For an apocalyptic novel, not a whole heck of a lot happens in Brian Keene's Darkness on the Edge of Town. Keene is certainly a capable storyteller, but -- even if the ending didn't seem a little rushed -- there's really no significant payoff when you get there.

I must admit that the author's sprinkled allusions to Elder Gods of the Cthulhu Mythos probably got my hopes up a little bit, and I was disappointed that Keene really didn't do much of anything with them or the themes they embody, but the whole story just never seemed to get out of third gear.

There's really nothing special about the town of Walden -- not until the townspeople are suddenly and mysteriously cut off from the rest of the world by a huge, mysterious darkness surrounding the entire town. The sun just never comes up on that fateful morning. Most early risers go on to work, while everyone else tries to figure out what is going on. As the still-dark morning wears on, initials thoughts of weird weather or an eclipse quickly fall by the wayside, opening up the way for truly fearful possibilities. The situation is greatly exacerbated by the fact that the power is out, phones are dead and nothing but static is coming over the radio. The local fire department tries to maintain calm and order, but it quickly becomes apparent that no one knows what is going on. By that first night, the social order begins to break down, and things quickly go downhill from there.

We follow the story through the eyes of a regular guy named Robbie, who bands together with his girlfriend Christy and his upstairs buddy Russ to try and survive the whole ordeal. Unlike many, Robbie wants to know the true nature of the mysterious darkness enclosing the town, having heard and seen impossible things in his first close encounter. One thing he learns is that whatever lurks outside can penetrate the minds of everyone inside, and that does not bode well for anyone. The ending, when it comes, is probably going to disappoint many readers, some of whom might even feel cheated.

If you're looking for a purely entertaining read, this novel probably isn't what the doctor ordered. Character development definitely leaves something to be desired, and the plot offers no definitive answers to most of the questions it raises. I don't feel that Keene ever succeeded in truly immersing me in the story, especially after it began to drag around the midway point, and the conclusion did nothing to alter my opinion that Darkness on the Edge of Town is just an average read.