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A review by lb_ferguson
The Nocturnals by Mariah Montoya
3.0
On a planet divided by day and night. Where it takes thirty years for a day/night to pass, and everyone who lives on it must move every so often to stay within an inhabitable space for each grouping. There are people who live their lives in Noon, Sunrise, Sunset, and the Night. A former Retriever, an individual that finds people that either have gone missing or ‘taken’ by the Nocturnals, initially sets out to find a missing ten year old child. Though, at the beginning of his investigation gets pulled back into the position of Retriever to gather fringe workers for an early move. With him on this adventure is a new recruit, straight from the Retriever Academy. Together they find his missing boy and a whole lot more within the realm of the Nocturnals. The supposed enemies of anyone who lives within the Day.
The Nocturnals by Mariah Montoya was a very interesting story and concept. Normally, I really do not care for Science Fiction. Though, this one was something pretty different from the ordinary. And it kind of has enough of a Horror sense to it to make it more agreeable for me. It has a very well developed world. Which, I feel for Science Fiction, is a big part of this genre. The society and their hierarchies among the various factions and the conflict within the story is very well described. As are the characters, their development throughout the story, and their situations. It was relatively short book, but may not seem like it as you become immersed in this strange world of Day and Night. There really is not much about the story that isn’t palatable for Science Fiction lovers. The only things that I found that could be a little off putting were the language and their sense of time.
What really stumped me while reading this book was their use of time throughout the novel. Time was an important facet to this story, yet I had a difficult time trying to equate it to what would be like with our own time restraints. The world that rotates at a rate of thirty years per day and night, what would a minute or an hour, or even a day be like, compared to our time?
For a Science Fiction novel it was pretty interesting. It had hints of horror and suspense that stayed all throughout the story. I certainly thought that the development of the entire world and the conflict interesting, if not a bit confusing in places. But for me it felt more like an average story than my next top favorite book.
The Nocturnals by Mariah Montoya was a very interesting story and concept. Normally, I really do not care for Science Fiction. Though, this one was something pretty different from the ordinary. And it kind of has enough of a Horror sense to it to make it more agreeable for me. It has a very well developed world. Which, I feel for Science Fiction, is a big part of this genre. The society and their hierarchies among the various factions and the conflict within the story is very well described. As are the characters, their development throughout the story, and their situations. It was relatively short book, but may not seem like it as you become immersed in this strange world of Day and Night. There really is not much about the story that isn’t palatable for Science Fiction lovers. The only things that I found that could be a little off putting were the language and their sense of time.
What really stumped me while reading this book was their use of time throughout the novel. Time was an important facet to this story, yet I had a difficult time trying to equate it to what would be like with our own time restraints. The world that rotates at a rate of thirty years per day and night, what would a minute or an hour, or even a day be like, compared to our time?
For a Science Fiction novel it was pretty interesting. It had hints of horror and suspense that stayed all throughout the story. I certainly thought that the development of the entire world and the conflict interesting, if not a bit confusing in places. But for me it felt more like an average story than my next top favorite book.