The Dark Ones

Wow! I absolutely loved this book and I mean Loved This Book. When I first heard about this novel I said, "Oh this sounds like an okay read." Then I read the first couple of pages and I still wasn't sure if the book would keep my interest. After the first chapter I was hooked. Izzo did a great job keeping the suspense and action consistent throughout the novel and after each chapter I was left wanted. When I put down the book so I could sleep, I was a little disappointed. The villains in the novel are called the Dark Ones and they are scary. They come out at night and have a merry time killing everything in their sights. A gun won't do anything and you can try to run, but they'd most likely get you. The only way to kill a Dark One is with the power of Light and only a select few wield this power, they are called Guardians. But there are too many Dark Ones and Guardians are getting killed. There is only one person who could end this. A teenage girl named Sara. The characters were fleshed out really well. One character that I took an instant liking too was Reverend Frank. He's a Guardian, but during the duration of the novel he ends up doing morally questionable things, all for the greater good of course. Despite some of his actions, I did think he was a strong character and a good leader to the Guardians. I think my only disappointment was that the book wasn't longer. This was the first time I've read anything from Anthony Izzo, but if the rest of his books are as gripping as this one then it certainly won't be the last. This is a fantastic book that had me on the edge of my seat.

An abandoned brewery in Buffalo is planned for demolition, but Charles Pennington goes to extraordinary lengths to prevent that from happening. Charles is a Guardian battling the forces of darkness with his ability to shine light on those who can only live in the dark. Sixteen years ago Charles defeated Satan's demon Engle and buried him in the brewery with the Everlight that keeps this evil from rising. However, the machine operators dig up Engle separating him from the Everlight. Sara, who just learned that her mother Laura Pennington, Charles' granddaughter, is alive is heading to Buffalo while the father of her heart follows her because he loves her; he fears Engel being on the loose will come after her. She is the most powerful Guardian walking the earth today and knows she is the only one who can stop Engel if she can recover the Everlight. Failure means hell on earth. Initially no one believes demons exist except for the Guardians, but hideous clues pile up that prove the DARK ONES walk the earth continuing an eternal war as Engel sends his evil horde out to spread death. The story line is creepy yet an exciting horror thriller filled with plenty of gory action scenes that are critical to the characterization of how malevolent the Dark Ones are. Told from the viewpoint of multiple characters, the audience feels for those brave souls risking more than just their lives knowing some will die battling the Dark Ones. Harriet Klausner