Review: There Will Be Lies - Nick Lake

There Will Be Lies by Nick Lake, published by Bloomsbury on 1st January 2015

Goodreads synopsis:
In four hours, Shelby Jane Cooper will be struck by a car.

Shortly after, she and her mother will leave the hospital and set out on a winding journey toward the Grand Canyon.

All Shelby knows is that they’re running from dangers only her mother understands. And the further they travel, the more Shelby questions everything about her past—and her current reality. Forced to take advantage of the kindness of unsuspecting travellers, Shelby grapples with what’s real, what isn’t, and who she can trust . . . if anybody.

 Review:
This was an extremely unusual book. A thriller unlike anything else I've read before.  It's not my first Nick Lake book but the subject matter was extremely different to his other works.  I'm actually quite torn on my feelings about it, although after a shaky start, I did end up really enjoying it. 

The opening page, a prelude to the story, was mystifying but definitely make me eager to find out what was going to happen next.  I really had no clue in what direction the story was going to go and that meant that I could approach the book with an open mind. 

'There Will Be Lies' is literally a book of two halves.  In one, the main character, Shelby Jane Cooper is on the run with her mother.  She knows that she will be told two lies and then the truth but what lies she will discover and how these will impact on her, is left to Shelby and the reader to puzzle over.  In the alternative chapters, Shelby is in a strange world called the Dreaming.  She is guided by a mysterious coyote who takes her on an incredible journey.  What happens in the Dreaming is a reflection on her own life but I have to admit that I often found these sections of the story difficult to follow.  The Dreaming was quite confusing and I was not always sure what was happening.  I know this is a big part of the book but personally, I was more interested in Shelby's reality than this strange other world and I was tempted at times to skip through some of these parts of the story.  I'm glad I didn't, but I still felt that these sections slowed the narrative down a lot.  

Shelby's story is unbelievably shocking and events didn't unfold in a predictable way.  The ending in particular took me completely by surprise but I think it's a real credit to Nick Lake that you have no idea where he is going to take the story next.  From chapter to chapter I was in doubt that just about anything could happen to the characters.  He certainly puts Shelby through quite an ordeal!

If you are looking for something a bit different, then I think 'There Will Be Lies' may just be the book for you. 

Review: Lord Oda's Revenge - Nick Lake

Lord Oda's Revenge by Nick Lake, published by Corvus on 11th August 2011

Goodreads synopsis:
Taro - A Japanese fisherman's son and silent assassin trained in the arts of death - is back in a second thrilling novel of ancient curses, epic battles, scheming warlords,and blood-sucking ninjas.

Review:
This is the second book in the Blood Ninja series by Nick Lake.  I thoroughly enjoyed the previous installment so started this one soon after.  It picked up straight after the events of the first book and as the background and characters had already been established, it was straight back into the action, rejoining Taro and co.

One of the things I really like about this series is that it portrays an epic struggle between good and evil.  Lord Oda is pretty much evil personified and is truly bone chillingly bad.  He's an awesome nemesis for Taro who also has to face an enemy in the form of Yukiko.  She's determined to avenge her sister's death and has become consumed by thoughts of revenge.  She appears even more threatening because as a young girl she's as far removed from a deadly killing machine as you can get.  However, she's no longer who she once was and can think of nothing but bringing her sister's killer to justice.  Because of this she's depicted as an even bigger threat to Taro's existence. 

Nick Lake has obviously done incredible amounts of research into Japanese culture, the ninja way of life and also the religious and spiritual beliefs and philosophies which are described in the book.  There is an amazing amount of detail about all of these things and they really enrich the overall story.  I love reading about the country of Japan and found this a wonderful setting. 

There are subtle romantic undertones in some chapters in the book, as Taro and Hana are drawn closer together. The romance between them is a periphery element of the plot however, rather than being the main focus.  Personally, I'd like to see this being developed further as the series progresses. 

Fans of the series won't be able to resist grabbing this new installment of Taro's story.  For those that haven't discovered Nick Lake's writing yet then I would definitely recommend trying these.  Teenage boys in particular will be drawn to the idea of a ninja who's also a vampire!

Review: Blood Ninja - Nick Lake

Blood Ninja by Nick Lake, published by Corvus on 1st April 2010

Goodreads synopsis:

Taro is a boy from a coastal village in rural Japan, fated to become a fisherman like his father. But in just one night, Taro's world is turned upside down - and his destiny is changed forever.

Review:
This is the perfect book for teenage boys looking for an exciting read with a gutsy hero and plenty of thrills and spills along the way.  It appealed to me mainly because it's set in sixteenth century Japan, which is a country I always find endlessly fascinating and also because the concept for the story sounded so fantastic and amazing.  The title itself, 'Blood Ninja' was hugely intriguing and had me reaching for the book nearly as soon as it arrived.

The story is about a young fisherman's son who at the beginning of the book is attacked by ninjas.  His life is saved by a blood ninja who rescues him from those seeking to kidnap and kill him.  There are however a lot of secrets surrounding Taro's heritage and from this moment on, his life, and the only existence he's ever known, is changed forever.  He becomes a pawn in the power struggle between Lord Oda and Lord Tokugawa who are the two most powerful men in the country and are both ultimately seeking to gain total control over Japan. 

I don't think it's giving anything away by saying that Nick Lake has come up with a genuinely clever and hugely original idea - ninjas who also happen to be vampires which is where they get their incredible speed, strength and agility from.  They are an almost unstoppable force but are still susceptible to the usual vampire weaknesses, such as sunlight.  I really enjoyed learning about how they all became vampires and the training they have to undergo to become fully fledged ninjas.  This will strongly appeal to boys who will love all the action and fighting in the book, along with a generous helping of guts and glory.

I found 'Blood Ninja' to be a thrilling and exciting read which was packed full of action and a real rollercoaster ride of a story.  The Japanese backdrop was the perfect setting for the book and I was fascinated by the system of hierarchy and honour which Lake describes and which is integral to the lives of all the characters.  It reminded me a little bit of the Tales of the Otori series by Lian Hearn which is a big favourite of mine.  It did take me a few chapters to get completely into the story and to familiarise myself with all the characters and their loyalties but the story just kept getting better and better as it went on.  This is genuinely a vampire book unlike anything else you will have read before.  There are lots of surprises to keep you on your toes and the ending is both shocking and awesome at the same time. 

The second book in the planned trilogy has just been released and is called 'Lord Oda's Revenge'.  Expect my review soon as I'm reading this one at the moment and literally can't put it down!