The Shadow Mark

I read this quite a while back and it falls squarely into the Swords and Sorcery genre, but with a romance between two men at its center. If you like Conan the Barbarian, or Fritz Lieber’s Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, Lin Carter’s Thongor and the Dragon City… this falls more or less in the same category. This is Book 2 of 2: Lords of Davenia and follows the events of Lord Mouse.

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Auraq Greystone, once a military officer with a promising future, exists on the fringe of society. Accused of murder, Auraq is on the run from the ax -until two fugitives crash into his solitary life. One is a young man named Kane. The glowing marks on his arm pulse with an otherworldly power, and they have made him the target of a sinister organization called the Order of the Jackal. When the old man protecting Kane dies in an ambush, Auraq swears an oath to take his place.

But the runes are far more significant than they realize. They are a message from the shadow realm, a dark memory of the past-one holding evidence of a bloody massacre and its savage architect; one that will shake the kingdom to its foundation. Risking arrest and execution, Auraq fights to get Kane to the capital city where the cryptic marking can be unlocked. And with assassins close on their trail, Auraq might never get the chance to show Kane what’s in his heart-or the way their journey together has changed him.

The Shadow Mark is an epic tale of magic, murder, conspiracy, betrayal, and-for the two men tasked with unraveling the mystery-love and redemption.

The Purple Fantastic Steam Rating gives this a 3 out of 5. The book does contain sexual activity, but it remains discreet on specifics. You can read more about the Steam Ratings on the About Page.