Final Night

The Revenant Records #1

by Kell Shaw

Lukie’s been murdered. And she needs answers.

She’s cut a deal with the Underworld to return to the living lands.

But when Lukie returns as an undead revenant, twenty years have passed. Her former sleepy beach-side town is now a roaring tourist hot-spot. Her memory is full of holes and she doesn’t know which of her old friends to trust.

Worse, a monster hunter is stalking her.

Lukie has to stay one step ahead, or return to the Underworld without knowing who killed her, and why….

132 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 10, 2022

About the author

Kell Shaw is an author and avid tabletop roleplaying gamer, whose lifelong passion for fantasy—especially Shadowrun, the Lord of the Rings, and the World of Darkness—inspired him to create the Vestiges of Magic urban fantasy universe. Kell’s fascination lies with the modern world colliding with magic, and his stories explore the lives of individuals caught between these realms.

Identifying as queer, Kell is committed to writing diverse characters who embark on thrilling adventures, and who aren’t defined by their love lives. He released the first book of the Revenant Records saga in 2022, following an undead teenage detective who wants to grow up despite being forever seventeen.

Based in Sydney, Australia with his partner and beloved feline companion, Kell’s diverse career has included roles as a technical writer, risk analyst, and project manager.

Sign up for Kell’s newsletter at https://kellshaw.com/newsletter to receive free short stories and stay up-to-date with his latest projects.

Reviews

[Jessica]

It took me a hot minute to get into this one, because my mind kept rebelling against having a recognizably 1980s world, with acid washed jeans, scrunchies, and dumb hair, with a history that included a Dark Lord, magic, and the usual Epic Battle Between Good & Evil folderol. Once I relaxed into it and took it on its terms it was totally fine -- interesting even -- but I must admit I kept being troubled by the thought: How does this world look the way it does when two millennia ago some ponce with a sword killed the Evil Bad Guy, an event that destroyed magic, when in our world, two millennia ago some Romans crucified a minor Jewish cult leader, an event which destroyed, you know, some stuff. How do both of those events end in synth-pop and theatrical eye makeup?

Look, I know. This is entirely a me problem.

To begin again: Lukie spends her last night on earth trying to drag her fellow bandmates to perform one final concert. After this, everyone will scatter to their adult lives. She wakes up on what seems to her the next morning, only to find out that 20 years have passed since she was murdered, and she's a zombie (styled as revenants here) who has until sunup to figure out who the murderer is. The proceedings have big Depressing High School Reunion energy, with everyone becoming more of who they are, to better and worse results. The better: one of Lukie's bandmates successfully transitioned, and is now living his best life. The worse: the usual sad, paunchy "successful businessmen" with dead eyes and no conversational skills.

The action occasionally gets a little woo-woo for my tastes -- Lukie has to go to one of the underworlds and like, Do Some Stuff at one point -- but it's crisply written and never dissolves into that metaphysical mush you can sometimes find in fictions that take place in nether realms. I also generally feel weird about Magical Racism, when folk in-world go on about "half-breeds" and how nasty orcses are, when the book doesn't then address Real Racism. It's just kind of sloppy and a little white-washy, but then just about every urban fantasy does it, so....yeah.

Anyway, standard complaints about urban fantasy aside, this was a fun little diversion that kept me company while I'm home sick with a summer cold.

[Linda Rorex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Revenant Records series by Kell Shaw. Lukie Carpenter was murdered twenty years ago during a party at a beach house. After spending time in the Underworld, Lukie makes a deal with the ghost lord to return to the living world as a revenant to solve her own murder. She has only six hours to uncover the truth about her death and navigate a world that has changed drastically since her absence. As Lukie investigates, she encounters old friends, a monster hunter, and a police officer named Tamlyn, who helps her piece together the events of that fateful night. Tamlyn is a police officer who aids Lukie in her investigation. Cage is a man with supernatural powers who helps Lukie control her revenant instincts, preventing her from harming others. Karra is Lukie's former girlfriend whose relationship with Lukie is central to the emotional depth of the story. Terek is Lukie's old friend and bartender. The story delves into how time alters people and places, as Lukie struggles to adapt to a world that has moved on without her. Lukie's journey is a unique take on coming-of-age, as she grows emotionally and confronts her flaws despite being undead. I really enjoyed reading this magnificent paranormal urban fantasy mystery novel. I received a complimentary copy of this book, and I am leaving an honest review.

[Shaun Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final Night is a debut by Australian author Kell Shaw. It is an urban fantasy mystery set in a fascinating world where magic and technology mix. Orcs and elves drive to work in offices and talk on mobile phones while metallic-haired heroes fight demons and use magic. It's an excellent concept, and this book gives you a great taste of the world without getting too far from the story itself.

The story revolves around the main character Lukie who goes to a party in 1983 and wakes up twenty years later undead with big gaps in her memory. All she knows is she has 24 hours to find out who killed her. It's a great setup, and the mystery is well handled, reminding me very much of the Hawk and Fisher books by Simon R Green (which I love).

The book zips along at a good pace. Some might think it is a little on the short side, but I think it is perfectly sized for the story it is trying to tell. It setups up the characters and the world perfectly and some of the ideas in it (how the afterlife works, for example) are just genius. I can't wait to read more in the series.

[Michelle Ashman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final Night by Kell Shaw is a tightly written origin story for a character I will enjoy following!

From the first chapter we are taken into a world that is a sideways shift on ours. A world where Elves and Orcs live alongside humans, a world where Magic was locked away after a decisive battle and the world of cars and computers moves on.
Overlaid onto this fascinating world is the mystery (murder mystery as it turns out) that moves the plot forward at a propulsive rate!
The world with its intricate lore and the gradual opening of our understanding of it along with the mystery of Lukie reliving her Last Night is great fun to discover and even when Lukie doubts herself or believes herself the heart of the problem you are rooting for her to get up and keep going.
I must say that I did want it to be longer and be packed with more detail but this is sure to come as we venture forward with my new favourite Revenant in her ongoing adventures.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this in one of StoryGraphs Giveaways. When I first started listening to it, it was a bit hard to get past the voice acting, but I kept listening since the story sounded interesting. Firstly, the book is extremely rushed. The author needed to take the time to flesh out and explore the lore of the books setting and characters. Events were rushed and you barely get a chance to learn about the characters, at least not enough to feel any connection to them. It's a bit disappointing because the concept and the authors ideas for the world would have made a fantastic story. It honestly felt like you were reading their author notes, like one of those story planners. Apart from that, it was a pleasure to receive a copy of the audiobook. I'm not sure if I'm confident enough to fully recommend reading this book, but perhaps having a physical copy would be different. I look forward to seeing how the author continues developing their writing style in future.

[Alyce Caswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lukie heads to a party in 1983, but suddenly finds herself waking up on the beach in 2003 - two decades after she was killed. She's not completely back from the dead, though. And the clock is ticking for this new revenant. She has until dawn to find her murderer and put an end to the supernatural reign of terror that has afflicted Breakwater Bay for decades.

I had a blast reading this - and not just because I have a weakness for urban fantasy and anything related to the 1980s (ha!). Perfectly paced and just the right length, Lukie's story grabs hold of you and doesn't let go until the end (which leaves you wanting more, of course). Honestly, this would make a fantastic TV pilot episode. A very strong debut.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final Night: The Revenant Records: Book 1, my first read from author Kell Shaw. A 152-page Contemporary Fantasy read. Well-written and enjoyable, fantasy read. If LGBTQ themes offend you this book may not be for you althogh the LGBTQ theme is tastefully and quietly done. “I received a Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I look forward to reading more from this author. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Cat B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 STARS
First in what should be an interesting series, this was an fascinating concept. Well written, with intriguing characters who may or may not be "heroes". I enjoyed it and am looking forward to book 2.
I received a free copy of this book via Story Origins and am leaving a voluntary review

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the lore and the characters were interesting. Lukie is the kind of character you root for. When she falls you want to help her get back up. This is definitely an author I would love to read more from.

[Yael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an exciting read that introduced us to Lukie as she works to make sense of what has happened to her. It is a well written mystery, with a vivid world, fleshed out characters, that hooked me from the beginning leaving me wanting to read the next book.