Nightingale

I can already tell this is the start of something great. Based o

I can already tell this is the start of something great. Based on what he has written on the last page it appears he has three more books in mind for this series. I can't wait for more!

In this book we get to meet the hero, Bron Smith. David Farland fulfills this beautifully as I think this is one of the best introductions I've read to a character in a long time. Bron Smith is a troubled child due to his unfortunate luck in foster care, which makes him a hard and sometimes unloving character. Yet, we see many scenes of Bron acting unselfishly towards others and caring for those around him; you just can't help but care and root for him.

At the beginning Bron is sent to a new foster home in a new town, St. George, UT. Olivia, his new foster mom, seems to know more about who Bron really is more than he can imagine. Throughout the book is a discovery to find out who exactly Bron is and what he is capable of, as he appears to be far from ordinary and possessed of a rare power of possible good or destruction. Will he be able to control himself? Can he come to grips with who he really is?

The majority of this book takes place in the City I live in (something I didn't know when I picked this book up). This really fascinated me because David Farland nails the geography perfect, such as the driving directions from nearby cities to the Tuacahn High School and Amphitheater and how our Best Buy lies in proportion to the freeway. It was exciting to see everything be spot on. The only thing that drove me nuts was his description of the St. George Police Department primarily because I work there. I'll have to give him a pass for not knowing the layout of the inside or some of the procedures that occur there. I'm sure I'll be one of the few bothered by this.

This book is filled with action, conflict, and tension. If it isn't one thing, it is another. There were several times where I thought, "How on earth is Bron going to get out of this mess?" Yet David Farland does a masterful job of resolving the problems in a believable way. Not only that, but he gives us even more insight on the character of Bron Smith, making us cheer for him even more. The action is well-paced as Farland does allow a little bit of a breather now and then. And just as you start to get comfortable, BAM, he throws in another scene of action.

There are even romantic elements throughout the book and I think he does a convincing job of writing how teenagers interact with each other and members of the opposite sex. Bron is not the only point of view character as you will see him through the eyes of three women, two of them being teenage girls. If you like romance in books, this has it but doesn't take things so far that I'd feel uncomfortable having my teenager read it. Except for the violence, this book keeps things in a solid PG rating.

I've heard this described as "Twilight for boys." I think that is a pretty apt description. If contemporary fantasy is your thing, I would highly suggest giving this a shot. However, this is not just for boys. Girls will also enjoy it and might even like it more than Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Series.

That said, two others popular books came to mind as I read Nightingale: the Lorien Legacies/I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore and the Michael Vey Series by Richard Paul Evans. I've read them both and the plot elements share a lot of similarity. I think this is much better than I Am Number Four and I'd put it right on par with Michael Vey. So if you enjoyed either of these books, I can guarantee you'll enjoy this one just as well, if not more.

So, if you haven't figured it out yet, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the sequel. Again, if you like contemporary fantasy then this should be right up your ally. This isn't the epic fantasy that David Farland is usually known for (see his Runelord Series) but I completely enjoyed this just as much.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Excellent

Fast paced, action packed and deep. The character development was amazing. One of the best books I've read in a long time. I will be buying the next two books as soon as they are out. Reminded me of the Mortal Coils series, by Eric Nylund, which I also recommend.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Recommended to fans of the Hunger Games.

This is fast-paced YA sci-fi at its best! Great characters and Farland's strong world-building make this an exciting series to look forward to.

I really enjoyed this book. Didn't think I would at first (it s

I really enjoyed this book. Didn't think I would at first (it sounded a bit "Twilight meets Glee") but on starting it I was, thankfully proved wrong.
The action starts from the get-go and never really lets up till the very last word.
The "Nightingale" of the title is Bron, a 16 year old in care after being abandoned as a baby. He is moved from home to home never really settling. On being moved on from his latest home, he is passed into the care of Olivia who finds that, like herself, Bron is a member of a race of people with special powers who are the next step up the genetic ladder from humans (Super-humans if you like).
There are two types of these "super-humans", one good, one bad and the bad guys want Bron on their side and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
The ideas Mr Farland has here are very clever and the story-telling is top notch. I believe there are 3 more books after this in he series and I for one will be waiting eagerly for the next one.
Highly recommended

Farland wrapped me into this story by pulling my heartstrings fo

Farland wrapped me into this story by pulling my heartstrings for Bron’s situation. I really wanted to see things get better for him. Also, Farland’s attention to detail really brings his book to life, along with great characters. Bron is a very complex character. I was never really sure what he would do or where his loyalty lied even by the end of the book. Will he hold strong to the good in his life? I hope so. The world Farland painted is very cool. I enjoyed the complexity of the plot and neat abilities of the characters. I really enjoyed this book. The only reason I gave it a four stars was because of my personal preference in books. This is what I would call a “smart boy book.” I like these kinds of books, but they don’t make me sigh at the end of them. Also, from the preface, it gave me a sci-fi feel even though it is fantasy. For some reason, it took me halfway through the book to shake that feeling. Sci-fi isn’t my thing, so I had a harder time getting into this book at the beginning, but I kept reading and was glad I did! Farland’s writing is great. If this book sounds up your alley, you will not be disappointed in Farland’s ability to draw you in and captivate you until the end!
Note: I rate this PG-13.

My First Impressions: I was approached by a publicist from the n

My First Impressions: I was approached by a publicist from the new publishing company East India Press, and I was asked to take a look at this new book, Nightingale. It's an enhanced ebook edition that can be used on the Web or on iPad. I had NO idea what any of that meant until I spoke more with the publicist and started to read the novel. As all of my readers know, it's usually my husband's job to do the reviews for ebooks. I typically don't enjoy ebooks as much as I do print. It's just a matter of preference. I like the feeling of a book in my hands. But, this idea of an enhanced ebook novel sounded really clever, so I agreed to check it out.

My Review: Right from the start, there is immediate action and suspense. I was hooked right from the start. Sommer is a strong female character, which it one of the many reasons why I adored this novel. She knows how to defend herself and she doesn’t need to be saved. Sommer has a great mystery to unravel in the very beginning, with the loss of her memory of a very important event that she cannot recall. She has a missing child, her child, who for some reason seems to be very important. Adel Todestall is the head of a man that had kept Sommer captive for many years, Lucius, a wicked being. In order for Sommer to save her sisters lives, she has to find the child. But for what reason? Well, that’s the mystery.

Fast Forward quite a few years and we meet Bron, a young boy who is in foster care with Melvina. He’s been bounced from home to home and doesn’t quite know his place in the world. Pretty much anywhere would be better than living with Melvina, who uses Bron much like a slave and only keeps him around for the payments she receives. Bron is accused of stealing peaches and gets kicked out of his current home and is picked up by his caseworker. In less than an hour, he will have a new family, a new city, and a new home, with hopes that everything new will be better than the old.

Olivia Hernandaz, Bron’s new foster mother, gives us readers more insight into Bron’s background. Some of the events he had to endure as a small child were absolutely horrible. She seemed to be a nice lady who sincerely wanted to make Bron’s life take a turn for the better. She seemed a tad bit eccentric, but good of heart as she tries to make Bron feel welcome to his new life. Olivia decided withen minutes that she would like to adopt Bron, even though the consequences could be enormous. She could be killed for what she is going to do. Bron on the other hand, seems almost confused at all of this newfound good behavior from his adoptive mother. To him, it almost seems too good to be true and he awaits the days when Olivia decided she no longer wants him.

Olivia to me felt more like a best friend then a mother. Yes, she was caring and protective of Bron, but she did some odd things with Bron that seemed more friendly than motherly. I really enjoyed her character though. She was very unique in her own way. She goes on a shopping spree to buy all of the things that will make Bron “a cool teenager,” and at a stop to pick up some electronics, danger awaits.

I don’t want to give away any more spoilers but what follows is a gripping story into Bron’s past and the uncovering of secrets and mysteries that have never before been told. I devoured this entire book in just a couple of hours, and for once I could not walk away from my laptop. The story is extremely intriguing and I just had to keep going to find out what would happen next. This E-book even has its very own soundtrack which is pretty cool!

Everything flowed so easily. The fantastic writing, the pace, and the word-smithing were simply spot-on. It felt like I was experiencing the book, not just reading it. So many digital pages had music and small clip- its of comic-like motion images that really enhanced the reading process. Throughout the text, there are links with Author’s Notes which gives the reader a little more insight into certain phrases or current events, or just the author’s thoughts on whatever is going on. There are also short videos with the author which I found really interesting. It definitely was a completely new experience for me to dive into!

My Final Thoughts: This book ends with a cliff-hanger that made me want to pull out all of my hair. Oh yeah, I became completely attached! I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series, Dream Assassin! I hope it won’t be too long before its release because I simply do not know how much patience I am going to be able to have.

I am SO glad I gave this a try. It really surprised me! I highly, highly suggest giving this book a try when it is release. I cannot emphasize enough just how good this story is! It’s creative, imaginative, and the most unique book I have read this entire year, hands-down!