Book Review: No Shadow Without Light
Genre: Mythological fiction
Publisher: The Write Place
Total Pages: 378 pages
Author: Luke Gracias
About the Author:
Luke Gracias is an Environmental Specialist who has been working part- time in the film industry since 2006. The Codex Gigas or the Devil’s Bible is the largest medieval manuscript in the world. It currently resides in the National Library of Sweden. The Codex Gigas has twelve missing pages which are rumoured to contain an apocalyptic test known as the Devil’s Prayer. An avid photographer, Luke travelled through Europe and his home country Australia documenting the 13th Century conspiracy between the Mongols who came to Europe in search of the Devil’s Prayer and the Papal Inquisition.
Book Cover:
The book cover is quite intimidating and gives clear picture of the story line.
It’s a bold red cross, where one side becomes a Devils tail, and other side has bright light. And the title written on top in all caps.
The books Storyline is the balance of Good and Evil.
Plot/ Story Line:
The world’s population crossed 6.66 billion. Any further increase could only occur at the cost of other species and future generations.
This triggered the Devil’s Game. A Treasure Hunt for the twelve missing pages of the Devil’s Bible, which hold the Devil’s Prayer. A game designed for Jess Russo, the daughter of the Devil, to unleash Armageddon. Each page Jess finds encourages people to be selfish. To hoard for themselves and theirs, wiping out every chance future generations and all other species have of survival. Only her elder sister Siobhan can stop her, by finding the pages of the Devil’s Prayer hidden across the globe before Jess does.
When the bells of Amalfi Cathedral toll twelve repeatedly one night, Inspector Luca Reginalli races to find four ancient frescoes and a note in a jade sarcophagus. The cryptic note offering the Twelfth Page of the Devil’s Prayer in exchange for Siobhan goes viral. The treasure hunter Siobhan becomes the hunted.
From the Templars of Tomar to the Doomsday Chest in London, from the Tomb of Amir Timur to the Shadowless Pagoda of Wuhan, Siobhan and Reginalli follow the trail of carnage left by each page of the Devil’s Prayer.
Can they save the world from its own destruction?
My Take:
This is a good mythological- fiction. The tile “No Shadow without light” is absolutely true. If there is good there is evil, if there is light there is dark and so dose the shadow.
The plot is tight, and keeps a grip on the reader. The language is simple. The emotional turmoil between sisters, the fear of losing loved ones is depicted well.
The book is about how we can keep the balance between good and evil. And we must act before it’s too late to save humanity.
The book revolves around not only mythology; rather the author wants the readers to focus on the harm we are doing to the Mother Nature. The author is an environmentalist, and he stands true to it through this book. The disaster we are creating for our own future, this book is a very subtle and entertaining way to highlight the topic.
What could have been better?
For someone who knows about Christianity or related mythology and has knowledge about devil and other biblical things, the reading would be more relatable and easier.
Nonetheless, the book is a nice rollercoaster. I liked the book.
I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars
Amazon link to buy is HERE!!
If you are interested in thriller, go ahead and pick The Curse of Kuldhara by Richa S Mukherjee