What do you think?
Rate this book
Black & Orange #2
Nomads
A decade has passed since the events of BLACK & ORANGE and the Church of Midnight has almost been singlehandedly decimated by the Nomad named Patty Middleton.
After a series of mass executions, she demands answers from the mysterious Messenger, despite the protests of her partner. While Patty seems closer to discovering the identity of the Messenger, she has also developed a dangerous condition with her power to create the invisible fields known as Mantles. This condition could kill her or people around her, just when she needs to focus on her enemies, who now include a government group known as the Office of Arcane Phenomenon.
Meanwhile, Chaplain Cloth, disappointed and impatient with years of failing, seeks a rumored pair of columns that will hold the gateway open forever. Patty Middleton is more than a match for him though, and with half of his Church gone, if he doesn’t make his move now he might not get another chance for thousands of years. There’s no room for error. He has to get those columns and sacrifice the Heart of the Harvest.
But this year the Heart isn’t in our world.
This time around, the Nomads and Chaplain Cloth are spending Halloween in the Old Domain.
After a series of mass executions, she demands answers from the mysterious Messenger, despite the protests of her partner. While Patty seems closer to discovering the identity of the Messenger, she has also developed a dangerous condition with her power to create the invisible fields known as Mantles. This condition could kill her or people around her, just when she needs to focus on her enemies, who now include a government group known as the Office of Arcane Phenomenon.
Meanwhile, Chaplain Cloth, disappointed and impatient with years of failing, seeks a rumored pair of columns that will hold the gateway open forever. Patty Middleton is more than a match for him though, and with half of his Church gone, if he doesn’t make his move now he might not get another chance for thousands of years. There’s no room for error. He has to get those columns and sacrifice the Heart of the Harvest.
But this year the Heart isn’t in our world.
This time around, the Nomads and Chaplain Cloth are spending Halloween in the Old Domain.
412 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
498 people want to read
About the author
Benjamin Kane Ethridge
30 books236 followersBenjamin Kane Ethridge is the Bram Stoker Award winning author of the occult fantasy novel BLACK & ORANGE. He also wrote a master's thesis entitled, "CAUSES OF UNEASE: The Rhetoric of Horror Fiction and Film." Available in an ivory tower near you. Ben lives in Southern California. When he isn't writing, reading, videogaming, he's figuring out ways to keep from writing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 23, 2014
The original Black and Orange was my first introduction to the writing of Ben Ethridge and I thoroughly enjoyed every last page of it, so was thrilled to hear that he had written a sequel.
Set ten years after the events of the first book, the nomads have almost eradicated the Church of Midnight, primarily due to the incredible skill in creating mantles that Patty, Theresa's new parter, has manifested. As a result, the organisation, which spanned the globe in the first book, is now little more than a small rag-tag group who's faith in their cause has been shaken to the foundations. Patty and Theresa seem poised on the threshold of wiping them out once and for all, when they discover that the heart of the harvest has manifested not on Earth, but in the Old World - a place that they can not easily reach without dire personal consequences. However if they don't make the attempt there will be nothing to stop Chaplain Cloth from opening the portal between worlds and creating a permanent link between the old domain and Earth.
Ethridges writing style has evolved significantly since the first novel, and he creates epic action set pieces that really suck the reader in. He has a very visual, kinetic style that is perfectly suited to a novel such as this. I think I even prefer this novel over his incredible Bottled Abyss.
At first, I was a little worried that Patty was overpowered. The Church of Midnight did not seem to be a particularly credible threat, and even the sinister Chaplain Cloth seemed powerless against her. This, however was a very skilful ruse on the part of the author. As the novel progresses the stakes get higher and it becomes very clear that the nomads are not going to get it all their own way. One scene in particular, when you discover where the nomads mantles come from took me completely by surprise and absolutely blew me away.
The expansion of the mythos is also very welcome. The world building in the old domain is incredibly well done, creating a nightmarish but believable fantasy realm that works perfectly in the context of the story.
And the ending... all I can say is... wow.
I just hope that we don't have to wait too long for the next instalment of this fantastic series.
Set ten years after the events of the first book, the nomads have almost eradicated the Church of Midnight, primarily due to the incredible skill in creating mantles that Patty, Theresa's new parter, has manifested. As a result, the organisation, which spanned the globe in the first book, is now little more than a small rag-tag group who's faith in their cause has been shaken to the foundations. Patty and Theresa seem poised on the threshold of wiping them out once and for all, when they discover that the heart of the harvest has manifested not on Earth, but in the Old World - a place that they can not easily reach without dire personal consequences. However if they don't make the attempt there will be nothing to stop Chaplain Cloth from opening the portal between worlds and creating a permanent link between the old domain and Earth.
Ethridges writing style has evolved significantly since the first novel, and he creates epic action set pieces that really suck the reader in. He has a very visual, kinetic style that is perfectly suited to a novel such as this. I think I even prefer this novel over his incredible Bottled Abyss.
At first, I was a little worried that Patty was overpowered. The Church of Midnight did not seem to be a particularly credible threat, and even the sinister Chaplain Cloth seemed powerless against her. This, however was a very skilful ruse on the part of the author. As the novel progresses the stakes get higher and it becomes very clear that the nomads are not going to get it all their own way. One scene in particular, when you discover where the nomads mantles come from took me completely by surprise and absolutely blew me away.
The expansion of the mythos is also very welcome. The world building in the old domain is incredibly well done, creating a nightmarish but believable fantasy realm that works perfectly in the context of the story.
And the ending... all I can say is... wow.
I just hope that we don't have to wait too long for the next instalment of this fantastic series.
April 30, 2016
Nomads, the sequel to Black and Orange, is as engaging as its predecessor. Benjamin Kane Ethridge writes with a flare and passion that engages the reader and pulls him forward until you simply cannot stop until you reach the end. I highly recommend his work.
December 28, 2013
Review copy
A few years ago Black & Orange picked up a Bram Stoker award for best first novel. Deservedly so, as Benjamin Kane Ethridge created a wonderfully complex story about two worlds separated by a barrier which can be breached each Halloween. There are forces on the other side trying to make the opening permanent and others working to keep that from happening.
The cover art, from Matt Dixon, depicts one of the central characters from the Black & Orange universe, Chaplain Cloth, and a number of his "children." Cloth is one of many brilliantly iimagined characters that populate these tales.
Nomads is the second full-length novel in this series and there is also a collection of shorts called Reaping October: Stories from the Black & Orange Universe. Each worth your time if you're in the mood for a totally immersive experience. Be prepared, these works are not for the casual reader, nor for the faint of heart.
Nomads can be read as a stand alone piece, but I would recommend reading the other works first. Once again, as Halloween approaches, the Nomads are called upon to protect the Heart of the Harvest. If they are successful the opening between our world and the Old Domain will close for another year, if they fail the opening may become permanent and if that happens the world will never be the same.
The Black & Orange universe is so large and complex that I found myself lost at times, but never to the point where I wanted to leave.
Filled with many fully fleshed-out characters, Nomads, takes us on a trip to places unknown with people and creatures we've never imagined. Not your standard horror monsters, but certainly worthy of the genre. The climatic scene was mind-blowing and the ending was far from what I expected. I look forward to seeing what Benjamin Kane Ethridge comes up with next.
Nomads is available now, in paperback and for the Kindle, at Amazon.com. Keep Halloween alive all year 'round.
Highly recommended.
A few years ago Black & Orange picked up a Bram Stoker award for best first novel. Deservedly so, as Benjamin Kane Ethridge created a wonderfully complex story about two worlds separated by a barrier which can be breached each Halloween. There are forces on the other side trying to make the opening permanent and others working to keep that from happening.
The cover art, from Matt Dixon, depicts one of the central characters from the Black & Orange universe, Chaplain Cloth, and a number of his "children." Cloth is one of many brilliantly iimagined characters that populate these tales.
Nomads is the second full-length novel in this series and there is also a collection of shorts called Reaping October: Stories from the Black & Orange Universe. Each worth your time if you're in the mood for a totally immersive experience. Be prepared, these works are not for the casual reader, nor for the faint of heart.
Nomads can be read as a stand alone piece, but I would recommend reading the other works first. Once again, as Halloween approaches, the Nomads are called upon to protect the Heart of the Harvest. If they are successful the opening between our world and the Old Domain will close for another year, if they fail the opening may become permanent and if that happens the world will never be the same.
The Black & Orange universe is so large and complex that I found myself lost at times, but never to the point where I wanted to leave.
Filled with many fully fleshed-out characters, Nomads, takes us on a trip to places unknown with people and creatures we've never imagined. Not your standard horror monsters, but certainly worthy of the genre. The climatic scene was mind-blowing and the ending was far from what I expected. I look forward to seeing what Benjamin Kane Ethridge comes up with next.
Nomads is available now, in paperback and for the Kindle, at Amazon.com. Keep Halloween alive all year 'round.
Highly recommended.
December 19, 2013
"Nomads" was even better than I expected it to be, and is the perfect gift for the horror reader in your life who wants a different kind of read this holiday season, and even year-round, and isn’t sure what to read next. Just because Halloween is over, it doesn’t mean this book isn’t just as impactful months later as in its original season. That said, I don’t think that readers who haven’t read "Black & Orange" (the first book of the series) will be at a loss, or won’t understand what’s going on completely. Don’t get me wrong, it will definitely help to have read the first book, but one won’t be completely confused if they pick up Nomads first.
The Scottish setting, coupled with more world-building and exploration of the Old Domain, as well as more insights into exploring the villains of the book, makes "Nomads" an engaging novel that will entertain and enlighten horror readers. Definitely pick this one up if you haven't already done so!
For my full review, click here: http://thedarkeva.com/2013/12/19/book...
The Scottish setting, coupled with more world-building and exploration of the Old Domain, as well as more insights into exploring the villains of the book, makes "Nomads" an engaging novel that will entertain and enlighten horror readers. Definitely pick this one up if you haven't already done so!
For my full review, click here: http://thedarkeva.com/2013/12/19/book...
February 25, 2014
I'm kinda an Ethridge fanboy. I first found his work through his predecessor to Nomads entitled Black and Orange iand immediately fell in love with the world he created out of whole cloth that explained what was really going on with the Halloween holiday. Imagine if Clive Barker had done The Nightmare Before Christmas and you'd have a pretty good idea of what the gist of the story is. Nomads continues the story from the first book, fleshing out the gothic fantasy-horror mythos that Ethridge created to a full scope, and combining that with character dynamics and subplots to a fuller extent as well. He also does an incredible job of drawing forth a genuine human side to the some of the biggest jerkface antagonists in the book, making you feel genuinely at odds with yourself when you find yourself empathizing with them. I can't quite say it's a good stand alone book, as too much of what I consider crucial back story and nuances are in the first book, but you're not doing yourself a disservice by reading both.
May 22, 2014
*received for free through Goodreads First Reads
Dark and twisted with an engaging cast of characters and an inventive and original plot. Well written and though some scenes/imagery repulsed me, I think that was kind of the point and I liked that the author was bold enough to go there. Would recommend to anyone with a wicked fantasy mindset.
Dark and twisted with an engaging cast of characters and an inventive and original plot. Well written and though some scenes/imagery repulsed me, I think that was kind of the point and I liked that the author was bold enough to go there. Would recommend to anyone with a wicked fantasy mindset.
January 30, 2014
I loved this book. It is a complex story of two worlds and power struggles. I might recommend that you would read the first book first. This is a book, I would read again.
August 2, 2014
i would love to have a chance to win this book i got black and orange, i love that book and the author would love to win this one of his(Benjamin Kane Ethridge)
Want to read
August 6, 2014A Black And Orange Novel
This is copy 5 of 69 signed and numbered editions.
This is copy 5 of 69 signed and numbered editions.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews