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Halflife Chronicles #3
Habeas Corpses
Two years ago Christopher Cs?jthe survived a blood transfusion with a vampire only to discover that he was infected with one of the two viruses that transform the living into the undead. Since then he has survived by his wits as men, monsters, and government agencies have hunted him for the secrets his mutated blood may hold. His personal life is almost as troublesome as the assassins that turning up in ever increasing his bodyguard is a sexy vampire, his jealous werewolf lover can't abide his touch after a silver bullet poisons his blood, and the ghost of his dead wife is still hanging around, offering odd bits of advice. The "neighbors" from the cemetery next door tend to drop by every night and someone is sending him grotesque messages in the form of dismembered body parts that are still alive! Being almost undead has provided a coffin-load of challenges, blending humor and horror in his two previous outings, One Foot in the Grave and Dead On My Feet. This time around an assassin's bullet knocks Csejthe out of his body and into the afterlife as he journeys through the realm of the truly dead before a final showdown with an evil spawned in Nazi Germany. An evil kept alive through genetic manipulation and nanotechnology and waiting only for Csejthe's blood to overcome the last hurdle to immortality!
416 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2005
About the author
Wm. Mark Simmons
11 books48 followersWilliam (Wm.) Mark Simmons was born in 1953 and spent his formative years in Independence, Missouri, the hometown of President Harry S. Truman and fantasy author Jim Butcher.
He has had a varied career as an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, musician, and entertainer.
His first novel, In the Net of Dreams, was a finalist for the Compton Crook Award and made Locus Magazine’s “Best List” in 1991. To date he has published seven novels and one novella in the United States with translations in Russia and the Czech Republic. His unique blend of humor and plots that unfold "like an origami sculpture designed by M.C. Escher" have won him the title of “master of twisted humorous fantasy and horror.”
Mark currently resides in the town of Hutchinson, Kansas, not far from the world famous Cosmosphere Space Museum. For the last 13 years of his 40-plus years as a broadcaster and a journalist, he was the Music Director for Radio Kansas and heard as the network’s morning Classical host throughout nearly half of the Sunflower State up until his retirement in 2018. His eighth novel, "A Witch in Time," was released in April of 2019. He currently serves as Game Warden for the nature preserve that is his back yard, wrangles cats, and is working on two new novels in his now copious free time.
(source: http://www.sff.net/people/wm.mark.sim...)
He has had a varied career as an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, musician, and entertainer.
His first novel, In the Net of Dreams, was a finalist for the Compton Crook Award and made Locus Magazine’s “Best List” in 1991. To date he has published seven novels and one novella in the United States with translations in Russia and the Czech Republic. His unique blend of humor and plots that unfold "like an origami sculpture designed by M.C. Escher" have won him the title of “master of twisted humorous fantasy and horror.”
Mark currently resides in the town of Hutchinson, Kansas, not far from the world famous Cosmosphere Space Museum. For the last 13 years of his 40-plus years as a broadcaster and a journalist, he was the Music Director for Radio Kansas and heard as the network’s morning Classical host throughout nearly half of the Sunflower State up until his retirement in 2018. His eighth novel, "A Witch in Time," was released in April of 2019. He currently serves as Game Warden for the nature preserve that is his back yard, wrangles cats, and is working on two new novels in his now copious free time.
(source: http://www.sff.net/people/wm.mark.sim...)
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 14, 2018
Interesting.
The hero is a bit of a Mary Sue - but the metaphysical arguments are interesting.
Getting really tired of Scrap/T though -- no idea why he saved her.
The hero is a bit of a Mary Sue - but the metaphysical arguments are interesting.
Getting really tired of Scrap/T though -- no idea why he saved her.
April 16, 2020
Fun read.
November 14, 2021
Another masterpiece. Simmons is an expert at setting up a book that looks like it's headed in one direction (Chris has to deal with the challenges of leading New York's vampire coven), and then veers into something completely different (a psychedelic, life-after-death assault on a Nazi stronghold in the Rockies).
As usual, Simmons includes a fair bit of wish-fulfillment and power fantasy, which he immediately undercuts and subverts. Similarly, the hero is a sarcastic quipster...which everyone around him hates.
This is a genuinely clever book, filled with action, history, and theology.
As usual, Simmons includes a fair bit of wish-fulfillment and power fantasy, which he immediately undercuts and subverts. Similarly, the hero is a sarcastic quipster...which everyone around him hates.
This is a genuinely clever book, filled with action, history, and theology.
June 1, 2018
The story continues to enthrall me. The villain in this one was a bit of a surprise, but not that much considering the previous stories' establishment of "The blood is the life". Especially Cséjthe's!
August 31, 2016
Third in series. Chris, a quasi vampire with some demon blood as well, is hounded by humans, vampires, zombies/ghosts and demons, who want to kill him or steal his blood. Fortunately, he has some allies who help him thwart most assassination and kidnap attempts, to their own peril. I enjoyed the whole series thus far.
March 19, 2009
Halflife series picks up with some creepy happenings involving both the gangster-like vampire society, a mad scientist with a German accent and Herbert West-like abilities, and a stint with our half-vampire hero as a ghost. A good time.
November 15, 2007
read 12.17.06
read 02.04.07
read 08.10.07
Funny take on vampire novels. Great series. Highly recommended.
read 02.04.07
read 08.10.07
Funny take on vampire novels. Great series. Highly recommended.
March 1, 2015
hilarios in places, overall a good book
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September 9, 2013Click here to find it in the catalogue.
July 2, 2020
I liked a few of the bits.
April 26, 2011
rubbish
November 23, 2013
A series with lots of political commentary (the occasional phrase I agreed with). I suppose what keeps me reading is the well read protagonist and his desire to not just go along.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews