Without Light or Guide, by Teresa Frohock

(Disclaimer: English is my second language, so I want to apologize in advance for there may be mistakes in the text below. If you find any, please let me know so that I can correct it. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.)

Review Soundtack: I suggest reading this review while listening to Nephilim, by Katatonia (Spotify, YouTube)

A few weeks ago I reviewed In Midnight's Silence, by Teresa Frohock, and I said that I was looking forward to reading the next installment in the series. Thus, I'm really happy I've had the chance of reading Without Light or Guide ahead of its release next week.

This new novella is, overall, an even more solid work than In Midnight's Silence. The writing is beautiful, with a more serene prose and more profound and detailed descriptions, that help build a really evocative atmosphere. Also, we have more chance to get to know the characters, their motivations and their past, and how all that shapes who they are and what they want to achieve. 

I did especially like the relationship between the two main protagonists, Miquel and Diago, one of deep love and respect, but also one that is not without its difficulties and problems. The author manages to depict it in a very natural way, which strikes as both really believable and inspiring. The introduction of new secondary characters, such as García, is also a very welcome addition. 

We also have more time to learn about the background of the angels, the daimons and the Nefilim, their factions and internal struggles, and the nature of their supernatural powers. A nice touch is the inclusion, in the prologue, of a brief summary of the first novella, something that is really helpful for readers with such a bad memory as mine and also clarifies some subtle points that you could have missed in a first reading. 

On the negative side, I must say that I was expecting to see more of Rafael, Diago's son, my favorite character from In Midnight's Silece and one that I was thinking would have much more relevance in this new installment. Also, there are fewer actions scenes this time around and the pace is a bit uneven, and I couldn't help the feeling that Frohock is pulling some punches, especially regarding the conflict between daimons and angels, which now I think we won't see completely explode until much later in the series. 

All in all, this new novella in the Los Nefilim series manages to keep the interest raised with In Midnight's Silence, adding deepness to both the worldbuilding and the characters and, at the same time, keeps increasing the tension in the impending war between angels and daimons. I can only say, again, that I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

(You can also read this review in Spanish/También puedes leer esta reseña en español)