In the Ghost’s Shadow by Clifton Brown kicks off The Shadow Core Saga with a genre-blending fusion of urban fantasy, cosmic mystery, and intense romantic drama. We’re with Brick and Tish, two college students drawn together by fate and fractured by ancient powers. This dual perspective novel explores the clash between human vulnerability and supernatural inheritance through their eyes. As a web of secrets, curses, and dangerous cosmic forces unfurls around them, Brick and Tish must confront not only external threats but the terrifying power they each hold within. With its scientific underpinnings, mythic scope, and emotionally rich narrative, this is a story of love tested by destiny and a universe hanging in the balance.
Author Clifton Brown has a gentle way of letting the threads of his storytelling gradually come together in interesting and disparate ways, and this makes for a refreshingly smart blend of dark fantasy and science fiction that doesn’t skimp on heart either. There’s a lot of feeling and a clear love for the central characters in their tender narration, and this sharp focus in prose and dialogue makes Brick and Tish compelling leads whose chemistry ignites even more than the otherworldly moments that are happening around them. This emphasizes that sense of power building, which mirrors the great pacing of the plot and raises the stakes so that we as readers are more and more invested with every twist. And there are certainly twists aplenty, as Brown builds a complex universe that feels both mythic and modern for a gripping, high-stakes debut that leaves you eager for the next installment in the saga. Overall, I would certainly recommend In the Ghost’s Shadow for sci-fi fans seeking a new series to start, and I can’t wait for more.
