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Master #1
Crimson
"The frenzy consumed him.”
By day, Japanese rock star Raiden is an adored idol; by night, a vicious vampire. While preparing for his band’s summer tour in Detroit, Raiden stalks the streets for fresh blood—and tries to obliterate haunting memories of his fiancée’s murder. Meanwhile, famous TV actor Gabriel Colin is hatching an elaborate plot to recruit Raiden for the starring role in his first film. The two celebrities become fatally intertwined after an unforeseen encounter results in bloodshed, death, and rebirth.
Crimson is the winner of Best eBook in the 2009 Hollywood Book Festival Awards.
By day, Japanese rock star Raiden is an adored idol; by night, a vicious vampire. While preparing for his band’s summer tour in Detroit, Raiden stalks the streets for fresh blood—and tries to obliterate haunting memories of his fiancée’s murder. Meanwhile, famous TV actor Gabriel Colin is hatching an elaborate plot to recruit Raiden for the starring role in his first film. The two celebrities become fatally intertwined after an unforeseen encounter results in bloodshed, death, and rebirth.
Crimson is the winner of Best eBook in the 2009 Hollywood Book Festival Awards.
154 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 3, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 20, 2014
I've wanted to read this since I first encountered the original version (which is far different than the published work) online several years ago. Online fiction tends to have a bad reputation, certainly not helped by the Twilight-rip-off fuckwittery that is Fifty Shades of Grey. There are however, after one weeds through the dreck, many incredibly talented authors who really should be writing professionally. Yes, they are that good. And most of the good ones have little to no interest in writing professionally--they write for the sheer love of writing.
Jane Bled is one of many who fall into the "they're that good" category, which explains why this book won the award for best e-book in 2009 at the Hollywood Book Festival. She has an engaging, yet detailed style with characters who are more than the sum of their parts. She crafts horror and atmosphere with an almost poetical skill. Yes, this is a vampire novel. Yes, there's M/M relationships. Yes, there's angst. Yes, there's blood, guts and gore. Considering how utterly defanged vampires have become over the past few years, one might be tempted to skip this one.
Don't.
These are the vampires we affecianados have sorely missed. They're apex predators and act like it. Humans are food and they treat them as such. In fact, their callousness towards human life might shock those who like their vampires all nice and sparkly. There's the old struggle to maintain a semblance of humanity. Raiden and Gabriel are that immovable force and irresistable object and they leave carnage in their wake. An ambitious Japanese rock star and a hot-commodity American actor. Neither shall the twain ever meet, save through blind chance and a moment of unthinking hunger. Granted, this is part of a series so if cliffhangers are not your cuppa, you might want to wait for the third book, which will be released some time this year.
Jane Bled is one of many who fall into the "they're that good" category, which explains why this book won the award for best e-book in 2009 at the Hollywood Book Festival. She has an engaging, yet detailed style with characters who are more than the sum of their parts. She crafts horror and atmosphere with an almost poetical skill. Yes, this is a vampire novel. Yes, there's M/M relationships. Yes, there's angst. Yes, there's blood, guts and gore. Considering how utterly defanged vampires have become over the past few years, one might be tempted to skip this one.
Don't.
These are the vampires we affecianados have sorely missed. They're apex predators and act like it. Humans are food and they treat them as such. In fact, their callousness towards human life might shock those who like their vampires all nice and sparkly. There's the old struggle to maintain a semblance of humanity. Raiden and Gabriel are that immovable force and irresistable object and they leave carnage in their wake. An ambitious Japanese rock star and a hot-commodity American actor. Neither shall the twain ever meet, save through blind chance and a moment of unthinking hunger. Granted, this is part of a series so if cliffhangers are not your cuppa, you might want to wait for the third book, which will be released some time this year.
March 23, 2014
I really tried to finish this, but I stopped right when I was getting close to the end and now I don't feel like picking it back up. I didn't dislike the writing style and it wasn't boring or too smutty, but I couldn't fall for any of the characters.
Vampires are dark sensual creatures and the book was faithfull to that image. But what I've always loved about vampires is how they are simply the darkest, secret side of humanity and how they lust for purity and light. They strangely manage to illustrate the best and the worst and speak to me about humanity more than any other paranormal creature. The vampires in this book, however, seem to detest humans. When the main character that constantly argued for morality is turned he becomes something of a ruthless sociopath. I couldn't believe any romance between such cold creatures and I couldn't see this as anything but a gruesome story of self decay.
It might be that I am too harsh and the characters redeem themselves. I did have lots of hope for Raiden warming up... Sorry for judging before finishing it.
Vampires are dark sensual creatures and the book was faithfull to that image. But what I've always loved about vampires is how they are simply the darkest, secret side of humanity and how they lust for purity and light. They strangely manage to illustrate the best and the worst and speak to me about humanity more than any other paranormal creature. The vampires in this book, however, seem to detest humans. When the main character that constantly argued for morality is turned he becomes something of a ruthless sociopath. I couldn't believe any romance between such cold creatures and I couldn't see this as anything but a gruesome story of self decay.
It might be that I am too harsh and the characters redeem themselves. I did have lots of hope for Raiden warming up... Sorry for judging before finishing it.
June 15, 2023
I want to start off with saying thank you to Jayne for gifting me this book! You are awesome! Thank you so much!!!
This was my first Jayne Bled book and all I can say is WOW!! Just WOW!! Trust me it won’t be my last! I absolutely loved it!! This is such a well written book. Jayne’s writing made me feel like I was there. Beautifully written.
If you are in to dark, mysterious, erotica and a bit of dark humor this book is for you. Duel POV which I love! This book had me in a chokehold! I had to put it down a few times for reasons out of my control but I am sure if I had the chance to I would have read it in 1 sitting. It’s a quick easy vampire read. There are a few triggers so just be prepared for that. Also it left off in a cliffhanger so make sure you go ahead and grab the next book. lol
Thanks again Jayne!! 😁❤️
This was my first Jayne Bled book and all I can say is WOW!! Just WOW!! Trust me it won’t be my last! I absolutely loved it!! This is such a well written book. Jayne’s writing made me feel like I was there. Beautifully written.
If you are in to dark, mysterious, erotica and a bit of dark humor this book is for you. Duel POV which I love! This book had me in a chokehold! I had to put it down a few times for reasons out of my control but I am sure if I had the chance to I would have read it in 1 sitting. It’s a quick easy vampire read. There are a few triggers so just be prepared for that. Also it left off in a cliffhanger so make sure you go ahead and grab the next book. lol
Thanks again Jayne!! 😁❤️
December 2, 2020
Interesting
I want to start off by saying I won this book in a good reads giveaway. In return for my honest thoughts and review. I have to start off by saying this is a quick read and packed with a lot. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read the other books in this trilogy.
I want to start off by saying I won this book in a good reads giveaway. In return for my honest thoughts and review. I have to start off by saying this is a quick read and packed with a lot. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read the other books in this trilogy.
September 24, 2021
I won this book in a good reads giveaway.
Vampires are dark sensual creatures and the book kept to that image. The time jumping isn't my favorite thing in books ...but it was ok...
Vampires are dark sensual creatures and the book kept to that image. The time jumping isn't my favorite thing in books ...but it was ok...
November 26, 2014
Raiden is a rock god in Japan, lead singer with the band Scent. He’s idolized by fans of both sexes, desired by millions. He’s also a vampire. Gabriel Colin is a famous actor, looking for the star of his next film. He knows exactly who will fit the bill, and his infatuation of Raiden knows no bounds. But when the two men meet, it’s only the prelude to chaos and horror, and the start of a journey into insatiable blood-lust.
Crimson, by Jane Bled, won the award for Best eBook in the 2009 Hollywood Book Festival and it’s easy to see why. It contains a finely crafted story involving superbly crafted characters, with just enough vicious vampire bloodshed to keep lovers of the horror genre happy, while injecting a delightful helping of erotica into the mix to sate the need of those who enjoy that genre as well. This novella contains flashbacks by Raiden, interwoven among the main plot, which give the reader insight to his history and how he was turned into a vampire.
The book is told from the POVs of both Raiden and Gabriel, and it’s the scenes from Gabriel’s point of view that is particularly entertaining. The final few chapters especially, detailing Gabriel’s inner struggle and decent into his basic needs and desires, is superbly written and very gripping. Crimson does not contain a great deal of “horror”, but with vampires involved and plenty of neck-biting, is horror enough. As far as the romance side of things, it’s M/M, which is not the kind of thing I would normally read, but the way Jane Bled writes these subtle scenes are done in such a way that they didn’t disturb a straight guy like me.
Crimson is the first book in the Master series, with Lunar and Naomi being the second and third installments, with more books to come. It won’t be too long before I’m opening the pages of the second book in this series—it already has me captivated.
Crimson, by Jane Bled, won the award for Best eBook in the 2009 Hollywood Book Festival and it’s easy to see why. It contains a finely crafted story involving superbly crafted characters, with just enough vicious vampire bloodshed to keep lovers of the horror genre happy, while injecting a delightful helping of erotica into the mix to sate the need of those who enjoy that genre as well. This novella contains flashbacks by Raiden, interwoven among the main plot, which give the reader insight to his history and how he was turned into a vampire.
The book is told from the POVs of both Raiden and Gabriel, and it’s the scenes from Gabriel’s point of view that is particularly entertaining. The final few chapters especially, detailing Gabriel’s inner struggle and decent into his basic needs and desires, is superbly written and very gripping. Crimson does not contain a great deal of “horror”, but with vampires involved and plenty of neck-biting, is horror enough. As far as the romance side of things, it’s M/M, which is not the kind of thing I would normally read, but the way Jane Bled writes these subtle scenes are done in such a way that they didn’t disturb a straight guy like me.
Crimson is the first book in the Master series, with Lunar and Naomi being the second and third installments, with more books to come. It won’t be too long before I’m opening the pages of the second book in this series—it already has me captivated.
September 15, 2014
If you are in the mood for some brutal, sensual, sexy vampire fiction where the lines between sex and death, lust and repulsion, male and female, blood and semen suddenly feel real blurry, then you'll enjoy this book. And seriously, who doesn't find themselves in such a mood several times a day?
Wait, I'm not the only one, am I?
Anyway, I love the androgyny. I'm not sure what kind of music Scent plays. It's some Japanese genre that I'm not familiar with, but visually it seems a lot like the whole Ziggy Stardust thing. And that can't be bad, right?
My only criticism would be the time jumping. Parts of the story take place 5 years apart and there is some moving backward and forward between those two periods. That didn't bother me too much, actually. It was another time-jumping episode - when Gabriel tries to do the radio interview - that really left me scratching my head. It wasn't so much that it broke the flow as it just seemed so pointless.
Anyway, a very minor criticism, but it keeps me from giving it 5 stars.
It's a bloody, sexy good time. I look forward to reading the next volume in the series.
Now I'm off to Amazon music to buy Ziggy Stardust - The Motion Picture Soundtrack.
Wait, I'm not the only one, am I?
Anyway, I love the androgyny. I'm not sure what kind of music Scent plays. It's some Japanese genre that I'm not familiar with, but visually it seems a lot like the whole Ziggy Stardust thing. And that can't be bad, right?
My only criticism would be the time jumping. Parts of the story take place 5 years apart and there is some moving backward and forward between those two periods. That didn't bother me too much, actually. It was another time-jumping episode - when Gabriel tries to do the radio interview - that really left me scratching my head. It wasn't so much that it broke the flow as it just seemed so pointless.
Anyway, a very minor criticism, but it keeps me from giving it 5 stars.
It's a bloody, sexy good time. I look forward to reading the next volume in the series.
Now I'm off to Amazon music to buy Ziggy Stardust - The Motion Picture Soundtrack.
December 7, 2014
Wonderfully well-written horror fiction that offers a mature treatment of vampires as carnal, tormented beasts! Crimson looks at the interweaving of violence, blood, and sexuality in the care and feeding of vampires as they prey on humans. Vampires are compelled to drink human blood and hunt humans despite whatever bonds of love or affection may exist between the hunter and the prey. The story begins with a flashback of Raiden's as he remembers killing his fiancée Naomi while under the blood lust and continues to the present-day as he encounters a new fan - Gabriel - an actor and celebrity who is trying to get Raiden to take the role of a vampire in his up-coming movie. There is an intense sexual attraction as well as blood lust on Raiden's part that will colour the relationship between the two men and forever change Gabriel and perhaps even Raiden as well. This is a book meant for mature audiences and contains m/m relationships as well as intense blood and gore.
November 9, 2009
This book has promise, but would benefit from tighter editing, which is not unusual in a first book.
I like the story idea, and both Raiden and Gabriel are well-drawn as characters, but it would help to streamline the plot which sometimes gets lost in long passages of emotion and description.
The theme of the vicious vampire with qualms about hurting humans is not a new one, but has a quirky difference in this book. For one thing, there's no vampire culture, as such ~ Raiden only knew the vampire who made him. So there's no safety net. For another, they are both famous and visible. There's no hiding. Raiden has to help Gabriel or risk exposure and probably death for both of them, since they've been killing for blood.
"Master 1: Crimson" appears to be the first in a series of books, so the story builds but does not have a strong ending, which is a little disconcerting.
I like the story idea, and both Raiden and Gabriel are well-drawn as characters, but it would help to streamline the plot which sometimes gets lost in long passages of emotion and description.
The theme of the vicious vampire with qualms about hurting humans is not a new one, but has a quirky difference in this book. For one thing, there's no vampire culture, as such ~ Raiden only knew the vampire who made him. So there's no safety net. For another, they are both famous and visible. There's no hiding. Raiden has to help Gabriel or risk exposure and probably death for both of them, since they've been killing for blood.
"Master 1: Crimson" appears to be the first in a series of books, so the story builds but does not have a strong ending, which is a little disconcerting.
April 7, 2014
Crimson is not your average vampire novel. It blends the two genres (M/M Romance and Vampire) with a unique twist that holds plenty of gory thrills while oozing sensuality. These vampires don’t play nice!
With its well described dark atmosphere, Crimson draws the reader inside Raiden’s world and commands them to turn the page to see what happens next. Carefully mixing bits of past in with the present, the author gives us a glimpse into the Rock Idol’s tormented psyche.
At a forced social appearance, Raiden is introduced to an overly eager Gabriel Colin. During a brief moment of weakness, everything changes for them both. The mistake forces Raiden to make a quick, albeit unwanted, decision and Gabriel learns a little too late to be careful of obsessions--they might just bite. The cliffy at the end, only wets your appetite for more.
With its well described dark atmosphere, Crimson draws the reader inside Raiden’s world and commands them to turn the page to see what happens next. Carefully mixing bits of past in with the present, the author gives us a glimpse into the Rock Idol’s tormented psyche.
At a forced social appearance, Raiden is introduced to an overly eager Gabriel Colin. During a brief moment of weakness, everything changes for them both. The mistake forces Raiden to make a quick, albeit unwanted, decision and Gabriel learns a little too late to be careful of obsessions--they might just bite. The cliffy at the end, only wets your appetite for more.
December 30, 2013
I wasn't sure if I wanted to give an unknown author like Jane Bled a try, but I'm happy I took a chance.
Crimson is a riveting read from start to finish. It starts with a bang, and then builds up slowly but surely until the middle, when the action kicks into full gear & doesn't let up. The ending is a cliffhanger, which makes me mad, but at the same time, makes me want to read the second book in the series. I love the characters and the dialogue. The whole vibe of the story is really dark, but funny. Especially noteworthy is Bled's poetic, descriptive imagery. You really feel like you're there.
I hope she publishes the next one soon, because it's going to be hard to wait for it.
Crimson is a riveting read from start to finish. It starts with a bang, and then builds up slowly but surely until the middle, when the action kicks into full gear & doesn't let up. The ending is a cliffhanger, which makes me mad, but at the same time, makes me want to read the second book in the series. I love the characters and the dialogue. The whole vibe of the story is really dark, but funny. Especially noteworthy is Bled's poetic, descriptive imagery. You really feel like you're there.
I hope she publishes the next one soon, because it's going to be hard to wait for it.
March 31, 2014
Reads like a manga book in the beginning. Raiden and his band "Sense" are doing well on a tour in Detroit, but things change when Raiden does. He becomes a Vampire and commits an act he still, five years later, has trouble letting go of. The story starts to get darker towards the end when Gabriel, a TV star, wants Raiden to star in his own Vampire script written idea for a movie and things don't turn out as he expected. I'm hoping the second book gets even better as I wasn't as pleased with the first....in the beginning, I however started to change my mind towards the end. I cant help but wonder what's to become of Raiden and Gabriel and the irritating little dance that's between them.
May 4, 2010
Unfortunately nothing is resolved at the end of the book. I understand book 2 is supposed to be released sometime this year, but it's already been over 1 year since book 1 was released. So it has potential, but there is no way to tell until I can read book 2. At that point I would consider rating this book higher. But in good conscience I can't rate it higher now because for the reasons already mentioned and the apparent lack of proof reading. I tend to not notice those kinds of errors so if I see it, you know it's bad.
January 21, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. It’s the first part of a vampire series. However, this is no ordinary vampire series. Instead, it’s a unique twist on the genre that really pulls you in. There are plenty thrills. And, being a vampire novel, enough gore to warrant being part of the genre. However, there’s some great humor in the novel as well. It’s full of witty, rapid-fire dialogue. There’s a lot of sensuality in the book as well – nicely written imagery and descriptions. I thoroughly enjoyed this installment and can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
September 2, 2009
Dark and funny - in a twisted sort of a way. If you like a mix of horror and erotica with some black humour thrown in, this is a must-read.
December 27, 2013
It's really something that grabs you from the start, dark, mysterious and more than capable of tickling you with it's dark sense of humor. I can't wait to read the next part. 8D
December 30, 2013
Interesting beginning.. I look forward to the future installments..
January 16, 2015
Fantastic book - but, it is a bit graphic.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews