Rating: 
Summary: Lovely writing, vivid characters, but...
Review: If it stood on its own, I would say that Son of the Shadows was a wonderful book. It was a great read, very well done, but as the sequel of a book like Daughter of the Forest, I have to be rather critical. I have to say I was very disappointed, because I found it to be quite unsatisfying as a sequel.The story follows Liadan of Sevenwaters, one of the daughters of the legendary daughter of the forest, Sorcha, who saved her six brothers from the lady Oonagh's evil machinations. Liadan's narration tells of tells of the finding of her true love, of festering jealousy turned to obsession, of secrets untold, and the strength of one woman willing to defy all her heritage for the man she loves. Liadan is a very strong character, so much so that I find her increasingly hard to believe in. She has very few, if any, faults, which is frustrating to a reader, because we inevitably compare her to Sorcha, who was very strong too, but also so achingly human that we reacted with intense sympathy. I find the characters from the first book, like Conor and Sorcha and Hugh, are pushed harshly to the background, understandable for the progression of the story but nonetheless disappointing, because they were so very much alive in Daughter of the Forest. I feel that the focus goes too drastically from Sorcha in the first book to Liadan in this one and I do not think that the author, though I admire her writing tremendously, pulled it off properly. It left me yearning for more of the magic so subtle and prevalent in the first book and so taken for granted in this one. For me, it left a lot to be desired. And now, I fear, I have set Son of the Shadows out to be a bad book. I do not mean to because, again, I enjoyed it and I eagerly await Child of the Prophecy. But nothing can possibly live up to Daughter of the Forest, which is firmly entrenched on my shelf of favorite books! I enthusiastically suggest the series to fantasy/fairy tale lovers, because it really is worth the read!
Rating: 
Summary: A brilliant compliment to it's predecessor
Review: I stumbled along Marillier's book Daughter of the Forest when a friend that I swap books with gave it to me. I was somewhat skeptical at first but when I picked it up I couldn't put it down. I bought Son of the Shadows the day it came out and spent a sleepless night finishing it. I am an avid Science Fiction and Fantasy reader and I can honestly say there have been very few authors who have been able to lure me so completely into the characters world. I can not think of a better compliment to give Marillier than to say her character developments remind me of Orson Scott Card's. She makes you understand why people are the way they are and to sympathize. Son of the Shadows in a continuation of the Seven Waters Trilogy and tells the story of Liadan, the daughter of Sorcha and Hugh (who were the main characters of Daughter of the Forest). While not as fantasy driven as Daughter of the Forest it still keeps hold the fairy tale basis established in the first book. Marillier's is so good at pulling you into her story that every pain and joy she writes becomes your own, not allowing you to see it as just a story. It is an excellent compliment to Daughter of the Forest which has quickly become one of my favorites and I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates a well thought out and well written story .
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not great
Review: The only reason I rated this book three stars is because I rated Daughter of the Forest four stars. I really enjoyed Daughter of the Forest despite its length. As usual, Son of Shadows was well-written and in depth, but it lacked the appeal its prequel had. Maybe I just like fairytale renditions, but this book was just not as captivating. I think that Sorcha's and Red's tale was a little ruined; I didn't understand why things had to end the way they did. Liadan's story is great, but it still doesn't match up to her mother's tale. Also, some of the passages are quite boring; there are a couple of really despisable characters. All in all, the storyline was good. If you liked Daughter of the Forest, you should continue with this one.
Rating:
Summary: I expected to love it, and I did!
Review: Some will tell you never to expect too much, you'll be disspointed. WEll, they never read Juliet Marillier! Her first book "Daughter of the Forest" gave you an original and mystical tale of adventure. Her second "Son of the Shadows" is even better. If that's possible. Her heroine, Liadan, is strong, competent and shrewd. For that alone, I would be willing to kiss JM's feet, it's such a rarity. But she goes further to give us such an unusual tale containing mercenaries, magic, feudalism, loyalty, family ties, sorrow and triumph. I can't, right now, think of another author who's able to build onto a first novel so seamlessly and believably. Liadan's sorrow at the changes within her family are so poignant, and her strength in dealing with anything that comes her way is so satisfying. The male protagonist is compelling and completely unusual. JM is simply the best at developing characters and relationships. I know you will enjoy this novel at least as much as you did the first in the series.
Rating:
Summary: The fairy tale ends, but a great series continues
Review: The sequel to "Daughter of the Forest" finds Sorcha and Hugh still residing at Sevenwaters, with their three children: Niamh, Sean, and Liadan. As for Sorcha's six brothers, only two remain with her - Liam is Lord of Sevenwaters, and Conor is the chief Druid nearby. Padriac has become an explorer who makes a brief appearance, as does Finbar, who was the one brother left with a swan's wing after their stepmother's curse was lifted. Diarmid and Cormack have died in battle - an unsatisfactory ending, I thought, to two characters who bore such import in the first book. This book focuses again on the youngest daughter, Liadan, who is kidnapped by a band of outlaw mercenaries to heal one of their members. She then has to decide whether her loyalty belongs with her family, or with the tragic heroes of the outlaws, all of whom are more noble than many of the other allies of Sevenwaters. In particular, Liadan is drawn to the enigmatic chief of the band, whom she dubs Bran and who plays the whole "I hate you/I love you/Get the hell away from me" repetoire repeatedly. Bran's secret past figures prominently, as do the alliances between Sevenwaters and the nearby clans in trying to drive out the British invaders. This story isn't based on an existing fairy tale (that I know of) the way "Daughter" was, which allows the author more freedom but leaves those of us who like the adult fairy tale genre a bit out in the cold. In treating her characters from the first book so cavalierly, Marillier has cut us off a lot from what we liked about "Daughter"; indeed the tone of "Son" is often very different, less mystic and magical, more immediate and grounded in reality. Fans of the first book could easily stop there, where the fairy tale ends. Still, it's worth it to continue - "Son" remains a well-written and lovely book in its own right and a worthy heir to the series.
Rating:
Summary: A few problems, but very good
Review: I really enjoyed "Son of the Shadows" the second time I read it. Early in the story there is an incident between Niamh and an unnamed druid. When it is discovered what these 2 characters have done, the other characters in the book come down on them like a ton of bricks. The reaction to what they had done was totally out of proportion to what they had done. I came to hate most of the characters in the story. Two thirds of the way through the story you find out there was more to that incident than you knew at first. At that point, I really had to go back and re-read the story from the beginning. "Oh, so that's why everyone was so upset. Maybe they aren't the small minded, hateful prudes they appeared to be". Even after discovering why everyone was so upset, the incident seemed artificially contrived. I loved the main character Liadan even though I question her taste in men. On the one hand he is an interesting, strong-minded character that knows what he wants and knows how to get it. On the other hand he is a whiner that blames all his problems on others and doesn't take responsibility for his past actions. He was so young when unfortunate circumstances overtook him it's a little hard to believe he would connect his problems with specific people he never knew.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent and Astounding
Review: I thought this was a very well done sequel to book one of the series. I really loved teh new characters, bran especially, he is unlike any other character in books of this genre. It really livened it up! I was captivated the whole way through, and thought the story line great, with just enough umph and mystery on the ending to make me read the last book. Definitly read this book if you have read the first, if you have not, READ IT! great great great is all i can say!
Rating:
Summary: An objective opinion
Review: If you have read and loved Daughter of the Forest then you will almost certainly find a place in your heart for Son of Shadows . Its beautifully written and the image it gives is almost indescribable. For those who are uncertain of how well it will do when compared to Daughter of the Forest worry not. If you take this book as complement of Daughter of the Forest rather than as a continuation of Sorcha's story you will have little to complain about. I have read Daughter of the Forest more times than I can count, and while it was beautifully wraught I believe that Son of Shadows is the best book in the series. I love Sorcha dearly, but it is first Sorcha's love for Liadan,then later Liadan's strength that will warm your heart to her and her story.
Rating:
Summary: Good...but
Review: I loved daughter of the forest, and this one too, but Marillier made me go from sympathizing with Sorcha to hate hate HATEING her. I know this story isn't Sorcha's tale but Marillier totally ruined one of my favorite chararecters of all time. She redeuced all her complexity into one godess-like untouchable little wimp. This reduction of Sorcha almost made me stop reading, but I kept on keeping on and grew to like Liaden even more then I liked Sorcha, but the thought kept hovering in the back of my mind, she's going to become the all knowing, all suffering sonnybeech in the next, and last, book of the triolgy.
That fear (which was realized in "The Child of the Prophecy") kept me from enjoying the book as I could have. Gawd, it really irks me how she could do it, I mean people were practically worphiping her, and she showed no sign of humility, or anything else. Her pedestal was so high that no one could hear anything she said.
Rating:
Summary: Good...but
Review: I loved the story, but this lady makes me mad. A lot of Sorcha's appeal in the previous book came from her relateablity, in this book they put her on a god-like pedestal, WHY! It snnoys me to no end! WHY
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