The Be(k)nighted

Mark Harbinger’s The Be(k)nighted is a spellbinding narrative that will draw in readers from the first few sentences and leave them on the edge of their seats to the very last page. Harbinger’s story follows the incredible journey of gifted and often misunderstood, individuals who come together to battle a darkness that threatens this world across time and space. Alliances will be made, broken, and reevaluated along this epic adventure as the limits of the imaginable and unimaginable are tested. Marshall, Palla, and many others will need to deeply consider how far they are each willing to go to preserve the world we know. They will come to face dark demons borne out of shameful acts and search for understanding spawned from within. From one chapter to the next, readers will struggle alongside the protagonists to reconcile the violent work at hand. Together we face a reality where “To save the world, yes, you are going to have to be a killer, going to have to kill with your thoughts, as you say, just a few more times.” In the end, perhaps we will all come to understand the significance and outcome of these acts. Harbinger’s descriptions and character elements breathe life into this narration, bringing his world to the surface. Very rarely do readers come across a book with multiple prologues or epilogues and this author exceptionally engages both. The additional content in both sections aims to round out the book in a much-needed way that provides a greatly appreciated introduction and culmination to bookend the two major sections of his work. Harbinger has assembled a gripping story that many readers will instantly love. His care and perspective of those who suffer from a mental illness is particularly riveting and provides a much-needed vantage point that is too often reduced to a stereotype, marginalized, or ignored altogether. The Be(k)nighted earns a resounding five stars for the way it transforms a menacing schizophrenic with hallucinations of the future into the unconventional hero who cannot help but save innocent lives with the use of his awe-inspiring abilities. Given the violence and complexity of the novel, a mature audience is advised although seasoned juvenile readers under the guidance of an adult will enjoy the intrepid expedition. The length of the book may deter some readers but from the first page they will be glad they made the decision to pick up a copy of Harbinger’s bewitching tale.