Rating: 
Summary: Just like a second of three, but better than most
Review: 'when true night falls' is one of the better books i've read. while it's not as good as the other two in the trilogy, it adds a lot to the characters we love so much, father damien and the undead male-vixen tarrant. it shows that tarrant's heart isn't cold and dead like the rest of him and that damien does have a soft spot for best, if unwilling, friend. c.s. friedman's attention to detail is extraordinary, and FINALLY! an author who uses a child as a hero, not a victim. not the best second in a trilogy, but what second every is? i still give it five stars.
Rating:
Summary: Just like a second of three, but better than most
Review: 'when true night falls' is one of the better books i've read. while it's not as good as the other two in the trilogy, it adds a lot to the characters we love so much, father damien and the undead male-vixen tarrant. it shows that tarrant's heart isn't cold and dead like the rest of him and that damien does have a soft spot for best, if unwilling, friend. c.s. friedman's attention to detail is extraordinary, and FINALLY! an author who uses a child as a hero, not a victim. not the best second in a trilogy, but what second every is? i still give it five stars.
Rating:
Summary: this books is so freakin good!!!
Review: all 3 of these books are soo freakin good ahh i love em! i highly recomend them!
Rating: 
Summary: Superior to the First
Review: Almost everyone I spoke to who had read this series said that the second book was not as good as the first. Possibly as a result of this, my expectations were not as high, but I have to disagree. Though in structure, it's similar, and you could even argue that this volume is a rehash of the first book, I felt that this book was done better than the first one.
In the beginning of this novel, the characters from the first book are arriving at their destination: the lost civilization, the eastern continent, settled by a group of religious pilgrims centuries before. The priest Damien Vryce finds a culture and nation that realizes his dearest dreams of a civilization ruled by his religion, where the faith in his God holds dominance in the hearts and minds of its people. But it is soon revealed that all is not as it seems in this new land, and the companions find themselves on a trek to the south to discover the source of the evil that has insinuated itself into the civilization.
In that regard, it is a rehash. Much of the book is spent traveling again, and this is the part I found a bit tedious. This book could have been about 100 pages shorter if the unnecessary overland journey section were shortened. But I felt that the reasons behind the actions certain characters take were a bit more well established than in the first volume of the trilogy. The characters also change and grow along the way, and the characterization is better in this volume than the previous. In the course of this novel, we learn who the true enemy is, and this sets up the plot of the third novel.
One of the problems I had with this book was the title. The author took pains to define what True Night meant in the first book, and it doesn't really come into play for this one. The plot or resolution doesn't hinge on the fall of Erna's True Night, nor does anything happen on such an event. You could take the figurative stance that True Night in this case doesn't mean a literal True Night, but a state of hopelessness or deception. But it would be a weak stance. Also the coldfire doesn't really enter into it much, either. but they're catchy phrases, so they make decent titles.
Despite the lengthy travel spanning the middle section of the novel, it moves along at a pretty good pace. The tension builds up well, and there are some gripping moments near the end where you really can't put the book down. So don't be put off by people saying this is a boring middle-novel where nothing really happens. This is where the real foundation of the climax to the trilogy is being set down.
Rating:
Summary: I'm going to cry!
Review: Don't ask my why. This book is very emotional and intense and very action-packed, and the end, well, the end made me cry. I don't want to give anything away, but let's just say that this book gets you attached to the characters and to feel the desperation of certain situations, and so, when something sad happens, it's very very sad. But I'm giving a wrong impression. This book is far from a tragedy. It's the fast-paced sequel to Black Sun Rising, that most excellent of books, though this one is better, being more effective. In this book you learn a lot more about Erna, sacrifices, the turning of Tarrant: how a man revered as "prophet" could become the "Hunter" a vampire-like adept. I adore passages in this book that were so descriptive that I was there alongside the characters and the dialogue between Damien and Tarrant, those antagonistic allies, - well those are priceless. I keep rereading chapters over and over, getting a thrill over how closely attached I feel to this world and this cast. The mix of theology with SF and fantasy (even a skillful dab of horror) kept the story original in a genre that is afflicted with formulaic creations. The author's imagination in creating the fae and a character so utterly "cool" but complex as Tarrant (the Hunter) is pretty astounding. If I've convinced you that this book is as great as it is, then you must first read Black Sun Rising and after reading this one, read Crown of Shadows. I assure you, the Coldfire Trilogy is worth it.
Rating:
Summary: I was blown away...
Review: First I was uncertain I would like this one after Black Sun Rising eclipsed everything else. I also worried that the plot would be weak, but let me tell you, When True Night Falls is my favorite of the Coldfire Trilogy. Damien begins to understand the nature of Tarrant's transformation from the Prophet to the Hunter. Their relationship is explored more deeply, and you see sides of Tarrant you had hoped, but weren't sure, were there. I loved this book so much, and some parts were so moving I cried. I think the action in this book was excellently executed and that you can really picture the desperation that the characters go throw as they confront the obstacles in their path to the enemy. The theological discussuions in this book really got me thinking. This book is not your usual rainbow-dragon-magic-and-princess kind of fantasy. It's gritty and intelligent and just an overall WOW. Be sure to read the last in this series, Crown of Shadows.
Rating:
Summary: When Sc. Fict, Dark Fantasy, horror and ideology melt
Review: First, let me say that it is truly difficult to write a review on this book.
C.S. Friedman has created a world melted with sc. fiction, dark fantasy, horror, ideology on God (that one can make you irritated some times on how priest Damien Kilcannon Vryce can be silly with his prayers and his moral about...(read it, you'll see), but well, that's part of the 3 book).
The pattern between fae and human mind is so complex to explain that i will not try to explain it, so it is why i've put and excerpt of the back of the book. (....fae, a terrifying natural force with the power to prey upon the human mind itself, drawing forth a person's worst nightmare images or most treasured dreams and indiscriminately giving them life) So that much complex is kind of difficult to sort out sometimes and then i didn't knew if the author understood herself, but it makes sens, even if you have a look at all the details (if it is possible with that lot of developped details on how the fae interact with human minds and the complexity of Erna, the planet (so it is why she didn't make a map because it would have took too much time only for that so she says)) in the 3 books and look carefully for contradiction.
It is truly amazing on how the genius of c.s. friedman can make such logical sens out of this melting of many varied genre.She barely created a genre, so to speak
Quests may vary book to book but it is always based upon volcano (the planet is seismically active from many places).
Nonetheless, that does not make the series dull because of that.
The sorcery is very different of usual fantasy books, because it is not magic, it is part of the planet as we breath air, and again, it is really hard to explain in few words. The difinition of evil is very different too.As the genre evil against evil to save humankind. Like demons, as an exemple, are very different from classical fantasy (why they exist, how they lives etc.).
That's it.
A must for anyone that is not too rational
This review goes for the trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: C.S. continues a wonderful, and powerful epic
Review: Following a deep and thinking debut, C.S. continues to make us think about not only the power of the characters but also about our own religious connections and meanings. I found the book to be of the kind you don't want to put down. If you like deep thinking and meaningful Fanatasy I would say that this book and its series is a must for your home library.
Rating: 
Summary: Ups and Downs
Review: Generally entertaining, though someone has to teach the author to be a bit more consise. Drags on endlessly in places. Some genuinly gripping parts, if you have the patience.One thing almost ruined this book for me. The author has an incessant crutch. One word is utterly used utterly too often. It's utterly ridiculous how utterly often the auther falls back on this utter word. Almost utterly laughable after a point. I'll leave you in utter confusion as to what this word might be. It's not entirely the author's fault, either - whoever edited this book ought to be fired. A decent storyline utterly compromised by such an utterly irritating crutch. That said, it was good enough that I'll probably finish the trilogy, just to see what all the fuss at the end is about. Part of me resents reading a whole book that serves no purpose but to set up another, but such is the publishing biz these days.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, well-written, and beautiful
Review: I bought this book after my boyfriend gave me the first in the series, Black Sun Rising. I'm always on the lookout for a good book with some length to it, and these are a solid 500+ pages each. I cannot express how much I loved this book. The prose is fluid and lovely, with an easy-to-read style. C.S. Friedman is a fantasy genius, and her vision of a technology-starved future is vivid and imaginative. I have read this book four times and never get tired of it. The characters, especially Damien Vryce and Gerald Tarrant, are wrought in such strong imagery and intensity that one feels a kinship with them. Read this book.
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