SHADOW OF THE SON


Lord Bromley comes to Rhinebeck
In this well-crafted sequel to the award-winning novel Eye of the Moon, Percy hosts an unexpected weekend house party to meet Lord Bromley, who wants to see Percy with his own eyes and hold the treasures of Rhinebeck in his hands.

But what does Lord Bromley really want?
He has left scars on the lives of guests and staff alike, and Percy is now the center of his attention as they undertake a high-stakes wager that may cost Percy the estate.

If forgiveness and peace with his former spouse is also what Lord Bromley seeks, then what happens if the dead want neither?

Shadow of the Son is a story of the relationships between parents and children, the occult, and the ways in which the dead are never truly dead.

One Sheet

Read the first three chapters.



CHARACTERS

  • Alice

    John Sr.’s half-sister. Formerly married to Lord Bromley, whom she divorced. She later married and divorced Arthur Blaine. Alice died under mysterious circumstances when Johnny and Percy were ten. She had no children.
  • Anne Dodge

    Mother to Johnny Dodge and married to John Sr.
  • Bonnie Leland

    John Sr.’s half-sister and Maw’s daughter.
  • Bruni von Hofmanstal

    Daughter of Elsa and Hugo von Hofmanstal. Works for her father as an attorney.
  • Cobb

    Dr. Angus Maxwell-Hughes. Lord Bromley’s doctor.
  • Dagmar

    The cook at Rhinebeck. Married to Stanley.
  • Elsa von Hofmanstal (baroness)

    Wife of Hugo and mother of Bruni.
  • Hugo von Hofmanstal (the baron)

    Longtime friend of Lord Bromley and John Sr. He was briefly engaged to Mary, Percy’s mother, before marrying Elsa. She and Hugo have two children, a daughter, Brunhilde von Hofmanstal and a younger son, who lives in Europe.
  • John Sr. (John Dodge):

    Married to Anne Dodge and father of Johnny. He owns Dodge Capital, an early Hedge Fund.
  • Johnny Dodge

    Grew up with Percy, son of Anne and John Sr.
  • Lord Bromley

    Former husband of Alice.
  • Malcolm Ault

    Longtime friend of Alice, Lord Bromley, and the Dodge family.
  • Mary

    Percy’s mother and close friend of Anne Dodge. She lives in Florence, Italy with her husband, Thomas.
  • Maw (Mary Leland)

    Matriarch of the Dodge family. She married John B. Dodge, later divorced, and had John Sr. Her last marriage was to a southern banker who died. She is the mother of Bonnie Leland. Known to the family as Maw and The Crone in the corporate world, she has the economic resources of a small country.
  • Percy

    The narrator of the novel. He grew up with Johnny in the Dodge household
  • Robert the Bruce

    English bull terrier formerly owned by Johnny Dodge and now owned by Maw.
  • Stanley

    The Head Butler of Rhinebeck. Married to Dagmar, the cook.
parallax background


BOOK TRAILERS



INDUSTRY REVIEWS

  • Kathy Stickles
    "Shadow of the Son" is the sequel to Ivan Obolensky’s incredible first novel, "Eye of the Moon" and, if possible, this return to Rhinebeck is even better than our original trip. Percy and Johnny are back, along with all our old friends and a few new ones in another wonderful, mysterious, and captivating weekend that just might hold even more secrets than the first.

    As this sequel begins, we are all back at Rhinebeck for another gathering full of old secrets, new beginnings, and, of course, amazing dinner parties. While all of the characters that we became attached to in the first book are back, there are some new additions to the weekend that really add so much to the story. Percy’s mother arrives and the reader is given a wonderful look at the past between our beloved main character and his childhood as Mary opens up to her son. There is also the evil Lord Bromley, a character touched on in "Eye of the Moon", who crashes the weekend in order to finally meet his son Percy face-to-face. Of course, nothing with Lord Bromley is simple, and there are numerous underlying reasons for his being there that are so much fun to discover. What does he really want?

    An exceptional part of "Shadow of the Son", and the weekend, was learning more about Stanley and his wife Dagmar. They are both intriguing characters who run the household with humor, talent, and an iron fist. Between these two characters and the exploits of everyone around them, this book is so worth the read. And that, dear readers, is just what you will have to do if you want the answers to what everyone is really up to.

    Mr. Obolensky has given us yet another wonderfully written novel. The words flow together so perfectly and show that this author has an incredible talent for writing and, his background in such a world of glamour and privilege allows him to write about it perfectly. The descriptions are so vivid that anyone reading the book will feel as if they are actually at the splendid estate taking part in the weekend. The characters are all so riveting that it is almost impossible to pick a favorite. Any reader will find themselves rooting for each and every person in the novel and it will easily feel as if you have grown to know them and care about what happens to them, not only on these pages, but even after the book is finished. This author does no wrong in terms of the way he writes about the friendships, issues, and love that is dealt with between this multitude of very diverse characters.

    I would highly recommend this book to everyone. In my humble opinion, you should definitely read "Eye of the Moon" first so that you understand who these characters are and where they are coming from, and then devour "Shadow of the Son" as soon as you are finished. I cannot say enough good things and I hope that everyone out there joins me in becoming a huge fan of Percy, Johnny, their family and friends, and especially, Ivan Obolensky.

    Quill says: The first book in this series, "Eye of the Moon", was an amazing novel that was extremely difficult to put down once you start reading. It says a lot about the author, the storyline, and the characters when the sequel is even more compelling and even harder to put down, as is the case with "Shadow of the Son". I truly cannot wait to see what comes next.
    Kathy Stickles
    Feathered Quill
  • Midwest Book Review

    Shadow of the Son
    Ivan Obolensky
    Smith-Obolensky Media
    www.smithobolenskymedia.com
    9781947780170, $19.99, PB, 474pp

    https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Son-Moon-Ivan-Obolensky/dp/1947780174

    Synopsis: "Shadow of the Son" by Ivan Obolensky is the hauntingly majestic tale of broken promises, old scores settled, second chances, passion and jealousy.

    What starts as a simple question from an uninvited guest descends into a complex game of move and countermove, as ties between the guests surface, and secrets behind secrets are revealed. Everyone, and all that resides at the mystical heart of Rhinebeck, must come to grips with someone who hides sadistic and malignant intentions -- one who has calculatingly affected all their lives and is determined to do the same again. Will love and loyalty triumph over darkness and diabolical cunning?

    As with "Eye of the Moon", be transported into a world that will captivate you and have you reading late into the night.

    Critique: The impressively entertaining sequel to "Eye of the Moon", author Ivan Obolensky's new gothic novel "Shadow of the Son" is an inherently intriguing and deftly crafted story of magic, intrigue, and mystery in this. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Shadow of the Son" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

    Midwest Book Review
    Small Press Bookwatch, the General Fiction Shelf
  • Laura Harrison
    WORTH THE WAIT

    In "Shadow of the Son", Obolensky has crafted a novel with complicated characters struggling with the deep themes of love, forgiveness, time and connection. A sequel to his first novel, Eye of the Moon (a must read!), he yet again creates a taut, dramatic and chilling atmosphere... all taking place over a weekend in a fabulous estate located in Rhinebeck—which harkens back to the addictive mysteries of Agatha Christie. As a murder mystery fanatic, I love Obolensky's narrative style, which challenges the reader to think about life after death, ghosts and the supernatural... and ultimately the pain of love lost and the price of forgiveness.
    Laura Harrison
    Publicity Consultant, Bradley Communications Corp.
  • Jane Ubell-Meyer
    I was thrilled to get my hands on an early advance copy of the "Eye of the Moon" sequel, "Shadow of the Son".

    The first "stand-alone" novel, "Eye of the Moon", is a page-turner that weaves together stories and characters that will leave you wanting more. That's exactly what happened with the sequel, "Shadow of the Son", which does not disappoint! I was literally up till 2 am for three nights. Set in historic Rhinebeck NY, two young men brought up as brothers pick up from the first novel and plan for a weekend of uninvited guests, aristocratic entanglements, paranormal visions, magical potions, and a sequence of events that kept my head spinning. Ivan Obolensky is a master wordsmith and storyteller. I left, still wanting more.
    Jane Ubell-Meyer
    Founder, Bedside Reading (book promotion)
  • Susan Sewell
    Bizarre events transpire when an uninvited guest crashes a cozy weekend in the thrilling paranormal novel, "Shadow of the Son" by Ivan Obolensky. Percy is still trying to reconcile his ownership of Rhinebeck and his unbelievable luck in becoming engaged to Bruni. Preparing to entertain a small group of close friends over the weekend at Rhinebeck, Percy is stunned to learn that his estranged father, Lord Bromley, is planning on coming to stay at Rhinebeck. Although he has never met him, Percy has heard about Lord Bromley's unethical and cruel exploits and wishes to have nothing to do with him. Unable to prevent Lord Bromley's arrival, Percy adjusts his guest list to help him cope with the unwanted visitor's appearance.

    However, because of Lord Bromley's sinister history at Rhinebeck, the metaphysical aspects of the estate appear unsettled. Will the ghost of Rhinebeck allow him to stay without repercussions? How will this affect the weekend for Percy and his guests?

    Containing surreal experiences with the occult, "Shadow of the Son" by Ivan Obolensky is an extraordinary paranormal novel that incites the imagination and chills the blood. Brilliantly written, the poetic lexis and rhythmic flow of the story create a timeless work of art. It captures the essence of an era long past, enchanting and transporting the reader to a world of gentility and urbanity.

    Brimming with mystery and intrigue, supernatural elements eerily whisper throughout the plot, creating an underlying gothic sense of horror and suspense. It is the sequel to the also outstanding novel "Eye of the Moon", where the original characters return. The story ends in the perfect place to segue into another creepy adventure. It is a fabulous series, and I highly recommend it to everyone who loves stories with a gothic feel that leave you with a sense of unease.

    Susan Sewell
    Readers' Favorite
  • María Cristina Restrepo
    "Shadow of the Son" is the novel that the readers of "Eye of the Moon" have been impatiently waiting for.

    The plot unfolds at the same palatial estate on the banks of the Hudson River, a bucolic setting crisscrossed with mysterious undertones that can be at times benevolent or threatening.

    The story resolves some of the pending issues from "Eye of the Moon", while new ones are introduced. The Rhinebeck estate is shown to be once again a microcosm where anything is possible: the love story between Percy and Bruni that could result in not only marriage but a business partnership; the roles of Stanley, the butler, and Dagmar, the cook, which influence the destinies of the guests; the protagonists confronting their pasts, the convenience of hiding rather than revealing. Surprises follow one after another, making it difficult for the reader to put down the book.

    By the start of the second novel, you are familiar with the characters and have likely taken sides. But your opinions may change when new characters arrive, adding complexity to the situation. Some doubts will be resolved, while others will be raised. The doors will open to reveal new secrets, all of which make this book, like the previous one, a true thriller.

    This is a novel that wholly fulfills its mission: the telling of a story in the best possible way. Written with mastery characterized by his elegant prose and a fine, penetrating humor that is at times sharp, yet always intelligent, Ivan Obolensky develops a brilliant narrative with a sure hand that does not let up for a moment.

    "Shadow of the Son", with its mixture of mystery, romance, intrigue, secret family stories, and those small and large power struggles that are revealed, will light up the days and nights of its readers making it, without a doubt, one of their best reads of the year.

    María Cristina Restrepo
    Novelist and Literary Translator
  • Tom Hyman
    "Shadow of the Son" is the sequel to Ivan Obolensky’s award-winning debut novel, "Eye of the Moon". It picks up where that novel ended.

    The cast of characters is much the same as before: Percy’s close friend and erstwhile business partner, Johnny; Johnny’s parents, John Sr. and Anne Dodge; John’s mother, Mrs. Leland; her daughter, Bonnie; Stanley, the family butler; his wife, Dagmar, the cook; Malcolm Ault; the Baron von Hofmanstal, his wife Elsa, and their daughter, Bruni.

    Also making his way to the estate for the weekend is a villain of formidable stature—Lord Bromley.  Bromley, once Alice’s husband and tormentor, is on his way to Rhinebeck to demand possession of some treasures of Alice’s that he claims belong to him. Percy must negotiate some kind of arrangement with this devious and dangerous individual in order to save the estate. Almost everyone present at the weekend gathering has strong personal reasons to fear and hate the man, including Percy himself.
    And Stanley, the butler, has reason to want him dead.

    Several days of hushed conversations, secret plotting, accusations, and acrimonious confrontations, build up to unbearable levels of tension and suspense that explode abruptly in a shattering climax the night of the elaborate formal dinner at the end of the week.

    Obolensky has created a compelling and exceedingly well-crafted drama, full of marvelous detail about the upper-class lifestyle of the 1970s, an ambiance quite familiar to Obolensky. His grandfather was Serge Obolensky, World War II hero and member of Wild Bill Donovan’s OSS, who married into the Astor family.

    Sequels can be difficult to pull off, but Obolensky manages to do it here, and with style. "Shadow of the Son" can certainly be read as a stand-alone novel, but the reader will enjoy it even more by reading "Eye of the Moon" first.
    Tom Hyman
    Author of "Seven Days to Petrograd"
  • Marta Botero
    Reading Ivan Obolensky's new book, "Shadow of the Son", relives the magic of Rhinebeck's environment as the characters from “Eye of the Moon” reunite. I had become familiar and close to them after the end of the previous novel.

    "Shadow of the Son" succeeds in the narrative tension of the story from “Eye of the Moon”, marked by new interrelationships between the guests, in another weekend full of mystery and charm, where the reader experiences being one more guest in a privileged position—
    that of observer in the foreground.

    It is a novel that ensnares from the first chapters by the technique of pacing, suspense, and by the development of events,
    in ways never intuited.

    The author, through direct and poignant dialogues between the characters, allows us to become eyewitnesses and not just readers in this encounter, where hidden truths are made evident with a dynamic that gives a powerful undercurrent to the story.

    The author unfolds fragments of the characters' lives with literary skill and links facets of the past and present that clarify with fascinating rhythm, throughout the chapters, the relationships between their lives.

    Ivan Obolensky possesses the narrative magic of great novelists, due to his ability to put together scenes, create dramatic tension, and slide characters into unexpected situations. The surprising succession of events prevents us from putting the book down. Obolensky achieves everything with a crafted literary language, a profound interpretation of the characters, and the unbeatable staging of the setting, where the details are carefully assembled in this intricate storyline.

    Once again, we find ourselves in a mansion where anything can happen, in a refined environment that enriches sensory literary experiences. Obolensky invokes an experience that the reader, beyond just following the plot, lives the events as an exceptional witness.
    Marta Botero
    Journalist


REVIEWS FROM OUR READERS

  • Mary Ann Dorman
    I didn’t just like the book, I loved it! It is a page turner with interesting, clever characters and a story line that draws you in like a rare earth magnet. Ivan’s imagery, humor and fleshing out of characters make them come alive in my mind. I loved the twists and turns of the plot lines. It is a fabulous read and left me wanting to know more.
    Mary Ann Dorman
    Business Owner
  • Andrea Giardino
    "Shadow of the Son" by Ivan Obolensky is a dynamic, intelligent, and beautiful novel that involves so many subjects, from Ancient Greece to gastrophysics, which I particularly love. Just like with "Eye of the Moon", there are elements such as the menu that are right on point with the times. Ivan manages to be precise and fluid in an enjoyable way, setting the tone perfectly for the sequel as the story picks up and the reader knows exactly where things are. It’s as if all I lived and read during these years since "Eye of the Moon" had not passed and he had me immediately back.

    Since reading “Eye of the Moon” I have been looking forward to seeing more of Ivan’s writing. These stories could have adaptations and have further legs—it is very clear that this world has an appeal that goes in very different directions, with the historic aspects of the location, the culture, the manners—those wonderful western manners, and more.

    "Shadow of the Son" has a lot of visual power for other mediums. I imagine it will make a perfect Netflix series. I hope the author is super busy writing! We want more!
    Andrea Giardino
    One-of-a-kind event planner/ food consultant
  • Silvia Lloréns
    When reading "Shadow of the Son" I found that I felt present in each scene. The characters are so well described that my imagination led me to see their gestures, to feel their emotions, and to delve so deeply into the narrative, that at night I had to make a huge effort to leave such a beautifully written novel next to my bed.

    When I was sure that I knew what was going to happen as a result of the rapid exchanges flowing with each scene, more than once I was surprised with how the author handled the twists of circumstances. And what I had expected turned out to be solved in a totally different way.

    Percy, the main character, deftly manages the rapid changes that rush at him. Alice, the person who was not alive in either novel, has a force and life that only a writer like Ivan Obolensky can present.

    As a reader, you could list each of the other participants and, it is true, describe them as if you know them: a skill that not many writers possess.

    If you want to enjoy a book at a fast pace, with unexpected changes, with unimaginable results, this is your opportunity to do so. Do not let it pass. It’s not every day that books are written where you experience extraordinary events as if you were there.

    And on this occasion, the author Ivan Obolensky, succeeded.
    Silvia Lloréns
    Bilingual Translator
  • Kathy Braceland
    Ivan Obolensky’s novel “Shadow of the Son” should come with a warning label to let the reader know to not make any other plans once they open the book.  I found it completely engaging and didn’t want to put it down—so, I didn’t.  It absorbed me and I was delighted with my adventure page after page.

    I felt like I was in some secret club by being privy to the private conversations between the characters.  My favorite of those were with Johnny and Percy who have such an unbreakable bond between them, they could easily conquer the world together.  I thoroughly enjoyed how they would discuss seemingly impossible situations and use their combined wits and resources to figure them out, or how they would make plans and intelligently carry them through as a trusted, dedicated team.

    There is a lot of action in this story that occurs in a truly short period of time.  Many things are going on at once, with nonstop interaction of the characters and lots of moving parts.  Every action or counter action is dealt with adeptly and finalized.  The characters are extremely vivid, and everyone’s personal story or secret is revealed.

    “Shadow of the Son” can certainly stand on its own as a great story, but I’m very happy that I read Ivan’s first novel, “Eye of the Moon” beforehand as I was already familiar with the characters, so it made it even more entertaining.  I’m looking forward to Mr. Obolensky’s next novel!
    Kathy Braceland
    Award-winning artist
  • Margo Ternstrom
    As with "Eye of the Moon", "Shadow of the Son" transported me into a lifestyle of wealth and luxury, right down to the delectable meals. Its rich description of surroundings and elaborate tensions between characters created a perfect setting for intrigue and kept me hooked.
    Margo Ternstrom
    Interior Design and Architectural Illustrator
  • Art Watanabe
    A perfect sequel to "Eye of the Moon"!

    I enjoyed this book much more than "Eye of the Moon", which I also thoroughly enjoyed! I found it difficult to put the sequel down, reading a handful of chapters whenever a quiet moment presented itself. It pairs well with a good cup of coffee.

    The book flowed so well, and all the separate stories within were so easy to visualize--a testament to just good writing.

    "Like Cristal... well beyond the ordinary." A worthy successor to "Eye of the Moon"--a must-add to your library!
    Art Watanabe
    Retired Graphic Artist
  • Dr. Patricia Alireza
    Once again, Ivan Obolensky has managed to grab his audience in the continuing story of "Eye of the Moon", woven around the characters reunited at Rhinebeck.

    In this sequel, "Shadow of the Son", surrounded by the magical culinary gifts of the wonderful Dagmar and the wisdom of Stanley, we explore loyalties, friendship and family ties that test the depths of character of our protagonists. Wonderfully written, it touches on different aspects of human nature in an intuitive manner one can immediately relate to. Very enjoyable.

    Dr. Patricia Alireza
    Experimental Physicist
  • Richard Hopper
    "Shadow of the Son", which I loved, is a great complement and sequel to "Eye of the Moon", Ivan Obolensky’s debut novel. It has most of the same characters, shares the Rhinebeck on the Hudson setting, and resolves some of the key questions that dangled over the reader after reading "Eye of the Moon".

    Key augmentations came in "Shadow of the Son" from filling in many personal histories and raising the profile of that inimitable couple Stanley, the butler, and Dagmar, the cook. In the sequel, each took on dimensions only hinted at in the first, and they became more a part of the cast of key players than the local color they were sometimes relegated to in "Eye of the Moon". Also, we finally got to meet our hero Percy’s father, a tantalizingly complex, and generally unlikable person, who seemed at times to hold forth the promise of suddenly revealing himself to be redeemable. I will leave it to the reader to determine whether this actually happened.

    The other key figures, Johnny and his parents, Brunhilde and her parents, and Bonnie and Maw, are congruent with their personae in "Eye of the Moon", although if I had been Percy, I might have preferred Bonnie to Brunhilde as a life’s partner, but then, there’s no accounting for tastes. Cobb is a new character who is both a key player in the plot and somewhat a surprise, from beginning to end and from worse to better.

    I admit to a weakness for Ivan’s prose, which I might just as well call envy. His prose flows as effortlessly as the brushstrokes of a great artist, no doubt product of a lifestyle that appears as enormously attractive as it is undoubtedly difficult to live. To wax hyperbolic, I am quite confident the Prince of Kiev, his thousand-year ancestor, while perhaps more powerful, could not have held a candle to Ivan as a writer. Or if he could, I would also envy Ivan’s ancestry. But wherever it comes from, it will have me reading anything he goes on to write.

    Richard Hopper
    Business Consultant
  • Christopher Pool
    The same cast of unforgettable characters who appeared in Ivan Obolensky's first novel, “Eye of the Moon”, reappear in his second novel, “Shadow of the Son”.

    This new book has suspense, intrigue, rivalries and an always present and pervasively disquieting sense of the supernatural and occult, creating tension and a feeling of unease, which permeates the story.

    His new novel is imaginative and beautifully written with some memorable scenes, including his resolution of the conflict between one of the main characters, Percy, and his father, which is dramatic writing at its best and really should be seen on the silver screen!

    Once started, I couldn't put the book down. I highly recommend it.
    Christopher Pool
    Retired Marketing Executive
  • Lyn Blair
    There were so many parts of “Shadow of the Son” that I truly enjoyed, more than what I’m highlighting here, but I also don’t want to spoil the story by saying too much.

    First of all, what a brilliant title, “Shadow of the Son”. The use of “son” implying its homonym “sun” was clever, making the title memorable, but beyond that it carried the theme of the story. In the first book, “Eye of the Moon”, while Percy told the story from his point of view and in that sense the story revealed a lot about him, the focus and mystery revolved around Johnny’s aunt Alice. She embodied the “eye of the moon.” In the sequel, narrated again in first person from Percy’s POV, the focal point of the story shifted. Once again the suspense builds as the reader waits to see what will happen.

    I loved returning to Rhinebeck with Percy and Johnny. After the first book it felt like a reunion moment for characters and readers. Stanley and Dagmar still outshone the other characters as my favorites, true for me in the first novel and true in the sequel. However, in this story their character development dove deeper with interesting revelations about their past and new emerging attributes to admire. In a few words, the author artfully captured Percy’s relationship with Dagmar: “I could have been ten years old the way she spoke to me, but I didn’t mind. She was a source of affection and attention that grounded me even now.” Dagmar never minced words. Nothing escaped her discernment. She exuded a sagacious quality that made you wish she would mentor you. The story became emotionally moving through her character, and I also felt the same way about Stanley and enjoyed seeing Percy’s relationship with him rise to a whole new level.

    Bruni, and Percy’s mother, Mary, were also characters that became favorites for me. They both bared their souls to Percy, confiding in him about the darkest moments of their lives, which created rich and meaningful character development along with a deeper connection.

    The romance subplot and influence of the occult were once again in play, adding intrigue to the sequel.

    I’m not a fan of cliffhangers (at all), and enjoy the denouement of a novel. The author did an excellent job of tying up loose ends. Even so, when a story that you’re enjoying ends, you rather wish it wouldn’t. I felt that way about “Shadow of the Son”.
    Lyn Blair
  • Hélène Laurendeau
    I found this novel so captivating I couldn’t put it down. In this intricate and original plot, the reader is transported into a world of paranormal pursuits, high finance, and castle life, filled with colorful yet complex characters. The author skillfully combines a great sense of humor with insightful reflections on life and the human psyche, providing great entertainment as well as food for thought! A compelling sequel to “Eye of the Moon”.
    Hélène Laurendeau
  • Bruce Newlin
    I have spent over 40 years in leadership positions in organizations and teaching leadership at the university level. It is critical that people understand that relationships are the most critical element that people have to understand if the organization is going to be successful. Likewise, relationships within a family are as critical as relationships in an organization and Ivan Obolensky, in his most recent book, makes that obvious as the personal relationships, laid out, are what make this book thought-provoking.
    Bruce Newlin
    Consultant, Leadership Solutions
  • Germán González Correa
    An allegory in the "Shadow of the Son", expressed by one of its characters, revealed to me clearly and with eloquence the dynamics of the novel. The intricate and intense relationship of its characters resembles the bends and loops that form a knot. Each end, with its intersections and tensions, fulfills a different function and has an essential purpose; one part of the rope tightens and prevents movement in one part, while allowing it in another. This is how the story flows in the novel, with unexpected twists and turns that form an exciting plot and then lead to solutions that dazzle with their precision and force. "Shadow of the Son" allows us to continue being privileged spectators of the refined and complex world that we met in "Eye of the Moon", in which intense passions are stirred and resolved, and strong bonds of friendship and understanding are created.
    Germán González Correa
  • Jennifer Nguyen
    Ivan Obolensky has once again crafted a page-turning masterpiece with his latest book, "Shadow of the Son" — the sequel to his earlier work, "Eye of the Moon". Despite several years since reading the original novel, I found myself quickly re-immersed in the world of twists and turns that Obolensky has created.

    "Shadow of the Son" delves into the hidden secrets of lovers, exploring the nuances of human nature and the mistakes that we make. Obolensky's insights on topics such as friendships and forgiveness are both suspenseful and heartfelt. The book is a transporting read, immersing the reader in an era where people engaged in meaningful conversations, with a surprising warmth and depth to its exploration of complicated parent-child relationships.

    Obolensky's range of knowledge is on full display in "Shadow of the Son", ranging from the occult to business law. The characters are well-developed, and even those who haven't read the first book will be able to follow along with the help of the character list included in the opening pages.

    "Shadow of the Son" is a remarkable achievement, a compelling sequel that stands on its own and a must-read for fans of Obolensky's work.

    Jennifer Nguyen
    Graphic Designer


QUOTES FROM THE NOVEL


DAGMAR'S KITCHEN


“I express the oldest language in the world. With it, I create, sustain, or end life.” - Dagmar


Menus

Dinner
Scotch broth
Savory beef stew
Small balls of raspberry sorbet

Dinner
First course: Lobster bisque with a hint of sherry
Main course: Sole with lemon, parsley, and an almond crust
Creamy mashed potatoes and broccoli with hollandaise sauce, paired with Clos Blanc de Vougeot
Dessert: Soft homemade vanilla ice cream with Dagmar's signature pound cake

Lunch
Pea soup accompanied by small triangular peanut-butter and jelly sandwich quarters, paired with a German Riesling
Silver bowls with crushed ice, with white porcelain shells containing crab salad
Pale-yellow Meyer lemon sherbet

Dinner
Sushi with Cristal
Chilled cucumber and watermelon soup, paired with an unusual greenish-gold Chardonnay
Grilled sea bass with tiny asparagus drizzled with hollandaise
Lamb
Dessert: Sweet biscuits and an "old Nordic recipe" drink by Dagmar

Lunch
Cold vichyssoise served in small porcelain cups surrounded by beds of ice in larger silver bowls
Cold Maine lobster served with sides of Russian salad, and chilled asparagus with lemon
Dessert: Individual servings of homemade vanilla ice cream with swirls of orange sherbet, served on a lake of warm chocolate,
with thin butter cookies on the side

Dinner
First course: Scottish smoked salmon paired with a white Haut-Brion
Second course: Jellied consommé with a dab of crème frâiche served in small, white bowls on ice
Grilled salmon with a dollop of Mousseline sauce, crunchy on the outside with a delicious delicate middle
Filet mignon, paired with Château Lafite
Glazed roast duckling slices with applesauce, accompanied by small amounts of mashed potatoes and creamed carrots, paired with Chardonnay
Dessert: Small balls of pale lime sorbet


Recipes


Apothecary