Dark is the Night: Vampires Hunted and Haunted

Three years ago, I had the pleasure of helping introduce Mirriam Neal's second published novel, Paper Crowns, to the world (see here for my interview with Miss Neal about redeeming myths and here for my review of Paper Crowns). Today, I'm heralding her third.

Like many in Miss Neal's social circles, I have heard a lot about Dark is the Night and its cast of grumpy, broken people over the years. So when she announced a few months ago that it would be published this year, I was more than happy. I was ecstatic to finally get my hands on this book. Short enough to read in a weekend, Dark is the Night isn't short on one-liners, explorations of faith, and characters battling demons both internal and external. Now let's dive into it, shall we?

South Carolina gave the term 'God-forsaken' an entirely new meaning.

If that isn't an opening line to grab you, I don't know what is. From the opening howls of predatory werewolves to the growing bloodlust of a vampire going cold turkey, Dark is the Night balances its Southern gothic tone with levity that readers of Paper Crowns will recognize. The same snark and "bromance" chemistry that characterize much of Miss Neal's writing are present here. But so are added touches of realism that deepen these moments of humor: a revenge quest that threatens to derail a good man's life, a personal attack that may ruin friendships, the very real dangers of supernatural attacks, and secrets that refuse to stay buried. This isn't your Grandma's South Carolina. (Or if it is, your grandmother is probably related to a certain Riding Hood.)

"Everyone can be forgiven," said Colton, "even vampires."

Whether supernatural beings, especially vampires, can experience forgiveness and redemption is one of the central questions of this novel. Skata, a widowed vampire hunter with a stake to grind, doubts such creatures are capable of turning away from their nature. But small-town preacher Colton argues on multiple occasions that a vampire has the same moral capacity as any human, and therefore the same chance at redemption. Miss Neal doesn't close out this line of argument before the book ends, but with sequels in the works, one hopes to see further explorations of this concept before the tale fully concludes.

"You tell me, man. It's your quest. I'm just the sidekick."

The characters in Dark is the Night are a wild bunch. There's Skata, the vengeful vampire hunter. Colton, the grace-preaching man with a secret history. Angel, the vampire who can't control his tongue (or his fangs). And Easton, the girl with connections to all of them. From first moment to last, these characters make an impression, stretching beyond their predictable character types. Easton in particular shines in her interactions with Angel, not falling prey to the standard "girl meets vamp, girl develops unhealthy obsession with vamp" formula. Colton speaks truth without becoming preachy (except when he's actually supposed to be preaching; it's the gig, you understand) or veering into untenable doctrine. Even the side characters are captivating in their well-roundedness. One character became an immediate favorite of mine simply for his coercive kindness in not allowing a certain character to essentially kill himself by refusing to heal after an attack.

"[Y]ou have your bizarrely encyclopedic knowledge of us non-person-people. I'm sure you could think of something."

After bringing us through a wild ride of wolves, fangs, and stakes that rise with the moon, Miss Neal draws the story together in a way that satisfies while drawing the reader on to the next installment, which we can only hope won't be long in coming. Brace yourselves, folks. Dark is the Night has arrived.

Image courtesy of Morgan Farris

(Reader's note: Dark is the Night is best suited for teenage and adults readers. Use discernment when younger readers are involved, as there are many intense scenes of fighting and violence, including several instances of torture and a scene involving a child in danger, and smatterings of cussing on a PG-13 level.)

Dark is the Night is out now! Get the paperback here or the Kindle edition here.

MIRRIAM NEAL is an author frequently masquerading as an artist. When she’s not scrubbing

paint off her hands, she’s thinking about writing (actually, if she’s being honest, she’s always

thinking about writing). A discovery writer, she tends to start novels and figure them out as she

goes along and likes to work on several books at the same time—while drinking black coffee.

She’s a sucker for monsters, unlikely friendships, redemption arcs, and underdog protagonists.

When not painting fantasy art or writing genre-bending novels, she likes to argue the existence

of Bigfoot, rave about Guillermo del Toro, and write passionate defenses of misunderstood

characters.

To learn more about her fiction and art, visit her website: https://mirriamneal.com/, where you

can find a full list of all her social media, or join the Citadel Fiction newsletter:

https://www.subscribepage.com/b1h5v9