In a world where magical abilities are granted at birth, seemingly at random, and a handful of Prophets guided society and provided answers through visions of the future, the world appeared to be at peace and nations united. But then one day, the Prophets disappeared, leaving behind only one final secret prophecy that offers a way to stop the end of the world. The Age of Darkness Series by Katy Rose Pool follows the lives of five teenagers who all have roles to play in the salvation – or destruction – of the world as they know it. 

The first installment of the series, There Will Come a Darkness, introduces readers to the world and important players. Magical abilities are referred to as Graces, and energy that belongs to everyone (magical or not) as esha. The series is told from multiple points of view (POVs). Some readers are turned off by this style, seeing as it is difficult to write characters with distinct voices and personalities. However, Pool does a great job in not only distinguishing between characters, but also rendering storylines that are compelling enough to keep the reader hooked when not much action is taking place. 

At the time of the story, the Prophets have been gone for about a hundred years. During this time, a new movement against the Graced is underway, led by the Hierophant and his followers (called Witnesses). Using a magic called Godfire, they hunt down the Graced and use the fire to remove their magical abilities. They have also overthrown and captured the King and Queen. Although Prince Hassan escaped and lives in exile, he waits for his opportunity to restore the kingdom and help his people. 

Then we have sisters Ephyra and Buru; Buru is fatally ill and the only way she survives is if Ephyra steals the esha of another person and transfers it to her sister. Unfortunately, doing so ends the person’s life and leaves a pale handprint on the victim’s skin. Consequently, Ephyra earns the nickname the Pale Hand and continues to take lives to save her sister. Interestingly enough, Ephyra is perfectly fine with this method, seeing as she focuses on ending the lives of those who “deserve to die.” However Buru carries the guilt for both of them, knowing that the only way she can live is if other people die, and worries what her sister is becoming in the process. 

Jude is the Keeper of the Order of the Last Light, a special group dedicated to preserving the works of the Prophets and the only people who know about the secret final prophecy left behind – that a Last Prophet exists and holds the key to preventing the end of the world – or The Age of Darkness. The Order reminded me of a group of monks, seeing as they are holed up in the mountains and swear oaths to follow strict guidelines of the Order and to protect the Last Prophet. Jude understands the seriousness of his role in the Order yet struggles with his heart’s forbidden desires. 

Lastly we have Anton, a gambling teenager on the run for the last five years. As we get to know his story, we learn that he has the Grace of Sight and can find anyone and anything by scrying. His grandmother worshipped him for it, which made his “forgotten” older brother resentful. He leaves home to escape the unwanted pressure and attention; however, he learns that he is wanted by several people for various reasons – and they all find him eventually. 

There are so many layers within the first installment of The Age of Darkness series, and Pool reveals them appropriately. Some readers might feel like There Will Come a Darkness is a slow-paced, background-heavy story. However, I appreciated Pool’s writing style in that she delivers the details as needed – I will admit that I was confused at first, but as the background unfolded and dots connected, I was hooked. 

The pace picks up towards the end of the book – betrayals occur, connections are revealed, and several characters are in grave danger. Some readers might consider the plot twists predictable, but I know some of them weren’t as obvious. We slowly learn more about the prophecy and how our five main characters are connected. Needless to say, I was grateful that I already had the next book in my queue. 

Patient readers who finish the first book are rewarded in the second novel in the trilogy, titled As the Shadow Rises. The second installment of The Age of Darkness series picks up where the first one left off, and is more action-driven. If you’ve made it this far and are convinced that no further layers could possibly exist, you’d be wrong. Apparently Pool was just getting started. 

We find out where magic comes from, the nature of the mysterious darkness coming for the world, and how close everyone is to stopping the prophecy from happening (or even ensuring it). Even though the second book is more action-packed, we see our favorite characters battling with themselves and others as they go through intense character growth. 

Hassan makes sketchy alliances to win back his kingdom. Buru seeks to atone for her wrongdoings but is running out of time. Ephyra searches for a way to save her sister, and doesn’t care what lives she must destroy in the process. Jude continues to fight his true feelings, in addition to living with the consequences of his actions in the first book. And Anton is forced to confront the past he was running from in order to help save the world. 

I’m a sucker for character-driven stories, and Pool’s writing style and delivery made me a happy reader. My heart hurts for our characters (mostly Jude, I think), and I held my breath at moments of anticipation in what would come next, or if our characters would achieve their next steps in time. I will say that Pool is not very descriptive in her writing (e.g. physical appearances of characters and settings); however, the plot is so loaded with details that readers can overlook the lack of it in other places. 

Overall, I loved these first two books in The Age of Darkness series and can’t wait until the final installment in the trilogy comes out. Katy Rose Pool virtually met with me for a Cantina Conversation where we discussed her creativity and inspiration for this world, how she has grown as a writer during the pandemic, and what readers can look forward to in the final book. Keep an eye/ear out for a future episode of The Nerd Cantina podcast and purchase There Will Come a Darkness and As the Shadow Rises, both available now.