Dark Digital Sky (Dark Pantheon Series, Book One)

FOUR out of FIVE stars
By Carac Allison

While it is not necessarily a good idea to start any review on a negative, in my opinion, this negative might prove positive for those interested in exploring author Carac Allison’s Dark Digital Sky, the first book in his proposed Dark Pantheon Series). Upon first glance, and based on the title, I thought I was in store for a sci-fi mystery when what Carac has written isn’t sci-fi but a tight, entertaining mystery – or techno-mystery.

Dark Digital Sky follows the exploits of ex-F.B.I. profiler Chaucer (a.k.a. Chalk), a detective with a penchant for music-themed T-shirts and a wealth of knowledge regarding today’s digital world, and how to explore it. Chalk is hired by the Hollywood Hyena to find out if he has any biological children, having started his fortune in the past by contributing exclusively to a sperm bank. What Chalk discovers are three sons and a mystery that like all good detective stories sets him on the path to something bigger and more deadly. I won’t go into detail here, as following the journey is a big part of the joy of this book.

I’m not a techno geek, and would hesitate to read a book described as such, but Carac provides the right balance of techno information to satisfy the reader without overwhelming; he also adeptly provides insights into Detective Chalk’s background including an intriguing chapter in which Chalk describes the tattoos on his body – all book covers. We’re introduced to the significance of the book covers to his life, and it’s a perfect example of how creatively Carac has weaved Chalk’s history into the story in a compelling way. As a writer myself, I wished I had thought of that concept.

The strength of a book such as this is the narrator’s voice, and Carac strikes gold here, providing Chalk with a wonderful voice full of character that quickly draws in the reader and maintains its hold; I was also especially pleased with Detective Chalk’s slightly warped perspective on the world in which we live.

Dark Digital Sky is a great read, although I would have preferred more suspense at the end of the book; I was never quite on the edge of my seat. Despite that, the true test of a great read is how much time you want to spend with the characters in a book, and I found myself compelled to pick up Dark Digital Sky and read it whenever I had a spare moment. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and will not hesitate to embark on another adventure with Detective Chalk whenever Carac Allison gets around to gracing us with Book Two.

Dark Digital Sky is a Detective story worth embracing; you won’t regret it.