A Kingdom of Shadows (Lightseekers #1), by Emily Bain Murphy

(Paperback, 320 pages, first published in 2026)

A band of misfits seek to fight the darkness that’s slowly overcoming their kingdom—the start of a grand adventure series in the tradition of The Chronicles of Narnia and the Wingfeather Saga.

“An incredible adventure that is more than a mere quest.”—John Hendrix, New York Times bestselling author of The Mythmakers

Ever since the Great Betrayal, the light in Wildfel has been dying. The sunshine is dimmer, it takes more firewood to brighten a room, and the shadows grow stronger by the day. Twelve-year-old orphan Finn survives in this world by being a thief. When he, his best friend Adrion, and younger sister Lydia meet a mysterious stranger who claims to know of a Lake of Light, they set off on an adventure to places where the mist can steal a precious memory, starlight gathers in waterfalls, and spiders spin shimmering webs of glass as deadly as they are dazzling.

But there are secrets hiding in the shadows that could change Finn’s understanding of everything he knows—and finding the Lake of Light could alter not only the course of his life but the very kingdom itself.

Storyglory Cautions: None

Recommended Age: 8-12