The Shock of Night is an immersive epic fantasy

The Shock of Night by Patrick W Carr Pub Date: November 3, 2015 Description

After an encounter with a dying man leaves him with astonishing powers, Willet Dunham is drawn into an epic conflict that threatens his entire land. Review It is always wonderful to discover a talented new author, and Patrick W Carr is definitely talented. I devoured The Shock of Night in a single evening. I simply couldn't put the book down. The world created by Carr is rich in complexity. There are a limited number of gifts (magic). These take a specific form and are generally passed within families. Rarely does a gift appear in an unexpected individual. Those with gifts are viewed as superior and separate. As the king's reeve, Lord Willet Dura is the least of the nobility, charged with keeping the peace and solving crimes. While unpopular with his fellow nobles, he is known amongst the poor for his justice and compassion. When an elderly cleric and his guard are attacked and left for dead, Dura's world turns upside down. When Dura comes in contact with the dying cleric, he is given a powerful and dangerous gift- one that others will go to great lengths to control. Hunted by a secret society, as well as as an enemy that only emerges in darkness, Dura may not live long enough to make use of the gift. The Shock of Night immerses the reader in a richly imagined world, filled with characters who are complex, neither fully good nor fully evil. Dura may or may not be mad, but he is an honorable man who wants to protect his king and the people of his city. The Vigil claim to be good, but they do not view lesser individuals as valuable. Carr does an excellent job of timing revelations, keeping readers entranced. The Shock of Night is a commendable piece of epic fantasy, equal to those of classic authors such as Raymond E Feist, Brent Weeks, and Terry Brooks. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy. 5/5 I received a copy of The Shock of Night from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. --Crittermom http://muttcafe.com/2015/11/the-shock-of-night/