Word Spelunking

Falling From Eternity is quite different from Megan Duncan's previous work, as well as being different from my usual kind of read, but I've really loved Duncan's other series, so I thought I would give this one a try. And, while I didn't love it as much as her other books, I did enjoy it and found it to be a refreshing reprieve from my usual YA and MG reads.Falling From Eternity is a paranormal romance that centers on William, a vampire of over 200 years old, as he contemplates his existence. William tries to live a life different from other blood-thirsty and deadly vampires, and he finds himself in a quiet town, working a quiet job. Then he meets the beautiful Autumn and his life suddenly has meaning. But when the unthinkable happens, William must face what he fears most to save everything he loves and wants most.This is a quick read, feeling more like a novella than full novel, and easily devoured in one setting. With Falling From Eternity, Duncan creates a romance heavy story, but with a good dose of the paranormal. I didn't fall madly in love with the story and characters, but I was thoroughly entertained from beginning to end.Narrated from William's POV, Falling From Eternity feels very introspective as he struggles with a serious existential crisis. I found much of William's inner monologues and musings to be surprisingly insightful. Duncan touches on emotional and profound questions and thoughts that many vampire books and characters don't, such as the meaning of one's eternal existence or the monotony, instead of excitement, of living forever, amongst other things. This makes for a very thoughtful read, yet, at times, it also makes for a less action-packed and less thrilling story.This PNR may be more romance than paranormal, but the paranormal elements are great. I really like how refreshing and different these elements are compared to many other vampire books. Duncan's vampires are malicious, blood-thirsty, and deadly creatures that live for blood and power. The idea of being a vampire isn't romanticized or idealized in Falling From Eternity, instead it is explored from a honest and believable perspective. I like the palpable and raw darkness that Duncan creates in this book.The romantic elements are sweet, but also maintain a certain dark edge. I wasn't enthralled or fully enticed by the romance between William and Autumn, but I think that's because it kind of feels like insta-love. For the most part, I enjoyed the interaction between the two, but the relationship feels rushed and, at times, forced. If fleshed out and developed more slowly, I think this is a romance that I could have felt stronger about. But, I certainly found myself rooting for these two by the end.The individual characters themselves, William and Autumn, aren't breathtakingly memorable or original, but they both possess their own kind of endearing charm. I would have liked to have gotten to know them better and see them more fully developed, however. I did find myself quite fascinated by the “bad guy”, Ming, though, and I'd love to learn more about him and his history.The book does conclude with an exciting and surprising ending that I didn't see coming, but definitely liked.MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Falling From Eternity is a quick, but entertaining and enjoyable paranormal romance. This isn't my favorite of Megan Duncan's work, but I would certainly read more of the series, if she were to write more about William and Autumn (and especially Ming!). I think fans of Duncan's previous work and fans of romance-centric PNR will find this a great read!