DARK EDEN: EVE OF DESTRUCTION begins with a mysterious letter delivered on Will Besting's doorstep. A letter simply saying he must gather all of the others who were cured at Fort Eden -- and then they must return. Eve Goring, the caretaker, is dying, and wants to see them with her final breaths to tell them something. But when Will and the others arrive, something is not right. Eve Goring isn't anywhere to be found -- the entire place is empty -- and something is lurking beneath the beautiful pond. And soon -- things begin to unravel, and Will finds himself locked in a deadly game: one that will surely end in somebody's death. The only question is: can Will and his friends survive true terror long enough to make it?
When I saw that Patrick Carman was releasing a sequel to DARK EDEN, I got really excited. The first book ended in a way that definitely tied things together for the characters, and I really did not know how the story could be continued. But after diving in, I could not put the book down. The pages flipped past, and by the time I had reached the end, I was utterly disturbed and utterly thrilled to have journeyed into the dark worlds of Fort Eden and below.
The characters all return for this second installment, now plagued by the ailments they received as part of their cure. Will can barely hear anymore, and he struggles to figure out what is happening in the world around him, while slowly losing the one person he truly cared about: Marisa. The definite standouts this time around are Kate and Will, who are really battling their way through horror after horror as the deadly game of two evil people unfolds around them.
Carman uses the power of misdirection perfectly, and just when you think you know exactly what's happening -- things flip around and he punches you with a left hook from nowhere. The ending pages leave the reader biting fingernails and stressing out. There is also the added potential of a possible way to continue the series, and I really hope Carman does. It would be interesting to see the other parts of this world he has created.
The creepy illustrations throughout are also enough to make you glance around the room while reading, wondering what lurks in the shadows. And with the mobile app and website links to watch bonus videos, the atmosphere DARK EDEN creates is truly disturbing in all the right ways.
I would not recommend reading this one on its own though. Go back first and read DARK EDEN. There are too many little things that will probably be confusing to a reader new to the series. Both books are worth it. If you're in for a creepy read, look no farther than DARK EDEN: EVE OF DESTRUCTION.
Now revenge is the only cure.
