Monday 12 August 2013

Book Review - Dark Calling

Title: Dark Calling
Author: Darren Shan
Series: The Demonata (book 9)
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books
Release Date: 1 April 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0007260454

Synopsis
I know it's ridiculous. Lights can't whisper. But I swear I heard a voice calling to me. It sounded like static to begin with, but then it came into focus, a single word repeated over and over. Softly, slyly, seductively, insistently.
"Come..."
The Disciples are being manipulated by beings older than time. Only Kernel Fleck knows that something is wrong. But he is in the grip of a creature who cares nothing for the fate of humanity. Voices are calling to him from the darkness and he's powerless to resist.
Kernel has already been to hell and back. Now he's about to go further.


My Review
I had a busy week so ended up having a break before reading this book, but I was eager to get back to it. So close the end I wanted to know how it would all turn out.
This book is told from Kernel's point of view again, it was quite nice to have him narrating again, I like his voice and his no-nonsense, it is how it is attitude. 
It once again gives a recap of events from when the whole group was together last, from his point of view. To be honest I skim read this part. I've already seen these events happen from 2 other perspectives and it was getting a bit repetitive so I glided over it until Kernel left the scene, then I tuned in again.
This book sets out to answer a lot of questions that have arisen over the series and it does answer some of them, it also moves the story on well, setting it up for a big ending in the next and last book. 
But if I'm really honest I found bits of it quite silly and a bit slow. I missed the fast paced running into fights and 'think about it later' sort of writing. There were still bits of that in the book of course and they were just as good as ever but the whole journey with the 'lights' just seemed a bit too far fetched for me, and the set up for the meaning behind the whole chess board storyline that's been running through the series was just really far-fetched and unbelievable for me. And considering I was happily going along with every other part of these stories and let it carry me away, not being able to believe something was a bit of a shock! To me it felt a bit like he'd got to the end and realised that it had never been explained so he made this up. But I didn't buy it.
That's not to say this is a bad book, it's really not. It will still sweep you up and carry you along, and the ending is a big 'Woah!' moment made to make you want the next book. Plus this one is only 215 pages so it's the shortest yet.
If you've read this much of the series, don't give up, just think of this book as a set up for the last book, maybe a bit of a filler.

My Rating
 
   

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