved out of mildly comfortable.
The rest of the characters were all nice (OK, I'll stop it now), they were a good bunch and I liked them, but there was nothing particularly distinct about them. I couldn't pick a favourite.
The plot for the most part was very good, but I did have a few issues where my brain nagged over "why"?
Why did Whisper travel all the way to the Rangers to seek their help in a kidnapping, then travel all the way home when this journey is described as a month each way?
When her true motive was revealed, why did Whisper seek the Rangers at all, when all Vaar'da discriminate against humans and see them as crude and lesser beings? (Speaking of which, I never felt that Whisper did treat Baric and the Rangers as anything other than equals, even though it was constantly remarked about in the narrative.)
Why weren't they more immediately concerned and suspicious when they suddenly appeared in a different land?
Why did they jump to the conclusion that the jewel was an evil object that must be destroyed? Yes, it's powerful, but it never gave off an evil vibe, and they didn't know it's source before deciding to destroy it.

Anyways, overall it was an entertaining adventure and I will definitely be continuing with the series.
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D.M. Cain
4.0 out of 5 stars Great epic fantasy
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 23, 2017
Verified Purchase
Great book - I really enjoyed the dynamics between the characters, and the descriptions of the locations and events were excellent. I can tell that this is the start of a fantastic series and I look forward to reading more.
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