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Occupation

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September 1, 1939, the unimaginable happened. WAR! Germany invaded Poland from the west. Two weeks later, Russia honored her agreement with Germany and invaded from the east.
The German Wehrmacht and Russian hordes swept through Poland as a sickle cuts through the golden heads of grain during the fall harvest. The Polish army had held strong where they could, but the weight of two giants gobbling up their country was more than the poorly trained army could withstand. Horses against swords against air power. The outcome had been decided on the first day of the invasion. By the end of September, Poland had been conquered. Or had it?
In the towns of Siepraw (twenty kilometers South of Krakow) and Tarnow (sixty kilometers east of Krakow) all was still business as usual. While the villagers feared for their lives, the Romanovs and Boirarskys worried little of the new flags hoisted in their respective areas. They had seen many empires come and go. The Czars, Napoleon, Lenin, Hindenburg and others. They never cared who was in power as long as the food supply was intact. But that was about to change. The Germans had plans for all races deemed sub-human; relocation. If one wasn't of true Nordic Aryan genealogy, then they considered those individuals a drag on the new order and its limited resources.
The plan of relocation was going to awaken an opponent that only resided in the "occupier’s" darkest nightmares.

151 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 11, 2011

7 people are currently reading
89 people want to read

About the author

Jeff Dawson

23 books106 followers
I spent twenty-five years in the wonderful world of road construction. Back surgery in 2010 put the skids on that career. My body couldn’t handle the rigors of twelve to sixteen hour days, six to seven days a week. As I convalesced, licking my wounds, I wondered what to do next. Not being out in the sun getting baked, or dodging traffic, was going to be a hard act to follow. Seriously, what else did I know? An article in the Dallas Morning News caught my eye. It was about being a professional speaker. Hmm. That sounds interesting. Becoming mobile again, I took a seat in front of the blank monitor, pondering what to write. Let’s start with something we know—my life.
The first work was titled “God’s Plan: A Glimpse Into One’s Life.” I re-titled it six months later to “Why Did Everything Happen?” I looked back at the last twenty-five years and how the death of my partner, father and true love affected my life. I was amazed at the revelations. Since then, I’ve moved on to write in several different genres. Some say I should change my name when diverting from the path. Well, right or wrong, I’m sticking with my name. The current works range from the memoir of my one true love: Debbie Beck—RIP 7-20-2009—Love’s True Second Chance, an alternative historical perspective of Vampires and WWII—Occupation, a newly released Sci-Fi time travel adventure,—Gateway: Pioche. If that isn’t enough, how about two Baseball Coaching Manuals?

I currently live in the DFW area, spending time with my daughter, her girls and my oldest son. When I was in construction, I never had, or took the time to enjoy what surrounded me: love, family and friends. My true love, Debbie and her girls reminded me what was important in life; “we work to live, not live to work.”

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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Profile Image for Char.
1,951 reviews1,877 followers
January 21, 2013
3.5 stars

Two enemy vampire clans (very small clans, I should say) unite together to defeat the Nazis who are cutting into their food supply. The book takes place in Poland, just as the Nazis are rounding up the local population and shipping them out.

The characters were interesting and believable. They grew and developed throughout the story and that kept me interested.

**Slight spoilers**

There were a few interesting twists on the vampire mythos. One involving a survivor of the black plague who then became a vampire-his blood became a nasty little weapon with which he could infect others. Another twist that was not even mentioned was that these vampires had no problems with the sun, whatsoever. The author doesn't explain it or even mention it, but it was a question in my mind as I was reading.

I enjoyed the planning sessions the vampires had together-working out how they were going to defeat the Nazis. Since these clans were enemies and joined together only to protect their food supply, many of their meetings were chiefly tied up with insulting or fighting with each other, until they came up with a better way to unite the clans.

I liked the premise of the story and I do think the author pulled it off and rather well, at that. This one rates a 3.5 with me and I do plan on reading the sequel.
Profile Image for Mark miller.
26 reviews9 followers
September 1, 2012
First and foremost I have to say the book is fulfilling every expectation I had going into it. I am at the beginning of chapter five, Skirmishes, where I anticipate the story changes from one of circumstance, planning, collusion, and double dealing into an expansion of roles in initiative of action and stance. In Darwinian terms the clans must either fight, take flight, or (the newest discovery of evolution science) stay in a possum posturing.
While both Vampire clan leaders, Nikoli and Kirilli, are mentally suspended in a hubris condition, their women seem fully aware of their precarious situation of circumstance. In regards to morality it is Kirilli who ponders more on these sensations of mortal human traits. I am also sensing patterns of imagery-possible with or without the author's or reader's conscious knowledge taken to be deeper meanings of the story's work. For example the German Nazi's, especially Major Ernst, are being represented as less than human compared to the clan of Vampires, which are not of form or substance in humanity. This creates an Alienation effect or an aesthetic distance away from the Germans. Thus the allegory represents one thing in guise of another in which the persons and actions equate with meanings outside the narrative itself. In attempting to evoke a dual interest-one in the events,characters, and setting presented and the other in the ideas they convey. The characters, events, and setting which may be historical or fictitious;the test is that these materials be so employed that they represent meanings independent of the action in the surface of the story. On one hand you have blood thirsty vampires who have walked the earth dead sucking death out of humans, but in a humane and dignified fashion with rules and conditions. All of a sudden rules, conditions, and structures they have lived by are no longer of context and meaning. The Nazi's are a new breed of vampire, possibly worse than anything they have seen and are themselves employing human coping mechanisms, such as bargaining, denial, anger, and finally I can see them accepting the fate that has been forced upon them. This is a very well written story thus far.The use of interior monologue provides a recording of the internal emotional experiences of the main characters involved which reaches downward to the nonverbal level whee images must be used to represent sensations or emotions.-Mark Miller I am savoring every part. It really is a good book.
Profile Image for Joey Pinkney.
Author 11 books2,339 followers
April 5, 2013
Just when you thought vampire fiction had taken its course and all of the angles had been exhausted, Jeff Dawson pierces the literary world with “Occupation”.

Set in 1940s South Poland, “Occupation” brings Nazi history and vampire history together to form a dark, bleak read that is familiar on a few levels yet unique. If you know a little about vampires, you will readily recognize the bloodsucking fangs and virtually immortal status that comes with these beings. If you understand world history, you know the cold, heartless terror that Nazi Germany brought to the Europe during its heyday. “Occupation” is an excellent fleshing out of this question: “What if the Nazis and Vampires clashed in an epic battle of wit, logistics and pure determination?”

Jeff Dawson did a tremendous job with “Occupation”. The setting was well described and tangible from the desolate train station in Krakow to the forest homes of the Boirarsky and Romanov clans to the lavish interior of The Amadeus Hotel. He gives the high ranking officials of the Third Reich the same arrogant evilness that infuriates you each time they spit the word “peasant” at anyone they believe to be below them.

For the most part, the editing was superb, and the flow of the story was easy to read. The dialogue fits the different characters. There were a couple of rough patches in “Occupation” that caused me to pause and scratch my head while I took a little time to figure out what was going on.

“Occupation” is a longer read, but it’s a complete literary feast. The elaborate plans conceived by the united vampire clan dovetailed seamlessly with the aspects of life experienced because the Third Reich’s attempt at domination during World War II. Once the Third Reich was pitted against the vampires, anti-heroes slowly formed and, lines were blurred. A unique literary document was born.

Even if vampires and Nazis are not your cups of tea, “Occupation” may prove an enjoyable reading experience because it was, for the most part, a well-executed book distinguished by having a unique take on old themes. Jeff Dawson did an outstanding job creating a highly-detailed world for literature lovers.

Read the complete JoeyPinkney.com interview for "Occupation" by Jeff Dawson here http://h1t.it/YzjMmv
Profile Image for F.D. Gross.
Author 8 books166 followers
August 21, 2018
Well, well. Now here is a unique and strange vampire tale I thought I would never come across. Such a profound approach to the genre and to think, all this time it was right under our noses, there for the taking, and for Jeff Dawson, he took a stab at it. Set in the 1940’s, two clans of vampires, the Boirarskys and the Romanov, with their own views on existence, have lived in southern Poland for centuries, warring amongst each other for supremacy since as long as they can remember. A new problem arises. Occupiers of the third Reich, the Nazi, have invaded Poland and begun shipping out residents of the country, inderectly affecting the unknown vampires and their ever dwindling food supply. The two clans must unite or perish under Hitlers rule.

Dawson’s story is full of intrigue: vampires fighting vampires, vampires fighting Nazi’s, subterfug and reconnaissance missions, heated arguments on ethical points of view in Vampire law. Dawson really gives you that unique feeling of how vampires might have thought in a more primitive day, where the essentials to survival were as simple as feeding off the blood their victims. At first, this is what is led to be believed. But then, the circumstances become dire and their way to survive must change. The vampires take on a more tactical approach, military in nature, and realize if their strategy falters in anyway, they will be doomed.

The vampire lore has a somewhat different approach in Occupation, some that I thought were most intriguing. Vampire bodies morphing into wild hideous beast. Vampire melding, or breeding, which by far was probably my favorite part of the book, was so brutal and visceral, I couldn’t stop reading this part of the story. However, some areas of the story started to dwindle some where the pace slowed down in the heart of the tale. At one point I felt I was reading the excerpts of a vampire military tactics journal, so much in fact I wondered if the plane was going to pull up from its nose dive (metaphorically speaking). Fortunately, the pilot regained control (metaphorically speaking) and my interests were peaked again. This downside was in part due to the telling of what was happening instead of showing and the redundancy the reader (that being myself) was exposed to. This, coupled with the lack of tagging many of the dialogue lines to show who was speaking were some of the downfalls in Occupation.

With the criticisms having been said however, the story was able to save its self with the proper amounts of horror, gore, and sex, which all of these elements were (I felt) necessary and relevant to the type of raw and visceral story it was. The ending was not what I expected, but in someways very satisfying. It peaked my curiosity without a doubt.

Could this story be made into a movie? I think so. Plenty of movies have been made about Nazi’s and plenty of movies have been made about vampires, so why not combine the two? It would definetly make for an intriguing cinematic venture.

I give Occupation a 3.7 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 4. Thank you, Jeff Dawson, for giving me the opportunity to read your most intriguing story.

FD Gross
Grelldragon@hotmail.com
Profile Image for Natalie.
134 reviews1 follower
September 18, 2013
~Synopsis~

Are you ready for vampires to regain their standing and stop sparkling in the twilight? Are you ready for them to take on an opponent more vile, viscous and evil than themselves? Wait no longer! These are the vampires that filled many nightmares of old. Meet the Romanov and Boirarsky clans. They have waged a war amongst themselves for centuries over feeding rights and inconsequential issues. All of that changes when Adolf Hitler decides to expand the Third Reich and invades Poland in 1939. The Germans start shipping off their food supply to distant lands. The clans are unwillingly forced to decide if they are going to continue with their fruitless battle or combine their collective forces and take on an opponent worth of their sharpened fangs: The Third Reich! Vampires versus the Third Reich. Evil never tasted so good. Get a copy today and choose a side!

~My Review~

This story takes place in Poland during WWII. The Germans invade Poland and start shipping out the locals. This becomes a fast growing problem for the two vampire clans.
The Boirarskys and the Romanovs soon realize their food supply is dwindling. This leads to the clans having to put their previous issues aside and resort to hunting the old fashioned way. This takes us on a journey of many twists, turns and the two clans coming together in more ways than one. Even forcing a man from one clan and a woman from another to breed. If I might add it was my most favorite part of the book.

I must admit with all due respect, I am not a fan of historical fiction. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the story line. I am indeed a Twilight fan, so it was nice to embark upon a true blue, bad to the bone vampire story.

I will say this.....it is not for the faint of heart! Jeff takes us to a place of raw emotion and bone breaking details of grisly terror.
The characters were very well written, the suspense factor intriguing. I felt it to be a bit repetitive, but all in all Mr. Dawson is an author I just can't help but come back to time and time again.
Author 7 books4 followers
January 2, 2014
4.5 stars - Jeff Dawson’s Occupation is a fun romp into the land of vicious monsters; a return to true horror. Like the Walking Dead, Anne Rice’s vampire series, and true horror movies of the 70s and 80’s, this book will scare you. As evil as the Nazi’s were, this is not campy “Dead Snow” or the nazi-zombies of FPS video games… The reader knows who the enemy is, and they know why they are killing, and kill they do. What an interesting twist… The crops of excess people in hospitals, mental institutes, fields and factories are the food of the clans. When the Nazi’s take the food away, the vampires must rise to the call, put aside their feud, form an alliance and deal with the new enemy.
As the author of Julie Rayzor - Zombie War Series, I was given this book to read and review. Aside from some minor issues that other reviewers have noted, I didn’t understand at first how Sasha fell in love with Kirilli, but as the story progressed I realized that she was a strong woman who valued a strong man. (I originally thought it would be better if his fangs injected her with his blood and they became one, but that would be overly romantic-cliché even if it led to the later disputes and lack of affection between the two.) It’s an ancient relationship built on needs and power if love was the invention of the twentieth century diamond and wedding businesses. Jeff tells a fascinating tale of conspiracy to commit murder, backstabbing and intrigue. The attack in the castle and the deal with Himmler… Very cool. Can’t wait for the sequel.
Profile Image for T.W. Brown.
Author 96 books303 followers
July 27, 2012
Full disclosure, I received a copy of this book from the author for purposes of review. The matching tee shirt was (is) fantastic. However, the understanding was that I would write an unbiased and honest review. I will get to the really good stuff first. Finally, a vampire story that isn't chock full of "pretty boys" and "beautiful people" all fawning over each other. THIS was a good old "Vampires are evil" story. Toss in Nazis and you don't know which villain to hate more. (I chose Nazis because they were real and very evil.) There is a fantastic dynamic between the "clans" as well as factions within the clans. These were power hungry, heartless monsters. Thank you Mr. Dawson for giving me classic evil.

There is some nice smattering of history in the story and it is woven nicely, although at times it gets a bit "textbook" and can slow the pace of an otherwise entertaining story. There are moments when Mr. Dawson seems to stop telling the story to clarify points that the engaged reader will either know, assume, or (in matters of history) look into on their own if interested.

Now, I have to bring up the editing. It is pretty good. The glaring weakness came in the dialogue. There are some problems. As this is one of my pet peeves, I can not over look it and it is a fairly consistent set of the same errors made throughout.

Based on the story, I would give Occupation 4 stars, the editing gets about a 3.
Profile Image for Laura Ruetz.
1,381 reviews74 followers
August 3, 2015
I was a fan of this book. I loved that the vampires are gritty, dark and decidedly more than just people with fangs. They were primeval creatures once they transformed, which really added to the dark feel of the book. The book itself was enjoyable. Who better to combat Nazi's than vampires. The author did a good job of creating the two rival clans, of being able to distinguish them by giving them very different mannerisms and characteristics and outlining the history before bringing them together to fight against a common foe.

One of the downsides was that the dialogue felt a little stilted at times, forced and unnatural and in the earlier chapters, the change between chapters felt a little disjointed but it was not enough to confuse the action or plot or detract from the overall story.

However, as the plot progressed, it went from slightly disjointed to being a cohesive and very enjoyable vampire book. If you are a fan of vampire fiction and want something gritty and dark with a lot of action, you'll enjoy this book. I did.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for D.C. Gilbert.
Author 6 books31 followers
August 17, 2018
Occupation" is a vampire tale by the author, Jeff L. Dawson. The concept for the story is pretty good. At the start of WWII, Nazi Germany invades and occupies Poland. Soon, they start "relocating" large portions of the population. The Nazis did not realize that they were "relocating" the main food source for two feuding Vampire clans. The leaders of the vampire clans must ow put aside their differences to defeat their new common enemy... the occupying German army.

It was not a bad read. However, I felt there were a few problems. Several stretches of the story seemed a little flat and some of the dialogue seemed contrived or repetitive. It just felt like the conversation between characters always felt exactly the same tone-wise.

I also found it hard to empathize with or care about any of the main characters. Part of enjoying a good story, at least for me, is really identifying with a character or characters and wanting to find out what will happen to them. I just was not "really grabbed" by any of the characters.

All in all, it was a good story, but with a bit more editing, I think it could have been a great story. I give it three stars.
Profile Image for Kelly Erickson.
Author 5 books18 followers
September 28, 2013
This is a suspenseful, even creepy at times, old-fashioned vampire tale. It takes place in a town just as the Nazis invade. The uneasy peace of two very different vampire clans changes drastically when they realize the invaders have decimated their "food supply". The author describes the confusion, fear and despair beautifully. The main characters are very well rounded. You love them or hate them, sometimes at the same time. Even minor characters feel real.
Jeff Dawson does such a wonderful job of keeping up the suspense that I closed the window and called my dog into the room at one point.

I highly recommend this book to people who are tired of the loveable, friendly, bubble-gum vampires and want to read about the gritty, remorseless bloodsuckers in a realistic historical setting.
Profile Image for Kellie.
40 reviews13 followers
July 14, 2013
This book kept me on the edge of my seat. The story was spellbounding. The author has definitely un-romantized the vampires.

This is a tale of how two rival clans of vampires unite to take on a bigger threat to them, the Nazis. The Nazis are stealing their food supply, so in order to survive they must unite to try and defeat them.

This story is suspenseful, creepy, and exciting all rolled into one.

I give it 4 1/2 stars. It makes you wonder what WWII would have been like if there were real vampires back then.
Profile Image for Trevar Boiarsky.
1 review
January 1, 2013
This is a classic read for fictional history. The vampires are evil and not like twilight, and nazis are brought back. i couldn't choose a worse evil. It is very interesting how the book encompasses some true history with fiction. Everything seems to be delicately pieced together.The monsters obsessed over power are back in this book. I absolutely loved this book!
Profile Image for J. Michel.
Author 6 books30 followers
November 23, 2013
I enjoyed Jeff Dawson's tale about two vicious vampire clans fighting for the food supply during World War II. They're close to starvation after their country's population is dangerously low because Nazis shipped off most of their countrymen to Germany. These aren't romantic vampires; they're more like Dracula, with their ruthless blood-sucking ways. The action was nonstop in this book, and it's a good read for anyone who enjoys stories about classic bloodthirsty vampires.
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