Review by David Nash -- Nightlord: Sunset by Garon Whited
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David Nash
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Review by David Nash -- Nightlord: Sunset by Garon Whited
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Nightlord: Sunset" by Garon Whited.]
3 out of 4 stars
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3 out of 4 stars
Nightlord: Sunset by Garrett Whited is long book, which is great because it is a terrific story. The novel takes the main character, Eric, from his calm sedate life as a college professor and plunges him into a world of adventure. He becomes a “daywalker” - a unique type of vampire. Eric lives as a man by day and a vampire by night.
The story also changes. Whited takes the modern urban vampire story and moves it smartly to a medieval land in an interesting twist. Eric’s personal journey takes him from a confused, defensive, loner to a competent, assertive, leader.
The book moves from an intriguing, original opening to a satisfying conclusion with hints of future adventures. The chapters are short and flow well. The descriptions integrate well with the story without becoming wordy. Dialogs are natural and have a good back and forth feel. The characters don’t feel “epic” but they do come across as human and vulnerable.
Characterization in the story is the weak spot. The characters had personal depth and consistency, but their interactions felt lackluster. The words flowed well, but, at times, the characters seemed too reserved, too distant, for the situation. This can partly be laid to the distance the main character seems to have from his own emotions.
Jealousy seems to be a foreign concept in the Eric’s world. Sarcasm and temperamental bouts are available to compensate. There is no rational talking through personal issues, while they are expansively discussed in political negotiations. It's almost as if the characters are adults in political matters and teenagers in matters of the heart. Readers may be put off by the uneven maturity of the characters. However, since most of the book is written from Eric’s viewpoint and I wrote it off to his own separation from his emotions.
Eric’s emotions do get reviewed. He talks about them. He gets angry, sad, happy, falls in love, feels grief. However, for me, the writing doesn’t reach the reader. It just seems a bit distant. Too often, Eric doesn’t wipe tears from his face - he is sad.
The world itself and the laws governing magic and vampirism are the story’s strong point. The scenes are described well and the rules governing what Eric can and can’t do are clear. The penalties of his vampirism are also clear and consistent. His abilities are discovered over time- as are his magical and martial abilities. Eric works hard to be a warrior and he works hard to be a mage. He has clear limits and often, those around him know those limits better than he does.
As Eric moves through the world, he changes it, and when he returns to a place, the changes have effects. I love this in a story, especially when casual acts result in unforeseen consequences.
There were very few mistakes in the text, mostly words missing from sentences and one misplaced sentence that broke my immersion. Spelling, punctuation, and grammar are well done. Kudos to the editors.
As I mentioned in the beginning the book is long. I took my time reading it, and I found myself immersed in it for almost its entire length. I found the ending satisfying. Since a sequel was planned, I found an excellent hook at the end encouraging the reader to expect more. I look forward to following it.
In conclusion, Nightlord: Sunset has the length and scope of a great work. However, the novel just misses being epic. It’s not another Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones. With improved characterization, I can see it becoming one. I look forward to the sequel, which may hit the mark. In the end, I find it to be a rousing good tale, with interesting characters and a consistent, believable world. A recommended good read.
******
Nightlord: Sunset
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like David Nash's review? Post a comment saying so!
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
3 out of 4 stars
Nightlord: Sunset by Garrett Whited is long book, which is great because it is a terrific story. The novel takes the main character, Eric, from his calm sedate life as a college professor and plunges him into a world of adventure. He becomes a “daywalker” - a unique type of vampire. Eric lives as a man by day and a vampire by night.
The story also changes. Whited takes the modern urban vampire story and moves it smartly to a medieval land in an interesting twist. Eric’s personal journey takes him from a confused, defensive, loner to a competent, assertive, leader.
The book moves from an intriguing, original opening to a satisfying conclusion with hints of future adventures. The chapters are short and flow well. The descriptions integrate well with the story without becoming wordy. Dialogs are natural and have a good back and forth feel. The characters don’t feel “epic” but they do come across as human and vulnerable.
Characterization in the story is the weak spot. The characters had personal depth and consistency, but their interactions felt lackluster. The words flowed well, but, at times, the characters seemed too reserved, too distant, for the situation. This can partly be laid to the distance the main character seems to have from his own emotions.
Jealousy seems to be a foreign concept in the Eric’s world. Sarcasm and temperamental bouts are available to compensate. There is no rational talking through personal issues, while they are expansively discussed in political negotiations. It's almost as if the characters are adults in political matters and teenagers in matters of the heart. Readers may be put off by the uneven maturity of the characters. However, since most of the book is written from Eric’s viewpoint and I wrote it off to his own separation from his emotions.
Eric’s emotions do get reviewed. He talks about them. He gets angry, sad, happy, falls in love, feels grief. However, for me, the writing doesn’t reach the reader. It just seems a bit distant. Too often, Eric doesn’t wipe tears from his face - he is sad.
The world itself and the laws governing magic and vampirism are the story’s strong point. The scenes are described well and the rules governing what Eric can and can’t do are clear. The penalties of his vampirism are also clear and consistent. His abilities are discovered over time- as are his magical and martial abilities. Eric works hard to be a warrior and he works hard to be a mage. He has clear limits and often, those around him know those limits better than he does.
As Eric moves through the world, he changes it, and when he returns to a place, the changes have effects. I love this in a story, especially when casual acts result in unforeseen consequences.
There were very few mistakes in the text, mostly words missing from sentences and one misplaced sentence that broke my immersion. Spelling, punctuation, and grammar are well done. Kudos to the editors.
As I mentioned in the beginning the book is long. I took my time reading it, and I found myself immersed in it for almost its entire length. I found the ending satisfying. Since a sequel was planned, I found an excellent hook at the end encouraging the reader to expect more. I look forward to following it.
In conclusion, Nightlord: Sunset has the length and scope of a great work. However, the novel just misses being epic. It’s not another Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones. With improved characterization, I can see it becoming one. I look forward to the sequel, which may hit the mark. In the end, I find it to be a rousing good tale, with interesting characters and a consistent, believable world. A recommended good read.
******
Nightlord: Sunset
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like David Nash's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: The Engine Woman's Light by Laurel Anne Hill
