The Darkening Dream by Andy Gavin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Darkening Dream is the chilling new dark fantasy novel by Andy Gavin, creator of Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter.

Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs.

1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand.
With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal?
No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be herself.–Description from Goodreads

This is a different sort of book, and one that I find really hard to classify. If I had to put this book in a category, at least age wise, I would say new adult might be the thing. There are some pretty dark elements and some sexual references that I think might be too strong for the YA market, but the book features young teens, so it might be a bit too young for a solidly adult audience. One things is for sure, this book is definitely original.

I’m going to start by saying that the author has done a fabulous job, with a few minor exceptions, of researching his material and crafting a unique tale that can absorb the reader. I don’t think this book will fit everyone’s tastes, but find a book that does and you will be performing a miracle. The subject matter and the magic is dark. If you read the description, you know that going in, so this shouldn’t be a problem.

Here’s what I liked:

The story is not like anything else I have read. The famous Salem is not used as a breeding ground for all witch related themes in this book, which was a pretty refreshing change. Since the author did his research before writing this, he was able to craft a story that both keeps you wondering what will happen next and doesn’t distract you with loads of inaccuracies.

The writing is solid. The passages flow pretty well and it is easy to read, so you get a long way into the book without even realising you have done so.

Here’s what I loved:

The descriptions are terrifying and fabulous. Andy Gavin has done a good job of creating characters that are quirky and interesting and the reader lives through the terror they feel right along with them. The darkness in this novel was handled well. The vampire is not fluffy and cute as we have recently come to think of them. Evil, greedy, and dark would be the best way to describe this character.

There is never a dull moment in this story. From the beginning there is mystery and action and it keeps going right through to the very end. The pace does not fall off unexpectedly.

What I didn’t like as much:

The amount of research (as mentioned above) that must have gone into this novel is amazing. Still, I felt the actions of the teens at times seemed a little strange for the time period the book was set in. They pretty much do as they please and often behave in ways that I couldn’t see a teen doing in the early 1900′s.

There are a few jarring point of view changes in this novel that leave the reader wondering who is speaking and how they got to where they are.

There are a lot of different themes going on in this novel. I understand that the author had many great ideas, and I congratulate him for his efforts. He is definitely creative and puts it to good use. Still, I think toning down the different themes in this story might have benefited the audience. There were places where in my opinion, there was simply just too much going on and it detracted from the point in the story.

Overall, this was a good read. It was interesting, exciting and different. That’s what I like to see in any book. If you like a bit of horror, some well written fantasy and unexpected twists, this would be a good choice.