Path of Night

Night Beast #1

by Dirk Flinthart, Tehani Croft Wessely (Editor)

Michael Devlin is the first of a new breed. The way things are going, he may also be the last.

Being infected with an unknown disease is bad. Waking up on a slab in a morgue wearing nothing but a toe-tag is worse, even if it comes with a strange array of new abilities.

Medical student Michael Devlin is in trouble. With his flatmates murdered and an international cabal of legendary man-monsters on his trail, Devlin's got nowhere to hide. His only allies are a hot-tempered Sydney cop and a mysterious monster-hunter who may be setting Devlin up for the kill. If he's going to survive, Devlin will have to embrace his new powers and confront his hunters. But can he hold onto his humanity when he walks the Path of Night?

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

430 pages, Paperback

First published October 18, 2013

About the author

Dirk Flinthart lives on a rural property in northeast Tasmania, with his wife, three children, and sundry animals. His work has appeared in an array of places as various as MAX Magazine, the Good Weekend, and the English Sunday Telegraph. Mostly, he likes to write speculative fiction, and has appeared frequently in ASIM, the Agog! anthologies, and elsewhere. Despite his children, he is actually trying to finish a novel, but for the moment it's all about short stories.

Reviews

[Mark Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first came across Dirk Flinthart's work when reading back over the New Ceres project, a shared world Australian spec fic project which occurred a while back. Dirk's work featured in both the New Ceres Nights anthology and the stand alone Angel Rising (links are to my reviews of both).  I enjoyed his stories in both, so when I saw he had brought out his first full length novel, I was intrigued. I also really liked the cover, to be honest. Iconic Australian imagery doesn't often find itself on the front of an urban fantasy.

The novel centres on medical student Michael Devlin, who works in a lab to help keep himself at university. He is accidentally infected with a mysterious substance and when he goes to ask the Professor running the lab what it was, a crazed killer breaks in and kills both the Professor and Michael.

Which makes in all the more surprising for Michael when he wakes up in the morgue, toe tag and all. Not only is he not dead, but he seems to have picked up some nifty special powers along the way. The rest of the book involves Michael trying to work out what the hell has happened to him, and avoid/fight off the increasingly scary beasties that want to destroy him.

The book moves along at a fair clip, and involves a series of increasingly large and violent action sequences. According to the Internet Flinthart is a highly experience martial artist, and that flavour comes through in the book. The fight scenes seem authentic, especially the hand to hand stuff.

The story is told from several points of view, but my favourite is Jen, the Sydney police detective. She's tough, smart and very pragmatic. She is also very relatable.

This is the first book in a series, and while the plot does stand alone there is a lot of world establishing going on. I like the idea of international intrigue and secret cabals of vampires in an uneasy truce with their human counterparts, and the book hints at a scope that could make for very interesting story telling.

That being said, the book is a lot of fun and my impression was that Flinthart was having a good time writing it. This impression was further entrenched when I heard the Galactic Chat interview of Flinthart, where he said "I had a good time writing it". It is a very interesting interview - Flinthart has some pragmatic views on the publishing industry that I found informative. He even said that writing doesn't need to be good in order to sell. Thank whatever deity you hold most dear that is the case, or my own writing career would be in a lot of trouble.

Lots of action, violence and vampires - and you're supporting Australian speculative fiction at the same time. What's not to like?

I also reviewed this book on my website.

[Alan Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Flinthart's first novel, but his extensive experience in shorter fiction means it doesn't read that way. It's a new, dark and scientific take on the vampire mythos, which Flinthart reinvents in an extremely Australian way. Set in Sydney and drenched in Australian humour, this is an interesting read.

We follow two main threads - Michael Devlin, infected with a strange disease which effectively vampirises him, and Jen, a tough cop who's investigating a murder Devlin inadvertently got tied up in. His disease and the killing are connected and Devlin becomes a reluctant hero with super powers on the run while Jen relies on tough, dogged police work to try to track him down.

Path of Night is excellently written and very well paced. Flinthart's humour is ever-present but rarely gets too much. It's occasionally distracting, but not often. I would have preferred the secrets and world-building to have been delivered a bit more slowly through the book to increase the mystery and tension a little, but that's a small gripe.

The police procedural side of this book is excellent and feels thoroughly authentic. The vampire aspects are woven in well using scientific ideas rather than purely supernatural ones which does a good job of making an old subject matter fresh and interesting.

This is apparently the first in a series of Michael Devlin novels, but it didn't feel like it. It's a great standalone book and I'll be interested to see what Flinthart does with this character next.

.

[Jason Franks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dirk Flinthart’s Aurealis Award-nominated novel, Path of Night, is a smart, action-packed vampire noir set in Sydney, Australia.
Michael Devlin is a medical student who is accidentally-on purpose dosed with an experimental serum shortly before he is killed by a vampire. Hours later he wakes up with a host of new abilities and a mild susceptibility to sunburn. Suddenly everybody wants him. The cops suspect him of murder. The vampire clans see him as a terrible threat. The Order Argentum think he’s the key to finally ridding the world of the Night Beasts they police. Michael just wants to know what the hell is going on—almost as much as he’d like a good meal. Michael’s new powers make him hungry.

So yeah, we’ve seen all of these story elements before. Vampire clans, check. Ancient order of badass monster hunters, check. Mysterious treaty keeping the world of darkness hidden, check. There’s even a Marvel comics character called Hannibal King (played by Ryan Reynolds in David Goyer’s terrible movie Blade: Trinity) who is a cured vampire. King has retained most of his vampiric abilities but has been cured of the allergy to sunlight and the desire to drink blood. We’ve seen these story tropes before, but I’ve never seen them handled with the assurance and conviction Flinthart brings.

The prose is crisp and humorous without being jokey. Every scene is vivid and snappy and full of atmosphere. The action is realistically choreographed and gracefully delivered. Though it’s often humorous, Path of Night brims with suspense. Flinthart delivers some beautifully timed surprises and shocks and, while the story pretty much goes where you expect, the twists and turns it takes on the way are particularly clever.

All of the characters are thoughtfully realized. My favourite is Jen Morris, the stubborn police detective who serves as a second protagonist. Morris is smarter and more resourceful than the hapless everyman hero and she receives almost as much airtime as he does. Wirrin, the laconic vampire henchman, is frightening and particularly entertaining. The supporting players in Path of Night are just as much fun to spend time with: the bored army grunts guarding a hole in the ground, the incompetent exchange officer, the K9 team, the proud but greedy archaeology professor—even the stand-ins have personality and charm.

The other thing about Path of Night that’s refreshing is its lack of pretension. None of the lapses into sentimentality or mugging attempts to be cool that plague the vampire/paranormal/insert-marketing-buzzword-here subgenres are present in this book. Path of Night effortlessly delivers its shocks and spills, its laughs and cries and triumphs and tragedies.

Path of Night is the first in a series of books and shorts about Michael Devlin. I’m certainly looking forward to the rest of them.

[Tsana Dolichva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Path of Night by Dirk Flinthart is the author's longest published work (ie first novel) to date. I'm sure I've read some of his short stories before, but apparently not since I started reviewing here.

Path of Night follows Devlin, a med student with bad luck. After being murdered and coming back from the dead, he discovers that a) he needs to eat a lot of food now, b) he has super senses and super speed and c) a bunch of people are trying to kill him. His side of the story is very much centred about not dying and getting through the day.

The other point of view character is Jen, a Sydney cop who starts out investigating the homicide Devlin was caught up in. From her point of view we see a bit of police internal politics, some investigation and then, well, then the story catches up with Devlin and everything gets a bit crazy.

The pacing in this novel is brilliant. It's not a short read, but even though it took me a while to get through (because life etc) it was sufficiently well-paced that it felt like it would be a quick read. It wasn't all action all the time, but there was never a dull moment. I felt I always wanted to know what happened next, even when the point of view switched away from Devlin and Jen to the characters on the other side of the equation.

This is the first book in a series, and I have to admit I wasn't sure how it would play out, in terms of setting up the next book, until I got to the end. It didn't really feel like a book one, and I say that in the best possible way. I wasn't sure who would survive or in what form the series would continue (until the end when the premise of the next book was seemingly set up).

I also loved that it was set in Sydney. Living overseas as I am for the time being, I have been really appreciating books with Australian settings. Particularly ones which feel authentic, as Path of Night does (occasional references to "sidewalks" notwithstanding). I kind of want to take a tour of those tunnels next time I'm in Sydney. I wouldn't have known they existed otherwise. The tourism bureau should pay Flinthart a commission. ;-)

Path of Night was an excellent read and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next book and anything else I see of the author's. I highly recommend it to fans of urban fantasy and contemporary horror, especially the more action-filled variety. Readers looking for an Australian setting (or a non-US setting, heh) are also advised to give Path of Night a shot.

4.5 / 5 stars

You can read more of my reviews on my blog.

[Jda · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads, and I appreciate it very much. **
1.- The Physical. This book's cover has a nice texture, and it has proved (until now) impervious to stains. I like the lightness of the paper for a volume of 400+ pages. I did carried it on my backpack or sometimes even in jacket without noticing. That's a plus. Also the cover matte colors advances the reader on the dark theme.

2.- The context. I, for one, had not read any story relating to the Australian society and geographics. I felt the author's concern for making known the specific circumstances and whereabouts of a thriller happening on his side of the world (sorry to say, 80% of the stories and novels I've read takes place on America(North, Central and South) and Western Europe; yes, shame on me). A lot of locations, names and lingo that I´ve not found in other stories. I value it and am ready to take on the rest of the Night Beast series. Reading this made me a bit more open minded, 'Reading as Traveling' and all that..

3.- The story. As I said, a story of a beast of this kind on a not freezing weather makes one think of all the different outcomes. I liked a lot the 'vignette' style of the chapters; I mean, chapters of 4 pages, or even less? for me, this makes the story very well to the point, even abling the reader to follow all the threads of the story, or different scenarios happening at the same time; it recalls a little the essence of comics, where the dynamics and timing is everything.

4.- One inconsistence I found was that the character of Dr. Parker doesn't sound very believable, and her reaction when questioned. Somehow I didn't picture her doing that. I'd also like to tone down the romance a bit, since I felt it very rushed (even with the pheromones effect, and all). Remember Anakin and Padme romance in SWII? As a critic said: "well, Luke had to come from somewhere".

5.- All in all, I like this book, the 'modern' approach to the origin of the 'disease', and the occult organizations, the full research, full speed fights and the zen-like fight-wisdom of one of the secondary characters. I'm impressed and hope there is a sequel.

[Kyla Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ten

This is a by-the-numbers thriller, so you can expect certain things. An easy-going Everyman who stumbles into something he shouldn't – in this case, illegal biological research. A spunky lady cop, following the fallout and determined to get to the bottom of things. An ice-cold assassin who's already there. Sparks of sexual tension, and rapidly escalating violence. And it's not too much of a spoiler to suggest that, at the end, there's going to be one hell of a –

Nine

But it's also got vampires in it. Night beasts. Now, you could call these monsters old school – the path leads back to ancient Mesopotamia – except that old school vampires aren't generally this well-equipped. Flinthart takes the sensible approach that, even if the Night Beast virus creates bloodthirsty, super-powered psychopaths, they aren't going to survive the millennia without getting properly organised. There's even a treaty in place, to prevent all-out war between them and an ancient order of vampire hunters. Of course, the unprecedented changes occurring to our hero could defenestrate everything.

Eight

What you look for in a romp like this is deft handling of the tropes. Flinthart delivers a thoughtful and entertaining take on his material. Mike's condition brings on moral quandaries, that lend the emotional action the same kind of crunch that the convincing details of hardware and procedure grant the more militaristic sequences. The operations of the Hunter, Hellyer, are pleasingly plausible, as are the machinations of the villainous, yet intelligent, Lutterell, "the Seigneur's Seneschal".

Seven

There is also an atypical setting: Sydney is not a place generally associated with the terrors of darkness. And yet here they are...

To read the rest of the review, please go here. http://tabula-rasa.info/AusHorror/Pat...

[S.B. Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine if you will, the literary love child of Roger G. Barrett and Kelley Armstong and you’ll get close to the performance that Dirk Flinthart has provided in Path of Night

It’s not as politically incorrect as Barrett’s Les Norton books but there’s a thick seam of true blue Aussie gold humour running through this book. Mesh this with something like the fast paced urban fantasy of Kelly Armstrong’s Otherworld series, sans the really supernatural shenanigans and you have a darkly humorous thriller with cracking one liners and plenty of action.


Path of Night also puts me in mind of fellow Australian writers Trent Jamieson, Jason Nahrung and Narrelle M. Harris. Jamieson's Stephen de Selby, in the Death Works series, is a similar character to Devlin - a reluctant hero, though Devlin is less self effacing. Nahrung and Harris have also recently provided us with different takes on the Vampire in an Australian setting.

And what a well tilled field vampire fiction is.

So what makes Path of Night different? What lifts it out of the surge and swell of competent and not so competent reinventions of age old myths?

In this instance probably pacing and humour. I can experience an aversion to Australian humour if its put on a bit strong(cultural cringe maybe). Flinthart managed somehow to circumvent this aversion and I think a may have even chuckled out loud once or twice - trust me this is a feat of Herculean proportions.

The pacing is tight as well, the action (which can be grizzly in its conclusion) is crisp, clear and plays well with the humour. Towards the end of the year I am often starting to hit that wall of reading and commenting fatigue and Path of Night managed to punch through that wall for me.

[Mar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting take on vampires or night beasts and with a scientific twist to it. We get to follow Michael Devlin a medical student that is accidently infected with an unknown disease that resembles these creatures for the path of night. If that’s no bad enough now he finds himself being hunted by more than one group and putting people he knows in danger.

The characters are well developed. Michael Devlin is a great and complex character. There’s strength of character mixed with a mischievoiuos, funny and witty temperament. To complement Devlin we have the headstrong, take charge Detected Jen Morris. I like the way their relationship forms and progresses. The world that Flinkthart creates is full of conspiracy, mystery and action.

It’s well written with a good pace to it although I would have liked for the information on the Path of Night to have been delivered a little later on in the book adding to the mystery of it all. We also get the explanation right away on what happens to Devlin. The only mystery we have is what Luttrell is up too although Hellyer explains and fills in most of the loopholes.

Overall it was a good book and I liked the action and the culmination of it all in the end leading to the big twist with Devlin. It was a different take on vampires known as night beasts in the book and it was intriguing though out the entire book.

[Robert Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tasmanian scifi cult figure Dirk Flinthart's first full length novel demonstrates that all of the hype about this author is founded in truth. A fantastic rollicking tale about vampires in sunny Sydney that will keep the paranormal guys and gals happy while also enabling the techno warriors to find something to enjoy. Lots of fun and for strange reason this book seemed to make me feel hungry all the time..l

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Triffic fun by Tasmania's King of lighthearted horror. Flintheart has an eye for a sympathetic characters, writes very good action scenes, and snappy dialogue.

I really liked that it's not just set in Australia but really evinces a nuanced view of modern Australia being forced to face down the demons of its past. In many ways I read it as a mediation on Australia's colonial history, albeit viewed through the lens of a reluctant vampire story.

Looking forward to the second book.

[Shivani · Rating 5 out of 5]

an amazing storyline..would be a pleasure to win and read this book... i reallly wish i win.. :D

[Fiona Auton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! An easy read, and I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment.

[Sharon Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be a smart, funny, rollicking fast read. Really really enjoyed it and am hanging out for the next instalment.

[Margaret Sherrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up in an opshop. It is very different from other books. It is sharp-witted and it flows well. The dialogue flows smoothly and is not overdone. I highly recommend this author and I will be seeking out further books as they arise in the series.