Vampire Tech by Bryan Romer - 4/5

Bryan Romer’s vampire-werewolf novel is not intended as your typical fantasy-romance, but instead combines science with the legends, infusing it with action of a military calibre. Not being au fait with the vampire-werewolf genre, one of the main and easiest comparisons to make was with the Underworld film series, especially with the action, rivalry, and three-way battle.

There is certainly an early glimpse of something intriguing beneath the surface when the protagonists “change”, and I liked the setting and accompanying introductory ideas of a crash into a cave and discovered alien technology that is linked to alien memories. At this point, I had hoped for something like the Alien films or Prometheus. Unfortunately, these ideas were not developed and explored during this particular novel, and it seemed I was going to be led into the vampire-werewolf romp I had hoped to avoid. For example, there were times when I felt I had to be more acquainted and interested in the genre’s films or books when references were made, of which were numerous.

Vampire-Tech is intense and focuses mainly on action, military martial arts, and has a supernatural kick. In this way, it reminded me of the Underworld film series, but with an established setting and clear progression. The multiple POV worked well in this way, and though we saw through the eyes of many inconsequential characters, it did keep the pace rolling at breakneck speed.

Overall, though Vampire-Tech was not the alien/mystery read I thought I wanted it was well-written with precise technical vocabulary. Sometimes the action was so engrossing that I didn’t much care that I was reading a vampire-werewolf novel, and I even took to a winning quote: “If you believe in werewolves, why don’t you tell me what I am?”