Book Review: Redbacks, Book Two of As Darkness Ends, by Aaron Crocco

Redbacks
Book Two of As Darkness Ends
Aaron Crocco

An earthquake brings New York City, and the world, to its knees. James Cole is saved by Tuckey, who befriends him in the chaotic aftermath. James is focused on trying to go home to his wife, but then darkness descends, demonic creatures appear, and all Hell breaks loose.

So we have an apocalyptic, end of days scenario. I liked the concept of the cataclysmic events and destruction of much of the human race, coupled with a supernatural angle. I didn't say "religious" angle, as the author was careful not to pin down specific religious deities or beliefs...it's a spiritual walk for any faith. The story is about good vs. evil. Demons and darkness and dread, oh my!

This is a fast-action, quickly-moving novella that doesn't stop to breathe...much like the characters' lives. There is good detail about the destruction; you are able to see and feel the grit.

I'm not typically drawn to novellas for the simple reason that they tend to have a quick pace that doesn't allow me to get to know my characters, or immerse me in the story. This story was no different.

I found the writing very basic. This is a tension-filled story, yet it was not written in a way that made me feel tense. There were times I didn't believe some of the emotions, because I didn't *feel* what the character was supposedly feeling. The beginning of the story, especially, seemed to try too hard. The author's descriptive prose fell far short of its goal, resulting in clunky sentences that didn't flow naturally, causing me to re-read them to get the jist of the author's intent. Run-on sentences were another issue for me.

I'm not quite sure I understood the end. Again, the fast, novella pace could be to blame. I would have liked things to slow down so I could absorb what was happening, especially with the wrap-up.

So, fast-paced, good concept; however, it could have better execution. At least for me. If you like your stories shorter rather than longer, you may give this one a try, and if you like action-filled, fast-paced stories, Redbacks may be just the kind of pace that you like.

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