Sanctuary of the Shadow by Aurora Ascher
What's It About?
"Sanctuary of the Shadow" takes readers on a great chase in recovering lost memories, abandoning ignorance and naivety for the harsh truth, and learning to embrace pain to grow from it.Five elements, five kingdoms, five Queens that feud, and a terrible twist of fate that births a curious love between a child of water and slave to fire.
Aurora Ascher’s debut fantasy, Sanctuary of the Shadow (Red Tower Books), is a romance set in a world where beside humans, exists a race of humanoids who descend from one of five elemental queens. Their element dictates their special ability as well as special physical features or attributes related to a specific animal.
A great feud between two elemental Queens caused death and destruction unto the world many years ago. And since then, Elementals were abandoned by their Queens, and the humans, in their ignorance, brand Elementals the enemy.
Group of Misfits Becomes a Family
The story begins with a circus of Elementals, who survive as refugees in a world that wants them gone.
Harrow, a Water Elementalist, was raised under the protection of the circus and now works as a fortune teller. Harrow uses her connection with water to see vague visions of the future.
Daily life is far from perfect, but the members of the circus work together and survive as a makeshift family.
But when a new attraction is brought to their camp in a cage, Harrow is drawn to him, despite the obvious danger he poses. She feels a strange connection to him that she cannot ignore. And so, she turns her back on the circus that raised her to save this mysterious man and discover the truth about who he really is. Along their journey, Harrow discovers their fates are bound in blood from a great evil unleashed long ago.
It is a story of destiny, betrayal, and courage, as our protagonist wrestles with visions meant to guide her down a much darker path. Harrow must learn to trust in herself and her abilities to ensure she makes the right choice in the end and is not influenced by those around her.
The male lead is a slave to his dark past and must learn to forgive himself in order to move forward with his life. He is more than what the world made of him, and Harrow knows that more than anyone.
The two must overcome their fears and doubts, and trust in love and each other, to find a way through the darkness inside them both.
Explores Good Versus Evil
Aurora Ascher explores a unique setting involving a compelling moral struggle between what is good for all versus what is good for one. Ascher also explores the struggle between good and evil, and the ambiguity of both sides. Nothing is what it appears to be; what is “good” is flawed, and what is “evil” is sympathetic. The characters have experienced great loss before the story begins, and readers are taken into a conflicted, but otherwise peaceful time — which I think is a pleasant change from the endless tales of epic battles. There is no clear and righteous path, and most of the journey is simply about survival and forgiveness.
Ascher wrote great scenes in which she explores intimacy. These moments are expressive and detailed, and she uses the scene to explore how intimacy develops the two main characters’ trust in each other.
I look forward to seeing how this world might grow in the next book, as we have yet to explore all five territories. I’m excited for the possibility of following a new protagonist on her unique journey back to her homeland, as well as watching the rest of the characters grow along the way.
Sanctuary of the Shadow takes readers on a great chase in recovering lost memories, abandoning ignorance and naivety for the harsh truth, and learning to embrace pain to grow from it. From Harrow’s journey, we learn: Perhaps love doesn’t conquer all, but it certainly endures.
About Aurora Ascher:
Aurora Ascher is a paranormal & fantasy romance author. She loves misunderstood mythical monsters, redeemable anti-heroes, and epic happily-ever-afters. A woman of many creative pursuits, Aurora is also a professional musician and visual artist. She currently resides in Montreal with her trusty espresso machine and her endlessly patient husband, whom she sometimes doesn’t see for hours until she emerges from her writing cave like a bear in springtime.
