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Inheritance
What's a vampire to do when he's afraid of the dark and passes out at the sight of blood?
These are but two of the problems that face thirteen year old Rupert Bartholomew Cooke. After growing up in England's Foster Care System, Rupert is at last adopted. Then what should be the happiest moment of his life turns into the most terrifying day imaginable. His adopter, the same man whose bite turned Rupert into a vampire, is none other than the infamous Jack the Ripper.
To make matters worse, Rupert is left to watch over Jack's mansion, under which is buried a portal that leads to the Source of all magic. Untrained and coping with the stresses of his new and terrible existence, Rupert is forced to defend the Source against Jack's enemies, the necromancer Mobius and his secret accomplice.
With his newfound friends, Lorelei the thrall, Alistair the diminutive werewolf, and Horatio the gruff housekeeper, Rupert must battle Mobius and preserve the fragile truce between the Vampire Nation and the Legions of the Dead; all without giving Jack a reason to kill him when he returns home.
These are but two of the problems that face thirteen year old Rupert Bartholomew Cooke. After growing up in England's Foster Care System, Rupert is at last adopted. Then what should be the happiest moment of his life turns into the most terrifying day imaginable. His adopter, the same man whose bite turned Rupert into a vampire, is none other than the infamous Jack the Ripper.
To make matters worse, Rupert is left to watch over Jack's mansion, under which is buried a portal that leads to the Source of all magic. Untrained and coping with the stresses of his new and terrible existence, Rupert is forced to defend the Source against Jack's enemies, the necromancer Mobius and his secret accomplice.
With his newfound friends, Lorelei the thrall, Alistair the diminutive werewolf, and Horatio the gruff housekeeper, Rupert must battle Mobius and preserve the fragile truce between the Vampire Nation and the Legions of the Dead; all without giving Jack a reason to kill him when he returns home.
- GenresHorror
128 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 19, 2013
36 people want to read
About the author
Tim Marquitz
103 books214 followersTim Marquitz is the author of the Demon Squad series, The Enemy of My Enemy series (Kurtherian Gambit) along with Michael Anderle, the Blood War Trilogy, co-author of the Dead West series, as well as several standalone books, and numerous anthology appearances alongside the biggest names in fantasy and horror. Tim also collaborated on Memoirs of a MACHINE, the story of MMA pioneer John Machine Lober.
"Horror becomes art when it flows from the pen of Tim Marquitz." ~ Bobby D. Whitney - BookWenches
"Witty, sarcastic and hilarious." Michelle - Publishers Weekly
"Horror becomes art when it flows from the pen of Tim Marquitz." ~ Bobby D. Whitney - BookWenches
"Witty, sarcastic and hilarious." Michelle - Publishers Weekly
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 12, 2013
Rupert is a thirteen-year-old orphan attempting to gain what little moments of joy he can from his miserable life. Between bullies and orphanage staff, he can't catch a break and yet it only gets worse when he's actually adopted ... by Jack the Ripper.
That's as bad as it gets, right? Well, Jack happens to be a vampire who plans not only to turn Rupert, but also to put him in charge of the estate while he leaves to attend to important business.
And Jack has lots of enemies that want to get into the estate.
Inheritance is not your typical vampire tale, at least not your modernly typical vampire tale. The vampires aren't sexy in any way and Tim fills this world with his typical flair for awesomely grotesque monsters (i.e. a monster made of monsters - genius!). Vampires serve a purpose here and also explain Jack the Ripper's behavior. And in addition to great monsters, Rupert has a couple friends to help him out and explain the situation while the master of the house is away.
Inheritance is a coming of age tale for Rupert. As an orphan in a rough environment, he hasn't ever had it easy, but he also is forced to grow up quickly in his new environment as Jack's enemies converge.
I highly enjoyed Inheritance, book one of Heir to the Blood Throne. The only real criticism I can give is that it felt like it needed a bit more to the story as things just get ramped up and then the book is over. However, its biggest fault being that I want to read more is not really a bad thing now is it?
As a young adult book, Tim shows he can do it expertly, just like his adult horror and urban fantasy. Rupert was the quintessential thirteen-year-old, unsure of himself and his powers and willing to make it work. The monsters are classic Marquitz, I loved reading them and can't wait for more.
4 out of 5 Stars (highly recommended)
That's as bad as it gets, right? Well, Jack happens to be a vampire who plans not only to turn Rupert, but also to put him in charge of the estate while he leaves to attend to important business.
And Jack has lots of enemies that want to get into the estate.
Inheritance is not your typical vampire tale, at least not your modernly typical vampire tale. The vampires aren't sexy in any way and Tim fills this world with his typical flair for awesomely grotesque monsters (i.e. a monster made of monsters - genius!). Vampires serve a purpose here and also explain Jack the Ripper's behavior. And in addition to great monsters, Rupert has a couple friends to help him out and explain the situation while the master of the house is away.
Inheritance is a coming of age tale for Rupert. As an orphan in a rough environment, he hasn't ever had it easy, but he also is forced to grow up quickly in his new environment as Jack's enemies converge.
I highly enjoyed Inheritance, book one of Heir to the Blood Throne. The only real criticism I can give is that it felt like it needed a bit more to the story as things just get ramped up and then the book is over. However, its biggest fault being that I want to read more is not really a bad thing now is it?
As a young adult book, Tim shows he can do it expertly, just like his adult horror and urban fantasy. Rupert was the quintessential thirteen-year-old, unsure of himself and his powers and willing to make it work. The monsters are classic Marquitz, I loved reading them and can't wait for more.
4 out of 5 Stars (highly recommended)
June 1, 2013
Inheritance: Heir to the Blood Throne is the first book in a new YA series by Tim Marquitz. Full of supernatural creatures in a Victorian London setting, Inheritance is an attempt to bring some horror elements to a younger audience in a more accessible fashion.
“A fellow creature of the night, how fortuitous is this?” The man’s smile widened. “We have crossed paths at a most opportune time.”
The story follows Rupert, a shy 13 year old orphan who is often victimized by the older bullies at the orphanage. Having resigned himself to daily beatings for the rest of his childhood, Rupert is suddenly plucked from the orphanage by a wealthy man and sent to live in his mansion. As Rupert starts becoming familiar with his new surroundings, he realizes that things are not what they seem: his new master is a vampire, his new brother is a werewolf, his new sister is a witch, and together they must defend the mansion from an evil necromancer and his army of undead soldiers.
“They can lay claim to the rest of the refuse left here by my predecessor, but I will not surrender that which I have rightfully acquired.”
Marquitz has a knack for creating likeable characters, and the first thing I noticed about this book is that Rupert was no different. He is a young boy who tries his hardest but through a combination of bad luck and his timid nature, things never seem to go his way. I liked him because he is not malicious, he is just a curious young boy incapable of avoiding trouble. His new sister and brother, Lorelai and Alistair, make for great companions, and are even greater magnets for trouble. These three aren't incredibly complex characters, but together their strengths and flaws make for a balanced partnership. Hopefully Marquitz will dig a little deeper into these characters in future instalments.
Though the others did their best to grind him down, they could do nothing to extinguish his optimism.
The Victorian London setting is a great place to set a supernatural story, and while there were a few inaccuracies here and there, it definitely had the right tone and feel. Despite this being a YA story, I'm glad Marquitz didn't completely tone down his portrayal of the supernatural beings - the vampires, werewolves and the undead in this story are menacing and powerful creatures who all have a particular taste for blood. I don't think its particularly scary for adults or older teens, but for younger teens there are some tense scenes which should get the heart pumping. The only issue I had is that I think this book is a bit too short.
His thin lips smiled a greeting. Despite its close-mouthed broadness, it failed to convey much warmth, the look almost predatory.
In a genre that is overcrowded with sparkly vampires in love with sullen human teens, Tim Marquitz takes vampires, werewolves and the undead, and returns them to their rightful place at the top of the supernatural foodchain. I enjoyed this book, and I think it would make for a great holiday read.
“A fellow creature of the night, how fortuitous is this?” The man’s smile widened. “We have crossed paths at a most opportune time.”
The story follows Rupert, a shy 13 year old orphan who is often victimized by the older bullies at the orphanage. Having resigned himself to daily beatings for the rest of his childhood, Rupert is suddenly plucked from the orphanage by a wealthy man and sent to live in his mansion. As Rupert starts becoming familiar with his new surroundings, he realizes that things are not what they seem: his new master is a vampire, his new brother is a werewolf, his new sister is a witch, and together they must defend the mansion from an evil necromancer and his army of undead soldiers.
“They can lay claim to the rest of the refuse left here by my predecessor, but I will not surrender that which I have rightfully acquired.”
Marquitz has a knack for creating likeable characters, and the first thing I noticed about this book is that Rupert was no different. He is a young boy who tries his hardest but through a combination of bad luck and his timid nature, things never seem to go his way. I liked him because he is not malicious, he is just a curious young boy incapable of avoiding trouble. His new sister and brother, Lorelai and Alistair, make for great companions, and are even greater magnets for trouble. These three aren't incredibly complex characters, but together their strengths and flaws make for a balanced partnership. Hopefully Marquitz will dig a little deeper into these characters in future instalments.
Though the others did their best to grind him down, they could do nothing to extinguish his optimism.
The Victorian London setting is a great place to set a supernatural story, and while there were a few inaccuracies here and there, it definitely had the right tone and feel. Despite this being a YA story, I'm glad Marquitz didn't completely tone down his portrayal of the supernatural beings - the vampires, werewolves and the undead in this story are menacing and powerful creatures who all have a particular taste for blood. I don't think its particularly scary for adults or older teens, but for younger teens there are some tense scenes which should get the heart pumping. The only issue I had is that I think this book is a bit too short.
His thin lips smiled a greeting. Despite its close-mouthed broadness, it failed to convey much warmth, the look almost predatory.
In a genre that is overcrowded with sparkly vampires in love with sullen human teens, Tim Marquitz takes vampires, werewolves and the undead, and returns them to their rightful place at the top of the supernatural foodchain. I enjoyed this book, and I think it would make for a great holiday read.
June 28, 2013
My review here.
April 16, 2020
My first opinion of this book was, “If I was a 12 year old boy, this would be exactly what I’d want to read!” My second opinion was, “Hell, if I was a 12 year old me, this would be exactly what I’d want to read.” Far from the usual YA fare, Inheritance was filled with blood, battle, and yes, brains. As in intelligence. While stats for this book say that it’s for readers aged 8 and up, I would disagree. Not because of the violent content, but because Marquitz uses a higher standard of vocabulary than one normally sees in books intended for that age range. Not enough to keep kids constantly reaching for the dictionary, but enough to stretch their brains while allowing them to enjoy a good action-packed story. I might say that kids 12 and up would be able to handle the vocabulary a bit more easily.
Then again, there are some smart 8 year olds who could use some more reading material directed at them that gives them something to sink their mental teeth into.
Rupert isn’t your typical vampire character. He’s a little bit of a coward, has spent years being rather downtrodden and bullied in an orphanage, and dreams of greater things while simultaneously being uncertain as to how he’ll achieve them. As a protagonist, he was wonderfully real, flawed and curious and the very embodiment of a young teen suddenly finding himself completely out of his depth in the world. In her normality, he’s very relatable, and I think that’s what makes him, surprisingly, a very unique protagonist. Most YA protagonists have something undeniable special about them right from the get-go. Rupert gets thrust into a strange and dangerous situation, but he earns his place, works for his accomplishments, makes mistakes and pays for them, and doesn’t get treated as anything other than what he is.
There’s no denying that there’s plenty of violence in this book, and more than a few things that rate high on the “gross-out” scale (a colossus made of multiple human corpses, for example), and normally that doesn’t appeal to me very much, but Marquitz made it work. Even through the bits that I found distasteful, well, they were supposed to be distasteful. And none of it was over the top. I can see plenty of parents being unhappy that their children are reading such graphic material, but I can say with certainty that any child who wants to read books like this will end up lacking for not having read Inheritance. The violence is balanced with an interesting plot, relatable and diverse characters (though the girl of the group is relegated to a more passive role where the boys get to take a more active role in events, some of that can be forgiven by the time period the book is set in), and as I mentioned earlier, doesn’t talk down to kids and assumes that they’re capable of understanding larger words and advanced concepts.
There are hints of greater things to come with this series, and I’m looking forward to following it and seeing where it all goes. I believe this is Marquitz’s first foray into YA fiction, and I think it’s been a successful one. I know I’m hooked, at the very least. And really, given that the price of this book is approximately $1, if you have the money to spare for it, I think you’ll be hooked too.
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
Then again, there are some smart 8 year olds who could use some more reading material directed at them that gives them something to sink their mental teeth into.
Rupert isn’t your typical vampire character. He’s a little bit of a coward, has spent years being rather downtrodden and bullied in an orphanage, and dreams of greater things while simultaneously being uncertain as to how he’ll achieve them. As a protagonist, he was wonderfully real, flawed and curious and the very embodiment of a young teen suddenly finding himself completely out of his depth in the world. In her normality, he’s very relatable, and I think that’s what makes him, surprisingly, a very unique protagonist. Most YA protagonists have something undeniable special about them right from the get-go. Rupert gets thrust into a strange and dangerous situation, but he earns his place, works for his accomplishments, makes mistakes and pays for them, and doesn’t get treated as anything other than what he is.
There’s no denying that there’s plenty of violence in this book, and more than a few things that rate high on the “gross-out” scale (a colossus made of multiple human corpses, for example), and normally that doesn’t appeal to me very much, but Marquitz made it work. Even through the bits that I found distasteful, well, they were supposed to be distasteful. And none of it was over the top. I can see plenty of parents being unhappy that their children are reading such graphic material, but I can say with certainty that any child who wants to read books like this will end up lacking for not having read Inheritance. The violence is balanced with an interesting plot, relatable and diverse characters (though the girl of the group is relegated to a more passive role where the boys get to take a more active role in events, some of that can be forgiven by the time period the book is set in), and as I mentioned earlier, doesn’t talk down to kids and assumes that they’re capable of understanding larger words and advanced concepts.
There are hints of greater things to come with this series, and I’m looking forward to following it and seeing where it all goes. I believe this is Marquitz’s first foray into YA fiction, and I think it’s been a successful one. I know I’m hooked, at the very least. And really, given that the price of this book is approximately $1, if you have the money to spare for it, I think you’ll be hooked too.
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews