Rob Thurman, Nightlife

Nightlife

Rob Thurman

Roc, Mar 2006, $6.99, 352 pp.

ISBN: 0451460758

His mother is human trailer-trash, and his father is a "demonic sperm donor". Cal can live with being a half monster, though he does not like either of his parents. He has more problems with his ever perfect sibling, Niko, who does everything much better than Cal does. Still the brothers are close.

Their closeness is put to the test when the insane Auphes mutant elves, better known amongst the in crowd as Grendels, attack the brothers. They fight back when forced, but mostly flee because the odds of winning are nil. The Grendels need the half monster to help them achieve great power. On their quest for safety, the brothers run into a supernatural hodgepodge from a canine who once was human, to Puck selling used cars to weird humans who should have been paranormal, but then again this is New York!

NIGHTLIFE is a terrific coming of age urban fantasy starring a likable teen Niko and a not so likable sarcastic Cal, whose mockery can become irritating for us older readers, even if it seems genuine; a little silent Cal would have been less realistic but nice. Together they are a formidable loyal team, until women begin to strain their allegiance to one another. Even with this strong cast, the astuteness of the exhilarating storyline, besides making sure that all the purebred, hybrid, and lesser begat monsters seem real, lies in the delightful way Rob Thurman presents clues as to why everyone is after Cal. Fantasy fans will want more treks around New York starring the dynamic siblings.