An alluring weave of fantasy, folklore and history that leaves you crying out for the next novel in the series.
The Nightmare’s Truth spans many genres — fantasy, mythology, horror, thriller, suspense, sci-fi and history. For a debut novel, Luke Dalton should be turning cartwheels along with his sword-wielding hero, Ty. Well done!
I’m intrigued right from the start —the novel opens with an epic battle between legionnaires, gladiators and barbarians, and just when I’m invested in the conflict, Tyler Onorare wakes up and I’m ripped out of the historic battle. I feel his sense of loss and disorientation as flashes from the past overpower his senses just enough for him to question reality.
Ty, a budding wannabe rock star with everyday problems like sleeping in, bedding the band’s lead singer, and wanting to be famous, suddenly finds his world turned upside down. His nightmares continue and as past and present collide, he must learn the truth of who he was, who he is, and who he is meant to become. Luckily, he's not alone. He has the help of the enchanting vampire Eilyssa, who stays by his side every step of the way through his recreation, education and conquests, as well as ancient vampiric souls, mutated scientist-soldiers, and of course his human band members.
The overarching plot is a simple one: the quest for an ancient tome, and good versus evil in the fight for human survival, but there are many sub-plots building in the wings. The book is long and the fight scenes are drawn out in some places, but the cast is solid and well developed, with each character getting enough focus to build an affinity with the reader.
The author’s flair for vivid imagery and scenes thick with emotions and action kept me on the edge of my seat. Dalton should be proud of his debut novel and I look forward to the next book in the series.