Hello everyone! know that I have been behind on some reviews due to NaNoWriMo but I am now getting caught up. Here is another for you all to enjoy! Today, let me tell you all about The Darkening.
The Darkening 
Author: Chris Sarantopoulos
Published: October 18th, 2018
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Book Length: 262 Pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥
Buy the book: Amazon
**Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this novel for free, from the author, in exchange for my honest review.**
The end came when light changed. It decimated humanity, leaving scattered bands of survivors stumbling in the dark.
Faced with saving himself or his family during the apocalypse, John Piscus made the wrong choice, and has been living with the guilt ever since.
When a glowing girl shows up at John’s shelter begging for help, his instincts tell him to kill her. After all, light kills.
But when masked troopers tasked with capturing survivors come after them, it’s up to John to protect himself and the girl. Not only may she hold the key to reversing the lethal effects of light, she could also be the one who can save his soul.
If you love dark settings and characters faced with tough choices that result in horrific and sinister outcomes, don’t miss this post-apocalyptic horror read.
Discover the dangers in the world of The Darkening today.
I was not sure what to expect just by looking at the cover. I knew it would be some type of post-apocalyptic novel but the girl shown appears to be a ghost. I was intrigued and knew I had to give it a shot.
Things I didn’t like:
- Characters
- Why would an author name one character John and another Jonathon? This was incredibly confusing throughout the story. I had to often stop and determine who was being talked about.
- John was bland, unpleasant, and unlikable. I just did not connect with him at all and really did
- Pace
- It took a handful of chapters to really determine what was actually going on. I wanted to put the book down but decided to push ahead anyway. It did get more interesting but I was upset with reading such a confusing and slow start.
- Later on, when John takes the girl along with him, I found the pace slowing once again. Picking back up a few chapters later.
- Backstory
- I know why the details John could remember were unclear, but it would have been nice to have more backstory about how the world became what it is at the time of the story.
- POV
- We walk through the story in John’s head most of the time and it is not pleasant. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I think seeing more than just his confused thoughts would have helped push the story along.
Things I liked:
- Premis
- I really like the originality of this novel. The idea that humans are not destroyed by zombies or any supernatural creature, but light itself. The author took something we are all taught to never fear…light…and turn it into something deadly. He created a very unique story.
Final Thoughts
I think this book could have been improved by having a more detailed backstory, not leaving the reading in confusion. The extensive use of uncommon vocabulary pulled me away from the story a few times as well. I do not mind looking up words, but it did pull me out of the pace of the book. This book has good bones but I feel could have used a little more fleshing out. Overall, not an awful read. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Sci-fi novels that blend with supernatural and apocalyptic worlds.
Would you read this novel? Buy it or borrow it? If you have read it, what did you think?
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