Martial's Tale - by Kirk Thomas (Paperback)

About the Book

Heartbroken, isolated, and haunted by his dreams, Martial is slowly disappearing into himself, and something in the Parisian night is waiting to find him.

Book Synopsis

He used to know who he was. Before he met Nellée. Before he started drifting apart from his friends.

Then the dreams began. Now young Martial drifts through the streets of Paris like a ghost.

Heartbroken, isolated, and slowly losing his grip on what's real.

His friends don't understand. His parents don't care to.

The only person who seems to care is the boy from his dreams...

"What if your life were a dream, from which you never had to wake...

I know you dream of more than this...humdrum existence.

I know that you dream of an escape from the fear that dogs you, like the hounds of hell.

That haunts your nights, like an eternal shade.

A cloak of black. A cloak of worry. You need not wear it.

An end to the darkness. An end to the worry.

I can give that to you. You need never worry again. You need never fear the night.

Come...

Dream with me.

Let me show you."

Review Quotes

I've been lucky enough to ARC all of @KirkThomas books and every single one has been 🔥🔥🔥

This one started out almost poetic and it was such a beautiful opening chapter! The story follows Martial, one of our absolute boys from book 1, A Date With Teeth, but is actually a prequel. Well. This wasn't what I expected at all.

I picked this up thinking I was getting some sort of underground adventure through Paris. What I actually got was an existential crisis wrapped in a coming of age story with a side order of hidden tunnels and emotional damage. Martial spends a good chunk of the book overthinking absolutely everything (same, mate), but somehow it works. The writing has this dreamy, almost fairytale quality to it that makes even the heavier moments feel strangely beautiful.

The real star of the show for me was the found family aspect. Give me a group of misfits who take in a lost soul and I'm sold every single time. Also, can we just take a moment for the quote: "I hope he learns to live. And forgets to think." If that isn't a personal attack on every chronic overthinker, I don't know what is.

This isn't a book packed with action, twists, or dragons riding motorcycles. It's quieter than that. It's about loneliness, belonging, grief, hope, and finding your people when the world feels determined to leave you on the outside looking in. Sometimes a book doesn't need explosions to leave a mark.

Martial is a lonely teenager who feels disconnected from the world around him. After tragedy strikes, he finds himself drawn beneath the streets of Paris into a hidden underground community led by the mysterious Under Man. As he explores this secret world, Martial discovers friendship, purpose, and a place where he might finally belong, but first he must decide whether he's ready to leave his old life behind.

Bassy's Verdict: Come for the mysterious tunnels. Stay for the emotional therapy session you didn't know you'd signed up for.

This is the second book I've read by this author, and a prequel to the first (A Date With Teeth). There is something truly unique and beautiful about how Kirk writes...a gothic coming of age tale with bite. One of my absolute favourite parts is the incredible way the author makes you feel like you are on the journey with Martial and feeling what he is; confused, dazed and unsure of what is real and what is dreams. I was intrigued from the start but had very little idea where on earth the book was going. About halfway through I was completely captivated and desperate to finish it. Set in Paris Martial is a teenager who doesn't know where he fits in the world, what his purpose is and is a bit lost/disconnected. It doesn't help that he keeps hearing strange whispers and weird things keep happening... when he finds a hidden underground community things start to make a bit more sense but with lots more questions... If you're into vampires, coming of age, found family and unique, immersive storytelling give this one a shot.

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