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I do not remember being bitten. I wish I did, for then I would know the creature who did this to me and I would have a purpose, to track him down and repay him for the poisoned gift he gave me. Back in the Thirteenth Century, Will was destined to be Earl of Mercia, although he never lived to inherit his title. In the centuries that follow, Will has led a lonely life, learning to deal with whatever the present day throws at him, always searching for answers but never finding any. Until this time, when he awakens after a 20-year-slumber, hungry for the blood that sustains his undeath, when it appears that he is finally getting a glimpse at why he exists. He does indeed have a destiny, and an enemy, but revealing that fate will be a matter of trust...
282 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2011
45 people are currently reading
1673 people want to read
About the author
K.J. Wignall
3 books35 followersK.J. Wignall is the author of "The Mercian Trilogy", the first book of which, "Blood" (September 2011 in the USA and UK), will be followed by "Alchemy" in 2012.
He is also the author of several adult thrillers and short stories, and has been nominated for awards in both America and the UK. His works have also been published in Germany, Finland, Japan, Russia and Poland.
You can find out more (crypts, ghosts, all the usual stuff) on his website and visit KJW on Facebook -
http://www.facebook.com/pages/K-J-Wig...
He is also the author of several adult thrillers and short stories, and has been nominated for awards in both America and the UK. His works have also been published in Germany, Finland, Japan, Russia and Poland.
You can find out more (crypts, ghosts, all the usual stuff) on his website and visit KJW on Facebook -
http://www.facebook.com/pages/K-J-Wig...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
October 6, 2011
When Will woke up 20 years from the slumber, he remembered the prophecy that will defeat his own kind. He search for the true girl that will soon must be offer to the true owner. But what if a century year old guy will fall in love to a sixteen year old runaway wannabe writer? Can he save his own kind or will suffer from the frightening events that will happen to their life soon?
Since I'm bored to death while dissecting a dead dog, I did a short reading while hiding at the back of the shelves which was stored with bones. I like the first part of the book; I mean the first chapter only. It was all about the male character's perspective, how he lives and how he becomes thirsty of blood. (It's better to continue writing like in the first chapter, its way better.) Yes, I thought this is a historical fiction or something but came out to be another paranormal book. I don't mean not liking it but the whole thing bores me to death.
First, it has this sleeping pill narrative. The book composed mostly of narrative parts and end with a very boring chapter full of narration. I don't have any problem with this type of books but I'm very picky since narrative like this is very boring to most readers and I'm one of them. I can't also feel the emotion of the characters in the story and it should be a love story not a stone-hearted book.
Second, the main character was born in 1256 but the language that he use is simply in plain English. I don't know what happened to him in the dark ground while waiting for his chance to leave the place. Excuse me, can he speak in old English or in broad whatever language he had in the past? Plus, he is too modern for a century old (sixteen soon to be seventeen) vampire. Must remember; he must not use car for there is no car and gadgets in the past. Except if the other character taught him and I don't know how he learned it.
Third, the book is overwhelmingly satisfied with simplicity. Okay, that includes the alteration of latest vampire novels that had been published lately. Although, it wasn't his fault for doing that because of too much demand! And I suggest that he have to change or plan new ideas and concepts for his second book like marrying a mermaid not a human girl. Kidding.
Lastly, the I-can't-feel-the-emotion book. I admit that i read the whole thing like a stone. I've been doing nothing but sitting while my professor scolding me without knowing the characters presence. They are like paper dolls; they just do things what the author wanted to do. Can you make them things better than talking, running and finding that book? Even the extras had this weird taste of dialogues. Anyway, I never thought that the author is a guy because usually female authors wrote this type of book. Not because I'm a century year old vampire I can't use my Nook to read it, am I right?
Thanks to NetGalley for sharing the book and for Egmont USA for the free copy, and thanks for waiting. I've been busy for awhile because of some major school exams.
Rating: Blood (Mercian Trilogy #1) by K.J. Wignall, 1 Sweet
Challenges:
Book #275 for 2011
Since I'm bored to death while dissecting a dead dog, I did a short reading while hiding at the back of the shelves which was stored with bones. I like the first part of the book; I mean the first chapter only. It was all about the male character's perspective, how he lives and how he becomes thirsty of blood. (It's better to continue writing like in the first chapter, its way better.) Yes, I thought this is a historical fiction or something but came out to be another paranormal book. I don't mean not liking it but the whole thing bores me to death.
First, it has this sleeping pill narrative. The book composed mostly of narrative parts and end with a very boring chapter full of narration. I don't have any problem with this type of books but I'm very picky since narrative like this is very boring to most readers and I'm one of them. I can't also feel the emotion of the characters in the story and it should be a love story not a stone-hearted book.
Second, the main character was born in 1256 but the language that he use is simply in plain English. I don't know what happened to him in the dark ground while waiting for his chance to leave the place. Excuse me, can he speak in old English or in broad whatever language he had in the past? Plus, he is too modern for a century old (sixteen soon to be seventeen) vampire. Must remember; he must not use car for there is no car and gadgets in the past. Except if the other character taught him and I don't know how he learned it.
Third, the book is overwhelmingly satisfied with simplicity. Okay, that includes the alteration of latest vampire novels that had been published lately. Although, it wasn't his fault for doing that because of too much demand! And I suggest that he have to change or plan new ideas and concepts for his second book like marrying a mermaid not a human girl. Kidding.
Lastly, the I-can't-feel-the-emotion book. I admit that i read the whole thing like a stone. I've been doing nothing but sitting while my professor scolding me without knowing the characters presence. They are like paper dolls; they just do things what the author wanted to do. Can you make them things better than talking, running and finding that book? Even the extras had this weird taste of dialogues. Anyway, I never thought that the author is a guy because usually female authors wrote this type of book. Not because I'm a century year old vampire I can't use my Nook to read it, am I right?
Thanks to NetGalley for sharing the book and for Egmont USA for the free copy, and thanks for waiting. I've been busy for awhile because of some major school exams.
Rating: Blood (Mercian Trilogy #1) by K.J. Wignall, 1 Sweet
Challenges:
Book #275 for 2011
September 21, 2011
I got a copy of this book from the ever-wonderful NetGalley. I was interested in reading a book about vampires, especially after I heard that Blood dealt with the more ‘traditional’ vampire. However, I didn’t really end up enjoying this particular story very much.
The plot of Blood is a little too obscure for my liking, but it certainly has potential; I think it was the execution of ideas that dragged the story down a bit. It’s about William, Earl of Mercia, who “fell ill” (that’s lingo for “turned into a vampire”) in the 1200′s and was buried away in a crypt. Over the past 800 or so years, he’ll wake up every so often to feed on human blood.
The story opens up with Will waking up and looks for a person to feed on, as per his usual routine, as well as feeling sorry for himself and wondering if he’ll ever find the person who turned him into a vampire so he can exact his revenge. Will finds a homeless person and kills him, drinking his blood, but when he peeks through the homeless person’s notebook and sees his name in it, he becomes intrigued and wonders if destiny brought him to this man. Flipping through it some more, he sees some sketches of this girl who, coincidentally enough, he runs into later in the story. He is sure that somehow, this girl (Eloise) is connected to him, based on the writings/prophecies/notes in the notebook, and that he is approaching his “destiny”, the reason he became a vampire.
So, I think the plot is okay, and the story as whole is okay, but I felt like it was built on a lot of funky coincidences and truthfully, it wasn’t written in the most captivating manner. It’s good writing, but as I was reading, I felt disconnected from the story a lot; I couldn’t fully immerse myself into the world.
I wasn’t a big fan of all the coincidences in the story — which Will handily calls destiny. Will encountered the homeless guy who coincidentally had all these notes about him, and then he coincidentally he meets Eloise, the same girl talked about in the notebook, and Eloise coincidentally knows Chris and Rachel, who have seen Will in 1989 and recognize him and actually remember him, and they coincidentally are really interested in paranormal stuff … it just felt like the story is in danger of crossing over to the deus ex machina side quite often, as it relied on the destiny card quite a bit. I understand that Will’s character has a destiny laid out for him (apparently), but it was not laid out by a god. It was laid out by the villain, who has a use for Will. So I don’t understand how destiny is causing Will to run into all these characters who are so intertwined or related to his story.
The characters were rather mediocre and weren’t very likeable or memorable. Will reminded me greatly of Edward Cullen: vampire, good looks, kind of melancholic, wants to just die and be done with “living”, chivalric, etc. and that immediately made me not like him too much. Eloise struck me as an idiot. She comes from a privileged family, but decided to live on the streets because no one was paying enough attention to her. Chris and Rachel are easily forgettable, as their entire purpose seemed to boil down to being Will and Eloise’s chauffeurs.As for the villains, you don’t really meet them, nor do you get a clear picture as to their goals and motivations. Well, you do meet one villain at the end, but he’s really just the servant of the true villain.
The relationships between characters weren’t logical to me. I didn’t understand why Eloise was happy to disclose her real name to Will, who she’s only known a day, but reveals that she’s been using an alias around Chris and Rachel, who she’s known for much longer and swears are perfectly good people. I also didn’t understand why nobody freaked out or disbelieved the fact that Will was a vampire; everyone seemed to more or less accept it. I understand that Eloise, Chris and Rachel, due to their personalities, want to believe in vampires and other paranormal creatures, but wanting to believe is not quite the same as actually encountering one … and knowing he’s just killed a man yesterday … I feel like these characters aren’t believable in that sense. Most people would be more wary, at the very least, instead of eagerly rolling up their sleeves and offering any help they can to find the vampire’s attacker.
There isn’t very much romance in this book, which I was surprised because a lot of YA paranormal books (especially vampires!) have a romance component in them. It was definitely a welcome change, but what little romance there was in the book happened quite quickly. I am not sure at what point Will and Eloise started liking one another — one second they’re trying to unravel the mystery of Will’s ‘destiny’, the next second, they are locking lips. Nevertheless, the romance is so downplayed and minor in this story that I didn’t really mind the InstaLove.
The story moves pretty slow, and when it ended, it didn’t feel like anything was resolved. As the entire story revolved around Will moping about what his destiny is and all that, it was quite disappointing when the book ended and we still don’t find out what the destiny is. Will does find his attacker, but it was quickly resolved, so fast that if you blink, you would have missed it. I feel like since trilogies and series are a trend in YA, this book decided to follow that path as well, but I honestly feel this story should be a stand-alone book. I’ve said this about a number of YA series now — when you write a series, each individual book still feel conclusive. You can’t just say, “Oh, well, you’ll find the answers in the next book!” The reader shouldn’t finish the first book having discovered nothing. Or barely anything. For example, in the Harry Potter series, each book wraps up that particular books secrets, mysteries and plots, but the overarching plot continues on in the next book (namely, fighting Voldemort). It would be extremely unsatisfying to read The Chamber of Secrets and not find out where the notebook came from, or who Tom Riddle is, until two books later.
Anyway, for all my complaints, this book really was just okay. It’s not horrible, but it could have been a lot better. I think if you are not much of an inquisitive person when reading books, you might enjoy this, but if you are like me and ask a lot of questions, then this may be one better left unread. As a side note, I am also not a fan of this cover. It looks cheaply Photoshop’d, with the gradient text and the blood-splatter brushes. Also, the half-naked guy with abs on the cover is kind of cheesy and strikes me as a romance novel rather than YA. Is that supposed to be Will? I don’t think earls from the 1200s have abs because noble people don’t really do much physical labour back in those days … I don’t know. Just some of my random thoughts.
(Originally posted at http://skyink.net).
The plot of Blood is a little too obscure for my liking, but it certainly has potential; I think it was the execution of ideas that dragged the story down a bit. It’s about William, Earl of Mercia, who “fell ill” (that’s lingo for “turned into a vampire”) in the 1200′s and was buried away in a crypt. Over the past 800 or so years, he’ll wake up every so often to feed on human blood.
The story opens up with Will waking up and looks for a person to feed on, as per his usual routine, as well as feeling sorry for himself and wondering if he’ll ever find the person who turned him into a vampire so he can exact his revenge. Will finds a homeless person and kills him, drinking his blood, but when he peeks through the homeless person’s notebook and sees his name in it, he becomes intrigued and wonders if destiny brought him to this man. Flipping through it some more, he sees some sketches of this girl who, coincidentally enough, he runs into later in the story. He is sure that somehow, this girl (Eloise) is connected to him, based on the writings/prophecies/notes in the notebook, and that he is approaching his “destiny”, the reason he became a vampire.
So, I think the plot is okay, and the story as whole is okay, but I felt like it was built on a lot of funky coincidences and truthfully, it wasn’t written in the most captivating manner. It’s good writing, but as I was reading, I felt disconnected from the story a lot; I couldn’t fully immerse myself into the world.
I wasn’t a big fan of all the coincidences in the story — which Will handily calls destiny. Will encountered the homeless guy who coincidentally had all these notes about him, and then he coincidentally he meets Eloise, the same girl talked about in the notebook, and Eloise coincidentally knows Chris and Rachel, who have seen Will in 1989 and recognize him and actually remember him, and they coincidentally are really interested in paranormal stuff … it just felt like the story is in danger of crossing over to the deus ex machina side quite often, as it relied on the destiny card quite a bit. I understand that Will’s character has a destiny laid out for him (apparently), but it was not laid out by a god. It was laid out by the villain, who has a use for Will. So I don’t understand how destiny is causing Will to run into all these characters who are so intertwined or related to his story.
The characters were rather mediocre and weren’t very likeable or memorable. Will reminded me greatly of Edward Cullen: vampire, good looks, kind of melancholic, wants to just die and be done with “living”, chivalric, etc. and that immediately made me not like him too much. Eloise struck me as an idiot. She comes from a privileged family, but decided to live on the streets because no one was paying enough attention to her. Chris and Rachel are easily forgettable, as their entire purpose seemed to boil down to being Will and Eloise’s chauffeurs.As for the villains, you don’t really meet them, nor do you get a clear picture as to their goals and motivations. Well, you do meet one villain at the end, but he’s really just the servant of the true villain.
The relationships between characters weren’t logical to me. I didn’t understand why Eloise was happy to disclose her real name to Will, who she’s only known a day, but reveals that she’s been using an alias around Chris and Rachel, who she’s known for much longer and swears are perfectly good people. I also didn’t understand why nobody freaked out or disbelieved the fact that Will was a vampire; everyone seemed to more or less accept it. I understand that Eloise, Chris and Rachel, due to their personalities, want to believe in vampires and other paranormal creatures, but wanting to believe is not quite the same as actually encountering one … and knowing he’s just killed a man yesterday … I feel like these characters aren’t believable in that sense. Most people would be more wary, at the very least, instead of eagerly rolling up their sleeves and offering any help they can to find the vampire’s attacker.
There isn’t very much romance in this book, which I was surprised because a lot of YA paranormal books (especially vampires!) have a romance component in them. It was definitely a welcome change, but what little romance there was in the book happened quite quickly. I am not sure at what point Will and Eloise started liking one another — one second they’re trying to unravel the mystery of Will’s ‘destiny’, the next second, they are locking lips. Nevertheless, the romance is so downplayed and minor in this story that I didn’t really mind the InstaLove.
The story moves pretty slow, and when it ended, it didn’t feel like anything was resolved. As the entire story revolved around Will moping about what his destiny is and all that, it was quite disappointing when the book ended and we still don’t find out what the destiny is. Will does find his attacker, but it was quickly resolved, so fast that if you blink, you would have missed it. I feel like since trilogies and series are a trend in YA, this book decided to follow that path as well, but I honestly feel this story should be a stand-alone book. I’ve said this about a number of YA series now — when you write a series, each individual book still feel conclusive. You can’t just say, “Oh, well, you’ll find the answers in the next book!” The reader shouldn’t finish the first book having discovered nothing. Or barely anything. For example, in the Harry Potter series, each book wraps up that particular books secrets, mysteries and plots, but the overarching plot continues on in the next book (namely, fighting Voldemort). It would be extremely unsatisfying to read The Chamber of Secrets and not find out where the notebook came from, or who Tom Riddle is, until two books later.
Anyway, for all my complaints, this book really was just okay. It’s not horrible, but it could have been a lot better. I think if you are not much of an inquisitive person when reading books, you might enjoy this, but if you are like me and ask a lot of questions, then this may be one better left unread. As a side note, I am also not a fan of this cover. It looks cheaply Photoshop’d, with the gradient text and the blood-splatter brushes. Also, the half-naked guy with abs on the cover is kind of cheesy and strikes me as a romance novel rather than YA. Is that supposed to be Will? I don’t think earls from the 1200s have abs because noble people don’t really do much physical labour back in those days … I don’t know. Just some of my random thoughts.
(Originally posted at http://skyink.net).
August 1, 2011
I liked how this was not just another vampire novel. This book has a classic feel to it more like your old vampire novels. In this book the main character was changed in the 12th century and left to fend for himself. He did not know what had made him or why he was made because through the centuries he never met anyone like him. His life was nothing but keeping a low profile so that he was never discovered. Then everything changes when he wakes from one of his long hibernation and feeds on a homeless guy who goes into a trance and say weird things to him. Also, this guy has a notebook with things written about him that he couldn't possibly know and a girl, a special destiny and an enemy. That starts him on a journey to finally finding out about his past and why he is what he is.
I found this book to be very creative and love the element of mystery in the book. I am not a fan of mystery at all, but the mystery just adds to the story and is not the entire story. I love how he wants to restore his family honor because of the curse placed on him. This book has me guessing on why he was chosen to live this life and is Eloise his soul mate or is she something bigger. I have a few theory's but I will have to wait until the next book to find out. Also, I want to know what the spirits really want with him because I don't think they are just trying to guide them or keep them from harm.
I am very happy that the author is making this a trilogy because this story has so much potential to be of epic proportion that one book would not do it justice. This book has so many different angles to explore that it would have been a shame to tie it up in just one book. So, I am looking forward to reading more and seeing where the author plans to take us on this journey.
I found this book to be very creative and love the element of mystery in the book. I am not a fan of mystery at all, but the mystery just adds to the story and is not the entire story. I love how he wants to restore his family honor because of the curse placed on him. This book has me guessing on why he was chosen to live this life and is Eloise his soul mate or is she something bigger. I have a few theory's but I will have to wait until the next book to find out. Also, I want to know what the spirits really want with him because I don't think they are just trying to guide them or keep them from harm.
I am very happy that the author is making this a trilogy because this story has so much potential to be of epic proportion that one book would not do it justice. This book has so many different angles to explore that it would have been a shame to tie it up in just one book. So, I am looking forward to reading more and seeing where the author plans to take us on this journey.
July 20, 2011
Another YA book, means another try at the vampire story. Apparently. I am happy to say, however, that while Blood by KJ Wignall is yet another foray into the YA Vamp bottomless pit (before you get in a twist over that, the pit has both good and bad in it) it is more about the action then the tortured romance. At least, as of the end of the first installment in the Mercian Trilogy. And I liked that.
Unlike many of its contemporaries, this book doesn't really try to be about a superficial teenage relationship that only starts because one of the pair is soooooo dreamy that the reader swoons from the description of him. (It's usually a him. Not always, but usually.) It's set up about the mystery surrounding our protagonist's history. Namely, his search to find out how he became a vampire. It also doesn't try to romanticize the nature of a vampire, instead Will seems that he would happily accept death over the immortal vampire life he has. That's a little different from the Twilight and Twilight-like series that proliferate this genre. And it's a welcome difference.
Our story goes something like this. Will wakes up from another period of hibernation and takes to the streets. Like always, after such a period he needs to feed. And that means finding someone who's life force he can get from their blood. Will doesn't know any other vamps. But, he decided long ago that he will only feed on those who are likely to not be missed. That's why he settles on Jax. Jax is a street person who seems a little off his rocker. But, he has a notebook that proves that he knows about Will - even if it's subconsciously. This notebook feeds Wills desire to find who turned him and why. Then, Will saves Ella from a bunch of street kids who are hassling her. She too is homeless, but that's a sad and sort of complicated story. Turns out that Will thinks he was destined to find Eloise and that she may be part of the key to finding out who turned him. Enter Chris and Rachael, friends of a sort of Ella's. And they embark on a journey to piece together clues left by Jax and his notebook.
Despite what is a sort of clunky beginning (and, in the galley I received, I think I found a few glaring errors/inconsistencies that will hopefully be caught and corrected before final publication here in the US) I think the series has promise. And while the beginning is a little clunky - I like the idea behind the way it starts. I would not change that. It's a great way to open, watching Will wake up from hibernation. It just seems to need a little more fine tuning. But it was a wonderful refreshing way to start a book like this.
I will say this, however, I am not sure this should really be a series. What I mean is that I think I would rather a longer stand-alon book then 3 short books - just so that it can be a series. Some stories really shouldn't be separate books. For example, one of my all time favorites is the Count of Monte Cristo - I can't imagine if the publishers (in what is presumably an attempt to make more money by publishing in installments) split that up into 3 or 4 little books. I am not sure I would have fallen in love with that story the way I did. It was seamless and you didn't need a cheat sheet to remember the details a year later when the next installment came out. Here, the book was short enough that I really wonder if it would not be more enjoyable as one long book. I will eagerly read the second, but I am not looking forward to the repetition that will likely be there so that if someone picks up #2 first, they aren't totally lost. That takes away from the enjoyment much of the time. Especially with short books.
So far, the plot is intriguing. We really don't have much of a clue as to why Will was turned or who a few of the players are - those who are really only referred to but not introduced. Hopefully the connections will play out some in the 2nd (another problem with some serials - they wait until the last book to give you anything, sucking most of the joy out of reading the series because the reader is left feeling duped and let down after reading the second **hint, hint**) - I am not asking for all of them - just enough to keep me interested and keep the plot moving.
It will also be interesting to see how the relationship between Will and Ella plays out. It hasn't been that gushy girly to die for romance so far. And I like it that way. It still leaves room for them to get together but seems to be a little more plot driven then romance driven.
Where things got a little complicated (and another area where clunky seems the best way to describe it) was in the use of other paranormal entities/devices. The introduction of the ghosts sort of felt wasted. And while we hear early on that Will is turned right after the burning of some witches back in the 1200s, it really doesn't make sense that those same witches would be looking to help Will. They sort of come out of nowhere, seem threatening but then are all of a sudden helpful, and then wham! they are the witches. I felt like I got whiplash from wondering where the heck that came from.
The best thing about this book was the little "flashbacks" - they weren't really flashbacks, but they were Will telling about his history. They were interesting and seemed to provide information about Will as a character which made it much easier to like him. I am hoping that there is more of a reason for each of the snippets we get later on though.
Most of the descriptions in this book had a nice balance - I had just enough to form a picture that the author seemed to want me to have, and yet I was still free to fill in some blanks and I didn't get the same information repetitively (often, a problem with serials - where we get the same descriptions of places and characters over and over as a way to add girth to the page count, adding to the reason for splitting books that really shouldn't be split). I was able to form that little movie in my mind while I read the book and it didn't take four pages to merely set the scene.
I am intrigued by the action at the end to. I didn't expect the cliffhanger to work out that way (no spoilers until after publication - that's my rule for galleys I get) but was happy that I was surprised. It's starting to be hard to surprise me - only because I read so much and a unique idea is apparently hard to come by in this genre.
When all was done, I felt it was a happily spent few hours reading. I look forward to what ever #2 will be.
Unlike many of its contemporaries, this book doesn't really try to be about a superficial teenage relationship that only starts because one of the pair is soooooo dreamy that the reader swoons from the description of him. (It's usually a him. Not always, but usually.) It's set up about the mystery surrounding our protagonist's history. Namely, his search to find out how he became a vampire. It also doesn't try to romanticize the nature of a vampire, instead Will seems that he would happily accept death over the immortal vampire life he has. That's a little different from the Twilight and Twilight-like series that proliferate this genre. And it's a welcome difference.
Our story goes something like this. Will wakes up from another period of hibernation and takes to the streets. Like always, after such a period he needs to feed. And that means finding someone who's life force he can get from their blood. Will doesn't know any other vamps. But, he decided long ago that he will only feed on those who are likely to not be missed. That's why he settles on Jax. Jax is a street person who seems a little off his rocker. But, he has a notebook that proves that he knows about Will - even if it's subconsciously. This notebook feeds Wills desire to find who turned him and why. Then, Will saves Ella from a bunch of street kids who are hassling her. She too is homeless, but that's a sad and sort of complicated story. Turns out that Will thinks he was destined to find Eloise and that she may be part of the key to finding out who turned him. Enter Chris and Rachael, friends of a sort of Ella's. And they embark on a journey to piece together clues left by Jax and his notebook.
Despite what is a sort of clunky beginning (and, in the galley I received, I think I found a few glaring errors/inconsistencies that will hopefully be caught and corrected before final publication here in the US) I think the series has promise. And while the beginning is a little clunky - I like the idea behind the way it starts. I would not change that. It's a great way to open, watching Will wake up from hibernation. It just seems to need a little more fine tuning. But it was a wonderful refreshing way to start a book like this.
I will say this, however, I am not sure this should really be a series. What I mean is that I think I would rather a longer stand-alon book then 3 short books - just so that it can be a series. Some stories really shouldn't be separate books. For example, one of my all time favorites is the Count of Monte Cristo - I can't imagine if the publishers (in what is presumably an attempt to make more money by publishing in installments) split that up into 3 or 4 little books. I am not sure I would have fallen in love with that story the way I did. It was seamless and you didn't need a cheat sheet to remember the details a year later when the next installment came out. Here, the book was short enough that I really wonder if it would not be more enjoyable as one long book. I will eagerly read the second, but I am not looking forward to the repetition that will likely be there so that if someone picks up #2 first, they aren't totally lost. That takes away from the enjoyment much of the time. Especially with short books.
So far, the plot is intriguing. We really don't have much of a clue as to why Will was turned or who a few of the players are - those who are really only referred to but not introduced. Hopefully the connections will play out some in the 2nd (another problem with some serials - they wait until the last book to give you anything, sucking most of the joy out of reading the series because the reader is left feeling duped and let down after reading the second **hint, hint**) - I am not asking for all of them - just enough to keep me interested and keep the plot moving.
It will also be interesting to see how the relationship between Will and Ella plays out. It hasn't been that gushy girly to die for romance so far. And I like it that way. It still leaves room for them to get together but seems to be a little more plot driven then romance driven.
Where things got a little complicated (and another area where clunky seems the best way to describe it) was in the use of other paranormal entities/devices. The introduction of the ghosts sort of felt wasted. And while we hear early on that Will is turned right after the burning of some witches back in the 1200s, it really doesn't make sense that those same witches would be looking to help Will. They sort of come out of nowhere, seem threatening but then are all of a sudden helpful, and then wham! they are the witches. I felt like I got whiplash from wondering where the heck that came from.
The best thing about this book was the little "flashbacks" - they weren't really flashbacks, but they were Will telling about his history. They were interesting and seemed to provide information about Will as a character which made it much easier to like him. I am hoping that there is more of a reason for each of the snippets we get later on though.
Most of the descriptions in this book had a nice balance - I had just enough to form a picture that the author seemed to want me to have, and yet I was still free to fill in some blanks and I didn't get the same information repetitively (often, a problem with serials - where we get the same descriptions of places and characters over and over as a way to add girth to the page count, adding to the reason for splitting books that really shouldn't be split). I was able to form that little movie in my mind while I read the book and it didn't take four pages to merely set the scene.
I am intrigued by the action at the end to. I didn't expect the cliffhanger to work out that way (no spoilers until after publication - that's my rule for galleys I get) but was happy that I was surprised. It's starting to be hard to surprise me - only because I read so much and a unique idea is apparently hard to come by in this genre.
When all was done, I felt it was a happily spent few hours reading. I look forward to what ever #2 will be.
October 5, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyable and really quite addictive vampire tale this, with a kind of mystery vibe running through it that gives it a freshly inventive style.
William, or Will, is vampire (he prefers the term "undead" ) - for hundreds of years he has lived without knowing why or who did this to him- but a darker force is rising, its a time of prophecy and maybe some answers are on the way.
I liked the relationship that develops between Will and Eloise- a runaway who may form part of hos destiny- mainly because it wasn't all Twilight insta love rubbish but a more considered and instinctual thing. The mystery of who turned Will and why is really just starting in this first of a trilogy but it's twisted enough to keep you turning those pages.
An excellent creepy vibe to the more haunting moments, a great atmospheric sense throughout and a great teaser finale all made "Blood" a very excellent YA read.
I will be moving onto Alchemy and Death very soon. As will we all....
Recommended.
William, or Will, is vampire (he prefers the term "undead" ) - for hundreds of years he has lived without knowing why or who did this to him- but a darker force is rising, its a time of prophecy and maybe some answers are on the way.
I liked the relationship that develops between Will and Eloise- a runaway who may form part of hos destiny- mainly because it wasn't all Twilight insta love rubbish but a more considered and instinctual thing. The mystery of who turned Will and why is really just starting in this first of a trilogy but it's twisted enough to keep you turning those pages.
An excellent creepy vibe to the more haunting moments, a great atmospheric sense throughout and a great teaser finale all made "Blood" a very excellent YA read.
I will be moving onto Alchemy and Death very soon. As will we all....
Recommended.
September 19, 2011
I got an advanced reading copy of this book through Netgalley.com. This is the first book in a planned trilogy. I wanted to love this book, but everything about it was pretty mediocre.
Will was destined to be the Earl of Mercia in the thirteenth century, that was until he was bitten and came down with the Sickness and died. Then he awoke as something other, something undead. Now seven centuries have passed for some of the time Will has been awake and trying to blend in amoung humanity, for the rest of the time he has been in a hibernation-like sleep. One thing has always plagued Will though, why was he bitten? When will kills a squatter who knows Will's name, Will finds out that he may be part of a larger plan. Then Will is drawn to Eloise, maybe she is the key to the why behind his vampirism?
Okay I am trying to think about something positive to say about this book. The writing was okay and there weren't any glaring technical errors. Also the idea of a vampire as a solitary creature over centuries is intriguing, if a tad unrealistic.
Will has spent his past nearly 800 years between periods of hibernation and living amoung the human race. He wants to know why he was changed. This is the first problem I have with the book, I mean seriously what has he done the last 800 years? Why is he still stuck at square one regarding his own history?
Then Will stumbles upon Eloise and saves her from some gang-members. He is drawn to her, Eloise is THE ONE. Okay I have mentioned before how much I hate this immediate love at first sight, destiny kind of thing. Seriously why would Will be drawn to her of all women in the last 800 years? Then there is Eloise she is a runaway who left her privaleged life because she felt ignored by her parents. Okay. Problem is, she is kind of a brat and when this crazy Will guy starts telling her he is a vampire she is all like "That is so awesome, I completely trust you now". Not kidding, she is galavanting off with him to his secret lair in no time flat. She does this after explaining to Will that she is super cautious and never tells anyone her real name.
So I wasn't that impressed with the two main characters. What about the secondary character? Well the secondary characters consist of a couple of Vegan coffee shop owners who are called Chris and Rachel. They are supposed to help Will somehow, but they basically become a glorified taxi service for Will and Eloise. So no winners there. Even the bad guy is pretty underdeveloped. We never are never given a motive for the bad guy's actions outside of "well a guy who is badder than me made me do it"
You don't even get to the meat of the story until the last fourth of the book. It isn't until this part of the book that we are finally given a break from Will's whining about his ignorance and Eloise's blind devotion, here we finally start to get drawn into the mystery of why Will was turned. Then the book ends without resolving anything, it is totally just setup for the next book.
Overall I didn't enjoy this book. While it is technically decently written, it had a number of flaws. The premise behind Will and his history felt contrived, the characters were shallow and bland, the pace drags in the beginning of the book, and nothing is resolved in this book. Eloise contradicts herself often, Will is drawn to her immediately and I hate that kind of basis for a character relationship. The idea of a solitary vampire who hibernates was an interesting one, but just not a very good premise for this type of story...or maybe just not well done in this case. I will not be reading more books in this series and recommend readers check out other MG/YA vampire paranormal series; Vampire Academy and Blood Ninja are pretty good, there are numerous others out there.
Will was destined to be the Earl of Mercia in the thirteenth century, that was until he was bitten and came down with the Sickness and died. Then he awoke as something other, something undead. Now seven centuries have passed for some of the time Will has been awake and trying to blend in amoung humanity, for the rest of the time he has been in a hibernation-like sleep. One thing has always plagued Will though, why was he bitten? When will kills a squatter who knows Will's name, Will finds out that he may be part of a larger plan. Then Will is drawn to Eloise, maybe she is the key to the why behind his vampirism?
Okay I am trying to think about something positive to say about this book. The writing was okay and there weren't any glaring technical errors. Also the idea of a vampire as a solitary creature over centuries is intriguing, if a tad unrealistic.
Will has spent his past nearly 800 years between periods of hibernation and living amoung the human race. He wants to know why he was changed. This is the first problem I have with the book, I mean seriously what has he done the last 800 years? Why is he still stuck at square one regarding his own history?
Then Will stumbles upon Eloise and saves her from some gang-members. He is drawn to her, Eloise is THE ONE. Okay I have mentioned before how much I hate this immediate love at first sight, destiny kind of thing. Seriously why would Will be drawn to her of all women in the last 800 years? Then there is Eloise she is a runaway who left her privaleged life because she felt ignored by her parents. Okay. Problem is, she is kind of a brat and when this crazy Will guy starts telling her he is a vampire she is all like "That is so awesome, I completely trust you now". Not kidding, she is galavanting off with him to his secret lair in no time flat. She does this after explaining to Will that she is super cautious and never tells anyone her real name.
So I wasn't that impressed with the two main characters. What about the secondary character? Well the secondary characters consist of a couple of Vegan coffee shop owners who are called Chris and Rachel. They are supposed to help Will somehow, but they basically become a glorified taxi service for Will and Eloise. So no winners there. Even the bad guy is pretty underdeveloped. We never are never given a motive for the bad guy's actions outside of "well a guy who is badder than me made me do it"
You don't even get to the meat of the story until the last fourth of the book. It isn't until this part of the book that we are finally given a break from Will's whining about his ignorance and Eloise's blind devotion, here we finally start to get drawn into the mystery of why Will was turned. Then the book ends without resolving anything, it is totally just setup for the next book.
Overall I didn't enjoy this book. While it is technically decently written, it had a number of flaws. The premise behind Will and his history felt contrived, the characters were shallow and bland, the pace drags in the beginning of the book, and nothing is resolved in this book. Eloise contradicts herself often, Will is drawn to her immediately and I hate that kind of basis for a character relationship. The idea of a solitary vampire who hibernates was an interesting one, but just not a very good premise for this type of story...or maybe just not well done in this case. I will not be reading more books in this series and recommend readers check out other MG/YA vampire paranormal series; Vampire Academy and Blood Ninja are pretty good, there are numerous others out there.
December 1, 2011
My Opinion:
I absolutely love Blood! I enjoyed this book tremendously! I loved the unique perspective that K.J. has put on vampires. The book even makes vampires more believable. Will is a vampire that sleeps away decades unlike the way we normally think of vampires sleeping during the day and only awakening at night. Even the way Will has to drink blood is different and I loved the twist!
Will awakes from a coffin that was set up for him by the creatures who made him. He doesn’t know who made him or what he is, only that he wants to find out who it is and get his revenge. After he awakes from his long slumber, Will has to feed. He ends up feeding on a man that has left him clues to what is coming in his life. We find ourselves meeting Eloise and we know instantly Will is attracted to her. Unsure if it is the messages from the man he has killed or his own feelings, we are taken through the twists and turns of what is coming for Will and why Eloise is at the center of it all. Will and Eloise form an unlikely pair, but the two must team up to discover what the mysterious notebook means.
As I said, I really enjoyed this book and I was not able to put it down once I started it. Will is a likable guy and hates what is happening to him. Eloise’s character is strange and funny and her personality is a real plus to this book. Together the two are great. I was instantly attracted to both the story and the characters. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
I give Blood by K.J. Wignall 5 of 5 stars.
I absolutely love Blood! I enjoyed this book tremendously! I loved the unique perspective that K.J. has put on vampires. The book even makes vampires more believable. Will is a vampire that sleeps away decades unlike the way we normally think of vampires sleeping during the day and only awakening at night. Even the way Will has to drink blood is different and I loved the twist!
Will awakes from a coffin that was set up for him by the creatures who made him. He doesn’t know who made him or what he is, only that he wants to find out who it is and get his revenge. After he awakes from his long slumber, Will has to feed. He ends up feeding on a man that has left him clues to what is coming in his life. We find ourselves meeting Eloise and we know instantly Will is attracted to her. Unsure if it is the messages from the man he has killed or his own feelings, we are taken through the twists and turns of what is coming for Will and why Eloise is at the center of it all. Will and Eloise form an unlikely pair, but the two must team up to discover what the mysterious notebook means.
As I said, I really enjoyed this book and I was not able to put it down once I started it. Will is a likable guy and hates what is happening to him. Eloise’s character is strange and funny and her personality is a real plus to this book. Together the two are great. I was instantly attracted to both the story and the characters. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
I give Blood by K.J. Wignall 5 of 5 stars.
December 31, 2014
Q: Why am I reading this?
A: Because I like vampires.
Q: When is something exciting going to happen?
A: Definitely not within the first hundred pages. Which is odd considering there were already two action scenes.
Q: Why am I still reading this?
A: Because I like vampires, duh, but other than that I don't know. I think I'll stop.
Q: Why is the guy on the front cover shirtless?
A: Eh, who cares? He's hot.
I really wanted to get into this book because 1) it's about a vampire (or undead, as Will would say) and 2) it's about a more traditional vampire. Sadly, the writing (I'm pretty sure the writing's to blame) was so dull I couldn't muster any interest for the story or the characters. I used to finish every book I started, but I no longer have that kind of time to waste. Ultimately this book had nothing to keep me reading and I decided to abandon it around the halfway mark.
Note to vampires everywhere: Don't worry. I haven't lost my faith in you.
A: Because I like vampires.
Q: When is something exciting going to happen?
A: Definitely not within the first hundred pages. Which is odd considering there were already two action scenes.
Q: Why am I still reading this?
A: Because I like vampires, duh, but other than that I don't know. I think I'll stop.
Q: Why is the guy on the front cover shirtless?
A: Eh, who cares? He's hot.
I really wanted to get into this book because 1) it's about a vampire (or undead, as Will would say) and 2) it's about a more traditional vampire. Sadly, the writing (I'm pretty sure the writing's to blame) was so dull I couldn't muster any interest for the story or the characters. I used to finish every book I started, but I no longer have that kind of time to waste. Ultimately this book had nothing to keep me reading and I decided to abandon it around the halfway mark.
Note to vampires everywhere: Don't worry. I haven't lost my faith in you.
August 13, 2016
Well, at least the cover is pretty, because no one should go any further when it comes to this hot mess. And here I was thinking twilight was atrocious, but it looks like we've hit a new low.
April 1, 2013
Review Posted on Reading Lark 10/13/11: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2011/...
I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from this read going in. I expected vampires and the typical YA fangirly worthy romance, but Blood actually isn't the traditional YA vampire title. I liked that the vampires in this one fall in line with the much more traditional lore with some interesting modifications and the story is not focused on the romantic elements, but rather on a centuries long mystery.
K.J. Wignall is bringing the vampire genre back to its roots with the story of Will, a young nobleman who dies in the 1200's, but rises again as a member of the undeads' ranks. Will has no idea who is responsible for his change and he's never met another of his kind. He finds himself waking at random intervals throughout the decades after long periods of hibernation. Upon waking, he files down his fangs, dons a wardrobe of black, and takes to the streets to learn about the current society that lives above ground. His most recent awakening feels different, but he shakes it off to go out in search of blood. His kill will prove to be more than just a food source, but the victim will also point Will down a path that will change his existence and give new meaning to his immortality. Can Will finally unlock the secrets of his past?
I loved everything about this book. The plot was interesting and gave me plenty to think about. I am so anxious to read the rest of the series to finally get all of the answers about Will. Pacing in this novel felt spot on. I didn't feel like anything was rushed or too slow. I couldn't wait to get home from work each evening and spend time among these pages. The characters, particularly Will and Eloise, were easy to like. Their stories came to life and I began to truly care about their fates. Seeing the unlikely friendship between Will and Eloise blossom was one of my favorite aspects of this book. I am curious to see how their intertwined destinies will unravel.
Finally, I enjoyed that this book didn't focus on the romance elements. It feels like every paranormal YA book out there right now has to have some sordid love affair or a love triangle. Many of these new books also seem to forsake the art of storytelling in order to dwell on the romance and the teen jargon. Those elements feel so repetitive and I find myself craving a good story. Wignall certainly delivers with this book. This book is YA because of the age of the characters, but the writing is more sophisticated than one would expect from a typical read within this genre. Vampire fans - regardless of age - will enjoy this book.
One Last Gripe: I want to know who this sorcerer is and what his deal is - I hope these lingering questions are put to rest in future books
My Favorite Thing About This Book: The historical elements
First Sentence: We burned the witches in 1256.
Favorite Character: Will
Least Favorite Character: Taz
I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from this read going in. I expected vampires and the typical YA fangirly worthy romance, but Blood actually isn't the traditional YA vampire title. I liked that the vampires in this one fall in line with the much more traditional lore with some interesting modifications and the story is not focused on the romantic elements, but rather on a centuries long mystery.
K.J. Wignall is bringing the vampire genre back to its roots with the story of Will, a young nobleman who dies in the 1200's, but rises again as a member of the undeads' ranks. Will has no idea who is responsible for his change and he's never met another of his kind. He finds himself waking at random intervals throughout the decades after long periods of hibernation. Upon waking, he files down his fangs, dons a wardrobe of black, and takes to the streets to learn about the current society that lives above ground. His most recent awakening feels different, but he shakes it off to go out in search of blood. His kill will prove to be more than just a food source, but the victim will also point Will down a path that will change his existence and give new meaning to his immortality. Can Will finally unlock the secrets of his past?
I loved everything about this book. The plot was interesting and gave me plenty to think about. I am so anxious to read the rest of the series to finally get all of the answers about Will. Pacing in this novel felt spot on. I didn't feel like anything was rushed or too slow. I couldn't wait to get home from work each evening and spend time among these pages. The characters, particularly Will and Eloise, were easy to like. Their stories came to life and I began to truly care about their fates. Seeing the unlikely friendship between Will and Eloise blossom was one of my favorite aspects of this book. I am curious to see how their intertwined destinies will unravel.
Finally, I enjoyed that this book didn't focus on the romance elements. It feels like every paranormal YA book out there right now has to have some sordid love affair or a love triangle. Many of these new books also seem to forsake the art of storytelling in order to dwell on the romance and the teen jargon. Those elements feel so repetitive and I find myself craving a good story. Wignall certainly delivers with this book. This book is YA because of the age of the characters, but the writing is more sophisticated than one would expect from a typical read within this genre. Vampire fans - regardless of age - will enjoy this book.
One Last Gripe: I want to know who this sorcerer is and what his deal is - I hope these lingering questions are put to rest in future books
My Favorite Thing About This Book: The historical elements
First Sentence: We burned the witches in 1256.
Favorite Character: Will
Least Favorite Character: Taz
December 3, 2011
To the shock and horror of many, I've never actually read a 'Vampire' book before and was therefore unable to contribute to our recent 'around the table' discussions regarding Twilight - now on my 'to read' pile! So this was my first experience and I didn't know if it would be my cup of tea or not. However I was drawn in by the beautiful black, silver and red cover and I'm pleased that the story inside didn't disappoint.
Blood, which is book one of the Mercian Trilogy introduces our protagonist Will. Will was born back in 1256 and only made it to sixteen years old having been struck down by a 'strange illness'. We learn that he was bitten by a creature and although buried by his family, he never dies. Set in London, he has a crypt under the city walls and every few years or so after a good long sleep he awakes again not knowing which century he will be in and how life will have changed in the real world. He has witnessed much over the years and is longing to find the creature that bit him and to find answers about what happened to him all those years ago.
I felt sorry for him. He has never met another like him, and has not known anyone who can help him or explain how he came to be in this situation. To him death would be preferable to the existence he has had for the last 750 plus years. The first chapter sets the scene well and I enjoyed the author's descriptive narrative throughout the book. We follow Will on his journey as he first off sets out to satisfy his need for blood - which wasn't gruesome at all - quite clean and methodical in fact! Will rarely needs to have blood - he does it when necessary and he feeds off of drifters and those who wouldn't be missed. It's all quite different to the 'Vampires' that I had imagined.
He finds Jex, who 'lives' in an abandoned warehouse and he becomes Will's unfortunate victim. He also meets Eloise, who is homeless, feisty and completely un-phased by Will's description of himself as 'undead'. She wants to help him in his quest and isn't remotely concerned or scared by anything that they encounter. Going back to Jex's place, they see that he has been writing and drawing pictures and Will realises his writings hold clues to help his quest. As they investigate they find themselves under attack from a supernatural entity. This leads to some fast paced battles which I thought were well written. Along the way, the truth slowly starts to reveal itself leading finally to a showdown in an old abandoned church where Will begins to get some answers at last.
There is romance, but nothing gushy or mushy. The story is unfinished as it's the first of a Trilogy but I shall read the rest. I found it all rather intriguing.
Verdict: An enjoyable and interesting read, and a great introduction to the Trilogy.
Lesley : http://bigbooklittlebook.blogspot.com
Blood, which is book one of the Mercian Trilogy introduces our protagonist Will. Will was born back in 1256 and only made it to sixteen years old having been struck down by a 'strange illness'. We learn that he was bitten by a creature and although buried by his family, he never dies. Set in London, he has a crypt under the city walls and every few years or so after a good long sleep he awakes again not knowing which century he will be in and how life will have changed in the real world. He has witnessed much over the years and is longing to find the creature that bit him and to find answers about what happened to him all those years ago.
I felt sorry for him. He has never met another like him, and has not known anyone who can help him or explain how he came to be in this situation. To him death would be preferable to the existence he has had for the last 750 plus years. The first chapter sets the scene well and I enjoyed the author's descriptive narrative throughout the book. We follow Will on his journey as he first off sets out to satisfy his need for blood - which wasn't gruesome at all - quite clean and methodical in fact! Will rarely needs to have blood - he does it when necessary and he feeds off of drifters and those who wouldn't be missed. It's all quite different to the 'Vampires' that I had imagined.
He finds Jex, who 'lives' in an abandoned warehouse and he becomes Will's unfortunate victim. He also meets Eloise, who is homeless, feisty and completely un-phased by Will's description of himself as 'undead'. She wants to help him in his quest and isn't remotely concerned or scared by anything that they encounter. Going back to Jex's place, they see that he has been writing and drawing pictures and Will realises his writings hold clues to help his quest. As they investigate they find themselves under attack from a supernatural entity. This leads to some fast paced battles which I thought were well written. Along the way, the truth slowly starts to reveal itself leading finally to a showdown in an old abandoned church where Will begins to get some answers at last.
There is romance, but nothing gushy or mushy. The story is unfinished as it's the first of a Trilogy but I shall read the rest. I found it all rather intriguing.
Verdict: An enjoyable and interesting read, and a great introduction to the Trilogy.
Lesley : http://bigbooklittlebook.blogspot.com
July 11, 2011
I congratulate K.J. Wignall for writing this book. In so many different ways, Blood was different compared to most books about vampires. Instead of just being about the relationship of a male vampire and a female, the action is there. The beginning introduced everything including the romance. Gladly, I read this without having to go through too much mushy stuff. This book included the action from the very beginning. There was no relationship mush that lasted longer than a chapter.
This whole mess, as I like to put it, starts off with William, a really old, well 750+ year old vampire coming back from hibernation. He has been hibernating for 20 years, so not many things have really changed. As he checks out the world he now lives in, he saves a girl, Eloise, from some gang members. For some reason, he and Eloise feel this connection. They feel that they are destined to meet. After their meeting, they try to discover the mystery behind William's transformation into a vampire. Will does not remember how he was bitten or his transformation. Throughout the whole investigation, Will and Eloise grow closer to each other.
Yes, that is the basic gist of Blood. It was a very fast pace book compared to most. Though the plot may seem dull, the whole darkness that seeps through the pages captures you and holds you captive as you read this novel. I could not put it down for the short while I read this book.
The one true regret I had with this book was the whole intro. It was rushed and did not explain well William's problem or situation. I also thought that Will's adaption to the twenty-first century was a little too easy. Back 20 years ago, we used cassette tapes, computers and had different hair styles compared to today's. But William didn't seem to notice or experience these changes. This is one thing that rather bugged me a bit.
The relationship between Will and Eloise was a charming one. Eloise clearly had enough spunk and heart to believe and care for Will. She did not care whether Will was a vampire. Of course she was curious in the beginning, but was not frightened or really that shocked. That's one of the reasons I root for this relationship. At the same time, Will really shows that he cares about Eloise more than he acts. It is obvious however, that he is willing to pretty much do anything for Eloise. In a way, this relationship is sweeter than any other I have read of.
This book was a well written book as well. I cannot imagine the novel written in any other way other. Well done Mr. Wignall!
This book deserves 4 stars. Definitely!
This whole mess, as I like to put it, starts off with William, a really old, well 750+ year old vampire coming back from hibernation. He has been hibernating for 20 years, so not many things have really changed. As he checks out the world he now lives in, he saves a girl, Eloise, from some gang members. For some reason, he and Eloise feel this connection. They feel that they are destined to meet. After their meeting, they try to discover the mystery behind William's transformation into a vampire. Will does not remember how he was bitten or his transformation. Throughout the whole investigation, Will and Eloise grow closer to each other.
Yes, that is the basic gist of Blood. It was a very fast pace book compared to most. Though the plot may seem dull, the whole darkness that seeps through the pages captures you and holds you captive as you read this novel. I could not put it down for the short while I read this book.
The one true regret I had with this book was the whole intro. It was rushed and did not explain well William's problem or situation. I also thought that Will's adaption to the twenty-first century was a little too easy. Back 20 years ago, we used cassette tapes, computers and had different hair styles compared to today's. But William didn't seem to notice or experience these changes. This is one thing that rather bugged me a bit.
The relationship between Will and Eloise was a charming one. Eloise clearly had enough spunk and heart to believe and care for Will. She did not care whether Will was a vampire. Of course she was curious in the beginning, but was not frightened or really that shocked. That's one of the reasons I root for this relationship. At the same time, Will really shows that he cares about Eloise more than he acts. It is obvious however, that he is willing to pretty much do anything for Eloise. In a way, this relationship is sweeter than any other I have read of.
This book was a well written book as well. I cannot imagine the novel written in any other way other. Well done Mr. Wignall!
This book deserves 4 stars. Definitely!
September 22, 2011
It took me a while to get through Blood; not because it is a long book but because I felt...well, if I am to be honest, I felt bored. When I finished reading, it was like I had been reading something that was much longer than it really was. It is pretty slow-paced, and there isn't a lot that happens until the last third of the book.
In the beginning, Will--the main character, who is a vampire--gives some great history and background about his past. I was fascinated by the details of his story. He definitely has a history spanning hundreds of years, and he doesn't act too modern (in language or actions) at all. He was literally an old mind in a teenager's body. While I read, I thought: Finally, a vampire who actually acts like he has been alive for centuries! But then it continued. Most of the book consists of Will's thoughts. Only Will's thoughts. There isn't a lot of conversation until later. This is, probably, because Will is alone for a lot of the book, so it couldn't really be helped. But after a while, I felt like I was having a history lesson of some sort, instead of reading a vampire story. This also kept me from getting to know any of the other characters. We see them through Will's eyes, and although he notices more in social situations than most people would, he relates so much of it to his past and how he was wronged, so that we didn't get to see much personality from any of the other characters.
Things did pick up though, and the story did get more interesting. Unfortunately, everything seemed to happen at the end of the book, and then it was over all too quickly. Everything seemed to fall into place in just a few chapters, and then it was over. I am at such a loss with this book. I enjoyed the beginning so much because of the great historical descriptions, and I felt sorry for Will and what he had gone through. But by the time it got to the exciting part, it was too little, too late. I wasn't invested in the characters, and I didn't much care what happened to them.
I have no idea who I would recommend it to. It reminds me a lot of The Historian; lots and lots of workup, with little of anything else happening until the end. And while I hate to make that connection (it is a completely different story), it is the closest thing I can compare it to. If you liked The Historian, you may like this book.
See the original review on my blog: The Reading Fever.
*I was provided with a copy of this review in exchange for an honest review.
In the beginning, Will--the main character, who is a vampire--gives some great history and background about his past. I was fascinated by the details of his story. He definitely has a history spanning hundreds of years, and he doesn't act too modern (in language or actions) at all. He was literally an old mind in a teenager's body. While I read, I thought: Finally, a vampire who actually acts like he has been alive for centuries! But then it continued. Most of the book consists of Will's thoughts. Only Will's thoughts. There isn't a lot of conversation until later. This is, probably, because Will is alone for a lot of the book, so it couldn't really be helped. But after a while, I felt like I was having a history lesson of some sort, instead of reading a vampire story. This also kept me from getting to know any of the other characters. We see them through Will's eyes, and although he notices more in social situations than most people would, he relates so much of it to his past and how he was wronged, so that we didn't get to see much personality from any of the other characters.
Things did pick up though, and the story did get more interesting. Unfortunately, everything seemed to happen at the end of the book, and then it was over all too quickly. Everything seemed to fall into place in just a few chapters, and then it was over. I am at such a loss with this book. I enjoyed the beginning so much because of the great historical descriptions, and I felt sorry for Will and what he had gone through. But by the time it got to the exciting part, it was too little, too late. I wasn't invested in the characters, and I didn't much care what happened to them.
I have no idea who I would recommend it to. It reminds me a lot of The Historian; lots and lots of workup, with little of anything else happening until the end. And while I hate to make that connection (it is a completely different story), it is the closest thing I can compare it to. If you liked The Historian, you may like this book.
See the original review on my blog: The Reading Fever.
*I was provided with a copy of this review in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2011
Will has been a vampire for over 750 years, he has no idea who gave him this curse and he has never met another of his kind. He should have become the Earl of Mercia but was changed before he inherited his title. Will has just woken up from a long period of hibernation and is once again searching for answers, this time, after finding a prophecy it appears he might finally be close to discovering his destiny.
What I really liked about this book is that we're getting back to the more traditional kind of vampires, Will isn't completely evil but he makes no appologies for having to kill people to survive. He isn't constantly murdering people and can in fact go for long periods without blood but when he wakes from hibernation he must drain a victim. It makes a nice change from the vampires we've been seeing a lot of in YA fiction recently - the ones that drink animal blood or only drink small amounts from willing victims.
Will is a lonely character and it becomes easy to feel for him, he never asked for his curse and having never met the person who changed him he has struggled to learn about his condition. He has known a lot of loss throughout the years and is wary of getting close to anyone because he knows they will eventually die and leave him alone again. I loved the chapters where you find out more about his past and felt the diary entry feel to them worked really well.
I have to admit I wasn't so keen on Eloise though, we didn't really find out enough about her for me to be able to relate to her in any way but I'm hoping that changes as the series continues. The main story focuses on the mystery of why Will was changed and who changed him which is something I'm really enjoying and looking forward to finding out more about. Although there is a little romance it takes a backseat to the main story which was fine but I didn't find it believable. Eloise was far too quick to accept that Will is a vampire, she knows he murdered his last victim but doesn't really show any fear of him which surprised me. I was even more surprised that she tries to kiss him so soon after meeting him and even asks him to change her into a vampire.
Overall I still enjoyed the story but I'm much more interested in finding out why Will was changed and how the prophecy will play out than I am in the possible romance. That isn't a bad thing, I don't need romance in every book I read, and I hope that the focus of the series continues in the same direction.
What I really liked about this book is that we're getting back to the more traditional kind of vampires, Will isn't completely evil but he makes no appologies for having to kill people to survive. He isn't constantly murdering people and can in fact go for long periods without blood but when he wakes from hibernation he must drain a victim. It makes a nice change from the vampires we've been seeing a lot of in YA fiction recently - the ones that drink animal blood or only drink small amounts from willing victims.
Will is a lonely character and it becomes easy to feel for him, he never asked for his curse and having never met the person who changed him he has struggled to learn about his condition. He has known a lot of loss throughout the years and is wary of getting close to anyone because he knows they will eventually die and leave him alone again. I loved the chapters where you find out more about his past and felt the diary entry feel to them worked really well.
I have to admit I wasn't so keen on Eloise though, we didn't really find out enough about her for me to be able to relate to her in any way but I'm hoping that changes as the series continues. The main story focuses on the mystery of why Will was changed and who changed him which is something I'm really enjoying and looking forward to finding out more about. Although there is a little romance it takes a backseat to the main story which was fine but I didn't find it believable. Eloise was far too quick to accept that Will is a vampire, she knows he murdered his last victim but doesn't really show any fear of him which surprised me. I was even more surprised that she tries to kiss him so soon after meeting him and even asks him to change her into a vampire.
Overall I still enjoyed the story but I'm much more interested in finding out why Will was changed and how the prophecy will play out than I am in the possible romance. That isn't a bad thing, I don't need romance in every book I read, and I hope that the focus of the series continues in the same direction.
September 13, 2011
William wakes up in the twenty first century, he’s been sleeping, if you call it sleep for the undead, for good twenty years since he last was awake. Over 750 years old he’s forever trapped in a body of a tall 16 year old young man. As he awakes he notices that something is different this time around, from his first spilled blood things turn from ordinary to odd, prophecy reveals itself and he finds the girl of it near by the river alone without a home to go to and someone is attacking him which rarely happens.
Will is trying to figure out just what makes this time around awake different, why all the things that have never happened before happen now. It is tied to his maker, the man who made him ‘sick’, the man he’s never seen or ever heard from who made him and then just left him to fend for his own, he’s sure of it.
Will’s character is almost numb from being alone for so long not wanting any company and it makes an interesting protagonist. See most vampires (though Will likes to be called undead) are animalistic, emotional, slightly showy in the books I’ve read previously – but Will… Will is subdued, calm, and unemotional. It isn’t until he gets to know the girl that some emotions surface, but even those are subdued.
The impression is he’s very sad, even when he’s forced to tackle things that require emotions it’s written in a way that is not bland, but very calm even when he’s nervous or afraid, it’s almost foreboding a very grim future and reflecting a grim past as well.
With the sadness and the sense of growing foreboding there are lighter elements in the book like Will’s lack of knowing the current slang or what some technological advances are, most memorable laugh came as he wondered what born-again Christians were and just what making out was. ;)
The story is something that teenagers can relate to, the feeling of loneliness – and Eloise brings the bit of life and excitement to the story that is lacking in Will. I’d almost call this dark, but in a way that it is hazy not full blow dark. I’ve never read a novel quite written like this, I’d say it’s going to be one of those books you either love or hate, depending on your view of life.
I'd say this book is going to go down well with boys/young men, it has that feel to it.
Will is trying to figure out just what makes this time around awake different, why all the things that have never happened before happen now. It is tied to his maker, the man who made him ‘sick’, the man he’s never seen or ever heard from who made him and then just left him to fend for his own, he’s sure of it.
Will’s character is almost numb from being alone for so long not wanting any company and it makes an interesting protagonist. See most vampires (though Will likes to be called undead) are animalistic, emotional, slightly showy in the books I’ve read previously – but Will… Will is subdued, calm, and unemotional. It isn’t until he gets to know the girl that some emotions surface, but even those are subdued.
The impression is he’s very sad, even when he’s forced to tackle things that require emotions it’s written in a way that is not bland, but very calm even when he’s nervous or afraid, it’s almost foreboding a very grim future and reflecting a grim past as well.
With the sadness and the sense of growing foreboding there are lighter elements in the book like Will’s lack of knowing the current slang or what some technological advances are, most memorable laugh came as he wondered what born-again Christians were and just what making out was. ;)
The story is something that teenagers can relate to, the feeling of loneliness – and Eloise brings the bit of life and excitement to the story that is lacking in Will. I’d almost call this dark, but in a way that it is hazy not full blow dark. I’ve never read a novel quite written like this, I’d say it’s going to be one of those books you either love or hate, depending on your view of life.
I'd say this book is going to go down well with boys/young men, it has that feel to it.
July 12, 2011
This is the story of William, the future Earl of Mercia, aka Will. It tells of how he came down with the “sickness” when he was sixteen and how his life was spent. After seven centuries, when he awakens from his usual hibernation, he goes outside to feed and find Jez, who tells him “You need the girl, the girl needs you, you need the…” before he takes his blood and his life. Jez has with him, a notebook that intrigues Will and so he takes it before he leaves. On Jez’s wall, and in his notebook, there are pictures of a girl. A girl that Will supposedly “needs.” As he is leaving the scene, he meets Eloise, who is living on the streets in a doorway. He soon realizes that they were destined to meet, although neither of them understands why.
Many unusual things start happening to Will. He doesn’t understand why all this is happening now when he has lived for so long and it has been uneventful up to that point. Through Eloise, he meets Chris and Rachel, friends that own a vegan café near where she was staying. Chris and Rachel are excited about the paranormal and they eventually help Will and Eloise in their task of finding the one who inflicted Will with the sickness of being undead, finding out what Asmund, Wyndham and Lord Labraid have to do with Will’s destiny and why Eloise is tied to it.
I like the way that this story explains the history behind Will’s sickness. How he became undead, the emotions that he has experienced throughout his lifetime and what he has experienced to give you an understanding of his mindset. The way that Wignall explains the experiences Will has had is extraordinary. I especially love his description of Will waking up for the first time. This book is entertaining and it will be interesting to see how the rest of the story plays out in the books to come.
Many unusual things start happening to Will. He doesn’t understand why all this is happening now when he has lived for so long and it has been uneventful up to that point. Through Eloise, he meets Chris and Rachel, friends that own a vegan café near where she was staying. Chris and Rachel are excited about the paranormal and they eventually help Will and Eloise in their task of finding the one who inflicted Will with the sickness of being undead, finding out what Asmund, Wyndham and Lord Labraid have to do with Will’s destiny and why Eloise is tied to it.
I like the way that this story explains the history behind Will’s sickness. How he became undead, the emotions that he has experienced throughout his lifetime and what he has experienced to give you an understanding of his mindset. The way that Wignall explains the experiences Will has had is extraordinary. I especially love his description of Will waking up for the first time. This book is entertaining and it will be interesting to see how the rest of the story plays out in the books to come.
September 8, 2011
I finished blood and I have to say that while I had high anticipation for it, I was not expecting what I received in return. The novel is good and will truly keep you entertained, especially the feel of the setting from the worn out river front to the cafe to the abandoned church, you will definitely get a very unique take on the London city landscape. You will also get a different kind of vampire, one that is very solitary and recluse to the point of fracture.
Things take on a different vantage point when the main character finds that he finally has an opportunity to find the person/creature that turned him. I would like to say that what he finds during the journey is epic and amazing, but I wouldn't be very honest if i did that. There are number of really cool elements that move the story along, these zombied spectures and some inventive creatures but, if I were being honest, its the vampire that drags the story. He is very old, so his coming on to a 19 - 20 year old is a bit hard to swallow in the storyline and might have played better if she were in her early 30s Briget Jones style.
The other hard to swallow element is his obssession with restoring his family's honor. Given that he has has exposure to the human world over the 50's and 80's it would have to have some sort of impact on who he decided to be as a person. I feel that aspect of the charcter development is lost on this vampire and he takes it to an exteme that is hard to buy. Not taking any of these things into account this is still a very well written and entertaining story. I would even go so far as to say that I would read any follow ups, just to see what becomes of him and if he is changed in any way by the experience. Out of 5 stars I am giving this one 3. Happy reading.
Things take on a different vantage point when the main character finds that he finally has an opportunity to find the person/creature that turned him. I would like to say that what he finds during the journey is epic and amazing, but I wouldn't be very honest if i did that. There are number of really cool elements that move the story along, these zombied spectures and some inventive creatures but, if I were being honest, its the vampire that drags the story. He is very old, so his coming on to a 19 - 20 year old is a bit hard to swallow in the storyline and might have played better if she were in her early 30s Briget Jones style.
The other hard to swallow element is his obssession with restoring his family's honor. Given that he has has exposure to the human world over the 50's and 80's it would have to have some sort of impact on who he decided to be as a person. I feel that aspect of the charcter development is lost on this vampire and he takes it to an exteme that is hard to buy. Not taking any of these things into account this is still a very well written and entertaining story. I would even go so far as to say that I would read any follow ups, just to see what becomes of him and if he is changed in any way by the experience. Out of 5 stars I am giving this one 3. Happy reading.
September 5, 2011
2.5/5
Egalley thanks to Egmont USA
I have to say despite the exciting synopsis this book left me severely disappointed. It's written in such way that it makes you feel detached from the very start.
The main character William is 800+ years old vampire, and what did he do with most of his afterlife? Hibernation, hibernation, hibernation. He is forever sixteen, quite striking and very emo. I am undead, I want to die, but can't, see no point in my existence, woe is me. Let's skulk underneath my city walls for eternity.
Doesn't sound exiting straight away?
Enter some obscure prophecy from the lips of Will's dying victim who tells Will that the evil master of all evilness is waiting for him. Or he also needs to find the girl.
Enter Eloise, a spoiled emo from a good family playing a runaway because her uncle and aunt don't pay her enough attention and her friend didn't invite her to spend holidays together. Charming.
What a coincidence, - she is our girl.
Enter Chris and Rachel who inexplicably should be able to help and all they do is run a vegan coffee house.
"Dude," you say, "this doesn't make much sense."
But wait, you skim the pages trying to find an explanation, a more coherent picture and there isn't one.
The characters don't fill up, the motives feel absurd and the whole idea of obscure evil just isn't appealing. I'm sorry I tried to like this book, but failed.
Egalley thanks to Egmont USA
I have to say despite the exciting synopsis this book left me severely disappointed. It's written in such way that it makes you feel detached from the very start.
The main character William is 800+ years old vampire, and what did he do with most of his afterlife? Hibernation, hibernation, hibernation. He is forever sixteen, quite striking and very emo. I am undead, I want to die, but can't, see no point in my existence, woe is me. Let's skulk underneath my city walls for eternity.
Doesn't sound exiting straight away?
Enter some obscure prophecy from the lips of Will's dying victim who tells Will that the evil master of all evilness is waiting for him. Or he also needs to find the girl.
Enter Eloise, a spoiled emo from a good family playing a runaway because her uncle and aunt don't pay her enough attention and her friend didn't invite her to spend holidays together. Charming.
What a coincidence, - she is our girl.
Enter Chris and Rachel who inexplicably should be able to help and all they do is run a vegan coffee house.
"Dude," you say, "this doesn't make much sense."
But wait, you skim the pages trying to find an explanation, a more coherent picture and there isn't one.
The characters don't fill up, the motives feel absurd and the whole idea of obscure evil just isn't appealing. I'm sorry I tried to like this book, but failed.
September 8, 2011
“I’ve never looked at fire in the same way since that night, nor witches for that matter, or anybody else who’s apart. Perhaps apart is the wrong word, for I was apart even then, in that I was above the people and below God and the King, born into greatness.” (Loc. 10-16)
I love the idea of apart, not odd, weird, strange, or rude, but apart. What a great description of people who don’t “blend in” like the rest of us. Blood is about being apart, yet looking for a way to find a place where belonging brings completeness, closure, or satisfaction, not necessarily a happily ever after.
Blood is an unusual take on the vampire myth. Will doesn’t live the life of a mythical vampire. He prefers the term, undead, and has spent much of his “life” in hibernation. Now, 750 years after his “creation,” prophecies and portents are converging to give him answers to the questions he’s had for so long. Who created him? Why? Who prepared the chambers where he hides? Will doesn’t need to feed often, and uses the “life force” more than the actual blood to restore him after his periods of hibernation. His time asleep lasts longer than his time awake and he is amused by the stories we humans have told of his kind. Yet, the girl he likes is tempting to him and not in a good way. She is a part of the answers Will seeks, but the visions he has only confuse the issues for him. I am intrigued; I will look for the second one.
I love the idea of apart, not odd, weird, strange, or rude, but apart. What a great description of people who don’t “blend in” like the rest of us. Blood is about being apart, yet looking for a way to find a place where belonging brings completeness, closure, or satisfaction, not necessarily a happily ever after.
Blood is an unusual take on the vampire myth. Will doesn’t live the life of a mythical vampire. He prefers the term, undead, and has spent much of his “life” in hibernation. Now, 750 years after his “creation,” prophecies and portents are converging to give him answers to the questions he’s had for so long. Who created him? Why? Who prepared the chambers where he hides? Will doesn’t need to feed often, and uses the “life force” more than the actual blood to restore him after his periods of hibernation. His time asleep lasts longer than his time awake and he is amused by the stories we humans have told of his kind. Yet, the girl he likes is tempting to him and not in a good way. She is a part of the answers Will seeks, but the visions he has only confuse the issues for him. I am intrigued; I will look for the second one.
September 21, 2011
I really wanted to like this book, so much so, that I continued to muster through it even though it never once grabbed a hold of me. The characters are quite one dimensional, especially Will, who could be described as nothing short of extremely emo. He has lived for hundreds of years, yet all he has done is sleep, brood, and wish to die. He takes suicidal to the extreme, with many failed attempts as he simply cannot die. Then we pull in the so called destiny behind Will's life, which really needed to be expanded on a whole lot more to be even slightly intriguing. Keeping with the theme, that "prophecy" tells him he must find a girl, and of course that girl turns out to be emo as well. I've never been able to relate to characters whose entire outlook on life is "woe on me," so I had a really hard time caring what happened to the characters of Blood, especially since they seemed to have a very hard time caring themselves. Perhaps the second installment will show a little progression of plot, or even a clear cut picture of the evil Will is to face. I'm sure Blood will appeal to many readers, but for me, it ultimately fell flat.
August 30, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was surprised by how refreshing and unique the story was as well as the main character, Will. In a time when vampire books are rampant, Blood definitely stands out to me.
This book was well written and the world that was built was enticing. I was captured from the beginning and glued to the excitement until the end.
I am eager to find out more about Will and Eloise's destiny and the ending chapter left me with a lot of questions on what will happen next...
I am sooo ready for the next book to see how the relationships continue to grow and how destiny unfolds for Will and Eloise!!
Definitely recommend!
This book was well written and the world that was built was enticing. I was captured from the beginning and glued to the excitement until the end.
I am eager to find out more about Will and Eloise's destiny and the ending chapter left me with a lot of questions on what will happen next...
I am sooo ready for the next book to see how the relationships continue to grow and how destiny unfolds for Will and Eloise!!
Definitely recommend!
July 12, 2012
One thing I would like to point out is the cover. I love the cover. The guy reminds me of Leonardo DiCaprio. Second, I love how the author wrote the book. It really sounded like it was written from the perspective of someone who actually was over seven hundred years old. I liked the characters and everything. The only problem I had was with some of the plot. I don't like books that rush some important parts. I felt that there were a few parts that were rushed, like the big fight with Will's creator. It was really strange. It flew by so fast that I had to read it twice to understand what happened. Other than that, I really enjoyed the book.
October 10, 2017
Rating: ★★★☆☆
It was an enjoyable read. Was it the best book I ever read? No, definitely not. Was it the worst book I ever read? Nope. I guess I just really wanted to stay in the horror theme this month, so that was one of the reasons why I picked it up. I only own the first book in the series, and I would like to read the next two books someday. But this series will not be on my 'have to finish' list.
It was an enjoyable read. Was it the best book I ever read? No, definitely not. Was it the worst book I ever read? Nope. I guess I just really wanted to stay in the horror theme this month, so that was one of the reasons why I picked it up. I only own the first book in the series, and I would like to read the next two books someday. But this series will not be on my 'have to finish' list.
November 1, 2015
3.5 stars rounded down
February 13, 2022
QUE LIVRO!! Entrou pra lista de favoritos com certeza! Foge da típica história de vampiro, e gostei bastante porque não é tão juvenil, mas não tão forte. Will é um ótimo protagonista, e um tipo diferente de outros vampiros que já vi na literatura. Para falar a verdade, ele me lembrou levemente o Louis de Entrevista com o Vampiro, mas menos chato rs.
Apesar de existir romance, não é forçado, e a relação de Will e Eloise floresce aos poucos, inicialmente devido aos acontecimentos da trama.
Eu pessoalmente adorei a escrita de K.J. Wignall, e vou até mesmo pesquisar outras obras. A trama é repleta de mistérios e eu quase não conseguia largar o livro. Os elementos de mistério e suspense se complementaram perfeitamente, e mais ou menos do meio pro fim do livro, o clima ficou ainda mais assustador.
Uma coisa que gostei bastante foi a fórmula do "tudo está conectado", mais a questão de seguir pistas para resolver um mistério, misturado com uma espécie de caça ao tesouro - apesar de não ser um "tesouro" em si.
A história e o estilo de narrativa me lembrou um pouco as Crônicas Vampirescas, mas bem mais leve, o que não é ruim. O fim foi surpreendente e deixou um leve cliffhanger, o que me faz querer o segundo volume da trilogia, "Alquimia", o mais rápido possível. Um detalhe interessante é que em determinados capítulos, a narração é em primeira pessoa, e alguns detalhes do passado de Will são contados por ele próprio.
Eu amei muito, e espero que os próximos livros continuem com a mesma qualidade.
Apesar de existir romance, não é forçado, e a relação de Will e Eloise floresce aos poucos, inicialmente devido aos acontecimentos da trama.
Eu pessoalmente adorei a escrita de K.J. Wignall, e vou até mesmo pesquisar outras obras. A trama é repleta de mistérios e eu quase não conseguia largar o livro. Os elementos de mistério e suspense se complementaram perfeitamente, e mais ou menos do meio pro fim do livro, o clima ficou ainda mais assustador.
Uma coisa que gostei bastante foi a fórmula do "tudo está conectado", mais a questão de seguir pistas para resolver um mistério, misturado com uma espécie de caça ao tesouro - apesar de não ser um "tesouro" em si.
A história e o estilo de narrativa me lembrou um pouco as Crônicas Vampirescas, mas bem mais leve, o que não é ruim. O fim foi surpreendente e deixou um leve cliffhanger, o que me faz querer o segundo volume da trilogia, "Alquimia", o mais rápido possível. Um detalhe interessante é que em determinados capítulos, a narração é em primeira pessoa, e alguns detalhes do passado de Will são contados por ele próprio.
Eu amei muito, e espero que os próximos livros continuem com a mesma qualidade.
August 24, 2012
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Strong exposition and a unique take on vampires come together in this novel to show us another side of the world we live in. The first in a new series, this novel is a build up to book two.
Opening Sentence: We burned the witches in 1256.
The Review:
A vampire wakes up from hibernation to discover ghosts stalking him and a human girl somehow connected to his destiny–whatever that is. Wignall has created vampires that are different from our classic Draculas. They don’t need blood for physical survival–it’s the vampires’ souls that calls for it. While their bodies are trapped at the age they died, vampires hair and teeth (which he files down [insert shudder here]) and fingernails continue to grow. I’m pretty sure the author was trying to use the urban legend that hair and fingernails continue to grow after death, but it’s not true (no corpses were exhumed to find this information). And they can hibernate for years–decades, if they drank enough before sleeping.
Will died at the age of sixteen as the heir to the Earldom of Mercia and awoke to find his father dead and his brother had inherited his title. Everyone thought Will was killed because of the witch burnings–because in hindsight Will knows those were innocent women his father sent to death. But the truth is turning out to be far more involved and complex than anything Will can imagine.
We’re introduced to a kind of villain hierarchy in this book. There are bad guys. Then the bosses of the bad guys. Then Lorcan Labraid, the evil of all evilness. Will’s never heard of him, but he’s certainly interested in Will. So is Wyndham, another unknown element hunting Will. All we know about Wyndham is that he’s scary enough even ghosts live in fear of his power. But Lorcan’s really our concern in this book, so he’s the villain I’ll focus on. Will and his readers are introduced to the fact he has a destiny almost from the get go: he wakes up, he needs blood, he finds someone he doesn’t think will be missed. But just before he can kill him, this squatter spews nonsense about Will and a girl–a girl he’s going to need. Now, if Will didn’t need this guys blood so much maybe he would have waited a second before sucking him dry. But he couldn’t and now the homeless guy is dead. All Will has to go on is nonsense scribbled inside his journal–a journal that also happens to have a sketch of a girl named Eloise.
Will’s been alone for hundreds of years, but it’s hard to be with a girl who tastes like dinner–no matter how pretty she might be. So Will is going to stay away from Eloise. He’s going to go back to his crypt and hibernate and forget all about the guy hunting him down. Except the ghosts that were haunting him are going after Eloise too. And when he listens, he can hear them. What they’re saying isn’t good.
I like the character building Wignall does here. Eloise is a smart heroine and there are a number of points in the story where she reacts in what I think is a perfectly reasonable manner. But there are moments with Will–particularly in the present, though sometimes in the flashbacks too–that take a long time to read. He spends a lot of time thinking. A lot of time brooding. And a lot more time wondering what’s going on. Rachel and Chris are classic stock characters at the moment, though I have high hopes for their development in the next book. In Blood they were just convenience characters. They helped move along the mystery a tinsy bit, but if their characters didn’t exist I think the story would have been just as well. There are hints at the end of Blood that there’s more to their place in the story than just being convenient.
This book can’t function as a stand-alone read. As the first in a series, some questions get answered but we’re left asking a whole lot more. Honestly, that was one of my main problems after finishing the book. I wasn’t satisfied with it at all, not because of the questions so much as the way they contributed to the let down at the end. Wignall does a great job of making sure his characters only know what they could realistically put together–he doesn’t take the easy way out as far as the mystery is concerned. Not only does this help build suspense, but it makes his characters more realistic. A good book, even if we do get a little bogged down in Will’s thought monologues. I definitely want to read the next one to find out who on earth all these villains are–as well as why Will is so important to them.
Notable Scene:
“Look in the mirrors–tell me what you see.”
He didn’t understand. “I told you, I cast a reflection.”
“No, I mean look in the mirrors.”
Out of the corner of his eye then he spotted something moving in the mirrors. He looked across the room, but there was nothing there. He drew closer and immediately saw that there were shadowy figures beyond the glass, as if they were windows looking on to some dulled room, just visible beyond the reflection of tiled walls.
They were hooded, wearing dark robes, so at first Will thought they were monks, but almost immediately he realized from their silhouettes that they were women. He tried to focus on their faces but couldn’t and every time one came close she seemed to keep her face hidden from him.
“They’re whispering,” he said because he could hear it now.
“I thought they were. Can you hear what they’re saying?”
“No,” he said, lying, not wanting to tell her what it was. “I can’t see their faces either.”
“I saw them,” she said, her voice sounding small. He turned to look at her and she said, “They don’t have any. They’re just blank, or almost blank.”
The Mercian Trilogy:
1. Blood
FTC Advisory: EgmontUSA provided me with a copy of Blood. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Strong exposition and a unique take on vampires come together in this novel to show us another side of the world we live in. The first in a new series, this novel is a build up to book two.
Opening Sentence: We burned the witches in 1256.
The Review:
A vampire wakes up from hibernation to discover ghosts stalking him and a human girl somehow connected to his destiny–whatever that is. Wignall has created vampires that are different from our classic Draculas. They don’t need blood for physical survival–it’s the vampires’ souls that calls for it. While their bodies are trapped at the age they died, vampires hair and teeth (which he files down [insert shudder here]) and fingernails continue to grow. I’m pretty sure the author was trying to use the urban legend that hair and fingernails continue to grow after death, but it’s not true (no corpses were exhumed to find this information). And they can hibernate for years–decades, if they drank enough before sleeping.
Will died at the age of sixteen as the heir to the Earldom of Mercia and awoke to find his father dead and his brother had inherited his title. Everyone thought Will was killed because of the witch burnings–because in hindsight Will knows those were innocent women his father sent to death. But the truth is turning out to be far more involved and complex than anything Will can imagine.
We’re introduced to a kind of villain hierarchy in this book. There are bad guys. Then the bosses of the bad guys. Then Lorcan Labraid, the evil of all evilness. Will’s never heard of him, but he’s certainly interested in Will. So is Wyndham, another unknown element hunting Will. All we know about Wyndham is that he’s scary enough even ghosts live in fear of his power. But Lorcan’s really our concern in this book, so he’s the villain I’ll focus on. Will and his readers are introduced to the fact he has a destiny almost from the get go: he wakes up, he needs blood, he finds someone he doesn’t think will be missed. But just before he can kill him, this squatter spews nonsense about Will and a girl–a girl he’s going to need. Now, if Will didn’t need this guys blood so much maybe he would have waited a second before sucking him dry. But he couldn’t and now the homeless guy is dead. All Will has to go on is nonsense scribbled inside his journal–a journal that also happens to have a sketch of a girl named Eloise.
Will’s been alone for hundreds of years, but it’s hard to be with a girl who tastes like dinner–no matter how pretty she might be. So Will is going to stay away from Eloise. He’s going to go back to his crypt and hibernate and forget all about the guy hunting him down. Except the ghosts that were haunting him are going after Eloise too. And when he listens, he can hear them. What they’re saying isn’t good.
I like the character building Wignall does here. Eloise is a smart heroine and there are a number of points in the story where she reacts in what I think is a perfectly reasonable manner. But there are moments with Will–particularly in the present, though sometimes in the flashbacks too–that take a long time to read. He spends a lot of time thinking. A lot of time brooding. And a lot more time wondering what’s going on. Rachel and Chris are classic stock characters at the moment, though I have high hopes for their development in the next book. In Blood they were just convenience characters. They helped move along the mystery a tinsy bit, but if their characters didn’t exist I think the story would have been just as well. There are hints at the end of Blood that there’s more to their place in the story than just being convenient.
This book can’t function as a stand-alone read. As the first in a series, some questions get answered but we’re left asking a whole lot more. Honestly, that was one of my main problems after finishing the book. I wasn’t satisfied with it at all, not because of the questions so much as the way they contributed to the let down at the end. Wignall does a great job of making sure his characters only know what they could realistically put together–he doesn’t take the easy way out as far as the mystery is concerned. Not only does this help build suspense, but it makes his characters more realistic. A good book, even if we do get a little bogged down in Will’s thought monologues. I definitely want to read the next one to find out who on earth all these villains are–as well as why Will is so important to them.
Notable Scene:
“Look in the mirrors–tell me what you see.”
He didn’t understand. “I told you, I cast a reflection.”
“No, I mean look in the mirrors.”
Out of the corner of his eye then he spotted something moving in the mirrors. He looked across the room, but there was nothing there. He drew closer and immediately saw that there were shadowy figures beyond the glass, as if they were windows looking on to some dulled room, just visible beyond the reflection of tiled walls.
They were hooded, wearing dark robes, so at first Will thought they were monks, but almost immediately he realized from their silhouettes that they were women. He tried to focus on their faces but couldn’t and every time one came close she seemed to keep her face hidden from him.
“They’re whispering,” he said because he could hear it now.
“I thought they were. Can you hear what they’re saying?”
“No,” he said, lying, not wanting to tell her what it was. “I can’t see their faces either.”
“I saw them,” she said, her voice sounding small. He turned to look at her and she said, “They don’t have any. They’re just blank, or almost blank.”
The Mercian Trilogy:
1. Blood
FTC Advisory: EgmontUSA provided me with a copy of Blood. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
September 1, 2025
Tendo em vista o tema que se propõe, acho que cumpre bem seu propósito, acredito que o público alvo se envolva bastante. Rico em detalhes, o que faz com que fique levemente confuso em certos momentos, achei os cenários um pouco difíceis de visualizar, mas possíveis.
Do meio pro final, a história dá uma guinada boa, foi um dos livros que li mais rápido, me prendeu muito.
O romance deixou a desejar um pouco, não senti tanta química dos personagens, e acho a Eloise um tanto sem sal. Pra mim, essa parte romântica foi o que menos impactou, a lore principal tem mais importância.
Histórias com essa temática de destino me ganham, e vampiros também, então a união dos dois temas casou de forma perfeita. Acredito que não vá agradar todos os públicos, nem os que se agradam só por um tema, ou pelo outro. Mas eu fiquei rendida, e ansiosa pra ler a sequência.
Do meio pro final, a história dá uma guinada boa, foi um dos livros que li mais rápido, me prendeu muito.
O romance deixou a desejar um pouco, não senti tanta química dos personagens, e acho a Eloise um tanto sem sal. Pra mim, essa parte romântica foi o que menos impactou, a lore principal tem mais importância.
Histórias com essa temática de destino me ganham, e vampiros também, então a união dos dois temas casou de forma perfeita. Acredito que não vá agradar todos os públicos, nem os que se agradam só por um tema, ou pelo outro. Mas eu fiquei rendida, e ansiosa pra ler a sequência.
January 26, 2020
A quick and easy teen read, with a few minor troubling details. I first read this around the time it was published and absolutely loved it but it's definitely strange to reread it again as an adult. I picked up on things I wouldn't have as a young teen and was quite surprised I didn't notice them when I was younger!
I feel like this book is a product of its time in terms of the knowledge and awareness of the world young teens have today. For example, Will mentions noticing a young (13/14) girl as particularly beautiful and attractive which I found a bit uncomfortable!
I feel like this book is a product of its time in terms of the knowledge and awareness of the world young teens have today. For example, Will mentions noticing a young (13/14) girl as particularly beautiful and attractive which I found a bit uncomfortable!
June 27, 2023
Começa bem, fica entediante.
Gostei do conceito inicial. Um vampiro solitário, que precisa desenvolver uma motivação. Parece um ser afundado no tédio da vida eterna.
O desenvolvimento dele com a garota, porém, é bem estranho e soou muito falso para mim. Não consigo sentir que o livro gera uma atmosfera nem de suspense (tanto que precisa tentar reforçar o tempo todo por repetição... dado que a descrição inicial não carrega impacto suficiente) nem de romance (e fica forçando a barra para algo entre os personagens centrais).
A meu ver, não vale a pena.
Gostei do conceito inicial. Um vampiro solitário, que precisa desenvolver uma motivação. Parece um ser afundado no tédio da vida eterna.
O desenvolvimento dele com a garota, porém, é bem estranho e soou muito falso para mim. Não consigo sentir que o livro gera uma atmosfera nem de suspense (tanto que precisa tentar reforçar o tempo todo por repetição... dado que a descrição inicial não carrega impacto suficiente) nem de romance (e fica forçando a barra para algo entre os personagens centrais).
A meu ver, não vale a pena.
July 31, 2023
Blood
by K.J. Wignall
September 3, 2019
Blood is the first book in a series. There were questions that I had no real interest in finding out the answers to. I didn’t like the characters, they felt flat and had no real dimension. This book didn’t catch my attention and my mind was wandering. I felt bored. It was so slow going I found myself just skimming over the last bit. It just wasn’t the book for me.
Thank you to Egmont USA and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
by K.J. Wignall
September 3, 2019
Blood is the first book in a series. There were questions that I had no real interest in finding out the answers to. I didn’t like the characters, they felt flat and had no real dimension. This book didn’t catch my attention and my mind was wandering. I felt bored. It was so slow going I found myself just skimming over the last bit. It just wasn’t the book for me.
Thank you to Egmont USA and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
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