Nightlife

Nightlife (2006) Rob Thurman

This book starts the action right on page one:

It was the touch of a much warmer liquid on my fingers that let me know differently. It was blood. My blood. I tightened my hand over the one that held the knife handle. The blood covers both our hands, his and mine. He had actually done it… stabbed me.

Then we jump back in time to learn what lead to the events of the first two pages.

This was as interesting story. The main character, Cal, is young, flawed, and cynical but very likable anyway. His older brother, Niko, has sacrificed much to protect Cal, whether Cal wants the protection or not. Unfortunately, because it is creatures from the supernatural realm that are after Cal, he needs all the help he can get.

The supernatural characters are unlike those in other books and stories, which was both disconcerting and refreshing. Because I have come to expect supernatural being to be and behave in a certain way, and in this book they don’t. Since nothing was as expected, nothing could easily be guessed.

I liked that.

I also liked the two brothers and their relationship. Siblings–especially when they spend a lot of time together, bicker, argue, and fight. Those happy, wonderful, peaceful relationships you see portrayed in certain kinds of books and movies? Bullshit. No one knows how to push your buttons like the people you grew up with, and when you’re in close quarters for a long time those buttons get pushed. But as contentious as the relationship between siblings may be, when push comes to shove, your sibling is most likely going to be the one there for you–the one you can turn to no matter what. Most stories get the second part right, but not always the first.

So it makes me happy when someone tries to get that relationship right, and Rob Thurman does a pretty good job here. The brothers fight and bicker, but when it comes right down to it fight to the death before they let anyone else come between them.

The storytelling in this book is very good. I was grabbed from the beginning, interested in Cal and Niko and what was happening to them. The pace moves quickly, and the story moved in unexpected ways, so if there were any obvious flaws in the story, I missed them as I tore through the story trying to find out what happened next.
This book was fun, interesting, and went off in unexpected directions. If you like supernatural fantasy, then you should enjoy this book.
Rating: 8/10

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