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Laura Caxton #2
99 Coffins
A dark secret buried beneath our bloodiest battlefieldLaura Caxton vowed never to face them again. The horror of what the vampires did is too close, the wounds too fresh. But when Jameson Arkeley, broken and barely recognizable, comes to her with an unfathomable, unholy discovery, her resolve crumbles.Arkeley leads Caxton to a tomb in Gettysburg recently excavated by a local archaeology professor. While the town, with its legendary role in the Civil War’s worst battle, is no stranger to cemeteries, this one is remarkably, eerily different. In it lie 100 coffins—99 of them occupied by vampires, who, luckily, are missing their hearts. But one of the coffins is empty and smashed to pieces.Who is the missing vampire? Does he have access to the 99 hearts that, if placed back in the bodies of their owners, could reanimate an entire bloodthirsty army? How did the vampires end up there, undisturbed and undiscovered for 150 years? The answer lies in Civil War documents that contain sinister secrets about the newly found coffins—secrets that Laura Caxton is about to uncover as she is thrown into a deadly, gruesome mission of saving an entire town from a mass invasion of the undead…
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
61 people are currently reading
1565 people want to read
About the author
David Wellington
73 books1,159 followersDavid Wellington is a contemporary American horror author, best known for his Zombie trilogy as well as his Vampire series and Werewolf series. His books have been translated into eleven languages and are a global phenomenon.
His career began in 2004 when he started serializing his horror fiction online, posting short chapters of a novel three times a week on a friend’s blog. Response to the project was so great that in 2004 Thunder’s Mouth Press approached David Wellington about publishing Monster Island as a print book. His novels have been featured in Rue Morgue, Fangoria, and the New York Times.
He also made his debut as a comic book writer in 2009 with Marvel Zombies Return:Iron Man.
Wellington attended Syracuse University and received an MFA in creative writing from Penn State. He also holds a masters degree in Library Science from Pratt Institute.
He now lives in New York City with his dog Mary Shelley and wife Elisabeth who, in her wedding vows, promised to “kick serious zombie ass” for him.
His career began in 2004 when he started serializing his horror fiction online, posting short chapters of a novel three times a week on a friend’s blog. Response to the project was so great that in 2004 Thunder’s Mouth Press approached David Wellington about publishing Monster Island as a print book. His novels have been featured in Rue Morgue, Fangoria, and the New York Times.
He also made his debut as a comic book writer in 2009 with Marvel Zombies Return:Iron Man.
Wellington attended Syracuse University and received an MFA in creative writing from Penn State. He also holds a masters degree in Library Science from Pratt Institute.
He now lives in New York City with his dog Mary Shelley and wife Elisabeth who, in her wedding vows, promised to “kick serious zombie ass” for him.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
August 31, 2022
Infamous Vampire Kept in Coffin by Upright Lawman!
Arkeley and Laura Caxton are back fighting some really gruesome, horrific vampires, and the story is filled with twists and turns before it all goes to hell in a hand basket...
One thing jumped out at me big time. Arkeley who is a 'stickler for the rules,' lawman, obsessed with destroying all vampires, is (now get this) toting his arch-nemesis vampire, Malvern, around in her coffin because it would be illegal to kill her.
I shake my head, there's gotta be a line where you can carry devotion to the law just one step to far.
Now, here's a list of possible excuses Arkeley could use in court... "I don't know how it happened your Honor, but....
... "I was lifting her coffin into the back of my 1 tonner when my hand slipped, well you know how all my fingers were bit off. Well, the coffin just flipped right over and tossed her bits and pieces out onto the street, and what with it being high noon on a cloudless day - there was really nothing I could do..."
... "I was lighting a cigarette, and the damn lighter slipped out of my freaking empty glove, you know about my fingers don't 'cha, and honestly, I have no idea how a one gallon jerry can of gasoline got into her coffin..."
... "Well for months now she's not been doing much. Yeah, she's been real quite like, not a peep out of her. I checked her coffin, and she's just dust... I don't know what happened to her ... could've been anything I guess..."
... "He was a really big man, with a black mask. He never said a word. He pushed me aside, and knocked me out. When I came too, her heart was gone, and that big fella, well I never saw him again...."
... "My truck broke down in the woods, and I used my cell to call for help, but they said they couldn't get to me till morning. So I had a nap in the cabin. I woke at dawn to a whole mess of scratching and growling, and there were two bears ripping the coffin to pieces, and I'm pretty sure one of them ate her heart. Well, I fired my pistol in the air, and they done run off, but there was nothing I could do for Ms Malvern, she was just running slime by then..."
Surely just a little bit of imagination could assist Arkeley to go all the way.
Recommend this book for anyone,
[1] With an aversion for sparkly vampires.
[2] Who upon hearing the word "vampires" thinks "kill all the blood suckers!" rather than, "oh my gosh, romance."
[3] Who loves a plucky police heroine.
[4] Who loves action, suspense, thrills and some gore too.
If that's what works for you - you'll love this book.
Strongly recommended. Five 'plucky heroine fighting against the odds,' stars.
Arkeley and Laura Caxton are back fighting some really gruesome, horrific vampires, and the story is filled with twists and turns before it all goes to hell in a hand basket...
One thing jumped out at me big time. Arkeley who is a 'stickler for the rules,' lawman, obsessed with destroying all vampires, is (now get this) toting his arch-nemesis vampire, Malvern, around in her coffin because it would be illegal to kill her.
I shake my head, there's gotta be a line where you can carry devotion to the law just one step to far.
Now, here's a list of possible excuses Arkeley could use in court... "I don't know how it happened your Honor, but....
... "I was lifting her coffin into the back of my 1 tonner when my hand slipped, well you know how all my fingers were bit off. Well, the coffin just flipped right over and tossed her bits and pieces out onto the street, and what with it being high noon on a cloudless day - there was really nothing I could do..."
... "I was lighting a cigarette, and the damn lighter slipped out of my freaking empty glove, you know about my fingers don't 'cha, and honestly, I have no idea how a one gallon jerry can of gasoline got into her coffin..."
... "Well for months now she's not been doing much. Yeah, she's been real quite like, not a peep out of her. I checked her coffin, and she's just dust... I don't know what happened to her ... could've been anything I guess..."
... "He was a really big man, with a black mask. He never said a word. He pushed me aside, and knocked me out. When I came too, her heart was gone, and that big fella, well I never saw him again...."
... "My truck broke down in the woods, and I used my cell to call for help, but they said they couldn't get to me till morning. So I had a nap in the cabin. I woke at dawn to a whole mess of scratching and growling, and there were two bears ripping the coffin to pieces, and I'm pretty sure one of them ate her heart. Well, I fired my pistol in the air, and they done run off, but there was nothing I could do for Ms Malvern, she was just running slime by then..."
Surely just a little bit of imagination could assist Arkeley to go all the way.
Recommend this book for anyone,
[1] With an aversion for sparkly vampires.
[2] Who upon hearing the word "vampires" thinks "kill all the blood suckers!" rather than, "oh my gosh, romance."
[3] Who loves a plucky police heroine.
[4] Who loves action, suspense, thrills and some gore too.
If that's what works for you - you'll love this book.
Strongly recommended. Five 'plucky heroine fighting against the odds,' stars.
August 23, 2022
Action Packed Vamps!
Small backstory:
An archeological dig in Gettysburg uncovers an unusual cavern that is filled with near 100 coffins and they are not empty as the dead that lays within are not human.....but vampires!
Jameson Arkeley and Laura Caxton are thrown back together as they try to investigate why there are vampire coffins buried deep under the earth and of all places they are buried in the ground under what was once the bloodiest battle of the Civil War!
Where did the vampires come from? Why are they buried in Gettysburg? Does Jameson and Laura uncover the secrets of the vampires? No spoilers here as you will need to read this book and series!
Thoughts:
Stepping back into this series just threw me right back into some mystery and suspense as the characters Jameson Arkeley and Laura Caxton are once again on the hunt and discovery of old vampires. I just love both characters as they seem so real to me as I feel that I am planted right there between them as they try to solve this vampire case.
The story opens up with lots of mystery when the vampire coffins are found, but once Jameson and Laura get on the scene the story becomes more fast paced as the suspense builds up and then around the half way point of the book there is some vampire action that kept my insomnia fueled!
Another interesting aspect of the story was the reading of journals by civil war soldiers which gave a glimpse into the past of what happens with the vampires. I literally loved this part of the book as I found myself being wrapped in the past of what transpired back in the civil war days.
I will be looking forward to reading the third book in the series as this book ended on a major twist and cliff hanger! This book was another great installment to this series and looking forward to reading all the books in the series to see what happens down the line. Giving this book five "Bite and Blood Coffin" stars!
Small backstory:
An archeological dig in Gettysburg uncovers an unusual cavern that is filled with near 100 coffins and they are not empty as the dead that lays within are not human.....but vampires!
Jameson Arkeley and Laura Caxton are thrown back together as they try to investigate why there are vampire coffins buried deep under the earth and of all places they are buried in the ground under what was once the bloodiest battle of the Civil War!
Where did the vampires come from? Why are they buried in Gettysburg? Does Jameson and Laura uncover the secrets of the vampires? No spoilers here as you will need to read this book and series!
Thoughts:
Stepping back into this series just threw me right back into some mystery and suspense as the characters Jameson Arkeley and Laura Caxton are once again on the hunt and discovery of old vampires. I just love both characters as they seem so real to me as I feel that I am planted right there between them as they try to solve this vampire case.
The story opens up with lots of mystery when the vampire coffins are found, but once Jameson and Laura get on the scene the story becomes more fast paced as the suspense builds up and then around the half way point of the book there is some vampire action that kept my insomnia fueled!
Another interesting aspect of the story was the reading of journals by civil war soldiers which gave a glimpse into the past of what happens with the vampires. I literally loved this part of the book as I found myself being wrapped in the past of what transpired back in the civil war days.
I will be looking forward to reading the third book in the series as this book ended on a major twist and cliff hanger! This book was another great installment to this series and looking forward to reading all the books in the series to see what happens down the line. Giving this book five "Bite and Blood Coffin" stars!
April 9, 2018
"If he didn’t show up she would have to hunt him down. She figured she would give him one more night before she got started."
The second great battle at Gettysburg is about to go down and this time it’s all on Caxton.
Everything she learned from Akerley, from the police, from being a strong woman in a man’s world - it’s all been for This. One. Night.
The best part of the book: the battles, police investigation, really everything in the here and now.
The worst part of the book: the flashbacks to the Civil War. This should have been done better or not at all.
Overall, four stars. Next month, next book.
August 23, 2022
I am loving this series. This one was especially fun because it went back and forth between the past and present. A lot of books do this in a confusing way, but this one was very clear and entertaining. Laura is a great character and I loved that she gained some confidence since the first book. Can't wait to see how much of a badass she will be by the end of the series. And that ending! Woo boy, need to get to the next book quickly! Such a cliffhanger!
September 20, 2022
What a complete waste of time. Contained a much higher body count, but NONE of the originality, scares and just plain old fun contained in its predecessor.
Big time blurg.....
1 1/2 Direly Disappointing Stars
(again, sick cover tho!)
Big time blurg.....
1 1/2 Direly Disappointing Stars
(again, sick cover tho!)
February 20, 2014
I originally had a three star rating on this book, but I finally upped it to four. While it has some specific failings it's still an interesting book and I think it should get a "low 4". I finished it up last night and went to bed thinking I'd give it a 3...but now I realize I do plan to continue the series and I was interested in the book from first to last.
So what's good? This is an in your face vampire book. They aren't traditional vamps but neither are they "sad, romantic...sparkly vampires". These undead freaks will rip your arm off and suck your blood out through the wound. They have a mouth full of over-sized shark teeth are immensely strong and fast and aren't really what one would call, humanitarians. This book while sometimes wandering off topic a little (you still have the seemingly obligatory romantic entanglement) gives some of the most frantic vampire action out there. There's a climatic battle in the book that again while having some problems is more or less one of a kind.
So, you get a well done story with a buildup and hairy climax. Great mental junk food.
So...what's bad? Well, as noted some great action. Sadly Mr. Wellington needs to educate himself a little more about firearms. I know this won't bother many of you. Most, probably won't notice the glitches but firearms enthusiasts, veterans, members of the armed forces, Law Enforcement officers and others will. Just roll your eyes and read on, most readers won't notice the misstatements.
Then there's Laura (Caxton) our protagonist. She should have been dead several times over. That was the part of the book that almost got it a 3 from me. Speaking of "eye-roll" moments there were at least 3 of those concerning Laura's survival...still it's okay, I guess.
Though I saw one reviewer who ripped the book the "proverbial new one" over this.
Sadly, the book ends in that...run out and get the next book...way we see so often now. We sort of see it coming but it's still a bit like ending a chapter rather than a book.
Of course as I said I knew it was coming and I intend to (probably) get the next book so...
So (as I said above LOL) good action read with fast, strong, nasty, hungry vampires. Enjoy.
So what's good? This is an in your face vampire book. They aren't traditional vamps but neither are they "sad, romantic...sparkly vampires". These undead freaks will rip your arm off and suck your blood out through the wound. They have a mouth full of over-sized shark teeth are immensely strong and fast and aren't really what one would call, humanitarians. This book while sometimes wandering off topic a little (you still have the seemingly obligatory romantic entanglement) gives some of the most frantic vampire action out there. There's a climatic battle in the book that again while having some problems is more or less one of a kind.
So, you get a well done story with a buildup and hairy climax. Great mental junk food.
So...what's bad? Well, as noted some great action. Sadly Mr. Wellington needs to educate himself a little more about firearms. I know this won't bother many of you. Most, probably won't notice the glitches but firearms enthusiasts, veterans, members of the armed forces, Law Enforcement officers and others will. Just roll your eyes and read on, most readers won't notice the misstatements.
Then there's Laura (Caxton) our protagonist. She should have been dead several times over. That was the part of the book that almost got it a 3 from me. Speaking of "eye-roll" moments there were at least 3 of those concerning Laura's survival...still it's okay, I guess.
Though I saw one reviewer who ripped the book the "proverbial new one" over this.
Sadly, the book ends in that...run out and get the next book...way we see so often now. We sort of see it coming but it's still a bit like ending a chapter rather than a book.
Of course as I said I knew it was coming and I intend to (probably) get the next book so...
So (as I said above LOL) good action read with fast, strong, nasty, hungry vampires. Enjoy.
March 10, 2022
3.5..........The second in this Laura Caxton series, was for me, not as gripping as the first book. Laura Caxton is a trooper who was kinda’ trained by Special Agent Jameson Arkeley in book one. He’s far from being the mentor type but for his own reasons he needed Laura’s help. Arkeley’s career & life really, was spent on trying to find a way to kill the last vampire, Justinia Malvern. (for legal reasons, he could not outright kill her). Conversely for Laura, having thought vampires were extinct, she had never really dealt with them.
In this second book, an archeological dig uncovered 99 coffins. Coffins filled with, you guessed it, vampires. Their hearts had been removed which was why they’d been in a comatose-like state for hundreds of years. And as you can imagine, a war ensues, which pretty much covers the majority of the book.
For me, both Laura and Arkeley aren’t the most likeable people and you really don’t even root for them, but that didn’t bother me. (Although Laura does tend to make quite a few mistakes that get to be a little annoying). Probably from about half way through to three quarters of the book, I was getting a little disengaged (which can be normal for me with an audiobook lol!) but it was the ending that got me. That, alone, was enough to encourage me to move on with this series.
In this second book, an archeological dig uncovered 99 coffins. Coffins filled with, you guessed it, vampires. Their hearts had been removed which was why they’d been in a comatose-like state for hundreds of years. And as you can imagine, a war ensues, which pretty much covers the majority of the book.
For me, both Laura and Arkeley aren’t the most likeable people and you really don’t even root for them, but that didn’t bother me. (Although Laura does tend to make quite a few mistakes that get to be a little annoying). Probably from about half way through to three quarters of the book, I was getting a little disengaged (which can be normal for me with an audiobook lol!) but it was the ending that got me. That, alone, was enough to encourage me to move on with this series.
September 10, 2013
These books are amazingly gruesome and the vampires are just plain evil. 99 Coffins developed slower than 13 Bullets but was still very enjoyable. The historical portion of the book was amazing. I loved reading about the use of vampires to help win the revolution. There was an unexpected twist in the end that I just didn't see coming.
Can't wait to start book 3 of the series, Vampire Zero: A Gruesome Vampire Tale
This Series must be read in order as each book picks right up where the previous book ends.
Can't wait to start book 3 of the series, Vampire Zero: A Gruesome Vampire Tale
This Series must be read in order as each book picks right up where the previous book ends.
Read
January 4, 2015I wish there had been more history.and yes I will read that 3rd book. I need the story to be resolved. We aren't there yet.
March 5, 2018
Wow, if you liked 13 Bullets then you're gonna love this one. It carries on pretty much from where was left off but things have moved on a bit with Caxton now with Clara and started doing some more in depth police work. The events in 13 Bullets were made into a movie and she and Arkeley were a bit famous but it doesn't make dealing with the undead any easier.
The historical excerpts running alongside the main story are a nice way of showing how the 'current' events came to pass and the impact of dealing with potentially 100 vampires is not lost. Its a pretty scary ride overall for the characters, Arkeley is incapacitated and a little bit Danny Glover from Lethal weapon so Caxton is virtually alone and having to deal with the undead and bureaucracy of the unliving (politicians).
The ending is a real doozy and leads on nicely to the next chapter but the main story and action stand alone as a big strong story with lots of twists and turns.
The historical excerpts running alongside the main story are a nice way of showing how the 'current' events came to pass and the impact of dealing with potentially 100 vampires is not lost. Its a pretty scary ride overall for the characters, Arkeley is incapacitated and a little bit Danny Glover from Lethal weapon so Caxton is virtually alone and having to deal with the undead and bureaucracy of the unliving (politicians).
The ending is a real doozy and leads on nicely to the next chapter but the main story and action stand alone as a big strong story with lots of twists and turns.
November 23, 2014
** Actual rating 3.5**
This was a pretty good vampire tale that blended current day with events that happened during the Civil War.
I gave a 3.5 instead of a 4 because I didn't think the writing compared to some other books I have rated 4 stars recently.The writing was decent, but had somewhat of a "pulp" feel to it.
Recommended to horror and vampire fans.
This was a pretty good vampire tale that blended current day with events that happened during the Civil War.
I gave a 3.5 instead of a 4 because I didn't think the writing compared to some other books I have rated 4 stars recently.The writing was decent, but had somewhat of a "pulp" feel to it.
Recommended to horror and vampire fans.
April 15, 2020
I did enjoy this, but don't think it deserves rounding up to four stars.
This is the second of the vampire books featuring Laura Caxton; after the horrific events of the previous book, she doesn't want anything to do with undead, but then her former mentor Jameson Arkeley tells her about a recent archaeological discovery - a cache of coffins dating to the American Civil War have been discovered at Gettysburg, 99 coffins each containing a vampire skeleton without the hearts they need to regenerate. The hearts are missing, as is the last vampire - all that's left is the shattered remains of his coffin. Laura knows the harm one vampire alone can cause; if this vampire finds the missing hearts and re-animates his brothers, hundreds, possibly thousands, of innocent people will die. Laura doesn't want any part of it, but with Arkeley crippled from a vampire attack, she's the only person who can possibly stop this massacre.
Like its predecessor, 99 Coffins is a vampire book set firmly in the horror/action genre rather than UF or PNR - these vampires are brutal killing machines, and make no apologies for it. Readers who enjoy vampires that are brooding, dark heroes will not enjoy these books.
Laura is a likable enough heroine; as a state trooper she has a sense of duty that will not allow her to turn her back on the vampires and the horror they will wreak. The action is intense, making this book a very fast read. The excerpts of letters from the American Civil War were interesting, tying in neatly with the main plot and giving the villains some more character and backstory.
If you like action heavy books with vampires serving as monsters, you may enjoy this book, but make sure you read the previous book, 13 Bullets, first, as these novels follow a strict chronological order. I will certainly be reading the other books in this series in the future.
This is the second of the vampire books featuring Laura Caxton; after the horrific events of the previous book, she doesn't want anything to do with undead, but then her former mentor Jameson Arkeley tells her about a recent archaeological discovery - a cache of coffins dating to the American Civil War have been discovered at Gettysburg, 99 coffins each containing a vampire skeleton without the hearts they need to regenerate. The hearts are missing, as is the last vampire - all that's left is the shattered remains of his coffin. Laura knows the harm one vampire alone can cause; if this vampire finds the missing hearts and re-animates his brothers, hundreds, possibly thousands, of innocent people will die. Laura doesn't want any part of it, but with Arkeley crippled from a vampire attack, she's the only person who can possibly stop this massacre.
Like its predecessor, 99 Coffins is a vampire book set firmly in the horror/action genre rather than UF or PNR - these vampires are brutal killing machines, and make no apologies for it. Readers who enjoy vampires that are brooding, dark heroes will not enjoy these books.
Laura is a likable enough heroine; as a state trooper she has a sense of duty that will not allow her to turn her back on the vampires and the horror they will wreak. The action is intense, making this book a very fast read. The excerpts of letters from the American Civil War were interesting, tying in neatly with the main plot and giving the villains some more character and backstory.
If you like action heavy books with vampires serving as monsters, you may enjoy this book, but make sure you read the previous book, 13 Bullets, first, as these novels follow a strict chronological order. I will certainly be reading the other books in this series in the future.
October 6, 2022
This second novel in the series was bogged down by some boring swatches that kept me from really paying attention to what was happening in this novel, and spacing off. I thought it was just me, being all…. ‘Everything is boring right now’, but other reviews on gr have said the same thing, so…
Not sure if I even care that the huge plot twist I’d missed (and subsequently had to read about in the next book’s blurb) is even enough to get me to keep coming back to this series. There is something essential that is keeping me from connecting to the characters and their story, and until I figure this elusive thing, I won’t be able to enjoy a single novel in it. They are just there, not calling to me, not appealing or anything. I may try the next novel in the series in a few months, and I may not. I just wish I’d like this series a whole lot more.
Bernadette Dunne Is the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel, and she is wonderful. I love her sexy, Smokey and slightly growly voice a great deal.
3 stars, and only recommended to hard core vampire fanatics.
Not sure if I even care that the huge plot twist I’d missed (and subsequently had to read about in the next book’s blurb) is even enough to get me to keep coming back to this series. There is something essential that is keeping me from connecting to the characters and their story, and until I figure this elusive thing, I won’t be able to enjoy a single novel in it. They are just there, not calling to me, not appealing or anything. I may try the next novel in the series in a few months, and I may not. I just wish I’d like this series a whole lot more.
Bernadette Dunne Is the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel, and she is wonderful. I love her sexy, Smokey and slightly growly voice a great deal.
3 stars, and only recommended to hard core vampire fanatics.
April 23, 2011
Wow! In two books David Wellington has joined the ranks with my favorite authors. The back and forth of every other chapter kept me captivated. Two stories being told between the past and the present, and merging into one was spectacular. I’ve never been one for history, but it flowed with the story seamlessly and never tripped me up.
I kept myself from reading the synopsis off of the backs of the remaining books when I started this series, and I am glad that I did. The twist was (literarily) a jaw dropper for me. For those who know the story, I will say I was looking for him, but I got caught up in the bloody battle and forgot about him.
I am staring at Vampire Zero right now as I type and want to pick it up, but the sun is rising and I must sleep. (evil grin)
I kept myself from reading the synopsis off of the backs of the remaining books when I started this series, and I am glad that I did. The twist was (literarily) a jaw dropper for me. For those who know the story, I will say I was looking for him, but I got caught up in the bloody battle and forgot about him.
I am staring at Vampire Zero right now as I type and want to pick it up, but the sun is rising and I must sleep. (evil grin)
October 27, 2015
Another great entry in this series...with an ending promising more good stuff.
December 28, 2019
I really couldn’t get into this one. It wasn’t poorly written and was action driven. I loved the intersplicing of the Gettysburg letters. But overall I just wasn’t riveted to the story or wanted to keep turning the pages. I put it down for a while and was in no hurry to come back to it. Sometimes that just happens I just didn’t connect to the story or the characters. It doesn’t mean it was a bad story. It just wasn’t for me. In fact the writing was decent and the main character was interesting but this vampire tale just didn’t move me.
February 20, 2018
Very fast moving enjoyable story about 99 skeletal vampires found by archeologists near Gettysburg PA. The book alternates between present day (with Laura Caxton and crippled vampire hunter Arkeley) and civil war era (with a group of Union soldiers encountering a vampire).
August 5, 2019
If you want to read a happily ever after vamp tale, this ain't it. However, if you're in the mood for a good old fashioned, 80's type slasher fest, proceed.
September 5, 2022
Really good vampire book
February 11, 2023
And the saga continues!
June 13, 2025
You could have given be 100 guesses and I would have never guessed the ending of this
February 12, 2017
This one lost a star in the last couple of chapters with a plot twist that came from the same stable as Deus Ex Machina. I won’t go into it, too much of a spoiler, but that and a couple of other things has probably put me off continuing with this series.
Positives are the vampires, proper monstrous types that will feed in a frenzy with heads and limbs separated from bodies with alarming regularity. No sparkly, romantic types in sight.
Negatives:
The segments of Civil War writings could have been cut down and put in as an extended prologue to stop interrupting the main story.
Barely any character advancement for Laura Caxton, I’m now convinced she’s a lesbian just so that author can show his ‘diverstiy’ credentials than for any reason that might actually mean something.
Other characters were nothing more than cut-outs, even Federal Marshall Arkeley seems to have been reduced to that despite being Caxton’s mentor.
A disappointing book overall.
Positives are the vampires, proper monstrous types that will feed in a frenzy with heads and limbs separated from bodies with alarming regularity. No sparkly, romantic types in sight.
Negatives:
The segments of Civil War writings could have been cut down and put in as an extended prologue to stop interrupting the main story.
Barely any character advancement for Laura Caxton, I’m now convinced she’s a lesbian just so that author can show his ‘diverstiy’ credentials than for any reason that might actually mean something.
Other characters were nothing more than cut-outs, even Federal Marshall Arkeley seems to have been reduced to that despite being Caxton’s mentor.
A disappointing book overall.
Read
August 8, 2011this book was easy to read and was fun. The story was original. Vampires from the past are brought back in the future and not only can they cause tremendous harm they also dont know their way around anything modern. they cant open a push bar door. Unfortuately this is set in Gettysburg and many things around there are the same as they were and they know their way around.
the chapters set in the Civil War started to be usless information that the reader doesnt always need to know, but in the end it was a good sorce to realize what happened to these men turned vamps and what theyve been through. you almost sympathize with them which to me was a different take on vampires than those i have seen before. i would recommend this book. it is gorey and just sick in some parts but it is entertaining, and thats all i ask for
the chapters set in the Civil War started to be usless information that the reader doesnt always need to know, but in the end it was a good sorce to realize what happened to these men turned vamps and what theyve been through. you almost sympathize with them which to me was a different take on vampires than those i have seen before. i would recommend this book. it is gorey and just sick in some parts but it is entertaining, and thats all i ask for
April 30, 2016
Again, this one was lost from my review feed, but here it goes. The duo of Arkeley and Caxton delve into a plot by a decrepit and wasted away vampire lord, Justinian Malvern. Her plot brought vampires into the fore during the Civil War, in an attempt to create an army. Flashbacks to the time of the Civil War, and the modern implications of the vampire threat in Pennsylvania bring this book straight to your door. The triumph here is upended by the tragedy, as Arkeley is changed into a vampire to save his partner. This book is very dark but it is one of those rare gems where you just cannot put it down, and when you finish it, there is a hole left that you have to fill with the next book in the series. Really great time! These books deserve a movie so very badly!
Danny
Danny
June 20, 2008
This was a bit of a let down. If you are a comic book fan, you could probably enjoy this read. However, I felt this book moved too slowly and seemed too predicatable. My biggest issue is that in the world in which this story exists, vampires are routine occurences to the public at large, subject of TV movies, no more and no less. This author managed de-fang his vampires and wiped away the mystique that has lingered over these mythical figures ever since Bram Stoker first wrote of Dracula. If you want a book that at least will be an entertaining ride, read Christopher Pike's Season of Passage.
December 9, 2011
Fans of Twilight, beware.....these are NOT your sparkly vampires. David Wellington has created a very animalistic vampire. They don't have 2 dainty, although dangerous vangs, they have several rows of triangular, pointed teeth very similar to a shark's teeth. They are much faster and stronger than humans, and they retain almost no human emotions. They can regenerate from wounds almost instantly. The only thing that kills them is to destroy their heart.
There is a surprise ending! Well - unless you've read the synopsis of the next book....
There is a surprise ending! Well - unless you've read the synopsis of the next book....
September 3, 2009
I just finished this last night. It was nice to see vampires portrayed as monsters and not the typical over-sexualized velvet capers that you usually see. It was a quick read and pretty fun if you like to read about creepy crawlies.
April 17, 2009
Better than the book before. With a cliff hanger ending.
December 20, 2016
It's a different take on the vampire genre, solid female protagonist, good overall series that's not too long.
wishlist
October 9, 2009library book due 6/4/09
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