Customer Reviews

Son of Darkness

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although all of the favorable reviewers seem to agree that this book begs a sequel, it isn't dependent upon one because the conflict is resolved by the end of the story. It's just that the two main characters, Denise Sheridan and Ilaron Highborn, have finally become a team by the end of the book, and the reader just wants to see more of them.

This book provided an interesting view of the Unseelie court of Faerie, somewhat different than that of Laurell K. Hamilton or Emma Bull. This is a place of no sun, no joy, no love. Pain and torture are everyday occurances and advancement within the society is through assasination. There is no such thing as family loyalty. It is a much darker and bleaker place than other depictions.

Ilaron Highborn is considered to be a heretic within that culture because he has decided to turn away from the Darkness. Even though he renounced his claims to the Unseelie throne, no one believes him because no one tells the truth there. He escapes to the human realm and sets himself up as an art dealer. Ms. Sherman has created an interesting character in Ilaron, and fleshes him out by explaining the adaptations he's had to make to deal with exposure to the sun and the ever-present iron, which is deadly to the Faerie. Denise Sheridan is a curator of Mesopotamian art at a NYC museum, which is a thinly disguised copy of the Metropolitan. She is an annoyance to the museum director who considers her department not flashy enough to bring in the crowds and the money. Her work brings her into contact with Ilaron, and her historical expertise ultimately puts her in jeopardy.

While this isn't a romance, per se, there is a growing relationship between Ilaron and Denise based upon two rather lonely people from totally different cultures coming to understand and appreciate the other. Of course, this being an urban fantasy, there other beings involved - the ruler of the Unseelie who is trying to destroy Ilaron, a group of cultists who want to kill Denise, and a released Assyrian/Babylonian Demon of Disease who is set loose in NYC and wants to destroy Denise because she has the knowledge to banish it. Innocents and not-so-innocents are harmed, battles occur, and ultimately one side triumphs. I really enjoyed this book and hope that someday there'll be a sequel.

I really enjoyed reading this book! The characters were intriguing and you could feel them evolving as the story progressed. Ilaron's struggle with his dark side and Denise's intelligence and wit were a striking combination. They definately deserve a chance to grow further. Why not five stars? Well, the plot was slightly forced in areas and the motivations of the villians were somewhat shaky, but the chemistry between the two protagonists kept me hooked. Please, Ms. Sherman, write a sequel!

This was my first introduction to Josepha Sherman's writing and it certainly will not be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The two main characters were wonderfully written. Ilaron and Denise are quite a team. I really cared what happened to these two people. This, to me, is a sign of good writing; a book that I will keep and read again. How many times have we each picked up a book only to become so uninvolved with the characters that we finish it just to be finishing it, and give it away to the library or some person (usually someone we don't like) as quickly as possible. I hope the author writes about these people again. I sense many good, interesting stories in their future. The interaction and humor were outstanding, especially Ilaron's reaction to the human world that we take so much for granted. Definitely a book to be read at one sitting.

This book made me contact Josepha Sherman herself and beg her to write a sequel. I really liked the intellegent way the two main characters observed and reacted to the events around them. Too often I find myself sighing in frustration wondering just WHY the characters did this or HOW they knew to do that...with Son of Darkness everything followed logically from one character's actions to another's deductions and their reaction. Also the relationship between Denise and Ilaron was great. I'm just as glad Ms. Sherman didn't rush them into some kind of forced romance. That is, at least not in the first book. Please, please, please there has to be a sequel though...

There are a lot of positive reviews here, and they're right on. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I was impressed when Sherman actually had Denise reciting a real Mesopotamian prayer.

The initial demon-worshipping villains made perfect sense to me - there are lots and lots of inadequate people out there dreaming of power from nowhere. There is a problem, at least to me, with the notion of "dark elves," but that's because I've decided that elves, dark, light, hangin' out in LA, NYC, or fairyland, are getting old.

Why the 3 star review? Because I liked it, and I will buy a sequel without hesitation, but I only liked it. We are guilty, here, of review inflation. Was this Lord of the Rings? No? Then don't give it a five. This was fun, it was adequate, and I don't regret buying it, or reading it, or recommending it. What I want to make clear is that it isn't profound, or life changing.

Another thing - part of me wants a sequel. But if Josepha Sherman decides to leave Ilaron and Denise right where they are, that's fine, too. Especially if it means she's going on to a new project, as entertaining as this one.

Good book, read it, and pass it on.

Dark, mysterious Ilaron teams up with plucky Denise Sheridan, a museum curator. Through Ilaron, Denise discovers that the worlds she reads about in her beloved fantasy novels may not be completely fictional after all. Ilaron is handsome, strong, wealthy, and he harbors a secret past that no one on this earth could imagine. Once a cult leader fixates on Denise and attempts to offer her as a sacrifice to call an ancient goddess, Ilaron and Denise are thrown into a chaotic, dangerous quest to stop the destruction of this realm. Together they must fight Lamashtu, an arrogant, bored and powerful goddess, as well as Kerezar, a dangerous nemesis from Ilaron's past.
This was a relatively enjoyable read. There is a great deal of humor as both Ilaron and Kerezar struggle in a world full of technology and bizarre pop culture. Denise is interesting enough as the heroine of the story, but she buys into Ilaron's story of his secret identity a bit too quickly to be believable. What you won't find in this book is strong writing or a complex plot. Everything is pretty straight forward and moves quickly toward the predictable climax. SON is probably best suited as a young adult novel; the reader does not really have to guess at anything throughout the story. It's amusing, it's a quick read, and there are moments in the book that are quite enjoyable. Overall, I found it lacking challenge and depth, but if you are looking for something that is quick and light, this might be just the thing.

I just can't say how much I love this book. Alot. Extremely much. Denise and Ilaron are characters you won't forget, and after reading this book, you'll be dying for a sequel.

Ilaron is a "Dark Elf" escaped from Sidhe-Land to lead a normal life as an art collecter and dealer. He's delicious. He's got long black hair and wicked cool shades. Yum yum yum. Denise is an museum curator, helping Ilaron fight bad Sumerian demons. No, no, really, there's more to it than that, but I shan't be giving it away.

Elves. Swords. Subway Trains. The perfect modern elf fantasy... I'd recommend this book to all Fantasy and Sci-Fi readers. Josepha Sherman never disapoints.

It may not be the most profound book out there, but it's a good light read. The only thing that bothered me was that I didn't feel that elves and Sumerian demons really fit together. The cultural backgrounds are too different. It would have seemed more harmonious if Ilaron had been more along the lines of Gilgamesh.

I read this book on the strength of its reviews--with trepidations, since I am also sick of the idea that New York City is the Center of the Universe. As soon as I finished the book, though, I hurried to update my EYES notifications to include books by this author. The plot is fun, with a lot of inherent humor, and the characters are written with affection and sympathy. While the book lacks some depth and polish, it kept me grinning from ear to ear most of the time. I especially enjoyed the ingenious details of how Ilaron, a former member of the Unseelie Court, has adapted to modern urban life. Fun and charming, overall. I don't even mind if the author sets a sequel in NYC, as long as there IS a sequel!

As with every book I've read published by Roc, "Son of Darkness" is forthright and simplistic. Josepha Sherman weaves togeather good basic story elements, but misses the depth and development of details and character that make a good fantasy novel convincing. There are some excellent and imaginative touches, such as the relationship between magic and electrical energy, but overall it was disappointing.