David Gittlin’s THREE DAYS TO DARKNESS is a book that never stops moving, from the main character’s death in the first chapter all the way until the end. Very little time is wasted on explanations or backstory – the author manages to get all the information we need to us in concise, quick revelations before moving back to the action and adventure. It helps that the main character is also as new and confused as we are, and has to learn, like us, as he goes along. Darius is a sympathetic, goodhearted soul who misses his wife and is doing his best in a frequently confusing and dangerous situation – it’s hard not to like him. The humans he recruits to help him do his job are equally likeable, if a touch stereotyped – the hardened street kid who just wants a better future, the conscientious and tenacious female reporter, and the nerdy, absent-minded scientist.
Gittlin does stoop to a little cheesiness with respect to the names of his human villains – the greedy CEO of the villainous drug company is named Hiram Fyrum, and Joseph Mamon is Chairman of the Board. Still, the characters are well-rounded enough to engage with, and there’s even a substantial amount of development, particularly for Darius as he comes to terms with the loss of his life on Earth and his role in the afterlife, amidst all the energetic action. The book has some interesting takes on the fall of the Exiles and their development into what we would now call demons, and equally interesting theological perspectives on free will and the role of the Divine in human existence. However, the three day time limit, while it keeps the book’s energy and suspense going, doesn’t leave much room for exploring the way a really powerful mind-altering drug like Plezenthol could destroy human accomplishment and motivation – instead, we get a more direct demonic attack which, while exciting, has less thought-provoking potential. The heart of this book is in the battle for the survival of the human species, though, and there are enough daring escapes, acts of courage, and last-minute rescues here to satisfy even the most die-hard adrenaline junkie. Essentially, it’s a vigorous and energetic thriller which manages to have a solid heart and a warm and loving moral core to it as well.
THREE DAYS TO DARKNESS is an action-packed adventure with an interesting twist on the traditional war between angels and demons, and a heartwarming moral center.
~Catherine Langrehr for IndieReader