Saturday, June 23, 2012

Review: A Darkening Dream by Andy Gavin

           Title: A Darkening Dream
Author: Andy Gavin
                   Publisher: Mascherato Publishing
                 Publication Date: Jan. 10, 2012
                         Format: ebook, paperback 382 pages 
Goodreads Summary:

The Darkening Dream is the chilling new dark fantasy novel by Andy Gavin, creator of Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter.

Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs.

1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand. 
With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal?
No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be herself.


My Feelings:

This was probably the hardest review I have ever written before.   I felt like this story pulled me in so many directions I felt like I was coming undone at the seams.  
I liked it and yet there were parts that just left me saying "huh"?
At times I felt very confused.  I was left wondering why did this happen?  Then the setting is Salem, Mass. in 1913 but the actions and dialogue of some of the characters were either very modern (like in this 2000's) or it seemed like it was back in the (1700's) past.  

Besides that, this was a really interesting novel.  It is definitely dark and gruesome in many of the scenes, as well as a kinda "no holds barred" attitude when it came to the different aspects of the spiritual parts.  
Once everything ties in, you are left feeling like you just got off the ride of your life.  The plot is pretty amazing and you can tell Gavin did a lot of research about the Jewish religion and different artifacts that are important to God.  This is definitely a good vs. evil story, but I love how Gavin incorporates the gray area.  This area is what  really makes the book.  

Another and very important part of the book that I particularly loved was the relationship that Sarah and her father, Joseph, have with each other.  Most fathers didn't think their daughters were very smart or worthy of learning much in that day and age, but Joseph is completely different.  He believes in his daughter wholly.  He confides in her and he trusts her input.  Of course every family has their secrets and Joseph is keeping a huge one.  
I felt like the fatherly love Joseph shares with Sarah is a good comparison to how God feels for his "children".  

No one could get bored with this story there is so much going on: vampires, demons, warlocks, and even long forgotten Egyptian deities that have come out to take back what they thing belongs to them.  
It was refreshing to see an author stretch the religious paradigms to fit what this fantasy is about.   
I was giddy and had a hard time putting the story down until I was finished it.  
Be warned though:  there is a HUGE cliffhanger that will make you pull your hair out. (hopefully not literally)

But I had to give this four hearts.  A Darkening Dream will shock you but you will be drawn in, devouring each word until you finally have to come up for air, just then realizing you already finished the entire novel.









1 comment:

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