Cover of The New Shadow, Act I: The Fading Light

The New Shadow, Act I: The Fading Light

Fantasy · 609 pages · Published 2014-05-22 · Avg 3.8★ (5 reviews)

A Lost Chronicle of the Fourth Age

From the vaults of Minas Tirith comes a work long believed lost — a manuscript that reveals a new chapter in the history of Middle-earth. Set in the twilight years of King Eldarion, heir of Aragorn, it is a tale of quiet disquiet, of whispered oaths and forgotten fears, told not through the eyes of great captains, but through the life of an ordinary man whose path crosses with the deep currents of fate.

Here, in streets and gardens far from the battlefields of old, a subtle shadow begins to creep once more into the hearts of Men. A clandestine fellowship, known only as The Followers of the Shadow, stirs unrest beneath Gondor’s proud banners. Against this backdrop, the narrative blends the grandeur of history with the intimacy of daily life, drawing readers into a Middle-earth both familiar and strange.

Evocative, restrained, and steeped in the cadence of Tolkien’s world, this recovered volume stands as both a bridge to the great epics and a testament to the unquiet that lingers in peace. A book for all who have wondered what comes after the last page of The Lord of the Rings.

Photo of J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892–1973) was an English writer, philologist, and academic best known for creating the richly imagined world of Middle-earth. Born in Bloemfontein, South Africa, and raised in England, he served in World War I before embarking on a distinguished career as a professor of Anglo-Saxon and later English language and literature at the University of Oxford.

A lifelong scholar of languages and myths, Tolkien wove his deep knowledge of linguistics and legend into The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings trilogy (1954–1955), works that shaped modern fantasy literature. His posthumously published writings, edited by his son Christopher, further expanded the history and lore of Middle-earth. Revered for his meticulous worldbuilding, Tolkien’s stories continue to inspire generations of readers and writers worldwide.

Ratings & Reviews

Elowen Brightshield
2019-11-30

I am feral for Gondor slice-of-life and this delivered in spades. The Quenya-flavored marginalia in Míriel's palimpsests and the river-songs drifting over Anduin at dusk had me swooning. Give me Acts II–V yesterday, with more Calion being grumpy-brave and more masked weirdos to unmask!

Siddharth Menon
2018-03-04

Elegant prose and careful worldbuilding, but the momentum is intentionally slow. Worth reading if you like mood and lore more than action.

Kenji Aramaki
2016-07-02

The choice to frame the tale as a five-scene chronicle works, lending ritual weight to conversations in the archives and the tense watch upon the Anduin. The painted masks and the rite of unlearning names are chilling and feel like a new, quieter evil than we've seen before. I wanted one more scene after the lanterns fail, but the restraint is part of the spell.

Marta Kovács
2015-01-18

The opening scene in the Fifth Circle, with laundry smoke curling beneath the White Tree, felt like walking new streets in an old beloved city. Calion and Míriel are quiet marvels—duty and curiosity paired—as they trace that unsettling Unkindled Sun sigil to Pelargir's moonlit quays. The final image of the lone black sail made my heart drop; this is Tolkien's hush-before-the-storm at its finest.

Aiden P.
2014-07-10

It's all atmosphere and no payoff. We get council murmurs, archives, a spooky symbol, and then the curtain drops just as anything might actually happen. Act I ends where Chapter One should begin.

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