Review: The Nightlife: New York Takes a Bite Out of B.R. Snow
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 28, 2012
Let me start by saying that I don't read vampire books. After years in the corporate world, I've had enough of bloodsucking freaks and people looking for the opportunity to take a bite out of me to last a couple of lifetimes. I write comedy and generally wouldn't know a good vampire book if it bit me. (Sorry, couldn't resist.) But I've gotten to know Travis (T.W.) through a writer's group we're both proud members of and I've been impressed by how hard he works and how supportive he is of other writers. Many other indie authors should take note...I also don't reviews books I haven't read, and when I read outside my normal comfort zone for the purpose of doing a review, I look for several things, regardless of genre. The ability to tell a strong, coherent story through some great characters is central. The Nightlife New York delivers on both fronts. Luedke is a very good storyteller and he's developing a style that provides readers with the ability to see things for themselves as opposed to merely being talked to by the author. The two main characters are handled well and they share commonality as well as maintain enough differences to keep the conflict at the forefront. Luedke maintains solid pace throughout the book and it has a well-executed arc.  I think his secondary characters could have been drawn a bit sharper but that's a very minor criticism.At the end of the book it's clear that Luedke has set himself up for a long run with this series. There are a limitless number of locales where individual books can be set and he's done a nice job of opening up potential directions on a number of different fronts. I'll be interested to see if he decides to use a major third character as the consistent pursuer of the two main characters as they change locations-in the tradition of Detective Girard in The Fugitive-or if Luedke uses different ones in each book. Regardless, I'll be keeping an eye on this one.As an indie writer, I often hear from readers that they're reluctant to give self-published indies a shot. And I say to them, once again, that books like The Nightlife New York is one more example of what you're missing.