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That Light Sublime Trilogy #3
The Light of a Black Star
It is 1872.
Annie Miller and the valiant members of the Peregrine Estate did all they could in Chicago to try and stop the Society of Prometheus from unleashing their terrible gods—The Nine—into our world. While they managed to save Carson Ptolemy from the occult society’s ritualistic sacrifice, they failed to stop the ritual entirely. And thus, the ritual half-completed, an unknowable celestial body has set itself over the Sun, casting it into perpetual eclipse, throwing the world deeper into the shuddering cold and blackness of an unending, pestilential winter.
The sunless world brings to bear the great and terrible armies of The Red Kingdom, the hidden body of vampires who have decided that the eclipse is heralding their time to rise in full force and conqueror. The kingdom’s sovereign monarch, and master of all vampires, Kristian, brings all his strength to bear out of the Astolat Mountain range in Colorado, beginning a war between humanity and vampires.
Annie and Carson, their lives now fully knotted together as members of the Peregrine Society and dear friends, work together with their allies to strike back against the vampiric horde, all while striving to set the world right in an epic conclusion of C.S. Humble’s That Light Sublime trilogy.
Annie Miller and the valiant members of the Peregrine Estate did all they could in Chicago to try and stop the Society of Prometheus from unleashing their terrible gods—The Nine—into our world. While they managed to save Carson Ptolemy from the occult society’s ritualistic sacrifice, they failed to stop the ritual entirely. And thus, the ritual half-completed, an unknowable celestial body has set itself over the Sun, casting it into perpetual eclipse, throwing the world deeper into the shuddering cold and blackness of an unending, pestilential winter.
The sunless world brings to bear the great and terrible armies of The Red Kingdom, the hidden body of vampires who have decided that the eclipse is heralding their time to rise in full force and conqueror. The kingdom’s sovereign monarch, and master of all vampires, Kristian, brings all his strength to bear out of the Astolat Mountain range in Colorado, beginning a war between humanity and vampires.
Annie and Carson, their lives now fully knotted together as members of the Peregrine Society and dear friends, work together with their allies to strike back against the vampiric horde, all while striving to set the world right in an epic conclusion of C.S. Humble’s That Light Sublime trilogy.
332 pages, Paperback
First published November 27, 2023
14 people are currently reading
272 people want to read
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November 28, 2023
THE LIGHT OF A BLACK STAR (Book 3 in The Light Sublime Trilogy) by C. S. Humble
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: All These Subtle Deceits, All the Prospect Around Us, The Massacre at Yellow Hill, A Red Winter in the West
Release Date: November 2023
General Genre: Horror, Adventure Western
Sub-Genre/Themes: Secret cult, cosmic horror, vampires, friendship, loyalty, epic battle against oppressive evil, romance
Writing Style: Multiple POV, short chapters, fast pace, character-driven, lush/accessible prose written with purpose and intention, intricately plotted
What You Need to Know: The Light of A Black Star is the epic climax and conclusion in a trilogy. It’s important to read the other two books before this one, The Massacre at Yellow Hill and A Red Winter in the West. The Light Sublime Trilogy begins with the outbreak of evil in a small town and meets a cast of characters for the first time but ultimately follows for the rest of the story spanning over three books. Also, you need to know that you are going to lose your heart and find it again in these pages.
My Reading Experience: One of the things that makes this trilogy so good is the full sweep of the plot. I feel like I have gone somewhere. A real journey. I’ve compared it to my time with The Dark Tower series by Stephen King and the Lord of the Rings trilogy by Tolkien. Following characters that feel very real to you on a high-stakes quest through multiple books is a unique and memorable experience that doesn’t happen all the time.
It's a treasure.
I started in book one, met all of these characters, invested in their stories - their mission - their survival, and then I went on the road with them. We traveled together on horses with names. We developed a purpose and headed off toward our destination. I listened to important conversations. I heard worries and hopes whispered in secret. The characters I fell in love with experienced loss, heartache, fear, and pain. Some of them don’t make it to the next book and it’s devastating. Their journey ends but we keep moving on.
I’ve read pages where the words kept getting blurry and I would have to stop and wait for the tears to dry up. Sometimes I would just put a bookmark in and let the weight of sadness steep. I held my breath as evil lurked and hunted. And not just any evil–oppressive darkness from all sides capable of horrible acts of depravity. It’s terrifying and torturing. I held on to my hopes that my favorite characters would be okay (even when I knew they wouldn’t be) Sometimes the characters endured but they were changed.
I had to learn to trust the author’s ability to tell the story the way it needed to be told. I developed some serious literary crushes.
One of our main protagonists, Carson Ptolemy took his rightful place in my reader’s heart very early on, and he’s still there now–but I will confess that another character, Ashley Sutliff, shows up on the page and claims his own retail space as well. Major crush. He shines bright in this last book with his wit, charm, and confidence. Plus he’s a hero–this trilogy is full of them.
Gilbert, Annie, Sarah, Sven.
Annie.
I need to make sure I mention my favorite character arc. Annie Miller is just a child in book one, like Carson, but by the end, through trial and tribulation, the quest has fashioned her into a woman; strong and beautiful–capable of anything. I love her. And I love, love. And that’s what this whole trilogy is about. Love.
"And do you know what helped me work through the loss of my brightest
light?
"No."
Reverend Callum leaned close to the boy.
"All the other lights around me. All the people who loved me. Even though my wife was gone, those other lights shined bright enough that eventually the darkness of my sorrow became the shadow of my happiness. And from there, following love's
illimitable light, I found joy again.” -The Massacre at Yellow Hill
Final Recommendation: My only real wish is that more readers would experience this trilogy for themselves. It’s not a Western in the way people think about it–it’s a Western in setting, and people ride horses and shoot guns, but a more accurate description would be to say it’s a Horror Adventure. An epic, emotional journey. And characters are waiting inside these books that deserve to be added to your reader’s heart.
Comps: The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King–Epic Adventure/Weird Western/Loveable Characters, This trilogy is like a Western ‘Salem’s Lot + The Lord of the Rings (but with Vampires & Werewolves instead of Orcs and An evil, cosmic deity worshipping cult instead of a Necromancer & his followers) there are even some elements of The Chronicles of Narnia, with evil ushering in an eternal winter and the destruction of mankind so that ghouls and monsters can rule.
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: All These Subtle Deceits, All the Prospect Around Us, The Massacre at Yellow Hill, A Red Winter in the West
Release Date: November 2023
General Genre: Horror, Adventure Western
Sub-Genre/Themes: Secret cult, cosmic horror, vampires, friendship, loyalty, epic battle against oppressive evil, romance
Writing Style: Multiple POV, short chapters, fast pace, character-driven, lush/accessible prose written with purpose and intention, intricately plotted
What You Need to Know: The Light of A Black Star is the epic climax and conclusion in a trilogy. It’s important to read the other two books before this one, The Massacre at Yellow Hill and A Red Winter in the West. The Light Sublime Trilogy begins with the outbreak of evil in a small town and meets a cast of characters for the first time but ultimately follows for the rest of the story spanning over three books. Also, you need to know that you are going to lose your heart and find it again in these pages.
My Reading Experience: One of the things that makes this trilogy so good is the full sweep of the plot. I feel like I have gone somewhere. A real journey. I’ve compared it to my time with The Dark Tower series by Stephen King and the Lord of the Rings trilogy by Tolkien. Following characters that feel very real to you on a high-stakes quest through multiple books is a unique and memorable experience that doesn’t happen all the time.
It's a treasure.
I started in book one, met all of these characters, invested in their stories - their mission - their survival, and then I went on the road with them. We traveled together on horses with names. We developed a purpose and headed off toward our destination. I listened to important conversations. I heard worries and hopes whispered in secret. The characters I fell in love with experienced loss, heartache, fear, and pain. Some of them don’t make it to the next book and it’s devastating. Their journey ends but we keep moving on.
I’ve read pages where the words kept getting blurry and I would have to stop and wait for the tears to dry up. Sometimes I would just put a bookmark in and let the weight of sadness steep. I held my breath as evil lurked and hunted. And not just any evil–oppressive darkness from all sides capable of horrible acts of depravity. It’s terrifying and torturing. I held on to my hopes that my favorite characters would be okay (even when I knew they wouldn’t be) Sometimes the characters endured but they were changed.
I had to learn to trust the author’s ability to tell the story the way it needed to be told. I developed some serious literary crushes.
One of our main protagonists, Carson Ptolemy took his rightful place in my reader’s heart very early on, and he’s still there now–but I will confess that another character, Ashley Sutliff, shows up on the page and claims his own retail space as well. Major crush. He shines bright in this last book with his wit, charm, and confidence. Plus he’s a hero–this trilogy is full of them.
Gilbert, Annie, Sarah, Sven.
Annie.
I need to make sure I mention my favorite character arc. Annie Miller is just a child in book one, like Carson, but by the end, through trial and tribulation, the quest has fashioned her into a woman; strong and beautiful–capable of anything. I love her. And I love, love. And that’s what this whole trilogy is about. Love.
"And do you know what helped me work through the loss of my brightest
light?
"No."
Reverend Callum leaned close to the boy.
"All the other lights around me. All the people who loved me. Even though my wife was gone, those other lights shined bright enough that eventually the darkness of my sorrow became the shadow of my happiness. And from there, following love's
illimitable light, I found joy again.” -The Massacre at Yellow Hill
Final Recommendation: My only real wish is that more readers would experience this trilogy for themselves. It’s not a Western in the way people think about it–it’s a Western in setting, and people ride horses and shoot guns, but a more accurate description would be to say it’s a Horror Adventure. An epic, emotional journey. And characters are waiting inside these books that deserve to be added to your reader’s heart.
Comps: The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King–Epic Adventure/Weird Western/Loveable Characters, This trilogy is like a Western ‘Salem’s Lot + The Lord of the Rings (but with Vampires & Werewolves instead of Orcs and An evil, cosmic deity worshipping cult instead of a Necromancer & his followers) there are even some elements of The Chronicles of Narnia, with evil ushering in an eternal winter and the destruction of mankind so that ghouls and monsters can rule.
December 10, 2023
‘The Light of a Black Star’ the final book in this sprawling and beguiling trilogy sure lives up to the name Humble gave this series - That Light Sublime. Because I couldn’t think of a better word to describe what Humble was able to achieve with this series other than SUBLIME. Over three books and many miles, Humble has thrilled us and humbled us, given us hope and dashed those same hopes in an instant, he has swelled our hearts before crushing them in calloused, cruel hands. Has a better horror western series been written? I think not. This book, this series not only showcases a writer who is incomparable in the genre, but one who blazes the trail for the rest to follow… into that light sublime.
Humble has written himself into the annals of the greats: Portis, Steinbeck, McCarthy, deWitt, McMurtry and Zahler - there are more of course, and room for others to follow, but C.S. Humble sits at that formidable table now, and rightly so!
Humble has written himself into the annals of the greats: Portis, Steinbeck, McCarthy, deWitt, McMurtry and Zahler - there are more of course, and room for others to follow, but C.S. Humble sits at that formidable table now, and rightly so!
July 7, 2025
I will preface this review by saying I don't know where to begin. The Light of a Black Star was the culmination and finale to That Light Sublime Trilogy, existing in the larger Amid the Vastness of All Else universe. This story joins the very sparse ranks of books that made me cry. Do books move me? Make me sad? Make me yell? Sure, absolutely. But cry? Only extremely rarely. I say once again, read these books. I will never not say this. I am getting choked up as I write this because I cannot stress the gorgeousness that is this epic saga. You will find vampires, secret societies, a cast of characters you grow to love or despise, people you root for and people you want to meet a terrible end. You will find the blood and the guts and the gunslinging. But you will also find love. A kernel of hope in desolate landscape. Also, Annie Miller is the baddest bitch I have ever had the privilege to read about. My heart is forever marked by this world and I really hope you decide to pick this series up. You will not be disappointed, I promise. You can pick up the entire series over on Shortwave Publishing's site. The Peregrine Estate trilogy drops soon and That Light Sublime is available now.
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October 20, 2023Having loved the first two books in Humble's That Light Sublime Trilogy, I was eager to discover how the series would conclude.
The world and mythos building throughout are very well drawn, as are the characters, some of whom I fell in love with.
What strikes me most about Humble’s work is the way in which he uses the platform of horror to write such heart-rending tales. That contrast of the most visceral horror combined with moments of sublime tenderness.
I’ve taken a quote from the book that to me explains the heart of the trilogy...
“There, waiting for him, was the great monstrous eye. The dark song it sang swallowed him.”
That one line kind of sums up my feelings, right there.
Once read, I sat for several moments with a lump in my throat because the conclusion killed me, though I had to admit it was out of necessity. What a way to end things!
The world and mythos building throughout are very well drawn, as are the characters, some of whom I fell in love with.
What strikes me most about Humble’s work is the way in which he uses the platform of horror to write such heart-rending tales. That contrast of the most visceral horror combined with moments of sublime tenderness.
I’ve taken a quote from the book that to me explains the heart of the trilogy...
“There, waiting for him, was the great monstrous eye. The dark song it sang swallowed him.”
That one line kind of sums up my feelings, right there.
Once read, I sat for several moments with a lump in my throat because the conclusion killed me, though I had to admit it was out of necessity. What a way to end things!
January 5, 2024
When readers talk about epic trilogies, they name stories like J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Madeleine L'Engle's Time Trilogy (even though it has been expanded upon and spun off) and Cormac McCarthy's Border Trilogy. These all have moments that enchant, frighten and even stir anger from fans (as testament to their influence).
C.S. Humble's That Light Sublime (which is concluded with this novel) needs to be recognized as a modern epic trilogy.
Throughout this trio of tales, we encounter love, loss, evil unimaginable and heroes that are as flawed as they are courageous. This is more than just a horror story. It is a tale several centuries in the making...
The conflict is a classic one, but wholly reimagined and given scope: humanity versus vampiric evil championing the unleashing of a pantheon of cosmic dread. Several heroes from diverse backgrounds converge to face off against this horror which looms much like a cold eye eclipsing the sun.
The Massacre at Yellow Hill introduces us to the menace and the protagonists who band together to fight against it.
A Red Winter in the West lays out the conflict in full and brings the heroes together, preparing them for the final battle.
The Light of a Black Star sees the war being fought with fang and silver-tipped weaponry. Much loss is endured.
This novel is the swan song to the Peregrine Estate's quest to fend off The Prometheus Society and thwart their goal of unleashing The Nine upon this world. It is the perfect ending for such a tale of this magnitude.
That Light Sublime is a trilogy that revels in and simultaneously subverts the genres/niches it acknowledges. It is more than a Weird/Splatter Western. It is more than a standard vampire series. It is a tale that needs to be experienced consecutively, with each novel following immediately afterward. It needs to be binged and shared with friends and loved ones.
That Light Sublime is just damn good storytelling.
I'm giving this whole trilogy (this volume included) a much-deserved ☠️ x5!
C.S. Humble's That Light Sublime (which is concluded with this novel) needs to be recognized as a modern epic trilogy.
Throughout this trio of tales, we encounter love, loss, evil unimaginable and heroes that are as flawed as they are courageous. This is more than just a horror story. It is a tale several centuries in the making...
The conflict is a classic one, but wholly reimagined and given scope: humanity versus vampiric evil championing the unleashing of a pantheon of cosmic dread. Several heroes from diverse backgrounds converge to face off against this horror which looms much like a cold eye eclipsing the sun.
The Massacre at Yellow Hill introduces us to the menace and the protagonists who band together to fight against it.
A Red Winter in the West lays out the conflict in full and brings the heroes together, preparing them for the final battle.
The Light of a Black Star sees the war being fought with fang and silver-tipped weaponry. Much loss is endured.
This novel is the swan song to the Peregrine Estate's quest to fend off The Prometheus Society and thwart their goal of unleashing The Nine upon this world. It is the perfect ending for such a tale of this magnitude.
That Light Sublime is a trilogy that revels in and simultaneously subverts the genres/niches it acknowledges. It is more than a Weird/Splatter Western. It is more than a standard vampire series. It is a tale that needs to be experienced consecutively, with each novel following immediately afterward. It needs to be binged and shared with friends and loved ones.
That Light Sublime is just damn good storytelling.
I'm giving this whole trilogy (this volume included) a much-deserved ☠️ x5!
August 14, 2025
“We bind all our love and rage and fear and joy around our hearts, and we face what’s coming.”
I took a break between reading book two and this, the final in the That Light Sublime trilogy, not because I wasn’t absolutely loving this series but because I didn’t want this to end. I wanted to stay in this universe with Annie, Carson, Ashley, just a little longer. But also, I needed a break for my poor little heart!
This was an excellent, thrilling, and fitting conclusion to this story. It’s just been phenomenal. Humble’s prose has me captivated. This is character-driven, fast paced, with multiple POVs and short chapters. This is a western horror yes, but it’s also a sprawling, epic adventure. There are vampires, secret societies, gunslingers that Roland Deschain would be proud of, characters to love, and characters to hate. C.S. Humble has written something truly amazing in this trilogy, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone ❤
I’m really glad to have three more books in this saga still to read, a prequel trilogy featuring my beloved Ashley Sutliff. But for now, I want to give this story and these characters time and space in my reader’s heart. They’ve earned it.
I took a break between reading book two and this, the final in the That Light Sublime trilogy, not because I wasn’t absolutely loving this series but because I didn’t want this to end. I wanted to stay in this universe with Annie, Carson, Ashley, just a little longer. But also, I needed a break for my poor little heart!
This was an excellent, thrilling, and fitting conclusion to this story. It’s just been phenomenal. Humble’s prose has me captivated. This is character-driven, fast paced, with multiple POVs and short chapters. This is a western horror yes, but it’s also a sprawling, epic adventure. There are vampires, secret societies, gunslingers that Roland Deschain would be proud of, characters to love, and characters to hate. C.S. Humble has written something truly amazing in this trilogy, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone ❤
I’m really glad to have three more books in this saga still to read, a prequel trilogy featuring my beloved Ashley Sutliff. But for now, I want to give this story and these characters time and space in my reader’s heart. They’ve earned it.
October 10, 2023
From the opening chapter, I knew I was in for a ride. This final book in the series takes us into the Red Kingdom, home base for our vampires (equal parts sexy and sinister) where humans are treated like cattle.
Meanwhile, we’ve got our band of flawed heroes, the remnants of a cult, and the endlessly entertaining Gunslingers coming together to try and stop an ancient evil.
I can’t recommend this series enough. Humble’s talent is a cut above. The characterization, world-building, prose, the weaving of arcs and plot lines—all is done with a masterful hand. The pace is rip tide fast. Notably, Humble uses a horror western series to empower groups traditionally stepped over in favor of straight, white, male main characters.
I came for the sexy vamps, but I stayed for the aching portrayal of humanity.
Meanwhile, we’ve got our band of flawed heroes, the remnants of a cult, and the endlessly entertaining Gunslingers coming together to try and stop an ancient evil.
I can’t recommend this series enough. Humble’s talent is a cut above. The characterization, world-building, prose, the weaving of arcs and plot lines—all is done with a masterful hand. The pace is rip tide fast. Notably, Humble uses a horror western series to empower groups traditionally stepped over in favor of straight, white, male main characters.
I came for the sexy vamps, but I stayed for the aching portrayal of humanity.
January 5, 2024
Two words. I’m wrecked. So many emotions, so many feelings about so many things were brought out in the final chapters of this saga. I feel like Humble’s heart bled into the words on the pages in this book. He created a series so epic, in my opinion, that it will be taking up residence in my heart and mind for quite some time.
This third and final book in The Light Sublime trilogy (you must read the first two), picks up in 1872 shortly after the second book ends. Our cast of characters that remain with the help of some new and returning faces are on a mission to undo what a half completed ritual has unleashed and left in a limbo of sorts. All while having to prepare to battle a hoard of their enemies of another kind.
I’m trying to write my review now, while it’s still fresh. But I’m still emotional. Emotional over the series, this book, the ending, the epilogues, the experience of buddy reading it with an amazing person. 🦆 Tears have been shed.
This series is a mashup of genres. It’s a horror western at its core with cosmic forces, supernatural entities (vampires and more), eldritch gods, adventure, and even romance (don’t let this word deter you). Humble takes you on an immense journey from the start of the series right up till the end with harrowing battles against creatures of the night and occult forces. The scenes he paints are breathtaking. His characters have heart, even his darkest villains in their own way.
His prose is oftentimes thought provoking without being preachy. His characters have learned lessons along the way. Gained knowledge of great value yet they each are still flawed and real. There is deep meaning in what they have to offer others that is insightful and inspirational. But not so deep and over your head to take you out of the moment and flow.
Please, if any of the above sounds like something you may enjoy, pick up the books in this series (It all starts with The Massacre at Yellow Hill) and read them sooner than later!
This third and final book in The Light Sublime trilogy (you must read the first two), picks up in 1872 shortly after the second book ends. Our cast of characters that remain with the help of some new and returning faces are on a mission to undo what a half completed ritual has unleashed and left in a limbo of sorts. All while having to prepare to battle a hoard of their enemies of another kind.
I’m trying to write my review now, while it’s still fresh. But I’m still emotional. Emotional over the series, this book, the ending, the epilogues, the experience of buddy reading it with an amazing person. 🦆 Tears have been shed.
This series is a mashup of genres. It’s a horror western at its core with cosmic forces, supernatural entities (vampires and more), eldritch gods, adventure, and even romance (don’t let this word deter you). Humble takes you on an immense journey from the start of the series right up till the end with harrowing battles against creatures of the night and occult forces. The scenes he paints are breathtaking. His characters have heart, even his darkest villains in their own way.
His prose is oftentimes thought provoking without being preachy. His characters have learned lessons along the way. Gained knowledge of great value yet they each are still flawed and real. There is deep meaning in what they have to offer others that is insightful and inspirational. But not so deep and over your head to take you out of the moment and flow.
Please, if any of the above sounds like something you may enjoy, pick up the books in this series (It all starts with The Massacre at Yellow Hill) and read them sooner than later!
November 7, 2023
What a beautiful conclusion to a wonderful trilogy. Humble has created such a badass world full of great and unforgettable characters. I’ll be thinking about Carson and Annie for a long time to come. From the very first book I was hooked and ready to take this journey with them. The ending tugs on your heart strings and the epilogue was hopeful.
I’m so happy I got to experience this series and look forgot anything else Humble gives us.
I’m so happy I got to experience this series and look forgot anything else Humble gives us.
January 24, 2024
Sometimes, the words just go down together so, so good. Is it wrong to say how much fun this book (this trilogy) was? There's death & destruction & scary shit & witty characters, but all the heart you'd want, too.
January isn't even over and this trilogy will be among my favorites of 2024. Loved.
January isn't even over and this trilogy will be among my favorites of 2024. Loved.
May 13, 2025
Elated. Devastated. Hopeful. Thankful.
Don't wait to read this series. It is a masterpiece. Every page.
I will be eagerly awaiting what comes next.
Don't wait to read this series. It is a masterpiece. Every page.
I will be eagerly awaiting what comes next.
August 24, 2025
Wonderful conclusion to a brilliant series. This weird Western gives us gunslingers, vampires and Lovecraftian horrors.
Humble writes wonderful prose and really great characters. Annie and Carson, after having everything taken from them, lead the troops against the biggest threat to humanity.
"What I’m saying is, that if it all came down to burning the whole Red Kingdom—hell, maybe the whole world—to ash just to keep Carson Ptolemy here with me for the rest of my life, then Sigurd doesn’t need to worry about me finding him on the battlefield. He should be worried about me finding a match.”
Will definitely be reading more from Humble in the future.
*2025 reread*
Excellent conclusion to this trilogy. What's left of the Peregrine Estate teams up with the US Govt to take on the Vampiric horde of The Red Kingdom, all the while also dealing with the looming threat of The Nine and the Prometheus Society.
The character work shines again. We love seeing Carson and Annie falling more in love. The gambler Ashley Sutcliffe, who abandoned the Peregrine Estate, is back as duty calls him, plus he is a ton of fun to read. Sven, the brooding, mourning gunslinger tries to find purpose without the love of his life. Even the vampires, King Kristian, Sigurd of Antioch, and Wesley give great insights into what drives them.
Humble's prose is elegant and beautiful. There are moments when I read a passage and think, wow this could have been said so much simpler, but it wouldn't land as nicely.
There's a real touching afterword about Humble's father's funeral, and Humble writes nonfiction and beautiful as fiction.
There's a new, prequel trilogy out in 2025, looking forward to more on Humble's world.
Humble writes wonderful prose and really great characters. Annie and Carson, after having everything taken from them, lead the troops against the biggest threat to humanity.
"What I’m saying is, that if it all came down to burning the whole Red Kingdom—hell, maybe the whole world—to ash just to keep Carson Ptolemy here with me for the rest of my life, then Sigurd doesn’t need to worry about me finding him on the battlefield. He should be worried about me finding a match.”
Will definitely be reading more from Humble in the future.
*2025 reread*
Excellent conclusion to this trilogy. What's left of the Peregrine Estate teams up with the US Govt to take on the Vampiric horde of The Red Kingdom, all the while also dealing with the looming threat of The Nine and the Prometheus Society.
The character work shines again. We love seeing Carson and Annie falling more in love. The gambler Ashley Sutcliffe, who abandoned the Peregrine Estate, is back as duty calls him, plus he is a ton of fun to read. Sven, the brooding, mourning gunslinger tries to find purpose without the love of his life. Even the vampires, King Kristian, Sigurd of Antioch, and Wesley give great insights into what drives them.
Humble's prose is elegant and beautiful. There are moments when I read a passage and think, wow this could have been said so much simpler, but it wouldn't land as nicely.
There's a real touching afterword about Humble's father's funeral, and Humble writes nonfiction and beautiful as fiction.
There's a new, prequel trilogy out in 2025, looking forward to more on Humble's world.
July 10, 2025
The Light of a Black Star (Book 3 of Amid the Vastness of All Else Saga by C.S. Humble)
What a conclusion to the That Light Sublime trilogy! The Light of a Black Star is an incredible novel that ties up the original trilogy in a perfect way.
This novel made me feel all the emotions. Stakes are high throughout these novels, but the tension is ratcheted up high for the big battle with the hordes of vampires and the lead up to it and aftermath are so good. I love all the characters - Carson, Annie, Ashley, Sarah, and so many others.
Humble’s prose shines yet again and this book features some of his most beautiful writing considering our existence and role in this universe. To be able to pull off a story with such huge scope (the potential of the end of the world and a god-like entity bigger than a planet - see the fate of a character who is shown the answers to this) but with such intimate moments with the main characters as there is a blooming love story here at its heart.
Even with all the awfulness and evil in the world, what we have to hold on to is love, right?
Seriously though, pick these books up from Shortwave if you haven’t yet. I’m going to dive into the new prequel trilogy next, starting with To Carry a Body to its Resting Place (which features Ashley Sutliff, one of the best characters in the series).
What a conclusion to the That Light Sublime trilogy! The Light of a Black Star is an incredible novel that ties up the original trilogy in a perfect way.
This novel made me feel all the emotions. Stakes are high throughout these novels, but the tension is ratcheted up high for the big battle with the hordes of vampires and the lead up to it and aftermath are so good. I love all the characters - Carson, Annie, Ashley, Sarah, and so many others.
Humble’s prose shines yet again and this book features some of his most beautiful writing considering our existence and role in this universe. To be able to pull off a story with such huge scope (the potential of the end of the world and a god-like entity bigger than a planet - see the fate of a character who is shown the answers to this) but with such intimate moments with the main characters as there is a blooming love story here at its heart.
Even with all the awfulness and evil in the world, what we have to hold on to is love, right?
Seriously though, pick these books up from Shortwave if you haven’t yet. I’m going to dive into the new prequel trilogy next, starting with To Carry a Body to its Resting Place (which features Ashley Sutliff, one of the best characters in the series).
November 2, 2023
This book was an excellent ride to the end of a great trilogy. Humble's prose is characteristically engaging and well-wrought. This weird western follows the remaining members of a society whose mission was to counter the monsters and men who are attempting to turn the world into a place of cosmic evil, one that they can't even comprehend, because if they did, well, you will see what happens to some of them when they taste just a dram of that darkness. The story has everything, from gunfights to romance to vampire kingdoms. The characters are real, with troubled histories full of grief and hope. It will break your heart and fill you with light. For those readers who are familiar with his Black Wells series, there are also lots of good easter eggs, making me anticipate the final book in that trilogy even more. At the time of this writing, this book will be released later this month and I highly recommend you picking it up, and there is still time to read the previous two before it arrives.
November 19, 2023
Wow!!
I did not realize that this was the end of a trilogy when I picked it up, I was able to get all the information on the characters I needed from this story though and I’m excited to go back and read the first two books in the series!
Cowboys, vampires, and the end of a Lovecraftian-style cult what is not to love!
As great as those points are there is so much more to this story, don’t get me wrong they’re wonderful, but the exploration of what it means to be human is really prevalent. How do you process the greatest grief? is there more out there after the loss? what would you do to save those you love?
The narrative switches points of view often and it really works.
Carson and Annie’s story was great, but I loved John’s arc just as much.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone!
I did not realize that this was the end of a trilogy when I picked it up, I was able to get all the information on the characters I needed from this story though and I’m excited to go back and read the first two books in the series!
Cowboys, vampires, and the end of a Lovecraftian-style cult what is not to love!
As great as those points are there is so much more to this story, don’t get me wrong they’re wonderful, but the exploration of what it means to be human is really prevalent. How do you process the greatest grief? is there more out there after the loss? what would you do to save those you love?
The narrative switches points of view often and it really works.
Carson and Annie’s story was great, but I loved John’s arc just as much.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone!
October 29, 2023
This man and his words! Beautiful and devastating, he takes me away to places with such detail. I feel I’m right there beside his layered and deeply human characters, (some more supernatural than human!) This third and final installment of That Light Sublime trilogy had me deeply emotional and full of dread the entire book. This book follows Carson and Annie to their destiny of trying to destroy the red kingdom, and their story along the way is lush and romantic. The epilogues just had me crying my eyes out, this series is one you cannot miss!!!
November 17, 2023
Thank you to Cemetery Dance for providing a review copy.
I'm so sad that this trilogy has come to an end. I care so much about the characters, it's a bit hard to let them go. Buy oh man, what a thrilling ride it was! I can't recommend these books enough. I was leery of horror westerns before reading The Massacre at Yellow Hill, but now I'm hooked. I am also begging C.S. Humble to write more stories set in this world.
I'm so sad that this trilogy has come to an end. I care so much about the characters, it's a bit hard to let them go. Buy oh man, what a thrilling ride it was! I can't recommend these books enough. I was leery of horror westerns before reading The Massacre at Yellow Hill, but now I'm hooked. I am also begging C.S. Humble to write more stories set in this world.
November 19, 2025
Jumping into the third book of the series, I was excited to see what would happen next.
In this book it gathers many of the characters of the second book for a showdown. There has been loss, and there has been redemption. You want all the characters to find their peace and get their justice.
So as the tension builds you just hope that the characters you’ve been growing fond of make it out the other side. The story falls nothing short of absolution. From protagonist to antagonist, you really get to explore every character for what they are and why.
As you go through the pages you really get to see the perspective of each individual and you form an understanding, perhaps even a compassion for each one. I think it’s a fantastic book and you owe it to yourself to get through the saga.
In this book it gathers many of the characters of the second book for a showdown. There has been loss, and there has been redemption. You want all the characters to find their peace and get their justice.
So as the tension builds you just hope that the characters you’ve been growing fond of make it out the other side. The story falls nothing short of absolution. From protagonist to antagonist, you really get to explore every character for what they are and why.
As you go through the pages you really get to see the perspective of each individual and you form an understanding, perhaps even a compassion for each one. I think it’s a fantastic book and you owe it to yourself to get through the saga.
April 14, 2024
A great ending to a very good trilogy. This book has all the vampires, monsters, cults and gunslingers you can imagine.
November 29, 2023
"I am and always will be a stick of dynamite when it comes to them. And you don't take dynamite into a room filled with fire." -Sarah
This is the third book in the Light Sublime series, and I fell back into this story like I never left. The writing is engrossing and the tale is captivating. I was not prepared for the rush of emotions as I was reminded about events from the last book. It was like the wound was opened anew.
The fantastical nature of this horror western makes it so interesting with Lovecraftian hints and with a Necronomicon type power reminiscent of the Evil Dead. The setting flashes of Hambry from Wizard and Glass in the Dark Tower series, with evil and madness just a trigger squeeze away, a delicate balance of power between the old world and the destruction of humanity. It is a coming-of-age tale where accepting who you are is a necessity that most don't want to come to terms with.
Often I race to the ending of a book, wanting to resolve, get my closure. and flipping through the pages as fast as I can absorb the book. However with the Light Sublime series I find myself rereading paragraphs and delaying the ending of a story that I can only enjoy for the first time once. I savored each page, relishing the time with my friends, knowing that they may not be alive on the next page.
“And when they start to be afraid of you, they’ll get to talking, saying you’re one of two things. You’re either a problem or you’re a solution. Right now, not even you knows which one is right.”- Ashley
This is the third book in the Light Sublime series, and I fell back into this story like I never left. The writing is engrossing and the tale is captivating. I was not prepared for the rush of emotions as I was reminded about events from the last book. It was like the wound was opened anew.
The fantastical nature of this horror western makes it so interesting with Lovecraftian hints and with a Necronomicon type power reminiscent of the Evil Dead. The setting flashes of Hambry from Wizard and Glass in the Dark Tower series, with evil and madness just a trigger squeeze away, a delicate balance of power between the old world and the destruction of humanity. It is a coming-of-age tale where accepting who you are is a necessity that most don't want to come to terms with.
Often I race to the ending of a book, wanting to resolve, get my closure. and flipping through the pages as fast as I can absorb the book. However with the Light Sublime series I find myself rereading paragraphs and delaying the ending of a story that I can only enjoy for the first time once. I savored each page, relishing the time with my friends, knowing that they may not be alive on the next page.
“And when they start to be afraid of you, they’ll get to talking, saying you’re one of two things. You’re either a problem or you’re a solution. Right now, not even you knows which one is right.”- Ashley
January 24, 2024
There are things in this world, both human and inhuman, that require men of their time to take action.
C.S. Humble's "The Light Sublime" is one of those rare trilogies that you stumble across that seems to be greater than the sum of its parts. The journey throughout this collection of stories - all connected, all dependent upon each other, yet each so unique - is simply grand in both its scope and its actual telling. And "The Light of a Black Star" may be the best of the entire collection. So many threads are pulled back together in what many would consider a tattered and frayed coat, worn only because we are for so long in the bitter cold and oppressive dark of this world.
Night had fallen forever, bringing with it the final winter civilization would ever know.
I certainly would never have guessed after reading "The Massacre at Yellow Hill" that by the end of this experience we'd end up like we did. Humble has continued to tell his story of an alternate America in the days of the post-Civil War with such smooth prose, it's truly like tasting the sweetest honey or the best aged whiskey money can buy! And how we see so many of our cast grow and become, well, relevant to this world is astounding. From characters we met when they were just children to even those we thought we had seen the last of as they abandoned the Peregrine cause, the feelings are overwhelming as we see how they love, how they mourn, and even how far too many of them die fighting such great evil.
The Earth is just one big boneyard; it just so happens that it looks pretty in sunlight.
I have to admit as well that some of the threads that are - again - tied up in this final instalment left me curious as to when and where I had missed what had gone on before. I believe I saw all the often disparate parts but it wasn't until some of these final moments of battle and salvation that all of them made sense. I guess unlike Carson, I needed to listen more closely to the wisdom imparted by his father Gilbert Ptolemy! But it was fascinating to see how the intertwining stories of the werewolves, the vampires and the Nine melded together, sometimes in unity, others in absolute and chaotic discord.
Take heed, children. You need not perish needlessly in this new age.
And it was during some of these revelations that make me wonder if this story is truly finished. After all, the vampire nation is not dead nor is its king. There was also apparently a 'Werewolf Campaign' that at least one of our entourage was involved in? That would not been an easy task, particularly noting they sure as heck missed a few! And what of the remaining horrors wrought by the Prometheus Society? Is this most evil of Lovecraftian cults really finished? And surely even the diabolical experiments of Clara Van Horn are still a threat to mankind? And Hells Bells, what happened after all to Dutch?
There are things greater than you. Things that, when seen, drive the sane mad. Rend the heart. Boil the blood to steam. Turn soul to ash.
Alas, these questions may be left for dreams and memories of a set of stories I can only fully recommend! The story ends with a battle scene to be remembered over the endless expanse of time. With love finding its way into the hearts of those that need it most to overcome evil. And with emotions at seeing the sun above and wildflowers all around you knowing exactly what it took to get here. This is weird western fantasy done right! Y'all enjoy now, ya hear!
C.S. Humble's "The Light Sublime" is one of those rare trilogies that you stumble across that seems to be greater than the sum of its parts. The journey throughout this collection of stories - all connected, all dependent upon each other, yet each so unique - is simply grand in both its scope and its actual telling. And "The Light of a Black Star" may be the best of the entire collection. So many threads are pulled back together in what many would consider a tattered and frayed coat, worn only because we are for so long in the bitter cold and oppressive dark of this world.
Night had fallen forever, bringing with it the final winter civilization would ever know.
I certainly would never have guessed after reading "The Massacre at Yellow Hill" that by the end of this experience we'd end up like we did. Humble has continued to tell his story of an alternate America in the days of the post-Civil War with such smooth prose, it's truly like tasting the sweetest honey or the best aged whiskey money can buy! And how we see so many of our cast grow and become, well, relevant to this world is astounding. From characters we met when they were just children to even those we thought we had seen the last of as they abandoned the Peregrine cause, the feelings are overwhelming as we see how they love, how they mourn, and even how far too many of them die fighting such great evil.
The Earth is just one big boneyard; it just so happens that it looks pretty in sunlight.
I have to admit as well that some of the threads that are - again - tied up in this final instalment left me curious as to when and where I had missed what had gone on before. I believe I saw all the often disparate parts but it wasn't until some of these final moments of battle and salvation that all of them made sense. I guess unlike Carson, I needed to listen more closely to the wisdom imparted by his father Gilbert Ptolemy! But it was fascinating to see how the intertwining stories of the werewolves, the vampires and the Nine melded together, sometimes in unity, others in absolute and chaotic discord.
Take heed, children. You need not perish needlessly in this new age.
And it was during some of these revelations that make me wonder if this story is truly finished. After all, the vampire nation is not dead nor is its king. There was also apparently a 'Werewolf Campaign' that at least one of our entourage was involved in? That would not been an easy task, particularly noting they sure as heck missed a few! And what of the remaining horrors wrought by the Prometheus Society? Is this most evil of Lovecraftian cults really finished? And surely even the diabolical experiments of Clara Van Horn are still a threat to mankind? And Hells Bells, what happened after all to Dutch?
There are things greater than you. Things that, when seen, drive the sane mad. Rend the heart. Boil the blood to steam. Turn soul to ash.
Alas, these questions may be left for dreams and memories of a set of stories I can only fully recommend! The story ends with a battle scene to be remembered over the endless expanse of time. With love finding its way into the hearts of those that need it most to overcome evil. And with emotions at seeing the sun above and wildflowers all around you knowing exactly what it took to get here. This is weird western fantasy done right! Y'all enjoy now, ya hear!
January 14, 2024
This final book is the trilogy was a beautiful combination of vivid imagery, story telling and human emotion. It captured my attention from cover to cover and fully redeemed itself from book 2, which let me down a bit. Humble’s words paint a pickup of a scene and the human emotion within the characters of that scene in a manner that puts you in the room, as a witness of it all. I reluctantly gave it 5 stars because a one star deduction could have been justified for the naming of the final character (I don’t spoil, so read it and you will understand). By not giving the character a proper name, I fell out of the immersive story, back into the reality of this woke and silly time we live in. C.S. Emasculated Carson and should be ashamed. Poor choice indeed, but an amazing tale, a great trilogy, and I am a fan…unless the wokeness outshines the next story.
April 11, 2024
Didn’t Want It To End
Lovable characters, perfectly paced. I didn’t want it to end. The kind of book that makes me say out loud “what a good f…ing book”.
It is a truly unfair world where authors this good live in relative obscurity while hundreds of terrible writers glut the bestseller lists. I’m looking at you, Freida McFadden. :<
Lovable characters, perfectly paced. I didn’t want it to end. The kind of book that makes me say out loud “what a good f…ing book”.
It is a truly unfair world where authors this good live in relative obscurity while hundreds of terrible writers glut the bestseller lists. I’m looking at you, Freida McFadden. :<
January 4, 2024
The war may be over, and the light returned, but many a battle was lost and can never be redone. Some survived, many did not. Those that did shall forever remember.
This, fellow readers, is the stunning conclusion to one of the best stories ever penned to page.
This, fellow readers, is the stunning conclusion to one of the best stories ever penned to page.
July 12, 2024
The entire trilogy is 4.5 stars.. It’s a pulp western vampire hunting secret cabal world as we know it ending stampede.. what a treat.. Hey Kindle.. I would be begging Mr Humble for more of his work to be digitized..
January 1, 2024
So exhilarating. So much fun. A fantastic read and worthy end to the Trilogy. I can't recall the last time I enjoyed reading a series of books so much.
December 21, 2023
It’s easy to get got up the plot and narrative. It took me a little while but eventually I realized what truly amazing characters this story had. Expertly done.
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