Benjamin Jones's Blog - Posts Tagged "humanity-s-ultimate-battle"
New H.U.B. Volume 1 & 2 Review
Humanity’s Ultimate Battle is waged on the pages of the first two volumes of a unique series penned by Benjamin Jones. HUB follows the struggles of humanity coming to grips with a secret that has been kept for thousands of years. Vampires are real. They’re so real, in fact, that they hold key political positions. They operate just like normal humans. They have jobs, houses, families and bills.
I think that’s what hit me the most with HUB. The vampires have a very human element that is missing from most vampire literature. And it’s not the Rice or Meyers way of providing the human element of incessant whining. HUB shows what it’s like for a society of people who live on the outside of the world that they have a direct connection to. There are vampire children that are actually born, not just a creepy “stay a kid forever” turning.
The sun doesn’t always shine, though. The book begins with an opening scene showing crushed humanity living like cattle on an island. The fear that is expressed in one short introduction is palpable. For me, that island is always on my mind while I’m reading through the books. It’s not often that you anticipate the final battle, but damn, you know it is coming and it’s going to be good.
This is a vampire book. It’s not a main character struggles to live and love with a vampire. There are very few humans that are introduced that aren’t slaughtered a mere page later. Instead of the old routine of vampire vs. human that shouldn’t be able to compete with a vampire, we get a story that shows how far above the humans the vampires are on the food chain. The vampires are divided, with most wanting a peaceful integration into normal society. However a rogue group is determined to turn humans back into the cattle that they were meant to be. Every action by this group leads us closer to the final showdown. Every time they force a hand, you can feel the pressure of the humans to take it back to them. There are more and more humans that aren’t happy with sharing their world with bloodsuckers. The acts of violence rendered on innocent vampires just because they are different hearkens back to a time in our own country’s history where people were treated differently due to their not being “normal” in comparison to the majority. It is a darkness that lends strength to the story, though. You realize that there are bad people on both sides. You also realize that it’s all going to come to a head and when it does, there’s no guarantee for humanity.
The vampires themselves are pretty standard fare, with pale skin, usually attractive, fingers that elongate into claws, silver eyes and long fangs. They don’t sparkle, so that’s a definite positive. They also regenerate wounds quickly, have super strength and speed. The vamps don’t have to have the blood to survive, but some of them relish in the joy of the hunt. There have been many vampire takes presented throughout the years, but one small part of Jones’ foray that stuck with me is the “stake in the heart” death. It’s not there, woe to the one who tries. But there is hope for humanity as the vamps can be killed and the government is organizing a new weapon against the bloodsuckers. Want to know what it is? Well, read Volumes 1 and 2 to find out.
All in all, HUB is a fresh take on a theme that has been put through the wringer time and time again. The words flow quickly and effortlessly, allowing the works to be consumed rather quickly. Benjamin Jones (pictured above) has a hell of a start on a good series that could easily be transferred to other media. It’s nice to see vampires back as the demi-gods they are, not playing fetch the pale grunge girl with a bunch of Native American werewolves. Check out the details and even get a free PDF copy of Volume 1 on www.whatishub.net and keep an eye out for future installments to be released later this year. It’s not every day that you get a free copy of a book. Use it to introduce yourself to a world that sees humans on the receiving end of some brutal violence. The books balance the action with a sense of determination and despair, love and hate from both humans and vampires. What more do you need?
~Scofield
Many thanks to Mr. Scofield and the good folks at www.bettergeekthannever.wordpress.com for their awesome review; so glad you guys (and gals liked it). You can read the full review at the source by visiting www.bettergeekthannever.wordpress.com to go to their site (show them some love!).
I think that’s what hit me the most with HUB. The vampires have a very human element that is missing from most vampire literature. And it’s not the Rice or Meyers way of providing the human element of incessant whining. HUB shows what it’s like for a society of people who live on the outside of the world that they have a direct connection to. There are vampire children that are actually born, not just a creepy “stay a kid forever” turning.
The sun doesn’t always shine, though. The book begins with an opening scene showing crushed humanity living like cattle on an island. The fear that is expressed in one short introduction is palpable. For me, that island is always on my mind while I’m reading through the books. It’s not often that you anticipate the final battle, but damn, you know it is coming and it’s going to be good.
This is a vampire book. It’s not a main character struggles to live and love with a vampire. There are very few humans that are introduced that aren’t slaughtered a mere page later. Instead of the old routine of vampire vs. human that shouldn’t be able to compete with a vampire, we get a story that shows how far above the humans the vampires are on the food chain. The vampires are divided, with most wanting a peaceful integration into normal society. However a rogue group is determined to turn humans back into the cattle that they were meant to be. Every action by this group leads us closer to the final showdown. Every time they force a hand, you can feel the pressure of the humans to take it back to them. There are more and more humans that aren’t happy with sharing their world with bloodsuckers. The acts of violence rendered on innocent vampires just because they are different hearkens back to a time in our own country’s history where people were treated differently due to their not being “normal” in comparison to the majority. It is a darkness that lends strength to the story, though. You realize that there are bad people on both sides. You also realize that it’s all going to come to a head and when it does, there’s no guarantee for humanity.
The vampires themselves are pretty standard fare, with pale skin, usually attractive, fingers that elongate into claws, silver eyes and long fangs. They don’t sparkle, so that’s a definite positive. They also regenerate wounds quickly, have super strength and speed. The vamps don’t have to have the blood to survive, but some of them relish in the joy of the hunt. There have been many vampire takes presented throughout the years, but one small part of Jones’ foray that stuck with me is the “stake in the heart” death. It’s not there, woe to the one who tries. But there is hope for humanity as the vamps can be killed and the government is organizing a new weapon against the bloodsuckers. Want to know what it is? Well, read Volumes 1 and 2 to find out.
All in all, HUB is a fresh take on a theme that has been put through the wringer time and time again. The words flow quickly and effortlessly, allowing the works to be consumed rather quickly. Benjamin Jones (pictured above) has a hell of a start on a good series that could easily be transferred to other media. It’s nice to see vampires back as the demi-gods they are, not playing fetch the pale grunge girl with a bunch of Native American werewolves. Check out the details and even get a free PDF copy of Volume 1 on www.whatishub.net and keep an eye out for future installments to be released later this year. It’s not every day that you get a free copy of a book. Use it to introduce yourself to a world that sees humans on the receiving end of some brutal violence. The books balance the action with a sense of determination and despair, love and hate from both humans and vampires. What more do you need?
~Scofield
Many thanks to Mr. Scofield and the good folks at www.bettergeekthannever.wordpress.com for their awesome review; so glad you guys (and gals liked it). You can read the full review at the source by visiting www.bettergeekthannever.wordpress.com to go to their site (show them some love!).
Review of Humanity's Ultimate Battle (H.U.B.) Volume 3: The Tipping Point
Avid readers of my site will know that I have reviewed each of the H.U.B novels are they are written. As it’s now time for H.U.B Volume 3 I’m sure you of course knew I’d be reviewing it sooner or later and giving my view on the continuing struggles between the Vampire Nation and the human race.
The third book starts showing that the tensions between the vampires and humans are growing. Attacks on humans are growing but also attacks on vampire from the humans are building up too. To add to the problems there are also tensions between vampires too as there are issues between “pure” vampires and vampires that were once human. It’s all tension building up which of course all lead up to that one event that some are looking for, that “tipping point” that will send both races into a war to decide just who will take control.
What interests me in this novel is how intelligent the idea of the “tipping point” really is. From the hinting of such a thing to the eventual event we know is coming the story does not rush into pushing the reader into the event but actually takes it time and creates a scenario for it to happen. Where some stories would almost trivialise such event this story as a whole (over not just this novel but the series itself) is working towards something big, something big enough to create an event that at this point now feels like it will be World War 3. We have the vampires, some happy to live with the humans in peace, some who want to control them like “cattle” and then you have the humans. Just as with the vampires some humans just want to live in peace together, but others want to eradicate the threat of the vampire and they will do it by all means. The main tension between the two races is that of anger and fear.
The vampire does not feel fear just anger, but they can be galvanised into a full force by a forceful act by the humans, something to really create that anger within them. With humans they are driven by fear and they can be manipulated by it, and this fear can be created by the anger of others; both human and vampire. This is how they are manipulated in this novel as the positions of power change from neutrality to aggression in the issue of the vampire. All it takes is one event to push both fear and anger.
This book, even though it is slow at times really creates a good build up to the event that will (I am assuming will lead to the war). When the actual event does occur the slowness of the build up is forgiven as you read the words on the page and wonder how people could be so stupid to do what they do, how can they fall into the trap of total naivety of their actions which mirror events in the real world. I was impressed at the way the novel handled what is quite a complicated idea really and look forward to the next part of the story.
Read the review from the source by visiting http://www.pissedoffgeek.com/wordpres... .
Thanks to Paul and everyone else at Pissedoffgeek.com for the constant support and for another great review!
H.U.B. Volume 3 arrives 9.10.11! http://www.whatishub.net
The third book starts showing that the tensions between the vampires and humans are growing. Attacks on humans are growing but also attacks on vampire from the humans are building up too. To add to the problems there are also tensions between vampires too as there are issues between “pure” vampires and vampires that were once human. It’s all tension building up which of course all lead up to that one event that some are looking for, that “tipping point” that will send both races into a war to decide just who will take control.
What interests me in this novel is how intelligent the idea of the “tipping point” really is. From the hinting of such a thing to the eventual event we know is coming the story does not rush into pushing the reader into the event but actually takes it time and creates a scenario for it to happen. Where some stories would almost trivialise such event this story as a whole (over not just this novel but the series itself) is working towards something big, something big enough to create an event that at this point now feels like it will be World War 3. We have the vampires, some happy to live with the humans in peace, some who want to control them like “cattle” and then you have the humans. Just as with the vampires some humans just want to live in peace together, but others want to eradicate the threat of the vampire and they will do it by all means. The main tension between the two races is that of anger and fear.
The vampire does not feel fear just anger, but they can be galvanised into a full force by a forceful act by the humans, something to really create that anger within them. With humans they are driven by fear and they can be manipulated by it, and this fear can be created by the anger of others; both human and vampire. This is how they are manipulated in this novel as the positions of power change from neutrality to aggression in the issue of the vampire. All it takes is one event to push both fear and anger.
This book, even though it is slow at times really creates a good build up to the event that will (I am assuming will lead to the war). When the actual event does occur the slowness of the build up is forgiven as you read the words on the page and wonder how people could be so stupid to do what they do, how can they fall into the trap of total naivety of their actions which mirror events in the real world. I was impressed at the way the novel handled what is quite a complicated idea really and look forward to the next part of the story.
Read the review from the source by visiting http://www.pissedoffgeek.com/wordpres... .
Thanks to Paul and everyone else at Pissedoffgeek.com for the constant support and for another great review!
H.U.B. Volume 3 arrives 9.10.11! http://www.whatishub.net
