The Search for Dark Matter

Barnacle Chronicles #1

by L.V. Pires, Arthur Rigley

Twelve-year-old Simon Barnacle is falling apart. Literally. His body is turning to ash. On top of that, his father has died, the crops have rotted, bog pox has infected nearly everyone he knows, and strange whispers of “ignis fatuus” rustle through the trees.

After his mother falls ill, Simon travels to the village to find help. Along the way, he’s captured and imprisoned at Bog’s End by the Wickfields, a dastardly pair of siblings who have ruled the Marshlands since its inception. Simon learns the land and its workers have become imbalanced after dark energy was leaked from an underground chamber ruled by a terrifying creature, Balterax. The consequences are dire; the land and all its inhabitants will soon be destroyed, crushed between two opposing worlds that are in a violent tug of war for energy. The Wickfields convince Simon they will transition him and his mother to the new world if he retrieves dark matter from the chamber. Simon is terrified of what lurks in the dark, but with his mother near death and his body parts starting to fall off, he knows it's either face his fear or face certain death.

Genres: Fantasy

Paperback

Published December 3, 2017

About the author

With several books in the top 100 U.S. Horror Fiction and Horror Classics categories, award-winning novelist and short-story writer, L.V. Pires is the author of terrifying tales that are sure to keep readers up late into the night. Mystery and suspense climax into total terror in this author's latest releases, including THE WAITING MORTUARY, VIGIL BLACK, and DEATH WATCH.

For more information about this author or to join the mailing list, go to www.lisavpires.com

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading young adult fantasy books. This is book 1 in the series, called The Barnacle Chronicles this was about a young boy named Simon who is twelve years old living a life with his mother and father and working in the fields, when the world has turned dark and everything is dying his father died and his mother is sick so Simon seeks to find medicine for his mother before the end of the world, Simon doesn't know that he holds the key to saving the world as he faces his worst fears.

[Deborah Schaumberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Search for Dark Matter has the feel of a dark fairytale, with a ghostly atmosphere. The author does a great job portraying the fear and jumbled thoughts of the main character, Simon. Young readers will certainly identify with the struggles of losing a loved one and the sometimes overwhelming self-doubt of adolescence. Woven throughout the story is the theme of light vs. dark, but what I loved the most was the concept that neither one is all good or all bad; that like in nature, there must be a balance between the two.

[Cory Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really interesting read. Has some darker elements and really neat characters. Executed well.

[Kate Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, entertaining and just fun! Thank you

[Ken Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book one was included in the three book series I received from Goodreads as an ebook in a free drawing. My review of the story is included in the review for the series.

[Phthon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original, creative, mesmerizing, and entertaining. I really enjoyed the story!