It was 766 pages and 5 days, the last 200 on day 5. I think that says a lot right there. This book may look like a brick sitting on the shelf, but it moves as swiftly as any novel I've read. Cronin has elevated the 'vampire apocalypse' novel, and done something so few have failed at, not just in this genre but many, that being staying away from the predictable. There were times when I 'knew' what was coming, low and behold, I was wrong. Then there was the rest of the book when I had no idea what waited for me in the next chapter, page, paragraph. This book has been listed on many 'Best Of 2010' lists, and after reading it, I'm not surprised. Admittedly, there were sections when I thought all the hype around this book was overplayed, save for a few interesting character studies in the beginning I was searching for the reasons behind all the plaudits, but the book really came into its own in the second half where it felt like Cronin truly hit his stride and the book just took off. Often that can be the downfall of a book, the story gets to complicated and the writer loses control, but Cronin was able to keep it all reined in and really delivered a hell of a read. I say that despite the (SPOILER ALERT) cliff-hanger ending (I hate that) setting up the first of two planned sequels which I'm already itching to read. I just hope that he doesn't lose scope when trying to fit it all in, because if the set up at the end of the book is any indication, he is being very ambitious to think he can fit all of it in, as succesfully, in only two books, though I wouldn't complain if it grew to more.
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