Openland (2006)
Quite a few years ago, I came across the book Openland, published in 2006 by Australan author Michael Liddy. It had an interesting premise so I purchased it.
Nobody can tell Jeremy anything: what it's made of, how old it is or who created it. All he knows is that thirty years ago his father found the relic near a prehistoric river bed in a desolate region of northern New South Wales. Since then Jeremy has carried his life trying to find a way to finance a search for it's origins.
I enjoyed the read and have reread it once in the period since then. But it is not a 5 star read. The story started well with the premise of alien involvement, with a well paced unfolding of the whole scenario but unfortunately the last section of the book was disappointing and the end did not match the buildup. It seemed rushed and was disappointing.
Candlesight (2012)
Openland was good enough that I thought I must one day find some other books by Liddy. I never found any in any of my rummagings in opshops or second hand book shops, perhaps an indication that not many of his books were every sold - perhaps a first print run of each? They also don't event feature in Goodreads, except for a few brief reviews of Openland and stub entries for the others.
It took a long time but eventually I found an e-book version of Candelsight which was published in 2012. Its premise reads as follows
To a quiet life has come something truly extraordinary. Jared's seen the Lights since he was a child. Every night for a few minutes at ten pm a strange beacon would shine high up in the darkened factory opposite his tiny house. He ventured there one fateful night, and there he found the spectral creatures. Since then they've taken him to fantastical places, far away from the grey monotony of his life and the darkness of his past. All he's ever cared about is keeping the secret intact and leading a quiet life of anonymity. But it's a lonely, introspective existence that's always eaten away at him. When change comes to the factory, he finally finds another that he comes to trust and then share his secrets. But in the shadow of Amelia's arrival is one that already knows everything, and has intentions that are both dark and vicious. An ancient ritual is then taken to another time. Candlesight is a new fiction work by the author of Within Fallen Light and Behind Two Voices; the first installment of a sprawling story, one where the boundary between life and death is blurred.
Well,it was ok but not great. In particular, the love story between the two main players is just so improbable as to mar the story.
I don't think I'll keep searching at this stage. I have read two and will leave it at that.
