The Father of Shadow and Death

A Fantasy Horror Novel

By: Tim McKay, T. J. McKay

Narrated by: T. J. McKay

Beneath the splendor of empires, there ever beats a poisoned heart.

In the city of Naemralda, a glorious capital of untold wealth and glamor, the people of Ceremai live in exile—content but loathed, and ever dreaming of the homeland they left behind. Only a scorned arbiter and failed priest, Braddock Tuzzein, knows the truth.

That the lands they seek, the lands their ancestors escaped at great cost, are home to a fallen god.

Hakaz, the Dark One, whose waking spirits nearly shattered Braddock’s mind with a single touch.

And now, the wolves of the fallen god are coming for them all.

A tale of grisly murders, monsters, and madness, The Father of Shadow and Death follows one man’s doomed quest to save his people—from the wrath of a vengeful god, and the traitors who hound his every step.

But woe to those who would break a man’s soul.

For the shame of the father begets wrath of the son.

Dar’shenna Cere Ma’z.

“Glory to the children of wrath.”

©2025 T. J. McKay (P)2025 T. J. McKay

a puzzle of light, dark and insidious

Braddock is a tormented hero that you want desperately to have peace.
instead we're given a grim tale that tortures Braddock relentlessly.
excellent writing, powerful stakes.
I highly recommend!

Feel the shame

I do NOT like stories where the main character is tortured relentlessly. Physical torture is bad enough. Emotional torture is worse. I FELT the shame.

The four star rating comes purely from that.

The story is well written. The world is amazing--deep and fully-developed. Tim is an excellent writer and I love that he reads his own work.

And the way it ends...

Lovable flawed hero grapples with horror and his own salvation

Tim Mckay’s horror fantasy, The Father of Shadow and Death, tells an engrossing tale of a man’s efforts for salvation against impossible odds. The backdrop is that of a country and people who are struggling to understand who they are in light of a history they long since buried, but which refuses to die. The story is set in a complex and rich world full of politics, intrigue, friends and competitors where one must watch their step lest the fall out of favor with the social happenings of court and power, but give too much and you become a spineless fop worthy of scorn. Braddock straddles this world as an ambitious, though flawed, man.

We find ourselves rooting for this man in part in spite of his flaws, but also because of them. Braddock elicits our sympathy and reveals something real about most of us that we may rather ignore, much like his people’s attempt to leave their past behind. It’s hard to be a hero and sometimes our best efforts will fall short. But we cheer as we see Braddock try to become a better man and give him allowance when he fails, because he is all too human.

This story captures an almost Lovecraftian horror, as our unreliable narrator struggles to make sense of his own state of mind and the horrors that beset his world. You ask if he can maintain his sanity, save his country and become the person he wishes he could be by the end of the book. And the end of the book does not disappoint, but leaves us with a question to ponder.

Fast-paced horror/fantasy

what a wild ride! This dark fantasy was full of unexpected twists and definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. I love that the Author also took time to let us get to know the main character. I can’t wait to read more in this series. Fast-paced horror/fantasy

Shadow, Horror, and Heart — A Stunning Blend

The Father of Shadow and Death is dark fantasy at its finest. Tim McKay builds a world thick with dread, mystery, and myth, and the tension never lets up. Braddock is a flawed, deeply human protagonist whose downward spiral feels unnervingly real, and the horror elements are executed with precision. The audiobook narration pulled me straight into the story and didn’t let go. This is a book that knows exactly what it wants to be—brutal, atmospheric, and unforgettable.