Dawn of Night

Rating:
Summary: Gritty continuation of the adventures of Erevis Cale
Review: Dawn of Night is a worthy sequel to the epic adventures of Erevis Cale started in Twilight Falling.

DoN picks up where Twilight ended and takes us on a journey through several different settings, each interesting and thought provoking in its own way. DoN gives us a feel for the Antagonist of the trilogy and lets us into other preparations being made to further his overall objective. The Pace is quick, and the detailed fight scenes are very well done. As always, Mr. Kemp does a very good job of giving a feel for the setting and mood in order to add to the story line. The characters are well defined and each is interesting separately. The protagonists are evolving as the trilogy continues, which gives them a 'real person' feel.

This book delves into the grittier side of the story, in a way not seen often in this genera. The surprising ending makes one wait for the final book in the trilogy with eager anticipation.


Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly... Disappointed
Review: I have read the Forgotten Realms series for over four years. When Paul S. Kemp came along in Shadow's Witness, I was immediately impressed by the darkness and overall more bloody action and or violence in it. (violence/bloodshed/cruelty is realism people, come on)

The first book of this Trilogy was equally impressing, so I had high hopes for this one but was let down... I am not even for sure why the Sojourner character wants all this power, and how he is able to do it, without Mystra stepping in on him, also Kemp's character Cale is supposed to be worshipping Mask, but Cale is trying to be anything but semi-neutral. He reminds me of a Drizzt Do'Urden gone white, and extremely bald... While reading the book, I really wanted Magadon or "Mags" to die a horrible death, though he got cut up severly by Serrin in the end, the honorable halfling Jak Fleet was there to heal him. I noticed that throughout the entire book whenever someone got seriously injured there just happened to be some magical power and or regeneration going on. Anyways, I was happy to see that Riven turned on Cale, but as to what will happen into book three I can already guess. That somehow Cale will get his revenge on Riven, and the Sojourner will not gain whatever power he was trying to obtain in the first place. Aziriim will die, probably Mags will die, and Fleet will go home peacefully smoking his leaf.

I just hope Paul S. Kemp will bring the last book of the War of the Spiderqueen to a great end and will not let something like this happen again.

Finally I would like to say that Wizards of the Coast needs to let the authors expand their imaginations and let them write more. Almost every Realms book I read when it comes down to 100pgs left in the book and the Heroes are 10,000 miles away from their appointed destiny, there comes some teleportation device and or magical ferry that picks them up and takes them there.... what is up with the 350pgs books? They are TOO SHORT!!!

Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended
Review: I really enjoyed the second chapter in the tale of Cale and friends and am looking forward to the final (?) installment.

Each character gets enough center stage to satisfy everyone, and their development is real. These are flawed characters with some problems and real issues which allows the reader to more intimately identify with one or more of them.

If you're a fan of Riven (and who doesn't like the one-eyed scoundral?), then the Dawn of Night is an absolute must read! Riven's development in this book is surprising, shocking, and well done. I won't give anything away, but I will say that Mr. Kemp has proven that things aren't as they always first appear.

Jak continues to be the loyal friend, always there when the chips are down and serving as a moral compass at times for Cale. Mags is a great addition and I'm glad to see a well written psion and am looking forward to reading more of him. And as usual, Cale stoicly moves ahead doing what he knows must be done.

All in all, an excellent read. The scenes in Skullport are worth the price alone. I highly recommend this book and the series.

Till we meet in Skullport,

The Bat

Rating:
Summary: A Excellent Read
Review: Kemp is in his usual form. Dawn of Night picks up events right after Twilight Falling and continues at a pounding pace. The Plane of Shadows and Skullport are so well-described I could almost taste the foul air.

The book opens with a very interesting scene involving the Sojourner, the slaads' master hinted at in Twilight Falling. He is powerful! The book then moves to Cale and his group. Cale must deal with a life-changing transformation, and Riven also seems to be undergoing something. Magadon's past is explained and I found him a very intriguing character.

The action is, as usual, well described but not gratuitous. Kemp's pacing is excellent and the end of the book leaves me pining for book III.

Rating:
Summary: Masterful Writing Continues
Review: Paul S. Kemp continues what is arguably shaping-up as the best trilogy ever published by Wizards of the Coast. Although some authors may currently be better known for their previous contributions to the Forgotten Realms' setting, Mr. Kemp has served notice that he is elevating the art of crisp, captivating storytelling to whole new heights. He accomplishes this through believeable, interesting, and conflicted characters, witty and realistic dialogue, vivid locations, sights and sounds, flowing action sequences, and consistent, intelligent and purposeful plotting, which, from the very beginning, immediately immerses the reader (nearly cinematically) into the fantastic world of Faerun.

With Dawn of Night, Paul S. Kemp doesn't miss a beat in making this second chapter of the Erevis Cale trilogy as equally compelling as his first book, Twilight Falling. As others have outlined some of the plot lines, I'll refrain from doing so again. However, for the reader who is looking to truely suspend disbelief, while continuing to race with Cale and his companions on an engrossing and supremely imaginative quest, there is no greater fantasy fiction available than what Mr. Kemp has furnished with Dawn of Night, and its predecessor, Twilight Falling.

Rating:
Summary: Erevis Cale for President
Review: This second of the three about the First of Five is a great read. Mr. Kemp does an excellent job, as always, of providing characters with believable details undertaking epic tasks. The gritty characters of Cale and Riven are impressive enough to inspire several copy-cat characters for those of us that read and play the RPGs. The ending is another terrific cliff-hanger which leaves us waiting and wondering "When is the next book Mr. Kemp?"