Joseph D'Lacey

Asediadas en un bloque de calles llamado la Estación, doscientas personas han sobrevivido el apocalipsis desde que comenzó el Largo Silencio. Hasta ahora. Nadie sabe qué ocurrió. Después de que anochece, miles de habitantes de la ciudad -ni vivos ni muertos- merodean por las calles en busca de los vivos. La Estación está bajo constante amenaza. Cada día, se echa a suertes quiénes serán los siete miembros de la Brigada de la Muerte. Su misión es simple: el exterminio. Sheri Foley ha descubierto que tiene el corazón de una superviviente y es uno de los miembros más implacables de la brigada. Pero dentro de la Estación hay otra clase de enemigos…… (meer)

3.5 stars

There is something going on at the town’s landfill. Something big. And Mason manages to egg things on in a very bad way. (Hard to do a good summary without giving too much away!)

It took a while for this to get going, and in fact, I wasn’t sure where it was headed originally. But it got much better for the last 2/3ish of the book and I was more invested once things really started happening. There were two couples, though, that I kept getting confused. Eventually, I (mostly) figured out the characters, but even toward the end, I often had to stop to figure out who was who, and which couple they were a part of. Once it picked up, it was good.… (meer)

I received an ebook copy from the author/publisher through NetGalley.com in exchange for a review.

This is the second and final (I think) book of THE BLACK DAWN. The first novel, BLACK FEATHERS I reviewed in a previous post. Since I was given the chance to read this one for free, I had to start from the beginning, so I would know what is going on. I may repeat some details from my review of the first novel, then again, I may just add stuff.

This is the continuation of the early years of Gordon Black. He lives in a seemingly equal time frame of our current times, that has been struck by a sort of technological destruction. Two factions come out of this change: The Green Men, and The Ward. Gordon is searching for the Crowman, a symbolic, mythological person that is centered on man returning to nature. The Green Men support nature, The Ward are more for domination and technology. The typical Good vs Bad.

Megan is a girl seemingly about the same age as Gordon, who is in a future time of main story, learning to walk the "black feathered path", or in short, the way of the Crowman. Her duty is to chronicle the life of Gordon Black as shown to her via 'visions' from the Crowman.

Most of this novel is of the climaxing and growth of Gordon Black, as he discovers the Crowman. It also brings the final confrontation of the Ward and the Green Men in a big battle. D'Lacey has written an interesting post-apocalyptic story, bringing in religious tones, as well as folk-lore, and of two young people coming of age. I felt it was a different version of a dystopian future compared to what other novels I have read. There were a few things I felt weren't cleared up completely, or at least, I felt I would have liked to known more of what happened, though they probably were not important to the main story line. Overall, I felt it was well written, and worded so that even younger readers would be able to enjoy.… (meer)

This is the first book in a series (of two, at the time of this review) and I received a free copy through Netgalley.com of the second book. In order to be fair, I had to read the first one. Besides, I hate jumping in on a series in the middle.

The description doesn't share much, so possible spoilers may appear in my rambling. This is the start of an apocalyptic story that takes place in two different times. The more future side brings us to the way of the Keepers, their job being to bring the people to share in the Earth, and other environmental idealisms, as well as protect/share the knowledge of the Crowman, who happens to be basically the messiah of the times. In being a Keeper, they are to train the next one, in this case a female, seeming the first. In becoming one with the essence of the Crowman, this girl is charged with writing His story, which takes us back to a period of time similar to 50 years prior to our current time (a guess from what I recall reading).

The majority of the tale is of Gordon Black, a young man that was born into the world with seemingly bad omens. At a young age, the world has had some sort of major change, and a group called the Ward, have basically taken over the world, not being more in-tune with nature, and seemingly Nazi-like in how they run things. Gordon's family is taken, he luckily is able to elude capture, and in order to save his family, he seeks out the Crowman.

Interspersed in the telling of his story, there are bits of Megan (the female Keeper in training) and how she is coming in the ways of the Keepers, and revealing that there may be more to her than what any expected.

That all being said, as void of detail as I could, the book started off slow, but pulled me by making me want to know what is going to happen to both these main characters, and those around them. As soon as I finished, I started in on the second book, and have not been able to put it down in the small bit of spare time I have to read. It is more than just a "coming of age" story, but holds many similarities of self-growth, but also has some strong environmental idealism. Great read!… (meer)