James Boyle (6)

Looking at a fairly unobtrusive cover, you wouldn't think that NI'IL, THE AWAKENING by James Boyle would hold as much as it truly does. I was expecting a good story with some thrilling moments, but was instead presented with a fairly compelling read.

Using Native American spiritualism to add an air of mystery and mysticism to the book, Mr. Boyle introduces us to the story of Police Chief Dan as he tries to discover who or what is moving through his town, leaving behind a trail of bodies. The show more murders are grisly and violent; there must be some sort of large animal at work here. A bear or cougar perhaps? As Dan uncovers more about this chilling threat we learn that there may be a force much darker than anyone anticipated behind the cloud of death that covers the town.

What made NI'IL, THE AWAKENING a really good read was Mr. Boyle's ability to keep us guessing throughout the story. The general plot was fascinating, but the addition of twists and turns in the book kept the reader guessing and helped to make this story difficult to put down. The plot twists weren't necessarily obvious either. Sometimes you go into a story and realize what the author is about to do with the plot. The twists still make for a good book, even if they may be predictable. I didn't get this feeling from Mr. Boyle's story. Instead, each twist felt new and moved the story in a direction I didn't expect it to take.

The other aspect of a book that will make or break it for me is the character development. Fortunately, Mr. Boyle seems to have put a lot of work into making his character robust and realistic. Throughout the story we get a good bit of insight into Dan, give to us slowly and allowing us to learn right along side him. Stephanie, the secretary and possible love interest begins in the background and comes to the forefront as the story progresses. The romance that sparks between them adds that perfect touch of light to an otherwise dark story.

I believe that paranormal fiction fans will find something to love in NI'IL, THE AWAKENING. This is the first in a trilogy that promises to get better and better with each book. Great characters, a mysterious plot, and the perfect amount of legend combine to create a dynamic book with great reread potential. show less

I had no idea what was in store for me when I picked up "Ni'il: The Awakening". The book's cover is peacefully deceptive, making this one book you certainly can't judge by its cover. I was carried through the pages like the storm that hits the community of Placerton. The book is fast paced and scary!

James Boyle is a masterful storyteller that can really weave one monster of a tale! I started this book at bedtime and found that I couldn't put it down until my eyes no longer could stay open, show more and continued with it as soon as I woke up the next morning.

This tale of Native American folklore and the white man's world is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. I was thrilled to find that this book is the first in the series, so the story will continue on, but disappointed that I didn't have the next book in hand so that I could continue on. I'm definitely putting Mr. Boyle on my watch list! show less

What can I say about this one? *taps chin thinking* Well, I'll say that I thought it was TOTALLY original. Personally, I've never read anything like it.
I enjoyed the believable and faulted characters that existed in this small town. I liked the storyline of the ancient spirit coming to take revenge on the people who have ravaged the land. I won't go into to much detail there because it would give away the story but I'll say that I was surprised by the ending. Not because of how it ended but show more because once I found out the whole "point" to the story I was really shocked!
Don't let that pretty cover fool you though! This one definitely has the horror element to it with some blood and sacrifice mixed in....I liked it! It was scary and bloody and crazy all wrapped up in the deceivingly peaceful cover!
Oh and there is some romance! I wouldn't put it in the romance category at all, but I think this book had a good balance that both men and women can enjoy. If your looking for something different then I think this one would be worth a try. show less

This was a really easy read. I read it in two sittings, but it could've been finished in just one.

The story was intriguing. I didn't find myself sucked totally in, per se, but I did want to find out what would happen. I liked that there was enough mystery surrounding the murders that most people could attribute them to wild animals, at least at first, but that those who looked closely enough and who asked enough questions saw that there was something more going on. The main problem, though, show more is that the summary from the back of the book pretty much tells me a lot of what I find out later in the book. I wish people wouldn't do that!

The characters were likable enough, but I didn't really feel intensely connected to any of them. The main character, Dan, is pretty much your typical police chief -- He puts the good of his town and the people in it before his own well-being, often running around with a severely injured shoulder just to check on things. It was hard to tell how old Dan was supposed to be. Sometimes I got the impression that he was in his 30s, but other times he felt as if he was in his 40s. Not really a significant detail, but something I wondered about while reading the book.

Boyle's writing is easy-to-read and accessible. He does a good job with giving detail and painting a scene. Sometimes, in the case of describing crime scenes, a little too much detail for my taste. There were several places, though, that could have benefited from an editor. The tenses of verbs changed from time to time, and there were a lot of extra commas, which got a little distracting.

This book was an enjoyable, easy read. Boyle released the second book in this planned trilogy, Ni'il: The War Within, in late 2008. I'd be interested in reading it to see what happens because Boyle left us hanging at the end. show less