Josh Reviews An ARC: The Dark Man’s Son by Meg Whitlock

Posted July 20, 2012 by Joshua Burns in / 1 Comment

Title: The Dark Man’s Son
Series: Guardian Chronicles #1
Author: Meg Whitlock
Publisher: Meg Whitlock
Format: Kindle Edition, 285 pages
Published: June 4, 2012
ASIN #: B0088RTUJO
Genre: Urban Fantasy
My Copy: ARC
Rating: Paw Rating
Buy:

She claimed the muggers were demons, but of course Jason didn’t believe her. At first.

When a mysterious woman appears in a dirty alley to rescue Jason Latimer from a pair of muggers, he tries to write her off as a garden variety lunatic. But he can’t shake the memory of her intense green eyes that seemed to flash gold, or the glowing sword she’d worn on her hip.

She calls herself Alex (no last name) like she’d made it up on the spot, and she offers Jason her protection. From what, she can’t or won’t say. He refuses, and that night he dreams of a dark man with the same offer. His black eyes flash blood and garnet, and he smells of burning things. Jason refuses him, too.

A chance meeting brings Alex and Jason together again, and she tells him of the Guardians: two immortal beings created near the beginning of time with the express purpose of fighting for mortal-kind’s soul. She is Light, and the man from Jason’s dream is Dark. Jason must choose, because Lucifer, for reasons purely his own, has unleashed the armies of Hell to hunt Jason down.

But there are things about Jason that not even he knows, and he’ll face hard truths and bitter choices as he struggles to find his place in a world redefined. Will he rise to the challenge, or, when the time comes, will he falter?

From Renaissance Florence to the French Revolution, from World War II to the modern streets of New Orleans, The Dark Man’s Son is a riveting journey filled with unforgettable characters, wry humor, dark twists, and a touch of romance.

This is a book I had trouble judging by the cover (a little too pearly and purply), title (kind of flat), or excerpt (hard to follow) but I can safely say that the interior shines. From the many mythological names that are bandied about, the rich historical set pieces, the snappy dialogue, and even the atmosphere of the first couple of pages (something that I don’t see that often), this book manages to entertain and I imagine for some it will educate as well (an edutaining read).

I mean I’m not completely sure of the details in the historical set pieces but there are so many (and they pass the believability test) that you just have to let it wash over you. You may be thinking during the first historical set piece, this is pretty strange and incomplete but as the book works its magic a very large and long plot is delivered rather punchily.

It has a certain rhythm to it that makes part one easily the best read. The other two parts, although still as well-paced, don’t do as much as jumping although there are some nice switches in perspective. The side characters get a lot of love in this book and I appreciate that. At a certain point one has to admire the clarity with which these characters are presented because so many go by many names and have lived eons. The biggest fault that can be laid upon the book is that it ends on a dreadful cliffhanger, effectively delivering a half or perhaps less of a promising plot. I am glad that she didn’t try to tie up all the loose ends within ten pages (although for awhile there I thought she might) but it is a shame to have to wait and see how all the hoops will fall in the sequel.