Night Fall by Nelson DeMille Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Night Fall
Book Review: A skillful blend of fact and fiction
Summary: 4 Stars
The first Nelson Demille book I read was "The Lion's Game," which introduced me to John Corey and his world. He is an interesting, unique character, and Demille's writing style was fun and easy to read. "The Lion's Game" was good enough, at least, that I wanted to read more, so I tried "Night Fall."
Oh my...what a ride this book is.
Past fans of Demille and John Corey won't be disappointed -- Corey's singular wit, cynicism, and wiseass attitude are all present here. At his best, Corey's smart remarks are often cause for laughter. He's the kind of guy who often says what we want to say in similar situations, which is either admirable or infuriating depending on which side of the argument you happen to be...but it's always amusing to read.
But the story of "Night Fall" is what makes it so interesting. The main thrust of the story is intriguing enough in itself, tackling the 1996 explosion of TWA flight 800 and all the questions that has raised. The treatment of the investigation is fair and full-bodied, and Demille's take on it is an original one. Even if this was the only aspect of the story, "Night Fall" would be well worth reading.
However, Demille finds a way to tie the investigation of TWA 800 to another major event five years later, making it so much more real and timely to those of us reading about it now. Within the first couple chapters, the reader is given hints about what could be coming, and as the book races to its inescapable conclusion the feeling of impending doom is even stronger. Demille uses an impressivly subtle hand to bring these events together in a way which actually makes sense and enhances the suspense overall. The books final pages are heart-stopping and heartbreaking, a finish to the novel which is fitting, expected in one sense but still shocking in another.
"Night Fall" is hands-down one of the best suspense novels I've read recently, and Nelson Demille has earned my respect for writing a lean story that somehow does justice to two recent major American tragedies. As an American who remembers both events fairly well (and I suspect most Americans my age remember them too), I'm glad to read a book like "Night Fall."
Book Review: A step down for DeMille
Summary: 3 Stars
I have been a reader of Nelson DeMille for a long time, and I think I have read everything written to date. As with most writers, DeMille has, with each book, mastered his craft with each and every written page . . . and then 'Night Fall' happened! Perhaps it is due to my openion that 'Up Country' is to date DeMille's best work, and the high standard set in this former novel was so high that 'Night Fall' could not possibly reach the same level. Or, maybe, just maybe DeMille hit a wall. Nevertheless, I'll take any DeMille work over Patterson, Baldacci, Garner, or Cornwall any day of the week.
I do not mean to be hard on DeMille, but hope that perhaps he or his editors will listen to the voices of some of the readers. In 'Night Fall' the character development is sterile, the settings predictable, and the once epic confrontational style of DeMille non-existant.
With great disappointment I must add that the novel's ending is very unsatisfying. To put it simply, I still am not sure what DeMille was thinking. Of all DeMille's books, this was a great step-down from an author who has entertained millions of readers.
Book Review: AMAZING!
Summary: 5 Stars
What a wonderful book. This book was a page turner and after finishing it, I had to wait three days before discussing it with my mom who didn't read it quite as fast as I did. That was torture!
I got my book autographed at a book review with Nelson Demille, it was a lot of fun!
Book Review: Am I the only one?
Summary: 2 Stars
Okay, am I the only reader who was put off by the premise of this book? I'm a huge DeMille fan, but this smacked of tasteless exploitation. While it's interesting to use real life tragedies as fodder for novels when they are way in the past (the sinking of the Titantic, bombing of Pearl Harbor, etc.) and the people who were affected firsthand are no longer alive, it's a whole different thing to expound conspiracy theories about things that happened just a few years ago. People are still grieving for their loved ones, for God's sake! And tidied up so neatly at the end! No need to actually offer any meaningful basis for the supposed coverup. Sorry, but the whole thing left me feeling cheated and disappointed in Demille.Book Review: An Author with a Powerful Mission
Summary: 4 Stars
In NIGHT FALL, Nelson DeMille obviously is an author with a mission. He has appointed himself to prove, once and for all, how TWA Flight 800 met its end.
For those of us who spend time on the Eastern End of Long Island, the tragic explosion of that airplane off of our coast, and the deaths of all of the 230 people aboard, came to feel personal.
In the almost a decade since it all happened, many theories have been floated. The most popular, certainly on Long Island, is that 800 was brought down by a missile launched by an obscure Middle Eastern terrorist group. This theory is widely popular, except with official American law enforcement agencies.
Even though the federal government saw fit to produce an animated recreation of its version of the explosion, a version which has nothing to do with popular perception, this animation has not stopped the theorists. And, after September 11th, 2001, we all finally had a name to attach to those terrorists, too.
In NIGHT FALL, in his usual thorough fashion, DeMille assembles the myths and the theories, giving fictional proof to the popular presumptions.
As in PLUM ISLAND and LION'S GAME, DeMille's protagonist is John Corey, a former NYPD detective retired on disability. Corey takes us through every possible alternative explanation. If Corey has one problem, it's that he sounds too damn conceited. But he definitely is clever, and he makes for good reading.
For a work of fiction, NIGHT FALL is not the easiest of these three related novels to complete, having a weak story arc despite the true event it explores. In fact, in the first third of the book, DeMille basically has to re-tell the sad event, to make sure that he and his readers literally are on the same page. Bluntly, a lesser author never could have pulled NIGHT FALL off as a compelling work of fiction.
Inevitably, Detective Corey (and author DeMille) come to the only possible explanation of this mystery. Yet there is another plot here, too, an unstated plot that moves inexorably to its own conclusion.
At the end of the book, this concluding event is the proof that the reader needs that the attackers were those whom Corey has suspected all along, even if the application of this proof is fictional.
Watch the clues and the secondary parallel plot in NIGHT FALL. In hindsight, DeMille makes the point that it all was inevitable. Of course.