Review: Oliver Nocturne Series

Title: Oliver Nocturne Series

Author: Kevin Emerson

Release Date: Varies by Book. First book published August 1, 2008.

Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks

Pages: Varies by Book

Finished Reading: Summer, 2010

Source: I checked these books out from my library.

Synopsis (via Goodreads): This is the synopsis for the first book.

Oliver Nocturne has a fairly typical childhood - for a vampire. But Oliver is different from those around him - his gore-loving vampire schoolmates, his loving vampire parents, and his obnoxious older brother, Bane. That's because, unbeknownst to Oliver, he's a little more human than the rest of them. When Emalie, an artistic and defiant human girl with a troubled past, unknowingly takes a picture of him, its sets them both off on a quest to uncover his true origins and the special purpose the vampire world has in store for him.

In a Sentence: Oliver is a typical vampire child, or so he thinks. Soon, his world is thrown into disarray when he learns the truth about his origin and destiny. (Yes, I know this is more than one sentence, but I couldn’t fit it into one sentence.)

Overall Rating: 5

Plot Rating: 5

Character Rating: 5

Writing Rating: 5

Review: This is a very engaging series. The books are short enough that you can finish each of them in one or two sittings and each of the stories pull you deeper into a world that is well-crafted and believable.

The basic premise of the books is fairly simple. Oliver is the youngest son of two vampires. Except for being a vampire, his life is like that of most children. He goes to school, he is picked on for being odd and he has a brother who torments him. What he doesn't know is that he has a destiny that his family has kept hidden from him for years. When the truth about who he is and what he is meant to do finally is revealed, Oliver must make a variety of choices about who to trust and what path to take. His decisions could change his life, and the lives of all vampires on Earth, forever. As of the last book, the final portion of the story had not been told yet, but I like to believe that Oliver's decision has been made and that's why he's making the choices that he is. However, as with any good series, what you believe is reality in the first book is turned completely upside down by the last book and, as such, what you believe after reading the last book may not be the outcome that occurs. Needless to say, I'm really hoping that he publishes more books in this series.

Cover: The covers are exciting and portray pivotal scenes in the books.