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32nd out of 2,272 books
—
3,373 voters
Blood Oath (Nathaniel Cade #1)
by
Christopher Farnsworth (Goodreads Author)
Zach Barrows is an ambitious young White House staffer whose career takes an unexpected turn when he's partnered with Nathaniel Cade, a secret agent sworn to protect the President. But Cade is no ordinary civil servant. Bound by a special blood oath, he is a vampire. Cade battles nightmares before they can break into the daylight world of the American dream, enemies far st...more
Hardcover, 390 pages
Published
May 18th 2010
by Putnam Adult
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After avoiding the vampire genre for so long (thanks to Stephenie Meyer turning it into one giant suckfest of romantic longing), I've lately been wallowing in it. Between watching seasons 1 and 2 of SyFy's Being Human, reading DC's excellent The New 52 I, Vampire, as well as Scott Snyder's American Vampire, my faith in the genre has been restored. Bring on the bloodsucking fiends! So I was more than ready to tackle Blood Oath, which, based upon several excellent reviews, I thought would also put...more
Put aside the notions of vampires, Indiana Jones adventure tales, and Dan Brown style conspiracy thrillers. No matter that Blood Oath stirs up all three in a satisfying summer read. This is a moral tale whose moral should be taken very seriously by all aspiring political types.
The Moral?
Never sleep with the president's daughter in the Lincoln Bedroom. It's a bad career move.
You just might get saddled with a 160+ age old vampire who lives in the White House's basement and takes on all the real th...more
The Moral?
Never sleep with the president's daughter in the Lincoln Bedroom. It's a bad career move.
You just might get saddled with a 160+ age old vampire who lives in the White House's basement and takes on all the real th...more
It was only a matter of time, given the current vampire craze, that someone attempted to fuse political intrigue with everyone's favorite blood-suckers. Unfortunately Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth seems to be made up of clichés rather than anything of substance.
Nathanial Cade is a vampire who serves at the leisure of the President of the United States. Agreeing to be bound by a blood oath cast by a voodoo priestess, Cade has served since the presidency of Andrew Jackson and has protected...more
Nathanial Cade is a vampire who serves at the leisure of the President of the United States. Agreeing to be bound by a blood oath cast by a voodoo priestess, Cade has served since the presidency of Andrew Jackson and has protected...more
9 likes · like · see review
First things first--the cover of the book that was letting me know it was an advance copy said (and I'm guessing here because I gave the book to Robin to read) "The perfect secret. The perfect agent. The President's vampire." And I have to say, as much as I like the title, I still think The President's Vampire would've been a cooler title. But that aside, this was a great book. Plus, once you get to the point in the book where the title is explained, it makes sense and is pretty cool.
Zach Barrow...more
Zach Barrow...more
Excellent debut novel! Even though it was about vampires, like so many other current books, I found this story to be original & fresh. It was well written & interesting. Cade was an awesome vamp! At first I didn't like Zach. He was a whiny, pompous, spoiled brat. Experience & circumstance made him grow up & become a stand up guy in a hurry! Bring on The President's Vampire #2!
10 likes · like · see review
I lucked out and found this at my local library. I read the first page and was hooked. It took me two days to read it and everytime I had to put it down ( work, family obligations) all I would think about how soon I could get back to it. I hope Mr. Farnsworth is a fast writer because I can't wait for the next book.
The story is original with intriguing characters and a captivating cadence that makes you reluctant to put the book down. There are clever historical references and journal entries tha...more
The story is original with intriguing characters and a captivating cadence that makes you reluctant to put the book down. There are clever historical references and journal entries tha...more
Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth.
I had reservations when I got this book. Another vampire story just seems to be over the top. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it was a fast moving, captivating story. A vampire serving as a secret agent for generations of American presidents was a storyline that worked out surprisingly well.
Nathaniel Cade has served his nation for 140 years. Protecting an unsuspecting population from a veritable Ripley’s Believe it or Not cast of villains. A vampire w...more
I had reservations when I got this book. Another vampire story just seems to be over the top. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it was a fast moving, captivating story. A vampire serving as a secret agent for generations of American presidents was a storyline that worked out surprisingly well.
Nathaniel Cade has served his nation for 140 years. Protecting an unsuspecting population from a veritable Ripley’s Believe it or Not cast of villains. A vampire w...more
9 likes · like · see review
Adding to my previous review: BUY THIS BOOK!!! It is available in bookstores Tuesday, May 18 and worth every penny! Such a good read! If you can't buy it, request it from your local library!
Super-fun, super-fast story of a vampire who swore a blood oath to the office of the President of the United States in the 1860's and has been investigating paranormal occurrences since.
It's smart, funny and perfectly paced. And I love that the author gave his own book 5 stars on goodreads! I totally agree.
Super-fun, super-fast story of a vampire who swore a blood oath to the office of the President of the United States in the 1860's and has been investigating paranormal occurrences since.
It's smart, funny and perfectly paced. And I love that the author gave his own book 5 stars on goodreads! I totally agree.
7 likes · like · see review
Blood Oath is a book that combines vampirism and politics. According to history, there was a person that was pardoned for being a bloodsucker by President Andrew Jackson. The vampire in this story, Nathaniel Cade's assignment is to protect the president at all costs and he has been sworn not to hurt either the president or any of the agents working with him. Cade actually refuses to drink human blood at all and exists by drinking animal blood. Into the picture comes Zach Barrows, who is assigned...more
4 likes · like · see review
At this moment, there are eight separate conspiracy groups plotting to destroy the U.S. government. And Nathaniel Cade, the President’s Vampire, is working against the non-humans who would bring us down.
This book was awesome! From the very first page, when Zach Barrows, a self-titled “young Karl Rove,” is reassigned as the presidential liaison to the President’s Vampire, I read with accelerated heartbeat and eager anticipation. His new job: “Forget the War on Terror, Zach. This is the War on...more
This book was awesome! From the very first page, when Zach Barrows, a self-titled “young Karl Rove,” is reassigned as the presidential liaison to the President’s Vampire, I read with accelerated heartbeat and eager anticipation. His new job: “Forget the War on Terror, Zach. This is the War on...more
3 likes · like · see review
This political thriller has it all. suspense, action, and a story line that will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next.
Okay, I have to say that the tag lines on the cover did not impress me and I thought it was on the edge of rediculous, but I decided to open the book anyway (Blood Oath is a far better title). To my surprise I haven't been able to put it down!! It's well written and the action starts right away. Of course there is some gore (always good), but what I like the best is that the characters are very believable. I'm only about 100 pages in, but so far I'm impressed. I am reminded once again to not "ju...more
I actually loved this book. It was a dark but cheeky story of Nathaniel Cade...the President's vampire. It's like the X-files, Men in Black and a Bourne Identity type action packed special ops tale all rolled into one. The book is tied into modern terror issues and creatively links back to the past through recounted news stories and classified briefings, Zack's reading of the "nightmare pet": an observational and study log of Cade over his 150+ years, or Cade reflecting when Zack asks him questi...more
2 likes · like · see review
May 15, 2010
Jennifer
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommended to Jennifer by:
jennsicurella@verizon.net
Shelves:
favorites,
paranormal-vampires
Blood Oath is the best vampire book I have ever read. It is a thrilling paranormal adventure, oozing with action and intrigue.
Nathaniel Cade is cursed, or to be more precise, is committed with a blood oath to serve and protect the president and defend the United States. Cade's past cases are the stuff of legends. Literally. Conspiracy theories barely scratch the surface of what he's faced.
Zach, Cade's new liaison to the president, is completely authentic. His words and actions completely match w...more
Nathaniel Cade is cursed, or to be more precise, is committed with a blood oath to serve and protect the president and defend the United States. Cade's past cases are the stuff of legends. Literally. Conspiracy theories barely scratch the surface of what he's faced.
Zach, Cade's new liaison to the president, is completely authentic. His words and actions completely match w...more
James Bond with pale skin and a sensitivity to sun light But then 007 wore shades at times didnt he? A vampire with a concience, attitude, a dry sense of humor, faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, fighting to protect our country from the truly evil - and all without being a doey-eyed, love lorn tween (shades of Hell Boy anyone?).
The flood of vampire novels over the past few years had me running screaming to the nearest book store exit - until I found 'Blood Oath'.
The...more
The flood of vampire novels over the past few years had me running screaming to the nearest book store exit - until I found 'Blood Oath'.
The...more
Blood Oath is not your typical, light vampire novel. Farnsworth's writing could easily stand beside all of today's best thriller and suspense authors. Cade is a vampire who has sworn a blood oath to protect the president and his team. But not just one president - every president for the rest of Cade's existence. His job is to seek and destroy those things that live in the shadows and that the average person never knows about.
Each character is unique, the dialogue is perfection, and the plot keep...more
Each character is unique, the dialogue is perfection, and the plot keep...more
It's not very often I enjoy a book through and through. Especially a vampire book. Vampire books do not have a great reputation with me these days. Too much sex, angst, and just bad writing. Blood Oath has sex and angst, but a bunch of good writing. [return][return]Blood Oath is a fast paced modern story of a vampire bound to protect the office of the President of the United States and the citizens of the nation. [return][return]Captured during the presidency of Andrew Johnson, Nathaniel Cade ha...more
Okay first: buying books in the horror section isn't really where I shop (even though that is where my store puts Kim Harrison) Second: action-y buddy-buddy stores not my cuppa words.
That being said...this book was a blast!
A former co-worker had recommended this and I read the sleeve and went "Yeah...okay. Why not?" It was a freakin' wild ride from start to finish. The obligatory sex scene was a little ho-hum pass for me but the rest of the book was fun. Way too many points of view for me but it...more
That being said...this book was a blast!
A former co-worker had recommended this and I read the sleeve and went "Yeah...okay. Why not?" It was a freakin' wild ride from start to finish. The obligatory sex scene was a little ho-hum pass for me but the rest of the book was fun. Way too many points of view for me but it...more
When I heard of the concept for this novel, I was immediately intrigued. A vampire who has given an oath to protect the president of the United States – cool idea. When a vampire protecting the president is the most believable aspect of this story, you have a hot mess on your hands. Where do I start? First off, the characters are awful and one-dimensional. Our vampire, Nathaniel Cade, has all of the personality of a dried apricot. There is so much a writer can do with vampires and Farnsworth cho...more
a very problematic book
1 it reads very much like a "i couldn't get this script made into a film so here it is in book form"
2 there are a handful of minorities all of them evil except for
2a a literal magical negro who binds the vampire to the orders of the office of the president
3 there are three women in this book of note.
3a the aforementioned magical negro
3b the sociopath more "shadow agency" agent working with the bad guy
3c the sociopath vampire who has the hots for our lead vampire
however it...more
1 it reads very much like a "i couldn't get this script made into a film so here it is in book form"
2 there are a handful of minorities all of them evil except for
2a a literal magical negro who binds the vampire to the orders of the office of the president
3 there are three women in this book of note.
3a the aforementioned magical negro
3b the sociopath more "shadow agency" agent working with the bad guy
3c the sociopath vampire who has the hots for our lead vampire
however it...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This book is more deserving of 2 1/2 stars.
The plot was interesting enough to keep me reading. The writing style was tolerable, but it also made the characters feel distant. I couldn't connect with any of the characters, not even when Cade flashed back to his woe-is-me days of taking the Blood Oath and the flashback to how he became a vampire. In fact, I hated the flashbacks. There were only two major ones involving Cade and they were too long and too impersonal for me to care.
There were also...more
The plot was interesting enough to keep me reading. The writing style was tolerable, but it also made the characters feel distant. I couldn't connect with any of the characters, not even when Cade flashed back to his woe-is-me days of taking the Blood Oath and the flashback to how he became a vampire. In fact, I hated the flashbacks. There were only two major ones involving Cade and they were too long and too impersonal for me to care.
There were also...more
Blood Oath has restored my faith that there are still good vampire books out there. It has the right amount of supernatural, mystery, and ass-kicking action!!! I loved almost everything about this book! It's not unique, but the way it was done was so good I didn't care!
The only things that I didn't like was the vampire sex and Zach's annoying attitude in the beginning. I already expected mentions of sex because this is adult (at least I found it in the adult section...), but vampire sex? I never...more
The only things that I didn't like was the vampire sex and Zach's annoying attitude in the beginning. I already expected mentions of sex because this is adult (at least I found it in the adult section...), but vampire sex? I never...more
I enjoyed the book. There were a couple of items that I would've changed (notes follow), but, all in all, I liked it. It held my attention, and was good enough that I could've stayed up all night finishing it. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series. I think that I'll enjoy those more now that relationships have been cemented and milk-teeth have been cut.
...which brings us to the things that I would've changed...
I like the concept of a vampire working for the President & the na...more
...which brings us to the things that I would've changed...
I like the concept of a vampire working for the President & the na...more
This novel is a circus of missed opportunities and frantic performance.
Cade's history is nicely planned. But the opportunity was missed to flesh out his personality. One would never know he was over 150 years old, except that he uses antiquated slang three (3!) times in over 200 pages. No time for character development. He is scary-scary, but we never see how. We only see the aftermath of strong men fainting and weak men pissing themselves.
Tanya the love-interest/vampire has a long history with...more
Cade's history is nicely planned. But the opportunity was missed to flesh out his personality. One would never know he was over 150 years old, except that he uses antiquated slang three (3!) times in over 200 pages. No time for character development. He is scary-scary, but we never see how. We only see the aftermath of strong men fainting and weak men pissing themselves.
Tanya the love-interest/vampire has a long history with...more
Jul 24, 2012
LA Carlson
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
non-beach readers
Recommended to LA by:
found at the library
Shelves:
fiction
The premise is simple; a vampire who has been at the service of Presidents for over a 100 years. He's taken a blood oath to protect and fight the things the government doesn't tell us. I'm beginning to be a fan of conspiracy theories and do believe we may not want to know what we don't know about our government. Nathaniel Cade is a stoic, strong vampire who has a few super human capabilities and a few quirks. Author Christopher Farnsworth gives us sub-text at the beginning of each chapter which...more
Ohhhh... I've always wanted to read something like this! A mix of supernatural, action, and politics - and here I thought I would never find a decent book with a good vampire lead these days with all the crappy things popping up! Of course I know there HAS to be a few somewhere but still!
The President's Vampire is obviously about a vampire named Nathaniel Cade. He has a new partner, Zach, since his old one has cancer and the doctors say he will not live long. Zach is an ambitious upstart who did...more
The President's Vampire is obviously about a vampire named Nathaniel Cade. He has a new partner, Zach, since his old one has cancer and the doctors say he will not live long. Zach is an ambitious upstart who did...more
2 likes · like · see review
Great Book. As someone who loves vampire fiction and as someone who is working on their own vampire story, I found this story to be really well written and enjoyable. I absolutely loved the concept. One of the many things I like about vampire fiction is that everyone can have their own take on vampire lore and none of it is wrong. Yes, there is even room for the likes of Stephanie Meyer in this genre. With that said, I love Chris's particular take on vampires. He actually made me rethink the my...more
2 likes · like · see review
Great fun! I read this quite awhile before I joined Goodreads, so the details have definitely faded, but overall...very fun story. I totally found it by accident, looking for something to listen to in the car. I'd never heard of this writer, but honestly...it was the concept of "the President's Vampire" that grabbed me. It seemed so campy, I figured it would be a fun, light story that probably wouldn't be too demanding (or great), but just good enough. Happily, I was very pleasantly surprised......more
You ever have that day when you go to work knowing everything in your world is on track to take to the next awesome stage of your career and then...
You end up in the room with an overweight, slightly grey around the edges hard-ass FBI agent type and a cranky vampire carrying a seriously large jawbone still coated in blood and chunks of hair?
No? Well, welcome to Zach Barrows' first day of the rest of his new life as a “true” Washington Insider. As the President’s boy-wonder Zach is used to quick...more
You end up in the room with an overweight, slightly grey around the edges hard-ass FBI agent type and a cranky vampire carrying a seriously large jawbone still coated in blood and chunks of hair?
No? Well, welcome to Zach Barrows' first day of the rest of his new life as a “true” Washington Insider. As the President’s boy-wonder Zach is used to quick...more
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movie Casting | 10 | 56 | Dec 19, 2012 05:02pm | |
| Urban Fantasy Afi...: Blood Oath - Michelle's second choice! | 9 | 26 | Dec 01, 2012 09:48am |
Christopher Farnsworth is the author of the Nathaniel Cade series and a screenwriter and former journalist. He lives in Los Angeles.
More about Christopher Farnsworth...
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“Right. Just let the nice monster turn him into paste.”
—
14 people liked it
“Couldn’t you hypnotize her or something?"
"It doesn’t work like that."
"I thought vampires were all sex gods with the ladies."
Cade looked at him. "What gave you that idea?"
"Uh ... late-night TV, mostly ..."
"Humans are our food. Do you want to have sex with a cow?”
—
13 people liked it
More quotes…
"It doesn’t work like that."
"I thought vampires were all sex gods with the ladies."
Cade looked at him. "What gave you that idea?"
"Uh ... late-night TV, mostly ..."
"Humans are our food. Do you want to have sex with a cow?”
That just makes good sense.
Mar 26, 2012 03:42pm