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Drawing Blood

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With humanity at the edge of self-annihilation…

Vampires, living in the shadows of humans for thousands of years, joins the war to end all wars. Their intervention is motivated by the fear that without their intervention the extermination of their food supply will trigger their extinction as well.

Matt Haynes and Tyra Redmond briefly met in the Green Zone. He was a world weary mercenary. She was working for the State Department trying to rebuild a country.

Years later, when their paths cross again, a war has ravaged the planet and decimated the human population. Both are now prisoners at a “Blood Donation Center,” known as CCC197, where they must endure a daily dehumanizing existence of being kept alive only to serve as a source of blood for their captors.

Matt and Tyra must overcome their clashing personalities if they are to plan and execute an audacious escape to freedom which will include all the inmates of CCC197.

Standing in their way is a security team manned by human traitors working for the Vampires. And of course any attempt to escape from the concentration camp will mean defeating a species that has superior strength, cunning, and intelligence.

And for Matt Haynes, there is an even more compelling complication -- one of the vampire commanders of CCC197 is his brother… or was his brother… before he became a member of the undead.

“Drawing Blood” is a heart stopping, paranormal, thriller about the fight for survival, and the struggle to maintain human relationships in a world that has been re-made by the undead.

This is the first of the RELICT BOOK SERIES, each an OPEN ENDED NOVEL depicting the fall of humanity and the attempt by the Vampires to maintain control of their new world order.

The text of “Drawing Blood” is over 47,000 words! But…

ALERT TO ALL INTERESTED READERS: The novel does “end” with “TO BE CONTINUED.” Meaning this is the first book in a series of books.

ANOTHER WARNING: Even if you have read dozens of books about the undead, we bet you will discover “Drawing Blood – Book One of the RELICT Series,” is not your typical Vampire novel.

236 pages, Paperback

First published October 9, 2012

2 people are currently reading
271 people want to read

About the author

Richard Finney

29 books17 followers
The amazon bestselling "DEMON DAYS" Book Series was launched in 2009. Originally, the three sequels to "DEMON DAYS" were published as one book – “DEMON DAYS: Angel of Light," but have since been re-published as "DEMON DAYS - Book Two;" "DEMON DAYS - Book Three;" and "DEMON DAYS - Book Four."

I am also author of the PS Series of e-books on Professional Screenwriting.
All the books have become amazon.com bestselling books!

I reside in Southern California because this is where my three dogs have decided they want to live.

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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*.
2,968 reviews1,199 followers
January 27, 2016
This excellent book does end on a wicked cliffhanger but the author warns about that and it's part of a series. An unusual twist is taken to the vampire genre as Mark, ex-military, and his friend Jay are shown coming to Mark's ex wife's house to see if she's still alive. They've been on the run for a long time, caught in a world gone upside down as it's now ruled by vampires who round up humans to be kept in concentration camps. They're sadly caught and Mark is thrust into a camp himself, where he mixes with prisoners, plots, and surprises.

There's never a dull moment. Something suspenseful is always going down in a realistic way with tight pacing. It's told in third- person POV but head hopping is kept to a minimum. The writing style is to the point of the story, not sparing extras to bog it down, serving the atmosphere and pacing of the bizarre world well.

Characters are realistically painted, especially in the loner Mark and his associations with fellow prisoners as they try to survive - both mentally and physically - a dangerous world which sees humans as "juice boxes." There's a lot of yo-yoing between characters and their wide range of personalities, and even so with vampires and their ambitions and changes. I liked the addition of placing some humans above others in deranged cooperation and reading about the interesting twists and layers this brings to the story.

It's not overly gory for shock value but there is a grim realism that encases the book, and it was hard to put this one down. Highly recommended for any horror, suspense, apocalyptic, or vampire fans. Stunning stuff and can't wait to read the next book!
Profile Image for Terry.
450 reviews144 followers
October 13, 2012
Finally a vampire tale that doesn't suck!
(These vamps drain it from their P.O.W. "juice boxes" like some sort of demented Red Cross.)

The vampires in this tale don't glitter either, unless broken glass has been sprayed on them by a barrage of bullets. They don't play baseball and they don't play with werewolves. They prefer to play cattle drive, with humans in the starring role of cattle.

Have I caught your attention yet?

Nope, this is not your romantic, sparkly, 'kissy-face' version of vampires. This is a rock and roll, in-your-face, full-blown assault on your imagination, and what a joyride it is!

The world has been taken over by a well-organized society of vampires. These vamps are a force to be reckoned with. Enter Matt Haynes, former mercenary. Also, a force to be reckoned with...

Featuring a diverse yet captivating cast of characters, the plot and action rolls along easily. Not bogged down with unnecessary details, your mind and imagination is free to play.

This book is only the beginning of what promises to be an action-packed, mind blowing hit series, in the excellent tradition of Richard Finney. This author is a master at whatever he chooses to write. I've never read a book by Richard Finney that didn't leave me wanting more. They are THAT good!

Thank you Richard for the opportunity to read and review your latest work of art. It is an honor and a privilege.

The author kindly provided a copy of the book for a fair and honest review.
I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Profile Image for Stephen.
185 reviews114 followers
August 4, 2015
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest review.

I want to say that I am a huge fan of Richard Finney's work. So, when the author asked me to read and review his latest book, Drawing Blood, I jumped at the chance.

Drawing Blood is the beginning of an on-going series about a dystopian/post-apocalypse Earth ruled by vampires. Some of the most interesting and popular books in recent years have been about dystopian future scenarios. Vampires have also been an ever-present fixture in fiction for many years. Richard Finney has captured some of the best of these popular sub-genre and added a compelling story and characters.

In Drawing Blood, we meet Matt Haynes, a former mercenary who is returning to America after a worldwide takeover by an organized society of vampires. He has seen war zones and atrocities, he has seen the worst of humanity and vampires. Soon after he returns, he is captured and ends up in a blood donation center (concentration camp).

He meets many other characters here and begins to formulate a way to fight back. The first snag in his plan: his brother, thought long dead, is one of the vampires in charge of the camp.

The bare bones of the story fit some of the age old formulas of fiction. There is an oppressor, there are freedom fighters, and there are reluctant sheep who give up. But these bare bones are not what makes the book memorable. The character interactions and motivations are the true highlights of the story.

Matt is a man who is jaded and unfeeling, lacking emotion as a mechanism to survive a holocaust. His brother is part of an undead army, vampires who have lost the ability to feel, but somehow he has retained some sentimentality and "emotion". To complicate matters further, the vampires feel that their takeover of the world is a way to save humanity from themselves.

This book is only the beginning of the story, but it adequately sets the tone for what should be a fun and gripping tale. I think this series will shape up to be a complex and enriching read. It is definitely a new spin on vampire motivations and apocalyptic futures.

Give it a try, and if you like it then read more by this excellent author.
Profile Image for Kitty Austin.
Author 0 books432 followers
November 19, 2012
Title: Drawing Blood
Author(s): Richard Finney & Franklin Guerrero
Publisher: Lono Publishing
Age: 17+
Rating: 4.5

Review: This novel reminded me somewhat of the movie "Daybreakers" a great combination of good versus evil and the best part? The vampires were not romanticized or painted to be damned souls we should feel sorry for. In a world where vampires have suddenly become icons for romance this was a refreshing change of pace. The most heart-breaking part was the story concept between Ian one of the prisoners of the vampires and his long lost brother Matt that has been changed into a bloodsucker.

The 'goons' as they were so often called, actually humans that had given themselves over to the service of the vampires to save their own lives were actually just as scary as the vampires. They had been so de-humanized by greed and power that there was no trace of compassion left in them.

The story was amazing and had me on edge the whole time. This is another great creation by both of these authors. I highly recommend the read!
Profile Image for Mike.
73 reviews23 followers
January 16, 2013
I don't typically read vampire books, but received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. I have to admit that this is an interesting and unique story line as well as being a quick read. The book is loaded with action and the characters are realistic and believable (the human ones anyway). Nice job by the author!

3.5 stars.
Profile Image for Bunny.
143 reviews158 followers
Read
December 26, 2012

My Thoughts:
I wish this book had a “trailer” because I don’t know if my words are going to give it justice. LOL

The world building is great: post-apocalyptic and run by vampires. When I started this, I kept thinking this story was inspired by the Ethan Hawke movie, DAYBREAKERS. In both stories the vampires have decided to “farm” humans for blood, rather than just kill them outright. That’s about where the comparison ends though, other than the general premise the stories are nothing alike.

In DRAWING BLOOD, the vampires run “Concentration Camps” (yeah, it went there.) for blood donors. There is an interesting vampire/human hierarchy within the camps staff, and donors are basically treated as modern day jailed prisoners.

Character wise, development was minimal, which left a lot of room for ones imagination to build them as they saw fit. Surprisingly, for me anyway, I loved it for this book. I usually like the story given to me. I want to know what the grass smells like, and if the characters wore deodorant that day. None of that is given up here. It let me paint the pictures on my own and I really locked in and connected to them all. Plus, and this has no bearing on my review… There is a character named “Bunny”. ha!

The story was paced well making this a quick “ONE NIGHT” READ.

In Conclusion:
I really enjoyed the story premise, but I hate that its a “cliff hanger”. This installment lacked a full story arc because it cut off before there was any sort of climax to any aspect of the story. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next book because I want to know what happens next, but I would only recommend this to you if you like “serial” type books.

*This book does contain several typos, but it wasn’t enough to turn me off from the story. {o.O}

Mom Notes:
Contains strong language and violence.
Profile Image for Kristen N..
65 reviews19 followers
January 4, 2013
Authors Richard Finney and Franklin Guerro did an amazing job writing Drawing Blood book 1 of the Relict. Drawing Blood is only the beginning in what one can tell will be a gripping tale of human survival. Richard Finney and Franklin Guerro did an excellent job setting the tone for a new and exciting vampire series that readers will come to enjoy. Drawing Blood is not the typical vampire book that has become so popular over the years, but comes with a twist on vampire motivations and what a future with them means. Drawing Blood is not about the vampires as much as it's about the humans that remain. Richard Finney and Franklin Guerro did an excellent job in creating realistic characters, giving them a wide range of personalities making them both likable and hated, even so with vampires and their ambitions and changes. Vampires create Blood Donation Centers to hold humans prisoners and collect their blood for consumption. Prisoners in the Blood Donation Centers are treated to a somewhat decent life, but are known as nothing more then "Juice Boxes". I liked the idea of placing some humans above others in deranged cooperation and reading about the interesting twists and layers this brings to the story. Drawing Blood is not overly gory for shock value, but there is a grim realism that encases the book. Drawing Blood ends on a cliffhanger, but it only makes you eager for book 2 in the Relict. Richard Finney and Franklin Guerro wrote Drawing Blood book 1 of the Relict with such amazing force that I cannot wait to read the continuation when it comes.
Profile Image for Karen M.
694 reviews37 followers
November 6, 2012
This book was supplied by the author in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book is very dialog driven which makes it a very fast read. Made it seem almost too short and since it is a series we are left with a cliffhanger. A bit more description would have filled out some of the characters but perhaps that was intentional. You are left to imagine how these people look and what motivates them.

A vampire story with a different premise. It's not about the vampires as much as it's about the humans that remain. We have a potential hero with a dark past and a brother gone over to the other side and a possible heroine or two. There is a question of how truthful the main protagonists actually are which adds mystery to the story. A diverse cast of characters and alot of brutality add up to a rather bloody story, no pun intended. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. I am a fan of vampire books. This book was rather graphic and violent which are not usually my type of book but despite the violence I was pulled into the story of survival. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Debbie.
4 reviews
October 9, 2012
A quick & easy read (nice flow) - action packed & suspenseful
Nice range of character development
Creepy visuals for the "Dairy Farm" setup
Good creativity and a fresh & unique take on the Vampire story

I loved book #1 ~ Can't wait for book #2!!
Profile Image for Bear.
126 reviews
July 26, 2013
I received this as a free first edition & I loved it. It was an easy read (read it in a day), had a different spin on the usual vampire story, and I cannot wait to read the next in the series.

Edit: I received this for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Profile Image for Patricia Kaniasty.
1,489 reviews61 followers
March 18, 2020
Most of the time, I don't like vampire stories. This book was awesome. Kinda had the feel of a concentration camp story. Glad I read this book.
Profile Image for Nancy (The Avid Reader).
3,076 reviews128 followers
May 2, 2013
I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

The vampires in Drawing Blood are unlike others that I have read. They don't sparkle, they don't fall in love or have feelings. Not that I don't like the sparkly kind which I do. The vampires have taken over the world. They are now in charge and rule over the human population. The humans are captured and kept in donation camps. The vampires refer to them as "juice boxes". These vamps have come up with a brilliant idea on how to take care of their feeding process. They treat the humans the same way as humans treated their animals. But this is all humans are to them they are their food supply. (Ok now this thought is making me think about how cows and pigs feel).

Now on to some of the characters. We have Matt who was a world weary mercenary. Matt acts like some with no feelings as if he only cares about himself. Matt has seen and been through a lot as a mercenary not to mention what he has witnessed since the vamps have taken over. Matt has a brother, Ian one of the commanders in the camp that he believed died a long time ago. But when he is captured and thrown in one of the donation camps he finds out that his brother has become a member of the undead.

Then we have Tyra who worked for the State Department trying to rebuild a country. Matt and Tyra have met before in the Green Zone. If they are going to escape from the camp they have to put aside their inconsistencies and work together. They need to come up with a very good plan otherwise they will never get out. The vamps have humans who has turned to the dark side to help out the vamps. The vamps use humans as guards for the prisoners in the camp. Let me rewind here for minute. I say humans that has turned to the dark side but how do I know if they have actually turned against humans. What if this is the only way they know how to survive? What if the vamps gave them no other choice? If they had refused then the vamps would probably have killed them.

How will Matt, Tyra and the rest of their friends escape? What kind of plan will they come up with? Will their plan work? What will they find on the outside if they do escape? Well I am afraid that I may have already gave away too much so I am not going to say any more. You will just have to read it to find out. If you love vampires then I am sure you will love Drawing Blood as I did.

I would now like to thank the author Richard Finney for contacting me about reviewing Drawing Blood. I had entered Goodreads First Read contest but sadly I didn't win. I was looking forward to reading it so you can image how I felt when I didn't win. But Richard Finney really made my day when he contacted me. Thanks Richard Finney!
Profile Image for Carolyn.
75 reviews2 followers
November 1, 2012
Has much promise as a series with a different take on the almost worn out vampire plot. I was drawn into the story and had trouble putting it down. However, there were a couple problems... Other than the gramatical errors and editing that needed to be done which I hope will be corrected before the final release (writers - contact me if you want to know what they were), there were other issues. I must confess that the bulk of paranormal I read is written by women, so I may have different expectations. What I found missing in the story was clearer discriptions of the characters appearance, other than the vampires. Not romance novel type (ie: "flowing hair like gold", bulging thighs like tree trunks", blah, blah, blah...), but just general so the reader can get a mental picture. Also, I found some confusion between first and third person when people were thinking. There was a also a place where I think the person that was speaking was referred to by the wrong name, as it was inconsistent with the character and dialogue. Overall, I found the story enjoying, although too short...read it in one sitting! Hoping the authors are going to "bulk" it up, as this genre is jam-packed and I would imagine that a book would really need to stand out. (For example, The Passage by Justin Cronin - although more zombie-ish, also had an apocalyptic, survivor, "us against them" narrative.)
Profile Image for Justin.
6 reviews6 followers
November 28, 2012
Upon first receiving this book, my prospects of it were grim. The novel was thin, even after using larger print. As the kind of reader who tears through complete series in a week or less, I try to stay away from smaller novels such as this. However, I am forced to admit being pleasantly surprised at the novel.

Once I started, I couldn't put it down. Filled with action and tense emotional scenes, I was gripped from the first page. The story centers on a soldier turned mercenary turned prisoner-of-war (that war being humans against vampires) who finds out that his own brother, believed long dead, is actually a vampire - at the very camp he's being held prisoner in, no less.

The central theme of the story is humanity and asks a question that has lingered in mankind since the dawn of existence; what does it mean to be human? Are we inherently good or evil, or are we merely products of our environment? I've read many such books before, but only a handful manage to actually make me ponder the deeper meaning of that same question as well as this writing does.

The only true complaint I have is the lack of volume to the book. I wanted more. Which, I suppose, was the entire point. I certainly look forward to being able to read the sequel and I'd recommend this to most of my friends as something to pick up if they happen by it.

P.S. The cake is not a lie.
Profile Image for Molly.
215 reviews3 followers
October 31, 2012
I love how this book took the vampire idea and flipped it on its head! This book is about Vampires running concentration camps for blood donors. They have machines to suck their blood evening and morning. The main character has a brother who is a Vampire,when he gets brought into the concentration camp, he hasn't seen his brother for a long time. His brother is in charge of a part of the concentration camp his brother is in. This book kept me awake and reading when I should have gone to bed. It is well written and it leaves you wanting more. I can't wait until the next book comes out!!
Profile Image for Lorian Jones.
107 reviews21 followers
September 22, 2013
Drawing Blood (Relict, #1) by Richard Finney omg what can i said about this bookthis book is crazy and sick at the same time it almost similar to 2 movies DAYBREAKER and PRIEST when i reach to the end i was kinda piss off because i want to know what happen did they free the people is ian just playing along to his blood brotherwhy ian feel like he doesnt want his brother matt lo leave him i gotta know these things tell me before i go crazy sol
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