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Book Review: Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia


 
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Thomas Dunne Books, 2016
ISBN-13: 978-1250099082
Available: Hardcover, Kindle edition, Audible
 

Certain Dark Things is an excellent example of what a vampire novel can be. The characters are strong, the writing is fast-paced, and it paints a vision of a world we have not seen before. There is a ton of vampire fiction out there, much of it unreadable, but Silvia Moreno-Garcia brings a fresh take to the genre in this page-turner.

In the world of Certain Dark Things, the existence of vampires became public knowledge in 1969. Slowly, the vampires have become a part of society. There are a variety of species and sub-species of vampires, and many have evolved geographically and culturally. Reading it, there is a sense that we are seeing just the tip of the iceberg. The book comes with a glossary which explains the ins and outs of the vampires and their history. I found this unnecessary, and only referred to it once. Many of the details listed at the back of the book have little bearing on this story, but it is clear the author has this whole world thought out in great detail. World-building is clearly one of the book’s great strengths.

Domingo is a homeless teenager surviving on the streets of Mexico City, whose life changes hen he meets Alt, a vampire that comes from a Aztec background. Alt’s biology requires that she feed from the young, but she doesn’t have to kill to feed. Domingo is fascinated with her: he has read about vampires, but never met one. Although gangs of vampires and drug cartels battle beyond the city limits, within Mexico City, vampires are illegal. Why would Alt risk coming to Mexico City? This is what drives the narrative.

The novel is well structured. Moreno-Garcia uses multiple points of view, switching easily between them. Character development is also impressive. Ana, the police detective, has a story interesting enough to carry its own novel. Watching Domingo fall deeper and deeper for Alt, readers learn just how inhuman she is. Some of the strongest moments of the book happen between them.

Moreno-Garcia isn’t the first to write about Mexican vampires, but every dark fiction author deserves a chance to put their spin on the creature, using the unique set of tools they bring to the table, and she has created a clever and original story.  We can only hope she will choose to return to this world with a sequel. Highly recommended.

 

Reviewed by David Agranoff


Posted on December 20, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: Last Train From Perdition by Robert McCammon

Last Train From Perdition by Robert McCammon

Subterranean Press, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-59606-738-7

Availability: Paperback, Kindle edition.

 

Whether it is straight-up horror, historical thriller, coming-of-age story, or tale of suspense, readers know what to expect from a Robert McCammon novel—a great story. McCammon hits the target here in Last Train From Perdition, the follow-up to the entertaining I Travel By Night.

 

The opening recaps the story of vampire Trevor Lawson and his human sidekick Ann Remington, bounty hunters seeking vengeance  LaRouge, the vampire who turned Lawson into a creature of the night, and took Ann’s father and sister, is still lurking in the shadows, awaiting her chance to kill her protegé if he refuses to join her clan.

 

Lawson is summoned from New Orleans to Omaha to retrieve a wealthy businessman’s rogue son. The son joined up with a gang hell-bent on wreaking havoc in the Wild West of 1886, but now he wants out—a wish that can’t be accomplished without serious help. Lawson and Remington, forever dealing with the Dark Society, the band of creatures who reign in the night, know no job is simple. When a shootout in the saloon goes awry, Lawson needs help to save a young woman’s life.  The pair of hunters jump the titular train, headed for Helena, Montana, along with those they’re responsible for, and ride off into a winter storm. What they find may end all of them.

 

This is a tight, slam-bang read that readers can knock out in a night or two. McCammon writes in a no-nonsense manner that still manages to leap off the pages with crackling dialogue, action, and description. Hopefully, Lawson and Remington will be back for another tale, as the author has a created a worthy hero to continue the series. Highly recommended

 

Reviewed by David Simms

Posted on September 29, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: The Casquette Girls by Alys Arden


The Casquette Girls by Alys Arden
Skyscape Books, 2015
ISBN-13: 978-1503946545
Available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, Audible

New Orleans, with its rich history and varied people, reeks of life, death, and mystery, intriguing both writers and readers. Anne Rice, Heather Graham, and  Poppy Z. Brite have captured the wonders and horrors well: the Big Easy is more than a colorful backdrop, it is a living, breathing character integral to their stories.

New Orleans native Alys Arden, with her debut novel, The Casquette Girls, succeeds at this as well: she knows her city, and her audience will experience much more than the glitz of Bourbon Street. While it’s being marketed as a YA title, this is a great story that will intrigue readers of all ages and from many genres. The horror burns sweeter than a midnight car bomb on St. Louis Street, the romance as bitter  and satisfying as the coffee at Café Du Monde. The mystery tugs the reader  in deeper than the voodoo shops lure tourists off the beaten paths.

Adele is a sixteen-year-old resident of New Orleans who returns from vacation after Hurricane Katrina has destroyed the city. Now home, she finds that New Orleans has become a dark and dangerous place, as bodies begin to turn up in the streets. Adele uncovers secrets in her attic, locked up for over three centuries, that unleash monstrous results into her life and town. The lives of her friends, schoolmates, and father are in peril,  and Adele soon realizes that there is much more going in the city, and with her friends, than she knew.  She encounters strangers who may be the key to survival, and finds herself torn between two boys, each with a dangerous past.

While the plot seems to follow along standard lines for YA paranormal romance, there is much more to the story, and it is worth your time to allow the story to unfold at a smooth but suspenseful pace. Discovering the Casquette Girls themselves, and their stories, alone is worth the journey.

Arden has produced an excellent debut novel, and with writing as polished as this, we can expect to see much more from her in the future. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by David Simms

Posted on March 5, 2016 by , Reply
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