James Boyle (6)

This was a really easy read. I read it in two sittings, but it could've been finished in just one.

The story was intriguing. I didn't find myself sucked totally in, per se, but I did want to find out what would happen. I liked that there was enough mystery surrounding the murders that most people could attribute them to wild animals, at least at first, but that those who looked closely enough and who asked enough questions saw that there was something more going on. The main problem, though, is that the summary from the back of the book pretty much tells me a lot of what I find out later in the book. I wish people wouldn't do that!

The characters were likable enough, but I didn't really feel intensely connected to any of them. The main character, Dan, is pretty much your typical police chief -- He puts the good of his town and the people in it before his own well-being, often running around with a severely injured shoulder just to check on things. It was hard to tell how old Dan was supposed to be. Sometimes I got the impression that he was in his 30s, but other times he felt as if he was in his 40s. Not really a significant detail, but something I wondered about while reading the book.

Boyle's writing is easy-to-read and accessible. He does a good job with giving detail and painting a scene. Sometimes, in the case of describing crime scenes, a little too much detail for my taste. There were several places, though, that could have benefited from an editor. The tenses of verbs changed from time to time, and there were a lot of extra commas, which got a little distracting.

This book was an enjoyable, easy read. Boyle released the second book in this planned trilogy, Ni'il: The War Within, in late 2008. I'd be interested in reading it to see what happens because Boyle left us hanging at the end.… (més)

What can I say about this one? *taps chin thinking* Well, I'll say that I thought it was TOTALLY original. Personally, I've never read anything like it.
I enjoyed the believable and faulted characters that existed in this small town. I liked the storyline of the ancient spirit coming to take revenge on the people who have ravaged the land. I won't go into to much detail there because it would give away the story but I'll say that I was surprised by the ending. Not because of how it ended but because once I found out the whole "point" to the story I was really shocked!
Don't let that pretty cover fool you though! This one definitely has the horror element to it with some blood and sacrifice mixed in....I liked it! It was scary and bloody and crazy all wrapped up in the deceivingly peaceful cover!
Oh and there is some romance! I wouldn't put it in the romance category at all, but I think this book had a good balance that both men and women can enjoy. If your looking for something different then I think this one would be worth a try.… (més)

This review was originally posted on my review blog : http://fallingofftheshelf.blogspot.com

At first I was really interested in what was going to happen in this book, especially when there was a mystery of missing dogs all over the town. I'm an animal lover, and I certainly wanted to make sure those dogs were still alive, and well. Despite by interest in what was going to happen, I became bored with this book. I couldn't relate to any of the characters, and didn't really like the main character, Dan, either.

I may decide to give this one another try, just to see what is really going on in the town of Placerton. I'm still sort of curious as to where all of the dogs are disappearing to.

I don't want you to turn this book away merely because I had no interest in it, in fact, I want you to give it a try. I encourage you to try this book, and link back your reviews so that we can compare our opinions.… (més)

I had no idea what was in store for me when I picked up "Ni'il: The Awakening". The book's cover is peacefully deceptive, making this one book you certainly can't judge by its cover. I was carried through the pages like the storm that hits the community of Placerton. The book is fast paced and scary!

James Boyle is a masterful storyteller that can really weave one monster of a tale! I started this book at bedtime and found that I couldn't put it down until my eyes no longer could stay open, and continued with it as soon as I woke up the next morning.

This tale of Native American folklore and the white man's world is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. I was thrilled to find that this book is the first in the series, so the story will continue on, but disappointed that I didn't have the next book in hand so that I could continue on. I'm definitely putting Mr. Boyle on my watch list!… (més)