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Blood Groove (Rudolfo Zginski #1)

by Alex Bledsoe (Goodreads Author)

3.3 of 5 stars 3.30 · rating details · 182 ratings · 43 reviews

When centuries-old vampire Baron Rudolfo Zginski was staked in Wales in 1915, the last thing he expected was to reawaken in Memphis, Tennessee, sixty years later. Reborn into a new world of simmering racial tensions, the cunning nosferatu realizes he must adapt quickly if he is to survive.

Finding willing victims is easy, as Zginski possesses all the powers of the undead, i...more

Paperback, 304 pages

Published April 28th 2009 by Tor Books (first published April 1st 2009)

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Aug 04, 2012 Jan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampire, sexual-content, don-t-read-this-on-the-bus

This one got me hot and bothered. The bothered will be talking about the hot stuff, which is dark indeed. Yikes!

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Apr 05, 2012 Nick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Good but not great. I like vampire books and I like Bledsoe as an author, so I was excited about this one. However, I did not find any of the characters appealing (except for Leslie and Sketch, who are relatively minor and meet a horrible end), but then again, I guess we are not supposed to like them. Despite not liking Danielle, I did not feel she deserved what happened to her. I hated the ending for that reason. Also, I felt the author should have explored the vamp-killing drug more. I wanted...more

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Oct 10, 2011 Tony-Paul Vissage rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A doctor leans over a desiccated, ancient body. It has a curious crucifix-shaped dagger protruding from its ribcage. She removes the knife. The corpse comes to life.

How many horror movies contain this scene?

That's the opening of Blood Groove but from that point on, there are very few cliches and quite a few surprises. Rudolfo Vladimir Zginski, the only man ever to be tried and found guilty of being a vampire, and executed for it, is brought back to life in the mid-70's in Memphis, Tennessee. He...more A doctor leans over a desiccated, ancient body. It has a curious crucifix-shaped dagger protruding from its ribcage. She removes the knife. The corpse comes to life.

How many horror movies contain this scene?

That's the opening of Blood Groove but from that point on, there are very few cliches and quite a few surprises. Rudolfo Vladimir Zginski, the only man ever to be tried and found guilty of being a vampire, and executed for it, is brought back to life in the mid-70's in Memphis, Tennessee. He doesn't know how he got there and really doesn't care. All he's concerned about now is surviving. He stumbles across Fauvette, a perpetual 14-year-old vampire, and learns from her of a band of very young nosferatu living in the city. He's appalled to discover all they know about vampirism is what they've seen in the movies or read in books, and some of it is a total fallacy. When a sinister gray powder robs them of the desire to drink blood, even the will to survive, Zginski determines to find the source of the powder and eliminate it,

The vampires are--dare I say it?--likeable people, indeed more likeable than the humans, with their personalities described in a few well-chosen words. In the beginning, Zginski is portrayed as the Old World vampire par excellence--handsome, exuding sexual power, noble, autocratic, cruel, and totally self-absorbed. When he meets the beautiful, tragic Fauvette, he begins to change though he himself doesn't realize it at first. More protagonist than hero (after all, he's killed hundreds with impunity) one can't help but hope he isn't rushing to his doom as he searches for the maker of the mysterious powder. When he reluctantly admits he feels something other than lust for Fauvette, one wants to cheer him on.

The story is an easy read, well-written, descriptive, not too bloody or violent. In fact, the only complaint I have is the prose is a little too spare. There isn't enough of it. More detail, more description.

As I read the novel, questions kept popping up but in this story, anyway, they're never answered.

Looking back, I think it's a credit to Mr. Bledsoe's writing skill that I want to know these questions, that I want to have more knowledge about these characters outside of what is told to me in this novel.

Perhaps these, and other questions will be answered in the sequel, and I hope there is one, because I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes vampire tales.
(less)

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Jun 01, 2009 lynne naranek rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009

One word: Hot.

More words: slightly wanting, but a fun, refreshing take on a genre that's been getting a bit too much (undeserved) attention nowadays.

Bledsoe's vampires can go out in daylight.
Thankfully they don't sparkle.

A vampiric fish-out-of-water and displaced-in-time tale; Blood Groove is about Baron Rudolfo Zginski, who was staked in Wales then through a series of events awakens to find himself in Memphis 60 years later. As he tries to understand the new world he is now in, he also reach...more

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Nov 16, 2011 Cyneva rated it 3 of 5 stars

After much debate with myself, I'm going to have to rate this a 3.5 star, knocking off a half star for what I felt was nothing more than gratuitous sexual content. It wasn't necessary to put in the level of detail that the author did, although it did push home the extreme level of control these bloodsucking creatures could wield over humans.

I actually enjoyed this book quite a bit, even though I felt that some of the characters were a bit distant - but these are vamps, after all. The author did...more

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Sep 22, 2010 Thomas rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dark, horror

For the first time, I get to review a book that was written by someone I know! There’s something really cool about that, partly because I once entertained the idea of being a writer, and partly because I want Alex to be successful as a writer. Am I attempting to live vicariously through his success? Maybe. This might be as close as I get to living that dream myself.

Anyway, this book was a good one for me to start with, since it’s horror-related. It’s set in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1970s, and t...more For the first time, I get to review a book that was written by someone I know! There’s something really cool about that, partly because I once entertained the idea of being a writer, and partly because I want Alex to be successful as a writer. Am I attempting to live vicariously through his success? Maybe. This might be as close as I get to living that dream myself.

Anyway, this book was a good one for me to start with, since it’s horror-related. It’s set in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1970s, and the story centers on a vampire who revives after having been killed near the turn of the 20th century. The theme that orbits the story involves the racial tensions of the times, and it’s illustrated well by contrasting the vampire, a nobleman with very old ways of thinking, with the modern, street-savvy vampires of the 1970s, some of whom are black. I can appreciate a genre novel that tries to give itself some gravity, so I was looking forward to reading the book for a number of different reasons.

I was easily hooked, and the story flowed well enough to allow me to finish the book in a day. I found a few spots that didn’t ring true with me, but overall it was a decent read, and the perfect sort of book for reading on vacation. I had some issues with the dialog right at the start, but the opening scene focused on Zginsky, the vampire from 1915, and I figured it was supposed to be a product of its time. Later, though, the jive-talking black vampires took me out of the story too often, just because it seemed so stereotypical. Is that really how folks like that talked in Memphis in the 1970s? And even if it was, is that how the readers expect them to talk?

I also found it hard to sympathize with any of the characters. At first, it seemed to be a case of rooting for the vampires. Then, the sympathies shifted and it seemed to be about rooting for the humans. Nope, that didn’t work, either, because the main human character goes and does something terribly vile, and the sympathies shift again. Whoops, hold on, now the vampires are the bad guys again … no, now the humans? After all the back-and-forth, it was hard to keep track of who I was supposed to be rooting for, and it caused confusion and, ultimately, frustration. I’m all for playing around with a reader’s expectations and catching them off guard, but this seemed to be a little too much.

Overall, though, the story was readable and compelling, enough so that I’m willing to forgive what I didn’t like about the book in the hopes that the author’s future books will get better; as near as I can tell, this was his first published novel, and those tend to be a little clunky. Plus, I doubt anyone picking up the book is looking for something akin to War and Peace, and the book is still a decent way to kill an afternoon in the sun.(less)

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Jul 12, 2011 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/07/...

Blood Groove was such a blast! This was my first Alex Bledsoe book, and it's definitely made me a fan. Blood Groove takes place in 1975 Memphis, amidst racial tension, groovy tunes, and hot, sticky, southern grit. Baron Rudolfo Zginski finds himself in a Memphis morgue after the (very unlucky) pathologist yanks the cross out that’s been stuck in his heart for 60 years. After a nice meal, he heads out into the Memphis night...more You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/07/...

Blood Groove was such a blast! This was my first Alex Bledsoe book, and it's definitely made me a fan. Blood Groove takes place in 1975 Memphis, amidst racial tension, groovy tunes, and hot, sticky, southern grit. Baron Rudolfo Zginski finds himself in a Memphis morgue after the (very unlucky) pathologist yanks the cross out that’s been stuck in his heart for 60 years. After a nice meal, he heads out into the Memphis night. Meanwhile, we get to know a group of rather ill kempt “young” vamps that are living in a rundown warehouse in the sticks. The standout in the group is Fauvette, perpetually 14, turned when she was a virgin, what seems like a lifetime ago. The details of her death and subsequent turning are heartwrenching, to say the least, and Fauvette longs for true death, even if she can’t bring herself to meet the sun. She hates what she’s become and the habits of her housemates horrify her more and more every day. I’ll be honest, they’re a rather gross bunch, and if you have a sensitive stomach, you may find yourself covering your eyes (you’ll be peeking though, I promise). Weaned on movies like Blacula, and vamp lore, these young vamps live in ignorance of their true natures, and what they can become. That’s where Baron Zginski comes in. He discovers Fauvette in an alley after she’s forced herself to feed, and is inexplicably drawn to her, and you will be too, because the real star of this novel is Fauvette. She gets a rough start, but as Zginski brings her out of her shell, and shows her the truth of her kind, her inner beauty begins to shine through, and acceptance with what she is, and who she is, is inevitable and wonderful to witness. Fauvette begins to rub off on the arrogant Zginski, and he begins to realize that he’s lost some of his humanity and empathy. The Baron is not charming, he doesn’t sparkle, and he’s horrified at the fact that woman and non-whites have the same rights as everyone else does. He’s most definitely an anti-hero, and frankly, at times I wanted to smack him, but then again, he came to maturity at a time when things were very, very different, so you can see how he might be puzzled at the new state of things, even if you don’t condone it.
Blood Groove is not for the faint of heart. The focus is on Fauvette’s group, but it also follows the coroner as she tries to get to the bottom of the mysterious death of one of the vamp gang. Zginski is hot on the trail of this new drug too, since it could threaten his kind’s very existence. There are some truly horrifying and tragic moments, as well as plenty of sex, blood, and violence. This is horror at its best, and it’s unflinching, but never gratuitous. If you enjoy quality horror, with writing that crackles off the page and doesn’t let up, you’re gonna love Blood Groove.(less)

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Jun 22, 2011 Denise rated it 3 of 5 stars

I found this book to be a fairly easy read (although the subject matter was rather heavy at times - lots of sex and violence). The story flowed well and kept me captivated right through to the end, with just the occasional pocket of plot that didn't quite click for me. Having enjoyed vampire tales most of my life, I really loved what the author did with the standard vampire conventions.

As a side note, I would be curious to learn more about life in the 1970s and see if his portrayal of issues be...more

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Dec 21, 2010 Craig rated it 4 of 5 stars

I left this one with the strange and confusing impression that it probably wasn't as good as I thought that it was. Bledsoe succeeds in his obvious desire to cast a new light (so to speak) on vampires, and comes up with interesting twists to many of the common tropes prevalent in the Anita Blake books and their many imitators. I thought he went a little overboard with the sex and violence at a few points, and the middle of book drags a bit, but he made me interested in and sympathetic to some ve...more

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Jul 23, 2009 Debi rated it 1 of 5 stars

I couldn't finish. I picked this up while browsing in the bookstore. I even read the first chapter, unfortunately I should have read further. Chapter two was where the problems started. Baron Zginski a vampire from 1915 goes into forced hibernation until the 1970's. When he is revived he must adapt to his new world. The premise has potential. However, the blaxploitation dialogue was lame, characterizations were stereotypical, and the misogynistic treatment of women and minorities was over the to...more

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Mar 22, 2010 Rachel rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, vampires

This book started well and the storyline was an interesting idea but it ended up being too full of gratuitous violence and sex for my tastes. There were quite a few scences of sexual violence which are to be expected in vampire novels but I think this book took it too far and the scences did not really enhance the text in anyway. The book also insinuated underage sex on regular occasions which was uncalled for and should not be promoted in my opinion in any litereature, even for pure fantasy. It...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Jo rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror

I don't know what to rate this book. I like the author's Eddie La Crosse books, however, I really didn't like this one (one star). On the other hand, it is well written (three stars). I can say it's well written, even though I didn't like it, because it held my interest enough to finish it. I may have been waiting for a redeeming value to show up in any one of the characters. How can one write a book where none of the characters is likeable? Not only a book, but a series; there's another one. An...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Amanda Waley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Some surprising twists at the end, and just desserts. Overall, a very good book that left me on the edge of my seat. A great read!

I purchased this book at the local Dollar Tree Store along with some other sci-fi, vampire-like books. I bought my brother a copy as well, but he has yet to read it.

I'm a big fan of any Vampire fiction, "Twilight" included, and it was refreshing for me to see another author's take on vampires. I was kind of glad these vamps didn't sparkle either, but liked they could...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Ashley rated it 2 of 5 stars

I trudged through this book, finding it too full of meaningless smut and not enough plot. I did find some parts amusing, but all the slang was overkill. I think the very ending was what made me give the book another star. Finally we get some nice action, and that last page...well, I didn't expect that. So two stars. It was okay.

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Jul 25, 2011 Sabrina Selk rated it 1 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed the authors other books, but found this book to be filled with a lot of gratuitous violence that was disturbing and didn't seem to have anything to do with plot development. Not sure what the point was, other than to be as offensive and shocking as possible. Genre fiction should be enjoyable. This story isn't.

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Mar 12, 2013 Emmalee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, vampires

Well, it's yet another vampire book. It's a bit gory, and a bit graphic. It's also 1975. There's a bit of a older mentor teaching the fledglings who know only what "modern" vampire culture has told them the truth. If you are feminist and are easily offended, you will probably be offended.

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Jan 05, 2013 Rose rated it 1 of 5 stars

To be honest I didn't really enjoy this book. If it was up to me I would've never had finished it, but I did. I think the author was trying too hard to make it hot but it felt completely awkward. Everything else was okay except for the ending.

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May 02, 2012 Darol rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

Not terribly scary but a real interesting concept; vampires running wild in the 1970s, bell-bottoms and all. Sexual interactions are graphically described so avoid this one if you are uncomfortable with that kind of subject matter in a book.

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Jul 29, 2012 Chuck rated it 4 of 5 stars

It had a decent plot. The author did not pander to the typical blood and gore so often associated with vampire novels. I really enjoyed the setting of 1975 Memphis. I turned 8 in 1975. This made the time more relevant to me. I did not live in Memphis, but the references to certain songs and cultural phrases added the connection a reader needs in order to 'believe' the story.

The characters were likeable, even the Baron. Maybe a little bit of depth could have been added to them, though. They were...more

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Oct 25, 2009 Bondama rated it 1 of 5 stars

I usually try to be careful about which books I take home from the library . . so tired of getting lemons. This one looked promising, but it's got to be one of the very, very worst vamp book I've ever read (and I've read quite a few) Avoid at all costs!

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Oct 12, 2011 Rachel Berens-VanHeest rated it 4 of 5 stars

Like everything by Alex that I've read, this was a great story that totally sucked me in (no pun intended!). I only gave it four stars (and considered giving it three) because it has several scenes of sexual violence in it, and that's a complete no-go for me. My only other issue was that I didn't like any of the characters very well (Fauvette was probably my favorite, and maybe Mark, but he was underdeveloped. I wanted to like Danielle but SPOILER then she did such terrible things and had such a...more

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Aug 12, 2011 Enka-Candler Library rated it 3 of 5 stars

Vampires in an unusual setting...1974. I liked this one, but I'm sure I can say why. The setting is different, and the vampires are different. Think "The Lost Boys" but in 1974 and rather unaware of what their true powers are. And it certainly didn't end the way one would think.
--Leisa

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Oct 08, 2010 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved it, brought back vampires after the horrible reputation they received from books such as Twilight. Characters are fun and relatable. Everything you want in a book.

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Feb 05, 2011 Carrie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I did not like this as much as the second, and if had read it first, I would have stopped. All the characters were unlikeable except Fauvette and she was pathetic.

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Dec 01, 2009 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Beginning of the book very good, ending good, middle not so much.
I found none of the characters to be particularly sympathetic nor did I care about most of them.

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Feb 09, 2011 Judy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Good start with the characters but too much
sex description and not enough character development
Why the Count is infatuated with Fauvette escapes me

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May 18, 2009 Paul rated it 4 of 5 stars

Local Madison author Alex Bledsoe has created a worthy addition to vampire fiction. It's sexy, creepy with a lot of great characters.

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Feb 15, 2013 Casey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: funny, horror, series, vampires

I am such a fan of Baron Rudolfo "Rudy" Zginski. He's a sociopath for sure, but he's very amusing and weird. Not quite as amazing as The Girls with Games of Blood, but still original, entertaining, and insane. I love the dark humour in these books, I demand more 1970s vampires!

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Aug 23, 2012 Linda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Great premise, charismatic characters, terrific world building. But the fifty-year old mom in me couldn't get through the sex/violence and began to have nightmares, so I had to stop reading. That said, I still think Alex Bledsoe is a terrific writer and I encourage others to give this talented author's books a try!

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Oct 29, 2012 Maurynne rated it 3 of 5 stars

I like the others better, but it was a good take on the evil vampire...

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About Alex Bledsoe

I grew up in west Tennessee an hour north of Graceland (home of Elvis) and twenty minutes from Nutbush (home of Tina Turner). I've been a reporter, editor, photographer and door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman. I now live in a big yellow house in Wisconsin, write before six in the morning and try to teach my two sons to act like they've been to town before.

My latest Eddie LaCrosse novel, Wake of...more

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Books by Alex Bledsoe

The Sword-Edged Blonde (Eddie LaCrosse, #1)

Wake of the Bloody Angel (Eddie LaCrosse #4)

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Blood Groove (Rudolfo Zginski #1)

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