A grand beginning: "The Shock of Night" by Patrick WCarr
about the book....
The Darkwater Claims All Who Enter It.
All But One.
When one man is brutally murdered and the priest he works for mortally wounded, Willet Dura, reeve to the king of Bunard, is called to investigate. As he begins to question the dying priest, the man pulls Willet close and screams in a foreign tongue. Then he dies without another word.
Willet returns to his task, but the clues to the crime lead to contradictions and questions without answers, and his senses are skewed. People he touches appear to have a subtle shift, as though he can divine their deepest thoughts. In a world divided between haves and have-nots, gifted and common, Willet soon learns he's been passed the rarest gift of all--a gift that's not supposed to exist.
Now Willet must pursue the murderer still on the loose in Bunard even as he's pulled into a dangerous conflict that threatens not only his city, but his entire world--a conflict that will force him to come to terms with his inability to remember how he escaped the Darkwater Forest--and what happened to him inside it.
All But One.
When one man is brutally murdered and the priest he works for mortally wounded, Willet Dura, reeve to the king of Bunard, is called to investigate. As he begins to question the dying priest, the man pulls Willet close and screams in a foreign tongue. Then he dies without another word.
Willet returns to his task, but the clues to the crime lead to contradictions and questions without answers, and his senses are skewed. People he touches appear to have a subtle shift, as though he can divine their deepest thoughts. In a world divided between haves and have-nots, gifted and common, Willet soon learns he's been passed the rarest gift of all--a gift that's not supposed to exist.
Now Willet must pursue the murderer still on the loose in Bunard even as he's pulled into a dangerous conflict that threatens not only his city, but his entire world--a conflict that will force him to come to terms with his inability to remember how he escaped the Darkwater Forest--and what happened to him inside it.
my review....
When Patrick W. Carr first emerged onto the Christian fiction fantasy scene with his debut book, "A Cast of Stones", I knew that fans of this genre had found a new author to watch. Each book released since then has proved this conclusion to be true, and when his last series ended I certainly hoped that his stellar writing would continue. "The Shock of Night" has proven that he's getting better and better as a writer, as I liked this book even more than his prior series! The novel grabbed hold of me from the beginning and did not let go until I'd raced to the end - and that is saying something for a book that's over 450 pages! The scenes are vivid and packed with action, the dialogue is crisp and witty, and the plot is filled with many unexpected moments. Carr has created a highly unique world, with a primary character in Willet Dura that evoked my admiration as he is gifted with an incredible power, without the knowledge of how to use it without destroying himself. As evil intensifies itself against him, often unseen until the danger seems unconquerable, Willet emerges as a character of courage, and yet one who makes mistakes like any of us may do. And I think what I most appreciated is that in the midst of all the action, we also find moments of introspection, such as when Willet remarks about the nobles, "There's a spiritual lassitude that comes with wealth. When you can have anything you want, anytime you want it, very little is precious to you". This comment especially has stuck with me, as it is a warning to us all to be more thankful for what we have, and also ensure that our wealth (at least in our Western countries) does not cause us to wander from the fold of God. I greatly enjoyed the depth I encountered in this book, along with it being a highly entertaining read, and know that I will be thinking about this book for some time.
The Shock of Night is a grand beginning for what is sure to be a fascinating series. I award this book a high rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
The Shock of Night is a grand beginning for what is sure to be a fascinating series. I award this book a high rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
about the author....
Patrick W. Carr is the author of the acclaimed fantasy series The Staff and the Sword. A Cast of Stones won the 2014 Carol Award for Speculative Fiction and the 2014 Clive Staples Award. A Cast of Stones and The Hero's Lotwere both finalists for 2014 Christy Awards. He teaches high school math and makes his home in Nashville, Tennessee, with his incredible wife, Mary, and their four sons. Learn more at www.patrickwcarr.com.
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