There Will Come A Darkness has an awesome title and an absolutely breathtaking cover, but there is another reason it has garnered so much attention from reviewers:
It’s good.
It could have gone horribly wrong, believe me — an epic fantasy with five different POVs, historical worldbuilding, magical prophecies, and several plot twists could have combined into a book-shaped disaster. It could have been impossible to follow, it could have been a chore to sift through five different characters’ thoughts, it could have been all drama and no substance —
But it didn’t go horribly wrong.
It’s one of those stories that draws you in and keeps you there. You don’t have to expend any mental effort “getting into” the world or the characters because the moment you start reading, author Katy Rose Pool makes sure you’re hooked.
The basics:
1
Magic
The magic in There Will Come A Darkness isn’t too obtrusive. It comes in the form of “Graces,” which essentially give those born with them a special skill. They fit in extremely well with the general setting and vibe of the story, which does include some murky prophecies from long-ago Prophets.
2
Characters
I mentioned the five (FIVE!) different perspectives earlier, and while it can be a lot to get your head around for the first several chapters, I grew to love them all. Each one gives you a slightly different way to look at the events unfolding, and each one keeps you on the edge of your seat as the plot thickens. I never found myself playing favorites or skimming through a chapter to get to the next POV, which was awesome.
3
Plot
I obviously can’t say much without spoilers, but suffice it to say, the plot keeps you invested. There are many twists and turns, some of which you can see coming and some of which leave you guessing. The end came so suddenly that I was reeling — WHERE IS THE REST? — but that just means I’ll be first in line for the sequel.
Every fantasy book can draw its inspirations and roots back to other fantasy works, but overall I’d say TWCAD was quite original. The characters, the plot, the setting, and the magic system all worked together to create an intriguing world from the get-go. Then you add secret prophecies, long-dead prophets, and mistaken identities… and it gets even better.
Honestly, there isn’t much more I can say without getting into spoilers, but I’ll leave some short descriptions of the characters below (because I loved each and every one of them). I highly recommend There Will Come A Darkness, and I know a huge amount of other reviewers and publications do, too. It’s one of the best YA books of the year, hands-down.
A prince exiled from his kingdom.
A ruthless killer known as the Pale Hand.
A once-faithful leader torn between his duty and his heart.
A reckless gambler with the power to find anything or anyone.
And a dying girl on the verge of giving up.
from therewillcomeadarkness.com
Read an Excerpt
Check out the first few chapters, including an overview of the “Graces” found in TWCAD, below. Don’t forget to add the book to your to-read shelf on Goodreads and pre-order wherever you prefer to buy books!
