Shadow Walker-L.A. Banks

Shadow Walker
L.A. Banks
Leslie Esdaile Banks LLC, Dec 2010, $16.95
ISBN: 9780615421506

Neterus Carlos and Power Angel Damali Rivera kill, with the help of the Guardians, everyone in hell besides Lucifer the Anti-Christ. When the rapture occurred, the Neterus and the Guardians were left behind; not because they were rejected, but due to earth needing them. It is up to the next generation of Guardians and Neterus, Sarah and Alejandro Rivera and their team to battle the devil and Anti-Christ. To succeed they need training. Thus the Rivera twins attend Temt Tchaas Academy better known as Neteru Academy in Appalachia where they learn to be Guardians of the Light.

Everyone assumed extrovert confident Al would be the stronger warrior, which is fine with Sarah who since early childhood has watched Shadows that no one else apparently sees; she not only does not want to be a warrior, she fears the dark. This in spite of her roots with her mom a Neteru Warrior Angel and her dad a Hell Council Vampire. The only shadow she likes is hiding behind that of her brother. However, fears, fangs and friends force her into the light when students vanish and only the hesitant Sarah can sees the Shadows in the dark that show where the missing might be if she can get past agents of the Dark.

This is the last group of Neterus and Guardians to be trained by their parents as the battle is coming that will determine the final outcome between light and dark. At school, the sacred students and frightened faculty prepare for Lucifer’s next move knowing some will not make it. Besides that angst, Sarah’s unique power adds to her queasiness as she prefers not to battle the Shadows, but cannot idly stand by while friends and perhaps her family will die. Although paranormals attending school is so Potterish, targeted young adult readers and older fans who enjoy the works of Rowling and Sabin (see a School for Sorcery) will want to enroll in the Neteru Academy.

Harriet Klausner