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Blood & Sawdust
--
Tough and smart at thirteen-years-old, Malcolm knew the illegal fight game like a pro, making bets and staying alive one day at a time. But nothing prepared him for Milkwood: a fat, ugly bastard who could take a beating like a government mule, but never, ever won. So when Malcolm risks his life to discover Milkwood's secret, he convinces the fighter to stop being a punching bag and to go for broke in the local tournament. Only problem? A beautiful woman called Lash who needs Milkwood for her own purposes, and a fouler creature on her heels known only as Dizzy Colt. But for Malcolm and Milkwood? Hell, it’s just another day of Blood and Sawdust
PRAISE FOR BLOOD AND SAWDUST!
"With wicked, playful prose that blends the best of pulp with the supernatural, Jason Ridler’s Blood and Sawdust creates an unholy, hell-raising hybrid, the kind of tale Christopher Moore and Jim Thompson might swap after a long night of drinking, trying to one-up one another with acerbic absurdity." Joe Clifford, Author of CHOICE CUTS and JUNKIE LOVE
PRAISE FOR THE WORK OF JASON RIDLER!
"An exciting new writer." Lucius Shepard, multiple-award-winning author of HANDBOOK OF AMERICAN PRAYER.
“Jason Ridler is kind of like a bull rider who’s tossed a saddle on a Tiger tank, and he’s riding that bucking sucker for all he’s worth, because, hey, no one told him that he couldn’t do it, did they? So here he is, the Man in the Barbed-Wire Straitjacket." Norman Partridge, Award Winning Author of DARK HARVEST.
"Jason Ridler’s work is intense and taut, with incredible characters and plots that keep your mind buzzing long after you’ve reached the final page." Trent Zelazny, author of TOO LATE TO CALL TEXAS, and FRACTAL DESPONDENCY.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jason S. Ridler is the author of BLOOD AND SAWDUST, the Spar Battersea thrillers (DEATH MATCH, CON JOB and DICE ROLL), the short story collection KNOCKOUTS, and has published over fifty stories in such magazines and anthologies as Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Brain Harvest, Chilling Tales, and more. His popular non-fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, Dark Scribe, and the Internet Review of Science Fiction. A former punk rock musician and cemetery groundskeeper, Mr. Ridler holds a Ph.D. in War Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada. Visit him at twitter at http://twitter.com/JayRidler, Facebook ,http://www.facebook.com/Ridlerville, or his writing blog, Ridlerville, atwww.jsridler.com
Tough and smart at thirteen-years-old, Malcolm knew the illegal fight game like a pro, making bets and staying alive one day at a time. But nothing prepared him for Milkwood: a fat, ugly bastard who could take a beating like a government mule, but never, ever won. So when Malcolm risks his life to discover Milkwood's secret, he convinces the fighter to stop being a punching bag and to go for broke in the local tournament. Only problem? A beautiful woman called Lash who needs Milkwood for her own purposes, and a fouler creature on her heels known only as Dizzy Colt. But for Malcolm and Milkwood? Hell, it’s just another day of Blood and Sawdust
PRAISE FOR BLOOD AND SAWDUST!
"With wicked, playful prose that blends the best of pulp with the supernatural, Jason Ridler’s Blood and Sawdust creates an unholy, hell-raising hybrid, the kind of tale Christopher Moore and Jim Thompson might swap after a long night of drinking, trying to one-up one another with acerbic absurdity." Joe Clifford, Author of CHOICE CUTS and JUNKIE LOVE
PRAISE FOR THE WORK OF JASON RIDLER!
"An exciting new writer." Lucius Shepard, multiple-award-winning author of HANDBOOK OF AMERICAN PRAYER.
“Jason Ridler is kind of like a bull rider who’s tossed a saddle on a Tiger tank, and he’s riding that bucking sucker for all he’s worth, because, hey, no one told him that he couldn’t do it, did they? So here he is, the Man in the Barbed-Wire Straitjacket." Norman Partridge, Award Winning Author of DARK HARVEST.
"Jason Ridler’s work is intense and taut, with incredible characters and plots that keep your mind buzzing long after you’ve reached the final page." Trent Zelazny, author of TOO LATE TO CALL TEXAS, and FRACTAL DESPONDENCY.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jason S. Ridler is the author of BLOOD AND SAWDUST, the Spar Battersea thrillers (DEATH MATCH, CON JOB and DICE ROLL), the short story collection KNOCKOUTS, and has published over fifty stories in such magazines and anthologies as Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Brain Harvest, Chilling Tales, and more. His popular non-fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, Dark Scribe, and the Internet Review of Science Fiction. A former punk rock musician and cemetery groundskeeper, Mr. Ridler holds a Ph.D. in War Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada. Visit him at twitter at http://twitter.com/JayRidler, Facebook ,http://www.facebook.com/Ridlerville, or his writing blog, Ridlerville, atwww.jsridler.com
- GenresHorrorParanormalVampires
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2012
4 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Jason S. Ridler
75 books58 followersJason S. Ridler is a professional writer and historian. His novel DEATH MATCH, the first Spar Battersea thriller, set in the madcap world of pro wrestling, is available at Amazon! Sex, drugs and headlocks, oh my!
Doc Ridler has also published over forty short stories in such magazines and anthologies as Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Brain Harvest, Not One of Us, Chilling Tales, Tesseracts Thirteen, and more. His popular non-fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, Dark Scribe, and the Internet Review of Science Fiction. A former punk rock musician and cemetery groundskeeper, Mr. Ridler holds a Ph.D. in War Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada and lives in Northern California with his wife, two dogs, and two parrots.
Doc Ridler has also published over forty short stories in such magazines and anthologies as Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Brain Harvest, Not One of Us, Chilling Tales, Tesseracts Thirteen, and more. His popular non-fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, Dark Scribe, and the Internet Review of Science Fiction. A former punk rock musician and cemetery groundskeeper, Mr. Ridler holds a Ph.D. in War Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada and lives in Northern California with his wife, two dogs, and two parrots.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
December 1, 2012
"Tough and smart at thirteen-years-old, Malcolm knew the illegal fight game like a pro, making bets and staying alive one day at a time. But nothing prepared him for Milkwood: a fat, ugly bastard who could take a beating like a government mule, but never, ever won. So when Malcolm risks his life to discover Milkwood's secret, he convinces the fighter to stop being a punching bag and to go for broke in the local tournament. Only problem? A beautiful woman called Lash who needs Milkwood for her own purposes, and a fouler creature on her heels known only as Dizzy Colt. But for Malcolm and Milkwood? Hell, it’s just another day of Blood and Sawdust"
Jason Ridler has once again produced an utterly original, multi-dimentional novel that deserves to be read by lovers of many genres!
The above synopsis concludes with ..."Hell, it’s just another day of Blood and Sawdust"
And what a night and dayand time it is for the reader to spend time with a magnificent array of characters that engage the reader from page one...word one..I truly loved the overall pacing and character development.
Malcolm is a character right out of SE Hinton, with some Pratchett thrown in and a nice dash of Elmore Leonard! Malcolm is also all Jason Ridler! An author who knows how to mine every gem from a line of dialogue. The main plot - involving the illegal fight scene - is superb in it's descriptions and no holds barred take..but it is the characters who are truly the stars..and the pitch-perfect sculpting of them by Mr. Ridley. It would be easy to make each a cliche..yet from the lead..Malcolm to Milkwood (a true treasure of a character!!!) to Lash- we are treated to a satiric yet explicit look into the lives of those who live on the edge..and love it..full of wit and intense action, accompanies by prose that pops off the page, I very highly recommend BLOOD & SAWDUST!
AN OFFICIAL JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB MUST READ
RICK FRIEDMAN
FOUNDER
THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB
Jason Ridler has once again produced an utterly original, multi-dimentional novel that deserves to be read by lovers of many genres!
The above synopsis concludes with ..."Hell, it’s just another day of Blood and Sawdust"
And what a night and dayand time it is for the reader to spend time with a magnificent array of characters that engage the reader from page one...word one..I truly loved the overall pacing and character development.
Malcolm is a character right out of SE Hinton, with some Pratchett thrown in and a nice dash of Elmore Leonard! Malcolm is also all Jason Ridler! An author who knows how to mine every gem from a line of dialogue. The main plot - involving the illegal fight scene - is superb in it's descriptions and no holds barred take..but it is the characters who are truly the stars..and the pitch-perfect sculpting of them by Mr. Ridley. It would be easy to make each a cliche..yet from the lead..Malcolm to Milkwood (a true treasure of a character!!!) to Lash- we are treated to a satiric yet explicit look into the lives of those who live on the edge..and love it..full of wit and intense action, accompanies by prose that pops off the page, I very highly recommend BLOOD & SAWDUST!
AN OFFICIAL JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB MUST READ
RICK FRIEDMAN
FOUNDER
THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB
December 11, 2012
Blood & Sawdust is wonderfully rough reading; stirring up a big chunk of a vampire tale,two parts skid row fighting saga and a huge helping of those men magazine pulp fictions. Jason S. Ridler's prose hits the reader like a blood-stained mallet and keeps on pummeling. Yet he also manages to create real and interesting anti-heroes and villains that we can feel for. The plot centers around Malcolm, a 13 year kid who has seen too much misery at his age and learns to hide it in street smarts and just plain guts. He works the illegal fight circuit betting on long shots and losers until he stumbles on a fighter named Milkwood who tends to be beaten to a pulp regularly but returns surprisingly fresh for each bout. The rest of the plot should be discovered by the reader but let's say both Malcolm and Milkwood do not seem to catch a break and that there are plenty of supernatural surprises in store for them.
The author's strong point in this novel is in his depiction of his protagonists and especially his vampire. This vampire is fat and ugly. There are no swooning victims, no debonaire counts and no sparkling. Milkwood is repulsive and pathetic yet there is something noble under the surface. Malcolm however is weak and at the bottom of the fighting circuit food chain and maybe a little too smart for his own good. This is one of those literary pairings that is impossible to forget. The author's second strong point is a gift for razor sharp but realistic dialogue. That and non-stop action, especially in the depiction of the fight scenes, makes this one of those can't-stop-reading delights. Yes, this may read like a pulp but there is plenty of heart and soul throughout this book. Highly recommended for lovers of hard action novels, crime noir fiction and horror tales.
The author's strong point in this novel is in his depiction of his protagonists and especially his vampire. This vampire is fat and ugly. There are no swooning victims, no debonaire counts and no sparkling. Milkwood is repulsive and pathetic yet there is something noble under the surface. Malcolm however is weak and at the bottom of the fighting circuit food chain and maybe a little too smart for his own good. This is one of those literary pairings that is impossible to forget. The author's second strong point is a gift for razor sharp but realistic dialogue. That and non-stop action, especially in the depiction of the fight scenes, makes this one of those can't-stop-reading delights. Yes, this may read like a pulp but there is plenty of heart and soul throughout this book. Highly recommended for lovers of hard action novels, crime noir fiction and horror tales.
January 4, 2013
Ok so I was asked by Jason Ridler to read and review this book and my first reponse to his request was "I'm a reader not a writer". But I'm sure going to give it a try.
This book was really good. I truly enjoyed it. Talk about an underdog story to keep you turning pages and your stomache in knots this is it. I've never read a vamp story like this. First off Milkwood is not like all the other vamps everyone else is righting about. He isn't wealthy, sexy, emotional, or even charming...he's the fat guy at the bar no one wants to make eye contact with. Then you have Malcom who's been handed mare than a crappy life and hasn't even made it out of his teen but he doesn't back down and just keeps on going. And just for the record everyone is a bad guy.
I don't know how to tell you about the storyline without retelling the whole story and spoiling it. It's like Fight Club mixed with a little Lost Boys. It's grity, bloody, and not for the weak...Loved it thanks Jason great book.
This book was really good. I truly enjoyed it. Talk about an underdog story to keep you turning pages and your stomache in knots this is it. I've never read a vamp story like this. First off Milkwood is not like all the other vamps everyone else is righting about. He isn't wealthy, sexy, emotional, or even charming...he's the fat guy at the bar no one wants to make eye contact with. Then you have Malcom who's been handed mare than a crappy life and hasn't even made it out of his teen but he doesn't back down and just keeps on going. And just for the record everyone is a bad guy.
I don't know how to tell you about the storyline without retelling the whole story and spoiling it. It's like Fight Club mixed with a little Lost Boys. It's grity, bloody, and not for the weak...Loved it thanks Jason great book.
December 10, 2012
Fight Club...with a twist.
Malcom's isn't what people would call a glamorous life. He's 13 and other than his older brother Rob, an avid drug user and a guy who treats Malcom like a punching bag, he's got nobody and not much of anything, except a drive to find out what happened to his mother who disappeared at a carnival when he was just nine years old and a misplaced duty to protect and take care of his very troubled older brother. That's why he hangs out on the Fringe with the dregs of society, making bets on illegal death matches. He's a student of the game. He knows the fighters inside and out and he's got a knack for winning. When he finds himself in Canada, he thinks it's just another day in the life, betting on illegal fights and trying to eek out some sort of living when he meets Milkwood. Fat, ugly and able to take a beating like nobody's business, Milkwood is a perpetual loser. He enters the fights, suffers inhuman amounts of punishment, takes his pay and moves on to the next town. There's something more to Milkwood than meets the eye and Malcom is determined to find out what it is, and turn him into the winner he knows he can be. Things aren't that simple, however, when a sexy and dangerous woman from Milkwood's past comes a'knocking and something even more dangerous is out to get HER.
Let's face it, the vampire genre is quickly getting oversaturated with boilerplate plots and characters. That's not to say there aren't good ones out there (and I do read several long running series featuring the wildly popular creatures of the night on occassion) but many are rife with the same tropes: Dark, brooding, centuries old vampire with a six pack and long hair falls into forbidden love with troubled girl that's looking for something more out of life. Blood and Sawdust kicks those conventions right in the fangs (almost literally) and breathes new life into the same ole same ole. Ridler does a nice job of avoiding sterotypes with his view of vampires. They're not all rich and powerful, they're not all instantly beautiful when they change. In Ridler's universe, some are just trying to get by and just BE. No grand machinations for world domination, no secret cabals, no plans to glamor dozens of women and have their own personal harem and more importantly, the world is NOT inundated by them.
Milkwood is a 'jobber'. In rassling (AKA: Wrestling), that's a guy who gets paid to make bigger stars look good. He's the son of a wrestler who was famous for being a jobber. He grew up with the shame that people saw his father as the perpetual loser and actually tried to extracate himself from that shadow by getting a degree in history, but was turned, thus ending his plans for a better life. He's just trying to get by on the outskirts of society the best he knows how. He's not human, but Ridler lends a very human quality to him. A troubled guy with a troubled past who, ironically enough, has very human troubles even though he's undead. When he meets Malcom, he starts to beleive that he can be more than what he already is, he can do better and he doesn't have to get his face kicked in on a nightly basis to scrape by.
Malcom and Milkwood are always at odds. At just 13 years old mingling with a very adult crowd, he can't understand why someone as strong as Milkwood would be happy with just getting his face mashed to pulp. It's the interplay between the two characters that's really the heart of the story here. There's plenty of action and fighting and descriptive violence, and yes there are vamps and lowbrows and thugs and other nasties that go bump in the night, but it's really about two completely different individuals, each with their own problems and issues, who bring out growth in one another. The Fight Club aspect with a slight mix of supernatural beings makes it unique and dark, but this is very much a character driven drama and that's what makes it fun to read. The characters drive the story.
Ridler has a very engrossing style. He's descriptive and varied and his dialogue is fantastic. The characters (human or otherwise) come off as very real. Rather than using a lot of narrative descriptions, the character's emotions and feelings come right through the vivid dialogue, some of the best of which comes from the villains' mouths. They're dark, menacing and completely twisted. When the baddies are bad, their words drip with malice and it's great to read.
Now, if I do have one complaint (and there is always at least one; no book is perfect) it's that sometimes the narrative can be a little bleak. It's told through both Milkwood's and Malcom's points of view, and neither of them have reason to be dancing jigs in fuzzy buzzy bunny slippers but sometimes the narrative is overly jaded. I know the world in which the two characters live and function is an awful one but the negative descriptions and similies/metaphors seem forced at times, like it's trying to drive home the well established point that everyone and everything is bad and dismal. It doesn't ruin the story and I get what he was trying to do but it just seemed a little redundant at times.
In summary (and if you've made it this far you win a no prize!) this was a very enjoyable read. Blood and Sawdust has an interesting, colorful and very varied cast, an engrossing and well laid out plot, good dialogue and fluid prose that's as descriptive as it is creative. I admit to being into rassling once upon a time so many of the terms and names weren't lost on me but you don't have to be into sports entertainment to enjoy this. Remember, this is about the characters and their story and it delivers on that in spades.
If you're a fan of the supernatural and are tired of cookie cutter type takes on the undead, give Blood and Sawdust a try. There are many independent and small press authors out there doing a lot of good work and this shows that Ridler is among them. He's now on my radar and I'll be reading him in the future.
Lots of creatively bloody fun!
Malcom's isn't what people would call a glamorous life. He's 13 and other than his older brother Rob, an avid drug user and a guy who treats Malcom like a punching bag, he's got nobody and not much of anything, except a drive to find out what happened to his mother who disappeared at a carnival when he was just nine years old and a misplaced duty to protect and take care of his very troubled older brother. That's why he hangs out on the Fringe with the dregs of society, making bets on illegal death matches. He's a student of the game. He knows the fighters inside and out and he's got a knack for winning. When he finds himself in Canada, he thinks it's just another day in the life, betting on illegal fights and trying to eek out some sort of living when he meets Milkwood. Fat, ugly and able to take a beating like nobody's business, Milkwood is a perpetual loser. He enters the fights, suffers inhuman amounts of punishment, takes his pay and moves on to the next town. There's something more to Milkwood than meets the eye and Malcom is determined to find out what it is, and turn him into the winner he knows he can be. Things aren't that simple, however, when a sexy and dangerous woman from Milkwood's past comes a'knocking and something even more dangerous is out to get HER.
Let's face it, the vampire genre is quickly getting oversaturated with boilerplate plots and characters. That's not to say there aren't good ones out there (and I do read several long running series featuring the wildly popular creatures of the night on occassion) but many are rife with the same tropes: Dark, brooding, centuries old vampire with a six pack and long hair falls into forbidden love with troubled girl that's looking for something more out of life. Blood and Sawdust kicks those conventions right in the fangs (almost literally) and breathes new life into the same ole same ole. Ridler does a nice job of avoiding sterotypes with his view of vampires. They're not all rich and powerful, they're not all instantly beautiful when they change. In Ridler's universe, some are just trying to get by and just BE. No grand machinations for world domination, no secret cabals, no plans to glamor dozens of women and have their own personal harem and more importantly, the world is NOT inundated by them.
Milkwood is a 'jobber'. In rassling (AKA: Wrestling), that's a guy who gets paid to make bigger stars look good. He's the son of a wrestler who was famous for being a jobber. He grew up with the shame that people saw his father as the perpetual loser and actually tried to extracate himself from that shadow by getting a degree in history, but was turned, thus ending his plans for a better life. He's just trying to get by on the outskirts of society the best he knows how. He's not human, but Ridler lends a very human quality to him. A troubled guy with a troubled past who, ironically enough, has very human troubles even though he's undead. When he meets Malcom, he starts to beleive that he can be more than what he already is, he can do better and he doesn't have to get his face kicked in on a nightly basis to scrape by.
Malcom and Milkwood are always at odds. At just 13 years old mingling with a very adult crowd, he can't understand why someone as strong as Milkwood would be happy with just getting his face mashed to pulp. It's the interplay between the two characters that's really the heart of the story here. There's plenty of action and fighting and descriptive violence, and yes there are vamps and lowbrows and thugs and other nasties that go bump in the night, but it's really about two completely different individuals, each with their own problems and issues, who bring out growth in one another. The Fight Club aspect with a slight mix of supernatural beings makes it unique and dark, but this is very much a character driven drama and that's what makes it fun to read. The characters drive the story.
Ridler has a very engrossing style. He's descriptive and varied and his dialogue is fantastic. The characters (human or otherwise) come off as very real. Rather than using a lot of narrative descriptions, the character's emotions and feelings come right through the vivid dialogue, some of the best of which comes from the villains' mouths. They're dark, menacing and completely twisted. When the baddies are bad, their words drip with malice and it's great to read.
Now, if I do have one complaint (and there is always at least one; no book is perfect) it's that sometimes the narrative can be a little bleak. It's told through both Milkwood's and Malcom's points of view, and neither of them have reason to be dancing jigs in fuzzy buzzy bunny slippers but sometimes the narrative is overly jaded. I know the world in which the two characters live and function is an awful one but the negative descriptions and similies/metaphors seem forced at times, like it's trying to drive home the well established point that everyone and everything is bad and dismal. It doesn't ruin the story and I get what he was trying to do but it just seemed a little redundant at times.
In summary (and if you've made it this far you win a no prize!) this was a very enjoyable read. Blood and Sawdust has an interesting, colorful and very varied cast, an engrossing and well laid out plot, good dialogue and fluid prose that's as descriptive as it is creative. I admit to being into rassling once upon a time so many of the terms and names weren't lost on me but you don't have to be into sports entertainment to enjoy this. Remember, this is about the characters and their story and it delivers on that in spades.
If you're a fan of the supernatural and are tired of cookie cutter type takes on the undead, give Blood and Sawdust a try. There are many independent and small press authors out there doing a lot of good work and this shows that Ridler is among them. He's now on my radar and I'll be reading him in the future.
Lots of creatively bloody fun!
December 19, 2012
Blood & Sawdust (Jason S. Ridler)
A young teen Maclcom, is left to be raised by his older brother when his mother vanishes at an amusement park. Although his brother claims she abandoned them Malcom refuses to believe this and he plans to find out exactly what happened to here.
His Brother has a cocaine addiction and Malcom is out on the streets at underground (Illegal) fights. There he meets a huge odd man (Milkwood), a fighter that could easily kill his opponents, yet he always loses. Malcom soon discovers Milkwoods secret and is determined to turn him into a champion and find out what happened to his mother that day at the park.
They make an odd pair but seem to trust only each other. Then comes a beautiful woman named Lash who seems to have her own agenda for Milkwood. And to make things worse on her trail is something so horrible and dangerous, named Dizzy Colt.
Anything goes as Milkwood and Malcom come head to head with creatures so horrific they can only have come from hell.
Nail biting, page turner. Kept me up late at night, and checking under the bed before turning the lights off. Horror/Thriller readers will love Blood & Sawdust
A young teen Maclcom, is left to be raised by his older brother when his mother vanishes at an amusement park. Although his brother claims she abandoned them Malcom refuses to believe this and he plans to find out exactly what happened to here.
His Brother has a cocaine addiction and Malcom is out on the streets at underground (Illegal) fights. There he meets a huge odd man (Milkwood), a fighter that could easily kill his opponents, yet he always loses. Malcom soon discovers Milkwoods secret and is determined to turn him into a champion and find out what happened to his mother that day at the park.
They make an odd pair but seem to trust only each other. Then comes a beautiful woman named Lash who seems to have her own agenda for Milkwood. And to make things worse on her trail is something so horrible and dangerous, named Dizzy Colt.
Anything goes as Milkwood and Malcom come head to head with creatures so horrific they can only have come from hell.
Nail biting, page turner. Kept me up late at night, and checking under the bed before turning the lights off. Horror/Thriller readers will love Blood & Sawdust
January 15, 2013
I wasn't really sure what to expect when I received a copy of this book, but I like vampires and I like MMA style fighting so I was thinking I would really enjoy this one. And for once I was actually right.
The beginning started off a bit slow for me simply because it used some jargon I wasn't familiar with and related to some characters I wasn't familiar with yet, but this didn't last long and I quickly came up to speed and was engaged with the story line. The teenager Malcolm is a bit of a pain and makes some stupid choices, but I think that is typical of the angst-ridden teen so it is a true representation. Milkwood (what a bizarre name that was hard for me to say/read in my head) is not your typical vampire. Unlike most portrayals of vamps, Milkwood didn't turn into some gorgeous supermodel version of himself once turned. It was also a very unpleasant experience for him. Oh and if you are a fan of Canada or Canadian be warned there is some definite Canada bashing here. I thought it was funny.
All in all it was a very interesting, quick-paced, and fun read. It also reads like it is the beginning of a new series. I for one look forward to any future adventures of Milkwood and Malcolm.
The beginning started off a bit slow for me simply because it used some jargon I wasn't familiar with and related to some characters I wasn't familiar with yet, but this didn't last long and I quickly came up to speed and was engaged with the story line. The teenager Malcolm is a bit of a pain and makes some stupid choices, but I think that is typical of the angst-ridden teen so it is a true representation. Milkwood (what a bizarre name that was hard for me to say/read in my head) is not your typical vampire. Unlike most portrayals of vamps, Milkwood didn't turn into some gorgeous supermodel version of himself once turned. It was also a very unpleasant experience for him. Oh and if you are a fan of Canada or Canadian be warned there is some definite Canada bashing here. I thought it was funny.
All in all it was a very interesting, quick-paced, and fun read. It also reads like it is the beginning of a new series. I for one look forward to any future adventures of Milkwood and Malcolm.
August 16, 2013
Jason Ridler is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. He seems to have a soft spot for the underdog too. Like Spar Battersea, Milkwood and Malcolm are true underdogs. They cannot catch a break and when they finally have a plan, it's likely that it will explode in their face rather than work in their favor.
Jason is great at creating believable characters and making their conflict something that isn't overdone to a point where it is not fun to read. Like "Deathmatch" I devoured this book and enjoyed every page and was not predictable at all.
I hope I'll get to read further adventures of Milkwood and Malcom. This was a great starting point for what will hopefully turn into a trilogy if not a series.
Jason is great at creating believable characters and making their conflict something that isn't overdone to a point where it is not fun to read. Like "Deathmatch" I devoured this book and enjoyed every page and was not predictable at all.
I hope I'll get to read further adventures of Milkwood and Malcom. This was a great starting point for what will hopefully turn into a trilogy if not a series.
January 7, 2013
Aside from a few places where I got a bit confused as to who was doing the talking/thinking, I did not expect to enjoy this book so much. Not a big fan of vampire books, but Jason Ridler treated it with a entirely different point of view. It's pretty obvious Ridler knows the fight scene, judging from the detailed world he'd created (and since I read his other book, Death Match, I knew he knew his stuff). From the get go, the story moved, and kept a steady pace of excitement and thrills. If you like vampires, if you like the fight scene, or if you just want to be taken for a wild ride...this is your book.
February 4, 2013
A strange story that features MMA and vampires. Overall it was well written, but some spelling mistakes and grammatical errors drag it down. My main issue with the story was that we don’t know much about protagonist, Malcolm. Although he has a secret of his own, it comes out of the blue when he seems like he’s been a punching bag for his brother most of his life, so this aspect seemed cobbled together to up the ante. This book is certainly not for those looking for sparkly vampires, but those who like their fiction raw and close to the knuckle might enjoy it. Jason has a unique writing style though and I’m sure he will only get better.
December 24, 2012
This was a great read and my first from Jason Ridler. It will not be my last. This story moved quickly and was very engaging from the start. I thought that the MMA type circuit fighting was a great backdrop for the story. I enjoyed the turns at the end and hope that there may be some room for a sequel. Nicely done and recommended!
February 10, 2013
With the wild success of the UFC, you’re bound to find illegal and deadly underground fight circuits. Malcolm is a 13 yr old who runs bets for these fight circles for his brother. His brother however, always bets on the sure thing, Malcolm loves the underdog. When running these bets he discovers someone by the name of “Milkwood”. A guy that gets the shit kicked out of him, gets back up, and never ever wins. Determined to find his secret, Malcolm follows him, but what he found is far different than even he could imagine.
A gritty look of illegal fights, with quite an interesting and different twist.
Setting: Set in a backwoods town in Canada after the fight scene in New York was busted and raided, you get a gritty view of the the fights and were they fight. Jason does a good job of setting the scene. You can imagine dirty dive bars with sawdust on the floor making the ring, blood stains on the ground, drunken screams and hollers as the combatants tear each other apart. Outside you get clear images of dirty apartments and dark allies, neglected by the owners. It all seems so realistic that you almost get the feeling he’s visited these types of places at one time or another.
Characters: There is a whole host of characters that shine in this book. Malcolm is a thirteen year old boy who knows the fight scene almost better than anyone due to running bets for his brother. If he doesn’t run those bets, he gets beat repeatedly. Which in turn makes him have a tough exterior, and have a bitter view of the world around him. This back story and the story of his mother make him almost a like-able character. Almost. He still is a punk kid that should probably get his ass beat to keep him in line.
Then there is Milkwood. A fighter that consistently gets pounded and keeps coming back for more. His father, whom he has no respect for, was a pro wrestler, and a jobber (someone who loses to promote other talent). He never won, and Milkwood had no respect for anyone who lost all the time, much less in a “fake” sport. Milkwood is a fat, ugly guy that ends up saving Malcolm and ends up getting involved in a tournament to help them both make a lot of cash. But to do that, he needs the help of his father. The nice thing here, is that the father is an old time wrestler, and keeps his secrets close to his heart, and even tries to kayfabe his son, or not really tell him what’s up. It reminded me of the original Shiek. When he was out, he was in character. He even made his wife get out and pump the gas and treated her like crap to keep the image.
Eventually the two end up running into a beautiful woman named Lash, who has met Milkwood in the past, and now needs his help because she is being hunted by someone. Despite her not having a large role, she popped off the page and came alive.
Interesting thing about these characters….they aren’t very like-able. Not a one. Each have their own selfish way of going about things, each have their own underlying motivations that others do not know about, but they work. Not everyone you meet is going to be a “hero” or a “villain”. But that’s the way life works in this type of setting. Everyone has an agenda of their own. No friends, only acquaintances.
Plot: Malcolm goes to Canada to place bets on the fight scene for his brother, who is extremely abusive. This makes him a bit more touchy, and a lot more pissed off. He runs into a guy by the name of “Milkwood”. He watches this fat, hideous fighter, get the absolute shit kicked out of him in every way possible. He gets up, takes his pay, and he never ever wins a fight. Determined to figure out his secret, Malcolm follows him after one evening and gets into a bit of a jam, and was saved by none other than Milkwood. It was then he discovered his secret, and why he was just a human punching-bag, when in fact, he could win every match.
Malcolm is able to convince him at an upcoming tournament that they could make a ton of money if he finally goes in and actually wins the fights and the tournament. Easy right? Wrong. Enter Lash, a hot body that has claimed to work with Milkwood in the past. She’s in trouble and she wants Milkwood to help. With the past that the two have had Milkwood only has blood in his eyes and wants to kill her.
Jason sets up an interesting historical background for Lash, and the person that she’s running from, Dizzy Colt. An ancient family holding a dark secret, literally locked away for ages, and the return of dangerous beings.
It turns out that even Malcolm has had run-ins with Dizzy before, and will do nothing to take revenge on him.
Bottom Line: Fast paced action, well described locations, characters, that while not very likable, come alive on the page, and a very unique story all serve to make this a fantastic read. You don’t have to understand the wrestling or fight lingo to get what Jason Ridler is trying to say. You don’t even have to like MMA to enjoy the story. It’s an interesting and fresh take on an already saturated supernatural market, one that will leave you wanting more.
A gritty look of illegal fights, with quite an interesting and different twist.
Setting: Set in a backwoods town in Canada after the fight scene in New York was busted and raided, you get a gritty view of the the fights and were they fight. Jason does a good job of setting the scene. You can imagine dirty dive bars with sawdust on the floor making the ring, blood stains on the ground, drunken screams and hollers as the combatants tear each other apart. Outside you get clear images of dirty apartments and dark allies, neglected by the owners. It all seems so realistic that you almost get the feeling he’s visited these types of places at one time or another.
Characters: There is a whole host of characters that shine in this book. Malcolm is a thirteen year old boy who knows the fight scene almost better than anyone due to running bets for his brother. If he doesn’t run those bets, he gets beat repeatedly. Which in turn makes him have a tough exterior, and have a bitter view of the world around him. This back story and the story of his mother make him almost a like-able character. Almost. He still is a punk kid that should probably get his ass beat to keep him in line.
Then there is Milkwood. A fighter that consistently gets pounded and keeps coming back for more. His father, whom he has no respect for, was a pro wrestler, and a jobber (someone who loses to promote other talent). He never won, and Milkwood had no respect for anyone who lost all the time, much less in a “fake” sport. Milkwood is a fat, ugly guy that ends up saving Malcolm and ends up getting involved in a tournament to help them both make a lot of cash. But to do that, he needs the help of his father. The nice thing here, is that the father is an old time wrestler, and keeps his secrets close to his heart, and even tries to kayfabe his son, or not really tell him what’s up. It reminded me of the original Shiek. When he was out, he was in character. He even made his wife get out and pump the gas and treated her like crap to keep the image.
Eventually the two end up running into a beautiful woman named Lash, who has met Milkwood in the past, and now needs his help because she is being hunted by someone. Despite her not having a large role, she popped off the page and came alive.
Interesting thing about these characters….they aren’t very like-able. Not a one. Each have their own selfish way of going about things, each have their own underlying motivations that others do not know about, but they work. Not everyone you meet is going to be a “hero” or a “villain”. But that’s the way life works in this type of setting. Everyone has an agenda of their own. No friends, only acquaintances.
Plot: Malcolm goes to Canada to place bets on the fight scene for his brother, who is extremely abusive. This makes him a bit more touchy, and a lot more pissed off. He runs into a guy by the name of “Milkwood”. He watches this fat, hideous fighter, get the absolute shit kicked out of him in every way possible. He gets up, takes his pay, and he never ever wins a fight. Determined to figure out his secret, Malcolm follows him after one evening and gets into a bit of a jam, and was saved by none other than Milkwood. It was then he discovered his secret, and why he was just a human punching-bag, when in fact, he could win every match.
Malcolm is able to convince him at an upcoming tournament that they could make a ton of money if he finally goes in and actually wins the fights and the tournament. Easy right? Wrong. Enter Lash, a hot body that has claimed to work with Milkwood in the past. She’s in trouble and she wants Milkwood to help. With the past that the two have had Milkwood only has blood in his eyes and wants to kill her.
Jason sets up an interesting historical background for Lash, and the person that she’s running from, Dizzy Colt. An ancient family holding a dark secret, literally locked away for ages, and the return of dangerous beings.
It turns out that even Malcolm has had run-ins with Dizzy before, and will do nothing to take revenge on him.
Bottom Line: Fast paced action, well described locations, characters, that while not very likable, come alive on the page, and a very unique story all serve to make this a fantastic read. You don’t have to understand the wrestling or fight lingo to get what Jason Ridler is trying to say. You don’t even have to like MMA to enjoy the story. It’s an interesting and fresh take on an already saturated supernatural market, one that will leave you wanting more.
July 30, 2013
Writer Jason Ridler was kind enough to email me a copy of his novel Blood & Sawdust in exchange for an honest read and review. To be fair, I really didn't expect much. I'd read his first novel,
Death Match: A Spar Battersea Wrestling thriller
, and enjoyed it but hadn't been blown away by it. I just kind of expected more of the same from this one. But you know what? I really liked Blood & Sawdust. It was not what I expected. In fact, I was nicely surprised with what happened between its covers.
Similar to Death Match, Blood & Sawdust takes place in the darkly brutal world of the gritty underground street fighting circuit. Not my cup of tea. But somehow, Mr. Ridler finds away to make it interesting - even for a fighting n00b like me. Not only that. He threw in a healthy dose of the paranormal in this one too. I know what you're thinking: "ANOTHER vampire story??? Haven't we had enough?" Well, apparently not. Jason Ridler tossed in enough of a twist to the overused "vampire with a heart of gold" plot that I found myself intrigued by the third chapter. And by the halfway point he had me hooked. By three quarters of the way through I couldn't put it down and finished the rest in one sitting.
Blood & Sawdust is the dismal tale of fourteen year old Malcolm, an orphan who's been thrust into the fringe of underground street fighting by his meth addicted brother. Not as a fighter - obviously - as the kid isn't much to look at in the physique department. No, his brother uses Malcolm as a better. Malcolm has studied the fighters so much that he's gained an uncanny ability to pick the winners. Malcolm makes the bets and wins the cash so his looser of an older brother can continue to feed his habit. But that ceases to be the primary thrust of the novel when you learn that there are darker things in the world than an abusive older brother who's hooked on meth. Malcolm quickly finds himself thrust into the world of vampires and ... maybe things that are much, much worse. The plot takes such an interesting turn by the end of the novel that I found myself absorbed in it despite my biases.
The writing is a little difficult to follow in a few random places but overall the action was well written and smartly paced. I counted numerous typos in the text that could be remedied with a decent and thorough proofreading (i.e. 2 counts of wandered being written as "wondered" - which had me scratching my head at the meaning before realizing it was a typo that spell check wouldn't catch - amidst others). The characters were pretty dark but had something about them which made you care about them anyway.
All in all, I found a lot to like in Blood & Sawdust. There were no "sparkly" vampires in this one. Nope. In fact, one of the main characters is an overweight, pasty bookworm of a vampire who got turned into the undead as a morbid joke. so the uniqueness of the plot and narrative was enough to keep me turning the pages until the story itself gripped me and pulled me into it's dark embrace. I have to admit it: I am beginning to become a fan of Mr. Ridler's stories if not necessarily his writing style. While witty at times, he tends to write fairly quick and raw without a whole lot of polish. Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing (read: Larry Correia), but I still like me a little polish now and then.
Blood & Sawdust is an interesting and gripping read that's well worth your time if you're into bloodsuckers and knuckle brawling. The tale of a kid and his vampire is fun to get immersed in and the twists are fairly juicy. I decided to bump it from 3 stars to 4 in the last few chapter since I couldn't bring myself to quit reading. Blood & Sawdust was a really fun ride. Thanks Mr. Ridler.
Similar to Death Match, Blood & Sawdust takes place in the darkly brutal world of the gritty underground street fighting circuit. Not my cup of tea. But somehow, Mr. Ridler finds away to make it interesting - even for a fighting n00b like me. Not only that. He threw in a healthy dose of the paranormal in this one too. I know what you're thinking: "ANOTHER vampire story??? Haven't we had enough?" Well, apparently not. Jason Ridler tossed in enough of a twist to the overused "vampire with a heart of gold" plot that I found myself intrigued by the third chapter. And by the halfway point he had me hooked. By three quarters of the way through I couldn't put it down and finished the rest in one sitting.
Blood & Sawdust is the dismal tale of fourteen year old Malcolm, an orphan who's been thrust into the fringe of underground street fighting by his meth addicted brother. Not as a fighter - obviously - as the kid isn't much to look at in the physique department. No, his brother uses Malcolm as a better. Malcolm has studied the fighters so much that he's gained an uncanny ability to pick the winners. Malcolm makes the bets and wins the cash so his looser of an older brother can continue to feed his habit. But that ceases to be the primary thrust of the novel when you learn that there are darker things in the world than an abusive older brother who's hooked on meth. Malcolm quickly finds himself thrust into the world of vampires and ... maybe things that are much, much worse. The plot takes such an interesting turn by the end of the novel that I found myself absorbed in it despite my biases.
The writing is a little difficult to follow in a few random places but overall the action was well written and smartly paced. I counted numerous typos in the text that could be remedied with a decent and thorough proofreading (i.e. 2 counts of wandered being written as "wondered" - which had me scratching my head at the meaning before realizing it was a typo that spell check wouldn't catch - amidst others). The characters were pretty dark but had something about them which made you care about them anyway.
All in all, I found a lot to like in Blood & Sawdust. There were no "sparkly" vampires in this one. Nope. In fact, one of the main characters is an overweight, pasty bookworm of a vampire who got turned into the undead as a morbid joke. so the uniqueness of the plot and narrative was enough to keep me turning the pages until the story itself gripped me and pulled me into it's dark embrace. I have to admit it: I am beginning to become a fan of Mr. Ridler's stories if not necessarily his writing style. While witty at times, he tends to write fairly quick and raw without a whole lot of polish. Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing (read: Larry Correia), but I still like me a little polish now and then.
Blood & Sawdust is an interesting and gripping read that's well worth your time if you're into bloodsuckers and knuckle brawling. The tale of a kid and his vampire is fun to get immersed in and the twists are fairly juicy. I decided to bump it from 3 stars to 4 in the last few chapter since I couldn't bring myself to quit reading. Blood & Sawdust was a really fun ride. Thanks Mr. Ridler.
November 23, 2012
Originally published at Risingshadow.
Jason S. Ridler's Blood & Sawdust is a surprisingly good and entertaining combination of fantasy, horror and thriller/crime elements. It has a fresh pulpy feel to it. Blood & Sawdust is a hardboiled dark fantasy book for fans of pulp stories (this book will definitely be of interest to fans of pulp fiction), but it will also appeal to fans of vampire stories.
Here's a bit of information about the story:
Malcolm goes to watch a fighting match. He sees how Milkwood loses and is carried away barely alive. He sees Milkwood after the fight and notices that he has almost miraculously recovered from the fight. Malcolm befriends Milkwood... (That's all I'll write about the plot.)
The main characters are interesting, because they're not your usual kind of heroes and villains. Malcolm is an interesting young guy who makes a living with his brother by betting on underground fighting matches. Milkwood is an intriguing character, because he is an ugly and fat vampire, who has to deal with immortality (he's quite a complex character). The other characters are also interesting - they spice up the story, because they're colourful characters and the author writes about them in an interesting way.
Blood & Sawdust is a delightfully different kind of a vampire book, because Milkwood isn't a young and heavenly beautiful vampire. It's great that the vampires in this book don't sparkle and make the hearts of teenage girls throb with unrestrained passion.
I'm sure that all the readers, who are tired of reading paranormal vampire fantasies and young adult vampire books, will love Blood & Sawdust, because it's totally different kind of a book. It's a great antidote to boredom caused by reading too many paranormal vampire books and several young adult vampire stories (I'm sure that there are several readers out there who are as fed up with the new vampire books as I am).
The author's descriptions about fighting are brutally realistic, which is nice. In this book fighting is truly fighting and it's nasty. He infuses the story with harsh realism, heart felt pain and depictions of urban decay and angst. In my opinion the fighting scenes and brutality can be seen as a harsh metaphor for urban decay and decline of the modern society.
I seldom read vampire books nowadays, because most of them are more or less boring or they contain too many paranormal romance elements for my taste (I like books by Bram Stoker and Anne Rice etc, but most new vampire books don't appeal to me). Fortunately Blood & Sawdust was refreshingly original and different kind of vampire fiction. It was great that the author offers a healthy dose of brutal realism to his readers.
If you're looking for something entertaining and a bit different to read, Blood & Sawdust is a good book for you. It's hardboiled fun for fans of vampire stories and pulp fiction.
Jason S. Ridler's Blood & Sawdust is a surprisingly good and entertaining combination of fantasy, horror and thriller/crime elements. It has a fresh pulpy feel to it. Blood & Sawdust is a hardboiled dark fantasy book for fans of pulp stories (this book will definitely be of interest to fans of pulp fiction), but it will also appeal to fans of vampire stories.
Here's a bit of information about the story:
Malcolm goes to watch a fighting match. He sees how Milkwood loses and is carried away barely alive. He sees Milkwood after the fight and notices that he has almost miraculously recovered from the fight. Malcolm befriends Milkwood... (That's all I'll write about the plot.)
The main characters are interesting, because they're not your usual kind of heroes and villains. Malcolm is an interesting young guy who makes a living with his brother by betting on underground fighting matches. Milkwood is an intriguing character, because he is an ugly and fat vampire, who has to deal with immortality (he's quite a complex character). The other characters are also interesting - they spice up the story, because they're colourful characters and the author writes about them in an interesting way.
Blood & Sawdust is a delightfully different kind of a vampire book, because Milkwood isn't a young and heavenly beautiful vampire. It's great that the vampires in this book don't sparkle and make the hearts of teenage girls throb with unrestrained passion.
I'm sure that all the readers, who are tired of reading paranormal vampire fantasies and young adult vampire books, will love Blood & Sawdust, because it's totally different kind of a book. It's a great antidote to boredom caused by reading too many paranormal vampire books and several young adult vampire stories (I'm sure that there are several readers out there who are as fed up with the new vampire books as I am).
The author's descriptions about fighting are brutally realistic, which is nice. In this book fighting is truly fighting and it's nasty. He infuses the story with harsh realism, heart felt pain and depictions of urban decay and angst. In my opinion the fighting scenes and brutality can be seen as a harsh metaphor for urban decay and decline of the modern society.
I seldom read vampire books nowadays, because most of them are more or less boring or they contain too many paranormal romance elements for my taste (I like books by Bram Stoker and Anne Rice etc, but most new vampire books don't appeal to me). Fortunately Blood & Sawdust was refreshingly original and different kind of vampire fiction. It was great that the author offers a healthy dose of brutal realism to his readers.
If you're looking for something entertaining and a bit different to read, Blood & Sawdust is a good book for you. It's hardboiled fun for fans of vampire stories and pulp fiction.
January 5, 2013
Malcolm is a streetwise teen who frequents sordid establishments where modern-day gladiators square off in illegal MMA-type bouts. Though he usually puts his money on the winners, one night in Kingston, Ontario, Malcolm drops fifty bucks on a fat jobber named Milkwood who gets pounded into oblivion. Later that evening, this same loser saves Malcolm from a violent encounter in an alley. After observing the portly punching bag’s display of vicious power and superhuman strength, Malcolm realizes there is more to Milkwood that meets the eye. It doesn’t take long for the kid to figure out that his rescuer is a vampire.
Undaunted by this revelation, Malcolm sees an opportunity in his new friend’s undead status. Since Milkwood can tear mortal fighters apart while absorbing untold amounts of punishment, why doesn’t he enter the upcoming fight tournament so they can split the winner’s prize? Malcolm wants the money so he can hire a private investigator to find out what happened to his mother, whose disappearance years earlier continues to haunt him. Milkwood, who has past issues of his own to deal with, is reluctant, fearing that a string of victories will blow his cover. But the kid wins him over and Milkwood enters the brutal competition. Before the Rocky theme can cue up, however, a beautiful woman with a sinister agenda arrives on the scene. Not long after, Malcolm and Milkwood learn there is a foul creature lurking the city streets with malevolent plans for them both.
Blood and Sawdust immerses the reader in a dark and violent world with fight scenes both in and out of the cage that are raw and gory. The profane dialogue fits the environment, though certain phrases are repetitive and comic bookish. Despite their bleak circumstances and frequent arguments, Malcolm and Milkwood push each other forward even when their prospects (and goals) aren’t all that pretty. Overall, adding the element of the undead to a Fight Club-type setting provides for an original story that rarely lags. Fans of the vampire genre or the Ultimate Fighting Championship should find plenty to like in this novel.
Undaunted by this revelation, Malcolm sees an opportunity in his new friend’s undead status. Since Milkwood can tear mortal fighters apart while absorbing untold amounts of punishment, why doesn’t he enter the upcoming fight tournament so they can split the winner’s prize? Malcolm wants the money so he can hire a private investigator to find out what happened to his mother, whose disappearance years earlier continues to haunt him. Milkwood, who has past issues of his own to deal with, is reluctant, fearing that a string of victories will blow his cover. But the kid wins him over and Milkwood enters the brutal competition. Before the Rocky theme can cue up, however, a beautiful woman with a sinister agenda arrives on the scene. Not long after, Malcolm and Milkwood learn there is a foul creature lurking the city streets with malevolent plans for them both.
Blood and Sawdust immerses the reader in a dark and violent world with fight scenes both in and out of the cage that are raw and gory. The profane dialogue fits the environment, though certain phrases are repetitive and comic bookish. Despite their bleak circumstances and frequent arguments, Malcolm and Milkwood push each other forward even when their prospects (and goals) aren’t all that pretty. Overall, adding the element of the undead to a Fight Club-type setting provides for an original story that rarely lags. Fans of the vampire genre or the Ultimate Fighting Championship should find plenty to like in this novel.
March 26, 2013
Blood & Sawdust is an original take on the tried and tested vampire fiction. We're not dealing with forbidden love between humans and vampires here or a lone hunter dealing with a vampire coven but instead it's a coming of age story about two young men overcoming the trauma of their troubled pasts.
The story focuses on Malcom, a streetwise kid and Milkwood, a fat, ugly underground fighter who is beaten to a pulp every night. After Milkwood saves Malcom's life from vicious assailants, Malcom learns that that there are in fact more to Milkwood than everyone realise. From this point on Malcom makes it his mission to turn Milkwood around and make him the sort of fighter Malcom knows Milkwood can be. However before Milkwood can become the champion in Malcom's eyes, Lash, a mysterious lady from Milkwood's past shows up with a monster in her wake.
What makes this story shine is the friendship between Malcom and Milkwood. Malcom helps Milkwood discover what was missing in his life and Milkwood gives Malcom the strength to face his nightmares. The two of them push each either onwards no matter how dire the circumstances are.
With this novel, Ridler has created two endearing characters that will stay with you long after you're finished with this story.
The inclusion of underground MMA fights give this story extra intensity and a sense of grittiness. The brutal and gory fight scenes are bound to make you wince as Milkwood takes one bloody beating after another and you will come to root for this underdog.
Ridler writes in an engrossing style that makes his characters on the pages come alive and the depiction of a less than perfect vampire is a refreshing change from the vampire fiction out there at the moment. A highly enjoyable read for anyone who is looking for a vampire novel with a different twist.
(Originally posted at http://www.paperlessreading.com/2013/...)
The story focuses on Malcom, a streetwise kid and Milkwood, a fat, ugly underground fighter who is beaten to a pulp every night. After Milkwood saves Malcom's life from vicious assailants, Malcom learns that that there are in fact more to Milkwood than everyone realise. From this point on Malcom makes it his mission to turn Milkwood around and make him the sort of fighter Malcom knows Milkwood can be. However before Milkwood can become the champion in Malcom's eyes, Lash, a mysterious lady from Milkwood's past shows up with a monster in her wake.
What makes this story shine is the friendship between Malcom and Milkwood. Malcom helps Milkwood discover what was missing in his life and Milkwood gives Malcom the strength to face his nightmares. The two of them push each either onwards no matter how dire the circumstances are.
With this novel, Ridler has created two endearing characters that will stay with you long after you're finished with this story.
The inclusion of underground MMA fights give this story extra intensity and a sense of grittiness. The brutal and gory fight scenes are bound to make you wince as Milkwood takes one bloody beating after another and you will come to root for this underdog.
Ridler writes in an engrossing style that makes his characters on the pages come alive and the depiction of a less than perfect vampire is a refreshing change from the vampire fiction out there at the moment. A highly enjoyable read for anyone who is looking for a vampire novel with a different twist.
(Originally posted at http://www.paperlessreading.com/2013/...)
January 10, 2013
First off, I have to admit that I am a huge MMA and UFC fan. However, I don't think you have to be a fan or even know what those abbreviations stand for to enjoy this fast paced and highly original story. So many vampire novels these days are based on the same old thing, but not BLOOD & SAWDUST by Jason S. Ridler.
There's no love story, no vampires bursting into flames or shimmering like Tinkerbell in the sun. No gorgeous movie star quality characters who fall in love and live happily ever after. Nope. You won't find that here. And if that's what you're looking for, stop reading right now. But if you want originality that will keep you absorbed and so enthralled with what's going to happen next that you won't want to stop reading, you've found the right book.
Malcolm is a young teen who hasn't had an easy life, but he does whatever he needs to survive. And that means betting on underground fights for his abusive brother, who uses most of their winnings to support his drub habit. When Malcolm meets Milkwood everything begins to change. Milkwood seems to be a punching bag in the ring, a loser. But Malcolm's trip into the back alley after a fight tell a different tale. Milkwood is a vampire.
I really enjoyed the friendship and trust that blossoms between these two characters. Neither of them are in any way the norm when it comes to a novel's heros, especially Milkwood. His looks alone are the complete opposite of what you'd expect; which made me love him even more. Riddler even threw a few twists into this one that I hadn't expected. All in all, a great piece of work and a very entertaining read.
I definitely look forward to more Malcolm and Milkwood adventures. Hopefully, Ridler is well on his way in writing book #2! I'll be waiting!
There's no love story, no vampires bursting into flames or shimmering like Tinkerbell in the sun. No gorgeous movie star quality characters who fall in love and live happily ever after. Nope. You won't find that here. And if that's what you're looking for, stop reading right now. But if you want originality that will keep you absorbed and so enthralled with what's going to happen next that you won't want to stop reading, you've found the right book.
Malcolm is a young teen who hasn't had an easy life, but he does whatever he needs to survive. And that means betting on underground fights for his abusive brother, who uses most of their winnings to support his drub habit. When Malcolm meets Milkwood everything begins to change. Milkwood seems to be a punching bag in the ring, a loser. But Malcolm's trip into the back alley after a fight tell a different tale. Milkwood is a vampire.
I really enjoyed the friendship and trust that blossoms between these two characters. Neither of them are in any way the norm when it comes to a novel's heros, especially Milkwood. His looks alone are the complete opposite of what you'd expect; which made me love him even more. Riddler even threw a few twists into this one that I hadn't expected. All in all, a great piece of work and a very entertaining read.
I definitely look forward to more Malcolm and Milkwood adventures. Hopefully, Ridler is well on his way in writing book #2! I'll be waiting!
December 26, 2012
This book was unlike anything I have ever read, and that makes me happy. My genre of choice is thriller/horror and I would say that this novel falls under that category, for the most part, but it's really in a category all it's own. Like many have said, the story starts out with Malcom, the 13 year old boy left in his brothers care, although we discover that Malcolm is really the caregiver. The "mom" in me felt sorry for him at first but he turned out to have incredible strength and my pity turned into admiration. Milkwood is an unusual character, to say the least. At first glance, he seems to be a fat, sloppy punching bag but turns out to be the vampire whose heart is bigger than his brain. The word "vampire" conjures up a lot of different images, but Milkwood is none of those. He is not sleek and sophisticated like Dracula, he is not horrifyingly scary like Stephen Kings Mr. Barlow, and he is not beautiful and sparkly like ALL the vampires today. He is as unique as this story.
I cannot say anything about the plot because I don't want to give anything away. This novel is down n' dirty, nitty gritty, and full of profanity but it will hold your attention to the very last word. I know nothing about underground fighting but the vivid descriptions made me feel like I was there. The author has such a way with words and his descriptions are so crisp that you can "see" everything. This book moves at a very brisk pace and there are no lulls.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone, but it probably isn't for everyone, it's pretty graphic. If that doesn't bother you, I would definately give it a try.
I cannot say anything about the plot because I don't want to give anything away. This novel is down n' dirty, nitty gritty, and full of profanity but it will hold your attention to the very last word. I know nothing about underground fighting but the vivid descriptions made me feel like I was there. The author has such a way with words and his descriptions are so crisp that you can "see" everything. This book moves at a very brisk pace and there are no lulls.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone, but it probably isn't for everyone, it's pretty graphic. If that doesn't bother you, I would definately give it a try.
January 20, 2013
I went into this book not exactly knowing what to expect other than "Fight Club with vampires". I found myself pretty into the book from the start. I did have a hard time placing the time period; I thought "future dystopian" but some passages nudged me to modern day. Jason is really good at expressing the grittiness and harsh over the top violence of the fighting circuit. The dialog was quick and rapid fire in a very noir-like style which (while a lot of the dialog was clever) was not personally my taste.
I personally had a hard time empathizing with the characters; in part because while there was a team up between Malcolm and Milkwood they still acted and made a lot of choices that were very selfish and independent. This felt better to me toward the end of the book but it was so sudden at that point the pacing felt a little off.
I'm not sure if Jason intends to write this as a series or write a sequel but I would like to have had some more explanation about Malcolm's "reveal" at the end. I wasn't quite sure if I missed something or if it was left a little ambiguous on purpose.
Jason's writing and style was great! I didn't really get a lot of the fighting terminology but he really pushed the descriptions of his character's appearance, movement and nonverbal behaviors. I will definitely read another book of his but will likely go with one without a fighting/boxing theme just as per my personal taste but if it's a genre you'd be interested in I would recommend this book.
I personally had a hard time empathizing with the characters; in part because while there was a team up between Malcolm and Milkwood they still acted and made a lot of choices that were very selfish and independent. This felt better to me toward the end of the book but it was so sudden at that point the pacing felt a little off.
I'm not sure if Jason intends to write this as a series or write a sequel but I would like to have had some more explanation about Malcolm's "reveal" at the end. I wasn't quite sure if I missed something or if it was left a little ambiguous on purpose.
Jason's writing and style was great! I didn't really get a lot of the fighting terminology but he really pushed the descriptions of his character's appearance, movement and nonverbal behaviors. I will definitely read another book of his but will likely go with one without a fighting/boxing theme just as per my personal taste but if it's a genre you'd be interested in I would recommend this book.
December 21, 2012
Blood and Sawdust is a dark tale set in the seedy world of illegal fighting. An abused streetwise teenager, a marshmellow loser of a fighter and a mysterious seductive beauty are linked not only by the violent tournaments but also by something more sinister. Ridler has populated his novel with colourful characters and none of the main players are cardboard cut-outs.
The narrative switches viewpoints between Malcolm, the streetwise kid, and Milkwood, the fighter. This works well throughout the story, initially as the two embark on a mistrustful relationship and later as the reader experiences the action from both sides.
Ridler carries the story along at a brisk pace and never allows it to stagnate. He uses slang in the narrative to create the right kind of atmosphere without overdoing it (as some authors do to the point of being annoying). The writing is lean and I never found any point to be laboured.
I've given Blood & Sawdust 3 stars which according to GR scale means that "I liked it". I have no major criticisms of the book and wondered at the end why I hadn't enjoyed it more. The answer I came up with is that I'm just not a fan of vampire stories or organised fighting stories. I gave this one a go after a recommendation and enjoyed it enough despite it not being my cup of tea. I would imagine that readers who enjoy novels set in this kind of world would get more out of it and rate it higher.
The narrative switches viewpoints between Malcolm, the streetwise kid, and Milkwood, the fighter. This works well throughout the story, initially as the two embark on a mistrustful relationship and later as the reader experiences the action from both sides.
Ridler carries the story along at a brisk pace and never allows it to stagnate. He uses slang in the narrative to create the right kind of atmosphere without overdoing it (as some authors do to the point of being annoying). The writing is lean and I never found any point to be laboured.
I've given Blood & Sawdust 3 stars which according to GR scale means that "I liked it". I have no major criticisms of the book and wondered at the end why I hadn't enjoyed it more. The answer I came up with is that I'm just not a fan of vampire stories or organised fighting stories. I gave this one a go after a recommendation and enjoyed it enough despite it not being my cup of tea. I would imagine that readers who enjoy novels set in this kind of world would get more out of it and rate it higher.
January 5, 2013
After a recommendation I picked up a Kindle copy of Blood and Sawdust. I'll admit, it's a new concept to me, which you can read in the description above. It's a good story. I like the characters, the dialog moved along smoothly for the most part and as I said before, the premise is new to me. Malcolm, a teenager, is kind of irritating with some of the choices he makes and Milkwood has a few shining moments, but that's characters for you. I didn't find the dialog stilted or unrealistic and pretty much in keeping with what I know about the characters. I also like how Milkwood is frozen in his state forever, which kind of takes the piss out of the romanticism of being a supernatural being.
I didn't think the Big Bad was..well bad. I never quite got the feeling that he was as bad as the author wanted him to be. I just couldn't take him seriously. About mid way through the book the author starts to hint at the reveal, so if you're astute it's not a huge surprise. However, when the reveal is occurring, it's right in the middle of a tense scene, as I found myself reading faster trying to find out if the day would be saved or not.
Overall I'd say this was a good start to a supernatural buddy series. It would be interesting to see Malcolm develop alongside Milkwood and see where those experiences takes them. It's not overly gory nor particularly scary, but that may not have been the intention.
I didn't think the Big Bad was..well bad. I never quite got the feeling that he was as bad as the author wanted him to be. I just couldn't take him seriously. About mid way through the book the author starts to hint at the reveal, so if you're astute it's not a huge surprise. However, when the reveal is occurring, it's right in the middle of a tense scene, as I found myself reading faster trying to find out if the day would be saved or not.
Overall I'd say this was a good start to a supernatural buddy series. It would be interesting to see Malcolm develop alongside Milkwood and see where those experiences takes them. It's not overly gory nor particularly scary, but that may not have been the intention.
January 5, 2013
Blood and Sawdust is a pulp splatterfest about a fourteen year old kid, Malcolm, who begrudgingly befriends a fat, ugly, loser of a wrestler/prizefighter named Milkwood who just so happens to be, wait for it, a vampire. Milkwood's MO is to take beatings that would kill mortal men in the underground, criminally organized, freak show fight circuit that is called the Fringe. When Malcolm convinces Milkwood to win for a change, the two get in deep with local mobsters, a slutty vampire named Lash, and a whole assortment of freaks and weirdos.
Jason Ridler has created a full-throttle decent into an underground world that grabs you, chews, and spits you out. And it's a bloody fun ride. He infuses his writing and characters with the kind of harsh, pessimistic worldview that make me wonder whether Ridler spends his free time burning himself with lit cigarettes just so he can feel feelings. Also, he uses language that'd give a nun a myocardial infarction. This book is not for the faint of heart.
I, personally, am not the biggest fan of vampires but Ridler has something special with Milkwood. He's fat, ugly, and sort of an asshole. Becoming a vampire did not magically make him mysterious or smooth or handsome. He goes a long way to break out of the pretty, brave, sparkly vampire mold so overdone these days.
I'd recommended to anyone who wants a fun romp through the dirtier slums of underground MMA.
Jason Ridler has created a full-throttle decent into an underground world that grabs you, chews, and spits you out. And it's a bloody fun ride. He infuses his writing and characters with the kind of harsh, pessimistic worldview that make me wonder whether Ridler spends his free time burning himself with lit cigarettes just so he can feel feelings. Also, he uses language that'd give a nun a myocardial infarction. This book is not for the faint of heart.
I, personally, am not the biggest fan of vampires but Ridler has something special with Milkwood. He's fat, ugly, and sort of an asshole. Becoming a vampire did not magically make him mysterious or smooth or handsome. He goes a long way to break out of the pretty, brave, sparkly vampire mold so overdone these days.
I'd recommended to anyone who wants a fun romp through the dirtier slums of underground MMA.
January 11, 2013
I tend to shy away from vampire books. After becoming a mere cliche, the vampire mythos does nothing to excite me. Ridler reached out to me via this website and I hold great respect for that. So much respect that I decided to give his book a chance. I was pleasantly surprised with this book.
The story centers around Malcolm and Milkwood, two polar opposite characters who decide to rely on each other to win an underground fighting tournament. Milkwood is a vampire and can take a beating like none other. Malcolm just gets into all sorts of trouble and is getting his ass handed to him for the majority of the book. As if fighting for their very lives and freedom was not enough, Ridler throws in two curve balls to make their lives even more sucktacular.
The ending is action packed to the teeth. The twist isn't jaw dropping but it is nice and gives this universe some legs. This book could have used some editing. I'm usually pretty good with books that have a couple of them; but there were too many in this story that I felt a need to mention.
All in all, I feel satisfied with this book. The vampire isn't some pussy who woes about immortal life. And that's all I can really ask for in any vampire novel.
The story centers around Malcolm and Milkwood, two polar opposite characters who decide to rely on each other to win an underground fighting tournament. Milkwood is a vampire and can take a beating like none other. Malcolm just gets into all sorts of trouble and is getting his ass handed to him for the majority of the book. As if fighting for their very lives and freedom was not enough, Ridler throws in two curve balls to make their lives even more sucktacular.
The ending is action packed to the teeth. The twist isn't jaw dropping but it is nice and gives this universe some legs. This book could have used some editing. I'm usually pretty good with books that have a couple of them; but there were too many in this story that I felt a need to mention.
All in all, I feel satisfied with this book. The vampire isn't some pussy who woes about immortal life. And that's all I can really ask for in any vampire novel.
January 28, 2013
Now I don't normally read vampire books, to me they've become too domesticated in the past decade, to the point that I can't take them seriousness. This book however sounded more interesting and slightly different.
The book follows two very different people, Malcolm the streetwise kid who bets on the fringe fights for his abusive brother, and Milkwood the punch bag who loses every fight. The story then picks up the pace when Malcolm finds out Milkwoods vampiric secret and they plot together to win money to change both of their lives.
All of the characters in the book are colourful and very varied, not the usual stereotypes, and combined with a very fast paced story makes this quite a page turner. There is quite a bit of wrestling/fighting lingo used in the book, something I found helped give depth to the story although some could find this confusing if they are not used to the lingo.
Overall I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would, Milkwood is not your normal young, attractive (or sparkling) vampire which was refreshing and the story had plenty of twists. If your a fan of vampire stories which aren't aimed at youngster, or a fighting fan then you will find this well worth reading.
The novel was received in exchange for an honest review.
The book follows two very different people, Malcolm the streetwise kid who bets on the fringe fights for his abusive brother, and Milkwood the punch bag who loses every fight. The story then picks up the pace when Malcolm finds out Milkwoods vampiric secret and they plot together to win money to change both of their lives.
All of the characters in the book are colourful and very varied, not the usual stereotypes, and combined with a very fast paced story makes this quite a page turner. There is quite a bit of wrestling/fighting lingo used in the book, something I found helped give depth to the story although some could find this confusing if they are not used to the lingo.
Overall I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would, Milkwood is not your normal young, attractive (or sparkling) vampire which was refreshing and the story had plenty of twists. If your a fan of vampire stories which aren't aimed at youngster, or a fighting fan then you will find this well worth reading.
The novel was received in exchange for an honest review.
December 23, 2012
Blood and Sawdust
A story about a fourteen year old kid who deals with underground wrestling federations, and a wrestler/vampire named Milkwood.
This story starts out right from the gate and doesn't let up, so much so that the reader doesn't really know whats going on for most of the book. Malcolm (the main character with the mouth of a sailor... come to think of it, this whole book is practically obscenities)is looking for his mom or trying to save his mom? I'm not sure. There is not much structure to the writing style with Blood and Sawdust, if I had to compare it to anything I have read recently it would be Deadfall Hotel; don't get me started on that thing.
I was asked to read this, and I'm glad I did, it was a some what new genre for me; never read anything with wrestling involved and tossing other stereotypes in the mix never hurts too. More the merrier right?
I would read closely though, there are some spelling and grammatical mistakes, but hey, you can't blame a new(ish) writer for some hiccups.
One last thing, what in the world is a Shitheel? Is it a wrestling term or just misplaced creativity?
A story about a fourteen year old kid who deals with underground wrestling federations, and a wrestler/vampire named Milkwood.
This story starts out right from the gate and doesn't let up, so much so that the reader doesn't really know whats going on for most of the book. Malcolm (the main character with the mouth of a sailor... come to think of it, this whole book is practically obscenities)is looking for his mom or trying to save his mom? I'm not sure. There is not much structure to the writing style with Blood and Sawdust, if I had to compare it to anything I have read recently it would be Deadfall Hotel; don't get me started on that thing.
I was asked to read this, and I'm glad I did, it was a some what new genre for me; never read anything with wrestling involved and tossing other stereotypes in the mix never hurts too. More the merrier right?
I would read closely though, there are some spelling and grammatical mistakes, but hey, you can't blame a new(ish) writer for some hiccups.
One last thing, what in the world is a Shitheel? Is it a wrestling term or just misplaced creativity?
March 19, 2013
"Blood & Sawdust" is a quick read. It is a kind of hybrid cross between Fight Club and less worshipful vampire fiction. It is a book set in the "fringe" about people living on the fringe. The characters are well-developed, flawed and realistic, and their actions are believable. There was just enough depth of backstory to provide motivation without bogging the reader down in completely separate stories, no everlasting flashbacks.
The ebook could use some editing, but it is not distracting, small, intermittent mistakes in grammar or spelling. Nothing to get too upset about.
I really enjoyed the book. It is a new take on the paranormal, how a character might navigate being a vampire in the modern world and an interesting explanation as to why there just don't seem to be very many supernatural beings out there. Additionally, if you are tired of reading about perfected supes who become gorgeous, the best possible version of a human body after turning, you may enjoy Ridler's take on paranormal beings. I always like a new take on something that seems to be ubiquitous and this book has that to offer.
The ebook could use some editing, but it is not distracting, small, intermittent mistakes in grammar or spelling. Nothing to get too upset about.
I really enjoyed the book. It is a new take on the paranormal, how a character might navigate being a vampire in the modern world and an interesting explanation as to why there just don't seem to be very many supernatural beings out there. Additionally, if you are tired of reading about perfected supes who become gorgeous, the best possible version of a human body after turning, you may enjoy Ridler's take on paranormal beings. I always like a new take on something that seems to be ubiquitous and this book has that to offer.
December 24, 2012
By the cover alone for this book, I probably would not have picked it up to read. But as I continued to read I really found out that I REALLY liked this book, cant help but remember what the school librarians used to tell us " Never judge a book by its cover"
The story line for this book is your basic " Laws of the Jungle" only the strongest survive, both mentally and physically both of them working together cause you can be physically fit but if you screw up mentally you can be deader than a door nail in a snap.
All the characters in the book were really very well written, each one of them given their own wow factor. LOL.. well except for Rob he's a jerk.
The "only" thing I did NOT like in this story ( which is why I gave it 4 stars) was that Malcolm towards the end of the book... found out from one of the major bad guys that he was not a human but a wolf pup or a Vilkacis.
For me that was really disappointing. Why couldnt Malcolm remain just a regular human being ?
Had Malcolm remained human, I probably would have given this book 5 stars.
The story line for this book is your basic " Laws of the Jungle" only the strongest survive, both mentally and physically both of them working together cause you can be physically fit but if you screw up mentally you can be deader than a door nail in a snap.
All the characters in the book were really very well written, each one of them given their own wow factor. LOL.. well except for Rob he's a jerk.
The "only" thing I did NOT like in this story ( which is why I gave it 4 stars) was that Malcolm towards the end of the book... found out from one of the major bad guys that he was not a human but a wolf pup or a Vilkacis.
For me that was really disappointing. Why couldnt Malcolm remain just a regular human being ?
Had Malcolm remained human, I probably would have given this book 5 stars.
January 12, 2013
From the very first pages of Blood & Sawdust, it's clear that 14-year old Malcolm is in over his head. He's among the crowds at an illegal, underground no-rules MMA fight, desperately trying to win enough money to appease his junky brother and also hire a PI to track down his mother's murderer. With the introduction of an indestructible vampire, things only get worse for Malcolm.
The characters in Blood & Sawdust help the book rise above simply being a gorefest (which it is) or standard urban supernatural fare (which it is). Both Malcolm and Milkwood-the-vamipire are broken, abused creatures. Milkwood faced a lifetime of bullying that even the acquisition of vampiric powers can't erase and Malcolm faced years of fear and daily beatings at the hands of his brother. Both characters are raw, feral and suspicious. They aren't good people, because their situations haven't allowed them to be. The best part of this book is reading about these two coming to trust each other a little bit and trust in themselves a lot.
The characters in Blood & Sawdust help the book rise above simply being a gorefest (which it is) or standard urban supernatural fare (which it is). Both Malcolm and Milkwood-the-vamipire are broken, abused creatures. Milkwood faced a lifetime of bullying that even the acquisition of vampiric powers can't erase and Malcolm faced years of fear and daily beatings at the hands of his brother. Both characters are raw, feral and suspicious. They aren't good people, because their situations haven't allowed them to be. The best part of this book is reading about these two coming to trust each other a little bit and trust in themselves a lot.
December 28, 2012
This was a pretty decent read. From the description, I had mixed feelings starting it, and for the first chapter or two, I still couldn't decide if it was going to be good, or obnoxious. It certainly fell out towards the good side. The settings and characters are interesting, and feel like they could be real people. The story is interesting, if not super original, although it had some intriguing points. I'd really like to read a novel set way back in the world's history . That certainly has potential.
Towards the end, it felt like the pacing slowed way down. The first half was more frantic, and you had the impression that things were going to *move*. The second half couldn't keep up with the pace, but it wasn't a huge disappointment.
Overall I enjoyed it, and would read more in this universe.
Oh, I was also sent a "review" copy of the ebook, so, full disclaimer and all.
Towards the end, it felt like the pacing slowed way down. The first half was more frantic, and you had the impression that things were going to *move*. The second half couldn't keep up with the pace, but it wasn't a huge disappointment.
Overall I enjoyed it, and would read more in this universe.
Oh, I was also sent a "review" copy of the ebook, so, full disclaimer and all.
December 14, 2012
Blood and Sawdust is a fast paced, action packed pulp/noir read that grabs your attention immediately. The story begins with Malcolm working the underground fighting circuit to support his older brother’s drug habit. He discovers Milkwood, a “jobber” – a fighter who throws the fights for good money.
The world created by Jason Ridler is vivid in its detail and imagery and utterly believable. It’s not a pretty world. It’s dark and dirty and bloody. The fight scenes are so brutal and descriptive; you can almost feel the punches. Malcolm and Milkwood make an unlikely team who are up against even bigger odds than the fights themselves. Both are incredibly flawed characters that you can’t help but root for.
This is a completely original take on vampires – nothing sparkly or shiny here. Fantastic dialog and great characters make this a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend.
The world created by Jason Ridler is vivid in its detail and imagery and utterly believable. It’s not a pretty world. It’s dark and dirty and bloody. The fight scenes are so brutal and descriptive; you can almost feel the punches. Malcolm and Milkwood make an unlikely team who are up against even bigger odds than the fights themselves. Both are incredibly flawed characters that you can’t help but root for.
This is a completely original take on vampires – nothing sparkly or shiny here. Fantastic dialog and great characters make this a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend.
January 7, 2013
I finished this book a few days ago and decided to let it absorb before reviewing it. Now, a few days later, I think that it grew on me. It's a story told alternately from two different perspectives, and I like that. You get a sense of what each character is thinking. The vampire in this isn't a Twilight vampire, all sparkly and hunky, he's overweight and makes bad decisions. The "bad guys" are truly unlikeable. The wolf aspect of the story bugged me while reading it, to be honest. I was thinking, one supernatural aspect per book! But that's actually the part of the story that I found myself thinking about after I finished reading it. I want to know more about it. It seemed to me that the ending could be the set up for a series of books if the author wanted--I have no idea if it's part of one. I would read the sequel to this. Full disclosure, I was sent this book free of charge for review.
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