Rieden Reece and the Dark Shadow

By Matt Guzman (Mindfast Publishing, July 2025)

Genre: Middle Grade/YA Fantasy

Pages (Kindle): 257

Via: Author Request

“We’ve got a million things to do and ten seconds to do them.”

Rieden Reece is busy. He must save his big bro. His Mom. Himself. And rescue humanity from AI “integration” (think The Borg). As in, the fate of the world hangs in the balance. So no pressure, broseph in this delightful and uber absorbing sci fi adventure for middle grade readers and up.

Here’s the 4-1-1:

The return to reality has got his head spinning. Can this junior high hero find his balance before he falls victim to a sinister scheme?

Rieden Reece wishes the universe would cut him some slack. Suffering from unrelenting headaches after his last adventure, the plucky teen can’t shake the feeling that the answers are stashed inside his body. So, when his shadow turns sentient, the curious thirteen-year-old tails it to a nightmarish mansion… and discovers a hidden alien AI network.

Hooking up to tech that claims it will bring endless harmony, Rieden struggles to adjust to the bossy new voice in his brain. And as he delves into the mind-melding supercomputer’s motives, the snarky teenager suspects one wrong move could doom planet Earth. Can Ri and his older bro Rob find the miracle module and the ancient alien before it’s too late? Is Ri about to achieve world peace or leave the globe in pieces?

Also, why is Ri’s dad trying to enslave Earth? And is Rob really Ri’s older bro, or something/one else? Oh, hey. Wassup?

Skillful, Superb

Skillful writing and superb storytelling serves up a delicious entre of sass and spunk with a generous side of snark in this nimble and agile read. There’s also Maglites. Ravens. Marching ant-bots. Cyborg rats. Now or never. Wormholes. Vegan zombies. A hovering “lawyer box.” Hijacked personalities. A battle of will. Clone bodies. Manipulations galore. Tofu snacks. A “jacked” timethread. Looping errors? Portals and pathways. Ripple effects. No helpful data found. Betrayal. Friendship. Family. Assumptions. Hakuna Matata.

Besides. Who can resist sentences like:

• “He tumbled down the steps with the grace of an avalanche.”
• “Dozens of memories lit up inside his mind like happy fireworks.”
• “Calmness and acceptance warmed him, a comforting blanket of trust.”
• “Cradling his half-destroyed backpack like a laundry hamper,…”
• “The person who steals the cheese first wins, end of convo.”
• “He made eye contact and pretended life was about a big bag of cotton candy and soda pop.”

Set Apart

One thing that sets the Rieden Reece sci fi adventure series apart is that our hero, young Ri, is flawed. He gets confused. Doesn’t have all the answers. Gets scared. He’s awkward. Is vulnerable, emotional, and conflicted more often than not. In other words, Ri is human. Relatable. Painting a vibrant tapestry of emotion and energy across a multi-hued canvas of high-octane adventure, the author encourages readers toward same. It’s subtle. But very effective.

Besides highly relatable characters and a dazzling storyline, Rieden Reece and the Dark Shadow features dialogue that snaps, crackles, and pops like a bowlful of Rice Krispies.

Lots

Note that there’s a lot going on in this book. It moves fast. Kinda like Space Mountain at Disneyland. So “please keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times.” And hold on tight. The lightning-quick pacing will appeal to some readers. It may have others reaching for the Dramamine. Or feeling exhausted. Just sayin’.

Off

On the other hand, the imagination, creativity and originality in this book is off the charts. Think Star Trek meets Alice in Wonderland with a dose of Disney or H.G. Wells. With some Gladiator, Mary Poppins, The Neverending Story and The Twilight Zone on the side. Maybe throw in some Peter Pan, too. (You never know.)

Rieden Reece and the Dark Shadow is Book 6 in the Rieden Reece adventure series. While a familiarity with prior books is helpful, it’s not imperative. You can read this book as a stand-alone.

So if you are or know a reluctant middle grade reader, a sci fi fan, enjoy high adventure ribboned with rapier wit, or know anyone who’s vertical and breathing, get them a copy of Rieden Reece and the Dark Shadow. It’s a kick in the pants!

Our Rating: 4.0

“Matt Guzman is somewhat spoiled. The residents of beautiful San Diego, CA allow him to live there, and they barely complain about it. After managing restaurants for twenty years, he made a drastic decision. Quit. And use everything he learned the hard way about leadership and communication to help children. He’s obsessed with emotional health and storytelling. Combining these two passions, Matt crafts sci-fi stories for his twelve-year-old self—still hiding inside his adult brain.

He once won an honorable mention from the Writers of the Future Contest. That went straight to his head and now there’s no stopping him.”

Find out more about Matt Guzman here.