The Darkness Rising Trilogy
By Kelly Armstrong
I read The Summoning also by Kelly Armstrong quite a few years ago, I remember liking the book, so when I saw this trilogy sitting on the shelf in the library I figured they would be good reads for the #rainbowthon. I did read the first two books in one sitting each, it took me three or four sittings to get though The Rising.
The Gathering
7 Stars
YA / Paranormal
The book is set in Salmon Creek (Vancouver Island, British Columbia) Pop. 200 people. Run by a medical research facility, the only people living in the town are employees of the St Clouds. Maya is the main character, much of this book is spent going through her life, past and present, she is adopted, her best friend Serena drowns when she is 15, her other BFF is Daniel. Extra. As the book progresses we find out not all is as it seems in the peaceful little town.
The introduction to the novel with Serena's death drew me in right away, I find sometimes books such as this with so many unknowns sometimes unfolds too slowly and I end up loosing interest but this had a really nice pace to it. I was very impressed that this book had no love triangle, that Maya was not caring around 16 worth of angst over her birth parents was refreshing for an adopted child in YA just imagine! Some of the things that I had issues with, the paw print birthmark (really?!?), How easily Daniel accepts Maya's visions, or overall how characters don't have the appropriate reactions to what is going on...you can change into a cougar appropriate response = hysterics, disbelief something other than "oh ok"! Same thing with demons! the acceptance level was unacceptable. I really didn't like Rafe.
Below you will find The Calling and The Rising Reviews, BEWARE SPOILERS!
The Calling
6 Stars
I was unimpressed with this one from the word Go, if I hadn't been 1. doing a read-a-thon and 2. committed myself to reading the whole trilogy I would have stopped less than halfway into this and put it down never to resume again.
Major problems with characters who "died" that you KNOW are not dead, I could have almost believed that Annie had died in the fire (I think that would have actually been an interesting twist if Annie had died because later on the Nasts would have had untested methods of reversing the regression side effect... change the whole damn deal) Rafe dying? no wasn't happening, same thing with the big helicopter crash, those kids were needed for a story they were not going to die.
I wish they had gone into more detail at some point about the species of the children it was very piecemeal, guessing Ick...On top of that I just got bored, it was running in circles, repeating itself, one persons captured sacrificing themselves for the group, then one gets away, then someone is let go? are they bait? on and on and on.
Key points to summarize this novel, Project Genesis, Project Phoenix, everyone thinks Maya, Nichole, Hayley, Daniel, Corey, and Sam are dead. Meet Maya's Dad, Calvin (good guy or bad guy?), meet the corporations St Clouds and Nasts.
The Rising
7.5 Stars
Because I was so set back by the second book, this probably got a better rating because it made a come back. It was the same fast paced, info filled, easy flow book as the first one. Out of all the book this was my favourite in fact, which never happens with the last book!
Daniel, Corey (with increasing migraines) and Maya are the three left in the group on the run. Trying to get in contact with project Genesis. Enter finally Maya's missing twin, Ash. Captured, escape with the help of Calvin (good guy!) meet up with Genesis, cut a deal with the Nast's (finally get involved with the good guy, who was supposed to be in charged of this ClusterF from the very beginning cliche cliche surprise surprise). The ending ; their negotiations go well, reunited with parents who thought they were dead, new town (just like Salmon Creek, medical reasearch facility very isolated ect ect.) built for them in Ontario and all is well.
The one issue that came up in this is also my biggest thrill, we made it though TWO COMPLETE YA NOVELS WITHOUT A FRIGGIN LOVE TRIANGLE, yes Armstrong though a monkey wrench in that a little over halfway through this and I was originally outraged which has faded to mildly peeved. I think that Maya and Rafe had enough going on with that relationship (between shapeshifting. family, whirlwind, accusations, thinking Rafe was dead and all that) to create mass drama without throwing Daniel into the mix creating the dreaded triangle. That and I developed quite the crush on Dan so you know.. if he had stayed single I think a few fan girls wouldn't have objected. Regardless of the fact that I really don't think it was necessary, I do still like the ending.
This book had the characters from the Darkest Powers Trilogy in it and I they interested me more than the Phoenix group as a whole so il be checking out those books in the future
I would recommend this for a summer read, read a thon. If you like this you will also probably enjoy:
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