Dark of the Earth

“Ivan Obolensky’s third novel, Dark of the Earth, is a riveting page-turner that is beautifully woven and crafted. It captured my imagination from the very beginning. The first two books, Eye of the Moon and Shadow of the Son, set the stage for an enthralling narrative that has now reached new heights with this third installment.

"Dark of the Earth takes readers on a turbulent ride of emotions, interweaving multiple interconnected tales that keep you on the edge of your seat. From the protagonist Percy's journey of self-discovery in Eye of the Moon to his adept handling of family dynamics and conflicts in Shadow of the Son, the series has only grown more engaging.

“In this latest novel, Dark of the Earth, it was a joy to delve back into Percy and Johnny’s world and explore such profound themes as confronting the material world, grappling with life's transient nature, and navigating the complexities of existence.

“Dark of the Earth is a compelling and thought-provoking read that invites one to reflect on life's intricacies and the pursuit of personal growth amidst trials. With its skillful storytelling, this novel stands out as a captivating addition to the series, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next installment.”

-Jane Ubell-Meyer, Founder, Bedside Reading

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“Dark of the Earth, the third book in the Eye of the Moon series by Ivan Obolensky, is an amazing novel and an excellent continuation to this riveting series. The boys are back along with all of our favorite characters and some new ones who, while they are not ones that we will love, definitely make the story more interesting.

“As Dark of the Earth opens, one of our favorite boys, Johnny, has had a terrible accident and is in the hospital in a coma. Unsure as to whether or not Johnny will even survive, Percy and his fiancée Bruni rush back to New York to see Johnny and to try to find out what happened. In the case of the accident, the facts do not add up and Percy needs to know what is really going on, not only to help Johnny but also to help their business, which seems to be involved in whatever has happened. As he sets out to unravel this new mystery, with the help of Bruni and Johnny’s parents, some faces from Percy and Johnny’s past end up coming into play, in what now looks to be no simple accident.

“Did Johnny do something behind Percy’s back to set everyone on this horrible path? Will the business survive? And, most importantly, how can Percy figure things out and bring Johnny back to them? Why, by having a huge weekend party at Rhinebeck as usual, and inviting those he thinks might be responsible for the accident.

“In addition to Percy and Bruni, all of our favorites gather at Rhinebeck: Johnny’s parents, Bruni’s parents, Maw, and of course Stanley and Dagmar, who run the whole show. Percy also invites an old friend, Casey Cushman, along with her husband James and James’ parents. When Casey arrives, there is clearly friction from the past involving the boys, herself and her husband. Did the Cushman’s cause Johnny’s accident and what have they really been doing?

“So much is going on in this story, but it is woven together perfectly by the author and the reader is pulled in from the very first page. The spiritual world plays a big part in the story, thanks of course to Dagmar and her wonderful concoctions, and shows the reader a new and stronger side of Percy as he tries to figure things out. The story is well-written and so flawlessly put together that I dare anyone out there to not enjoy it immensely. The characters, both old and new, are very well-developed and make for fascinating reading and the storyline is intricate, different and completely mesmerizing. At the very beginning of the book the author includes an excellent synopsis of both of the previous stories so that, if one chooses, they can just pick up book three and start reading. Personally, I would not recommend that course of action, as the stories prior to this one are just as fabulous and detailed.

“Ivan Obolensky is a master at creating these dark, mystical, and riveting stories and I cannot say enough about the stories or the man who shares them with us. I do not have the words to tell readers how much I recommend Dark of the Earth. It is simply marvelous and I think that everyone out there should grab it and read it as soon as they possibly can. The best part is that when you get to the end you realize that there is another installment coming our way. I just hope it comes really quickly!

“Quill says: Dark of the Earth is the third in this series that just keeps getting better and better. While there are many second and third books in a series that just do not live up to their beginnings, this series is not at all like that: every new book is better than the previous one.”

-Kathy Stickles of “Feathered Quill”

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"Dark of the Earth is the third novel in the Eye of the Moon series about a remarkable family of American aristocrats and their mysterious estate on the Hudson River.

“As in the previous two novels, Eye of the Moon and Shadow of the Son, the story’s setting is an old mansion estate on the upper Hudson known as Rhinebeck. It’s a place of tranquil beauty, aristocratic order, and ancient mystery that borders on the supernatural. This locale provides the perfect backdrop for unraveling the twisted threads of the characters’ lives and for solving a murder.

“The world that the author, Ivan Obolensky, creates is rich in detail, history, and even wisdom and thrusts the reader into a world of aristocratic America that has all but faded from the modern era. The dialogue is always socially polite, articulate, and genteel— indicative of its bygone era—and yet, at turns, it can drip with venom or float with humor.

“As the mystery deepened, I kept turning the pages faster and faster, not only to see ‘who done it’, but why. What makes one so desperate that murder seems the only way out?

“Dark of the Earth delves beyond the upper-crust trappings of its characters to reveal real people in the throes of subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, power struggles between one another and within themselves; and it is all wrapped up in a thoroughly engaging murder mystery.

“I highly recommend reading it.”

-Craig Houchin, TV Commercial Producer

Dark of the Earth launched July 4th, 2024. As part of the post-launch we are scheduling multiple forms of promotion, including a “relaunch” of the series with Special Editions of our ebook and paperback novels for the independent and library communities, promoted across wider channels. We are actively seeking reviews we can use in virtual tours starting in July through to December, and in-person book tours scheduled for November, centered around our booth at the Miami Book Fair.