Shadows of Falling Night (Shadowspawn)

Splendid book, well up to Stirling's usual high standards, with a neatly intricate plot, heck of a twist at the end, plus a certain exuberant hand with the tropes of horror/fantasy viewed through the eyes of a true science fiction writer. Like the first two books in the series, a great deal of fun...and I do hope he means to continue, as he left the characters at a splendid jumping-off point for the next tale! I'm particularly fond of this series, as I read the original book (Jack Williamson's "Darker Than You Think" at a young age, loved it, and am extraordinarily pleased to see an awesome-cool concept taken up by such a brilliant writer.

Inspired by the "witch-men" of Jack Williamson's classic DARKER THAN YOU THINK, but updated by references to DNA and quantum mechanics, the Shadowspawn--shapeshifting, blood-drinking, quasi-demonic sorcerers--are the most fascinating fictional vampires I've encountered in many years. The hidden truth about them lies behind most of the monsters in human mythology and folklore. As the third novel begins, the most powerful Shadowspawn gather to decide the fate of humanity. One faction wants to wipe out modern technology and plunge the world into a new Dark Age to restore the ancient Empire of Shadows wherein their species openly ruled Earth, in the process cutting the human population down to a manageable level. The other faction, headed by Adrienne, evil twin sister of reformed purebred Shadowspawn lord Adrian, prefers to cull the human race by unleashing a genetically engineered pandemic, leaving infrastructure and technology intact. It isn't too much of a spoiler to reveal that the world as we know it doesn't end, but how the author brings off the save is thrilling to read. As in all of Stirling's fiction, the good guys are sympathetic and a pleasure to spend time with, and the bad guys rivet one's attention in their own creepy way. Rich descriptions of settings, clothes, and food embellish the story. The ending has a twist I could never have predicted, though the narrative drops several hints that subtly prepare for it.

SHADOWS OF FALLING NIGHT is the third book in the Shadowspawn trilogy. I really enjoyed the premise of the Shadowspawn, being shapeshifters, drinking blood, being a 'natural' predator for the root of vampire and werewolf legends. This is the showdown between Adrian, who wants to save humanity, and his sister Adrienne, the typical Shadowspawn pureblood who wants to unleash a virus on humankind and thus reduce the herd to a more manageable level. There are those on the Council of Shadows who want to use atomics to make EMPs all over the world and put the planet back to near Stone Age technology. As it opens, Adrienne has co opted Adrian's mentor in the Brotherhood, Harvey, who is bringing a small nuke to Tbilisi where the Council is to meet. Adrian and his human wife Ellen are trying to find him and stop him. Most interesting is the Orient Express train that the Shadowspawn had made that took them from Paris to Istanbul, even having a steam locomotive. More than in the first two books, the minor characters carried the book. At times the story seemed disjointed. It really seemed like, in some paragraphs, POV shifted with no real warning. Did any of this have to do with Stirling's accident? I truly cannot say. I did not like the ending as I think it really tore apart the nature of the relationship between Adrian and Ellen. If Stirling decides to go forward with another Shadowspawn novel in this timeline, it will end up being very different than where it started. Overall, this was a GOOD story. However, the first two books were MUCH better.

Finally, the conclusion to the Shadowspawn trilogy... as much of a conclusion as S.M. Stirling is able to make. His elaborate world building skills have a consequence, which is lot of nicely trailing threads on which to tie more stories. But the main thread, the conflict between Adrian and Adrienne symbolized by Ellen in their midst, is tied off--for now. The twins have been settled, and the host of smaller characters have all had their chance to deal with life and move on, or die. From the pivotal Ellen Tarnowski through the much less developed characters of Jack Farmer (Brotherhood) and Dmitri Pavlovitch Usov (Council of Shadows), they rampage, slink, stalk and race through the pages of this elaborate story, each one focused on their part of the puzzle and their immediate surroundings. Adrian and Adrienne are dark sister, less-dark brother. Raised together until their early teen years, Adrian was kidnapped by the brotherhood and re-educated to humanity. Adrienne, safe in the arms of her horrible family, develops along the normal shadowspawn pathways of careless dominance, and a vision of humanity as cattle. (Though I've never thought of having a chat with the heifer before eating it alive, and enjoying its death-throes. And wearing a jacket made out of the leather and discussing the interesting conversations before death.) Gentle, intelligent, and athletic, Ellen was intrigued by Adrian, kidnapped by Adrienne, works to rescue herself and brings out important information for the resistance fighting. Her getaway on the back of a sabertoothed tiger was in the finest of pulp traditions. Her subsequent induction into the fight and the active part she takes in bringing down the loathed Adrienne round her out nicely. The host of "minor" characters are only minor by comparison to the three major characters. We watch Monica, Adrienne's long time Lucy, evolve her ability to accept and internalize Adrienne's world view of herself... and Monica changes, and grows, in startling and unexpected ways. Harvey, Anjali and Jack, Brotherhood fighters against the bearers of the Dark Sun Shadowspawn, must also change, adapt, or die. They are instrumental in rescuing the physicist Peter Boase, and then go rogue... but the lines are so odd, what is rogue? And how will it impact the final showdown? Santa Fe policeman and detective Eric Salvador and former Brèzè lucy, Eusebia; Cheba Cortines, join Peter, racing through Europe in the winter, trying to hook up with Adrian and escort his twins to him. And finally, all the threads come together in Tbilisi as the Council of Shadows begin their discussion of which way to take world dominination and Adrian and Ellen activate their plan, in the teeth of Adrienne's quite solid opposition. The final outcome is not what anyone expects... but the clues were all there... as far back as the first book

This is very much in the style of Williams "Darker Than You Think" classic. There is a vampires the Masquerade feel to it also. I liked it. Adrain is sort of the a Buffy style vampire/shadow spawn with a soul.

I had gone back and reread my copies of the first two books in this series before I read this one. I think the books in this series have just gotten better as he went along and I was left wanting more when I reached the last page. I do hope Mr. Stirling decides to write more in this series. Have all of his "Dies the Fire" books and the "Seas of Time". While the characters are not all quite as likeable as the ones in the "Dies the Fire" books, the Shadowspawn books are a good read. I kept turning pages and didn't want to put it down. I believe anyone that loves SF or Urban Fantasy would like this book. Have looked for Mr. S. M. Stirling's books since reading "The Station That Fought" years ago.