Pre-order
1
of
1
Shadow Slave, Book 1
Child of Shadows
Series: Shadow Slave
Brief Description
Witness the rise of the Shadow Slave in this gritty, dark fantasy adventure where a nameless street rat must rise to challenge the gods themselves.Growing up in poverty, Sunny never expected anything good from life. However, even he did not anticipate being chosen by the Nightmare...
Read More
Format: Hardback
$6999
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Pre-order
Releases
15th
December 2026
(Approx. Date)
Pre-order "Shadow Slave, Book 1" now to secure your copy from our first shipment
Found a better price? Request a price match
Shadow Slave, Book 1
$6999
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Latest News
Vanya Insull (aka VJ Cooks) visits Book Hero
We were lucky to have a visit from popular foodie, home cook and baker Vanya...
Is the newest Jack Reacher one of the best?
Our favourite crime solving, bad guy beating nomad is back and Lizzy and Edd were...
Heartstopper's Alice Oseman visits Book Hero
We were so excited to have Alice come to visit Hero HQ, as huge fans...
Shirl and Lizzy Review The Starving Bride
Catherine Chidgey does it again with another incredible novel that will have people talking for...
New Releases to add to your TBR this week (19th October)
One of my favourite sci-fi authors has a new book that I cannot wait to...
See more
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Witness the rise of the Shadow Slave in this gritty, dark fantasy adventure where a nameless street rat must rise to challenge the gods themselves.
Growing up in poverty, Sunny never expected anything good from life. However, even he did not anticipate being chosen by the Nightmare Spell and becoming one of the Awakened — an elite group of people gifted with supernatural powers.
Transported into a ruined magical world, he finds himself facing off against terrible monsters and other Awakened in a deadly battle of survival.
What's worse, the shadow powers he received happen to possess a small and potentially fatal side effect.
But that won’t stop him. Born a slave. Destined for the grave. He chooses to survive.
No matter the cost…
One of the most popular web-serials of all time, Shadow Slave has more than 250 million reads and listens. Shadow Slave is the #1 most-read series on Webnovel with more than 102 million reads and thousands of 5-star ratings. Now, the hit series gets a new life and progresses to a deluxe hardcover edition with Book 1: Child Of Shadows!
"One of my favorite new reads! The world and magic system design are unbelievably intricate and impressive, and at each turn I couldn't wait to see what was around the corner." —Will Wight (New York Times bestselling author of Cradle)
About the Series: A dark progression fantasy series known for its deep world-building and complex power system. It follows the story of a shadow-ability wielding young man named Sunny as he navigates a brutal world where humanity must battle terrifying creatures in a nightmare realm to survive. Sunny is a calculating anti-hero who relies on intelligence and adaptability rather than raw power.
For fans of: He Who Fights With Monsters, Magic the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, Solo Leveling, Overlord, Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, Cradle, Red Rising, Shadow & Bone, The Beginning After the End, and Lord of the Mysteries.
Growing up in poverty, Sunny never expected anything good from life. However, even he did not anticipate being chosen by the Nightmare Spell and becoming one of the Awakened — an elite group of people gifted with supernatural powers.
Transported into a ruined magical world, he finds himself facing off against terrible monsters and other Awakened in a deadly battle of survival.
What's worse, the shadow powers he received happen to possess a small and potentially fatal side effect.
But that won’t stop him. Born a slave. Destined for the grave. He chooses to survive.
No matter the cost…
One of the most popular web-serials of all time, Shadow Slave has more than 250 million reads and listens. Shadow Slave is the #1 most-read series on Webnovel with more than 102 million reads and thousands of 5-star ratings. Now, the hit series gets a new life and progresses to a deluxe hardcover edition with Book 1: Child Of Shadows!
"One of my favorite new reads! The world and magic system design are unbelievably intricate and impressive, and at each turn I couldn't wait to see what was around the corner." —Will Wight (New York Times bestselling author of Cradle)
About the Series: A dark progression fantasy series known for its deep world-building and complex power system. It follows the story of a shadow-ability wielding young man named Sunny as he navigates a brutal world where humanity must battle terrifying creatures in a nightmare realm to survive. Sunny is a calculating anti-hero who relies on intelligence and adaptability rather than raw power.
For fans of: He Who Fights With Monsters, Magic the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, Solo Leveling, Overlord, Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, Cradle, Red Rising, Shadow & Bone, The Beginning After the End, and Lord of the Mysteries.
Series: Shadow Slave
View all-
Pre-orderShadow Slave, Book 1
Witness the rise of the Shadow Slave in this gritty, dark fantasy adventure where a nameless street rat must rise to challenge the gods themselves.Growing up in poverty, Sunny never expected anything good from life. However, even he did not anticipate being chosen by the Nightmare Spell and becoming one of the Awakened — an elite group of people gifted...Hardback$6999Unit price /UnavailableOut 15 Dec 2026Pre-order
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781638494195
Publisher: Vault Comics
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 23 November 2026
Country: United States
Imprint: Aethon & Vault
Illustration: No
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 152.0mm
Height: 229.0mm
Weight: 810g
Pages: 592
About the Author
Guiltythree is the pen name of the popular web-based author who created the award-winning dark fantasy series, Shadow Slave. Some say that he chose that pen name because Guiltyone and Guiltytwo were taken; others say that he is actually three raccoons in a trench coat. We will never know the truth.
Guiltythree received a classical education but eschewed teaching Ancient Greek and Latin to pursue an exciting career as a game writer and narrative designer instead. At some point, he felt that there was too much excitement in his life and brought his deep practical knowledge of game design and writing to the progression fantasy genre.
His long-running series, Shadow Slave, combines the hopelessness of a dystopian cosmic horror apocalypse with the beauty and optimism of a lighthearted fantasy adventure. It has garnered hundreds of millions of views, retained its place as the most popular series on the WebNovel platform for several years, received several prestigious international awards, been translated into multiple languages, and is being adapted into a graphic novel.
Guiltythree’s hobbies include reading and wondering about how he ended up that way. He blames his dog.
More from General Fiction
View all-
Yesteryear
A BOLD AND BITING SATIRE. WILL HAVE YOU GASPING TO THE FINAL PAGE — Nita Prose WICKEDLY FUNNY, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE — Abigail Dean INVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE — Ashley Audrain SHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR AND LACED WITH DARKNESS — Clare Mackintosh The Stepford Wives meets The Handmaid's Tale — Hannah Deitch My name was Natalie Heller...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$3699Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Theo of Golden
THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from…His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance –...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$3499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
17% offThe Wedding People
'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people — but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...Paperback$2000Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseThreshing Day
The next book in the blockbuster Empyrean series, Threshing Day contains thirteen stories starring your favorite characters and their dragons. The deluxe first edition includes sixteen beautiful original full-color illustrations by artist Joe Requeza. Rebecca Yarros is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing and In the...Hardback$6999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseChain Reaction
Jack Reacher, \"the coolest continuing series character\" (Stephen King), returns in a brand new, pulse-pounding read from Lee and Andrew Child. The world’s bestselling hero is back in a brand new, high-octane adventure! ‘She knew that finding Reacher would not be easy . . .’ Washington DC. General Susan Turner needs help from the only guy she knows will get...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
A Court of Thorns and Roses Paperback Box Set (5 books)
All five of the Court of Thorns and Roses paperbacks packaged together in a gorgeous box set. "Passionate, violent, sexy and daring." —USA TODAY on A Court of Thorns and Roses Feyre is a huntress. The skin of a wolf would bring enough gold to feed her sisters for a month. But the life of a magical creature comes at...Set$9999Elsewhere:$12495Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
A Court of Mist and Fury
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas continues Feyre Archeron's epic journey in the world of the High Fae. Having survived the brutal trials under the Mountain, Feyre returns to the Spring Court. Though she now possesses the immortal powers of the High Fae, the traumatic experiences have left scars on her human heart. Haunted by the...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseThreshing Day
The next book in the blockbuster Empyrean series, Threshing Day, contains thirteen stories starring your favourite characters and their dragons. The deluxe first edition includes sixteen beautiful original full-colour illustrations by artist Joe Requeza and silver-gilded edges. *while stock lasts. Discover the beloved world of the record-breaking, multi-million-copy bestselling series where power always demands a price, secrets darken every hallway,...Hardback$4999Elsewhere:$5500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
A Court of Thorns and Roses
The first instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON and TikTok sensation, from multi-million selling and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan – Time Harry Potter magic, Taylor Swift sass, Fifty Shades-level athleticism – The Sunday Times With bits of Buffy, Game of Thrones and Outlander, this is a glorious series...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
A Court of Wings and Ruin
The third instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON, romantic fantasy epic and TikTok sensation, ACOTAR. From multi-million and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. In A Court of Wings and Ruin, the gripping third book of the ACOTAR series, Feyre Archeron faces the ultimate battle for her world. Having returned to the Spring Court, she is determined to gather...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
A Court of Frost and Starlight
In A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas, readers are invited to revisit the enchanting world of Prythian in a heartwarming and introspective narrative. Set against the backdrop of the Winter Solstice, Feyre Archeron and her mate Rhysand return to centre stage as they strive to restore the Night Court after the devastating conflicts of A Court...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Limited EditionA Court of Silver Flames - Night Court Edition
The magic and beauty of the Night Court is captured in these LIMITED EDITIONS of the Court of Thorns and Roses series! This Night Court Edition features the Night Court symbol on a striking black and silver foiled cover and includes black sprayed edges. The latest instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON, romantic fantasy epic and TikTok sensation, ACOTAR. From multi-million...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
General Fiction lists from the team
Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!
-
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Fiction about Fathers
Here are some incredible stories that explore various angles of fatherhood and father figures in the most poignant and wonderful ways. Featuring...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
What to read now you've watched The Odyssey
Contemporary fiction, classical non-fiction, feminist retellings, and inspired stories that would make for an interesting read now that you're obsessed with The...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Kevin's listGeneral Fiction
The Odyssey & Trojan War Classics (and Retellings)
Long before Christopher Nolan turned it into a blockbuster in the summer of 2026, The Odyssey was the original epic. After a...View the list -
![Tsubaki Stationery Store]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Have You Tried ... Healing Fiction
Healing Fiction is a relatively new genre still finding it's place, and yet people are reaching for it without realizing, desperate for...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Lizzy's Favourite Picks for Winter Reading
These are the books that Lizzy loves to read in Winter, or that feel like Winter. A combination of fiction, some non-fiction,...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Shirl's listGeneral Fiction
Shirl's Favourite Books of 2026
The first half of 2026 has been packed with brilliant books, making it hard to choose favourites but here are a few...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Books to Escape a Reading Slump
A reading slump can be a frustrating feeling and hard to break out of, but we've gathered together a list of crowd...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![Star Shipped]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Lizzy's Pride Fiction Picks!
June marks Global Pride Month so in case you're looking for your next great fiction read, here's a list of some of...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Readers’ Top 100 Novels of All Time - from The Guardian
There was some controversy when The Guardian released their critics and authors list of the top 100 novels of all time, but...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Seasonal Reads - 10 Books for Autumn
If you haven't tried seasonal reading, Lizzy thinks you should. It's a way to romanticizing the current season rather than trying to...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Hannah's listGeneral Fiction
Gothic Reads for Dark Nights
With the advent of movie adaptations like Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein, it looks like pop culture is seeing a revival of the...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
General Fiction
The 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Winners
Celebrate all the winners of the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Explore the powerful fiction of Ingrid Horrocks' 'All Her Lives',...View the list
