What do you think?
Rate this book
Vampire Federation #1
Uprising
Unusual book
480 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 10, 2010
74 people are currently reading
1579 people want to read
About the author
Scott G. Mariani
3 books176 followersaka Scott Mariani.
Scott Mariani is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling series of conspiracy adventure thrillers featuring ex-SAS hero and former theology scholar Ben Hope. With translation rights sold in 20 countries, the series was optioned for film in 2009 and a major star is lined up to take the leading role. 2010 sees the launch of Scott's new Vampire Federation series for Avon, writing under the name Scott G. Mariani. Scott lives in the wilds of west Wales, and when not busy writing enjoys outdoor pursuits, walking his dogs, archery and photography.
Scott Mariani is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling series of conspiracy adventure thrillers featuring ex-SAS hero and former theology scholar Ben Hope. With translation rights sold in 20 countries, the series was optioned for film in 2009 and a major star is lined up to take the leading role. 2010 sees the launch of Scott's new Vampire Federation series for Avon, writing under the name Scott G. Mariani. Scott lives in the wilds of west Wales, and when not busy writing enjoys outdoor pursuits, walking his dogs, archery and photography.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
July 15, 2016
An age old vampire tale with a modern twist. The vampires have officially blended in with society. By taking special pills, they can even join humans for an afternoon picnic in the sun. To keep humans oblivious to their existence, the Vampire Federation exists to keep the vampires in line. Those that break the rules will be shot with a special bullet that kills them. Naturally, not all vampires like these new rules and will do as the feel they must to ensure the Federation is properly dealt with.
So, along with these two vampire factions we have the humans. And one lone detective, Joel Solomon who knows vampires are real. When he was just a boy his family was slaughtered by them. He goes is search of the one object he knows of that can kill any vampire with ease, a very special cross. This cross is feared by all vampires due to the lore it has. But it has been lost for centuries. Joel teams up with Alex, who claims to also know about vampires but is actually one herself. Together they search for the cross as time runs short for the Federation.
This book is part political thriller, vampire and action all rolled in one. It reminded me a lot of the Blade movies. While the story was good, it jumped around a lot for me. Especially the first 100 pages. Every chapter introduced mew characters, and with each chapter being only a few pages long, that is a lot of people to keep track of. After awhile the characters do slim down or take smaller roles, but still. The beginning put me off the book on several attempts. Once I got past those early pages it was better. The plot picked up, the characters delved deeper, etc. Enough so, that it has me curious to check out the next book to see what will happen so select characters.
I won this book on Goodreads in their giveaway contests. Thank you Penguin Group publishing for this great opportunity!
So, along with these two vampire factions we have the humans. And one lone detective, Joel Solomon who knows vampires are real. When he was just a boy his family was slaughtered by them. He goes is search of the one object he knows of that can kill any vampire with ease, a very special cross. This cross is feared by all vampires due to the lore it has. But it has been lost for centuries. Joel teams up with Alex, who claims to also know about vampires but is actually one herself. Together they search for the cross as time runs short for the Federation.
This book is part political thriller, vampire and action all rolled in one. It reminded me a lot of the Blade movies. While the story was good, it jumped around a lot for me. Especially the first 100 pages. Every chapter introduced mew characters, and with each chapter being only a few pages long, that is a lot of people to keep track of. After awhile the characters do slim down or take smaller roles, but still. The beginning put me off the book on several attempts. Once I got past those early pages it was better. The plot picked up, the characters delved deeper, etc. Enough so, that it has me curious to check out the next book to see what will happen so select characters.
I won this book on Goodreads in their giveaway contests. Thank you Penguin Group publishing for this great opportunity!
February 1, 2011
There is an audience for this book. That audience, however, is not me.
Sean McCabe is a pseudonym for thriller author Scott Mariani, and in Uprising he blends the thriller genre with a vampire story. Our protagonists are police detective Joel Solomon, and Alex Bishop, who is herself a law enforcement officer of sorts. She works for the Vampire Intelligence Agency, which serves the Vampire Federation, a bureaucracy that governs vampire society and has developed several technologies that allow vampires to live relatively normal lives amid the human population. But not all vampires adhere to the Federation’s dictates. Joel and Alex discover a traditionalist cult that hopes to overthrow the Federation and return vampires to their roots: lurking in the night and treating humans like cattle.
As is typical for a thriller, Uprising features a number of action-packed set pieces, including a gun battle on the spokes of the London Eye. Gore is spattered liberally, especially since vampires have developed a toxin that kills their own kind more gruesomely than the old-fashioned stake; it causes them to explode. Joel and Alex get to do plenty of badass things, and a great deal of ink is spent describing guns and cars. There is a niche of readers who are bound to love this.
I’m not that kind of reader, though, and I don’t think I’m alone. I like a good fight scene as much as the next person, but in my urban fantasy I also crave character development, a challenging mystery, and creative use of mythology. Romance is not a requirement, but if it is present, I want it to be well-developed. The characters in Uprising are flat, defined mainly by their badassitude. Because they are not fleshed out, their romance lacks spark. The mysterious traitor is easy to guess. And in the overstuffed vampire genre, McCabe just doesn’t add much that is new. (While the specific chemicals that enable vamps to live among humans are McCabe’s invention, the idea of conflict between the vamps who want to live among humans vs. the vamps who want to dominate humans is all too familiar.) The plot points I found most compelling are recognizably adapted from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Everyone borrows from the classics, of course, but in this case I’d rather have just reread Dracula. I like Stoker’s characters better! There are also several character decisions and plot points in Uprising that don’t quite make sense.
I had high hopes for one aspect of the plot, though. There’s one thriller trope that continues to be a guilty pleasure of mine: the quest for a legendary McGuffin, here represented by the Cross of Ardaich. Unfortunately, the scavenger hunt for the Cross, once it gets going, is brief and perfunctory.
So, Uprising is not my cup of tea. If you enjoy thrillers and would like to see that genre’s tropes mixed in with the paranormal, or if you like urban fantasy primarily for the action, however, Uprising and the Vampire Federation series may be yours.
Sean McCabe is a pseudonym for thriller author Scott Mariani, and in Uprising he blends the thriller genre with a vampire story. Our protagonists are police detective Joel Solomon, and Alex Bishop, who is herself a law enforcement officer of sorts. She works for the Vampire Intelligence Agency, which serves the Vampire Federation, a bureaucracy that governs vampire society and has developed several technologies that allow vampires to live relatively normal lives amid the human population. But not all vampires adhere to the Federation’s dictates. Joel and Alex discover a traditionalist cult that hopes to overthrow the Federation and return vampires to their roots: lurking in the night and treating humans like cattle.
As is typical for a thriller, Uprising features a number of action-packed set pieces, including a gun battle on the spokes of the London Eye. Gore is spattered liberally, especially since vampires have developed a toxin that kills their own kind more gruesomely than the old-fashioned stake; it causes them to explode. Joel and Alex get to do plenty of badass things, and a great deal of ink is spent describing guns and cars. There is a niche of readers who are bound to love this.
I’m not that kind of reader, though, and I don’t think I’m alone. I like a good fight scene as much as the next person, but in my urban fantasy I also crave character development, a challenging mystery, and creative use of mythology. Romance is not a requirement, but if it is present, I want it to be well-developed. The characters in Uprising are flat, defined mainly by their badassitude. Because they are not fleshed out, their romance lacks spark. The mysterious traitor is easy to guess. And in the overstuffed vampire genre, McCabe just doesn’t add much that is new. (While the specific chemicals that enable vamps to live among humans are McCabe’s invention, the idea of conflict between the vamps who want to live among humans vs. the vamps who want to dominate humans is all too familiar.) The plot points I found most compelling are recognizably adapted from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Everyone borrows from the classics, of course, but in this case I’d rather have just reread Dracula. I like Stoker’s characters better! There are also several character decisions and plot points in Uprising that don’t quite make sense.
I had high hopes for one aspect of the plot, though. There’s one thriller trope that continues to be a guilty pleasure of mine: the quest for a legendary McGuffin, here represented by the Cross of Ardaich. Unfortunately, the scavenger hunt for the Cross, once it gets going, is brief and perfunctory.
So, Uprising is not my cup of tea. If you enjoy thrillers and would like to see that genre’s tropes mixed in with the paranormal, or if you like urban fantasy primarily for the action, however, Uprising and the Vampire Federation series may be yours.
December 7, 2022
2 stars.
This was one of those 'meh' books. It's not so bad you hate it, but it doesn't inspire you to grab the sequel.
The basic plot is to keep them safe and undetected in the 21st century, vampires have formed a federation that give then a few rules to live by: no vampire can kill a human, turn a human or love a human. I guess they're like jedi in that respect. (As an aside, why can't jedi fall in love and get married? Wouldn't a jedi be likely to have jedi offspring than two normal people? And the more jedi the better, right? This is a tangent, I'll get off it now). In return, vampires get a sort of mega sunblock so they can survive daylight and some vampire-killing bullets that are issued to the field agents that go out killing those naughty, naughty rogues who don't want to play nice.
Our main characters are Alex Bishop, a vampire field agent (aka, the kick-ass female that seems to be an obligatory character these days) and Joel Solomon, a tough policeman with a tragic past connected with his grandfather's vampire-hunting shenanigans (aka, the tough, brooding male who is also pretty much a staple in these sorts of books). They end up joining forces to uncover the bad vampires plans and need to find a magical anti-vampire McGuffin (actually a stone cross), that destroys any undead in its vicinity. And naturally they end up falling in love, because if a heterosexual couple spend a few minutes in each other's company they have to in these sorts of books.
I have a few problems with this book: the first is that it's written like a movie that's moving at a breakneck pace, all car chases and shoot outs and what the author thought was snappy dialogue without a pause. That might work in a movie, but here the characters just felt awkward and clunky with no subtle, slower periods to give them any real depth and I have to say I thought the resolution of the whole 'we have to find the magical McGuffin' plot was laughably easy - I've seen harder tasks on The Crystal Maze (You probably won't understand that reference if you're under 40 and/or aren't British; look it up on YouTube if you're curious).
There was also an awful lot of hand-waving of issues that might have been problems. The characters, good and bad, seem to regularly drive around in excess of 100 mph and are never stopped by the police or get caught by a speed camera or anything. Likewise, they just hop on a plane and instantly get to where they need to be to advance the plot. And several scenes (like a vampire shoot-out on the London Eye) are never referenced again after they happen - again, I point out: this is in a universe where vampires are hiding their existence from humans.
This book claims it would be perfect 'for fans of films such as Blade or Nightwatch.' I would say instead if you like films like the original Underworld movie you'll probably enjoy this novel, but it wasn't my cup of tea.
This was one of those 'meh' books. It's not so bad you hate it, but it doesn't inspire you to grab the sequel.
The basic plot is to keep them safe and undetected in the 21st century, vampires have formed a federation that give then a few rules to live by: no vampire can kill a human, turn a human or love a human. I guess they're like jedi in that respect. (As an aside, why can't jedi fall in love and get married? Wouldn't a jedi be likely to have jedi offspring than two normal people? And the more jedi the better, right? This is a tangent, I'll get off it now). In return, vampires get a sort of mega sunblock so they can survive daylight and some vampire-killing bullets that are issued to the field agents that go out killing those naughty, naughty rogues who don't want to play nice.
Our main characters are Alex Bishop, a vampire field agent (aka, the kick-ass female that seems to be an obligatory character these days) and Joel Solomon, a tough policeman with a tragic past connected with his grandfather's vampire-hunting shenanigans (aka, the tough, brooding male who is also pretty much a staple in these sorts of books). They end up joining forces to uncover the bad vampires plans and need to find a magical anti-vampire McGuffin (actually a stone cross), that destroys any undead in its vicinity. And naturally they end up falling in love, because if a heterosexual couple spend a few minutes in each other's company they have to in these sorts of books.
I have a few problems with this book: the first is that it's written like a movie that's moving at a breakneck pace, all car chases and shoot outs and what the author thought was snappy dialogue without a pause. That might work in a movie, but here the characters just felt awkward and clunky with no subtle, slower periods to give them any real depth and I have to say I thought the resolution of the whole 'we have to find the magical McGuffin' plot was laughably easy - I've seen harder tasks on The Crystal Maze (You probably won't understand that reference if you're under 40 and/or aren't British; look it up on YouTube if you're curious).
There was also an awful lot of hand-waving of issues that might have been problems. The characters, good and bad, seem to regularly drive around in excess of 100 mph and are never stopped by the police or get caught by a speed camera or anything. Likewise, they just hop on a plane and instantly get to where they need to be to advance the plot. And several scenes (like a vampire shoot-out on the London Eye) are never referenced again after they happen - again, I point out: this is in a universe where vampires are hiding their existence from humans.
This book claims it would be perfect 'for fans of films such as Blade or Nightwatch.' I would say instead if you like films like the original Underworld movie you'll probably enjoy this novel, but it wasn't my cup of tea.
July 25, 2016
OK here's the thing. I like post-apocalyptic books. I love zombie books (and movies!). But Vampires? Meh.
Maybe it was the whole Twilight hoo-hah that put me off (books sitting at the top of a best-seller list longer than it took the author to write aren't my thing - sorry Mr Larsson but your books will never grace my bookshelves). So how did I ever come to own this book? No idea.
However, Uprising changed my view of the vampire genre for the better. Good solid characters (both likeable and despicable) and a story that had me from the beginning until the end, an appropriate amount of blood and gore and an interesting point that vampires, unlike zombies, actually keep their human characteristics.
Although I understand other reviewers opinion of characters being killed off, personally I prefer the shock of a character not making it through to the end.
All in all, I highly recommend Uprising, and I've already got the next Vampire Federation book on pre-order.
Maybe it was the whole Twilight hoo-hah that put me off (books sitting at the top of a best-seller list longer than it took the author to write aren't my thing - sorry Mr Larsson but your books will never grace my bookshelves). So how did I ever come to own this book? No idea.
However, Uprising changed my view of the vampire genre for the better. Good solid characters (both likeable and despicable) and a story that had me from the beginning until the end, an appropriate amount of blood and gore and an interesting point that vampires, unlike zombies, actually keep their human characteristics.
Although I understand other reviewers opinion of characters being killed off, personally I prefer the shock of a character not making it through to the end.
All in all, I highly recommend Uprising, and I've already got the next Vampire Federation book on pre-order.
January 14, 2014
Having written a book featuring vampires, I tend to gravitate toward books like Uprising. Even though vampires are the main antagonists, this is far from a horror book. Make no mistake about it, this is a thriller through and through. It just so happens to you’ll find vampires in it too. And I think that’s where Mr. Mariani succeeds. He never tries to make this book something it wasn’t meant to be.
From the publisher: A new war is dawning. For millennia, vampires walked the earth undetected, feasting on humans in keeping with ancient tradition. In the Information Age, vampires realized they must be more careful to avoid detection. In the late 20th century they created the global Vampire Federation to police vampire activity, with special agents like Alex Bishop authorized to hunt down her own kind who break the laws. The old traditions are history. But not all vampires bow down to Federation rule. When rebel vampire Gabriel Stone declares war against them, Alex and her team are plunged into danger. Police inspector Joel Solomon, haunted by a secret terror of vampires, discovers a series of corpses left behind by Stone’s bloodthirsty gang. As he and Alex are drawn together in an unlikely alliance between human and vampire, the race begins to destroy the evil Stone before his uprising tears their world apart.
Don't forget to take your Solazal...
Uprising is the first book in Scott G. Mariani’s Vampire Federation series. Readers are introduced to a world where vampires co-mingle with humanity utilizing stealth and technology to remain secret. These modern vampires have developed drugs that allow them to walk in sunlight unharmed, instantly kill other vampires, and brainwash their victims so they won’t know they’ve been preyed upon. Mr. Mariani brings some nice touches to the vampire table with these technologies and the establishment of global vampire governing body.
Naturally, not all vampires want to be put on a leash. Some cling to the old ways of treating humans like the food source they are. They want to rule the world and live freely as they do. Needless to say, these two sides don’t see eye to eye and are willing to fight to get their respective ways.
This is where humanity comes into play. With two vampire factions slugging it out, it’s easy to believe somebody would notice. That somebody is Inspector Joel Solomon, who had prior dealings with vampires as a child. He eventually gets mixed up in the vampire war and works with Agent Alex Bishop. Together they search for the ultimate weapon that will end the war forever.
What I enjoyed about this book was the pacing. For the most part, Mr. Mariani utilized a lightning quick pace that keeps readers turning pages. His chapters are often short and succinct, giving readers what they need and nothing more. His characters too are brought to life by what they do, how they react to the situations they find themselves in. They felt three dimensional, believable.
As I mentioned before, this is a thriller. Even though Mr. Mariani incorporates vampires into his plot, readers are never exposed to too much gore or horror elements. While Uprising’s vampires are painted as predators, the book sticks with a more traditional thriller plotline. As a result, there aren’t many scares. This book is intelligently crafted and supplements the thriller feel with a side-dish of horror. With that being said, there is plenty here for both thriller and horror lovers to like.
I really enjoyed how the author approached the villains with a serial killer vibe. They stalk their prey and lure them back to their lair where they have their way with them. There is no remorse, only food.
Alex Bishop isn’t your typical “strong female character” either. She’s tough but still remains a woman. I think too many female characters nowadays are foul mouthed, ass kicking divas who want to do everything their male counterparts do. Alex has many layers. She’s damaged, cold at times because of past life experiences. As a result, she’s driven in her work. Yet deep down she’s searching for love, and possible a piece of her heart she lost many years ago. In my opinion, her storyline and character arc were masterfully crafted. I hope to one day be able to craft a character half as well as Mr. Mariani has here.
Three quarters of the way through this book the plot left me scratching my head a little. There were numerous small things like Joel finding a lost relic in a matter of hours when others failed after years of searching. It felt too convenient. Other times the plot was predictable. Readers knew that when characters we just met were introduced they weren’t going to last long. Even though there’s a fair amount of killing in this book, too often it held little meaning, leaving readers feeling indifferent. Should I care if a room full of nameless vampires is slaughtered? I didn’t.
All-in-all, I’m giving Uprising four out of five stars. If you’re looking for a grand feeling thrill ride filled with vampires, action, intrigue, suspense, and some horror thrown in for good measure, and all on a global scale, then give this book a try. There’s something for both thriller and horror fans to love. While you may not be scared, you will be on the edge of your seat turning pages long after bedtime. Grab a copy today.
From the publisher: A new war is dawning. For millennia, vampires walked the earth undetected, feasting on humans in keeping with ancient tradition. In the Information Age, vampires realized they must be more careful to avoid detection. In the late 20th century they created the global Vampire Federation to police vampire activity, with special agents like Alex Bishop authorized to hunt down her own kind who break the laws. The old traditions are history. But not all vampires bow down to Federation rule. When rebel vampire Gabriel Stone declares war against them, Alex and her team are plunged into danger. Police inspector Joel Solomon, haunted by a secret terror of vampires, discovers a series of corpses left behind by Stone’s bloodthirsty gang. As he and Alex are drawn together in an unlikely alliance between human and vampire, the race begins to destroy the evil Stone before his uprising tears their world apart.
Don't forget to take your Solazal...
Uprising is the first book in Scott G. Mariani’s Vampire Federation series. Readers are introduced to a world where vampires co-mingle with humanity utilizing stealth and technology to remain secret. These modern vampires have developed drugs that allow them to walk in sunlight unharmed, instantly kill other vampires, and brainwash their victims so they won’t know they’ve been preyed upon. Mr. Mariani brings some nice touches to the vampire table with these technologies and the establishment of global vampire governing body.
Naturally, not all vampires want to be put on a leash. Some cling to the old ways of treating humans like the food source they are. They want to rule the world and live freely as they do. Needless to say, these two sides don’t see eye to eye and are willing to fight to get their respective ways.
This is where humanity comes into play. With two vampire factions slugging it out, it’s easy to believe somebody would notice. That somebody is Inspector Joel Solomon, who had prior dealings with vampires as a child. He eventually gets mixed up in the vampire war and works with Agent Alex Bishop. Together they search for the ultimate weapon that will end the war forever.
What I enjoyed about this book was the pacing. For the most part, Mr. Mariani utilized a lightning quick pace that keeps readers turning pages. His chapters are often short and succinct, giving readers what they need and nothing more. His characters too are brought to life by what they do, how they react to the situations they find themselves in. They felt three dimensional, believable.
As I mentioned before, this is a thriller. Even though Mr. Mariani incorporates vampires into his plot, readers are never exposed to too much gore or horror elements. While Uprising’s vampires are painted as predators, the book sticks with a more traditional thriller plotline. As a result, there aren’t many scares. This book is intelligently crafted and supplements the thriller feel with a side-dish of horror. With that being said, there is plenty here for both thriller and horror lovers to like.
I really enjoyed how the author approached the villains with a serial killer vibe. They stalk their prey and lure them back to their lair where they have their way with them. There is no remorse, only food.
Alex Bishop isn’t your typical “strong female character” either. She’s tough but still remains a woman. I think too many female characters nowadays are foul mouthed, ass kicking divas who want to do everything their male counterparts do. Alex has many layers. She’s damaged, cold at times because of past life experiences. As a result, she’s driven in her work. Yet deep down she’s searching for love, and possible a piece of her heart she lost many years ago. In my opinion, her storyline and character arc were masterfully crafted. I hope to one day be able to craft a character half as well as Mr. Mariani has here.
Three quarters of the way through this book the plot left me scratching my head a little. There were numerous small things like Joel finding a lost relic in a matter of hours when others failed after years of searching. It felt too convenient. Other times the plot was predictable. Readers knew that when characters we just met were introduced they weren’t going to last long. Even though there’s a fair amount of killing in this book, too often it held little meaning, leaving readers feeling indifferent. Should I care if a room full of nameless vampires is slaughtered? I didn’t.
All-in-all, I’m giving Uprising four out of five stars. If you’re looking for a grand feeling thrill ride filled with vampires, action, intrigue, suspense, and some horror thrown in for good measure, and all on a global scale, then give this book a try. There’s something for both thriller and horror fans to love. While you may not be scared, you will be on the edge of your seat turning pages long after bedtime. Grab a copy today.
November 11, 2011
The blurb on the back cover of Uprising boldly proclaims that this will be “a perfect read for fans of films such as Blade an Nightwatch”. Curious to see if this claim would prove to be true I was looking forward to reading this novel.
The concept of vampires living secretly amongst humans has been done before, and I’m sure it will be done again, so when I am reading this subject matter I’m really looking to see if an author can inject their own unique perspective on the topic. Mariani goes for the all out action approach, and it works well. There are some great scenes where the vampires get to use their enhanced abilities to cause enormous damage. Lots of guns, plus lots of action, equals a great deal of fun
Solomon and Bishop are a good double act. Bishop has been a vampire for a long time and there is a sense of world-weariness about her. She has distanced herself from the human world, as the memories of her old life are still too painful. Meanwhile Solomon is a relative innocent, discovering everything about vampire society for the first time.
Gabriel Stone is a suitably cartoonish villain, all grand gestures and evil posturing. Needless to say, I warmed to him immediately. Stone has a gang of vampires who act as his hench men and women, as well as a manservant who is literally a ghoul. Splendidly creepy chap he is too.
As the story unfolds the reader gets to see glimpses of Stone’s grandiose end game which will pit vampire against vampire. I have to admit there was even a little part of me that was cheering him on. I’m a great fan of truly evil villains, and Stone falls squarely in the category.
Vampires need to be policed in order to ensure their continued secretive existence and it falls to the Vampire Federation to do the policing. I liked the idea that technology plays a key part in this process. This is a great excuse for some great little touches. The age-old problems of moving around in daylight, guaranteeing a victims silence and stopping rogue vampires are all dealt with in an inventive manner.
The plot zips along at break neck speed, so much so, I was worried that if I blinked I was going to miss something. From the Highlands of Scotland, to London and Venice, and from the mountains of Romania to the frozen tundra of Siberia, the story covers a lot of ground and has a globetrotting feel.
Uprising does exactly what it promises on the cover. Its fast paced shlocky fun, in the vein (I’m sorry I couldn’t resist) of Underworld. The sequel, The Cross, is already available and I enjoyed Uprising so much I’ll be reading it next.
The concept of vampires living secretly amongst humans has been done before, and I’m sure it will be done again, so when I am reading this subject matter I’m really looking to see if an author can inject their own unique perspective on the topic. Mariani goes for the all out action approach, and it works well. There are some great scenes where the vampires get to use their enhanced abilities to cause enormous damage. Lots of guns, plus lots of action, equals a great deal of fun
Solomon and Bishop are a good double act. Bishop has been a vampire for a long time and there is a sense of world-weariness about her. She has distanced herself from the human world, as the memories of her old life are still too painful. Meanwhile Solomon is a relative innocent, discovering everything about vampire society for the first time.
Gabriel Stone is a suitably cartoonish villain, all grand gestures and evil posturing. Needless to say, I warmed to him immediately. Stone has a gang of vampires who act as his hench men and women, as well as a manservant who is literally a ghoul. Splendidly creepy chap he is too.
As the story unfolds the reader gets to see glimpses of Stone’s grandiose end game which will pit vampire against vampire. I have to admit there was even a little part of me that was cheering him on. I’m a great fan of truly evil villains, and Stone falls squarely in the category.
Vampires need to be policed in order to ensure their continued secretive existence and it falls to the Vampire Federation to do the policing. I liked the idea that technology plays a key part in this process. This is a great excuse for some great little touches. The age-old problems of moving around in daylight, guaranteeing a victims silence and stopping rogue vampires are all dealt with in an inventive manner.
The plot zips along at break neck speed, so much so, I was worried that if I blinked I was going to miss something. From the Highlands of Scotland, to London and Venice, and from the mountains of Romania to the frozen tundra of Siberia, the story covers a lot of ground and has a globetrotting feel.
Uprising does exactly what it promises on the cover. Its fast paced shlocky fun, in the vein (I’m sorry I couldn’t resist) of Underworld. The sequel, The Cross, is already available and I enjoyed Uprising so much I’ll be reading it next.
January 24, 2011
This review is based on an advance reader copy received through the First Reads giveaway.
For me, the first half of the book deserved four stars, but flaws eventually dragged it down to only three. The ending lost it a half-star by being amazingly cliched, but the other half was lost due to sloppy writing of the real world surrounding the vampires.
For example, a point is made that the main human character, Joel, has never travelled outside of Britain. Then, just a few pages later, he flies to Italy, which suggests he had an active passport. Only a minor glitch, but added to other things, like smuggling antiquities out of Italy in lead-lined carry-on luggage, seriously strained my suspension of disbelief as they occurred.
Seriously, isn't a lead-lined attache case just a tiny bit suspicious, when you go through those airport security checkpoints? The author just didn't think that one through, and it matters to the plot.
Also, the amazing ability of otherwise normal humans to consistently take just one more action before falling down due to lethal damage seemed more than a little forced.
From a writer who is quite established under his other name, Scott Mariani, I expected better care in the writing.
The world of the vampires is what made it interesting, and although their use of modern technology and organization structure was fascinating, there were again a few annoying cliches and odd bits of story that didn't quite fit, mostly centering on the central vampire character, Alex. She keeps breaking every rule in the vampire book of rules, while working for an agency enforcing those same rules with deadly force. Maybe it's just me, but that seemed odd after a while.
Still, it was fast-paced and held my attention. Anyone looking for a very different kind of vampire urban fantasy/political thriller might enjoy it.
For me, the first half of the book deserved four stars, but flaws eventually dragged it down to only three. The ending lost it a half-star by being amazingly cliched, but the other half was lost due to sloppy writing of the real world surrounding the vampires.
For example, a point is made that the main human character, Joel, has never travelled outside of Britain. Then, just a few pages later, he flies to Italy, which suggests he had an active passport. Only a minor glitch, but added to other things, like smuggling antiquities out of Italy in lead-lined carry-on luggage, seriously strained my suspension of disbelief as they occurred.
Seriously, isn't a lead-lined attache case just a tiny bit suspicious, when you go through those airport security checkpoints? The author just didn't think that one through, and it matters to the plot.
Also, the amazing ability of otherwise normal humans to consistently take just one more action before falling down due to lethal damage seemed more than a little forced.
From a writer who is quite established under his other name, Scott Mariani, I expected better care in the writing.
The world of the vampires is what made it interesting, and although their use of modern technology and organization structure was fascinating, there were again a few annoying cliches and odd bits of story that didn't quite fit, mostly centering on the central vampire character, Alex. She keeps breaking every rule in the vampire book of rules, while working for an agency enforcing those same rules with deadly force. Maybe it's just me, but that seemed odd after a while.
Still, it was fast-paced and held my attention. Anyone looking for a very different kind of vampire urban fantasy/political thriller might enjoy it.
April 15, 2025
Highly amused that my dad read and recommended this book to me.
Im a sucker for the enjoyably silly world created and love a vampire protagonist plot but ultimately not very well written - classic badass female character written by a man, very stiff dialogue and often uninteresting attempt at scene setting (I really don’t care what car everyone is driving). However, I’m once again hooked on plot and will be reading the sequel though so who am I to be this critical.
Im a sucker for the enjoyably silly world created and love a vampire protagonist plot but ultimately not very well written - classic badass female character written by a man, very stiff dialogue and often uninteresting attempt at scene setting (I really don’t care what car everyone is driving). However, I’m once again hooked on plot and will be reading the sequel though so who am I to be this critical.
February 7, 2011
A horrible experience as a youth left Joel Solomon with a unique perspective when it came to claims of vampire ritual killings in the area. As a Detective Inspector, he logically thought that the teen, Declan Maddon was on drugs or alcohol and had imagined the Halloween night death. But, as the boy that watched his own parents attacked by one, Joel had a sense that Dec was telling the truth. As one of the Vampire Intelligence Agency’s (VIA) top field agents, Alex Bishop’s job included policing other vampires and making sure that the humans never suspected vampire existence. Hearing the story that Dec was telling the police brought her face to face with Joel and even though that first encounter didn‘t amount to much, there was something about him and she knew they would meet again. Taking different routes, Alex and Joel end up being on the same path … to stop the uprising of the vampire traditionalists.
Book 1 ….. Took an extremely long time to get into the story of the Uprising. Some of it could be attributed to it being the first book of a new series and wanting the back story told. To some point it was predictable, nothing like posting forbidden laws at the beginning of a story to ensure that some if not all will be broken by the main characters by the end of the story. I did struggle to get into it at first, there was so many characters and keeping them straight at first was difficult, and then to find most of the characters that had been introduced ended up dying was a bit frustrating. Near the middle of the book though, I did find myself not wanting to put it down, the main characters had been reoccurring enough that I finally got into the actual story and learned to overlook the introductions of the expendable characters. Turns out that I really liked both Joel and Alex. I liked the way it ended - emotionally, I will probably seek out the next book after it becomes available, if for not other reason than to see the reaction of the characters to the ending action of one of them.
Book 1 ….. Took an extremely long time to get into the story of the Uprising. Some of it could be attributed to it being the first book of a new series and wanting the back story told. To some point it was predictable, nothing like posting forbidden laws at the beginning of a story to ensure that some if not all will be broken by the main characters by the end of the story. I did struggle to get into it at first, there was so many characters and keeping them straight at first was difficult, and then to find most of the characters that had been introduced ended up dying was a bit frustrating. Near the middle of the book though, I did find myself not wanting to put it down, the main characters had been reoccurring enough that I finally got into the actual story and learned to overlook the introductions of the expendable characters. Turns out that I really liked both Joel and Alex. I liked the way it ended - emotionally, I will probably seek out the next book after it becomes available, if for not other reason than to see the reaction of the characters to the ending action of one of them.
January 26, 2016
Раньше вампирам жилось куда вольготнее - они пили кровь и бросали трупы где попало и было им на всех наплевать. Но появление CCTV, интернета и прочих благ цивилизации заставило их немного поумерить пыл и уйти в тень. Тут же организовалась Федерация, которая призвана следить за тем, чтобы вампиры не сильно бросались в глаза (в которой есть агенты с лицензией на убийство) и оппозиция, которым наплевать на огласку и хочется жить по-старому.
Вот читала я эту книгу и думала, что наверно не стоит так уж сильно осовременивать и опосовывать образ вампира. На самом деле им идет некоторая романтичность, таинственность и печаль от невозможности видеть солнечный свет... что же мы имеем здесь - а вампирам все в кайф, и с первого взгляда вообще непонятно, чем они так уж ущемлены. Есть специальная таблеточка, которая на 12 часов избавляет тебя от проблем с дневным светом, пососал ее - и все окей, есть специальное вещество, пули с содержанием которого разрывают вампира к чертям. Постойте, но как же питаться честному кровососу - о, так ведь людей можно пить не до конца! И на этот случай есть специальное вещество - хрясь человека шприцом - и нет проблемы, вирус вампиризма убит, память стерта. Еще вампиры едят человеческую пищу и даже с чесноком, правда она им никак.
Сама история главной героини - это немножко роуд муви, немножко романтики, немножко путешествие по волнам памяти и немножко котдавинчи с поисками супероружия против вампиров, чтобы оно не досталось повстанцам. И фэшн! Недавно я ругала книгу для девочек за подробные описания одежек и причесок, но оказывается мальчики тоже так пишут. Причем, неземной красоты роскошная девушка (главная героиня) является перед нами впервые в растаком пальто и "сапогах Zanotti". Наверно для тайной охоты на вампиров-отщепенцев в сверхдемократичной Европе она могла хотя бы ходить в кожаной куртке All Saints и кедах Converse
Вот читала я эту книгу и думала, что наверно не стоит так уж сильно осовременивать и опосовывать образ вампира. На самом деле им идет некоторая романтичность, таинственность и печаль от невозможности видеть солнечный свет... что же мы имеем здесь - а вампирам все в кайф, и с первого взгляда вообще непонятно, чем они так уж ущемлены. Есть специальная таблеточка, которая на 12 часов избавляет тебя от проблем с дневным светом, пососал ее - и все окей, есть специальное вещество, пули с содержанием которого разрывают вампира к чертям. Постойте, но как же питаться честному кровососу - о, так ведь людей можно пить не до конца! И на этот случай есть специальное вещество - хрясь человека шприцом - и нет проблемы, вирус вампиризма убит, память стерта. Еще вампиры едят человеческую пищу и даже с чесноком, правда она им никак.
Сама история главной героини - это немножко роуд муви, немножко романтики, немножко путешествие по волнам памяти и немножко котдавинчи с поисками супероружия против вампиров, чтобы оно не досталось повстанцам. И фэшн! Недавно я ругала книгу для девочек за подробные описания одежек и причесок, но оказывается мальчики тоже так пишут. Причем, неземной красоты роскошная девушка (главная героиня) является перед нами впервые в растаком пальто и "сапогах Zanotti". Наверно для тайной охоты на вампиров-отщепенцев в сверхдемократичной Европе она могла хотя бы ходить в кожаной куртке All Saints и кедах Converse
April 12, 2011
In the modern world, vampires remain hidden, but have created their own worldwide governing body that enforces the rules of vampire behavior, and distributes drugs that enable vampires to go out in the daylight and prevent humans from being turned by a vampire bite. A group of traditional vampires that just sees humans as a food source and wants to return vampire life to its old ways attacks the Federation with the intent of destroying it. Human police inspector Joel Solomon and Vampire Intelligence Agency agent Alex Bishop are thrown together to try and stop the uprising.
The book is readable, but is nothing special. The whole mix of a thriller novel with vampires didn't really work for me. Some of the action scenes are decent, but vampires having gun battles with each other just removes most of the interest in using vampires in the first place. The story is predictable, with a romance between Joel and Alex that comes out of nowhere and an obvious ending. I might look for further volumes in the series, but they won't be a high priority.
The book is readable, but is nothing special. The whole mix of a thriller novel with vampires didn't really work for me. Some of the action scenes are decent, but vampires having gun battles with each other just removes most of the interest in using vampires in the first place. The story is predictable, with a romance between Joel and Alex that comes out of nowhere and an obvious ending. I might look for further volumes in the series, but they won't be a high priority.
November 9, 2012
Three and a half stars for this one. It's about vampire's surviving in the modern age, by policing their own kind, not allowing them to kill humans, and giving them pills so they can go out in the sun light. As the title suggests it's about a group of vampires uprising against these ristrictions. It's fast paced and action packed. I really liked the main characters; Alex, the agent from the VIA (Vampire Intelligence Agency), and Joel the police officer that stumbles upon a vampire murder. Gabriel Stone is an excellent baddy as well. If you're into real vampires (not those ones from Twilight) and lots of action, then you'll love this.
January 25, 2011
I just finished this book and I too felt it was over narrated and the ending was a bit much. I wasn't immediately hooked but about the middle somethig took hold and I had to see it played out. I give it 3.5 stars.
I would buy the next book just to finish the story. I don't like to leave things unturned. ;0)
I would buy the next book just to finish the story. I don't like to leave things unturned. ;0)
February 27, 2011
I'm not used to read in English, yet this book was very fun to read, easy to follow. There were a couple of points where I felt the story expedient, but it may be the way fiction goes. I got fascinated by the charming evil vampires - I'm looking forward to see them again in the next volume.
February 12, 2011
this was if 24 was set in a time with vampires. intereting but predictable plot points.
April 26, 2015
Loved it. One of those books where you don't feel like you are reading. The story just flows. The characters grow and the action thrills. Highly recommend
October 18, 2024
I saw this in the library, and at first glance I thought the title was "Martian Uprising" (along with a photo of a red sky). On closer inspection, I realised that I'd got the author's surname mixed up with the title, but the vampire aspect was enough to keep my attention.
I haven't read any of the author's "Ben Hope" series, but it sounds like they're in the same genre as Clive Cussler's "Dirk Pitt" series. I think this is similar, with people running around, driving fast cars, and shooting at each other; it's just that it also involves vampires.
There are lots of references to real world brand names: clothing, vehicles, and weapons. I recognised some of the names, although I couldn't really describe the relevant items. You don't need to do any homework; it's enough to know that character X rode a motorbike. However, some people might appreciate the extra detail.
The characters and the plot aren't particularly complex. However, there are a lot of characters (even if some of them only appear briefly), so there were a few times when I had to flip back to a previous chapter to remind myself of what a particular person was last doing, i.e. how they wound up in their current situation. That's easier with a paperback than an ebook.
Other reviewers have compared this to the first "Underworld" movie, and I think that's a fair comparison. In particular, there are female vampires running around in skin-tight leather outfits, having sword fights.
Anyway, it held my attention, and I'm planning to read the sequel.
I haven't read any of the author's "Ben Hope" series, but it sounds like they're in the same genre as Clive Cussler's "Dirk Pitt" series. I think this is similar, with people running around, driving fast cars, and shooting at each other; it's just that it also involves vampires.
There are lots of references to real world brand names: clothing, vehicles, and weapons. I recognised some of the names, although I couldn't really describe the relevant items. You don't need to do any homework; it's enough to know that character X rode a motorbike. However, some people might appreciate the extra detail.
The characters and the plot aren't particularly complex. However, there are a lot of characters (even if some of them only appear briefly), so there were a few times when I had to flip back to a previous chapter to remind myself of what a particular person was last doing, i.e. how they wound up in their current situation. That's easier with a paperback than an ebook.
Other reviewers have compared this to the first "Underworld" movie, and I think that's a fair comparison. In particular, there are female vampires running around in skin-tight leather outfits, having sword fights.
Anyway, it held my attention, and I'm planning to read the sequel.
December 7, 2022
I found this at a book swap library and quite liked the blurb of this novel and decided to give it a crack.
I found myself recognizing familiar vampire movies/films vibes such as: " Moonlight", "Underworld", "True Blood", and even the stereotypical human/supernatural creature or in this case human/vampire love story/attraction i.e: Buffy/Angel, Buffy/Spike, and the list goes on.... and instead of being bored of the familiar troupe I couldn't put the book down beginning to end.
The motivation behind both sides of the vampires' factions was interesting and how the author approached each side's motivations. Some characters were more fleshed out than others so I hope in the next installment, those characters' storylines and personalities become more three-dimensional and I guess more interesting as the plot thickens plus who doesn't love vampires?
I give this book a 4 star rating
I found myself recognizing familiar vampire movies/films vibes such as: " Moonlight", "Underworld", "True Blood", and even the stereotypical human/supernatural creature or in this case human/vampire love story/attraction i.e: Buffy/Angel, Buffy/Spike, and the list goes on.... and instead of being bored of the familiar troupe I couldn't put the book down beginning to end.
The motivation behind both sides of the vampires' factions was interesting and how the author approached each side's motivations. Some characters were more fleshed out than others so I hope in the next installment, those characters' storylines and personalities become more three-dimensional and I guess more interesting as the plot thickens plus who doesn't love vampires?
I give this book a 4 star rating
February 4, 2021
Slight spoilers!
This is a fun, fast-paced, action-packed beast of a book. I was gripped from the beginning and so in love with this world Mariani created that I'd ordered the next book by the time I was 100 pages into this one.
The blend of Dracula-esque Gothic vampires with modern reality was seamlessly done. I was really impressed by the plot, Mariani's writing style, and I was constantly hooked and needing to know more.
The descriptions of fighting and the aftermath, of the brutality of the vampires, was excellent.
The only reason I didn't give this five stars is because I felt that Alex and Joel's relationship escalated too quickly with not enough of a build up to believe its level of intensity.
But other than that, I'd highly recommend this book, and I'm already wish-listing more of Mariani's work!
This is a fun, fast-paced, action-packed beast of a book. I was gripped from the beginning and so in love with this world Mariani created that I'd ordered the next book by the time I was 100 pages into this one.
The blend of Dracula-esque Gothic vampires with modern reality was seamlessly done. I was really impressed by the plot, Mariani's writing style, and I was constantly hooked and needing to know more.
The descriptions of fighting and the aftermath, of the brutality of the vampires, was excellent.
The only reason I didn't give this five stars is because I felt that Alex and Joel's relationship escalated too quickly with not enough of a build up to believe its level of intensity.
But other than that, I'd highly recommend this book, and I'm already wish-listing more of Mariani's work!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2023
This is book I've been meaning to read for a while being a Ben Hope fan. It was a slow starter but worth persisting with. It's a mix of spy, thriller and mild horror with a bit of something for most readers.
The style is unmistakably Mariani so reads rather like a Hope novel but the characters are all original. The hero, Joel, reminds me a bit of Tom McAllister featured in the Ben Hope series with one novel is his own. The story flows along well and pays much homage to Dracula with a few movie references along way.
You'll need The Cross if you read this book to complete the story!
The style is unmistakably Mariani so reads rather like a Hope novel but the characters are all original. The hero, Joel, reminds me a bit of Tom McAllister featured in the Ben Hope series with one novel is his own. The story flows along well and pays much homage to Dracula with a few movie references along way.
You'll need The Cross if you read this book to complete the story!
October 29, 2017
A more enjoyable book than I expected it to be. Vampires not being a favourite of mine. I loved the fast paced action reminiscent of the Ben Hope stories.
Not sure if I will read the next federation stories as fantasy isn't something I particularly enjoy. Irony being more my thing. Plausible ideology is a preferred route for me.
Not sure if I will read the next federation stories as fantasy isn't something I particularly enjoy. Irony being more my thing. Plausible ideology is a preferred route for me.
September 11, 2020
First Bite
I have to say I wasn't sure about this book, but Scott Mariani is such a great author I decided to read. I'm so glad I did Uprising is brilliant. Totally unlike his Ben Hope books I am totally absorbed, I've just started The Cross. I would highly recommend.
I have to say I wasn't sure about this book, but Scott Mariani is such a great author I decided to read. I'm so glad I did Uprising is brilliant. Totally unlike his Ben Hope books I am totally absorbed, I've just started The Cross. I would highly recommend.
July 8, 2021
Not my usual kind of book but I like Scott Marinari and thought I would give it a go. I enjoyed it and read it very quickly. I never read sci fi or fantasy novels bt I did really enjoy thi one and have ordered another in the series.
June 29, 2025
First of all got to say this isn't my usual genre but already associated with S.M. in his Ben Hope series and like his style and pace .
If ya wanna switch off , zone out and enjoy the ride this is for you .
Was definitely just a nice change for me though , and back to the tried and trusted .
If ya wanna switch off , zone out and enjoy the ride this is for you .
Was definitely just a nice change for me though , and back to the tried and trusted .
October 17, 2018
Brilliant read, not a dull moment. Great ending as well.
July 23, 2019
Wasn't sure at first but enjoyed it in the end.
March 3, 2020
Fast entertaining read
Great for a holiday read with extra scary bits
Pacy and thrilling with likeable leads
Just about to start book two!
Great for a holiday read with extra scary bits
Pacy and thrilling with likeable leads
Just about to start book two!
December 25, 2020
I loved this book. The way it’s written and the characters within it. I couldn’t put it down! I hope The Cross meets up to the same standard
April 17, 2024
I read this in 2019 was a good book.
December 7, 2024
Excellent take on the Vampire myth which I thought was so different from other Vampire tales.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews