Nocturnal: A Novel

By: Scott Sigler

Narrated by: Phil Gigante

Length: 22 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Homicide detective Bryan Clauser is losing his mind. How else to explain the dreams he keeps having - dreams that mirror, with impossible accuracy, the gruesome serial murders taking place all over San Francisco? How else to explain the feelings these dreams provoke in him - not disgust, not horror, but excitement?

As Bryan and his longtime partner, Lawrence 'Pookie' Chang, investigate the murders, they learn that things are even stranger than they at first seem. For the victims are all enemies of a seemingly ordinary young boy - a boy who is gripped by the same dreams that haunt Bryan. Meanwhile, a shadowy vigilante, seemingly armed with superhuman powers, is out there killing the killers. And Bryan and Pookie's superiors - from the mayor on down - seem strangely eager to keep the detectives from discovering the truth.

Doubting his own sanity and stripped of his badge, Bryan begins to suspect that he's stumbled into the crosshairs of a shadow war that has gripped his city for more than a century - a war waged by a race of killers living in San Francisco's unknown, underground ruins, emerging at night to feed on those who will not be missed.

And as Bryan learns the truth about his own intimate connections to the killings, he discovers that those who matter most to him are in mortal danger…and that he may be the only man gifted - or cursed - with the power to do battle with the nocturnals.

Featuring a dazzlingly plotted mystery and a terrifying descent into a nightmarish underworld - long with some of the most incredible action scenes ever put to paper, and an explosive, gut-wrenching conclusion you won't soon forget, Nocturnal is the most spectacular outing to date from one of the genre's brightest stars.

©2012 Scott Sigler (P)2013 Empty Set Entertainment

enjoyed the hunt.

the story engaged me from start to finish. interesting and a bit scary. try it out.

Nocturnal

Nocturnal is quite a rollercoaster ride of paranormal suspense mixed with a good dose of horror. It starts out like a gritty cop drama, with Bryan and his partner, Pookie, showing up at the scene of a gruesome murder. But even though they are the best in the city, they don't get assigned to the case. In fact, they're told to stay away from it.

So, of course, they don't. They follow along, getting themselves deeper and deeper into a world they never even imagined existed. Monsters, a hooded hunter, a rising King all wait along the way.

This book isn't for the squeamish - there were a few times my stomach turned at the scenes and descriptions - so be warned. But it's well worth it, and I just had to know what was going to happen next.

My only complaint about the audio was that Pookie (one of the detectives) sounded exactly like Mike Wazowski - the little green guy from Monsters Inc - so that is what I pictured every time.

Unique

Bryan and his partner are cops investigating a series of murders. What they dont realise, is that they are in way over their heads dealing with supernatural forces and a series of murders from decades ago.

You start out not really understanding what is going on from various character viewpoints. But, when it all comes together, wow does it! You would never have guessed what this story is about. The story was different and unique. It kept me interested throughout as it was imaginative and different, although it was a bit long. I like how you hear the story from the different character perspectives. Although i found the ending somewhat predictable, it didnt make me like the story any less.

I like the imagination of this writer, i felt like i was watching a movie in my mind. Well done!!

Pretty far fetched, but an entertaining story over

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes - it was engaging and kept me interested, but you have to have a strong stomach, there are some parts that were pretty gruesome. The main character Brian was hard to relate to, but his partner Pookie made the book a LOT more interesting. The context and background wasn't explained very well so it was hard to follow at times.

I just lost interest

Fortunately I only spent $4 on this listen. I deleted it a little over way half through. The most annoying thing was the sound effects which not only interrupted the flow of the reading but woke me up from a pretty good nap a couple of times. The plot is filled with foreshadowing that never goes anywhere. The main character is all angst and anger and, while surrounded by people who love him, repeatedly pushes those people away. Pookie is just plain silly. The other characters lack development. I don't even want to talk about the cartoon like monsters. Come to think about it, the whole production reminds me of a childrens' animated movie. I just didn't get it.

Production flawed

Loved the story as I did with previous Sigler stories but the production could be better. The voice levels of the narrator varies and I had to keep raising the volume to hear him half the time. Also, the echo used to represent what the characters are thinking is at a much lower voice level than the dialogue so I missed most of that, and there’s lots of it. It really distracts from the great story.

surprisingly good

When it started, I wasnt sure it was the book I thought it was. But the way Scott tells a story and gives just enough pieces to keep you wanting more

Excellent!

Great book! Only one thing I would change and that the deep thrumb. After 20 times or so it gets annoying.

Great book

Entertaining story with a good narration. This book was so politically and socially wrong in so many ways… but, in a good entertaining kind of way. You have monsters, mutants, witches, cults, good cops, bad cops, serial killers, super humans, bullies, an Asian guy with belly like a Buddha that you can rub for good luck, a fortune teller that talks though a speaker box who has Tourette syndrome, and all kinds of memorable characters. This story is very gory and perverse with some humor added in to break things up a bit. What’s not to like. That is, unless all these things turn you off.

might have been good

To me the cheesey sound affects of a walkie talkie, and the nick name of Pookie for a cop was the end for me. It might have been a good story but those things put me off. There are many other non-irritating books.