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|reviewer=Robert James
|genre=Teens
|summary=L J Smith's new rerelease trilogy actually surpasses her incredible [[Dark Visions : The Strange Power, The Possessed, The Passion by L J Smith|Dark Visions]] collection. The hugely entertaining story here will enthrall readers and give them goosebumps and thrills in equal measure. Highly recommended.
|rating=5
|buy=Yes
There are mildly frightening books and there are really frightening books – this is neither. This is absolutely, mind-bendingly, heart-stoppingly, terrifying. The opening few chapters build the tension up to an incredible high, to the point where when the teens finally realise they're trapped in the menacing Shadow World it's almost a relief that they're finally able to figure out there's something wrong – at least until the nightmares start happening.
Jenny's a great central character, and I love the interplay between the group and the friendship that comes across, just as I did in Smith's [[Dark Visions : The Strange Power, The Possessed, The Passion by L J Smith|Dark Visions]]. The most strongly written person though, is Julian, the Shadow Man himself, particularly in the second and third books, as he develops from a fairly standard villain to an extremely interesting personality. Similarly, Jenny's boyfriend Tom really changes as the books go on, as does her relationship with him as she realises that Julian wants her for a lover.
I love Smith's writing style – it's fast paced and action packed, but surprisingly deep at times, with the books drawing on lots of references to mythology of various cultures, particularly in the first of the trilogy as the friends face Julian's minions, who appear as dark elves from Germany, aliens, and other creatures. Her dialogue is also fantastic, especially the interplay between Jenny's friends Dee and Audrey, whose initial rivalry changes as the game goes on and they're forced to rely on each other at times.
