Book reviews

Something From the Nightside
Simon R. Green Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Simon R. Green Books
New book search
Simon R. Green Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Something From the Nightside
"

Ace, June 2003, 6.50, 240 pp.
ISBN 0441010652

It's a place where the sun doesn't shine, a locale where past, present and future converge at times. It is where one' darkest dreams and desires are met, a place not of this earth but connected to it so that people travel to and from it. John Taylor lived his entire life in the Nightside, abandoned by his father when he discovered the woman he married wasn't human. John has a gift of being able to locate anyone anywhere and he used that extra sense to help people.

He finally got sick of lies, betrayals and mistrust of those who would turn from friend to foe in the blink of an eye. He left the Darkside and set up shop as a private detective in mundane London and for five years etched out a living, safe and secure. One day Joanna Barrett comes to his office asking for help in locating her runaway daughter in the Darkside. Unable to refuse a damsel in distress, John travels to the Darkside, a place he's secretly happy to have a reason to return to because it is home and so very much alive.

Cross the X files with The Twilight Zone, add a pinch of The Outer Limits and a dash of Eerie, Indiana and one might have a glimmer of an idea what the Darkside is like. Simon R. Green has written this fascinating little gem that makes people want to walk on the wild and visit his extraordinary world. For though it is the focus of darkness, the Nightside has packets of goodness, which means that those who want to can defeat evil anywhere.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Something From the Nightside
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%




Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy story on current Earth
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Horror story? Yes
Horror plotlets - the monster chased me!

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - private investigator
Age: - 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - An "It".
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some

Setting
Earth setting: - current (early 21st century)
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Something From the Nightside
Whisper of Death by Christopher Pike
Possessions by James A. Moore
Cause of Fear by Robert Ross
The Remigrants by Joseph E. Wright
The Darkest Part of the Woods by Ramsey Campbell


Click here for more information about this book


Simon R. Green Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Robert  

SCHOLARS:


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Science Fiction books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal Story

Clones

Coming of age

Cultural problems, alien culture

Explore/1st contact/ enviro story

Family relations

GIANT monster(s)

Horror story?

Inner Struggle

Lifeform altered?

Mental/magical powers focus

Parody

Political power play

Religious overtones?

Repressive society story

Robots, Computers, VR

Romance

Spying & Investigations

Tech./$$$/Info hunt

Time Travel story?

Training/Apprent.

War or Invasion



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Norah Lofts 12:50:53 AM
Suzanne Weyn 4:47:34 PM
Wilma Counts 1:23:32 PM
George W. Bush 5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Anonymous 12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino 10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer 10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield 10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls 10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan 9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi 9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine 9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington 9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody 9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden 9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn 9:55:48 PM

More message boards