Red, White, and Blood (Nathaniel Cade, #3)

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Red, White, and Blood (Nathaniel Cade #3)

by Christopher Farnsworth (Goodreads Author)

4.07 of 5 stars 4.07 · rating details · 1,175 ratings · 215 reviews

The Presidential Campaign Trail, 2012:A political operative and a volunteer are brutally murdered while caught in a compromising position. Written in their blood on the wall of the crime scene: IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK. And with that, a centuries-old horror known only as the Boogeyman returns to taunt Nathaniel Cade, the President’s Vampire. Against the backdrop of the 2012 pr...more

Hardcover, 383 pages

Published April 26th 2012 by Putnam Adult (first published April 1st 2012)

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Jun 10, 2012 Lily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-in-my-series-s

I loved this book and while blood oath will forever be my favorite in the series, I feel that this book more than lived up to the level of bloody mystery and action that we've all come to expect from Mr. Farnsworth.

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Jun 04, 2012 Rick Fisher rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller, supernatural

The newest by Christopher Farnsworth, "Red, White and Blood", comes out 04/26/12. This is the next in the Nathaniel Cade, the presidents vampire series. One of my favorite new series. Really looking forward to this one. Gonna be a great kickoff to a hot summer of reading.
Love this series. One flaw in this one. I understand it being a world of politics, but I would have enjoyed this so much more if the author had not included his political views throughout. Views that mirrored the current admin...more

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May 24, 2012 Lisa Morgan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Another Cade book read, another fantastic read by Christopher Farnsworth! I DID NOT see the ending coming at all and was totally surprised & shocked!

these books continue to get better and better and I find myself only setting them down because my eyes refuse to stay open any longer!!

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Oct 30, 2012 Daniel rated it 5 of 5 stars

If this book comes out in next year it will be a great gift for finishing graduate school.

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May 14, 2012 Aaron Spiegel rated it 5 of 5 stars

This could be the quote of the century. Who said fiction can't mirror real life, even a book about vampires!?

“Take any one of these dipshits in their easy-fit pants and triple-XL T-shirts. Ask them what we should do about the Middle East, or health care, or abortion, and they’ve got all the answers. Half of the voters can’t find Iraq on a map, but they know just what to do about the War on Terror. Sixty percent of them are on some kind of government handout, but they can’t stand freeloaders. And...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Evelyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: highly-recommended, horror, thriller

When a vicious serial killer is targeting workers on President Curtis's campaign trail, Nathaniel Cade determines that it is the work of an old enemy, "The Boogeyman." Now Cade and his handler Zach Barrows must figure out how to stop him, and protect the President.

Third in the series, and best read in order. This book grabs you from the first page and doesn't let up. Even if you don't usually read horror or vampire stories, you'll like this one. Farnsworth leaves you wanting more. Can't wait for...more

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Jun 07, 2012 Joe Jones rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, vampires, supernatural, thriller

This series just gets better and better. In this one Cade may have finally met his match in the Boogeyman. Zach and Cade make a great team. I love the interplay between them. While it is not totally necessary to have read the first two books in the series they really should be read in order. As if you haven't already read the first two...

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Apr 28, 2012 Liz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: para-norm, uf

Cade is THE MAN, er, well..sorta. Another amazing adventure, Cade is on the trail of a new uber-monster, The Boogeyman, and almost meets his match.

I love the politics, the interspersed historical anecdotes at the beginning of each chapter and Cade's dry, pithy delivery when dealing with humans. He is the complete antithesis of a good guy, in fact Cade is scary as hell and makes most people who meet him pee their pants. But there is no one you'd rather have defending the US and its President in...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Sarah Jordan rated it 5 of 5 stars

This series just gets better and better. This is easily the spookiest of the three books, probably because the Boogeyman is the creepiest bad guy I've read about in a long while. He is Cade's oldest nemesis, and he always comes back from Hell, or the Other Side, to inhabit an average human who has sunk into such anger and hate that he invites such evil into his life. The author then does a fabulous job of creating the myth of the Boogeyman, tying in urban legends, documented serial killers, and...more This series just gets better and better. This is easily the spookiest of the three books, probably because the Boogeyman is the creepiest bad guy I've read about in a long while. He is Cade's oldest nemesis, and he always comes back from Hell, or the Other Side, to inhabit an average human who has sunk into such anger and hate that he invites such evil into his life. The author then does a fabulous job of creating the myth of the Boogeyman, tying in urban legends, documented serial killers, and actual quotes from Son of Sam and the Manson Family concerning demonic possession. By the time I was a third of the way through the book I was definitely creeped out. I think the most terrifying aspect of evil is when we are confronted by the fact that it blends in, looks normal, and can carry on a conversation in line at the grocery store. All of the other monsters Cade has fought are straight up "different" - species, genus, whatever, but they aren't human. The Boogeyman wears a human like a suit of clothes, because the human lets him in. Scary!
On top of dealing with such an enemy, Cade and Zach must also navigate the vicious waters of a political campaign, with its all-too-human scheming, and sociopathic manipulation. The President needs protection on many fronts, and in some ways the inhuman enemies are a lot more straightforward.
We learn a lot more about Zach in Red, White and Blood, and he really comes into his own as his past and present lives collide. As Zach tries to work in both, he comes to realize that his new position is all-encompassing. He can't have a normal life, and if he tries to he will endanger everyone he cares about. Throughout all three books Zach and Cade have been so well-developed that I feel like I know them. Both man and vampire are so fleshed out, so real, and they continue to change as events mold them. And I think that is one of the reasons why this series is so damn good - it's believable. Even with vampires and demons and creepy critters, the action, the mysteries and the stories are so completely grounded by the characters. Add in a seamless blending of historic record, conspiracy theories, and real people, and the world of Nathaniel Cade feels like our own. The shocking and ironic ending of this book reinforces that as well, and has lingered in my mind for days.
This is top-notch storytelling.
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Jan 09, 2013 Eva rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Dilatarbelakangi oleh kampanye presiden 2012, ancaman pembunuhan dari makhluk prenatural yang sangat mengerikan, dan kemunculan karakter lama yang menuntut balas. Ini adalah high octane sihir-politik-supranatural, campuran yang sangat aneh dalam setting masa modern, tapi dengan suatu cara si pengarang berhasil mencampur elemen2 itu menjadi rangkaian cerita yang terasa masuk akal.

Presiden AS petahana, Samuel Curtis, dilanda kecemasan parah; ekonomi AS yang morat marit, kampanye yang menguras tena...more Dilatarbelakangi oleh kampanye presiden 2012, ancaman pembunuhan dari makhluk prenatural yang sangat mengerikan, dan kemunculan karakter lama yang menuntut balas. Ini adalah high octane sihir-politik-supranatural, campuran yang sangat aneh dalam setting masa modern, tapi dengan suatu cara si pengarang berhasil mencampur elemen2 itu menjadi rangkaian cerita yang terasa masuk akal.

Presiden AS petahana, Samuel Curtis, dilanda kecemasan parah; ekonomi AS yang morat marit, kampanye yang menguras tenaga, popularitasnya terus turun, dan kini sesosok makhluk memberinya ancaman melalui pembunuhan sadis atas anggota tim kampanyenya. Yang terakhir ini tentu membutuhkan penanganan khusus, disinilah Zachary Burrows dan Nathaniel Cade masuk. Mereka bukan orang biasa, terutama Cade; dia adalah vampir dan bukan tipe mencla mencle macam yang dipopulerkan novel2 roman paranormal yang terlalu sering diterbitkan akhir2 ini.

Cade dengan segera mengenali makhluk yang memburu presiden. See... pemain dalam dunia paranormal sesungguhnya itu-itu saja dan mereka cenderung tidak mengenal kata kapok. Makhluk ini dikenal sebagai Boogeyman, tapi itu hanya kode nama--julukan bagi manusia untuk sesuatu yang tak terjelaskan, yang bernaung di balik kegelapan. Masalahnya dengan Boogeyman, makhluk ini tak bisa dibunuh dan selalu berinkarnasi, merasuk dalam tubuh manusia secara acak. Biasanya mereka yang lemah hati, memiliki kebencian tertentu, dan minim sosialisasi. Manusia yang dirasuki boogeyman, dia perlahan kehilangan sisi manusianya sebab Boogeyman merubah inangnya menjadi sejenis makhluk supranatural yang sama kuatnya seperti Cade. Lebih buruk lagi, ternyata Boogeyman merupakan dewa bagi sejumlah orang dengan cara berpikir yang sinting (tidak semua manusia membela kaumnya, begitu kata Cade) sehingga ketika Boogeyman berhasil dimusnahkan dan dikirim ulang ke Other Side, selalu ada manusia yang mengorbankan nyawa dan darah untuk memanggilnya lagi.

Meskipun demikian, dalam inkarnasi yang kali ini, rupanya Boogeyman bersekutu dengan wajah lama yang terlibat dalam serangan ke Gedung Putih tiga tahun lalu, Helen Holt. Helen yang kini berubah menjadi separo 'membatu' akibat perbuatan Konrad padanya hendak menuntut balas pada orang2 yang membuatnya seperti itu. Cade ada dalam daftar pertamanya. Dengan campur tangan Helen, Boogeyman sukses membingungkan Zach dan Cade. Targetnya adalah presiden AS. Dan dia takkan berhenti sampai seluruh keluarga presiden dihabisi semua.

Melalui buku ini gue jadi lebih tahu soal kampanye presiden di AS, dan astaga... ternyata ribet banget. Di sini kita juga dibawa lebih jauh lagi ke dalam masa lalu Zach yang ternyata tidak seceria pembawaannya, ternyata dia punya hubungan yang buruk dengan ayah yang seorang pecandu alkohol dan beban dosa yang dia bawa terhadap ibunya (sesuatu yang hampir berhasil menghancurkannya di buku kedua saat berhadapan dengan Shadow People.) Kemudian kita juga tahu bahwa ternyata Cade dimentori oleh Presiden Ulysses S. Grant di tahun2 pertamanya dan salah satu pra-liaison pertama yang menanganinya adalah Mrs. Wilson, istri dari Presiden Woodrow Wilson. Salah satu kisah masa lalu yang gue suka adalah pertempuran Cade dengan Boogeyman untuk pertama kalinya di tahun 1919, saat itu dia masih belum freak kayak sekarang dan masih agak culun, malah karena bisa2nya sempat terguncang sesaat ketika si Boogeyman bangkit lagi setelah dipatahkan lehernya.
Pertempuran Cade dengan Boogeyman di tahun 2003 yang berlangsung di tengah perahu yang isinya kru2 film porno amatir juga menjadi favorit gue. Lucu, ironis, dan tolol setengah mati--gue yakin itu sejenis spoof buat film2 setipe itu.

Boogeyman dalam dunia Cade digambarkan lebih seperti semburan kekuatan kegelapan yang selalu mengikuti pola tertentu yang sudah terbaca oleh Cade. Dia tak bisa dibilang pandai, tapi seperti mencoba menghadang buldozer dengan tangan kosong, dia sama sekali tak bisa dihentikan dan selalu akan muncul lagi. Masalah yang membuat teror Boogeyman kali ini sangat berbahaya adalah Helen Holt yang berada di belakang seluruh pembunuhannya.
Ada penjelasan kenapa selalu terjadi hal2 bodoh ketika pembunuh berantai muncul seperti dalam adegan2 film kelas B, ternyata itu bagian dari kekuatan si Boogeyman. Untuk merobek sebuah realitas sehingga memperoleh kesempatan menyerang, membantai, dan menghilang di saat bersamaan. Ada beberapa catatan sejarah pembunuh berantai AS yang dikait2kan dengan mitologi Boogeyman dalam buku ini, beberapa pembunuh bayaran pernah diulas oleh FBI Files yang pernah gue tonton, sisanya gue nggak kenal. Tapi ya udahlah...

Satu dua crossover dari buku lain juga muncul di sini; The Metamorphosis karya Franz Kafka dan Mimic dari cerpen Donald A. Wollheim (meskipun yang di novel ini lebih merujuk pada filmnya, karya Guillermo Del Toro.) Kemudian Moonchild karya Alesiter Crowley yang memang seorang penyihir di jamannya juga disebut2. Di novel ini Crowley adalah seorang seorang antagonis, sebab melalui saran Crowley-lah seorang penyihir Amerika bernama Francis berhasil memanggil Boogeyman untuk pertama kalinya ke dunia manusia.

Salah satu hal yang menarik dalam serial ini adalah, Cade bukan karakter yang akan benar2 dicintai. Di satu sisi dia mati2an menyisakan sisi manusiawinya yang makin lama makin pudar dan dipenuhi kegetiran akan kebenciannya atas kondisinya, di sisi lain dia adalah monster yang menikmati kebuasannya atas manusia. Dan sisi inilah yang lebih sering mendominasi. You can't hate Nathaniel Cade, but you can't love him as well. Karakternya cukup kompleks meskipun tidak sedalam novel2 bergenre drama.

Permainan kucing2an dan petak umpet merupakan daya tarik dalam novel Red, White And Blood; dibungkus dengan ketegangan kampanye perebutan kursi presiden. Pertempuran klimaks di Air Force One saat siang hari (baca: siang hari, dan ini novel tentang vampir yang TIDAK berkilau) bener2 seru abis, setengah mengingatkan gue pada film action Air Force One-nya Harrison Ford dan Gary Oldman.
Dan sebagai penutup, epilog dalam novel ini bener2 mengguncang gue sampe ke sel2 terakhir. Setan! Brengsek! Farnsworth beneran minta ditabokin!! Tidak ada spoiler, tapi seperti yang gue bilang di paragraf pembuka.

GAME ON, CADE!(less)

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Sep 17, 2012 Clare rated it 4 of 5 stars

Well, I missed Nathaniel Cade, the President's Vampire, and he is certainly back in book 3 of my favorite vampire series. And in the heat of this current political scene, having current President Curtis running for re-election while the US is being attacked (haunted? hunted? terrorized?) by the Boogeyman, made reading this a delicious thrill.

The Boogeyman is a recurrent villain in our nightmares. He cycles thru Americana lore, becoming the urban legend that teens know about. Phones stop working,...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Bookmom rated it 4 of 5 stars

This 3rd book about Nathaniel Cade, a vampire who has been blood oathed to protect the current president, the office and the country for the past 140 years, takes a decidedly different approach this time. It’s time for the president to hit the campaign trail, so of course Cade and Zach have to go along in order for Cade to protect the president. The situation is made more urgent by a serial-killer-entity that Cade has dealt with a few times over the past one hundred years. He can kill the curren...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Dave rated it 5 of 5 stars

Having read the first two books in this series (Blood Oath and The President's Vampire), I was very happy to see this latest. I absolutely LOVED Blood Oath, and enjoyed The President's Vampire, although perhaps a tiny bit less than the first. In Red, White, and Blood, we once again see a great mix of horror (Cade, the President's vampire, fights the Boogeyman, a serial killer reappearing throughout history) and politics (President Curtis, campaigning for reelection in the heartland of America)....more

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Jun 19, 2012 Clark Isaacs rated it 5 of 5 stars

Red, White and Blood
By Christopher Farnsworth
ISBN: 978-0-399-15893-3, Hardcover, Pages 383, $25.95, Publication Date: April 26, 2012, Fiction, Published by B. P. Putnam’s Sons a member of Penguin Group

Christopher Farnsworth has brought his vampire series to life once again with “Red, White and Blood” which is a sequel to his previous blood chilling “The President’s Vampire.” Continuing the exploits of the personal vampire to presidents for over 150 years, we are privy to delve into the depths of...more Red, White and Blood
By Christopher Farnsworth
ISBN: 978-0-399-15893-3, Hardcover, Pages 383, $25.95, Publication Date: April 26, 2012, Fiction, Published by B. P. Putnam’s Sons a member of Penguin Group

Christopher Farnsworth has brought his vampire series to life once again with “Red, White and Blood” which is a sequel to his previous blood chilling “The President’s Vampire.” Continuing the exploits of the personal vampire to presidents for over 150 years, we are privy to delve into the depths of horror during an election campaign.

Many excellent writers re-cap events from previous books so that it is not necessary to have read them before jumping into the newest. This book by Farnsworth is no exception so you can glean the many secrets of the powers of Nathaniel Cade without missing a heartbeat!

Cade is a vampire who must sleep during the day and stay out of sunlight. He lives in a secret chamber located beneath the White House and is bound by an oath to protect and save the President of the United States, along with others including the first family. He is extremely strong, fast, and ruthless in his mission.

Let there be no mistake, this is an adult book! Themes of adult relations permeate throughout, along with some very descriptive and gruesome descriptions of murder and mayhem that only vampires or other creatures perform.

A fascinating part of this book is the flashback to past presidents and their relationship with Cade. One chore, done by the outgoing president, is to pass along a diary and pouch to the new president giving control over the vampire.

A mystique about Air Force One plays into one of the scenarios and is illuminating about some of the uniqueness of this mighty fortress. Are they all true? Farnsworth discusses many things that are supposedly part of the president’s protection system. If they are for the safety and well-being of the president and his family, is it a good idea to expose them as he has? Being factual is good, but there is a limit on discussing secrets even in a book of fiction.

The central villain is the Boogeyman who is an age-old nemesis of Cade. They have battled many times in the past decades and Cade had always been the victor dispatching the Boogeyman to the depths of the nether world by killing him. Each time he would arise through the efforts of cultists and mass murderers, only to return to the murky depths of hell by Cade killing him once again.

Publication of this book during an election campaign only adds to its excitement. There are trips to various cities, debates, and exceptional insights as to what it takes to protect the president from nefarious people. A vampire adds much to the secret service, which does an excellent job on its own, but when his exceptional skills come into play, they are astounded! Until now, the vampire was a well-guarded secret for only those who had a need to know. Once out on the campaign trail it was necessary to inform all of those who had direct service to the president about Cade. There is some interesting dialogue when they were informed. Cade had to bare his fangs in order to convince a few! Then, they were believers.

Based upon the shocking conclusion, we know that the next volume will be just as exciting as “Red, White and Blood.” This is a five star book and for all fans of the vampire occult or not, it is highly recommended adult reading for the summer.
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Jun 08, 2012 Schnaucl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, horror, last_in_currently_following_series, library, read_2012, june, series

4.5 stars.

I continue to love how Farnsworth handles vampires. Cade is an apex predator. When humans see him most of them want to run away and/or hide. There hasn't been a single human who has met his gaze and thought "oh yeah, he's sexy, I want some of that."

For his part, Cade tries to retain his humanity but having sex with a human would be like bestiality. You don't fuck your food.

It was really nice to get back into the political maneuverings. I'm curious what the process is for writing clips...more

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May 22, 2012 Chris Bauer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Another excellent work in the "Presidential Vampire" series by Chris Farnsworth. There is a lot to love and respect about the third book in the series. No sparkly vampires here. Nathaniel Cade is an apex predator. End of story. Full stop. He makes no apologies about what he is, nor what he does. He is a being with great honor who struggles to fight on despite the knowledge that no matter how much good he does, it will never erase the dark stains on his soul.
There are several brilliant points ab...more Another excellent work in the "Presidential Vampire" series by Chris Farnsworth. There is a lot to love and respect about the third book in the series. No sparkly vampires here. Nathaniel Cade is an apex predator. End of story. Full stop. He makes no apologies about what he is, nor what he does. He is a being with great honor who struggles to fight on despite the knowledge that no matter how much good he does, it will never erase the dark stains on his soul.
There are several brilliant points about the book, which during my reading, raised it from a solid 3.5 or 4 stars to 5.
- The primary antagonist is COMPLETELY different from any other I've read in the past. I don't want to even hint at spoilers, but if you're tired of the conventional vamp vs. alien, werewolf, black coven, and other tired bad guys, you've got to read this. The mythology, lore and abilities of the antag in this book are simply awesome.
- In the first 2 books, Cade sort of wades through the enemy, rending limbs like an undead woodchipper. Not so in this book. The fight scenes are very dramatic and often times laugh out loud awesome. Farnsworth adds an extra level of dimensionality to Cade and it really adds tremendous depth.
- Much of the book is also spent detailing and exploring the background of Cade's "handler" Zach. I was expecting a nice, almost polite little backstory to add some color - what I got was a great tale of remarkable complexity. I didn't expect so much time to be spent on his background, but I"m glad Farnsworth did. Made it that much more rich.
- In addition to tradition alt-urban fantasy the book also reads like a super tight political thriller which I was pleasantly surprised by. Really succeeded in adding to the tension throughout.
- Finally this book had one of the very best epilogues I've read in a long time. The kind that leaves you muttering to yourself and re-reading to make sure you didn't miss something. When finished, your mouth sort of hangs open like a dead fish as goose pimples race up and down your arms.

Really entertaining book.(less)

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May 08, 2012 Brian Steele rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, alt-history, dark-fantasy, horror

Once again, Farnsworth has poured about half a dozen genres into a blender and concocted us an amazing novel. A true heir to "Adventurous Horror" in the tradition of Brian Lumley, this third offering places him among authors as diverse as Richard Kadrey, Charles Stross and Simon R. Green. Far more gritty and complex than your standard Paranormal Fantasy, with copious amounts of violence, sex and mystery tossed in for flavor. Absolutely stunning.

Perhaps one of my favorite things about Farnsworth'...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Sandy Cox rated it 5 of 5 stars

Even Nathaniel Cade is worried this time.

The President is on the campaign trail when he receives a threat from the Boogeyman - the only being Cade has killed that refuses to stay dead. So what will our hero do, what will he do when the Commander in Chief insists on continuing his campaign for the White House - through all hours of night and day? With bodies piling up at each stop, Zach and Nathaniel have to move before the Boogeyman strikes again!

One of the first things Farnsworth got asked at...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Diane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-stars, favorites, uf-pr

> Please tell me there will be more! Farnsworth has created a perfect cocktail of political thriller, action, history, government corruption, alternative history and the paranormal. It's all of these things ON STEROIDS!

Farnsworth has done his research. His writing and characters are rich and complex. The audiobooks are read by Bronson Pinchot (remember Balky from Perfect Strangers) and he gives a spectacularly nuanced performance that really brings the books to life.

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May 28, 2012 Rick rated it 5 of 5 stars

The third installment in the Nathaniel Cade series, Red, White and Blood is, in my opinion, the best of the first three. Granted the first one pulled me in, the second one was really good but this one continues to develop many of the characters introduced in the first two as well as some new ones seen first in this book. We continue to learn about Cade's life prior to present day, how he came to be who he is today. Zach Barrows also continues to develop, he really is the perfect counterpart to p...more

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May 09, 2012 Doug Brookes rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Though I read and loved the first two books in this series, I was in no way prepared for just how amazing this book was going to be. Farnsworth has found his winning formula and it just keeps getting better and better. This is definitely my favorite of the three books in this series. The only downside is that we have to wait for the next one.

Though it could be compared to a lot of things, I think this series of books is not like anything else out there right now. Though the anti-hero is an often...more Though I read and loved the first two books in this series, I was in no way prepared for just how amazing this book was going to be. Farnsworth has found his winning formula and it just keeps getting better and better. This is definitely my favorite of the three books in this series. The only downside is that we have to wait for the next one.

Though it could be compared to a lot of things, I think this series of books is not like anything else out there right now. Though the anti-hero is an often used concept, it has never been taken to this level. Nathaniel Cade, a vampire bound by blood to protect the President of the United States, is one of the most terrifying heroes ever conceived. Cade is quite simply one of the best characters I have ever read and the twisted buddy cop relationship with Zach is hilarious and brilliant on so many levels. The universe that Farnsworth has constructed is a masterwork. The concept of what Cade is and what he does is truly original. You can tell that the author has done his homework because the universe is built around so many concepts from actual historical events to shout outs to other fiction. Searching for these easter eggs is one of the most fun parts of reading these books.

The formula is basically Cade protecting the President by killing some really cool evil things. However that synopsis does no justice to the books because each book has been so unique. Each story stands on its own, completely different from the others. Though it basically boils down to Cade killing the bad guy, the twists and turns they take to get there are masterful and in my opinion, this one was the best. This plot was full of Mystery, Suspense, Political Intrigue, Action, Adventure, of course no small amount of horror, and in any one of these aspects this author can go toe to toe with the masters of the respective genres. This author’s interpretation of The Boogeyman is truly terrifying. I mean, this book basically boils down to vampire versus the patron saint of serial killers. What is more awesome and terrifying than that?

Candace frowned. “You’re pretty scary, Cade, but I seem to be doing okay so far.”

“No,” Cade said. “You’re not. I’m on your side. I’m leashed. And you’re still terrified of me. You literally cannot imagine living in a world where the things like me—the ones that do not have to obey and protect you—are part of your everyday life. You try, in your movies and your stories. You rehearse the Apocalypse over and over. And all of those efforts are too small. Too human to grasp what any of it would mean. Those stories still have heroes and hope. You cannot fathom what it would do to you, to actually live in that world. Could you kill your six-year-old child when she woke with blood on her lips? What would you do when you found the place in the cellar where your husband stored human flesh? Could you do what it takes?”

There are so many more great things I can say about this book but I will let you read it for yourself. I can say that this was one of the best books I have read in a while. I am officially a hardcore Christopher Farnsworth fan who will be counting the days until the next book comes out.
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Jul 03, 2012 Shell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fav-author, series, vampire, challenge-books-read-2012, audiobook

Novel: Wow! Just finished this, after sitting on the edge of my seat for the last 2 disks (it was an audiobook-read). I have to say I really enjoy this series. I wasn't as happy with Book 2, as I was book 1, and am so glad that this book brought the enjoyment back up to the level I had with Blood Oath. The story weaving is spot on and I loved the little bits of "The Daily Show" and the "Colbert Report" interwoven in it. Cade, of course, is a great character to experience, while Zack has grown in...more

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May 25, 2012 Kristina rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: brain-candy, fiction, library-book, vamps-werewolves-zombies-angels, paranormal-weird

Christopher Farnsworth’s third book in the Nathaniel Cade series, Red, White and Blood, isn’t that great. I’m not too surprised because even though I enjoyed the first book enormously, the second book is so-so and this one is just plain silly. An old foe of Cade’s called the Boogeyman (yes, really) is back and killing people. With the help of another enemy of Cade’s, the Boogeyman decides to kill President Curtis while he is campaigning in the 2012 election. Vampire Nathaniel Cade and his helper...more Christopher Farnsworth’s third book in the Nathaniel Cade series, Red, White and Blood, isn’t that great. I’m not too surprised because even though I enjoyed the first book enormously, the second book is so-so and this one is just plain silly. An old foe of Cade’s called the Boogeyman (yes, really) is back and killing people. With the help of another enemy of Cade’s, the Boogeyman decides to kill President Curtis while he is campaigning in the 2012 election. Vampire Nathaniel Cade and his helper Zach Barrows are given the responsibility of protecting the president, stopping the killings and finding the Boogeyman.

I don’t like anything about this book. The writing seems awkward and boring and scenes don’t flow, especially the fighting/killing scenes. The witty, funny dialogue between Zach and Cade is completely gone and replaced by lame jokes. In fact, what made much of the first book so enjoyable is the not-quite-friendly relationship between Cade and Zach and that is practically non-existent in this book (as it is in the second book, The President’s Vampire, but for different reasons). As for the other relationships, Zach and Candace and Zach and his father, I wasn’t interested. I didn’t care for any of the characters and so was less than concerned about their safety. They are mostly one dimensional and represent either future Boogeyman victims or the Good Guys.

The biggest cause of my disinterest is the silly plot. The fact that the bad guy is called the Boogeyman just made me laugh. Really? This would have worked if Boogeyman is even remotely scary or creepy. Nope, he/it isn’t. Mostly he just seems like a spoiled, overgrown child pissed off about never getting his way and he takes his revenge by killing people. And not just any people—people having sex. If he can’t have sex, no one can have sex! So he sneaks up on a nice couple (well, almost always cheating spouses) and axes them in half. It gets boringly repetitive. I know as soon as a chapter begins with two newly introduced characters that: a) they are going to have sex and b) Boogeyman is going to show up and axe them before they can even enjoy a happy ending. I started skipping those scenes because it was yawn-worthy. Boogeyman is a very underdeveloped bad guy and he lacks the mad genius of the villains from the earlier books. He seems dumb and boring even though he is supposed to be some kind of soul-sucking demon from the Other Side. Yawn.

The Boogeyman plot takes place during the 2012 election in which incumbent President Curtis is struggling to keep ahead of his competitor, a Governor Seabrook. The political details are exhausting and annoying. We are just now entering what promises to be an ugly and annoying campaign in reality so the last thing I want to do is read about a fake one in this book. It’s not interesting and I don’t care. As a fan of Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, I don’t appreciate the author including excerpts from their shows (fake excerpts, obviously). They are way more funny, smart, and witty than anything Farnsworth can write. He got close to capturing Colbert’s snarky tone, but totally bombed with Jon. Farnsworth, please let these two men handle their own material, okay?

Another aspect of the novel I think is overplayed is how scary and intimidating Cade supposedly is. There are a few scenes in which he intimidates people merely by showing his fangs. That’s it, fangs? Big whoop. Today’s culture is so inundated with vampires and werewolves that if someone tried to intimidate me by baring his fangs my first thought would be: who’s your dentist and how much did that cost? And if he proved to me beyond all doubts that he is a vampire, then I would probably be excited and ask if he watched True Blood and did he love Vampire Eric as much as I did? It really takes a lot to scare us these days and even though Farnsworth describes people feeling uneasy around Cade, as if they can sense something is off about him, I didn’t (at least in this book) get the impression that he is all that scary.

Overall, I found this book poorly written, boring and very disappointing. Even though the book ended with a bit of a cliff-hanger, I don’t care to read the next one. I’ve completely lost interest and there are too many other good books out there to read.
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Kay I think each book has gotten better and better. Each villain has gotten tougher and harder for Cade to kill. "The Boogeyman" is no sillier than any of...more
Oct 24, 2012 12:36pm

Kristina Kay wrote: "I think each book has gotten better and better. Each villain has gotten tougher and harder for Cade to kill. "The Boogeyman" is no sillier...more
Oct 25, 2012 06:17am

Jun 08, 2012 Jeffrey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, supernatural, thriller

Red White and Blood by Christopher Farnsworth is another thrilling Nathaniel Cade thriller. Farnsworth has coined a new type of Vampire novel. His is a bold, bloody and historical murder story -both a thriller and detective story with our bad monster killing the even worse monster before they can threaten the United States. In Farnsworth's latest, Cade must go against an ancient demon who possesses a human host and turns him into a serial killing monster, who preys on women and men and kills the...more Red White and Blood by Christopher Farnsworth is another thrilling Nathaniel Cade thriller. Farnsworth has coined a new type of Vampire novel. His is a bold, bloody and historical murder story -both a thriller and detective story with our bad monster killing the even worse monster before they can threaten the United States. In Farnsworth's latest, Cade must go against an ancient demon who possesses a human host and turns him into a serial killing monster, who preys on women and men and kills them in violent sick ways.

As we know from the earlier books in this series, Nathaniel Cade is an apex predator, a Vampire, who has forsaken human blood, and has sworn a blood oath to protect the President from monsters and other supernatural threats against the United States. Since the 1840s he has lived below the White House and served the President secretly, with only a few people in the know.

Now the current president, Sam Curtis, is in the midst of a tough re-election fight and wants to go out on the road and campaign with his daughter Candace. The Boogeyman, as he is called, is on the hunt again with his blade and for some reason, which will be revealed in the novel, seems to be targeting the Curtis campaign, and its up to Cade and his handler, Zach Barrows, to find the evil monster and kill it before it can get to the President or his family. Cade and Barrows must clue in the Secret Service about Cade's otherworldly specialness and about the Boogeyman.

As Cade faces off against the Boogeyman, other characters from the series also make their appearances. There is Helen Hunt, the ex CIA agent, who had joined forces with the Boogeyman, to help it in killing Cade and the President. There is Les Wyman, the traitorous Vice President, who will stop at nothing to become President.

Cade must use all his wits and power to protect the President and his family and the Boogeyman will stop at nothing to kill. Its a fight between two monsters. Cade must make evil choices as well as to who will survive this showdown and he is never afraid to let a few humans die in pursuit of his goals.

The whirlwind plot sucks you in and propels you to the climatic battle aboard Air Force One, where the President's family is all alone except for Cade.

The final scenes of the novel are furiously paced, and the clever ending means there will be new thrills in the next Cade bloodfest.

These books are not to be missed by thriller or supernatural fans.

Farnswoth's Cade is a vampire killing monster who is going places.
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Sep 26, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, vampires

This series just gets better and better. Cade is everything a good-guy vampire should be. He kicks butt and does not apologize for it. He does not sparkle. He does not fall in love. He is a monster, and he knows it. Even when he broods, which is not often, it is not over some simpering girl but over his immortal soul. Zach is a perfect counterpart to Cade—brash, emotional, impulsive, and a bit conceited. I love the camaraderie developing between these two.

The Boogeyman plot was a big win. Who d...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, supernatural, vamp-me, thriller, library

4.5 stars. Best of the series so far. Highly suspenseful throughout, and then throws a mighty twist in the last five pages. I especially liked the re-appearance and further development of several characters from the first book, most of all Candace, the President's daughter. I had wished for more info on her and what happened between her and Zach, all those answers were provided here. We get a lot more background and character development with Zach as well; he becomes more interesting with every...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Mike added it

Shelves: audio-books, horror, monster-punching, library, thriller, urban-fantasy

I had trouble getting into the second book, but this one I got into immediately. It moves ridiculously fast, and the end had such a sudden cliff hanger that I suddenly wonder what the next book will be like.
The series is a rough one to explain to someone who hasn't read any of the books, but it's well worth reading. Basically, there is a voided that protects the US from super natural enemies.
The monster that is trying to killthe President in this book is The Boogie Man. Basically it is a monste...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Nick Brett rated it 4 of 5 stars

I almost didn't bother with this - I loved the first one in the series, but the second was an utter mess. But I was advised that this was back to form and worth the effort...

Cade is a vampire that has been operating in the service of US Presidents for generations under a blood oath. He is no friendly vampire but a deadly creature in the employ of the US, he's a great character working in an interesting context.

In the previous book, the author lost what was good about his character and went for a...more

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Apr 27, 2012 T. Edmund rated it 5 of 5 stars

Nathaniel Cade returns for the third instalment of The President's Vampire series, and just keeps getting badder.

Whether first time reader, or fan of the books, Red White and Blood will blow you away. This time around Farnsworth explores serial killers, as Cade battles a particularly nasty Bogeyman who is a hell of a lot worse than a child-scaring closet-hidden goon, and a few familiar baddies from early books.

Farnsworth delivers an expected high level of action and horror, along with bearable d...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Veronica G. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: male-protagonist, horror, urban-fantasy, favorites, vampires

You know what this book is like? It’s like watching a season of “24” but instead of a very human Jack Bauer we have the preternatural Nathaniel Cade, a vampire bound by oath to the President of the United States. And just as for Jack Bauer, things for Cade go from one bad situation to the next and the bad guys just keep upping the ante. The body count is high and just when you feel like you’ve caught your breath the plot sends you hurtling towards the next insanely impossible situation.

Told in...more

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About Christopher Farnsworth

Christopher Farnsworth is the author of the Nathaniel Cade series and a screenwriter and former journalist. He lives in Los Angeles.

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Quotes from Red, White, and Blood

“Something you killed didn't stay dead? Wow. That must have really put some termites in your coffin.” — 9 people liked it

“Cade seemed a little too sure of his conclusion from too little evidence. “Cade. If you knew something I didn’t, you’d tell me, right?”
“I know a lot of things you don’t, Zach. We don’t have that kind of time.” — 7 people liked it

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