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Laura Caxton #1
13 Bullets
All the official reports say they are dead - extinct since the late '80s, when a fed named Jameson Arkeley nailed the last vampire in a fight that nearly killed him. But the evidence proves otherwise. When a state trooper named Caxton calls the FBI looking for help in the middle of the night, it is Arkeley who gets the assignment - who else He's been expecting such a call. Sure, it's been years since any signs of an attack, but Arkeley knows what most people don' there is one left. In an abandoned asylum she is rotting, plotting and biding her time in a way that only the undead can. But the worst thing is the feeling that the vampires want more than just Caxton's blood. They want her for a reason, one she can't guess; a reason her sphinxlike partner knows but won't say; a reason she has to find out or die trying. Now there are only 13 bullets between Caxton and Arkeley and the vampires. There are only 13 bullets between us, the living, and them, the damned.
373 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
107 people are currently reading
5119 people want to read
About the author
David Wellington
73 books1,156 followersDavid Wellington is a contemporary American horror author, best known for his Zombie trilogy as well as his Vampire series and Werewolf series. His books have been translated into eleven languages and are a global phenomenon.
His career began in 2004 when he started serializing his horror fiction online, posting short chapters of a novel three times a week on a friend’s blog. Response to the project was so great that in 2004 Thunder’s Mouth Press approached David Wellington about publishing Monster Island as a print book. His novels have been featured in Rue Morgue, Fangoria, and the New York Times.
He also made his debut as a comic book writer in 2009 with Marvel Zombies Return:Iron Man.
Wellington attended Syracuse University and received an MFA in creative writing from Penn State. He also holds a masters degree in Library Science from Pratt Institute.
He now lives in New York City with his dog Mary Shelley and wife Elisabeth who, in her wedding vows, promised to “kick serious zombie ass” for him.
His career began in 2004 when he started serializing his horror fiction online, posting short chapters of a novel three times a week on a friend’s blog. Response to the project was so great that in 2004 Thunder’s Mouth Press approached David Wellington about publishing Monster Island as a print book. His novels have been featured in Rue Morgue, Fangoria, and the New York Times.
He also made his debut as a comic book writer in 2009 with Marvel Zombies Return:Iron Man.
Wellington attended Syracuse University and received an MFA in creative writing from Penn State. He also holds a masters degree in Library Science from Pratt Institute.
He now lives in New York City with his dog Mary Shelley and wife Elisabeth who, in her wedding vows, promised to “kick serious zombie ass” for him.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 460 reviews
June 21, 2022
Awesome action packed vampire thriller!
Backstory:
FBI Special Agent Jameson Arkeley a/k/a vampire hunter teams up with a state trooper Laura Caxton to take on a vampire. Laura Caxton doesn't believe in vampires at first until they come up against one in action then her mind does a 360 degree turn when she realizes that vampires do exist. As they both soon find out, there is more than just the one vampire flitting around the city of Pennsylvania and they have to learn to work together if they want to elminate the threat of the vampires that have taken over the city.
The vampires are out for blood and they will do whatever it takes to feed their thirst along with trying to stay one step ahead of Arkeley and Caxton. Arkeley takes Caxton under his wing so to speak to teach her the fundamentals of how to kill vampires.
Thoughts:
This was my second reread of the book as I am wanting to step into the rest of the series. The character, Laura is in denial about vampires in the beginning of the book but changes her tune quickly when she finds out they do exist. The character, Arkeley reminded me of Van Helsing as he is a hardened vampire hunter which knows the ins and outs of how to deal with the vampires. Both characters mesh really well through the book and the story moves along at a fast paced clip.
The book has action galore with guns blazing, edge of your seat suspense, thrilling action scenes, gore flying, and bloody corpses!
The first part of the book takes off with a bang and the action doesn't let up as it moves along at a fast pace! Giving this book five "Fangtastic Vampire stars!
Backstory:
FBI Special Agent Jameson Arkeley a/k/a vampire hunter teams up with a state trooper Laura Caxton to take on a vampire. Laura Caxton doesn't believe in vampires at first until they come up against one in action then her mind does a 360 degree turn when she realizes that vampires do exist. As they both soon find out, there is more than just the one vampire flitting around the city of Pennsylvania and they have to learn to work together if they want to elminate the threat of the vampires that have taken over the city.
The vampires are out for blood and they will do whatever it takes to feed their thirst along with trying to stay one step ahead of Arkeley and Caxton. Arkeley takes Caxton under his wing so to speak to teach her the fundamentals of how to kill vampires.
Thoughts:
This was my second reread of the book as I am wanting to step into the rest of the series. The character, Laura is in denial about vampires in the beginning of the book but changes her tune quickly when she finds out they do exist. The character, Arkeley reminded me of Van Helsing as he is a hardened vampire hunter which knows the ins and outs of how to deal with the vampires. Both characters mesh really well through the book and the story moves along at a fast paced clip.
The book has action galore with guns blazing, edge of your seat suspense, thrilling action scenes, gore flying, and bloody corpses!
The first part of the book takes off with a bang and the action doesn't let up as it moves along at a fast pace! Giving this book five "Fangtastic Vampire stars!
September 1, 2023
Una escalofriante revisión de las leyendas de vampiros. Sólo 13 balas separan a Caxton de Arkeley y los vampiros. Sólo 13 balas entre los vivos y los malditos.
Según la versión oficial, los vampiros se extinguieron en los años 80, cuando el agente del FBI Arkeley se enfrentó al último de ellos en un combate que a punto estuvo de acabar también con su vida. Pero, cuando la agente federal Caxton llama en mitad de la noche al FBI pidiendo ayuda, sólo el agente Arkeley sabe que está pasando: queda un vampiro.
Escondido en un asilo abandonado, esperando el momento oportuno con la paciencia de la que solo un no muerto es capaz. Sólo hay un modo de resolver éste caso.
Pero parece que los vampiros buscan algo más que la sangre de Caxton, algo sobre lo que su compañero guarda en silencio; algo que tendrá que averiguar o morirá.
Vampiros depredadores puros al estilo tiburón, malvados, pálidos y llenos de colmillos que pueden hipnotizarte hasta dejarte a su merced impotente. La historia tiene como telón de fondo la zona rural de Pensilvania.
Me ha gustado mucho. Es un no parar. Desde la primera página me enganchó.
Buenos personajes, sangre y vampiros que nada tienen que ver con los cautivadores sino más bien algo así como la nueva película de "El último viaje del Demeter". Monstruos.
Intriga saber qué pasará y todo lo que es el transfondo del origen de estas criaturas y su forma de vida en muerte.
La escritura no es estelar pero es ameno y es ágil, no describe de más ni de menos, buena prosa para la trama que ha creado.
Diálogos bien llevados, otros no tanto y aún teniendo interesantes personajes no tiene la profundidad o desarrollo de personajes que podría tener.
Pero ya veis que los defectos los he pasado por alto ya que fue una lectura entretenida y muy dinámica en una historia de vampiros de verdad. De los que asustan en la oscuridad y no brillan bajo el sol o tienen empatía.
Seguiré con la saga viajando por una buena historia de vampiros, de acción de lo más entretenida, es como ver las peliculas de Blade y con el tipo correcto de vampiros.
No hay romance, ni leches. Mucha sangre y hostias.. no de las sagradas..
Tampoco es que dejen sólo dos marquitas cuando se alimentan, un aspecto personal que me gustó. Recomendable.. ✍️🧛
Según la versión oficial, los vampiros se extinguieron en los años 80, cuando el agente del FBI Arkeley se enfrentó al último de ellos en un combate que a punto estuvo de acabar también con su vida. Pero, cuando la agente federal Caxton llama en mitad de la noche al FBI pidiendo ayuda, sólo el agente Arkeley sabe que está pasando: queda un vampiro.
Escondido en un asilo abandonado, esperando el momento oportuno con la paciencia de la que solo un no muerto es capaz. Sólo hay un modo de resolver éste caso.
Pero parece que los vampiros buscan algo más que la sangre de Caxton, algo sobre lo que su compañero guarda en silencio; algo que tendrá que averiguar o morirá.
Vampiros depredadores puros al estilo tiburón, malvados, pálidos y llenos de colmillos que pueden hipnotizarte hasta dejarte a su merced impotente. La historia tiene como telón de fondo la zona rural de Pensilvania.
Me ha gustado mucho. Es un no parar. Desde la primera página me enganchó.
Buenos personajes, sangre y vampiros que nada tienen que ver con los cautivadores sino más bien algo así como la nueva película de "El último viaje del Demeter". Monstruos.
Intriga saber qué pasará y todo lo que es el transfondo del origen de estas criaturas y su forma de vida en muerte.
La escritura no es estelar pero es ameno y es ágil, no describe de más ni de menos, buena prosa para la trama que ha creado.
Diálogos bien llevados, otros no tanto y aún teniendo interesantes personajes no tiene la profundidad o desarrollo de personajes que podría tener.
Pero ya veis que los defectos los he pasado por alto ya que fue una lectura entretenida y muy dinámica en una historia de vampiros de verdad. De los que asustan en la oscuridad y no brillan bajo el sol o tienen empatía.
Seguiré con la saga viajando por una buena historia de vampiros, de acción de lo más entretenida, es como ver las peliculas de Blade y con el tipo correcto de vampiros.
No hay romance, ni leches. Mucha sangre y hostias.. no de las sagradas..
Tampoco es que dejen sólo dos marquitas cuando se alimentan, un aspecto personal que me gustó. Recomendable.. ✍️🧛
March 16, 2020
Everything you might want in a vampire book (except for an ending - sequels baby...)
Pure predator bad-ass, bald, pale, heavily fanged vampires who can mesmerize you to a standstill. [Check - any youngish vampire].
Young MC character out of her depth who has to wise up or die. [Check - Laura]
Much older vampire hunter who is a total curmudgeon and may or may not be using Laura to advance his own agenda [Check - Arkeley]
Decrepit Vampire stuck in their coffin and kept as a science experiment by a besotted Doctor [Check - Malvern].
MC's best friend who .... (nah, not saying...) [Check]
Not a sparkle in sight [Check]
One suggestion: I really think that Laura Caxton should be allowed to use Claymore Mines, Phosphorus Grenades, Fully Automatic Shotguns with big-ass magazines, and a SWAT team armed with the same when she's up against one of these vampires - it's only fair.
Strongly recommended. 5 'give the girl an auto-cannon,' stars.
Pure predator bad-ass, bald, pale, heavily fanged vampires who can mesmerize you to a standstill. [Check - any youngish vampire].
Young MC character out of her depth who has to wise up or die. [Check - Laura]
Much older vampire hunter who is a total curmudgeon and may or may not be using Laura to advance his own agenda [Check - Arkeley]
Decrepit Vampire stuck in their coffin and kept as a science experiment by a besotted Doctor [Check - Malvern].
MC's best friend who .... (nah, not saying...) [Check]
Not a sparkle in sight [Check]
One suggestion: I really think that Laura Caxton should be allowed to use Claymore Mines, Phosphorus Grenades, Fully Automatic Shotguns with big-ass magazines, and a SWAT team armed with the same when she's up against one of these vampires - it's only fair.
Strongly recommended. 5 'give the girl an auto-cannon,' stars.
March 14, 2009
If you like vampire stories because they show vampires in a sympathetic light, make them lovable, understandable, marriageable or sparkly, this is not your book.
If on the other hand, you appreciate the more subtle attractions of a race of beings that never die on their own, are obsessed with eating their favorite food allday night, are only interested in their pre-vampire friends is as an entree or as a new recruit, and who repeatedly draw the negative attention of hunters who have a visceral dislike of the vampire lifestyle, then you will truly appreciate 13 Bullets.
I read this book after completing the Twilight series (which I also liked), and the contrast between Stephanie Meyer's and David Wellington's idea of vampires is pretty stark. In David Wellington's universe, there are no "vegetarian" vampires, they all need human blood, and lots of it. His vampires are pale, but they aren't beautiful (think Nosferatu on steroids). You wouldn't want to kiss one because of all the extra teeth they develop and the fact that they usually are biting you with said teeth. They're indestructible, super strong, fast healing, bald as cue balls, have funny looking ears, and unruly dispositions. They live forever, just like the Cullen family, but one of the wrinkles about being a Wellingtonian vampire is that as you get older, you need more blood, so that by the time you are a hundred years old you're never going to get enough of your favorite drink with out making some more vampires to help you satisfy your appetite by collecting blood for you. It's sort of an undead pyramid scheme, except that no one who is recruited gets to leave the Amway clan once they join.
And how do you get recruited? Well, you don't get bitten. Instead, you get psychically invaded by the vampire, who leaves a portion of his evil soul in your mind, that then tries to convince you to "accept the Curse" of the undead by killing yourself. This vampiric Trojan horse never goes away, even if you manage to kill your attacker. So, have a bad day at work or start feeling a little down on your life, and you're starting down the slippery slope to an all liquid diet.
So if the vampires are the bad guys, who are the good guys? Like Twilight, this book has a heroine who is the focus of the book. However, she is almost entirely unlike Bella Swan in every way. Laura Caxton is a grown up whose parents are dead, as a result of sad but mundane causes. She is a Pennsylvania state trooper, and is a lesbian in a committed relationship. She is driven to succeed in her life, but unsure of herself because she doesn't realize her worth and her inner strength. She is also, for reasons she doesn't understand, a vampire magnet. As a person with real strengths and flaws, she is a sympathetic character, and one that the reader hopes will persevere, and survive until the next book (at least).
Her boss is less sympathetic, but just as flawed. Jameson Arkeley is a Special Deputy in the US Marshals Service who has dedicated his career to rooting out and destroying the vampire menace. He's grouchy, uncompromising, esoteric, and rude. He doesn't tell Caxton his complete plan, until it's nearly too late. He serves as the Van Helsing of this dark tale, providing the backstory, and describing the ways of Wellington's vampires. He is also knowingly and unknowingly enmeshing Trooper Caxton in his crazed quest to destroy evil.
The story is set against the backdrop of rural Pennsylvania, and anyone who has lived there will instantly understand the author's characterizations of the peculiarities of that state, especially the backwater areas where the stranger people Pennsylvanians dwell.
This was a good story, so I won't wreck it for you by sharing much of the plot. Just watch out for the unexpected plot twist at the end that brings everything into a much sharper focus. I'm looking forward to the next book, which is going to give a new twist to the bizarre history of Gettysburg, PA.
By the way, the fundamental difference between Twilight and 13 Bullets is that the former is a love story with vampires in it, while the latter is a vampire story, period.
If on the other hand, you appreciate the more subtle attractions of a race of beings that never die on their own, are obsessed with eating their favorite food all
I read this book after completing the Twilight series (which I also liked), and the contrast between Stephanie Meyer's and David Wellington's idea of vampires is pretty stark. In David Wellington's universe, there are no "vegetarian" vampires, they all need human blood, and lots of it. His vampires are pale, but they aren't beautiful (think Nosferatu on steroids). You wouldn't want to kiss one because of all the extra teeth they develop and the fact that they usually are biting you with said teeth. They're indestructible, super strong, fast healing, bald as cue balls, have funny looking ears, and unruly dispositions. They live forever, just like the Cullen family, but one of the wrinkles about being a Wellingtonian vampire is that as you get older, you need more blood, so that by the time you are a hundred years old you're never going to get enough of your favorite drink with out making some more vampires to help you satisfy your appetite by collecting blood for you. It's sort of an undead pyramid scheme, except that no one who is recruited gets to leave the Amway clan once they join.
And how do you get recruited? Well, you don't get bitten. Instead, you get psychically invaded by the vampire, who leaves a portion of his evil soul in your mind, that then tries to convince you to "accept the Curse" of the undead by killing yourself. This vampiric Trojan horse never goes away, even if you manage to kill your attacker. So, have a bad day at work or start feeling a little down on your life, and you're starting down the slippery slope to an all liquid diet.
So if the vampires are the bad guys, who are the good guys? Like Twilight, this book has a heroine who is the focus of the book. However, she is almost entirely unlike Bella Swan in every way. Laura Caxton is a grown up whose parents are dead, as a result of sad but mundane causes. She is a Pennsylvania state trooper, and is a lesbian in a committed relationship. She is driven to succeed in her life, but unsure of herself because she doesn't realize her worth and her inner strength. She is also, for reasons she doesn't understand, a vampire magnet. As a person with real strengths and flaws, she is a sympathetic character, and one that the reader hopes will persevere, and survive until the next book (at least).
Her boss is less sympathetic, but just as flawed. Jameson Arkeley is a Special Deputy in the US Marshals Service who has dedicated his career to rooting out and destroying the vampire menace. He's grouchy, uncompromising, esoteric, and rude. He doesn't tell Caxton his complete plan, until it's nearly too late. He serves as the Van Helsing of this dark tale, providing the backstory, and describing the ways of Wellington's vampires. He is also knowingly and unknowingly enmeshing Trooper Caxton in his crazed quest to destroy evil.
The story is set against the backdrop of rural Pennsylvania, and anyone who has lived there will instantly understand the author's characterizations of the peculiarities of that state, especially the backwater areas where the stranger people Pennsylvanians dwell.
This was a good story, so I won't wreck it for you by sharing much of the plot. Just watch out for the unexpected plot twist at the end that brings everything into a much sharper focus. I'm looking forward to the next book, which is going to give a new twist to the bizarre history of Gettysburg, PA.
By the way, the fundamental difference between Twilight and 13 Bullets is that the former is a love story with vampires in it, while the latter is a vampire story, period.
March 6, 2018
Not pretty vampires at all.
This was a fun, fast read full of action. These vampires are very mean, not pretty and no longer human. The story was good and flowed at a fast pace. The characters were like able. I would continue this series.
This was a fun, fast read full of action. These vampires are very mean, not pretty and no longer human. The story was good and flowed at a fast pace. The characters were like able. I would continue this series.
June 30, 2022
Excellent Vampire action story, with the right kind of vampires!
March 3, 2018
"Here there be monsters."
There is a tendency of late to write vampires as world weary eurotrash, who feel conflicted by their unnatural desires. These Mary Sue fops rue and bemoan their way across the stage, leaving me with a deep desire to carry out extensive experiments to determine which type of wood makes the best stake. (I wonder how many toothpicks it would take?) The leeches in this work are a refreshingly nasty form of beasts, who make me crave a good hunt.
There is a tendency of late to write vampires as world weary eurotrash, who feel conflicted by their unnatural desires. These Mary Sue fops rue and bemoan their way across the stage, leaving me with a deep desire to carry out extensive experiments to determine which type of wood makes the best stake. (I wonder how many toothpicks it would take?) The leeches in this work are a refreshingly nasty form of beasts, who make me crave a good hunt.
September 9, 2022
Ummmmm so that got started with a bang (bite?) and never let up!
So.
Much.
Fun!!!
Just when I thought all the vampire tales had been told this one jumped on out and knocked all prior tropes sideways. Totally original with the heart rate of a hummingbird in heat, this book made for a great nights read. Just make sure you keep the lights on while doing so.
Trust me on that one.
4 Spike-Toothed Stars
So.
Much.
Fun!!!
Just when I thought all the vampire tales had been told this one jumped on out and knocked all prior tropes sideways. Totally original with the heart rate of a hummingbird in heat, this book made for a great nights read. Just make sure you keep the lights on while doing so.
Trust me on that one.
4 Spike-Toothed Stars
June 23, 2022
I'll be generous and go with four stars due to the fact that I appreciated the different take on vampires and the action/gore factor. But I do understand where the negative reviewers are coming from. The writing isn't stellar, the dialogue cringeworthy at times, and not much character depth or development. But I could look past it as it was mostly a fun, entertaining read.
March 13, 2018
“Evil is never satisfied. Evil has no ending, no bottom.”
Sharked tooth gorible vampires of ceaseless hunger!
Oh yes, give me more. These were vicious unapologetic baddies.
I also like our MC hunters. Arkeley, a near two dimensional pillar of vengeful dry masculinity. He contrasted well with the young Caxton, a serious feminine figure who had to learn to hold her own.
It’s a short, fast paced, entertaining story with a firm ending that leaves you needing book two!
October 24, 2009
I can sum up this book and my review in one phrase - the author's imagination exceeds his writing ability.
The book is full of contradictions, usually one after another and I was extremely annoyed by this. For example, near the beginning, "Every one of his teeth was sharpened to a point. It wasn’t like in the movies at all." And in the very next paragraph, "We all knew what we were getting into, he told me; we’d all seen plenty of movies before."
The dialogue was boring and flat. People do not talk like the characters in this book. I also did not like any of the characters. I mean, I REALLY did not like any of the characters.
And here are my new least favorite sentences - “You are a lesbian, aren’t you? I made the assumption based simply on your haircut”.
Too many times to count, I paused out of complete confusion because something a character said or did made absolutely zero sense. And I'm repeating this - the author contradicted his own material so much, I'm surprised that an editor did not catch and fix things.
After saying all of that, the idea for this book is excellent and one-of-a-kind. The action was better than the dialogue and I love that the vampires were truly horrific creatures. The body count is excessive and the scenes are intensely graphic, blood and body parts in abundance. If the writing had been better, I would be rating this 4 stars. As for now, I will not be picking up any more of Wellington's books.
The book is full of contradictions, usually one after another and I was extremely annoyed by this. For example, near the beginning, "Every one of his teeth was sharpened to a point. It wasn’t like in the movies at all." And in the very next paragraph, "We all knew what we were getting into, he told me; we’d all seen plenty of movies before."
The dialogue was boring and flat. People do not talk like the characters in this book. I also did not like any of the characters. I mean, I REALLY did not like any of the characters.
And here are my new least favorite sentences - “You are a lesbian, aren’t you? I made the assumption based simply on your haircut”.
Too many times to count, I paused out of complete confusion because something a character said or did made absolutely zero sense. And I'm repeating this - the author contradicted his own material so much, I'm surprised that an editor did not catch and fix things.
After saying all of that, the idea for this book is excellent and one-of-a-kind. The action was better than the dialogue and I love that the vampires were truly horrific creatures. The body count is excessive and the scenes are intensely graphic, blood and body parts in abundance. If the writing had been better, I would be rating this 4 stars. As for now, I will not be picking up any more of Wellington's books.
June 2, 2019
As far as horror goes, this is a very well-written representative. The story keeps flowing fast, it's got twists and turns, believable characters and some gore.
The story follows a man who killed a boat of vampires twenty years prior which somehow turned him into a vampire expert. The thing is, one vampire survived and legally became a person, therefore nobody could kill her without facing a nasty trial. She is kept barely alive so that she doesn't wreak havoc anywhere but when vampire murders start to occur in the area around where is is kept, it's almost sure she was the cause. But how can a decomposing thing which doesn't move much kill so many people? Only one way to find out..
What I liked best about it was the refreshing take on vampires- these are unlike anything I've read before. They gorge on blood but need more and more to the point of no return in which they start losing their prey because there just isn't enough blood around to keep them sated so they slowly turn into living skeletons. The younger vampires listen to and almost fetishize the old ones who "speak" from their coffins and manage to affect and mesmerize. Add in a few of their servants who easily fall apart and you have a really beautiful bloodsucker horror.
The story follows a man who killed a boat of vampires twenty years prior which somehow turned him into a vampire expert. The thing is, one vampire survived and legally became a person, therefore nobody could kill her without facing a nasty trial. She is kept barely alive so that she doesn't wreak havoc anywhere but when vampire murders start to occur in the area around where is is kept, it's almost sure she was the cause. But how can a decomposing thing which doesn't move much kill so many people? Only one way to find out..
What I liked best about it was the refreshing take on vampires- these are unlike anything I've read before. They gorge on blood but need more and more to the point of no return in which they start losing their prey because there just isn't enough blood around to keep them sated so they slowly turn into living skeletons. The younger vampires listen to and almost fetishize the old ones who "speak" from their coffins and manage to affect and mesmerize. Add in a few of their servants who easily fall apart and you have a really beautiful bloodsucker horror.
March 1, 2017
I have not, hitherto, considered myself to be a reader of horror fiction - mostly because I'm a wimp and I don't want to have nightmares. But I really enjoyed this one.
To be honest, it's gory rather than scary, per se. Body count in triple figures, mostly courtesy of vampires who are actual monsters. These are not your wishy-washy sparkly vampires: these are predators. (Admittedly, I have a few minor quibbles with the way Wellington does vampires, but really, it's his train set and he can play with it however he likes - and minor quibbles did not significantly detract from my enjoyment [during daylight hours] of the story.)
Laura Caxton, highway patrol trooper, makes an unpleasant discovery at a routine traffic stop - and gets conscripted as junior van Helsing by the United States' best (only) vampire hunter: Special Deputy Arkeley. There must be something special about Laura, beyond the fact that she's the only one who's read Arkeley's report of his last (only) vampire killing - mustn't there?
The narrative follows the confused, scared Laura as she struggles to meet Arkeley's expectations (if she can figure out what they are) and to work out why he wants her at all. And why the vampires seem to want her, too. I have never hunted vampires, but Laura's reactions seemed to be pretty realistic - she goes through the gamut of this is cool/horror/fear/despair/terror/etc that a real person thrust into such a situation might do, rather than instantly becoming some kind of superpowered vampire killer. This was a nice change.
And I did like the twist at the end. Some might find it disappointing, but I thought it gave the whole book a new layer. You end up looking at the whole thing from a slightly different angle, and thinking yep, that's life.
Thoroughly recommended.
To be honest, it's gory rather than scary, per se. Body count in triple figures, mostly courtesy of vampires who are actual monsters. These are not your wishy-washy sparkly vampires: these are predators. (Admittedly, I have a few minor quibbles with the way Wellington does vampires, but really, it's his train set and he can play with it however he likes - and minor quibbles did not significantly detract from my enjoyment [during daylight hours] of the story.)
Laura Caxton, highway patrol trooper, makes an unpleasant discovery at a routine traffic stop - and gets conscripted as junior van Helsing by the United States' best (only) vampire hunter: Special Deputy Arkeley. There must be something special about Laura, beyond the fact that she's the only one who's read Arkeley's report of his last (only) vampire killing - mustn't there?
The narrative follows the confused, scared Laura as she struggles to meet Arkeley's expectations (if she can figure out what they are) and to work out why he wants her at all. And why the vampires seem to want her, too. I have never hunted vampires, but Laura's reactions seemed to be pretty realistic - she goes through the gamut of this is cool/horror/fear/despair/terror/etc that a real person thrust into such a situation might do, rather than instantly becoming some kind of superpowered vampire killer. This was a nice change.
And I did like the twist at the end. Some might find it disappointing, but I thought it gave the whole book a new layer. You end up looking at the whole thing from a slightly different angle, and thinking yep, that's life.
Thoroughly recommended.
October 2, 2024
Tough one to review. The author has made a remarkable character in Laura Caxton. She's thrust into the position of partner to the only person who last took down 3 vampires himself while being severely injured. But one got away and 20 years later signs of new vampires have emerged. She is the star of the book.
It is very dark. The vampires are not human-like but for only a few bodily comparisons as they were once human. They are monsters through and through. A lot of carnage. There are no relationships per se developed, as there is little dialog. It is simple, human vs pure evil.
The relationship between the two main characters is important. However, it was lacking overall. There wasn't a full development and as such my interest would want for at times. It is a long read.
I have read the author's most recent, a space horror novel. With the second book to be published later this year. I enjoyed that and was interested in trying out his other works.
Overall, this was an intense and scary read. However, if I'm completely honest. Had I read this book before reading the space horror? I don't believe I would have picked up the other novel at all.
It is very dark. The vampires are not human-like but for only a few bodily comparisons as they were once human. They are monsters through and through. A lot of carnage. There are no relationships per se developed, as there is little dialog. It is simple, human vs pure evil.
The relationship between the two main characters is important. However, it was lacking overall. There wasn't a full development and as such my interest would want for at times. It is a long read.
I have read the author's most recent, a space horror novel. With the second book to be published later this year. I enjoyed that and was interested in trying out his other works.
Overall, this was an intense and scary read. However, if I'm completely honest. Had I read this book before reading the space horror? I don't believe I would have picked up the other novel at all.
August 14, 2022
I liked that the book was set in Pennsylvania. The first chapter had a vampire hunt in Pittsburgh, my hometown. I would have read this sooner had I known.
I enjoyed the story although predictable. I did not like how the author ended the book. It read like it was chopped off for the next book in a series.
I've been reading too much vampire smut but this fits under vampire horror.
I will continue the series.
I enjoyed the story although predictable. I did not like how the author ended the book. It read like it was chopped off for the next book in a series.
I've been reading too much vampire smut but this fits under vampire horror.
I will continue the series.
September 25, 2019
«Durante veinte años he creído que estábamos a salvo, pero ahora me doy cuenta de que tan sólo estaba tomándose su tiempo para reunir fuerzas.»
Si hay algo que tiene este libro es acción. Acción de la bien hecha, de la que te hace sentir que estás viendo una película más que leyendo una novela, de la que te hace concentrar y compenetrar hasta tal punto en la historia que cualquier ruido externo te hace saltar hasta el techo.
Comenzamos "oyendo" una grabación hecha hace 20 años por el agente Arkeley, FBI, especializado en vampiros. Nos cuenta con lujo de detalles gráficos y sangrientos su enfrentamiento con un vampiro llamado Lares, y luego de unas escenas muy intensas llega al punto donde Arkeley –contra todo pronóstico– derrota al vampiro y cree haber acabado temporalmente con ese mal.
Obviamente se equivocó.
Ya en el presente conocemos a Laura Caxton, una agente de tránsito con pocas aspiraciones de progreso que encuentra en un automovil lo que claramente fue la cena de un vampiro. Es así como Arkeley entra nuevamente en escena y decide que quiere a Caxton como su compañera. La relación entre ellos será algo más que un poco tensa, ya que él es una persona muy difícil de tratar y logra hacer surgir en ella una inseguridad que la toma por sorpresa.
Ella está muy intimidada por él y está constantemente buscando que deje de tratarla como a una imbécil (que no lo es, sólo es inexperta), pero Arkeley no colabora en lo más mínimo.
Algo que me gustó mucho es que Laura sea lesbiana, que además de darle originalidad a la historia, garantiza que no habrá en ningún momento ningún tipo de tensión sexual entre ambos. Sí hay otros tipos de tensión, porque Arkeley es un tipo endurecido, frío y sinceramente bastante desagradable. A pesar de eso me cayó bien... la mayor parte del tiempo.
Intercalando con muy dinámicas escenas de acción, Arkeley, su pistola con 13 balas y Caxton irán siguiendole la pista a los vampiros (que son pocos pero hacen más estragos que si fueran un ejército) y pese a que Laura querrá salir de la investigación cada vez que parece que hay calma, siempre habrá algo que la vuelva a arrastrar. Creo que llegado un punto el autor se sentó frente a su manuscrito, agitó rápidamente los dedos en el aire y dijo: "hagamos sufrir a Laura Caxton". Los niveles de mier... eh, problemas en los que se va a ver hundida son increíbles, tétricos y perturbadores. El lema de este libro debería ser 'siempre se puede estar peor'.
Si bien nunca nos detenemos a ver a los personajes con una enorme profundidad, sus acciones dicen mucho sobre ellos. Hay personajes secundarios muy interesantes a los que vemos poco, pero que se afianzan bien en la historia. Quien me resultó perturbadora e intrigante por partes iguales es Deanna, la novia de Caxton. Con su forma de arte tan... vanguardista... y su personalidad explosiva y pasiva de un modo casi bipolar, es alguien a quien se ve poco pero sus apariciones tienen mucho peso.
Y claro, también hay vampiros. Vampiros monstruosos con una dentadura repleta de colmillos y habilidades físicas y psíquicas que los vuelven prácticamente indestructibles. Seres no-muertos que emanan frío, un frío que hiela los huesos y perturba el alma de quienes los encuentran.
Otra cosa que tiene muy bien hecha es el ambiente tétrico. A veces con escenarios simples y otros más complejos. Cada imagen que David Wellington crea está llena de suspenso y de la posibilidad de un horror desconocido. Mi favorito sin embargo fue el hospital para tuberculosos abandonado, con una escultura gigante de rostro derruído que parece custodiar... lo que hay adentro.
El final de la historia me gustó mucho. Hubo algo predecible, pero creo que el autor sabiendo eso le dio un último giro inesperado que lo arregla todo. De todos modos lo mejor del desenlace para mí fue la última escena. Tengo muchas ganas de leer la continuación.
Reseña de Libros junto al mar
Si hay algo que tiene este libro es acción. Acción de la bien hecha, de la que te hace sentir que estás viendo una película más que leyendo una novela, de la que te hace concentrar y compenetrar hasta tal punto en la historia que cualquier ruido externo te hace saltar hasta el techo.
Comenzamos "oyendo" una grabación hecha hace 20 años por el agente Arkeley, FBI, especializado en vampiros. Nos cuenta con lujo de detalles gráficos y sangrientos su enfrentamiento con un vampiro llamado Lares, y luego de unas escenas muy intensas llega al punto donde Arkeley –contra todo pronóstico– derrota al vampiro y cree haber acabado temporalmente con ese mal.
Obviamente se equivocó.
Ya en el presente conocemos a Laura Caxton, una agente de tránsito con pocas aspiraciones de progreso que encuentra en un automovil lo que claramente fue la cena de un vampiro. Es así como Arkeley entra nuevamente en escena y decide que quiere a Caxton como su compañera. La relación entre ellos será algo más que un poco tensa, ya que él es una persona muy difícil de tratar y logra hacer surgir en ella una inseguridad que la toma por sorpresa.
Ella está muy intimidada por él y está constantemente buscando que deje de tratarla como a una imbécil (que no lo es, sólo es inexperta), pero Arkeley no colabora en lo más mínimo.
Algo que me gustó mucho es que Laura sea lesbiana, que además de darle originalidad a la historia, garantiza que no habrá en ningún momento ningún tipo de tensión sexual entre ambos. Sí hay otros tipos de tensión, porque Arkeley es un tipo endurecido, frío y sinceramente bastante desagradable. A pesar de eso me cayó bien... la mayor parte del tiempo.
Intercalando con muy dinámicas escenas de acción, Arkeley, su pistola con 13 balas y Caxton irán siguiendole la pista a los vampiros (que son pocos pero hacen más estragos que si fueran un ejército) y pese a que Laura querrá salir de la investigación cada vez que parece que hay calma, siempre habrá algo que la vuelva a arrastrar. Creo que llegado un punto el autor se sentó frente a su manuscrito, agitó rápidamente los dedos en el aire y dijo: "hagamos sufrir a Laura Caxton". Los niveles de mier... eh, problemas en los que se va a ver hundida son increíbles, tétricos y perturbadores. El lema de este libro debería ser 'siempre se puede estar peor'.
Si bien nunca nos detenemos a ver a los personajes con una enorme profundidad, sus acciones dicen mucho sobre ellos. Hay personajes secundarios muy interesantes a los que vemos poco, pero que se afianzan bien en la historia. Quien me resultó perturbadora e intrigante por partes iguales es Deanna, la novia de Caxton. Con su forma de arte tan... vanguardista... y su personalidad explosiva y pasiva de un modo casi bipolar, es alguien a quien se ve poco pero sus apariciones tienen mucho peso.
Y claro, también hay vampiros. Vampiros monstruosos con una dentadura repleta de colmillos y habilidades físicas y psíquicas que los vuelven prácticamente indestructibles. Seres no-muertos que emanan frío, un frío que hiela los huesos y perturba el alma de quienes los encuentran.
Otra cosa que tiene muy bien hecha es el ambiente tétrico. A veces con escenarios simples y otros más complejos. Cada imagen que David Wellington crea está llena de suspenso y de la posibilidad de un horror desconocido. Mi favorito sin embargo fue el hospital para tuberculosos abandonado, con una escultura gigante de rostro derruído que parece custodiar... lo que hay adentro.
El final de la historia me gustó mucho. Hubo algo predecible, pero creo que el autor sabiendo eso le dio un último giro inesperado que lo arregla todo. De todos modos lo mejor del desenlace para mí fue la última escena. Tengo muchas ganas de leer la continuación.
Reseña de Libros junto al mar
July 6, 2016
I just couldn't take it any more halfway through. In many ways, it was a very good story. The author has come up with very unique, nasty vampires & helpers that were great; seriously innovative & perfectly gruesome with excellent history. The main characters were interesting & likable. The supporting ones were well done & there was a great balance among them, too. The plot was excellent. The narrator was very good. I'm very impressed by all of this.
Unfortunately, there were too many mundane details that were just too often ridiculously & grossly wrong. When the heroine ruined her 'clip' (magazine) to pry nails out of a coffin (In pieces! Seriously?!!!) I just couldn't take it any more. I was already trying hard to ignore all the errors & omissions in the cornfield chase & this was the final straw. Everything from the reason she was there to her chase & the obvious finale of this scene was a ludicrous mess.
That's the way it worked with many individual scenes. Every time I'd get back into the story, he'd knock me back out with some completely unrealistic details. Too often my teeth were clenched & I was groaning in disbelief & horror - horror at ruining a perfectly good scene that could & should have given me chills & thrills if only I could have stayed in the story.
I will try another book by this author. This is one of his earliest ones from 2007, so his attention to mundane details might have improved. Hopefully he's actually run through a cornfield since then & thought about how a place could have a fairly large staff - including union subcontractors! - yet not have any parking & a barely used drive.
He's only going to get one more shot, though.
(Chains on the tires of vehicle used on dry roads?!!! Why?!!!) SMH
Unfortunately, there were too many mundane details that were just too often ridiculously & grossly wrong. When the heroine ruined her 'clip' (magazine) to pry nails out of a coffin (In pieces! Seriously?!!!) I just couldn't take it any more. I was already trying hard to ignore all the errors & omissions in the cornfield chase & this was the final straw. Everything from the reason she was there to her chase & the obvious finale of this scene was a ludicrous mess.
That's the way it worked with many individual scenes. Every time I'd get back into the story, he'd knock me back out with some completely unrealistic details. Too often my teeth were clenched & I was groaning in disbelief & horror - horror at ruining a perfectly good scene that could & should have given me chills & thrills if only I could have stayed in the story.
I will try another book by this author. This is one of his earliest ones from 2007, so his attention to mundane details might have improved. Hopefully he's actually run through a cornfield since then & thought about how a place could have a fairly large staff - including union subcontractors! - yet not have any parking & a barely used drive.
He's only going to get one more shot, though.
(Chains on the tires of vehicle used on dry roads?!!! Why?!!!) SMH
December 3, 2022
2.5 Stars
I really had high hopes for this book. It started off so good; but the MC Laura Caston, which this series is named after (egads 🤦🏾), just made the story suck. The amount of whining and whining and did I mention whining and woeismeisms, just got on my last nerve!!!
...and where is the sense of urgency with the folks in this book. It's vampires.... like, no one seems to take precautions or has that sense of urgency when there are VAMPIRES lurking about. Not to mention, half-deads... *le sigh* 😐😑
I just can't.
Edit: ...and the ending!?? I should probably mention why I loved it so much initially, but why?? There are a ton of 5 star reviews, read those.
I really had high hopes for this book. It started off so good; but the MC Laura Caston, which this series is named after (egads 🤦🏾), just made the story suck. The amount of whining and whining and did I mention whining and woeismeisms, just got on my last nerve!!!
...and where is the sense of urgency with the folks in this book. It's vampires.... like, no one seems to take precautions or has that sense of urgency when there are VAMPIRES lurking about. Not to mention, half-deads... *le sigh* 😐😑
I just can't.
Edit: ...and the ending!?? I should probably mention why I loved it so much initially, but why?? There are a ton of 5 star reviews, read those.
April 12, 2012
A good attempt at moving vampires back to horror. We need more books like this.
May 12, 2024
Me he llevado una sorpresa porque me ha gustado y mucho. Mezcla el tema vampiros con novela policíaca y al verdad es que da como resultado una lectura muy interesante. Lso vampiros son su versión más animal, gore y terrorífica. Y el concepto de su inmortalidad es también más animal y visceral. Y me ha gustado mucho la idea. Con ganas de leer el siguiente.
October 3, 2023
I really wanted to like 13 Bullets (Laura Caxton #1) by David Wellington more. It starts off pretty well, but it was downhill from there. I did appreciate that the vampires are really monstrous, but the characters were so irritating. Or at least the writing style and dialogue got old after a while.
April 19, 2011
Date April 17, 2011
Great book!!!!
Date April 18, 2011
Hello,
13 Bullets
I had a hard time rating this book. I wanted to give this book a 5 star,then looking through all the book, I finally decided on a 4 star. I always try to give these authors an honest rating. I usually try to take about one day to look over the book, and write down why I giving this book this rating.
Here's my April review.
This book is pretty interesting. I saw some of the reviews for this book, and I sadly disagree with a few of you here. Most of the reviews were a 1, 2 stars and some were 3 stars. Some said that this book was not like the other vampire books they've read. And this bothered me a little.
What do you mean this is not like the other vampire books?????? We have to think back and remember people, that when authors first started to write a “vampire book”; these books were not always nice books to read. Meaning, these were not always Stephanie Meyer books. Vampire books years ago weren't always a love story.
Vampires are supposed to kill people without remorse. Just remember that vamps do not have souls. When you die your soul leaves your body. The thing inside you is not you. Or at least it is only half of the human. If that makes any sense. From what I gather, those were the vampire rules. They kill without remorse, they have no mercy. It didn't matter whether you were an 80 year old woman or a 1 year old baby.
Does this look like a love story to you by looking at the front cover? No.
So, this book isn’t your everyday love romance story. So what. This isn't the typical Bella and Edward I love you, let’s get married and live a long LONG vampire life, I want to also have ur baby if you don’t mind BOOK.
To tell you the truth guys, the man is an amazing writer. The guy can write and even better than other vampire authors. Not all vampire books have to be about love. What’s the point of reading a book and all authors write the same way. It’s a good thing to change.
The thing is that everyone now wants to hear about a vampire love story and if they do not have a love story they freak out, because this isn’t a twilight book. Make no mistake” I like the Twilight books” but I also like to read other types of books.
We can’t expect every book to be alike. If we find ourselves writing and reading a story over and over again, life “reading” would be “boring” wouldn’t you think.
Great book!!!!
Date April 18, 2011
Hello,
13 Bullets
I had a hard time rating this book. I wanted to give this book a 5 star,then looking through all the book, I finally decided on a 4 star. I always try to give these authors an honest rating. I usually try to take about one day to look over the book, and write down why I giving this book this rating.
Here's my April review.
This book is pretty interesting. I saw some of the reviews for this book, and I sadly disagree with a few of you here. Most of the reviews were a 1, 2 stars and some were 3 stars. Some said that this book was not like the other vampire books they've read. And this bothered me a little.
What do you mean this is not like the other vampire books?????? We have to think back and remember people, that when authors first started to write a “vampire book”; these books were not always nice books to read. Meaning, these were not always Stephanie Meyer books. Vampire books years ago weren't always a love story.
Vampires are supposed to kill people without remorse. Just remember that vamps do not have souls. When you die your soul leaves your body. The thing inside you is not you. Or at least it is only half of the human. If that makes any sense. From what I gather, those were the vampire rules. They kill without remorse, they have no mercy. It didn't matter whether you were an 80 year old woman or a 1 year old baby.
Does this look like a love story to you by looking at the front cover? No.
So, this book isn’t your everyday love romance story. So what. This isn't the typical Bella and Edward I love you, let’s get married and live a long LONG vampire life, I want to also have ur baby if you don’t mind BOOK.
To tell you the truth guys, the man is an amazing writer. The guy can write and even better than other vampire authors. Not all vampire books have to be about love. What’s the point of reading a book and all authors write the same way. It’s a good thing to change.
The thing is that everyone now wants to hear about a vampire love story and if they do not have a love story they freak out, because this isn’t a twilight book. Make no mistake” I like the Twilight books” but I also like to read other types of books.
We can’t expect every book to be alike. If we find ourselves writing and reading a story over and over again, life “reading” would be “boring” wouldn’t you think.
May 31, 2015
-Acción, evasión lectora y vampiros.-
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. El Agente Especial Jameson Arkeley terminó con la amenaza de los vampiros a finales de 1983 en una acción que casi le cuesta la vida y le dejó secuelas. Veinte años más tarde, y en un inocente control de tráfico en la Pensilvania rural, se encuentran pruebas de que los vampiros siguen activos. Arkeley hará pareja con una de los agentes de tráfico implicados en el incidente, Laura Caxton, que irá descubriendo muchas cosas de los peligrosísimos antagonistas, como por ejemplo que el gobierno tiene bajo custodia a uno de ellos desde hace un par de décadas. Primer libro de la saga Vampire Tales.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. El Agente Especial Jameson Arkeley terminó con la amenaza de los vampiros a finales de 1983 en una acción que casi le cuesta la vida y le dejó secuelas. Veinte años más tarde, y en un inocente control de tráfico en la Pensilvania rural, se encuentran pruebas de que los vampiros siguen activos. Arkeley hará pareja con una de los agentes de tráfico implicados en el incidente, Laura Caxton, que irá descubriendo muchas cosas de los peligrosísimos antagonistas, como por ejemplo que el gobierno tiene bajo custodia a uno de ellos desde hace un par de décadas. Primer libro de la saga Vampire Tales.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
February 21, 2025
Lovvvve how monstrous, grotesque, and horrifying this book is! The stomach turning descriptions of the half-deads with their rotting flesh and jagged teeth roped me in immediately. And I love how nearly unstoppable the vampires are. The action basically never stops and I got to the end of the book before I knew it. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
November 22, 2010
I started the first 20% 13 Bullets a few weeks ago but had to put it down for a while. I picked it back up and finished it in a couple of hours. It's a great horror/thriller in the classic "old warrior/new recruit" vein.
Special Agent Jameson Arkeley (shades of Arkham Asylum show up all over this book, and not just in the alliterative sense) is America's foremost expert on the discovery and eradication of vampires. The vampires in this story are not the classically romantic, emo twinged rockstars of the Anne Rice vein, nor are they ageless humans with a penchant for drama and blood like the traditional Stoker types. Wellington's vampires are former humans, infected with "pure evil" turning them into malignancies that make them more demonic than human. They are immensely strong, ugly, sensitive to light and have rudimentary but effective psionic powers. These vampires are to normal humans what cats must seem like to mice - utterly effective predators against which luck and good timing are your best defenses.
Fortunately for humans, in this fictional world they are not common. According to Arkeley, there are only a handful of vampires on the planet at a time, and most of them are in a blood deprived comatose state trying to lure weak willed humans into bringing them more blood. The few active vampires are descending down a path that starts at wanton bloodlust and inevitably leads to a complete breakdown of the willingness or ability to function with humans. The vampires use their psionic abilities to control thralls, humans that are only partially transformed, to interact with humans and assist with their procurement of meals.
Arkeley tells most of this to his protoge, Pennsylvania State Trooper Laura Caxton, at the beginning of the book. While this book does not read like a mystery, there are many layers to the story and they are not all apparent until the final pages. For reasons not immediately understood to her or the reader, James takes her under his wing and uses the weight of his badge to have her assigned as his special assistant for the duration of the investigation of a new outbreak of vampiric killings in contemporary Pennsylvania.
There's nothing terribly remarkable about the story - it follows a tried and true arc - but I will give David Wellington huge kudos for hiding the final twist from me - I pride myself on being able to suss out the "surprise" in horror stories, but I was genuinely surprised at the turn this story took, and I wholeheartedly approve. Throughout the story there is a palpable sense of fear and oppressive stress; Laura always feels like a mouse trying to cross an open room, knowing there are cats on the prowl looking for her. Nowhere is safe, and every moment Laura and James expect to receive bulletins on their phones advising them of another grisly slaughter they weren't able to prevent - or predict.
The characters are multidimensional and relatable, even if they are stuck in roles I've seen a million times before. James is the gruff, aging, world weary "job before family" cop obsessed with his vendetta against the one that got away. Laura Caxton is the dedicated, smart, tougher than she thinks she is, wants to do good but inexperienced junior partner. Laura's partner is the slacker who can't help but be the crack in the armor James and Laura try to put up around their lives. More huge kudos to David for showing a non-straight couple in an unprurient, mature and realistic manner. The world needs more books where couples can just be couples without the nature of their genitals being the object of special attention.
The strength of this book is in the action. The fight scenes are well thought out, plausible, fast moving and really take this book from the ranks of "good horror" into the realm of "definitely should be read by any fan of the genre". Even the scenes that aren't violent use dialogue and especially action to very good effect; I read the whole book with a sense of urgent immediacy. I think fans of the thriller and action/adventure genres would enjoy reading this book as well, though the supernatural nature of the vampires may be a bit offputting to readers who like a material basis for all their plot complications. The horror isn't especially explicit, but David does an excellent job of involving each of the reader's senses into the picture, forcing the reader's imagination to make the broadly drawn pictures of death, dismemberment and decay seem more vivid than the mere words on the page would indicate.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to any horror or action/thriller fan. It's a quick read, but the unique angle on the vampire myth and some of the action sequences will stay with me for quite a while. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Special Agent Jameson Arkeley (shades of Arkham Asylum show up all over this book, and not just in the alliterative sense) is America's foremost expert on the discovery and eradication of vampires. The vampires in this story are not the classically romantic, emo twinged rockstars of the Anne Rice vein, nor are they ageless humans with a penchant for drama and blood like the traditional Stoker types. Wellington's vampires are former humans, infected with "pure evil" turning them into malignancies that make them more demonic than human. They are immensely strong, ugly, sensitive to light and have rudimentary but effective psionic powers. These vampires are to normal humans what cats must seem like to mice - utterly effective predators against which luck and good timing are your best defenses.
Fortunately for humans, in this fictional world they are not common. According to Arkeley, there are only a handful of vampires on the planet at a time, and most of them are in a blood deprived comatose state trying to lure weak willed humans into bringing them more blood. The few active vampires are descending down a path that starts at wanton bloodlust and inevitably leads to a complete breakdown of the willingness or ability to function with humans. The vampires use their psionic abilities to control thralls, humans that are only partially transformed, to interact with humans and assist with their procurement of meals.
Arkeley tells most of this to his protoge, Pennsylvania State Trooper Laura Caxton, at the beginning of the book. While this book does not read like a mystery, there are many layers to the story and they are not all apparent until the final pages. For reasons not immediately understood to her or the reader, James takes her under his wing and uses the weight of his badge to have her assigned as his special assistant for the duration of the investigation of a new outbreak of vampiric killings in contemporary Pennsylvania.
There's nothing terribly remarkable about the story - it follows a tried and true arc - but I will give David Wellington huge kudos for hiding the final twist from me - I pride myself on being able to suss out the "surprise" in horror stories, but I was genuinely surprised at the turn this story took, and I wholeheartedly approve. Throughout the story there is a palpable sense of fear and oppressive stress; Laura always feels like a mouse trying to cross an open room, knowing there are cats on the prowl looking for her. Nowhere is safe, and every moment Laura and James expect to receive bulletins on their phones advising them of another grisly slaughter they weren't able to prevent - or predict.
The characters are multidimensional and relatable, even if they are stuck in roles I've seen a million times before. James is the gruff, aging, world weary "job before family" cop obsessed with his vendetta against the one that got away. Laura Caxton is the dedicated, smart, tougher than she thinks she is, wants to do good but inexperienced junior partner. Laura's partner is the slacker who can't help but be the crack in the armor James and Laura try to put up around their lives. More huge kudos to David for showing a non-straight couple in an unprurient, mature and realistic manner. The world needs more books where couples can just be couples without the nature of their genitals being the object of special attention.
The strength of this book is in the action. The fight scenes are well thought out, plausible, fast moving and really take this book from the ranks of "good horror" into the realm of "definitely should be read by any fan of the genre". Even the scenes that aren't violent use dialogue and especially action to very good effect; I read the whole book with a sense of urgent immediacy. I think fans of the thriller and action/adventure genres would enjoy reading this book as well, though the supernatural nature of the vampires may be a bit offputting to readers who like a material basis for all their plot complications. The horror isn't especially explicit, but David does an excellent job of involving each of the reader's senses into the picture, forcing the reader's imagination to make the broadly drawn pictures of death, dismemberment and decay seem more vivid than the mere words on the page would indicate.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to any horror or action/thriller fan. It's a quick read, but the unique angle on the vampire myth and some of the action sequences will stay with me for quite a while. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
October 30, 2017
3.5 / 5
This is gonna be another short review because I'm just not feeling like delving too deep.
This was kinda perfect for a Halloween-month read. It was gross and scary and unnerving and pretty dang well written.
I absolutely loved our main character Laura, she just seemed like such a cool person, if a bit isolated. She lives with her girlfriend and a handful of rescued greyhounds, works for the Highway Patrol, and honestly is just completely and refreshingly normal for a main character. I loved that despite the fact that she was scared out of her wits, she bravely kept throwing herself back into the fray, to do what needed to be done.
Arkeley, the vampire-killing Fed, was kind of awful. He seemed uncaring about the human lives that were put in danger, and a little obsessively desperate to eradicate the vampire species once and for all. Like, he was a fanatic about it, for sure. He was also pretty unhelpful in a lot of situations and unwilling to let anyone else do anything to help him. He was really one of those 'my way or the highway' types. Plus, he had this line about how he knew Laura was a lesbian because of her haircut, and honestly? Gag me. I just didn't like the dude.
The vampires were honestly horrifying to read about. I loved their Nosferatu-esque appearance and the fact that they were really damn terrifying and completely unromantic. The descriptions of how vampires are made, what happens to them during the day, and their feeding habits were heavy on the disgusting and unsettling. It was kind of addictive to read about vampires that are so outside of the new norm.
This book would've been rated higher, but I really didn't like Arkeley. Or the horrible treatment of the corpses of their victims by the vampires (a bit performance artsy - it was really awful). And there was also the beginnings of a cheating storyline, which is one of my biggest pet peeves, and even though it was dropped pretty quick, it was still too close for comfort.
As of right now, as much as I liked this, I'm not sure if I'll continue on with the series. I really love Laura, and the writing really pulled me in. Plus, the 'big bad' vampire is a downright awful and perfect villain, but I don't know that all the descriptive grossness sounds too enticing outside of Halloween-month reading. Maybe next year? Or sooner, if I suddenly have a hankering for something super grotesque.
This is gonna be another short review because I'm just not feeling like delving too deep.
This was kinda perfect for a Halloween-month read. It was gross and scary and unnerving and pretty dang well written.
I absolutely loved our main character Laura, she just seemed like such a cool person, if a bit isolated. She lives with her girlfriend and a handful of rescued greyhounds, works for the Highway Patrol, and honestly is just completely and refreshingly normal for a main character. I loved that despite the fact that she was scared out of her wits, she bravely kept throwing herself back into the fray, to do what needed to be done.
Arkeley, the vampire-killing Fed, was kind of awful. He seemed uncaring about the human lives that were put in danger, and a little obsessively desperate to eradicate the vampire species once and for all. Like, he was a fanatic about it, for sure. He was also pretty unhelpful in a lot of situations and unwilling to let anyone else do anything to help him. He was really one of those 'my way or the highway' types. Plus, he had this line about how he knew Laura was a lesbian because of her haircut, and honestly? Gag me. I just didn't like the dude.
The vampires were honestly horrifying to read about. I loved their Nosferatu-esque appearance and the fact that they were really damn terrifying and completely unromantic. The descriptions of how vampires are made, what happens to them during the day, and their feeding habits were heavy on the disgusting and unsettling. It was kind of addictive to read about vampires that are so outside of the new norm.
This book would've been rated higher, but I really didn't like Arkeley. Or the horrible treatment of the corpses of their victims by the vampires (a bit performance artsy - it was really awful). And there was also the beginnings of a cheating storyline, which is one of my biggest pet peeves, and even though it was dropped pretty quick, it was still too close for comfort.
As of right now, as much as I liked this, I'm not sure if I'll continue on with the series. I really love Laura, and the writing really pulled me in. Plus, the 'big bad' vampire is a downright awful and perfect villain, but I don't know that all the descriptive grossness sounds too enticing outside of Halloween-month reading. Maybe next year? Or sooner, if I suddenly have a hankering for something super grotesque.
June 15, 2022
The main character is addictive
April 12, 2020
3.9 stars
“Wow. So what was the vampire like?” “Pale. Big. Toothy,” the trooper answered.”
― David Wellington
What do we have here? Cop buddies careen into gruesome vampires and a horde of Renfield zombie cowards.
“He looked right into her and then he said, “In a second I’m going to ask you if you’re okay. Your answer is extremely important. If you can keep fighting, or at least keep running, you have to say ‘yes’. Otherwise we have to run away and let them win this one. Now. Are you okay?”
― David Wellington
Wellington crafts cinematically vivid vampire kill scenes, splashed with generous helpings of body parts, humor, mystery, relationship horror, and balls-to-wall action. Mean, maniacal vampires obliterate victims, glug blood, amidst panic and mayhem.
“In the dark ages a vampire could live for decades unopposed, feeding nightly on people whose only defense was to bar their windows and lock their doors and always, always, be home before sundown. When it became necessary to slay a vampire there was only one way it could be done. There were no guns and certainly no jackhammers at the time. The vampire slayers would gather up every able-bodied male in the community. The mob of them would go against the vampire with torches and spears and sticks if they had to. Very many of them would die in the first onslaught but eventually enough of them would pile on top to hold the vampire down.”
― David Wellington
David Wellington resists any temptation to write politically correct lesbian characters. Bravo! Breath of fresh air. Regular people. Bad ass vampires! Oh, I almost forgot! Seldom used vampire replication trope adds oodles of terror to the story. Transylvania twist!
“Do we have a plan?” she asked.
“Yes,” he told her. “Shoot everything that moves.”
― David Wellington
Fast and fun! Solid addition to any horror or scary vampire collection.
“Wow. So what was the vampire like?” “Pale. Big. Toothy,” the trooper answered.”
― David Wellington
What do we have here? Cop buddies careen into gruesome vampires and a horde of Renfield zombie cowards.
“He looked right into her and then he said, “In a second I’m going to ask you if you’re okay. Your answer is extremely important. If you can keep fighting, or at least keep running, you have to say ‘yes’. Otherwise we have to run away and let them win this one. Now. Are you okay?”
― David Wellington
Wellington crafts cinematically vivid vampire kill scenes, splashed with generous helpings of body parts, humor, mystery, relationship horror, and balls-to-wall action. Mean, maniacal vampires obliterate victims, glug blood, amidst panic and mayhem.
“In the dark ages a vampire could live for decades unopposed, feeding nightly on people whose only defense was to bar their windows and lock their doors and always, always, be home before sundown. When it became necessary to slay a vampire there was only one way it could be done. There were no guns and certainly no jackhammers at the time. The vampire slayers would gather up every able-bodied male in the community. The mob of them would go against the vampire with torches and spears and sticks if they had to. Very many of them would die in the first onslaught but eventually enough of them would pile on top to hold the vampire down.”
― David Wellington
David Wellington resists any temptation to write politically correct lesbian characters. Bravo! Breath of fresh air. Regular people. Bad ass vampires! Oh, I almost forgot! Seldom used vampire replication trope adds oodles of terror to the story. Transylvania twist!
“Do we have a plan?” she asked.
“Yes,” he told her. “Shoot everything that moves.”
― David Wellington
Fast and fun! Solid addition to any horror or scary vampire collection.
October 17, 2024
Oh look! A vampire thriller that’s actually good! I’m a huge fan of vampires. Hell, with my pale translucent skin you’d think I was a vampire. However, other people’s idea of what a vampire is or should be can be…. Interesting.
Me? I need a really spooky, evil, menacing, violent, blood thirsty vampire. The gorier, the better. This book is just that. Picked it up, read the 1st chapter and was instantly hooked.
Caxton and Arkeley’s relationship in this book is also what reeled me in. I felt in some ways connected to Caxton… I’d rather hangout with my loved ones, have a drink or smoke, and chill…. Not go on a vampire killing rage until my sanity was hanging on by a thread. However, she knew she had to do it, I know if I needed to, I would as well.
I’m not the best at writing reviews. I hate spoilers. Absolutely despise them at times so you won’t get much out of me other than read the book. It’s pretty damn good. I give it a 10/10. It’s a series so I’m off to go find the 2nd book. 🖤🧛🏻🪦
Me? I need a really spooky, evil, menacing, violent, blood thirsty vampire. The gorier, the better. This book is just that. Picked it up, read the 1st chapter and was instantly hooked.
Caxton and Arkeley’s relationship in this book is also what reeled me in. I felt in some ways connected to Caxton… I’d rather hangout with my loved ones, have a drink or smoke, and chill…. Not go on a vampire killing rage until my sanity was hanging on by a thread. However, she knew she had to do it, I know if I needed to, I would as well.
I’m not the best at writing reviews. I hate spoilers. Absolutely despise them at times so you won’t get much out of me other than read the book. It’s pretty damn good. I give it a 10/10. It’s a series so I’m off to go find the 2nd book. 🖤🧛🏻🪦
July 17, 2007
A very graphic vampire/crime/thriller tale, that--despite having very two-dimensional cop and vampire characters and too many plot twists to keep up with!--contributes quite a lot to the vampire genre. Namely, (1) the method of becoming a vampire is one of hypnosis and willing suicide instead of traditional bloodletting and exchanging, (2) vampires are hideous, not the beautiful aristocratic creatures of modern society, (3) vampiric ancestors are brought to life when their descendents feed on humans and then reguritate upon them, and (4) vampires, at night, dwindle into the corpses that they rose from. Also interesting about the piece is the sexual orientation of the main female state trooper, Laura Caxton, which becomes a central theme of the novel, both in terms of the trooper wrestling with authority and acceptance issues, and in terms of the vampiric legion's attraction to her. A fun read, but very graphic. Not for the faint of heart, and not for the strictly literary minded.
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