With her only son murdered in a banned sacrificial ritual, Nkem flees with her young daughter, Obiageli, to find her king and bring her abusive husband to justice. However, it quickly becomes clear that the powerful, oppressive, and malefic king had allowed the brutal ritual to continue—including the sacrifice of his own son—and Nkem becomes the hunted. As Nkem tries to find sanctuary, aided by the king’s sympathetic head henchman, Odera, her dead son, Dike, reaches out to her from the spirit world to comfort and protect her in any way he can. Children of the Shadows: Unearthing the Ritual is the first in a trilogy that explores an ancient ritual still practiced in some African countries to this day and one woman’s fight for justice and peace for the innocent child victims. "C. C. Uzoh's Children of the Shadows is a suspenseful and dramatic fantasy novel that questions what people will sacrifice for survival and power... The writing is beautiful and poetic, with ornate language and drawn-out sentences that increase the novel's drama. Italics differentiate Nkemjika's personal thoughts from the narration. Descriptions bring locations to life through sensory language and abundant imagery... The novel is the first in its series, and the end leaves some characters and questions pending, but the main story arcs are clearly and satisfactorily resolved. Children of the Shadows is a unique, emotionally stirring fantasy novel focused on faith and family." - Delia Stanley, Foreword Clarion Reviews, 4/5 stars. "Uzoh's words are architecturally combined to transport the reader into a cosmic interface which subsumes reality. I could feel, touch, smell and engage with the imagery which added to the authenticity of the tale. The book captures your imagination instantly and colourfully depicts anachronistic customs, culture and poses cosmic questions. The protagonist is beautifully developed throughout the story and her character development is artistically unveiled. I laughed, cried, sighed and my heart raced as I journeyed through the narrative which was well paced. Another thing I thoroughly enjoyed was the language used throughout the book, the words were extremely intentional and directed the reader carefully through the prose. Definitely a page turner and looking forward to the next in the series. A literary work of art!" - Ama Peters, September 03, 2020. "Wow, this is a beautifully written, enjoyable book, which I'm glad I stumbled upon. It gave me a rare insight into an African sacrificial practice that I did not know existed and the author does well to describe the social conditions and structure in which such a ritual could take place. I had some apprehension when reading the blurb that a book of this subject matter might contain graphic details or be too dark, but that was not the case. The author is careful and sensitive in his handling of a brutal topic, focusing more on the fallout of the sacrifice and introducing a spiritual element, which highlights family bonds and the strong connection of maternal and sibling love. The descriptions are artfully delivered and the characters are fascinating. I especially liked Odera and Dike, who help the grieving mother, Nkem, to reach out for a happier life. It was this desired outcome that kept me turning the pages. Nkem is such a strong and brave woman, it is easy to side with her and want the best for her future and that of her young daughter. This was a delightful read told by an author with a unique voice and strong writing skills - C.C. Uzoh is a true storyteller." - Author Michelle Saftich, July 02, 2020. Children of the Shadows trilogy begins in C. C. Uzoh's debut novel, Unearthing the Ritual (book 1), continues in Firmness of Purpose (book 2), and ends in The Never-ending Fear (book 3). These volumes, which are the first three books of the  A Naïjerland Saga  series, shed light upon a clandestine conduct and how one affected woman spares no effort in trying to bring those responsible to justice, sparking the most sweeping counterculture movement in her nation's history.The next books in the series, The Foundlings' Tale (book 4) and The Gliders Tribe: Errand of Mercy (book 5), are based on the side characters from the Children of the Shadows and detail how some of the children who were indirectly affected by the clandestine conduct try to re-adapt their lives in a post-Children of the Shadows world with growing supernatural fallout. C. C. Uzoh is the author of the Children of the Shadows trilogy and The Foundlings' Tale. You may visit author C. C. Uzoh's website at chriscuzoh.com to see all his works, and also feel free to interact with him on twitter  @AuthorCC_Uzoh  and  @cots_books  and through his website.