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Blood Riders

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 118 ratings · 39 reviews

The Western Territories, 1880. For four years, Civil War veteran and former U.S. Cavalry CaptainJonas P. Hollister has been rotting in a prison cell at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. His crime: lying about the loss of eleven soldiers under his command . . . who he claims were slaughtered by a bandof nonhuman, blood-drinking demons.

But now a famous visitor, the detective Allan P...more

Mass Market Paperback, 388 pages

Published September 25th 2012 by Harper Voyager

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Nov 08, 2012 Dan Schwent rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: weird-western, steampunk, 2012

Captain Jonas Hollister watched blood-drinkers slaughter his men and wound up with a ten year sentence to Leavenworth. When a senator's son witnesses similar killings, detective Allan Pinkerton springs Hollister and sends him after the creatures that slaughtered his men. But can Hollister trust the men the senator has sent to watch his back? And what about the mysterious woman following him?

Blood Riders was a fun read, no two ways about it. You've got stalwart natural leader Jonas Hollister, hi...more Captain Jonas Hollister watched blood-drinkers slaughter his men and wound up with a ten year sentence to Leavenworth. When a senator's son witnesses similar killings, detective Allan Pinkerton springs Hollister and sends him after the creatures that slaughtered his men. But can Hollister trust the men the senator has sent to watch his back? And what about the mysterious woman following him?

Blood Riders was a fun read, no two ways about it. You've got stalwart natural leader Jonas Hollister, his mysterious multi-racial all-knowing kung fu sergeant Chee and his dog Dog, the lovely and mysterious Shaniah, and tons and tons of vampires in the old west. Historical personages, both real and fictitious, such as Oliver Winchester, Allan Pinkerton, and Abraham Van Helsing are also characters. Actually, the vampires are actually Archaics, a species similar to but not the same as vampires. The line isn't clearly drawn, something Hollister himself remarks upon.

The story is pretty straightforward. Hollister gets out of Leavenworth in exchange for doing some vampire hunting. Carnage and witty one-liners ensue. Hollister and Chee kill vampires by the wagonload using a variety of steampunk gadgets like the Ass-Kicker and the Fire Shooter, a high powered shotgun and a flamethrower, respectively. It reminded me of the first volume of American Vampire at the beginning. Later, it felt more like an enjoyable version of that Wild Wild West movie, minus the giant mechanical spider.

I liked that Spradlin used the Archaics instead of vampires so he was free to deviate from established vampire fiction as much as he pleased. He also hinted at werewolves and witches, giving further credence to my idea that this would be the first book in the series, something confirmed at the end.

While it was a lot of fun, I couldn't justify giving it higher than a three. For one thing, I found all the supposed twists fairly obvious, from Shaniah's hidden background to what transpired between her and Hollister. For another, I at no point felt like Hollister and Chee were in any real danger of failing in their mission despite being surrounded on several occasions.

That being said, I still enjoyed it and I'll give the next book in the series a shot. Three stars, mostly for the fun factor.(less)

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Dec 11, 2012 Laurel rated it 4 of 5 stars

I would have given this book a five star, until the last 20% when a particular element arose that pulled me out of the story somewhat. However, it's a personal preference. I'm sure many readers would love the added element to the story.

Having said that, I sincerely hope this is the beginning of a new series. Hollister, Chee and Dog, not to mention Monkey Pete are phenomenal characters whom I will happily follow for years to come. If you like action, and a western with a side of Steampunk, you'l...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Jonas Hollister was a soldier in the army, having done his duty during the Civil war, he continued on with much less dangerous work – until checking some disappearing settlers leads him to Malachi, vampire, Archaic, blood sucking monster that destroys Hollister’s entire squad.

Hollister survives and makes the terrible mistake of telling the truth – which gets him thrown in military prison for several years. Until Malachi is more open and a secret branch of the government wants to recruit him – to...more Jonas Hollister was a soldier in the army, having done his duty during the Civil war, he continued on with much less dangerous work – until checking some disappearing settlers leads him to Malachi, vampire, Archaic, blood sucking monster that destroys Hollister’s entire squad.

Hollister survives and makes the terrible mistake of telling the truth – which gets him thrown in military prison for several years. Until Malachi is more open and a secret branch of the government wants to recruit him – to hunt down Malachi, stop what he’s planning and stop any more towns being wiped off the map.

Shaniah is an Archaic from the old country, their leader in fact, a role she won over Malachi. Her people know how to survive – hide, hide from the humans and their numbers and their magic and their deadly technology. Unfortunately, Malachi doesn’t agree and thinks himself top of the food chain. His attempts to subjugate humanity will, in her eyes, only raise humanity’s wrath against her people. He must be stopped before the backlash destroys them.

Both Shaniah and Hollister are on the hunt to save both their people.

I didn’t expect to like this book much. A paranormal steampunk set in the old west. Now, I like steampunk and, obviously, I like the paranormal – but, I have to say, I really don’t like westerns and I have never read or watched one I’ve enjoyed. And I liked this book. The plot, characters and concept entirely engaged me despite my dislike of the setting – I have to applaud any book that can take elements of a genre I have no time for and still make me like it.

Paranormal Steampunk can be quite difficult to get right. It’s hard to set the balance between revelling in the beautiful steam-driven technical devices, the cultures and mores of the time and setting and then to insert supernatural elements. Balancing all three can be difficult to do well and usually one or other will suffer – or, all 3 will be balanced but so much effort will be spent on creating this perfect world that the story suffers.

This is one of those that hits the balance. The world is extremely reminiscent of the Old West – and not just the Old West of bad TV and Spaghetti Westerns , but the real Old West. It has the shiny brass, the nifty trains, the big, clever guns and the steam that so characterises steam punk. It has the historical references and places that mean you never ever forget exactly where it is set and who these people are. And we have sufficient attention devoted to the history and nature of the supernatural to give them weight and depth rather than them just being miscellious bad guys with fangs.

And through that we have a story. It’s not an original story by any means, human agent destroys evil monsters before they proliferate and take over the world. But it is a story with sufficient twists and with some realistic and engaging characters and enough attention to detail and setting to make it well worth the read. It’s well paced, with no deviations except what is necessary to fill the background. All the information is relevant even from the musings. There are some issues with “show don’t tell”, Shaniah in particular is prone to long internal monologues where, for narrative reasons, she decides to reflect on her history, her people’s history, her nature, her strengths and weaknesses etc which is a bit of an info dump. I always wasn’t sure that the senator as a secondary antagonist was particularly necessary especially as it didn’t actually add anything to the plot and dealing with it was so extremely anti-climactic. Still, it was interesting enough that it was a minor distraction rather than a derail and serves to put some lens on how the rest of the government and powers that be are affected by the monsters and by Hollister hunting them. As a balance, the action scenes are tight, well described, well balanced and really get the battling across.

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Sep 19, 2012 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/09/...

1880: “Some other time…for Caroline”, the creature with the fangs and long white hair hissed to Jonas Hollister as he lay amongst the dead soldiers in his command. The sun was rising, and Jonas was sure he was about to die, but those are the words the creature uttered to him just before he left the scene of the massacre. Earlier that evening, Captain Hollister and his soldiers came across a scene of devastation that looked like an Indian attack, but suppli...more http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/09/...

1880: “Some other time…for Caroline”, the creature with the fangs and long white hair hissed to Jonas Hollister as he lay amongst the dead soldiers in his command. The sun was rising, and Jonas was sure he was about to die, but those are the words the creature uttered to him just before he left the scene of the massacre. Earlier that evening, Captain Hollister and his soldiers came across a scene of devastation that looked like an Indian attack, but supplies such as food and other materials were left intact. That in and of itself put Hollister on alert, but the fact that some of the settler’s bodies didn’t seem to have fatal wounds, but were dead nonetheless, definitely sent off warning bells. When the supposed dead began rising and attacking his men, Hollister couldn’t believe his eyes. What he knows is that he should be dead, and by all accounts, he might as well be.

It’s now 4 years after the attacks that killed his men, and he’s been in Leavenworth since he was court martialed for dereliction of duty, conduct unbecoming an officer, and a few other trumped up charges. He was in Leavenworth so fast his head spun. No one believed his story of blood drinking creatures, and frankly, he didn’t blame them. Now he’s come to the attention of one of the most famous detectives in the world, Allen Pinkerton, who brings with him an offer he can’t refuse. A similar attack has occurred, and the lone survivor is a relative of a powerful political figure. Pinkerton wants Hollister’s help, and in return, he’ll be free from Leavenworth and paid a handsome sum. But will it be enough to risk his life? He’ll find out soon enough.

There’s a war waging among the Archaics, and a beautiful woman named Shaniah, and a madman called Malachi are at the center. Malachi is bitter and enraged after Shaniah was named leader of the Archaics, and Malachi has defied centuries of Archaic law by feeding on humans. Shaniah is sure that the fate of her people relies on staying hidden, yet Malachi insists on indulging his animal nature, endangering his entire race. Shaniah is not about to let him run wild, and is very intrigued by the brave Hollister, who may be her key to stopping Malachi.

After consulting with Dr.Van Helsing (yep, the very one), Hollister, Chee (who has some interesting abilities of his own), and Monkey Pete (conductor, weapons ace, and field medic) hop on a tricked out train bound for the west where they are to confront these monsters, and kill them. They eventually arrive in a town that seems to be full of life interrupted, but eerily devoid of people. Then the bodies start turning up. The gang eventually finds a group of women and children holed up in the jail and they know they must get them to safety, but how? Night is falling, and the creatures have them surrounded. Remind you of anything? It very much reminded me of 30 Days of Night, with the Old West replacing Barrow, Alaska, and for me, that’s a good thing! The not-quite-vamps are just as scary, and I like how the author twisted the vampire mythos just a bit in order to keep things interesting. Archaics are not vampires, but they do share a few characteristics, and fighting them involves similar techniques and weaponry. Especially fun is the gun designed for them by Oliver Winchester nicknamed the Ass-Kicker, and it does, indeed, kick ass. The author did a very nice job weaving some history in with his action, and the wild west/vampire combo is lots of fun. If you’re tired of the same stories that seem to be dragging down the vampire genre, no worries, you won’t find that with Blood Riders. Neat gadgetry, a twist on vampire myth, Wild West showdowns, and a very strong female lead round out this exciting adventure novel!(less)

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Sep 01, 2012 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 3 of 5 stars

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

In the year of 1876 Jonas Hollister was a captain of the U.S. Cavalry. He and his men came across a camp where all of the inhabitants had been slaughtered. Jonas had a sick sense that something was wrong, and before they could even begin burial duty, the bodies start to rise and start killing Jonas’s men and drinking their blood. Jonas barely leaves the scene with his life; being saved by the rising sun that sent the creatures running.

When Jonas reports to his...more Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

In the year of 1876 Jonas Hollister was a captain of the U.S. Cavalry. He and his men came across a camp where all of the inhabitants had been slaughtered. Jonas had a sick sense that something was wrong, and before they could even begin burial duty, the bodies start to rise and start killing Jonas’s men and drinking their blood. Jonas barely leaves the scene with his life; being saved by the rising sun that sent the creatures running.

When Jonas reports to his superiors on what happened, they don’t believe him and they arrest him. Four years later Jonas is still in prison, when famous detective Allan Pinkerton calls upon him. What happened to Jonas and his men has happened again and they want Jonas to help destroy the monsters responsible. Jonas will be granted his freedom and a hefty salary if he complies. After Jonas makes a few demands of his own; raising his rank to Major and freeing a fellow inmate, Chee, to assist him on his mission, he is on his way, possibly to his own death.

Armed with a specially designed train full of unique weapons specifically designed to fight vampires, and after speaking with vampire extraordinaire, Abraham Van Helsing, and receiving his journals. The men are as ready as they will ever be. But the men are being followed by a couple different parties and only time will tell if they are friends or foes.

At first glance, I was wary of this book; it looks like a typical ‘boy’ book featuring a heavily armed cowboy in a trench coat on the cover. And, the synopsis doesn’t do much to dispel that theory as it mentions the book taking place back in the 1800s, involving the military, and the old west all together. But I ended up enjoying the story. I thought it was interesting how Spradlin interweaved real people and events such as General Custer and the Battle of Little Bighorn (I really enjoyed the confrontation between he and Jonas), with his fictional characters. Not to mention bringing in Dracula’s nemesis, Van Helsing, to help fight the fanged enemy. It was an entertaining mix to say the least. It wasn’t always riveting, but it was never boring.

I also found the Archaic race to be interesting. They are close to vampires, but not quite. There were just so many facets to them to hold your attention. I’ve read a lot of vampire books, some of them turning to goo when they die, others disappearing completely, and some going back to their human form, or what it would be if they had continued to age. So I found it to be pretty interesting that the Archaic’s age dictated what happened to them when they die. It was also interesting that they have to be alive 1500 years before they become immortal.

The romance between Shaniah and Jonas was fun. I want to say it was predictable, but it really wasn’t. Part of me thought they would get together when I was reading the synopsis, but as I read the story I thought the races where just too different for it to work, but yet there it was.

I usually don’t comment on the grammar or editing in a book especially when reviewing an uncorrected proof as I was in this case. But I have to say that beings as this book is an upcoming re-release I was a bit shocked at seeing so many editing mistakes. With that said, I don’t feel that they detract from the story, although I hope they are corrected before the book hits the shelves at the end of September.

Overall I did enjoy this book and I’m surprised that it is not a start to a series as the ending definitely left an opening for a sequel. But who knows maybe in time we will see Shaniah, Jonas, and Chee again. Until then, we will have to be satisfied with Blood Riders, as it very well may be the only book we see of these characters and story. I personally am hoping to see another novel though, as I would love to see what happens with Shaniah and the midwife on that boat!

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Aug 15, 2012 William Bentrim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Blood Riders by Michael P. Spradlin

I am not sure how to classify this book. It is a meld of Western, Steam Punk, SciFi and horror. There are classic Steam Punk toys, cowboys and vampire like creatures populating this book. It seems like that is too many genres crammed into one story but somehow it worked and was a very entertaining book.

Jonas Hollister was a likeable, engaging character. Spradlin did an excellent job crafting his characters. Hollister displays an open attitude and stubborn cour...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Sara Walker rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Get all the urban fantasy news and reviews at urbanfantasyland.wordpress.com

When I heard BLOOD RIDERS was a western with vampires, I had to check it out.

At first BLOOD RIDERS reminded me of Firefly. The main character Jonas Hollister is a man with morals and similar in ways to Malcolm Reynolds. And like Mal, Jonas is having to fight otherworldly flesh-eating creatures.

In the opening scene, Jonas Hollister leads a team of eleven men to check out a camp that was reportedly attacked by blood devil...more Get all the urban fantasy news and reviews at urbanfantasyland.wordpress.com

When I heard BLOOD RIDERS was a western with vampires, I had to check it out.

At first BLOOD RIDERS reminded me of Firefly. The main character Jonas Hollister is a man with morals and similar in ways to Malcolm Reynolds. And like Mal, Jonas is having to fight otherworldly flesh-eating creatures.

In the opening scene, Jonas Hollister leads a team of eleven men to check out a camp that was reportedly attacked by blood devils. What they find makes Hollister's skin crawl. Very little blood. Bodies lying face down in the dirt. Goods and valuables still in place. This was not the work of the usual suspects. Then Hollister and his men are attacked by the bodies that aren't so dead after all. Fortunately, the sun is on the rise, forcing the vamps to retreat, but the only one to survive is Hollister. He tells his tale, but is deemed a liar and thrown into jail at Leavenworth.

At first Hollister tries to get his story heard and he sends out letters. But no one is listening. Until four years later when Alan Pinkerton shows up because the same attack has happened again. They want Hollister to track and kill this band of vampires. And Hollister, although not fully vindicated, is willing to do it.

Meanwhile a mysterious woman, Shaniah, is tracking this band of vampires, but she's also a vampire herself. Through her we learn a rogue group of her kind traveled to North America and are intent on wiping out the human race. She's tracking them intending to stop them. She crosses paths with Hollister and realizes he's also tracking them, so she decides to follow Hollister. Then she learns Hollister's side-kick Chee can sense her presence and poses a threat to her plans.

Up until this point Shaniah is an excellent character: strong woman, on a path of justice, supposedly a great ruler of her people. But then she does some stupid things-- leaves bodies where they can be found and decides Chee is a threat and must be eliminated. Why do strong female characters have to do stupid things?

This book had me hooked-- really had me-- right up until Van Helsing and Winchester showed up and the steampunk toys came out. While there was a certain coolness factor in all this, I thought the story of Hollister, his side-kick Chee and the mystery woman could have stood on its own. The distraction of famous names and steampunk toys wasn't enough to keep me from reading, though. They don't stick around for the full novel.

The steampunk toys include a modified steam engine and steam-powered weapons specifically designed for dealing with the vampires. They fire water and wood-filled bullets. The BFG in BLOOD RIDERS is a steam-powered, 4-barreled shotgun, nicknamed Ass Kicker. Cool toys. Good defenses against vampires.

BLOOD RIDERS is unusual in it's collision of elements, making it perfect for anyone looking to try something different but not too weird. The characters are heroes you will root for as they fight some villains you will hate.

BLOOD RIDERS is a well-written romp through the Old West with some new twists that will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next.

I think it makes for some good methadone for Firefly addicts, too.(less)

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Sep 06, 2012 Brannigan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, horror

If I could give the book 3.5 stars I would.

Blood Riders is an Old West/Steampunk/Vampire story. The world is fantastic and rich in detail. We follow the hero Jonas Hollister as he discovers and hunts down vampires as they began to arrive in the American West in the late 1800s. Along the way, Jonas teams up with Chee, a 1/4 Chinese, Creek, Creole, and Caucasian man with a dog named Dog. Together, they work for the US Government directly under Allan Pinkerton's supervision with the aid of several...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Mike rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ghost-story, horror, deadlands, action-adventure, monster-punching, owned, thriller

At first glance I thought this was a romance novel.
That probably says more about me than I want to admit. But then I saw that James Rollins gave it a positive cover blurb and I decided to read the back. I'm glad I did as this is one of the more exciting and enjoyable books I've read this year.
It is very reminiscent of the Deadlands Table Top Role Playing Game, in that it is a Western with Monsters, which is basically the setting for Deadlands.
There are many things different between this and Dea...more At first glance I thought this was a romance novel.
That probably says more about me than I want to admit. But then I saw that James Rollins gave it a positive cover blurb and I decided to read the back. I'm glad I did as this is one of the more exciting and enjoyable books I've read this year.
It is very reminiscent of the Deadlands Table Top Role Playing Game, in that it is a Western with Monsters, which is basically the setting for Deadlands.
There are many things different between this and Deadlands, but the differences are more on the "How things work" side of things. Vampires are a different species than the creatures in this book, for instance. And there don't seem to be any Harrowed or Hucksters in this world, yet. Which is fine. If I want Deadlands I'll play Deadlands. If I want something that is fun and exciting and fairly fast paced, I'll keep an eye out for sequels to this. And I will probably read them because this was great.

Basically this opens with an ambush of a Union Soldier by a bunch of vampires. Again, they're not quite vampires, but the differences are relatively minor, and they're referred to as vampires for the majority of the novel. The soldier, Hollister, isn't believed when he says that he is the lone survivor of an attack by blood drinking monsters, and is sentenced to Levenworth. Years later he is visited by Allan Pinkerton, and told that he is needed by the U.S. Government to hunt down the monsters that attacked him years ago. He agrees to go only if another inmate is allowed to join him, a man named Chee who is quiet and takes on at least three men in the scene where he is introduced.

Chee and Hollister travel the west in a crazy steam punk-esque train and have a fantastic adventure.
There's a little romance, a lot of action and some well written fun.

It's not going to win a Pulitzer, but it's great for a quick fun read about people shooting vampires with rifles.
This is the second book in a row where basically people are shooting vampires in the face. I swear that isn't the kind of book I'm going out and looking for, but if it's well written, or at least written in a fun manner I have nothing against shooting Vampires in the face.
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Jan 24, 2013 ❉Olivia ツ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, paperback

3.5 stars - western urban fantasy with some steam operated machinery mixed in. I had no idea what to expect!

Jonas Hollister is imprisoned after his platoon is killed and no bodies can be found. As the sole survivor and General in charge his explanations are not believed. Everyone thinks he's crazy for thinking savage creatures with fangs attacked his men, that is until it happens again. He is released from prison under the condition that he will find and destroy these creatures. He takes with hi...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Lynn added it

No stars. This book was terrible. Some of it was the author: awkward dialogue, incomplete characters, and one badly written sex scene.

There were quite a lot of editing errors too. I'm not a grammar goddess, I make mistakes too, but good GOD, there were so many errors it was embarrassing. I considered buying a used copy somewhere, editing it, & mailing it to the publisher with my resume. But that would require me to read it again. And that, I absolutely can not do.

Frankly, I'm shocked I was...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Sillylittlefishey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Review of ARC for openbooksociety
http://openbooksociety.com/article/bl...

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Mar 21, 2013 Greggd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: western, horror, vampires

This read more like a movie script (and it would be an awesome movie) than a novel. So it was an absolute joy to read and I was totally absorbed while I was reading it. Afterwards though, you start asking yourself boy wasn't that convenient, that his sidekick is multi-racial and knows all of the magical lore from all of his ancestors. There was a whole lot of convenient plot points like that, but for me it wasn't a problem but I could see it driving others batty. It also looks like this will be...more

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Jun 07, 2012 Steph marked it as wishlist

BLURB:
Civil War veteran Jonas R. Hollister is recruited by the U.S. government to hunt down and destroy an ancient tribe of vampires that is terrorizing the frontier territories of the Wild West in this action-packed new novel from New York Times bestselling author Michael P. Spradlin.

Could be cool. Yeehaw!

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May 05, 2013 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Picked this up as a 'what the heck' book knowing nothing about the author or his other books. While it's not going to leave you scratching your head trying to find hidden meanings, it really was an entertaining book. The way the characters are written - liked them and rooted for them right away. Highly entertaining book - finished most of it waiting for a plane so couldn't really put it down. I'll be trying other books by this author.

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Oct 21, 2012 John Wood rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I've read a lot of historical fiction but this is my first venture into hysterical fiction. Or is that hystorical or histerical? Whatever you call it I loved it!! Knowing Mike Spradlin for many years, I was not surprised that he could create a captivating adult novel. I give it five stars not because he is a friend but because I love this book and want more! It somehow sneaks an exploration of human prejudice into a tale of blood eating monsters in the Post Civil War era. Add in a bunch of incre...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Lisa Keipp rated it 5 of 5 stars

I like it, I'm annoyed, as always with the cliffhanger - get to writing and publishing!

One point - they took the horses in and gave them water and STRAW? Umm, no. Straw is bedding - has no food value for a horse. They gave them HAY. Hay IS different from straw. Just something to know for the future, Mr. Spradlin!

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Oct 30, 2012 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

My first love is a good western, this book combines that particular genre with that of action/fantasy/scifi/steampunk and a bit of romance to create a winning tale that readers can really dive into and easily enjoy from start to finish.

While this story is set in 1880's it feels "timeless".

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Dec 13, 2012 Joe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: weird-west

This is exactly what it promises to b - It is a western with the timeline and the style and some of the weapons - it is a weird western in the feel and the characterizations and some of the anachronisms - while it is a good read and it kept me going, this has no real surprises and nothing unexpected happens - I can see this being turned into a Syfy movie of the week or similar as well - nothing great but enough to keep the reader going and plenty of action and adventure - though the timeline is...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Sally Bisbee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Oh no! Yet another series to add to my ever-increasing list of series that I truly love! The problem with this kind of thing is the wait between books. Luckily, when you're reading as many series as I am, you can always find something for those "in-between" times.

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Jul 17, 2012 Joanna Duell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed this book. These vampires are a little different than B. Stokers. Love the way the Author has paid tribute to the original Dracula. If you are a fan of the original Dracula you will pick them up. Hollister and Chee are on a mission and let nothing stand in their way.

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Feb 25, 2013 Bradley Hartman rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: To all Steampunk fans

My second favorite Steampunk book. This would be my first if I knew for sure it was a series. The characters are great, the action top notch and of course it is set in the wild west with vampires, what more is needed to make it awesome reading.

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Jan 09, 2013 Robert Williamson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Great book. The main charachters in this book are well rounded and fun. Jonas Hollister is great and I can't wait to see him in another story.

This one has it all - Western setting, funny banter, great lead man, vampires, romance and action. Lots of action.

Didn't like the end, but it sets it up for another book.

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Nov 06, 2012 Vickie rated it 2 of 5 stars

For the record!: I bought this at Walmart when I was buying peanut butter for the hurricane. I wanted something fluffy, and it seemed like an ideal choice: Western, vampires, Steampunk...

Goodness, this book makes me wince sometimes. The history is shaky. The woman's horse is male and it's named Demeter. Hollister is the male version of a Mary Sue: tall, dark, and inexplicably handsome ass-kicker who only rubs the bad guys the wrong way, and then - not to worry - he's a dab hand with his Colt.

Th...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Valeria de Alquimia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: western, steampunk-historical-fantasy, what-the-hell-am-i-reading, depressing, disappointing-finale

I didn't like Chee's attitude towards Shaina. Seems to me He was jealous of Hollister. And I really hate the ending. WTF?

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Nov 26, 2012 George rated it 3 of 5 stars

A very interesting take on the vampire genre. Something new and different, I quite enjoyed it.

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Dec 16, 2012 Angela rated it 3 of 5 stars

Good story line, a little slow in the beginning, but otherwise a pretty good book.

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Nov 12, 2012 Deborah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved this -- a fun take on vampires and westerns -- a suprisingly good mash up.

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Oct 28, 2012 Sheree Ross rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not a bad book, I liked it and a lot of the characters,,,,but I'm not sure I'll keep up with what I think will be a series.

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Aug 11, 2012 Giovanni Gelati rated it 5 of 5 stars

Read this on my Kindle with my feet buried in the sand. Loved every word of it. The characters rock and the action is intense. Great read to have fun with.

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avg rating	preview: Blood Riders Goodreads rating: 3.84 (118 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10127647-blood-riders?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1339688383l/10127647.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10127647-blood-riders?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Blood Riders by Michael P. Spradlin[/url]

Blood Riders

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