Tag Archives: Lightfall

Review: Lightfall: The Dark Times by Tim Probert

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Lightfall Dark Times by Tim Probert

Lightfall: The Dark Times (Lightfall #3)
Tim Probert
HarperAlley
Published April 2, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Dark Times (Lightfall #3)

The Lights have gone dark in Irpa.

Danger lurks as the air grows colder and threats lie in the shadows at every turn. While the rest of their fellowship seeks safety, Bea and Cad team up with a small group of survivors to travel to the Citadel of Knowledge, pursuing answers to their world’s darkest mysteries.

But their journey reveals even more secrets. Until an unexpected ally shines a light in the darkness, providing a clue to a mystery from long ago…and a beacon of hope for the future.

My Review

I waited two years for this book. The only disappointment, and I’m not sure it’s truly disappointing, is that it’s not the conclusion to the series. I don’t know why I thought it would be, but it’s not. The great thing about that is there are more Bea and Cad adventures still to come!

Because the story takes place during an unending night, the color palette is very dark with a lot of golden/firelight colors. It’s not my favorite combination of colors, but I get why that palette worked for this particular part of the tale.

Bea and Cad remain great characters and deliver fun and surprising lines. The ever-optimistic Cad loses hope for a bit, and Bea steps up as a bold warrior in a couple of scenes. I loved seeing the two of them experience some growth and depth. Their friendship remains a powerful force that helps them both.

I read this book at the end of a pretty grinding day, and it was very much the warm, fun adventure I needed to finish my day on a high note. The artwork by Tim Probert continues to amaze me. Everything has a playfulness to it, and the story world feels epic and fantastical. It’s so fun.

I’m really glad to have the next installment of this series on my shelves. I think fans of the Amulet series or fantasy graphic novels in general will love these books. If you’re unfamiliar with the Lightfall series, you can check out my reviews of the first and second books.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Cad is a Galdurian, which means he looks a little bit like a giant axolotl?? There are minor characters with brown skin.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Bea learns about magic from a mentor who teaches her that everything in her world has a soul, and if you can learn to listen to each soul around you, you can ask them for help.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Battle scenes.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays. Check out other blogs posting about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.

Review: Lightfall: Shadow of the Bird by Tim Probert

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , ,

Shadow of the Bird (Lightfall #2)
Tim Probert
HarperAlley
Published April 26, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Lightfall: Shadow of the Bird

In the second installment of the Lightfall series, Bea and Cad continue their quest to stop Kest, the mythic bird who stole the sun.

After a battle that nearly cost them their lives, Bea and Cad awaken in the hidden settlement of the Arsai, mysterious creatures who can glimpse into the future. The Arsai’s vision paints a dire picture for their planet, as the bird Kest Ke Belenus–now awoken from a restless slumber–threatens to destroy all the Lights of Irpa. Desperate for a solution, Bea and Cad seek out the help of a water spirit known as Lorgon, whose ancient wisdom may help them find a way to take down Kest and save Irpa from utter destruction.

But when their time with Lorgon presents more questions than answers, Bea and Cad must decide what’s more important . . . stopping Kest or uncovering the truth.

My Review

After I finished the first book in the Lightfall series, I couldn’t WAIT to read the second one. Originally I bought the first one to share with my nephew and niece who are into graphic novels. My nephew read the first one and was pretty excited about it. He is looking forward to reading this one, too.

I thought SHADOW OF THE BIRD was a little scarier than the first book in the series. There are some scenes that are a little more intense where Cad and Bea confront a powerful enemy. Just as with THE GIRL AND THE GALDURIAN, though, Cad’s upbeat attitude keeps things lighter than they might be otherwise. Bea continues to wrestle with fear and anxiety, shown in the panels as a dark cloud that wraps around her when she gets scared and anxious.

There’s a great balance between Cad and Bea, too. Though Cad is the intrepid explorer and warrior, Bea is the one who thinks things through carefully, the one who notices things Cad would otherwise overlook. Also, I love that her cat Nimm comes along on the journey with them!

I’m a big fan of this series so far, and really looking forward to the release of the third book. Since book one came out in 2020, and this one in 2022, I’m guessing book three won’t be out until next year.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Cad is a Galdurian, which means he looks a little bit like a giant axolotl?? There are minor characters with brown skin.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Cad and Bea search for a spirit of the sea to ask for his help. They learn some information about another spirit, too.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Battle scenes.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.