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Nightingale
**Now when you purchase Nightingale, you are helping a brain trauma victim. Visit www.HelpWolverton.com for more info**
Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Thrown into foster care, he was rejected by one family after another, until he met Olivia, a gifted and devoted high-school teacher who recognized him for what he really was--what her people call a "nightingale."
But Bron isn't ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know. Bron's secret may be the most dangerous of all.
Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Thrown into foster care, he was rejected by one family after another, until he met Olivia, a gifted and devoted high-school teacher who recognized him for what he really was--what her people call a "nightingale."
But Bron isn't ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know. Bron's secret may be the most dangerous of all.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
16 people are currently reading
1231 people want to read
About the author
David Farland
155 books1,201 followersDavid Farland is the author of the bestselling Runelords series, including Chaosbound, The Wyrmling Horde and Worldbinder. He also writes science-fiction as David Wolverton. He won the 1987 Writers of the Future contest, and has been nominated for a Nebula Award and a Hugo Award. Farland also works as a video game designer, and has taught writing seminars around the U.S. and Canada. He lives in Saint George, Utah. He passed away on January 14, 2022.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidf...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidf...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
April 12, 2013
The premise of this book was really interesting to me. Bron James has lived his entire life in the foster care system, being shunted from one home to another, while he slowly cuts himself off from caring about anyone else. Everything changes when his newest foster parent, Olivia, recognizes him as one of her own people. His heritage gives him superhuman abilities, but also places him, and everyone around him, in incredible danger.
Aside from the prologue--which I thought was way too spoileriffic, especially given how much angst Bron has about his mother not wanting him--I enjoyed the early chapters. Bron seemed like a interesting character and a fairly realistic portrayal of a teenager boy who had been in foster care so long. Then he meets Olivia and I figured that this was where it was about to get good.
And then it didn't.
For one thing, the pacing and tone of the book was so bizarre. We'd go from foster mom showering gifts on new son in an over-the-top attempt to make him cool (seriously, the way Bron being "cool" was SO important to Olivia, especially when she really should have been making him BLEND IN really bothered me) to super-intense action scenes involving Olivia whipping out firearms in the blink of an eye...and then we'd go right back to Bron trying to fit in at his new school and be popular. This happens throughout the book. Bad, weird stuff happens, then Bron goes right back to teenage life, seemingly little affected. Some of this can be explained by but most of it can't.
And then there were the characters. I get that Bron is supposed to be a lone wolf, closed off to others, and the idea that he might be a sociopath is suggested several times throughout the book. He's not supposed be a highly emotive or unambiguously "good guy". We're not supposed to always be rooting for him. But if we're not going to be able to connect that way to the protagonist, there better be some pretty awesome supporting characters to make us like them and care about them, right?
Not so much.
Olivia frustrated me to no end. She's presented as the perfect mother figure for Bron--they're of the same people, they resemble each other, she's an extremely talented artist in Bron's area of interest...I could go on. She's supposedly a phenomenal teacher that all the students adore. But let's take a look at what her actions say about her: Then, there's how shallow she seems. She does bond with Bron and does genuinely care about him and want to help him, but it seems ridiculously important to her that Bron is cool. Bron has to have the most expensive khaki pants--not even the best, or the most stylish, LITERALLY, the most expensive. He has to have designer clothes to wear on the weekends. He has to have the latest iPod and a new car--not just a car, but a new, high end car. Olivia gives him a super-trendy makeover, including having one of his ears pierced. It would be one thing if being cool was really important to Bron, but Olivia is the one who instigates all of this. It comes across almost as Olivia wanting a cool son as a status symbol, or that she would be embarrassed if her son wasn't cool.
Her marriage with Mike was really troubling to me as well. The book insists that they love each other and are happy but that doesn't change the fact that Olivia takes in and plans to adopt a teenager without consulting Mike, and seemingly only decided to foster initially because she felt jealous of his cows. Seriously.
The other characters are so one-dimensional they don't even leave a shadow. There's Galadriel, aka "If this was a horror movie, I would be the first to die", at least until at which point she becomes Tour Guide Barbie with laser focus. Then there's Whitney, who we can tell is the good love interest and not the slutty one because she's just average pretty and sings country music. There's the petty, vindictive small-town cop who doesn't hesitate to abuse his power and his highschool clone--I mean, son.
The Draghouls, the villains of the piece, are physically present and doing stuff throughout the book, but they don't leave much of an impact. Maybe it's because they're so cold and restrained that they don't emotionally resonate with the reader. Maybe it's because they never actually succeed in doing anything too threatening.
I found the ethics of the book pretty creepy. There are few brightlines drawn between the Draghouls and the Ael--it's all about the ends , not the means, which disturbed me--and the Ael constantly do things that I found morally questionable at the least. Occasionally, Bron also questions these, and I was hoping that they would get called out on their behavior, but nope. Then there's the fact that Bron is constantly perving on every female he meets--including his foster mom--and everyone is constantly excusing it because hormones. What??? Having hormones, even super-musaak hormones, does not make it okay to lust after your foster mom. Speaking of these super-hormones, Bron is told that he will soon go into heat (okay, so there's a sci-fi term for it, but that's what it is) and exude a musk that will make every fertile female of his species for miles around come to mate with him. Olivia does say she will go away so that she won't be affected, but she also tells him it will be his duty not to avoid this and to mate with everyone. ...Gross. And begs the question, what does Olivia do when other males, like say, the priest Father Leary, go into heat? Is she constantly avoiding her "duty" or is she regularly unfaithful to her husband?
There were other things that bugged me throughout the book. The desperate attempts to be current that are going to age this book like crazy in just a year or two more. The non-stop stream of pop cultural references. The way that Bron thinks Mr. Spock is from Star Wars, but identifies both Galadriel and Eowyn as Tolkien characters (and judging by response, knew that Cate Blanchett was Galadriel's actress in the films as well). The way that humans are depicted as inferior and rather useless--to be either benignly shepherded along for their own good, or viciously ruled over or destroyed--strongly reminded me of Twilight and bothered me just as much here as it did there.
But I think one of the biggest things that bugged me was this was not a fantasy novel. The library sticker called it a fantasy. Several of the review blurbs on the cover called it a fantasy. The summary called it a fantasy. But it's not. It's science fiction. They're sister genres to be sure, but there are plenty of distinctions between them. The Aels and Draghouls aren't mythological creatures; they're a species that has evolved along mankind from the beginning. Their abilities might seem like magic, but talk of extra brain lobes, electrical currents, and cells, assure that it all has a scientific explanation, even if the specifics aren't given. It's not even hard to classify. It's clearly science fiction, even if it all takes place on present day earth and it's styled a little like urban fantasy. Which is fine, if you like science fiction. But I usually don't, and this book was yet another example of why I generally prefer fantasy. Science fiction is constantly compelled to explain itself in a way that fantasy isn't and every time characters felt the need to throw in a paragraph about brain activity and evolution in order to justify the superhuman abilities I was pulled right out of the story. Now, if you're a sci-fi fan, and this is right up your alley, then more power to you. I just think books should be labelled as the genre that they are, not the genre that maybe they'd like to be.
Aside from the prologue--which I thought was way too spoileriffic, especially given how much angst Bron has about his mother not wanting him--I enjoyed the early chapters. Bron seemed like a interesting character and a fairly realistic portrayal of a teenager boy who had been in foster care so long. Then he meets Olivia and I figured that this was where it was about to get good.
And then it didn't.
For one thing, the pacing and tone of the book was so bizarre. We'd go from foster mom showering gifts on new son in an over-the-top attempt to make him cool (seriously, the way Bron being "cool" was SO important to Olivia, especially when she really should have been making him BLEND IN really bothered me) to super-intense action scenes involving Olivia whipping out firearms in the blink of an eye...and then we'd go right back to Bron trying to fit in at his new school and be popular. This happens throughout the book. Bad, weird stuff happens, then Bron goes right back to teenage life, seemingly little affected. Some of this can be explained by but most of it can't.
And then there were the characters. I get that Bron is supposed to be a lone wolf, closed off to others, and the idea that he might be a sociopath is suggested several times throughout the book. He's not supposed be a highly emotive or unambiguously "good guy". We're not supposed to always be rooting for him. But if we're not going to be able to connect that way to the protagonist, there better be some pretty awesome supporting characters to make us like them and care about them, right?
Not so much.
Olivia frustrated me to no end. She's presented as the perfect mother figure for Bron--they're of the same people, they resemble each other, she's an extremely talented artist in Bron's area of interest...I could go on. She's supposedly a phenomenal teacher that all the students adore. But let's take a look at what her actions say about her: Then, there's how shallow she seems. She does bond with Bron and does genuinely care about him and want to help him, but it seems ridiculously important to her that Bron is cool. Bron has to have the most expensive khaki pants--not even the best, or the most stylish, LITERALLY, the most expensive. He has to have designer clothes to wear on the weekends. He has to have the latest iPod and a new car--not just a car, but a new, high end car. Olivia gives him a super-trendy makeover, including having one of his ears pierced. It would be one thing if being cool was really important to Bron, but Olivia is the one who instigates all of this. It comes across almost as Olivia wanting a cool son as a status symbol, or that she would be embarrassed if her son wasn't cool.
Her marriage with Mike was really troubling to me as well. The book insists that they love each other and are happy but that doesn't change the fact that Olivia takes in and plans to adopt a teenager without consulting Mike, and seemingly only decided to foster initially because she felt jealous of his cows. Seriously.
The other characters are so one-dimensional they don't even leave a shadow. There's Galadriel, aka "If this was a horror movie, I would be the first to die", at least until at which point she becomes Tour Guide Barbie with laser focus. Then there's Whitney, who we can tell is the good love interest and not the slutty one because she's just average pretty and sings country music. There's the petty, vindictive small-town cop who doesn't hesitate to abuse his power and his highschool clone--I mean, son.
The Draghouls, the villains of the piece, are physically present and doing stuff throughout the book, but they don't leave much of an impact. Maybe it's because they're so cold and restrained that they don't emotionally resonate with the reader. Maybe it's because they never actually succeed in doing anything too threatening.
I found the ethics of the book pretty creepy. There are few brightlines drawn between the Draghouls and the Ael--it's all about the ends , not the means, which disturbed me--and the Ael constantly do things that I found morally questionable at the least. Occasionally, Bron also questions these, and I was hoping that they would get called out on their behavior, but nope. Then there's the fact that Bron is constantly perving on every female he meets--including his foster mom--and everyone is constantly excusing it because hormones. What??? Having hormones, even super-musaak hormones, does not make it okay to lust after your foster mom. Speaking of these super-hormones, Bron is told that he will soon go into heat (okay, so there's a sci-fi term for it, but that's what it is) and exude a musk that will make every fertile female of his species for miles around come to mate with him. Olivia does say she will go away so that she won't be affected, but she also tells him it will be his duty not to avoid this and to mate with everyone. ...Gross. And begs the question, what does Olivia do when other males, like say, the priest Father Leary, go into heat? Is she constantly avoiding her "duty" or is she regularly unfaithful to her husband?
There were other things that bugged me throughout the book. The desperate attempts to be current that are going to age this book like crazy in just a year or two more. The non-stop stream of pop cultural references. The way that Bron thinks Mr. Spock is from Star Wars, but identifies both Galadriel and Eowyn as Tolkien characters (and judging by response, knew that Cate Blanchett was Galadriel's actress in the films as well). The way that humans are depicted as inferior and rather useless--to be either benignly shepherded along for their own good, or viciously ruled over or destroyed--strongly reminded me of Twilight and bothered me just as much here as it did there.
But I think one of the biggest things that bugged me was this was not a fantasy novel. The library sticker called it a fantasy. Several of the review blurbs on the cover called it a fantasy. The summary called it a fantasy. But it's not. It's science fiction. They're sister genres to be sure, but there are plenty of distinctions between them. The Aels and Draghouls aren't mythological creatures; they're a species that has evolved along mankind from the beginning. Their abilities might seem like magic, but talk of extra brain lobes, electrical currents, and cells, assure that it all has a scientific explanation, even if the specifics aren't given. It's not even hard to classify. It's clearly science fiction, even if it all takes place on present day earth and it's styled a little like urban fantasy. Which is fine, if you like science fiction. But I usually don't, and this book was yet another example of why I generally prefer fantasy. Science fiction is constantly compelled to explain itself in a way that fantasy isn't and every time characters felt the need to throw in a paragraph about brain activity and evolution in order to justify the superhuman abilities I was pulled right out of the story. Now, if you're a sci-fi fan, and this is right up your alley, then more power to you. I just think books should be labelled as the genre that they are, not the genre that maybe they'd like to be.
February 20, 2017
So this has all the bones of a truly epic sci fi thriller. The story is great, the main characters are intriguing. What I want is for this book to find an editor at a major house (and I know Dave is looking), and to have them work over this with him and really give it the polish it needs. It also needs to have the series continue, because this was really just the first act in a very ambitious story. I loved how it went from moments of small gestures and emotional intimacy to great sweeping fight scenes and world travel, as well as detailed flashbacks that go as far back as the age of the Neanderthals. There's a lot here, and I will be very excited to see if Dave can't get it into the hands of an editor who can really guide it to greatness.
January 30, 2012
Mostly I find myself disappointed with this novel. The writing was rather shallow. Character descriptions and motivations are typically glossed, as is the action. (The one element of character description that was not shallow was Farland's obsession with women's breasts. I would be hard pressed to give you a physical description of any of the male characters in this book, but I could go bra shopping for every single one of the female characters, no matter how inconsequential she is to the plot.)
In my experience with Farland's writing, I find that he has fascinating plot and world creation ideas but seems to fail on delivery.
My disappointment with the story was compounded by my disappointment with its presentation. I got this book because it was being extolled for all its interactive ebook features. I like the idea of beginning each chapter with the graphic novel style, except that this had a tendency to spoil the main plot point for that chapter. If this were truly an innovative use of an ebook's capabilities, the graphic portion would actually tell that part of the story where it's placed.
The music at the beginning and ends of the chapters was interesting, but I'm not sure if it set the mood as much as was hoped.
The popup boxes were generally an utter waste. Half of them gave information that was brought into the narrative a few chapters anyway. And the other tidbits seemed to be authorial ego stroking more than anything else. I'm not sure a reader cares that such and such character was named after this person or the other. The links and popups ought to be used to enhance the reading experience by providing information that isn't essential to the story but that helps the reader experience it more fully, almost as if the reader were getting a Wikipedia snapshot on a historical character or even a picture.
Aside from the interactive elements not actually contributing to the reading experience, I'm also a bit upset that they're not even complete. I assume they'll become available and that my version will be updated, but I'm not going to read the book again or go back to see the illustrations.
In my experience with Farland's writing, I find that he has fascinating plot and world creation ideas but seems to fail on delivery.
My disappointment with the story was compounded by my disappointment with its presentation. I got this book because it was being extolled for all its interactive ebook features. I like the idea of beginning each chapter with the graphic novel style, except that this had a tendency to spoil the main plot point for that chapter. If this were truly an innovative use of an ebook's capabilities, the graphic portion would actually tell that part of the story where it's placed.
The music at the beginning and ends of the chapters was interesting, but I'm not sure if it set the mood as much as was hoped.
The popup boxes were generally an utter waste. Half of them gave information that was brought into the narrative a few chapters anyway. And the other tidbits seemed to be authorial ego stroking more than anything else. I'm not sure a reader cares that such and such character was named after this person or the other. The links and popups ought to be used to enhance the reading experience by providing information that isn't essential to the story but that helps the reader experience it more fully, almost as if the reader were getting a Wikipedia snapshot on a historical character or even a picture.
Aside from the interactive elements not actually contributing to the reading experience, I'm also a bit upset that they're not even complete. I assume they'll become available and that my version will be updated, but I'm not going to read the book again or go back to see the illustrations.
October 13, 2012
This is a difficult book to review and to rate. As far as the concept goes, it was really intriguing. I loved the concept of there being two separate races mixed in with the humans on earth--one being mostly good, the other mostly bad. And that they can mess with memories. And that there's a boy who has special powers that he doesn't yet know how to control. Totally cool. I want to read the next book. I'd give it a 4.
I know a lot of David Farland fans are raving over this book--and like I said, the concept deserves it. But as far as delivery goes--and this is really hard to say because David Farland is a NYT Best-selling author and I have a lot of respect for him--this book was horrid. I read the print version and the typesetting was awful. (I know, most people won't care but I'm a typesetter and if I'm going to pay professional prices for a book, I want professional typesetting!) (And fortunately, I didn't pay those prices. I borrowed a friend's copy.)
Looks aside, there were multiple editing mistakes and typos throughout. There were plot holes. There were issues that weren't resolved and didn't hang together. A lot of the characters were flat. Every couple of pages, I was pulled out of the story by first-draft level writing and found myself saying out loud, "Are you kidding me?" As far as quality of writing, I give it a 2.
And yet. I didn't put the book down. I didn't stop reading because I wanted to know what happened next. So I averaged them and came up with 3 stars.
If you really like David Farland, or YA fantasy, give it a try. But I really can't recommend that you buy this book, especially if your book budget is strained, like mine is. Check it out from the library or borrow a copy.
I know a lot of David Farland fans are raving over this book--and like I said, the concept deserves it. But as far as delivery goes--and this is really hard to say because David Farland is a NYT Best-selling author and I have a lot of respect for him--this book was horrid. I read the print version and the typesetting was awful. (I know, most people won't care but I'm a typesetter and if I'm going to pay professional prices for a book, I want professional typesetting!) (And fortunately, I didn't pay those prices. I borrowed a friend's copy.)
Looks aside, there were multiple editing mistakes and typos throughout. There were plot holes. There were issues that weren't resolved and didn't hang together. A lot of the characters were flat. Every couple of pages, I was pulled out of the story by first-draft level writing and found myself saying out loud, "Are you kidding me?" As far as quality of writing, I give it a 2.
And yet. I didn't put the book down. I didn't stop reading because I wanted to know what happened next. So I averaged them and came up with 3 stars.
If you really like David Farland, or YA fantasy, give it a try. But I really can't recommend that you buy this book, especially if your book budget is strained, like mine is. Check it out from the library or borrow a copy.
April 15, 2013
I bought this book when several authors launched a "book bomb" to support David Farland after his son was seriously injured in a skateboarding accident. That was the first time I'd ever heard of Farland, but it turns out he's a pillar of the community having mentored such luminaries as Brandon Sanderson.
This is YA Fantasy. Not my favorite genre. At. All. But I actually liked this story a lot. It's told in a mature way, even when the POV is from one of the featured teenagers. The world unfolds steadily and unnervingly. The lead is a teenaged boy who was abandoned as a baby and his POV is by turns frustrating and compelling. Just like a teen. <.<
It's the first of a planned series and I don't know when the next one will be out, unfortunately. But I will definitely read on because I have to know what happens next.
The book on Kindle is not expensive, so it's worth a try, especially if you like this genre. ETA: That's not quite accurate. The price is actually $7.99 which is pricey for Kindle, but at least the family gets more money. I have no regrets regarding this purchase. ;D
This is YA Fantasy. Not my favorite genre. At. All. But I actually liked this story a lot. It's told in a mature way, even when the POV is from one of the featured teenagers. The world unfolds steadily and unnervingly. The lead is a teenaged boy who was abandoned as a baby and his POV is by turns frustrating and compelling. Just like a teen. <.<
It's the first of a planned series and I don't know when the next one will be out, unfortunately. But I will definitely read on because I have to know what happens next.
The book on Kindle is not expensive, so it's worth a try, especially if you like this genre. ETA: That's not quite accurate. The price is actually $7.99 which is pricey for Kindle, but at least the family gets more money. I have no regrets regarding this purchase. ;D
November 15, 2011
This is David Farlands greatest book yet, and my favorite book of all time. The Runelords series is brilliant and I didn't think he would be able to do better. David has proven me wrong. This book transcends ages and genres. I love the story. I love the setting. I love the characters. I think anyone who doesn't read it is crazy.
February 3, 2015
Okay, I need to edit my review because "nope" isn't really fair. I gave it 75 pages and just couldn't go further.
The book started out interesting. A woman running from something, able to manipulate memories, but having portions of her memory wiped out - she had given birth, but couldn't remember her child. She had given it away, hidden it. Obviously this child was important.... Cool, creepy foreshadowing. Okay, I'm in....
Then we switch to Bron. This is obviously the child. Foster kid, treated poorly, bounced from house to house, unloved, unwanted. Okay, typical YA stuff. I can deal with this. Kicked out of one foster home, moved to another. Happens to get placed with a new foster mother who is one of his own race. Okay, got it. Now the story can start.
Or not. Because this is where I started to get irritated. I simply could NOT hang with Olivia (this new foster mom, same alien race person). Maybe if there had been more back story on this alien race, some of her actions would have made sense, but since there was ZERO insight to the Aels, other than they are the "good guys" none of Olivia's actions made any sense whatsoever.
So we're told that Olivia is an Ael (a "good" guy) who is terrified of the Draghouls (the "bad" guys). She's afraid that if she takes Bron in, they'll find her. But then she completely obsesses over making Bron one of the "cool kids" and have him stand out at the school she teaches at. Why? If she wants to hide, why does she want him to stand out? And what is her obsession with his being infinitely COOL?
And I mean OBSESSED. He has to have THE BEST electronics. And THE MOST EXPENSIVE clothes, and he has to look like Zack Ephron. Okay, REALLY? The woman has ISSUES. Even Bron notices and when he says something about how much money Olivia is spending, she says having a son is like having a hamster. They both cost money. Not exactly the comparison I'd make.
Strike one.
And we're back to how to be cool at her school. She tells him that he needs to join the right clubs to be part of the "in crowd." (eye roll). And one of the easiest clubs to join is one that reviews movies. Then we have the comment about Star Wars. And Bron says Star Wars is cool. He likes Spock. This is a sci-fi book. Maybe this was meant as a joke, but to a sci-fi geek, this was a no-no. There was no eye roll, no correction, no mention that this was a dumb-ass remark.
Strike two.
And the final insult? Yep. Magazine vs. Clip. WHY people? WHY?!?! If you do not understand the difference, then don't use the terminology.
Again, hand guns use MAGAZINES not CLIPS. And for the love of Pete, do not ask strange teenagers you hardly know to hand you firearms. Especially if you don't know the difference between a magazine and a clip. That's how people get "accidentally" shot. At least it wasn't loaded.
Strike three. I'm done.
The book started out interesting. A woman running from something, able to manipulate memories, but having portions of her memory wiped out - she had given birth, but couldn't remember her child. She had given it away, hidden it. Obviously this child was important.... Cool, creepy foreshadowing. Okay, I'm in....
Then we switch to Bron. This is obviously the child. Foster kid, treated poorly, bounced from house to house, unloved, unwanted. Okay, typical YA stuff. I can deal with this. Kicked out of one foster home, moved to another. Happens to get placed with a new foster mother who is one of his own race. Okay, got it. Now the story can start.
Or not. Because this is where I started to get irritated. I simply could NOT hang with Olivia (this new foster mom, same alien race person). Maybe if there had been more back story on this alien race, some of her actions would have made sense, but since there was ZERO insight to the Aels, other than they are the "good guys" none of Olivia's actions made any sense whatsoever.
So we're told that Olivia is an Ael (a "good" guy) who is terrified of the Draghouls (the "bad" guys). She's afraid that if she takes Bron in, they'll find her. But then she completely obsesses over making Bron one of the "cool kids" and have him stand out at the school she teaches at. Why? If she wants to hide, why does she want him to stand out? And what is her obsession with his being infinitely COOL?
And I mean OBSESSED. He has to have THE BEST electronics. And THE MOST EXPENSIVE clothes, and he has to look like Zack Ephron. Okay, REALLY? The woman has ISSUES. Even Bron notices and when he says something about how much money Olivia is spending, she says having a son is like having a hamster. They both cost money. Not exactly the comparison I'd make.
Strike one.
And we're back to how to be cool at her school. She tells him that he needs to join the right clubs to be part of the "in crowd." (eye roll). And one of the easiest clubs to join is one that reviews movies. Then we have the comment about Star Wars. And Bron says Star Wars is cool. He likes Spock. This is a sci-fi book. Maybe this was meant as a joke, but to a sci-fi geek, this was a no-no. There was no eye roll, no correction, no mention that this was a dumb-ass remark.
Strike two.
And the final insult? Yep. Magazine vs. Clip. WHY people? WHY?!?! If you do not understand the difference, then don't use the terminology.
Again, hand guns use MAGAZINES not CLIPS. And for the love of Pete, do not ask strange teenagers you hardly know to hand you firearms. Especially if you don't know the difference between a magazine and a clip. That's how people get "accidentally" shot. At least it wasn't loaded.
Strike three. I'm done.
March 12, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. Didn't think I would at first (it sounded a bit "Twilight meets Glee") but on starting it I was, thankfully proved wrong.
The action starts from the get-go and never really lets up till the very last word.
The "Nightingale" of the title is Bron, a 16 year old in care after being abandoned as a baby. He is moved from home to home never really settling. On being moved on from his latest home, he is passed into the care of Olivia who finds that, like herself, Bron is a member of a race of people with special powers who are the next step up the genetic ladder from humans (Super-humans if you like).
There are two types of these "super-humans", one good, one bad and the bad guys want Bron on their side and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
The ideas Mr Farland has here are very clever and the story-telling is top notch. I believe there are 3 more books after this in he series and I for one will be waiting eagerly for the next one.
Highly recommended
The action starts from the get-go and never really lets up till the very last word.
The "Nightingale" of the title is Bron, a 16 year old in care after being abandoned as a baby. He is moved from home to home never really settling. On being moved on from his latest home, he is passed into the care of Olivia who finds that, like herself, Bron is a member of a race of people with special powers who are the next step up the genetic ladder from humans (Super-humans if you like).
There are two types of these "super-humans", one good, one bad and the bad guys want Bron on their side and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
The ideas Mr Farland has here are very clever and the story-telling is top notch. I believe there are 3 more books after this in he series and I for one will be waiting eagerly for the next one.
Highly recommended
March 21, 2012
I was fortunate to get an advanced copy of the hardcover of Nightingale, written by New York Times bestselling author David Farland. I was very impressed Farland's first YA fantasy novel, and it has a great opening chapter, and definitely hooked me right way. After the prologue--which features a young woman named Sommer--the story centers around a 16-year-old outcast boy, Bron Jones. He has never fit in, and is stuck living in a terrible foster home with grotesquely fat woman who uses him as slave labor to take care of her house and her brood of children.
Bron seems to have nothing going for him, except he is an incredibly handsome young man, but he can't make friends because of his ragged clothing and the stigma of being a "foster kid." He's quite cold and distant, which seems to be from the treatment he received in the foster care system, which moved him around a lot and never let anyone really bond with him. The truth is more complex, and is buried very deeply and Bron is fascinating character.
Everything changes when Bron ends up with a new foster mother, a music teacher named Olivia Hernandez, and we find out that Bron is not who he thought he was. This is the main issue in the book: "who," or more precisely, "what" is Bron? We find out that his birth mother, Sommer, who is featured in the prologue, gave him up when he was an infant, and he is not like everyone else . . . (minor spoiler) because he is not human. He is one of the masaak, a species similar to humans, but more evolved. Bron has strange and terrible powers that are discovered by his new foster mother, who is like him, one of the masaak, but has far different abilities than he does. She is a "memory merchant" or a "Muse" and Bron turns out to be something extremely rare, which is why his father's hunters are after him, and why his presence endangers everyone around him--and puts one person in the hospital by mistake.
At first, when Bron moves in with his new foster mother, Olivia, he thinks that he's going to be just a regular kid in a high school for the performing arts, a real place in southern Utah called Tuacahn High School where he can learn to be a guitarist--one of his few dreams in life. He meets a girl, actually he meets two gorgeous girls, who vie for his affection, but when he is spotted by masaak hunters, (known as the Draghoul) his life is at stake, and the big mystery about who he really is becomes extremely important for his survival. His foster mother helps him as much as she can, and wants to save him from becoming a pawn of the Draghoul, and their adventure leads them down a dangerous road, where dating and the drama of high school seems fairly unimportant.
This book is definitely aimed at today's teens, primarily boys, but I think girls will enjoy this book as well. There are numerous references to current movies, music, and media that today's teens will be intimately familiar with. Somewhere in the first third of the book I started to feel like this novel was not the flavor of fiction that I liked best--as I'm no longer a teenager with raging hormones--but once the mystery of Bron started getting solved, and information was coming out about the masaak, and their powers, I was extremely interested again. The writing was solid the whole way though, but the drama of high school, first love, going to a new school, bullies, and the somewhat immature nature of teenagers clashed with where my sensibilities are at this stage of my life. I think also, I didn't want to remember how awful aspects of high school actually were. Poor Bron doesn't realize what his powers are doing to some of the people around him, and he causes havoc that he doesn't intend, making the high school experience even worse.
Even though I felt this book was aimed at the teen demographic, I was fascinated with the true nature of the masaak, and their role in shaping the world with their amazing powers. They go way back in history, and were instrumental in so many things, and learning the details of that was my favorite part. Toward the end of the novel, you get to learn a lot about the powers the masaak possess, and Bron comes into his own--though this is just the beginning.
Nightingale is Bron's origin story, and creates a dark shadow world, where factions of super-humans war for the future of the planet. Bron's lineage has given him rare powers and the choices he makes might alter the course of history. The awesome ending was a huge payoff, and this series is just getting started. I blasted through Nightingale in two days, and whenever I wasn't reading it, I wanted to be reading it. I can't wait for the next book, Dream Assassin.
Highly recommended for teens and fans of Twilight and The Hunger Games
Paul Genesse
Author of the Iron Dragon Series and Editor of the Crimson Pact Series
Bron seems to have nothing going for him, except he is an incredibly handsome young man, but he can't make friends because of his ragged clothing and the stigma of being a "foster kid." He's quite cold and distant, which seems to be from the treatment he received in the foster care system, which moved him around a lot and never let anyone really bond with him. The truth is more complex, and is buried very deeply and Bron is fascinating character.
Everything changes when Bron ends up with a new foster mother, a music teacher named Olivia Hernandez, and we find out that Bron is not who he thought he was. This is the main issue in the book: "who," or more precisely, "what" is Bron? We find out that his birth mother, Sommer, who is featured in the prologue, gave him up when he was an infant, and he is not like everyone else . . . (minor spoiler) because he is not human. He is one of the masaak, a species similar to humans, but more evolved. Bron has strange and terrible powers that are discovered by his new foster mother, who is like him, one of the masaak, but has far different abilities than he does. She is a "memory merchant" or a "Muse" and Bron turns out to be something extremely rare, which is why his father's hunters are after him, and why his presence endangers everyone around him--and puts one person in the hospital by mistake.
At first, when Bron moves in with his new foster mother, Olivia, he thinks that he's going to be just a regular kid in a high school for the performing arts, a real place in southern Utah called Tuacahn High School where he can learn to be a guitarist--one of his few dreams in life. He meets a girl, actually he meets two gorgeous girls, who vie for his affection, but when he is spotted by masaak hunters, (known as the Draghoul) his life is at stake, and the big mystery about who he really is becomes extremely important for his survival. His foster mother helps him as much as she can, and wants to save him from becoming a pawn of the Draghoul, and their adventure leads them down a dangerous road, where dating and the drama of high school seems fairly unimportant.
This book is definitely aimed at today's teens, primarily boys, but I think girls will enjoy this book as well. There are numerous references to current movies, music, and media that today's teens will be intimately familiar with. Somewhere in the first third of the book I started to feel like this novel was not the flavor of fiction that I liked best--as I'm no longer a teenager with raging hormones--but once the mystery of Bron started getting solved, and information was coming out about the masaak, and their powers, I was extremely interested again. The writing was solid the whole way though, but the drama of high school, first love, going to a new school, bullies, and the somewhat immature nature of teenagers clashed with where my sensibilities are at this stage of my life. I think also, I didn't want to remember how awful aspects of high school actually were. Poor Bron doesn't realize what his powers are doing to some of the people around him, and he causes havoc that he doesn't intend, making the high school experience even worse.
Even though I felt this book was aimed at the teen demographic, I was fascinated with the true nature of the masaak, and their role in shaping the world with their amazing powers. They go way back in history, and were instrumental in so many things, and learning the details of that was my favorite part. Toward the end of the novel, you get to learn a lot about the powers the masaak possess, and Bron comes into his own--though this is just the beginning.
Nightingale is Bron's origin story, and creates a dark shadow world, where factions of super-humans war for the future of the planet. Bron's lineage has given him rare powers and the choices he makes might alter the course of history. The awesome ending was a huge payoff, and this series is just getting started. I blasted through Nightingale in two days, and whenever I wasn't reading it, I wanted to be reading it. I can't wait for the next book, Dream Assassin.
Highly recommended for teens and fans of Twilight and The Hunger Games
Paul Genesse
Author of the Iron Dragon Series and Editor of the Crimson Pact Series
August 26, 2013
If you like sparkly vampires, this might be a good segue to more serious fantasy, without giving up all the juice of a good teen romance.
If sparkly vampires make you blanch, then you have nothing to worry about. Nightingale, though occasionally dark, is an enjoyable and satisfying story.
The worst thing about Nightingale, to be completely honest, is the cover, and I don’t much like the title, either. But, since we don’t judge books by their covers, or their titles either, for that matter, let me tell you about why the book beneath the cover is well worth a read.
Bron Jones is an orphan and has grown hard due to a life spent bounced between foster homes. Despite his best efforts to please and satisfy his foster parents, they reject him, one after another. Until one day, when his newest foster parent recognizes him for what he is, something special and magical, something he doesn’t even know about himself: a nightingale.
Within him lie hidden powers, depths that will thrust him at the center of a secret war between good and evil. He will face who he is, and he will make a choice.
This is the third of David Farland’s books that I’ve read this year, and it is also in the third genre. That alone is notable. On My Way to Paradise was science fiction, The Sum of All Men was fully in the epic fantasy genre, and with Nightingale, Farland is writing for teens, or what I think they call “Young Adult” or “Urban Fantasy,” though, to be clear, it really does border on science fiction, too…just a different kind than you expect. It says something about his versatility that he can write for such varied audiences and interests and with such success.
In Nightingale, Farland spins a plot that I think teens will very much enjoy. Bron is darkly handsome, occasionally the rebel, and he thrives as a musician and artist as he begins school in a special high school for the performing arts in the picturesque red canyons and mountains of southern Utah. Love triangles abound, not to mention the drama, intensity, and angst that accompanies them. Notably, Farland delicately handles issues puberty, sex, and love, keeping it clean and appropriate without pretending like teenagers don’t deal with those things.
All this, though, is backdrop to the underlying conflict–Bron’s nature. His powers are such that they could be used to build or destroy. He struggles to decide whether he will use them to do either, all the while hiding from those that are hunting him for what he can do.
This isn’t to say that I fully enjoyed Nightingale quite as much as I did the other two of Farland’s novels that I’ve read. It moves quickly and without the level of depth that I’ve come to expect in a Farland’s novels, though I suspect this is largely due to the audience he’s writing for. As the novel closes, Farland delivers on his audience’s expectations, developing his characters and resolving conflicts, even as he creates new ones for examination in future sequels. I flew through the last couple chapters, an exciting showdown as the hidden menace hunting Bron is revealed and confronted.
Again, the cover is the worst part of Nightingale. It’s a picture of some dude’s head, and it reminded me more of Derek Zoolander than of a magical race of beings caught in a struggle thousands of years old. The novel, though, is geared towards young adults, is fast and exciting, full of twists, colorful characters, and growing action. If you like sparkly vampires, this might be a good segue to more serious fantasy without giving up all the juice of a good teen romance.
Recently, David Farland’s son was in a catastrophic accident, putting him in a coma for a period of time and requiring a number of medical procedures. Take a moment to consider purchasing a Farland title (or even Nightingale) to help Farland out. Like every writer, he provides for his family on what readers buy, and each purchase puts bread on his family’s table. Plus, you��ll have the benefit of owning a great read. Farland never disappoints. Thanks!
If sparkly vampires make you blanch, then you have nothing to worry about. Nightingale, though occasionally dark, is an enjoyable and satisfying story.
The worst thing about Nightingale, to be completely honest, is the cover, and I don’t much like the title, either. But, since we don’t judge books by their covers, or their titles either, for that matter, let me tell you about why the book beneath the cover is well worth a read.
Bron Jones is an orphan and has grown hard due to a life spent bounced between foster homes. Despite his best efforts to please and satisfy his foster parents, they reject him, one after another. Until one day, when his newest foster parent recognizes him for what he is, something special and magical, something he doesn’t even know about himself: a nightingale.
Within him lie hidden powers, depths that will thrust him at the center of a secret war between good and evil. He will face who he is, and he will make a choice.
This is the third of David Farland’s books that I’ve read this year, and it is also in the third genre. That alone is notable. On My Way to Paradise was science fiction, The Sum of All Men was fully in the epic fantasy genre, and with Nightingale, Farland is writing for teens, or what I think they call “Young Adult” or “Urban Fantasy,” though, to be clear, it really does border on science fiction, too…just a different kind than you expect. It says something about his versatility that he can write for such varied audiences and interests and with such success.
In Nightingale, Farland spins a plot that I think teens will very much enjoy. Bron is darkly handsome, occasionally the rebel, and he thrives as a musician and artist as he begins school in a special high school for the performing arts in the picturesque red canyons and mountains of southern Utah. Love triangles abound, not to mention the drama, intensity, and angst that accompanies them. Notably, Farland delicately handles issues puberty, sex, and love, keeping it clean and appropriate without pretending like teenagers don’t deal with those things.
All this, though, is backdrop to the underlying conflict–Bron’s nature. His powers are such that they could be used to build or destroy. He struggles to decide whether he will use them to do either, all the while hiding from those that are hunting him for what he can do.
This isn’t to say that I fully enjoyed Nightingale quite as much as I did the other two of Farland’s novels that I’ve read. It moves quickly and without the level of depth that I’ve come to expect in a Farland’s novels, though I suspect this is largely due to the audience he’s writing for. As the novel closes, Farland delivers on his audience’s expectations, developing his characters and resolving conflicts, even as he creates new ones for examination in future sequels. I flew through the last couple chapters, an exciting showdown as the hidden menace hunting Bron is revealed and confronted.
Again, the cover is the worst part of Nightingale. It’s a picture of some dude’s head, and it reminded me more of Derek Zoolander than of a magical race of beings caught in a struggle thousands of years old. The novel, though, is geared towards young adults, is fast and exciting, full of twists, colorful characters, and growing action. If you like sparkly vampires, this might be a good segue to more serious fantasy without giving up all the juice of a good teen romance.
Recently, David Farland’s son was in a catastrophic accident, putting him in a coma for a period of time and requiring a number of medical procedures. Take a moment to consider purchasing a Farland title (or even Nightingale) to help Farland out. Like every writer, he provides for his family on what readers buy, and each purchase puts bread on his family’s table. Plus, you��ll have the benefit of owning a great read. Farland never disappoints. Thanks!
December 6, 2014
I hated this book for so many reasons: the characters' actions demonstrated some incredibly terrible morals; I didn't buy the worldbuilding much; the amount of sexualization of every female and the main character was creepy; and the amount of stereotypes and borderline racism in it made me feel disgusting just for reading it.
EVERY FEMALE in the book (including TWO foster mothers, unrelated adults, and anyone who even approached his age) seemed to fixate on the main character's looks. He, in turn, thinks of how hot Olivia, his new foster mom, is on several occasions, and she also thinks of him as a sexual being, because she wonders more than once if he'll think she's coming on to him. Olivia's husband, Mike, the day he meets Bron grumps to Olivia that the kid'll be fantasizing about her, because he can't help it hur hur, and Mike is jealous of the kid, it's insinuated, because he's too close to a "male rival". All of this, in a fostering situation? INCREDIBLY CREEPY.
The issue of race is dealt with terribly. Hispanic side character is gratuitously made a dirty, sneaky murderess. Bron hears Olivia's Hispanic last name and immediately thinks, "Is she Mexican? Is she going to serve me enchiladas and tacos all the time?" Little things. Yuck.
In general, ethics are so, so shaky in this book. Olivia is a prime example. The huge thing that made me want to throw the book at the wall: The modeled lack of communication and consent in this book is really, really disturbing, and the fact that it is treated as normal in a book aimed at YOUNG ADULTS I find EVEN MORE disturbing. This is not the sort of thing I want ANYONE to think is OK!
As for the plot...I just don't buy that any race that can and does have the powers it does will be able to go under the radar and NOT be destroyed by humans. Their powers are too disruptive, too limited, too likely to be noticed in anything but a one-on-one situation. And, several times, Olivia's stated desire to fly under the radar is blown apart by her actions, which often draw attention to her and Bron. It just doesn't feel well thought-through.
Overall, YUCK. I got this in Storybundle, and I'm glad that I didn't pay for it.
For a rundown on many more details, check out Megan's great review further down.
EVERY FEMALE in the book (including TWO foster mothers, unrelated adults, and anyone who even approached his age) seemed to fixate on the main character's looks. He, in turn, thinks of how hot Olivia, his new foster mom, is on several occasions, and she also thinks of him as a sexual being, because she wonders more than once if he'll think she's coming on to him. Olivia's husband, Mike, the day he meets Bron grumps to Olivia that the kid'll be fantasizing about her, because he can't help it hur hur, and Mike is jealous of the kid, it's insinuated, because he's too close to a "male rival". All of this, in a fostering situation? INCREDIBLY CREEPY.
The issue of race is dealt with terribly. Hispanic side character is gratuitously made a dirty, sneaky murderess. Bron hears Olivia's Hispanic last name and immediately thinks, "Is she Mexican? Is she going to serve me enchiladas and tacos all the time?" Little things. Yuck.
In general, ethics are so, so shaky in this book. Olivia is a prime example. The huge thing that made me want to throw the book at the wall: The modeled lack of communication and consent in this book is really, really disturbing, and the fact that it is treated as normal in a book aimed at YOUNG ADULTS I find EVEN MORE disturbing. This is not the sort of thing I want ANYONE to think is OK!
As for the plot...I just don't buy that any race that can and does have the powers it does will be able to go under the radar and NOT be destroyed by humans. Their powers are too disruptive, too limited, too likely to be noticed in anything but a one-on-one situation. And, several times, Olivia's stated desire to fly under the radar is blown apart by her actions, which often draw attention to her and Bron. It just doesn't feel well thought-through.
Overall, YUCK. I got this in Storybundle, and I'm glad that I didn't pay for it.
For a rundown on many more details, check out Megan's great review further down.
December 4, 2011
This sounds like it would be a great book for boys. Or girls who are more into boys. Honestly, though, I felt annoyed with all the teens in the book. I never obsessed over needing all the newest things (too materialistic), never obsessed over "being really cool" (I'd rather be smart), and NEVER obsessed over boys' lips (gross). Why do all the girls throw themselves at Bron? Almost the first 3 teenage girls he meets want to make out with him and date him. They keep talking about how "hot" he is. Even Whitney, who talks to him about music, is regularly kissing him within three days of meeting him. That just seems shallow, on both their parts. Doesn't he want to make any real friends? With guys maybe (insulting/talking to Whitney's former jerk boyfriend doesn't count)? And WHY does he have to think lustful thoughts about nearly every girl he meets? Granted, I've never been a teenage guy, but the book doesn't have to include those sort of details. So, I felt completely disconnected from Bron, and I didn't relate to any of the girls his age. I mostly liked his foster mother, although there were parts where I felt like she was trying to act like a teenager, which was weird.
Ok, rant over.
The rest of the book was great, and the whole "stupid teenage romance thing" wasn't a main part. The sizrael things are ugly, but I'm trying to get past that.
The magic was just right. Powerful enough to make a difference, not so powerful that they couldn't get into trouble. Bron was special, but not astronomically more powerful than everyone else, which was also well done.
The bad guys were pretty believable and cunning and tricky. Yet, I would've thought them easily defeated if not for the epilogue, which was a great ending. I do wish there were more good guys for Bron to interact with, since he's too much of a loner (aside from the time he spends kissing).
The right number of people died, and in the right ways (tragically, heroically).
The school was well done, though, and I liked how active everyone seemed to be, joining all these clubs and doing all these performances and practices, and it was only the first week. (I liked how Bron didn't get invited to an underage drinking party, which happens in a lot of stupid highschool books; those scenes are unnecessary, only showing how dumb all the characters are.)
So, the writing was brilliant, and the plot was great, and the magic systems is well thought out, and I have hopes for the characters, even if I don't much care for them now.
Ok, rant over.
The rest of the book was great, and the whole "stupid teenage romance thing" wasn't a main part. The sizrael things are ugly, but I'm trying to get past that.
The magic was just right. Powerful enough to make a difference, not so powerful that they couldn't get into trouble. Bron was special, but not astronomically more powerful than everyone else, which was also well done.
The bad guys were pretty believable and cunning and tricky. Yet, I would've thought them easily defeated if not for the epilogue, which was a great ending. I do wish there were more good guys for Bron to interact with, since he's too much of a loner (aside from the time he spends kissing).
The right number of people died, and in the right ways (tragically, heroically).
The school was well done, though, and I liked how active everyone seemed to be, joining all these clubs and doing all these performances and practices, and it was only the first week. (I liked how Bron didn't get invited to an underage drinking party, which happens in a lot of stupid highschool books; those scenes are unnecessary, only showing how dumb all the characters are.)
So, the writing was brilliant, and the plot was great, and the magic systems is well thought out, and I have hopes for the characters, even if I don't much care for them now.
June 26, 2013
Nightingale surprised me. I purchased this book because I wanted to support Mr. Farland after his son was injured in a longboarding accident. I'd read his books on writing, which were helpful. I pretty much wanted to see if he could practice what he preached.
This is really more like 4.5 stars, but I round up :)
Bron was a great protagonist. He's something different and in the end I wasn't sure that he would end up being a hero. The story is not over with this installment, so that is yet to be seen. I loved Olivia, Bron's foster mother. Her kindness was starting to crack Bron's hardened shell.
I don't want to give away spoilers, but this was a good, solid read full of memorable characters and ideas. I'm looking forward to continuing the series.
This is really more like 4.5 stars, but I round up :)
Bron was a great protagonist. He's something different and in the end I wasn't sure that he would end up being a hero. The story is not over with this installment, so that is yet to be seen. I loved Olivia, Bron's foster mother. Her kindness was starting to crack Bron's hardened shell.
I don't want to give away spoilers, but this was a good, solid read full of memorable characters and ideas. I'm looking forward to continuing the series.
January 4, 2012
Strap yourself in my friends, you're in for a wild ride! Nightingale is the whole package. Bron Jones is an orphan. Shipped from home to home over the years, he's never quite figured out what it is about him that is different. Try as he might he just doesn't seem to fit in with any family. Is it just bad luck, or is it fate? Bron's character isn't a confident one, he isn't comfortable in his own skin, at least not at the beginning. After so much heartache and disappointment, he's still managed to become a caring and sweet individual which really endeared me to him. There's a lot of hurt hiding there, but a lot of strength too.
Every character in this story, from those that steal the center stage for a bit to the more supporting ones, is extremely well written. David Farland shows his expertise at creating characters who are vivid and believable. There honestly wasn't a moment while I was reading that I wasn't fully immersed in the story. I cared about these characters. I loved, I loathed, I shivered with disgust. The evil and the good, it all bleeds off the page and into your heart. It was almost as if I was watching a movie unfold in front of me except, in this case, it was all happening in my mind as I read the words on the page. If you are a reader who craves character development, welcome to your Eden.
Nightingale just further proves to me why David Farland is considered to be a master of this genre. Bron's story navigates all types of twists and turns, and there is so much to fall in love with in every chapter. Perfectly paced, this is the type of book that will keep you reading fervently until the very end. Add in the stunning enhancements that the book provides to the readers, and this isn't just a story, it's an experience. Each chapter has it's own graphic novel page with moving characters, sound effects, and even a music track that fits the tone of where the story is going. I found myself excited to start a new chapter, just to get a glimpse at what was going to happen next.
Even without all the bells and whistles that Nightingale hides within its pages, I can assure you that this is one hell of a story. The animated pages at the beginning of each chapter were amazing. The music that fit just perfectly with that particular chapter drew you in. However when it comes right down to it, David Farland's uncanny ability to write an engrossing story is really what really brings it all home. I can promise you that Nightingale is unlike anything you've ever read or experienced before. It's an all encompassing, immersive experience that will draw you in and make you forget reality. If you aren't a David Farland fan yet, you will be. You will be.
Every character in this story, from those that steal the center stage for a bit to the more supporting ones, is extremely well written. David Farland shows his expertise at creating characters who are vivid and believable. There honestly wasn't a moment while I was reading that I wasn't fully immersed in the story. I cared about these characters. I loved, I loathed, I shivered with disgust. The evil and the good, it all bleeds off the page and into your heart. It was almost as if I was watching a movie unfold in front of me except, in this case, it was all happening in my mind as I read the words on the page. If you are a reader who craves character development, welcome to your Eden.
Nightingale just further proves to me why David Farland is considered to be a master of this genre. Bron's story navigates all types of twists and turns, and there is so much to fall in love with in every chapter. Perfectly paced, this is the type of book that will keep you reading fervently until the very end. Add in the stunning enhancements that the book provides to the readers, and this isn't just a story, it's an experience. Each chapter has it's own graphic novel page with moving characters, sound effects, and even a music track that fits the tone of where the story is going. I found myself excited to start a new chapter, just to get a glimpse at what was going to happen next.
Even without all the bells and whistles that Nightingale hides within its pages, I can assure you that this is one hell of a story. The animated pages at the beginning of each chapter were amazing. The music that fit just perfectly with that particular chapter drew you in. However when it comes right down to it, David Farland's uncanny ability to write an engrossing story is really what really brings it all home. I can promise you that Nightingale is unlike anything you've ever read or experienced before. It's an all encompassing, immersive experience that will draw you in and make you forget reality. If you aren't a David Farland fan yet, you will be. You will be.
December 10, 2012
A world within a world and a boy striving to do what was right despite the odds.
Bron was immediately easy to fall for. A victim of the System, he'd been bounced from one foster home to the next with no advocate really watching out for him and his best interests. The story opened with him in one of those less-than-fortunate situations, which sent the images of a male Cinderella to my mind. Emotionally battered, yet a strong will to survive, his plight was one many can connect with. Like most teens, Bron felt different. And he really was.
The mystery of Bron's tale soon took him to yet another 'foster' situation. However, this time was a move of fortune - a window into his real identity and a provided him with a guide to show him the way. The setting was interesting: a school focused on kids with creative talents such as artists or musicians. From this world building, Farland thrust the reader into Bron's first of many threats that could cost him his new found home - which he actually liked.
Another race living among the human race was clean and probable. Good verses Evil bled through the hidden race as well as between that race and humans. Basically, there was plenty of 'bad.' The concept of implanting memories and/or erasing them was intriguing. I won't say that I bought every explanation of the process throughout the book, but it was thought-provoking.
At one point, the story took a turn, refreshing the reader with a loving and self-examining tone. With all this memory swapping, implanting, and altering, it had to be difficult to figure out what one believed and who could be trusted - just as in real life: What really makes a person behave the way they do? Could more hope, love, or courage change their behavior?
At the climax, Bron was wedged between good and evil again, but more than that, he was forced to confront the inner battle of right and wrong within him.
As expected, the writing flowed and engaged me. Crumbs of information lay scattered amid the words with each turn of the page. Strategic places, teasing the reader. There was no doubt - Farland could tell a story. Though Bron was surely the main character, I enjoyed seeing his development through Olivia's (his new step-mom) eyes.
I'd have to say my only frown upon the book was the pacing. At times, the story lagged, almost seeming like information dumps, even during a few sections of dialog; felt too convenient. But in Farland's defense, he definitely had a ton of information to feed to the reader.
I would recommend this book to any tween/teen/adult with a passion for reading longer novels consisting of strong world building and characters. Check it out.
Bron was immediately easy to fall for. A victim of the System, he'd been bounced from one foster home to the next with no advocate really watching out for him and his best interests. The story opened with him in one of those less-than-fortunate situations, which sent the images of a male Cinderella to my mind. Emotionally battered, yet a strong will to survive, his plight was one many can connect with. Like most teens, Bron felt different. And he really was.
The mystery of Bron's tale soon took him to yet another 'foster' situation. However, this time was a move of fortune - a window into his real identity and a provided him with a guide to show him the way. The setting was interesting: a school focused on kids with creative talents such as artists or musicians. From this world building, Farland thrust the reader into Bron's first of many threats that could cost him his new found home - which he actually liked.
Another race living among the human race was clean and probable. Good verses Evil bled through the hidden race as well as between that race and humans. Basically, there was plenty of 'bad.' The concept of implanting memories and/or erasing them was intriguing. I won't say that I bought every explanation of the process throughout the book, but it was thought-provoking.
At one point, the story took a turn, refreshing the reader with a loving and self-examining tone. With all this memory swapping, implanting, and altering, it had to be difficult to figure out what one believed and who could be trusted - just as in real life: What really makes a person behave the way they do? Could more hope, love, or courage change their behavior?
At the climax, Bron was wedged between good and evil again, but more than that, he was forced to confront the inner battle of right and wrong within him.
As expected, the writing flowed and engaged me. Crumbs of information lay scattered amid the words with each turn of the page. Strategic places, teasing the reader. There was no doubt - Farland could tell a story. Though Bron was surely the main character, I enjoyed seeing his development through Olivia's (his new step-mom) eyes.
I'd have to say my only frown upon the book was the pacing. At times, the story lagged, almost seeming like information dumps, even during a few sections of dialog; felt too convenient. But in Farland's defense, he definitely had a ton of information to feed to the reader.
I would recommend this book to any tween/teen/adult with a passion for reading longer novels consisting of strong world building and characters. Check it out.
December 22, 2011
**Thank you to East India Press for sending me a complimentary copy of this novel. This does not, in anyway, influence my opinion.**
3.5 stars
Original is here. (Note: Due to copy-and-paste, links and formatting has been lost.)
Nightingale will change your perspective on the reading world. Buried inside the pages of this enhanced novel is the story of a boy, a legend, a destiny, and plenty of secrets that will keep you addicted.
I enjoyed Nightingale. It's a story with tons of history that adds up to one big, shattering finale--and it's a story of a boy who has to find himself, a person lost years ago when his mother first abandoned him.
The characters were very eccentric, and though I can't say I loved everyone who I was supposed to love, their peculiar personalities did make them a very interesting read. I really liked Bron--he was such a strong character once he found his footing--and David Farland does a fantastic job of grounding in reality and fantasy simultaneously without overwhelming the reader.
The only thing I wish this engrossing story had was this: trimming. Many times, there were paragraphs of description that just never held my interest, and I often skipped over them. There were also info-dumps that I didn't necessarily need. Though the author notes enhanced the book and my knowledge, after a while, I wasn't very compelled to read all of those, either--I'm an action type of gal, what can I say?
Overall, though, I think readers of intense fantasy with a sinister history will really enjoy this novel. And, oh, do get the enhanced version. It'll blow your mind away.
P.S. I have a guest post with the author, David Farland, coming up. And a giveaway of Nightingale, too, so stay tuned!
3.5 stars
Original is here. (Note: Due to copy-and-paste, links and formatting has been lost.)
Nightingale will change your perspective on the reading world. Buried inside the pages of this enhanced novel is the story of a boy, a legend, a destiny, and plenty of secrets that will keep you addicted.
I enjoyed Nightingale. It's a story with tons of history that adds up to one big, shattering finale--and it's a story of a boy who has to find himself, a person lost years ago when his mother first abandoned him.
The characters were very eccentric, and though I can't say I loved everyone who I was supposed to love, their peculiar personalities did make them a very interesting read. I really liked Bron--he was such a strong character once he found his footing--and David Farland does a fantastic job of grounding in reality and fantasy simultaneously without overwhelming the reader.
The only thing I wish this engrossing story had was this: trimming. Many times, there were paragraphs of description that just never held my interest, and I often skipped over them. There were also info-dumps that I didn't necessarily need. Though the author notes enhanced the book and my knowledge, after a while, I wasn't very compelled to read all of those, either--I'm an action type of gal, what can I say?
Overall, though, I think readers of intense fantasy with a sinister history will really enjoy this novel. And, oh, do get the enhanced version. It'll blow your mind away.
P.S. I have a guest post with the author, David Farland, coming up. And a giveaway of Nightingale, too, so stay tuned!
April 16, 2012
Nightingale is an enhanced e-book which can be read on the Web or tablet device (such as an iPad). It combines print, music, and video clips into a visually and auditorily stunning work. Once you start Nightingale, you will not be able to put it down! We’re first introduced to Sommer and the mystery surrounding her missing memories and child. Both are very important….but why??
Years later we are introduced to Bron, a foster child whose life couldn’t possibly get worse at the hands of his foster mother Melvina. She treats him, not as a child, but as a slave who earns her a paycheck. He's better off not being seen or heard around her house. When things fall apart and he’s kicked out of Melvina’s house, he’s taken to Olivia by his caseworker – the polar opposite of Melvina and almost too good to be true. Bron’s not used to kindness, but he’s willing to give it a try…but before too late, trouble finds Bron. But why?? Fall into the pages of Nightingale and find out!!
A fascinating book made so much more by the enhancements of sound and video! The story flows seamlessly and you are fully engaged in Bron’s story and the mysterious secrets surrounding his life. Ending with a cliffhanger like the old movie shorts, you will be waiting breathlessly for the next book in the series. A wonderfully creative story and a unique experience for all readers! I can see enhanced e-books becoming the newest trend in entertainment.
Series: Nightingale (1), Dream Assassin (2)
Years later we are introduced to Bron, a foster child whose life couldn’t possibly get worse at the hands of his foster mother Melvina. She treats him, not as a child, but as a slave who earns her a paycheck. He's better off not being seen or heard around her house. When things fall apart and he’s kicked out of Melvina’s house, he’s taken to Olivia by his caseworker – the polar opposite of Melvina and almost too good to be true. Bron’s not used to kindness, but he’s willing to give it a try…but before too late, trouble finds Bron. But why?? Fall into the pages of Nightingale and find out!!
A fascinating book made so much more by the enhancements of sound and video! The story flows seamlessly and you are fully engaged in Bron’s story and the mysterious secrets surrounding his life. Ending with a cliffhanger like the old movie shorts, you will be waiting breathlessly for the next book in the series. A wonderfully creative story and a unique experience for all readers! I can see enhanced e-books becoming the newest trend in entertainment.
Series: Nightingale (1), Dream Assassin (2)
June 28, 2013
Wow, this was a change from other David Farland books, but it was a good one. It definitely takes awhile to start to understand the story, but when you catch on, it gets interesting. Two species, humans and Ael, which are divided into the Masaaks and the Draghouls. Essentially, the Masaaks are good (or perhaps it's better to say they are not evil) and the Draghouls are evil. Both have tremendous abilities for different forms of mind control. Masaaks hide in the human society, Draghouls are able to hide, but have no regard for human life and will use their mind controlling abilities (or outright slaughter) to hide their existence.
Sometimes a Masaak will hide a child with a human family, like the nightingale putting it's egg in another bird's nest.
When your life has been a series of mostly unhappy foster situations, you become a little jaded. When Bron is moved to yet another home, he is guarded and distrustful. However, as he begins to discover the reason for some of the things that have happened to him, and as he discovers that there is more to this world than humans, life gets really complicated. And for the reader - really interesting!
Great first book to a new series, I can't wait for the rest!
Sometimes a Masaak will hide a child with a human family, like the nightingale putting it's egg in another bird's nest.
When your life has been a series of mostly unhappy foster situations, you become a little jaded. When Bron is moved to yet another home, he is guarded and distrustful. However, as he begins to discover the reason for some of the things that have happened to him, and as he discovers that there is more to this world than humans, life gets really complicated. And for the reader - really interesting!
Great first book to a new series, I can't wait for the rest!
August 27, 2012
I read the regular hardcover version of this book, not the enhanced one. I am intrigued by the enhanced one, though, because I think multimedia options for teens are a great idea - combining songs, videos, and print enrich the story. I liked the premise of the story, but the pacing felt a little "off" to me as well as the character development. The main character is Bron Jones, a teen who has been moved from foster home to foster home since he was a baby. In his latest foster home, he is finally taught about who he is, and it is discovered that he is a rare type of masaak, a dream assassin. As the story unfolds with good vs. bad fighting each other for thousands of years, it is unclear which side of the fight Bron is on. He is being hunted, though, and must try to stay below the radar to avoid being captured. The ending is not really an ending because this is part of a series. I had a lot of unanswered questions that I hope will be resolved in future books.
Favorite quote: "Ignorance lets a child sleep in peace. Wisdom is what keeps the elderly up at night." (Olivia Hernandez, p. 127)
Favorite quote: "Ignorance lets a child sleep in peace. Wisdom is what keeps the elderly up at night." (Olivia Hernandez, p. 127)
March 25, 2012
I read the book in approximately two days. I haven't done that in years. I still love reading. I write my own stuff too, so I have to read fiction to keep up on my trade. However, I haven't had a book pick me up and become one I couldn't put down in years. I don't even think I had a single college text that engaged me this much. But, not many of my college text books dealt with topics like the following:
*Psionic Communication
*Identity of the Self
*Moral Obligation to Self and Society
*Immoral Actions that Must be Performed for the Greater Good of Society
*Emotional Impact of Those Immoral Actions
Many would classify this as Fantasy. Indeed, I believe Dave did himself. But the echoes of his SF roots are felt and carry through this story to a deep level. He pits his characters, ones for whom you root, against moral choices that will leave the character permanently scarred.
Once again, Dave proves himself a master of the craft. Read this book and read it again. Get the enhanced version for your iPad. Don't miss out on this wonderful peak into a new, unique universe.
December 29, 2012
I'm always intrigued when an author can set a story in our world, but introduce a new species. So in Nightingale, we have this inter-weaving of humans and Bron, who is the Nightingale, a baby abandoned by its species and he has wicked awesome powers.
Farland has a gift when it comes to creating characters. Each one walks off the page. We know the main characters, but we can feel the secondary characters standing next to them. The plot line is engrossing and I was rooting for several of the characters, worrying over what might happen to them.
The information behind this race was intriguing but at times it felt a little heavy as we traveled through thousands of years of events. Farland does a nice job of throwing in vital bits of info, but I still felt impatient, so that is probably me being anxious to get back to the crux of the plot.
Overall, Farland doesn't disappoint with his attention to detail, unique settings, and strength of storyline. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!
Farland has a gift when it comes to creating characters. Each one walks off the page. We know the main characters, but we can feel the secondary characters standing next to them. The plot line is engrossing and I was rooting for several of the characters, worrying over what might happen to them.
The information behind this race was intriguing but at times it felt a little heavy as we traveled through thousands of years of events. Farland does a nice job of throwing in vital bits of info, but I still felt impatient, so that is probably me being anxious to get back to the crux of the plot.
Overall, Farland doesn't disappoint with his attention to detail, unique settings, and strength of storyline. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!
October 29, 2012
I'm always intrigued when an author can set a story in our world, but introduce a new species. So in Nightingale, we have this inter-weaving of humans and Bron, who is the Nightingale, a baby abandoned by its species and he has wicked awesome powers.
Farland has a gift when it comes to creating characters. Each one walks off the page. We know the main characters, but we can feel the secondary characters standing next to them. The plot line is engrossing and I was rooting for several of the characters, worrying over what might happen to them.
The information behind this race was intriguing but at times it felt a little heavy as we traveled through thousands of years of events. Farland does a nice job of throwing in vital bits of info, but I still felt impatient, so that is probably me being anxious to get back to the crux of the plot.
Overall, Farland doesn't disappoint with his attention to detail, unique settings, and strength of storyline. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!
Farland has a gift when it comes to creating characters. Each one walks off the page. We know the main characters, but we can feel the secondary characters standing next to them. The plot line is engrossing and I was rooting for several of the characters, worrying over what might happen to them.
The information behind this race was intriguing but at times it felt a little heavy as we traveled through thousands of years of events. Farland does a nice job of throwing in vital bits of info, but I still felt impatient, so that is probably me being anxious to get back to the crux of the plot.
Overall, Farland doesn't disappoint with his attention to detail, unique settings, and strength of storyline. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!
April 23, 2013
I really wanted to like this more than I did. The first few chapters are fantastic, I really got pulled in, but as the storyline developed I found myself saying "Eh? But..." quite a lot. I appreciate that Bron is, in D&D terminology, a "True Neutral" character, and that's both interesting and hard to deal with as a writer. But I found the infodumping really jumpy and scattered, with many of the secondary characters no more than paper people against a pretty backcloth setting. There are plot holes all over the place. The ending felt rushed and was ultimately unsatisfying.
Also, enough with the boobs. We get that he's a teenage boy with sex on the brain. Dan Wells' I Am Not A Serial Killer and Patrick Ness' Monsters of Men series handle this a lot better. Ditto the teenage girls - can we PLEASE move on from the madonna/whore thing?
Also, enough with the boobs. We get that he's a teenage boy with sex on the brain. Dan Wells' I Am Not A Serial Killer and Patrick Ness' Monsters of Men series handle this a lot better. Ditto the teenage girls - can we PLEASE move on from the madonna/whore thing?
April 25, 2013
I love supernatural YA mysteries, and when I picked this up, I was expecting a certain formulaic narrative--young person living in contemporary US, mistreated, finds out he has a special something, and then goes on a quest. Done.
Well, I am delighted to say that this book does not follow that story arc. Indeed, the juxtaposition between contemporary US and the way the protagonist, Bron, and people like him experience the world is extremely dramatic, and Farland is a master at having these two worlds intersect repeatedly dramatizing the differences between the two.
I was pleasantly surprised by events and actions throughout the book, and considering I can usually smell a story arc and conclusion just from the book cover (for example, GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn--saw that one coming before I cracked it open), being surprised is something I like and enjoy.
I hope it's not long before Mr. Farland releases the sequel, DREAM ASSASSIN, because I am really looking forward to it.
Well, I am delighted to say that this book does not follow that story arc. Indeed, the juxtaposition between contemporary US and the way the protagonist, Bron, and people like him experience the world is extremely dramatic, and Farland is a master at having these two worlds intersect repeatedly dramatizing the differences between the two.
I was pleasantly surprised by events and actions throughout the book, and considering I can usually smell a story arc and conclusion just from the book cover (for example, GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn--saw that one coming before I cracked it open), being surprised is something I like and enjoy.
I hope it's not long before Mr. Farland releases the sequel, DREAM ASSASSIN, because I am really looking forward to it.
October 5, 2012
I really wanted to love this book. Dave is a friend and mentor and he had talked up the cool aspects of the interactive version. I read the web version, and I must say that the technology just isn't there yet. The story was pretty good, but felt forced. There was too much stuff packed in such a small package. Also, I felt the "magic" system didn't work for me. Any group that had been around as long as this one supposedly had would have more sophisticated ways of countering the downside to their abilities. The ability to turn foe into friend and vice versus so easily doesn't work for me. It knocked me right out of the story as my as my disbelief suspenders snapped.
It may be that I'm too old for this book, as there seem to be a lot of people raving over it, but I'll take the Runelords any day over this.
It may be that I'm too old for this book, as there seem to be a lot of people raving over it, but I'll take the Runelords any day over this.
June 20, 2013
Though I enjoyed it, I'm not sure who this book's audience is- there's elements of usual teen power stories, but the adults are more than just teachers or deus ex machina; they have their own issues and battles. Creative types might enjoy the Glee- like setting, but not much important happens at the school itself, and there's a lot of sci-fi details they might not care about. Foster care tragedies and the ethics of superpowers are also important. The southern Utah setting was interesting to me but may turn off some.
What I liked most was the grayness of Bron and Olivia; while there are some things you know they should not do, others you're not sure about.
I wish I could have read the enhanced version, but it's only for iPad, no HTML or android version, sadly.
What I liked most was the grayness of Bron and Olivia; while there are some things you know they should not do, others you're not sure about.
I wish I could have read the enhanced version, but it's only for iPad, no HTML or android version, sadly.
August 5, 2012
I just read Nightingale, which turns our world and the world of urban fantasy on its head. I didn't know what to make of the main character at first, but then again Bron doesn't know what to make of himself. He's been adrift in foster care for a long time. Then everything changes - really fast as Bron begins to learn the truth about himself and that humans aren't alone in our world. Nightingale is Dave Farland's first Young Adult novel and this is the first book in what looks to me to be a series that the young at heart, like me, are going to love. So I'm going to keep looking for Nightingales... apparently they could be anywhere.
November 21, 2011
I really liked this book. I bought it out of curiosity for the multi-media elements, but the story is what really gripped me. To be honest, the extra features were cool, but when they stopped halfway through the book due to being released in sections, I didn't really miss them. I was too hooked on the story by then. I was a bit disappointed in the ending. While the ending was good I found myself wanting more satisfaction. I wil definitely be getting the next book, I just hope it comes out soon!
April 3, 2012
This review is for the hardcover. Not the enhanced ebook. Dave is a longtime friend and fellow Writers of the Future alumn. Bought this at his recent booksigning in SLC. Read it in two nights. This book is for young adults. And i dont read much young adult fiction (harry potter, hunger games is about it). But I did like this. And I liked that Dave wasn't afraid to juggle a lot of characters and place them in real world situations--even though this is ultimatly a supernatural thriller of sorts. Easy to read. Simple to read. Paced just right. Recommended.
February 4, 2014
this is a book I heartily recommend to all lovers of YA Fantasy. There were conflicts at every turn, character growth and lovable sidekicks, interesting settings and really twisty twists. Go and get it. You won't regret it. (Ooops that rhymed ;-) )
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