What do you think?
Rate this book
The Binder's Daughter
They say curiosity killed the cat. In Michael Allen’s case, the saying proved incomplete. All it got him was a vampire bite.
Twenty years later, Michael has crafted a comfortable life for himself in a small town in the Midwest, removed from as many human interactions as possible. He’s even gone so far as to forgo human blood, instead making use of artificial plasma. Unable to forgive himself for inadvertently becoming an agent of death and feeling responsible for the events that led to his father’s demise, Michael is content to just drift through the ages alone.
That is, until he hears the voice:
No!
Just one word. Yet it blossoms in his mind with such heartfelt intensity that he feels compelled to seek out the identity of its owner. In doing so, Michael lets a different cat out of the bag and rediscovers some very human emotions that he thought had died twenty years earlier. Along the way Michael gets caught up in an ancient power struggle involving shapeshifters and samurai. Only by reconciling himself with his past can he salvage a chance at saving the woman he has grown to love and the power she was born to protect.
| * * * |
At 116,000 words, The Binder’s Daughter is a full-length novel that blends the supernatural and natural. Vampires, Japanese legends, and a love story all collide in this tale laden with tension. Savory slices from the paranormal romance, fantasy, and thriller genres are combined together to create a delectable sushi roll of a novel.
Twenty years later, Michael has crafted a comfortable life for himself in a small town in the Midwest, removed from as many human interactions as possible. He’s even gone so far as to forgo human blood, instead making use of artificial plasma. Unable to forgive himself for inadvertently becoming an agent of death and feeling responsible for the events that led to his father’s demise, Michael is content to just drift through the ages alone.
That is, until he hears the voice:
No!
Just one word. Yet it blossoms in his mind with such heartfelt intensity that he feels compelled to seek out the identity of its owner. In doing so, Michael lets a different cat out of the bag and rediscovers some very human emotions that he thought had died twenty years earlier. Along the way Michael gets caught up in an ancient power struggle involving shapeshifters and samurai. Only by reconciling himself with his past can he salvage a chance at saving the woman he has grown to love and the power she was born to protect.
| * * * |
At 116,000 words, The Binder’s Daughter is a full-length novel that blends the supernatural and natural. Vampires, Japanese legends, and a love story all collide in this tale laden with tension. Savory slices from the paranormal romance, fantasy, and thriller genres are combined together to create a delectable sushi roll of a novel.
Kindle Edition
First published July 8, 2011
About the author
Matt Hofferth
3 books6 followersElectrical engineer by day. Aspiring author by night. Matt Hofferth hopes to one day realize his dream of becoming a full time writer, but until then, he still plays the part of mild-mannered professional as he must. His hobbies, apart from writing on his lunch break or whenever time finds him, include helping out as an assistant football coach at local Westfield High and being an avid video gamer. He lives in Noblesville, Indiana.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 28, 2011
The Binder's Daughter, Matt Hofferth
Fantasy Writing, Vampires, And A Dash Of Romance...
The title of this book is somewhat deceiving as the story is told from Michael's perspective. Beginning with his normal young adult life in Chicago and taking the reader through his brutal transition to vampire, this novel continues into the present day where our hero leads a solitary life. Haunted and tortured by the memories surrounding the night he was bitten, Michael maintains a lonely existence, fighting against 'The Beast' and hating the very nature of what he is.
When Michael begins hearing a strange voice and finds himself inexplicably drawn to Kiara, a local young woman with a life almost as strange as his own, a longing takes root deep inside him - a longing that could end in disaster. What Michael doesn't know is that Kiara has secrets of her own, some she doesn't even know she keeps. Together, Michael and Kiara discover the peace of self-acceptance through their unconditional acceptance of one another and find that the very powers that kept them separated and distant from others now bind them together.
Hofferth's vampire, Michael, gives readers a vampire's experience through a unique lens, and this Broad envisions the potential for numerous sequels from The Binder's Daughter. A far reaching vampire hierarchy and structure are alluded to, in addition to shape shifters, spirit binders, hunters, and powerful spirit beings which seek human form. This author did an excellent job in crafting the world in which his characters exist. Hofferth also built tremendous tension between not only the hero and heroine, but amidst the secondary characters as well. Yeah - that's what I said! Book ten doesn't sound far fetched after reading that last paragraph, right?
Michael was definitely a tortured character, much different than the vampires normally found in novels. Private, thoughtful, and NOT a seducer, Hofferth's vampire is not going to appeal to most paranormal romance readers. The Binder's Daughter does showcase a romance, but it is the a romance of the heart and mind, not a steamy-between-the-sheets-magic-vampire-schtooping-bonanza that will wow you! I was impressed, however, with the intimate scenes Hofferth did write. One in particular left this Broad weak in the knees, eliciting strong emotion through the written word. Call me biased, but I wasn't expecting that kind of pizazz from a male writer.
Kiara was Michael's love interest, but honestly, I never became invested in her character as much as the others. Blessedly absent of 'in-your-face-angry-drama', Kiara was likable, but the author left her background mysterious enough that I wasn't able to connect with this character. I was left wanting to know much more. Perhaps that was intentional, as I believe that the author has already planned a trilogy of books on this storyline. I'm guessing he'll end up with more than a trilogy...but that's for another day.
On a fun note, Michael's foil, Matthias was my favorite secondary character. I'm hoping to learn that Hofferth will write Matthias his own story. He was such a 'German Cutie Nerd'! I vanted to haff him kiss me... on the lips!
Perfectly delicious.
This vampire has no issues with who or what he is. He comes across as extremely intelligent and somewhat of a risk taker all while keeping it real with his inner nerd. Sold. I'll take one.
To keep it real here at the Broads, I have to say that I was disappointed with the final battle scene. Hofferth did not let readers fully in on Kiara's significance as a spirit binder, nor did he unharness Michael to let him embrace his power fully and hand out a little 'kick-ass'. Oh, there's action! But...it's more of a team effort thing, and it is Kiara's guardian and mentor, Keisuke, in the end, who brings the house down. I was cheering for Michael to grab up his existence with both hands and free fall, uninhibited, to gloriously defeat the evil that threatened his woman!
Okay. I'm done with that.
Despite my complaint, I most assuredly look forward to reading another of Matt Hofferth's books. This was a great storyline that hinted at a much more involved world than was revealed in the first book in the series.
The Binder's Daughter receives 4/5 stars overall. (Meaning that I mostly liked the story)
Plot strength - 4/5 stars
World building - 5/5 stars
Supporting characters - 4/5 stars
Michael - 4/5 stars
Kiara - 3/5 stars
Romance heat - 2/5 stars
~ Moira Naveen ~
Fantasy Writing, Vampires, And A Dash Of Romance...
The title of this book is somewhat deceiving as the story is told from Michael's perspective. Beginning with his normal young adult life in Chicago and taking the reader through his brutal transition to vampire, this novel continues into the present day where our hero leads a solitary life. Haunted and tortured by the memories surrounding the night he was bitten, Michael maintains a lonely existence, fighting against 'The Beast' and hating the very nature of what he is.
When Michael begins hearing a strange voice and finds himself inexplicably drawn to Kiara, a local young woman with a life almost as strange as his own, a longing takes root deep inside him - a longing that could end in disaster. What Michael doesn't know is that Kiara has secrets of her own, some she doesn't even know she keeps. Together, Michael and Kiara discover the peace of self-acceptance through their unconditional acceptance of one another and find that the very powers that kept them separated and distant from others now bind them together.
Hofferth's vampire, Michael, gives readers a vampire's experience through a unique lens, and this Broad envisions the potential for numerous sequels from The Binder's Daughter. A far reaching vampire hierarchy and structure are alluded to, in addition to shape shifters, spirit binders, hunters, and powerful spirit beings which seek human form. This author did an excellent job in crafting the world in which his characters exist. Hofferth also built tremendous tension between not only the hero and heroine, but amidst the secondary characters as well. Yeah - that's what I said! Book ten doesn't sound far fetched after reading that last paragraph, right?
Michael was definitely a tortured character, much different than the vampires normally found in novels. Private, thoughtful, and NOT a seducer, Hofferth's vampire is not going to appeal to most paranormal romance readers. The Binder's Daughter does showcase a romance, but it is the a romance of the heart and mind, not a steamy-between-the-sheets-magic-vampire-schtooping-bonanza that will wow you! I was impressed, however, with the intimate scenes Hofferth did write. One in particular left this Broad weak in the knees, eliciting strong emotion through the written word. Call me biased, but I wasn't expecting that kind of pizazz from a male writer.
Kiara was Michael's love interest, but honestly, I never became invested in her character as much as the others. Blessedly absent of 'in-your-face-angry-drama', Kiara was likable, but the author left her background mysterious enough that I wasn't able to connect with this character. I was left wanting to know much more. Perhaps that was intentional, as I believe that the author has already planned a trilogy of books on this storyline. I'm guessing he'll end up with more than a trilogy...but that's for another day.
On a fun note, Michael's foil, Matthias was my favorite secondary character. I'm hoping to learn that Hofferth will write Matthias his own story. He was such a 'German Cutie Nerd'! I vanted to haff him kiss me... on the lips!
Perfectly delicious.
This vampire has no issues with who or what he is. He comes across as extremely intelligent and somewhat of a risk taker all while keeping it real with his inner nerd. Sold. I'll take one.
To keep it real here at the Broads, I have to say that I was disappointed with the final battle scene. Hofferth did not let readers fully in on Kiara's significance as a spirit binder, nor did he unharness Michael to let him embrace his power fully and hand out a little 'kick-ass'. Oh, there's action! But...it's more of a team effort thing, and it is Kiara's guardian and mentor, Keisuke, in the end, who brings the house down. I was cheering for Michael to grab up his existence with both hands and free fall, uninhibited, to gloriously defeat the evil that threatened his woman!
Okay. I'm done with that.
Despite my complaint, I most assuredly look forward to reading another of Matt Hofferth's books. This was a great storyline that hinted at a much more involved world than was revealed in the first book in the series.
The Binder's Daughter receives 4/5 stars overall. (Meaning that I mostly liked the story)
Plot strength - 4/5 stars
World building - 5/5 stars
Supporting characters - 4/5 stars
Michael - 4/5 stars
Kiara - 3/5 stars
Romance heat - 2/5 stars
~ Moira Naveen ~
November 18, 2011
I think this is the first time I've read a vampire romance book that was written by a man. The main character is the male vampire, and it's written from his perspective, which was an interesting change for me. We see deep into the mind and heart of Michael, who was turned into a vampire at a fairly young age. Michael is a vampire with a conscience; he is very moral.
I really enjoyed the story, the legends, and the sweet romance between two paranormal creatures. There was also some good action thrown in. The only thing lacking to me was the "heat" between the main characters. The romance was sweet, but it wasn't hot. That's perfectly okay; there's certainly nothing wrong with that. It's just different than what I'm used to.
This is a very good first book by a new author. I can't wait to read the next book by Matt Hofferth!
I really enjoyed the story, the legends, and the sweet romance between two paranormal creatures. There was also some good action thrown in. The only thing lacking to me was the "heat" between the main characters. The romance was sweet, but it wasn't hot. That's perfectly okay; there's certainly nothing wrong with that. It's just different than what I'm used to.
This is a very good first book by a new author. I can't wait to read the next book by Matt Hofferth!
July 10, 2021
A great first novel, though having read some of Matt's fiction on his blog a while back I wasn't entirely surprised. There could definitely be some improvements but the overall story and execution were fantastic and I can't wait to read the next instalment (get writing!). Featuring vampires, shapeshifters, Japanese folklore and a little romance from the perspective of the vampire. Well worth a read.
Review to come.
Review to come.
September 24, 2011
A great first release from a new author. Likable characters, very fast-paced and interesting plot. I love the mix of vampire and samurai lore. The tech-savvy vampire is also an interesting twist.
I really became attached to the characters, and can't wait for the next book to reveal what's in store for them in the future.
I really became attached to the characters, and can't wait for the next book to reveal what's in store for them in the future.
August 5, 2011
A fun and entertaining first novel by an author with a great future.
July 10, 2011
It's my book... I'm biased :-). Please give it a read and an honest review. Obviously, I wouldn't put it out there if I didn't believe in the story.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews