Dusk [Paperback]

Tim Lebbon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 31, 2006

Kosar the thief senses that Rafe Baburn is no ordinary boy. After witnessing a madman plunder Rafe's village and murder his parents, Kosar knows the boy needs his help. And now, for a reason he cannot fathom, others are seeking the boy's destruction.

Uncertain where to begin, Kosar turns to A'Meer, an ex-lover and Shantasi warrior whose people, unbeknownst to him, have been chosen to safeguard magic's return. A'Meer knows instantly that it is Rafe who bears this miracle of magic. Now Kosar and a band of unexpected allies embark on a battle to protect one special boy. For dark forces are closing in–including the Mages, who have been plotting their own triumphant return.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Well-drawn characters and a literate way with the grisly distinguish this first of a new fantasy series from Stoker-winner Lebbon (Desolation). Long after the Cataclysmic War that devastated the world and banished magic, the Mages are trying to ensure that the magic, if it returns, is under their control. When farm boy Rafe Baburn shows signs of magical gifts, the Mages send their relentless minions, the Red Monks, in pursuit. Rafe must flee for his life, but fortunately he finds allies in a thief, a woman warrior and a scholarly witch. Many of the well-handled action scenes are from the bad guys' point-of-view, an unusual perspective that helps round out the author's fantasy world. The climactic battle, a variation on the classic raising of the dead, offers an ambiguous outcome that presumably will be resolved in the sequel.
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Review

"Well-drawn characters and a literate way with the grisly distinguish this first of a new fantasy series from Stoker-winner Lebbon.... any of the well-handled action scenes are from the bad guys' point-of-view, an unusual perspective that helps round out the author's fantasy world."—Publishers Weekly

"Tim Lebbon displays the sort of cool irony and uncanny mood-making that drive the best Twilight Zone stories."—New York Times Book Review

“This is fantasy for grown-ups….An excellent book.”—Paul Kearney

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Spectra (January 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553383647
• ISBN-13: 978-0553383645
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #570,522 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've been published for ten years now, and you can find out loads about me at my website www.timlebbon.net. I'm the author of over thirty books, including the Noreela series of fantasy books (Dusk, Dawn, Fallen and The Island), the NY Times Bestselling novelisation of the movie 30 Days of Night, and several books with Christopher Golden, including The Map of Moments and the forthcoming Secret Journeys of Jack London for Harper. I've also written several screenplays and some TV proposals. I've won several prestigious awards, and some of my work has been optioned for the big screen.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "Fantasy for grown-ups", April 7, 2006

By 

Adam Craig (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Dusk (Paperback)

Dusk is probably one of the darkest, most disturbing fantasy tales that I have ever read. Tim Lebbon creates an extremely interesting, mysterious world (Noreela) that is full of insane people, creatures, and drugs.

Dusk follows the journey of Rafe Baburn, an innocent young farm boy who is being hunted by the Red Monks. The Red Monks were formed after the Cataclysmic War 300 years ago to make sure that the Mages could never get magic again. To ensure that, magic has been completely drained from the land, and the Monks are out to destroy anything that could possibly bring magic back for the Mages to take control of (this includes Rafe). After some gruesome encounters with the Red Monks, Rafe sets out with his band of supporters (a thief, a Shantasi warrior, a witch, a librarian, and a drugged-out fledge miner) to get away from the Monks and find some protection in Noreela.

While the plot of Dusk is really interesting and seemingly original, the book is hampered at many moments by Lebbon's writing style. Most great fantasy anthologies are great because not only are the stories good, but we also grow to love and root for the characters. That is basically impossible in Dusk because Lebbon is constantly switching the narration around from character to character, just so, it seems, he can get as many different angles on the story as possible. Since we never really get to know any character, I found myself completely uncaring when the battle came at the end of the book. Also, I was absolutely clueless as to what was actually happening to the main characters, and I think that Lebbon was pretty clueless too, considering he never gives any real descriptions of what is actually going on so the reader can have any visual in their own mind.

I am going to reserve final judgement on this novel until the sequel, Dawn, comes out next year. Because for all of the faults that this novel has, Lebbon definitely has created some interesting groups of people, just not interesting specific characters. Actually, the land of Noreela is one of the most interesting fantasy worlds that I think I have ever read. So I still believe that Lebbon can save this book if he focuses more on characters in Dawn, and actually gives the reader some information as to what is going on in the land of Noreela. But overall, I would say this is an OK fantasy debut for an author who has stuck to traditional horror in the past. Hopefully it goes upward from here.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Please make this into a movie, November 22, 2006

By 

PG "2 Many PS3 game...Too little time" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dusk (Paperback)

What can I say? This book rocked!! It was brutal, violent, ugly, scary while at the same time being poetic, poignant and beautiful. I love the land that was created, Noreela. There are so many stories that could happen in this land!! I am glad to hear that Lebbon has a few more planned.
I cannot wait for Dawn to come out!

This is the second book that I have read by Lebbon. The first was Berserk. I liked that book but it really wasn't anything I hadn't seen before. The ending of Berserk did not surprise me either. Whatever you do, fight the temptation to read the ending of Dusk first. I was so shocked that I read the last page a couple times to be sure that I read it right. Wow!

This would make a simply awesome movie. Rated R of course. I think Peter Jackson could really do something with this.

When I began reading this book, I couldn't help draw parallels between this book and Stephen King's Dark Tower. You have the Post Apocalyptic world which is "running down", you have ancient machines that no longer work, you have the decline of civilization, plus the Quest. Boy was I wrong! This book is so dark that it makes King's Work appear downright cheerful. Where King sprinkles humor in his story, Lebbon sprinkles despair. I know that the Dark Tower has its dark moments but you always have a feeling that the good will probably win out in the end. This story...not so much!

Ignore the idiots who say that this book is boring. I was never bored! I purposely read the book slowly so I could absorb this strange world and get to know its occupants. These characters are absolutely magical. You start the story thinking that the Red Monks were bad... Well I don't want to ruin it. Read this book!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Dusk made me sleepy..., March 24, 2006

By 

Eric the Red (Sunny California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dusk (Paperback)

DUSK is usually the kind of book I would love. Dig the ideas, but the execution of it bored me after a while.

I don't get all the high marks it is recieving. To each his own, I suppose. I found it quite slow, with no clear-cut, much-needed descriptions. Way too vague for my tastes.

Not as good as Chris Golden.