Blood and Bullets

Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty-Hunter #1

by James R. Tuck

He lives to kill monsters. He keeps his city safe. And his silver hollow-points and back-from-the-dead abilities help him take out any kind of supernatural threat. But now an immortal evil has this bad-ass bounty hunter dead in its sights. . .

Ever since a monster murdered his family, Deacon Chalk hunts any creature that preys on the innocent. So when a pretty vampire girl "hires" him to eliminate a fellow slayer, Deacon goes to warn him--and barely escapes a vampire ambush. Now he's got a way-inexperienced newbie hunter to protect and everything from bloodsuckers to cursed immortals on his trail. There's also a malevolent force controlling the living and the undead, hellbent on turning Deacon's greatest loss into the one weapon that could destroy him...

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Vampires, Horror, Fiction, Thriller

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

I am the author of the Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty Hunter series. Book one, BLOOD AND BULLETS, will be out from Kensington Publishing February 7, 2012.

I write DARK URBAN FANTASY. It is gritty, it is violent, it is bloody, it is DARK. The monsters are monstrous and they do Very Bad Things. The good guys are Big Damn Heroes.
I write the ultimate thrill ride in the form of a book, just for you. I want you turning those pages as fast as you can while precariously balanced on the edge of your seat.

Reviews

[Jeffrey N. Baker · Rating 1 out of 5]

James R. Tuck is a local author here in GA. I had picked up his book to support him after having had an email exchange with him. He's a very nice guy and was very open about his experiences getting published.

I really wanted to enjoy his book. But sadly I can't say that I did. The main character, Deacon Chalk, is a Marry Sue for James. He is so idealized that I was constantly taken out of the story. It came to the point that I could predict how situations would play out.

For instance, Deacon went to his favorite sushi joint. He knew the proprietors by name. And with that, I knew he wouldn't pay for his meal. Because everyone he comes in contact with (assuming they aren't a bad guy) is instantly in love with him.

And anything that would be considered a flaw was superficial.

James had a chance for an engaging story through a secondary character named Larson. A kid who was way in over his head and dealing with stuff he wasn't ready for. I had wished James opted to tell the story through that characters eyes. That would have been a much more interesting read for me.

But, I guess I am not the target audience. This book reads like a Van Damme movie. Lots of ass-kicking, with little thought on story.

[Fangs for the Fantasy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Deacon Frost lost his family to the monsters, something he lives with every day. No longer have a reason or desire to live, he goes out and hunts them, without regard for his own safety backed up by victims and survivors

But now he is the target – an elaborate trap has been set up to catch him and another would be hunter is being used as the bait. The problem is he doesn’t know who is targetting him or why – but if he can’t find out why he is the one being targeted – or even if he is the target – he and everyone around him is at risk

This is a power fantasy, a pure male power fantasy and an action film. Deacon Chalk (yeah, his name as well) fights like a demon – or an angel rather since he has the super special angelic blood, with a whole host of shiny guns, drives a super fast shiny car, is harder than nails, kicks more arse than an entire military unit and looks awesome doing so with his huge muscles, leather and bad boy sexy tattoos. All the women around him are gorgeous and love him. He’s kind and heroic to the downtrodden while always gruff and tough, of course. And he has deeply tragic past and cries manly tears while beautiful women sooth him – but it drives forward even more ruthless because he no longer cares if he lives or dies.

It’s no good, this needs a super action movie voice over.

In a world of vampires, demons and monsters, one man stands between all that is good and the darkness. Marred by tragedy he will give anything, fight anything, sacrifice everything in an epic battle for the fate of humanity! Women want him, men want to be him and evil runs in fear from him. He is Deacon Chalk!

This is this book. It’s corny, it’s cheesy, the main character is ridiculously, perfectly awesome who is regarded with universal awe and reverence. He cannot buy take away food without being hailed as a saviour. He’s enlightened, tough, he has literal ANGEL BLOOD, an awesome fighter with the coolest toys. He could have a thousand women (all beautiful and all want him) but he is still so tragically hurting so they just admire him from afar and kiss his cheek (seriously, 99% of women in this book kiss his cheek, it’s like a compulsion) he runs his own strip club manned (well, womaned) but ladies he’s saved who all adore him, he has his own priest as back up (a priest who was a former sniper so kicks some arse, but he is not Deacon Chalk, of course). He wades in among literal hordes of vampires slaying them in their dozens – lesser hunters may kill a vampire, but not Deacon Chalk, he kills 50 vampires, 100, he kills them with a small knife and his hands tied behind his back and likely makes them flee with his terrible manly glare (we need a chorus insert here of breathy awestruck women gasping “Deacon Chalk”).

Ok, a nice power fantasy action movie style book isn’t entirely a bad thing. Sometimes some fluff and blowing up the big bad monsters with a protagonist who just shits awesome can be a fun, fluffy, mind deadening read. It can, I admit it, I even like a good action novel with nothing but cheesy over the top fights and god-like heroes who are ridiculously, gloriously perfect. It’s a guilty pleasure and I shamefully admit it.

Buuut… even action fluff books dripping testosterone and stinking of cordite need to be well written.

read more

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review 

This was an action packed read. A nice change is the paranormal genera. Deacon Chase's family was killed by vampires and now his only goal is to kill monsters until one takes him out so that he may join his family. Deacon is not your typical hero, he is a 6'4  320 pound bad boy with a bad attitude... and a good Catholic. He owns a strip club that helps fund his fight and has taken in anyone who has  had a run-in with the monsters. Shaved head, goatee, and covered in tattoos her appearance just screams trouble.  He has no interest in women and just lives for vengeance. Maybe that might change in later books and as a lover of paranormal romance I really think I can love this series regardless if we cross that bridge. I am looking forward this series and you have a new fan Mr. Tuck!

Recommended for Adults




Found a couple of pics that could pass for Deacon...







XOXOX

[Katherine McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts
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My inner goddess now calls out for Deacon Chalk! This fearless and brave Bad Boy Hero that protects humanity is now one of my favorites. Confidence and power radiates from his very essence. He’s scary and intimidating with his goatee and tattoos. The kind of man who will make you want to run and hide at first; but if you look a little closer, he’ll stir something deep inside that will no longer let you look away. He’s a strong, hot, alpha male with a huge heart and not afraid to show it.

So, *shaking head to get back on track*, this story is action-packed and has a powerful theme of good vs. evil. Early in the novel, we have to give Deacon a chance to talk about his passion for guns so it starts off a little slow. But when he’s done, the story comes at you like a bullet. Pun intended.

This novel is a little on the darker side of Urban Fantasy with only a smidgen of romance so it may not be for everyone. However, I loved it. To deviate from the customary romance novels on Valentine’s Day, I bought it as a gift to myself. Not one regret.

It’s told in 1st person so we only hear the events from Deacon’s point of view. I only mention this because some people aren’t that keen on stories told in first person. However, I think the author’s choice to go this route is perfect for the story and he does a great job of it. We still get a sense of what the other characters are feeling by their actions and obvious loyalty and respect towards Deacon. It takes skill to convey the thoughts and feelings of other characters using first person POV and this author does so brilliantly.

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The Story
Just to add to the Author Summary above…
Deacon is one of the top occult bounty hunters in the country. His skill is impressive and has drawn the attention of powerful enemies. Slayers and executioners are rare and things would be much easier for the bad guys if Deacon weren’t in the picture.

Someone is out to kill him and they know enough about him to know his weaknesses. They send in a young vampire girl knowing he will hesitate to slay her despite her being what she is. She leaves a note that will lure him into what he knows is a trap. Not one to shy away from a fight, he runs in with guns ablazin’. And so starts his mission to unravel the conspiracy and find out who’s trying to kill him while protecting the innocents around him.
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The Main Characters…

Deacon
When Deacon sought revenge against the Nephilim (offspring of humans and Angels) who killed his wife and child, he also saved an Angel who was being held captive. Actually he was killed saving her and she brought him back to life with her blood. By doing so, she made him faster and stronger and gave him the ability to sense magic and resist supernatural powers. Basically the abilities he would need to continue fighting evil.

Deacon is motivated by vengeance and really doesn’t care if he lives or dies. He kills with the conviction that monsters are evil and a man with nothing left to lose is a very dangerous man indeed. However, he’s not so hell bent on his revenge that he’s lost his humanity so he does spare those supernaturals that aren’t evil.

Actually, he’s not all badass. He has a huge heart that he’s not afraid to show. He cries when reminded of his loss and man enough to be ok with that. He takes care of those he considers friends and has the undying loyalty of those he knows.

He’s also quite conceited which I found rather funny. He thinks he’s all that and a bag of chips, and we know that he thinks that because he likes to tell us. Often. His ego should have put me off, but actually it didn’t. It was just enough to make me want to know more about him. Maybe it’s my fondness for bad boys. I really can’t explain.

I’m not sure if it was the author’s intention, but I found it kinda funny when Deacon yelled and screamed his head off and tried to intimidate when he didn’t get his own way. He was like a 2-year old throwing a tantrum. I probably wouldn’t think that if I had this character in front of me in real life, but behind the safety of my Kindle, I giggled.

Five paragraphs about Deacon…I think I’m smitten!

Deacon’s Team
So moving on…there are some excellent characters backing Deacon up in his pursuits.

Larson came into the story as a wannabe monster slayer. After researching what he could, he felt he was ready to take them on. However, he had no experience. Deacon figured he wouldn’t last 10 seconds against a vampire. But Larson turned out to be a surprise. Despite his lack of experience, he was smart and brave and turned out to be an asset to the team.

His regular team includes an extremely loyal circle of friends - Father Mulcahy is very dedicated to the cause. Excessive coffee-drinker and chain smoker, he provided some comic relief. Kat is the computer genius in his circle that provides all the intel he needs to do his job. Deacon saved her from a very bad situation when vampires kidnapped her a long time ago. Tiff is a girl he just met that showed him a gentle compassion for his loss thus creating an instant bond of friendship and possible love interest when the time is right.

Antagonist
We didn’t get too much detail about what motivated the immortal evil trying to kill him other than they’re evil and considered Deacon a major threat.
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There are only a couple of things I found slightly off-putting about this novel. I found that there was a little too much detail about the guns and bullets. However, given the title and the fact that Deacon is a slayer, I expected as much. The other thing is that I wish Deacon had shown a little more emotion at the ending since he was not afraid to be open about his feelings other times in the novel.
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A Few Favorite Quotes
On Deacon…
“I smiled and tried to make it friendly. Really I did. I can’t help it that on me a smile usually looks like the grin of a pit bull.”

Loyalty…
“If Larson has been “bad” company, then when we pulled around to the drive-through, Katsumi would have been holding an Uzi out the drive-up window to distract him (Larson) while one of the ninja sushi chefs came around to slit his throat. The Takakage family takes my safety seriously.”

The Look…
“My hand came up to pause Larson. “Wait, where did you read the Morbius Manifesto?” Larson got that look that scholars get when dealing with the uneducated. You know that look, like the answer is so obvious they cannot even believe they are having a conversation with you. It’s the same look teenagers perfect when dealing with anyone over twenty-two. “Online.” The unspoken “duh” hung in the air. See what I mean?”

Coffee & Smokes…
“Father Mulcahy leaned on the doorway and drank coffee. I knew for a fact it was not his first cup; hell I was pretty sure it was not his first pot. Father Mulcahy does coffee really well, which is a good thing, because he drinks it all day long. He was holding a saucer that held his coffee cup when he wasn’t drinking and also served as an ashtray for his ever-present menthol cigarette. He is the only man I have ever seen who could take a sip of coffee with a cigarette in his mouth.”
 
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Bottom Line
In my opinion, the author has delivered a spectacular first novel in the Deacon Chalk series. If you like bad boy heroes that are rough around the edges while at the same time, big teddy bears, I highly recommend reading this one! The next in the series – Blood and Silver – is coming out in August this year and I’ve already added it to my anxiously waiting list.

Happy Reading!
4 Bad Boys – Really Enjoyed It!!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review also posted on The Cubicle Escapee


I knew within 3 pages I was going to freaking love this book, and love this book I did. Deacon is like Buffy but way more badass... Don't get my wrong I am a Buffy fangirl but I would not want to come face to face with Deacon.

Actually if I was going to sum this book up I would say it is like Buffy but for adults. This book was dark, gritty and very intense.

I liked Deacon I found him very likable and developed well, I will be curious to see how he is developed throughout the series, because I will continue to read this series, I placed the next book on my 2016 list. I am currently in the process of trying to read a book set in every state or I would jump right into the next book.

I will also say I am really digging a male lead in an urban fantasy, something that is typically always female. This was refreshing and a reason why I will read the next book.

This book is fast paced and a great urban fantasy. It is gritty and dirty and well I just love it!

[All Things Urban Fantasy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

Talk about a book that delivers on its cover! BLOOD AND BULLETS kicks off a brand new urban fantasy series featuring a wicked cool protagonist who’s a cross between Batman and Snake from Escape From New York. Deacon Chalk, monster bounty-hunter, packs every type of heat known to man (and some that aren’t). His arsenal is seriously impressive but no more so that Deacon himself. After name dropping a few uber famous UF characters like Anita, Cat and Bones, and Sam and Dean, Deacon’s debut proves he’s more that capable of hanging with the big boys.

I did have a few grumbles with Deacon. He’s a little too perfect, almost like a Saint. He owns a strip club full of girls he has rescued from one heinous situation or another and every last one of them adores him to a degree that borders on worship. They prance around him in g-strings, but he’s oblivious to them sexually. No straying eyes, no wandering thoughts that he has to battle. He treats them like an indulgent grandfather, bending down for kisses on the cheek and dispensing proud smiles. And that’s pretty much the way he is with every other non evil character in the book. He’s rescued them in the past and now they revere him like a savior. Yes, he was still in mourning over the murder of his wife and kids, but apart from one very random and uncomfortable breakdown in a club, it didn’t seem to have damaged him a whole lot. I wanted one flaw, one vice, one thing that he battled with and, at least occasionally, succumbed to.

Another thing that grew a bit tedious was the number of little lectures from Deacon. They started out very cool, almost like little side notes explaining various mythologies or Deacon’s well honed methods for killing, but they started happening too frequently and for everything. There was a whole page describing the take out he got from a Sushi restaurant, the merits of one song on the radio over another, or he' started repeating things he’d already told us like how fire could kill most supernatural creatures, except for Demons. These weren’t huge problems, but I did notice them and they did slow down the story for me.

Those complaints aside, I really liked BLOOD AND BULLETS. Deacon brings a heavy dose of testosterone that the female dominated urban fantasy genre has been waiting for. He carries a big gun, drives a beast of a car, and blows a fist sized hole into anything that gets in his way. The action scenes are plentiful and adrenalin fueled, and we get lines like, “…vampires never sparkle unless they just ate a stripper.” That’s reason enough to earn the next Deacon Chalk book, titled BLOOD AND SILVER and scheduled for publication on August 1, 2012, a spot on my To Be Read list.

Sexual Content:
References to rape. A scene of sensuality

[Mihir · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic

Overall Rating = 2 & 1/2 stars

ANALYSIS: James R. Tuck’s debut promised a lot of blood, mayhem and particularly dark corners in the urban fantasy world. I am usually a sucker for urban fantasy stories and if they are of the darker kind, then it just becomes that much easier for me to pick up those books. So it's with a similar kind of anticipation that I went into the first Deacon Chalk book.

The story is a very traditional urban fantasy with Deacon Chalk narrating the story, the opening chapter brings Deacon face to face with a child vampire and one who shares a bare resemblance to his lost daughter. Things aren't looking good for him but the vampire surprises him by asking for his protection. She is being hunted by a being called Nyteblade and seeks protection from the threat. This puts the vampire hunter into a quandary as his usual role does not have him turning protector for the very things he has sworn to hunt. Things however don’t end to the vampire’s benefit and Deacon is on his way to check up on Nyteblade. This is where’s the story actually picks up and the actual plot kicks in.

The book with its dark, haunted protagonist, grim settings and fast paced plotline seemed to be everything which qualifies as fun reads for me, but somehow this book didn't do nearly enough. I shall present both reasons as to why I both liked and disliked certain aspects in this book and then maybe I shall be able to decide where I stand in the overall conclusion to the book. The positive points to the book are its quick pace, excellent action packed sequences and plot compactness. Firstly the best thing about this book is its pace, beginning from the first chapter all the way to its explosive climax. The book never lets us down in this aspect and the reader will not feel bored as things are constantly happening on the page. The author’s flair for action sequences is certainly visible as Deacon Chalk is constantly going into or getting out of fights with vampires, their underlings and others sorts of things which tend to cross his path. Lastly the story is a compact one with a proper beginning and end as the author has very conveniently structured the plot so as to get the reader hooked for the sequel. Another cool feature which I read were some careful nods inserted to the creations of Laurell K. Hamilton, Jeaniene Frost, Supernatural TV series and a few others. This was just funny and a bit quirky to read about.

Now onto the parts that dragged the book down were its predictability, the main character’s multifaceted persona and two dimensional character cast. The biggest letdown for me was the character’s multifaceted persona, normally this would have been something to be counted as a positive however in this case the author has tried to make Deacon Chalk a man of many talents/sides. This perhaps worked against the book as the character does or says things which contradicts his own observations from earlier in the book. One example of such behavior is that the character constantly proclaims that he’s not looking for company to replace his dead wife but then alternately talks about the specific type of perfume he utilizes and how his appearance attracts the ladies. Another point was that this hunter is supposed to be a person whose sole obsession in life is to hunt down supernatural killers but alternatively he has time to note what presume and specific type of clothes he wears that accentuate his looks. The aforementioned reasons along with a couple other occurrences didn't gel with what the character kept on proclaiming. Usually I don’t get bothered by such trivial things however in this case I felt that the author was trying to paint Deacon as more than a man and this attempt translated into giving him more than one persona that ruined the read for me as the main character’s chatter made him seem more like a loudmouth than the real deal.

I will admit that this was purely my observational bias and maybe most readers will not be bothered by it however it stood in the way of me enjoying the book. The second downward point is that the plot’s nature is predictable not overtly but for regular readers of the urban fantasy genre, it won’t be hard to decipher where the overall plot might be heading. Thirdly the character cast which is introduced in this book seem very interesting however don’t get much time on screen to make their presence felt. They remain two dimensional sidekicks and this again detracted a bit from the overall read. I would like to think that since it’s the author’s debut that some of these points can be overlooked and perhaps in the future books the author might be able to fine tune the character so as to not seem overbearing. I look forward to those future endeavors because of the novella which I also read at the same time and which helped redeem the author’s cause.

CONCLUSION: Blood and Bullets is a quintessential urban fantasy book which promises to deliver like any Michael Bay film for readers who are looking for those sort of thrills. It however doesn't distinguish itself from the crowd and this is perhaps its greatest fallacy. It remains to be seen where this series heads in the future but for now Blood and Bullets wasn't a debut which particularly delivered on its blurb promises.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of dark, male-oriented Urban Fantasy
Trigger Warnings: mass slaughter, torture

My Thoughts: I was very amused by the way Tuck references several other well-known urban fantasy series when discussing other monster hunters. It's a sort of meta-fiction with fiction.

This is very fast-paced and dark, with lots of slaughter and blood and shooting. The editing could have been better—for instance Appollonia's eyes change from honey yellow to pale blue back to amber within just a few pages—but generally speaking the action is too fast to really stop and pay very close attention to those sorts of things. I was a bit flabbergasted to see the claim that Highway 75 was up to sixteen lanes each way; I've been on Hwy 75 and while it might be a total of sixteen lanes where it intersects with I-85, including the offramps, I'm fairly sure it isn't sixteen lanes each way.

I was a little freaked out by the idea of a brown recluse werespider, although my husband insists it would be impossible for a spider to be that large and still be able to move. I pointed out that this is a magickal spider, but he was still unimpressed. He's really no fun.

Anyway, overall I liked it. It could have been a bit cleaner, and it had more than one use of the dreaded “stand to his feet” redundancies, but overall it kept moving and was entertaining, and that's what a person reads Urban Fantasy for, after all. If you like fast-paced, darker urban fantasy that is male-oriented, then you really can't go wrong with Deacon Chalk.

Series Information: Blood and Bullets is Book 1in the Deacon Chalk series
Book .5: That Thing at the Zoo, review linked here where formatting allowed.
Book 1.5: Spider's Lullaby
Book 2: Blood and Silver
Book 2.5: Circus of Blood
Book 3: Blood and Magick

Disclosure: I bought this book for myself. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: He lives to kill monsters. He keeps his city safe. And his silver hollow-points and back-from-the-dead abilities help him take out any kind of supernatural threat. But now an immortal evil has this bad-ass bounty hunter dead in its sights. . . 

Ever since a monster murdered his family, Deacon Chalk hunts any creature that preys on the innocent. So when a pretty vampire girl "hires" him to eliminate a fellow slayer, Deacon goes to warn him—and barely escapes a vampire ambush. Now he's got a way-inexperienced newbie hunter to protect and everything from bloodsuckers to cursed immortals on his trail. There's also a malevolent force controlling the living and the undead, hellbent on turning Deacon's greatest loss into the one weapon that could destroy him. . .

[Stephine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deacon Chalk lost his family five years ago to the things that go bump in the night. Ever since he lost them he has hunted those things down, and been involved with the seedy underworld of the paranormal. Vampires, using a want-to-be-hunter named Larson, set a trap for Deacon. He manages to make it out of the trap, and goes on a quest to see who wants him dead.

This book delivers exactly what the title says. It is a pulp urban fantasy, that’s hero reminds me of almost any buff, bald action hero. This is a fact that Deacon himself seems to know. Most all of the women in the story, including the antagonist find him attractive, and he even includes why. He is clearly a badass, but goes too far out of his way to explain the reasons why. Arrogance Deacon has in spades, and there were plenty of parts in the novel I hoped it might get him into trouble. The big arrogant brut does have his soft spot, his dead family which trips him up, and makes him much more likeable as the story goes on.

The colorful cast of characters behind our hero is where it is at. This is a novel with a ton of magical critters, Vampires, Were-things, angels and even fairies are mentioned. Vampires in this book are evil, no exceptions, and the story even explains how vampires came into the world. They are not the sexy things in our romance novels, but sadistically evil. Deacon is helped fight the forces of evil with a priest, hunter-want-to-be, his sexy female assistant, a really awesome were-spider, and a character straight out of the bible. The side characters are well detailed, some more than others. I was mildly surprised by how much they let Deacon push them around.

The setting is not richly detailed. It is set mainly in Atlanta, but that seemed like a distant fact to the objects, like Deacon’s car. The settings are told well during a fight scene. It is generous with the buckets of blood, and good fighting, but that is where the settings goodness stops. There is grit, but it is in the fights, and felt lost any other time.

The book covers maybe four days in total, and the plot is very cut and dry. A big evil comes to take out Deacon, and he saves the day. There is a very thin romantic plot that seems like it might blossom into something more as the series goes on. I really enjoyed the mix of myth and storytelling that made up the back story of how certain things came to be.

I have said it before but this is an urban fantasy pulp novel to the fullest. Our hero is the classic ‘shoot’em first’ kind of guy. The problem is that there is not a lot to make it stand out of the crowd, other than the fact that the lead is not a detective or P.I. That doesn’t change the fact that the basic story has been seen before. The book has two things I enjoy, urban fantasy and grit, but it lacks in depth and detail.
- Beth (Guest Reviewer)

[Mandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deacon Chalk is on a mission. Five years ago his wife and kids were brutally murdered by vampires. He has spent every day since, hunting those monsters, not caring if he gets taken out in the process. His proper title is an occult bounty hunter, and he also owns Polecats, a strip club.

One night, a child that reminds him very much of the daughter he lost comes to him. Except, this child is a vampire. Hesitant though to outright kill her, she starts to ask for his help to take down a mysterious “agent of destruction”, until she attacks. After the attack, he finds a folder with information about this mysterious being and heads to the location to see what is happening. But it ends up being a set-up. Barely making it out alive, he runs back to Polecats to meet with his few close friends to make a plan. And along the way he picks up a mortal wanna-be vampire slayer who gets in on the action as well.

Blood and Bullets is the debut urban fantasy book for James R. Tuck. Told in the point of view of Deacon, this is pretty much a middle of the road book for me. I like Deacon, although I couldn’t decide if he wanted to be truly bad ass as he proclaims in the book, or if he is more of a softer, gentle giant. He does take care of business when needed, but there are also a lot of threats, and I wanted to see him lash out some more. I also wish he had a little more sense of humor or sarcastic wit to entertain throughout the book.

Before the story starts, we learn that at one point while Deacon is out doing his thing, he rescues an angel that is in trouble. As a reward, this angel transfuses her version of blood into him. This now makes it so Deacon is faster, stronger, and immune to vampire powers. I wonder why more people are not demanding that they also have these powers? I believe the general population is not aware of supernatural creatures, but the way the world is described there are a ton. Shifters, vampires, angels, trolls etc. I wish we would have had a clearer understanding as to how everyone stays hidden.

When Deacon meets Larson in the alley when he is being set up, he soon realizes Larson is just a mortal who was there to slay some vampires. But with his family murdered, I would assume Deacon would have some trust issues when it comes to strangers, and he seems to allow Larson in his life quite easily. He picks up a few other “strays” along the way that again I had to ask, why?

As I said, this book is just okay for me. It doesn’t really stand out, but at the same time it is an easy read. I kept waiting to get sucked into the book but that never happened. Maybe with book two.

Rating: C

[Maghon Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank, as always, R2R and the author for giving me a copy to read for a review :)

First I would like to say that if you like a great fantasy ride filled with action and fun weapons, this one is for you! Also, I have a thing for writing in the guys perspective. I love a strong female heroine but it's a rare treat when you hear from a dude :) now, on to the review...

I liked this book, alot. First, you have a guy, who's big, bad, scary, kills things, but still has a conscience! Ohhh and he's got tattoos, lots of 'em!! That's hot! He is a bounty hunter to kill the things that go bump in the night, and he's good at what he does. And he's not a man-whore hahaha sorry, I should bleep that out :) his main hunt this time are vampires. And he has some awesome HUMAN backup :) I like this too. I also like that there are some non-human characters that are good at heart and he chooses to leave them be.

The writing is done in a way that you can picture every shot, kick, punch, scream, smell. It flows very well, and it's like an action movie, you are excited and feel the tension. And I love the supporting characters that were created, they have as much of my heart as the main character does. And the bad guy(s), well you'll understand when you read :)

The main character, Deacon, is strong both physically and mentally, but has his soft spots and I love this. He's willing to sacrifice his life to save others, and he is very adamant about that. He's also sometimes the typical man with protecting women, but he's cool about it :)

I have only one negative thing, and it's not really negative, but sometimes it was a little long winded. I understand that some things need describing and if there isn't enough then it leaves the reader confused or lost or empty. However, it was just in a few cases and by the middle I was way too invested to care, and most of the details were already described. This did not have a negative effect on me wanting to continue reading.

Overall, this is a really good book, especially if you are like me, with favoring fantasy, on the darker side, without much romantic activity :) its gets 4 PAWS from me :)

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about your protagonist with a Death Wish! One Deacon Chalk, monster-tracker, bounty-hunter of evil, paid to kill monsters, but consciously and unconsciously on hold, waiting for the one monster that he can’t stop-whichever monster will finally kill him, so that at last he can be reunited with the family he lost suddenly and violently only five years ago: wife, daughter, son. Chalk is himself dead-and-returned, killed by Nephilim while rescuing an abducted Angel, then healed and resurrected by that same angel.

Deacon may now get his wish sooner than he expects; an anorexic-appearing young vampire girl, resembling his lost daughter, tries to hire him to take out a vampire-hunted named Nyteblade. Then the aforesaid Nyteblade attempts to stake Deacon, and before they can get that misunderstanding ironed out, the two hunters are attacked by upwards of fifty vampires acting like zombies.

“Blood and Bullets” is a gritty, down-to-earth, violent, realistic story, one that makes it easy to imagine a world where the Supernatural really does exist-and dangerously so. Deacon Chalk does first-person narrative, a man who explains as he goes, and delineates the various Supernatural species on a continuum of good and evil, or somewhere in between. Vampires, he adjuges are all evil, and all vampires are evil. No doubt about it. This is a fast-paced and exciting novel. I would not recommend it for YA-age readers, because of the violence and certain other references, but for adult readers fascinated with Urban Fantasy, “Blood and Bullets” has it going on.

[Dolorianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just getting started: I'm still at the beginning, but I love the story's writing style, flow, and action. I love the classic tradition of vampires being the bad guys. I like the main character's sense of humor and cynical outlook.

***EDITED TO ADD - I love that Deacon just gave us a run down of other monster hunters that exist in his world .... Anita from the Anita Blake series by Laurell K Hamilton, Cat and Bones from the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost, Sonja Blue from the Sonja Blue series by Nancy A Collins, Angel and Buffy, Blade from the Marvel Universe, and Sam and Dean from Supernatural.

Finished: It was fabulous. The main character is hard enough that he isn't going to get too sentimental in the middle of a vampire pit, but soft enough to try saving any victims caught in the middle. I can rave about the non-stop action/adventure parts, but what really made this book for me was some of the really cool twists and how Deacon ended up collecting newbies every where he went. The twists took lore and legend from several places and came up with some really unique stuff. And the newbies didn't always seem like a good fit in the beginning, but turned out to be just who Deacon's crew needed.

In this story, vampires are the bad guys .... which brings a certain expectation of the tone of the story. It works. Though squeamish readers have plenty of warning if they want to skim certain parts.

[Courtney · Rating 1 out of 5]

I... I tried. I made it about maaaybe two chapters in before I decided it was written entirely too much like a truly terrible fan fiction. Terribly written.

Seriously, the main character regurgitates his unbelievable back story in two pages. All of it. At once. No professional level writer does that and expects to be taken seriously. And certainly not with a back story that's quite so ... involved as that one was. It probably should have been book one all by itself, not this crap.

Also, as soon as the main character started doing shout-outs to Supernatural, Buffy, and Anita Blake (as if they all existed simultaneously as real people in the book), I deleted the book off my nook. I get it; they're all supernatural hunters and they're awesome. But the creatures in each of their worlds all operate under entirely different rules. Buffy vampires are definitely not Anita Blake vampires and shape-shifters in Anita Blake's series act nothing like shape-shifters in Supernatural. It's nice the author is a fan, but seriously? Create your own shit, yo!

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood and Bullets was a great urban fantasy novel. I got very emotionally involved in it. Deacon's dark sarcastic humor had me cracking up laughing quite a bit. Beacon was a strong male character. He went through a lot that would make most people curl into a ball and give up on life. However, he didn't let that stop him. After his family was killed, he avenged their deaths by killing the monsters that killed them. I really hope to see a relationship bloom between him and Tiffany in the future. They seem like they would make a great couple. The plot was written fairly well. I found a few punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors. Not very many though. I liked that the plot was mostly non-stop action. It held my interest the whole way through. I got a little bit confused when Deacon was talking about the different types of guns because I have no gun knowledge. I am excited to start the second book in the series and see what kind of monsters Deacon runs into next.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know, I like this book. This is another case of what I call brain candy. From the word go this book is breakneck action. Facing off with a Monster (Bounty) Hunter primarily after vampires in this case we will join him in lakes of blood, tons of violet action and expending truck loads of ammunition...

What you get here is the proverbial "thrill ride".

Deacon (who sounds suspiciously like Bobby Singer from Supernatural in the audio version) tells us the story dropping in just enough back ground as we go and telling us about the vamps in this world (as opposed to other UF) without resorting to "info-dumps".

I plan to pick up the rest of these. Their great action reads (yes I disagree with some of what might be called the "theology" in the book, but come on this is high octane mental junk food, not a teaching tool). If you like action, thrillers, UF...try this one. I can recommend it.

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A badass man intent on taking as many of the monsters down before they get him first. Full of fighting and helpful monster killing hints; like Burn Notice for the supernatural community.

Opening Sentence: Some nights are destined to go to hell.

The Review:

I will admit that the title of this book, Blood and Bullets, turned me off from reading it at first. But first impressions can be deceiving. Like the book itself, the true nature of the hero lies past all the coverings and labels. Deacon Chalk is a badass monster hunter and has a tougher-than-nails look about him. But this same man loved his family so deeply that the loss of them became the driving force of all he is today. Even though he kills the monsters without remorse, he does whatever he can to help those that have been harmed by them. This is why you should never judge a book by its cover, both figuratively and literally.

Deacon Chalk, Occult Bounty Hunter, is a simple man with simple pleasures; like killing monsters. When he is given an assignment by a vampire to hunt a fierce man known as Nyteblade, he takes it even though he is a little confused. And when Nyteblade foolishly attacks and tries to stake Deacon in the heart as if he were a vampire, the confusion goes up a notch. Turns out that Nyteblade is just a kid named Larson who has no idea how to identify and hunt monsters, let alone kill them. Who in their right mind could possibly believe this guy to be a threat to a man like Deacon? And what’s with the whole setup in the first place? Who has he pissed off recently that warrants using Larson to lure Deacon in to a place where lots of vampires can attack them both at once? Multiple vampires are generally hard to control by a singular master, so who has the kind of power to make it happen? And more importantly, how can Deacon kill it?

Deacon tells this story while giving the readers helpful hints on monster hunting and extermination. It’s like the monsters of Supernatural meets the cool explanations of Burn Notice. He also has a way with words. He doesn’t bother to sugarcoat anything for anyone. And if his large frame, tattoos, and sour expression don’t scare you off, his big ass gun will. But Deacon is a man of his word and has a loyal following that helps him get the job done.

Deacon’s team is also something. Kat is a computer wizard and manager of his strip club, Polecats. He has a chain-smoking priest that bartends for him. They all work together to take out all the evil bastards that they can find. Larson offers to help, but realizes that this is not the life for him. But Larson is not free to leave because his family is being held captive and Deacon and his team are the only ones that can save them.

While trying to take out the vampire that put the hit out on him, Deacon helps out a few interesting people. Longinus, the welder of the Spear of Destiny that killed Jesus Christ on the cross and cursed with immortality, is being held captive by Appollonia, the evil vampire intent on making Deacon her own. Longinus also happens to be the “father” of the vampires. He has long tried to atone for his mistakes by trying to kill all the vampires off. While doing so, he is captured by Appollonia, and the Spear enhances her powers to the point of making her virtually invincible. Charlotte is a were-spider that is forced to do Appollonia’s bidding. But when she breaks free, she puts everything on the line to help Deacon and his team take down her old master. These folks don’t stick around at the end of the book, but I do hope to see them involved again in the future.

Appollonia is a very old vampire. She has in her possession the Spear of Destiny and it gives her powers she would never have on her own. She can control hundreds of vampires at once. Bullets do not harm her. So, how can someone possibly beat her? Well, like all good villains, she is vain and prideful. But can Deacon use this against her to his advantage? Can those that she has subjugated give him the key to her demise? Or will she prove stronger than all of them?

There is also a potential love interest in Deacon’s future; the lovely Tiff. Deacon did her first tattoo years ago, before the death of his family. She remembers the events that surrounded his family’s murders and expresses her sympathy by giving him a hug. She is kind and sweet yet not put off by Deacon’s strong exterior and harsh attitude. She is also strong-willed and willing to do whatever it takes to help out, even though she has no personal stake in the matter. She is just that nice of a person. She makes her interest in Deacon known with one hell of a kiss, but doesn’t pressure for more. I don’t think that she is good for Deacon, whether as just a friend or as more.

I am glad that I took the time to read this book. It is full of layers and depth that make me want more. The characters are all more than they appear, just like real people. Take the time to get to know Deacon Chalk for he is a good man to know. Especially if you need someone to shield you against things that go bump in the night.

Notable Scene:

Why would a vampire even think that I would work for them? I’m not a vampire hunter. I don’t seek them out, but I’ve killed every one of the evil bastards I’ve run into. Most people have a romantic view of vampires. They picture them as the eternal lover full of longing and dark passion. Thank you very much Hollywood, but that is not the way it is in real life.

And vampires never sparkle unless they just ate a stripper.

The Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty-Hunter Series:

0.5 That Thing at the Zoo

1. Blood and Bullets

2. Blood and Silver

FTC Advisory: Kensington Books provided me with a copy of Blood and Bullets. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys.

[Shawnie Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not big on anything not directly related to romance, but when I saw the cover to this book I picked it up and then the book blurb pulled me the rest of the way.

This book is an feminist worse nightmare and I can see why a lot of people would not like this book, but it was actually in my own opinion refreshing to read something that didn’t directly jump into a heroine who kicks ass and out mans, the men while still being female. That shit was getting old for me, and the fact that there was no kickass heroine, was major. Now while I wanted some romance for Deacon it wasn’t a major factor for me, it didn’t change my view of the book. Deacon was a welcomed change from the “girl power” movement the romance, PNR, and some Science Fiction/Fantasy books have decided to go on.

Our hero of the hour is Deacon Chalk, ex-tattoo artist and once family man. Couple years back he lost his family to the monsters he now hurts with a focus that would scare even the most seasoned killer. His faith some what guides him, although how he manages to have faith is completely beyond me but I’m not a religious kind of girl so I glanced over that a lot and its not for me to judge as far as I’m concerned. It didn’t take anything away from the book, so I’m good with it. His philosophy: he’ll kill all the monsters he can, until one of them kills him and then he can go be with his family. Killing himself is not an option.

Did I mention he owns a strip club? No, well Deacon owns a strip club named Polecats that he opened after his family was killed and he decided to go into the business of monster hunting. Polecats is his legitimate business and his base of operation, but I wouldn’t call it a front. He doesn’t hide what it is, and every female who works there was saved by Deacon one way or another and they all work there because Shrugs he saved them and being grateful and all what else would they do… FEMINIST WORSE NIGHTMARE! Now I won’t sit here and say it didn’t bother because it did, but not all that much because there ARE women out there that WOULD do some shit like that. What I liked about it though was that even though they are stripping as a thank you of a sort, Deacon still teaches them how to defend themselves against the monsters and they are dedicated to his fight against said monsters. They aren’t helpless- they just strip. Deacon isn’t a misogamist in anyway, he actually cares more than I first thought he would and I guess you don’t get that sense when you begin the book.

I have to say though, Deacon’s merry band of misfits (they aren’t misfits but damn if you don’t get that sense) were a joy to read about. Father Mulcahy is probably the most interesting of them all, even more so than Deacon. The priest is a whiskey drinking, chain smoking, badass mofo, who handles a gun with the same ease in which he gives his sermons. Kat is a tech badass and also runs the club, as well as doing other things that help Deacon with his fight against the monsters. There are a number of other characters that are introduced my favorite is probably Larson. He was one of those characters that sneaks up on you and makes you love them by the end of the book, which is why I totally wanted to punch the author after the epic possible end all battle. I won’t tell you what happened because I’m not sure who has read this book, but it was not something I saw coming and I was VERY upset that it happened to Larson.

The book was action packed and had just enough emotional punch to leave the sentimentalist reader feeling all sad and fucked up. The glimpses of Deacon when he lets the badass mask slide off is pretty awesome and does a lot towards bringing him closer to the reader who probably thought he had no heart, soul or feelings. This is a guy’s book, with blood and well bullets.

The biggest thing with this book that had me putting it down more than I picked it up was Deacon’s thought process. It was all over the place. One minute he’d be talking about monsters and the next he is talking about his gear or his family. It was a bit overwhelming at times but its works for Deacon. His mind spins from one subject to the next with an ease that will give an unsuspecting reader a headache.

BOOK PAGES & DRIPPING INK gives Blood and Bullets 4 stars. Read it, don’t be an asshole and don’t really take my word for anything, because NO TWO READERS, READ THE SAME BOOK.

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published at Reading Reality

I was jonesing for a Harry Dresden fix, and somebody mentioned Deacon Chalk might be just the man to tide me over. Whoever that was, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Now you're wondering who the hell Deacon Chalk might be. Notice I didn't say heck. Deacon Chalk would never be that mealy-mouthed.

Deacon Chalk is the monster-hunting main character of Blood and Bullets, the first novel by James R. Tuck in the urban fantasy series that is, of course, named after its protagonist. Deacon Chalk, Occult Bounty Hunter, that's him.

There's also a prequel novella, That Thing at the Zoo, which serves as a fantastic (fantastic in multiple senses of the term) introduction to the series and the characters.

Deacon hunts vampires, and pretty much everything else that goes bump in the night. Vamps murdered his family, and his mission in life is to stop the evil basty-assed-nastards from murdering as many other families as he possibly can.

He runs his monster-bounty-hunting business from the back of an expressway-exit strip-club. And every single one of the strippers is one of his assistants. Because they've all been victimized by the vamps at some point, and this is their way of getting some of their own back.

His sidekick is a Catholic priest, who also provides all the Holy Water Deacon needs for putting down the vamps. And is very handy with a rifle.

In Blood and Bullets, a lot of both fly around. Because an ancient vampire (there are ancient vampires and convoluted vampire politics in some of the best urban fantasy series) has set up Deacon, another vampire hunter, and one of her own vampires who got away from her(!) in a very nasty little war.

Of course she wants them to wipe each other out and save her the trouble. Or does she have a much deeper game? She's a vampire after all. They always seem to be playing on twenty levels at once, all of them foul and blood-soaked.

This time, there's more at stake than Deacon ever imagined. Even though he is literally on the side of the Angels.

Escape Rating A: Blood and Bullets is delicious in that "OMG please tell me there are more" kind of way. There's a manic "Vampire Chainsaw Massacre" element that is just so much fun, but wouldn't work in another genre. The vampires are unrelievedly evil, and you so want Deacon to plow them down without remorse, which he does.

I've never read another book that gets into the mechanics of vampire-slaughter in quite this much detail, and made it fun, but Blood and Bullets does it. The snark-fest aspects help tremendously!

Urban fantasy reads differently with a male protagonist, back to my comparison to Harry Dresden. Harry doesn't finesse things, he sets them on fire. Deacon doesn't either, he mows them down. They are also both big men who cast very long shadows, not just physically but also symbolically.

Start reading about Deacon Chalk with That Thing at the Zoo. It's ebook only and definitely worth the 99 cents. Deacon's adventures continue this summer in another ebook novella, Spider's Lullaby, and later with Blood and Silver in August. I'm glad it's not a long wait. I want to see what happens next!

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/02/06/...

Publisher: Kensington
Publish Date: February 7th
How I got this book: ARC from publisher

Tuck is debuting his new series, Deacon Chalk Occult Bounty Hunter, with Blood and Bullets. This is a hard review for me to write, because while I really enjoyed the story, the book also didn’t work for me in a lot of ways.

Deacon lives for one thing and one thing only: killing vampires to avenge his family. His whole life seems to revolve around killing vampires and evil creatures, he even has a little extra kick in his blood to help him get the job done that no one else can do. One night, an ambush is set that has Deacon coming closer than ever to death, and he is determined to find out who wants him dead. With his rag-tag team of friends, Deacon goes to extremes to find the immortal who wants his head on a plate, and comes close to loosing everything.

This book is filled with fast packed action scenes. At every turn it seems as if Deacon is kicking vampire ass. But at the same time, it doesn’t seem to help the story move at a quick pace. It took awhile for the book to get moving quickly, and I found that I put the book down quite a few times before things got to a point where I was sucked into the story line.

I also felt as if this story was one that I had already read before. It had a lot of the same elements from JF Lewis’ Void City Series. They both have heroes that own strip clubs, are obsessed with their cars, have an assorted group of friends that help them fight evil, and are unique in their supernatural fighting abilities. At the same time, there were enough differences for me to enjoy the story, but the similarities were just enough that I always felt like it was a story that had been done before.

One of the things that I did like was that Deacon wasn’t a total asshat. I have read a few UF stories with a male protagonist written by a male author in which the hero came off as a douche. I was glad to see that Deacon’s character didn’t adopt that style. He was morally sound, devoted to his beloved wife, and dedicated to take out evil, regardless of the cost to himself. He cared for his group of friends, protected them in all possible ways, and was an all around likeable guy. I wanted to cheer for him and see him triumph in the end.

I think that fans of the urban fantasy genre who are always looking for stories with male leads will enjoy this. Although for me it moved at a slower pace than I would have liked, the plot and characters did eventually pull me in and keep me engaged. I am looking forward to future books in the series, especially if we get to see more of Deacon and his budding relationship.

All in all I had some mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, I really enjoyed the overall story, but as I said before, it didn’t feel like it was a brand new story and that dragged it down for me a bit. I do hope that Tuck can continue to develop the series and characters and create a unique aspect to the series.
I give Blood and Bullets a C-

[Hazel *Craves the Angst Reviews* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blood and Bullets is the first book in the Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty-Hunter series written by James R. Tuck. I read this as part of a R2R with Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy Fanatics! As always, thank you to the awesome moderators of the group as well as to the author for the opportunity to read this book.

Review:
I liked this book. It was chocked full of exciting adventure, action and great characters. It was written in Deacon Chalk's POV and the writing style was fluid and well done. I also really loved all the pop-culture references and even got a little laugh at the shout out the author did to Sam and Dean from Supernatural, the TV show, in the beginning of the book. Being a HUGE fan of that show, it was a great surprise to see them listed among the vampire hunters Chalk referenced.

I liked Chalk's character though he was a little rough around the edges. He is a big and tall handsome hero who was tough and ready to kick some major butt, and did! His story was one of revenge for the murder of his wife and child and his struggle was heartfelt. He was interesting to read and a character you could get involved with because his story was one of human tragedy.

The story itself was intriguing and had a good foundation. There was plenty of paranormal elements to satisfy and the main baddie vampire was beautiful, scary and dangerous, a perfect combination. And I really liked the were-spiders, they were very cool, especially Charlotte.

Things I didn't like: Because I got this as a R2R, I realize it was an unedited version, which clearly states this in the beginning of the book, but I would have loved an edited version of it. It needed a good editor to hash through the mistakes as well as culling out some of the dialogue. It was a little tough to read through in places, but because I knew it was an unedited version, it was easier to skim through and accept those parts. I hope the final version had the benefits of an editor. Also, there was a LOT of reference to weaponry in this book. It was listed out like an order form at a guns and ammo store. I like hearing about what the characters are using to defeat the baddies with, but not a listed summery of each weapon, what it uses for ammo and how each piece works. I think some of that could have been left out and it would have made the read easier to get through. I also didn't like the repetition that Deacon is "bad-ass", Deacon is a big guy, Deacon is love by everyone and all. Got it!

All in all, this was a good start to what I think will be a great series. Im excited to see where the characters go from here. I'd recommend this to anyone who was looking for a great adventure with genuine bad guys as non-sparkly vampires, except the ones who eat stripper *wink*.

[Kara-karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5
Narcissistic and overly repetitive with descriptions. However, the core of this book - high octane action, some sly humour and almost comic book-like characters is undeniably entertaining.

I would say Deacon Chalk is some sort of a mix reminiscent of early Anita Blake, Sin City and Split Second. Deacon is a Southern gentleman through and through, very gentle with women, covered in tattoos and looking very bad-ass. His admission of being irresistible to a certain type of ladies, and a very scary vampire lusting after him frankly made me giggle. A lot of cheese in this book made me giggle.

There are also cheeky passages like this...

Vampires seem to inspire the most monster fighting in this world, probably because of all the books and movies about them. I have taken out my fair share of vamps, but it is not the only thing I do. There are few proclaimed vampire slayers and they range all kinds. Anita out in St. Louis, but she has a lot of stuff going on, not just vampire executions. Cat and Bones run their crew killing vampires and do a fine job of it. I hear whispers about the Blue Woman now and again, but it’s hard to pull the fact from the fiction on that one. There’s some folks in California. L.A. and a small town east of it, who do mostly vampire slaying, but I haven’t met them yet. The black guy and old man combo who roam around do nothing but vampires, but from what I hear they have a personal stake in it, so to speak. Sam and Dean will tussle with a vampire, but usually they are chasing down daemons.

Admit it, that was pretty funny. Unfortunately the humour is toned down in the book and is more prominent in the short story. I would have loved to have more of things like that...

“What if it is a pterodactyl?” I started walking again, throwing back my best Roy Scheider impression. “Then we’re gonna need a bigger gun.”

The sidekicks are fun, the villains are very villanous. Deacon himself owns a stripclub which supplements his monster hunting, and all the girls there have their personal guns and always ready to rock-n-roll. The hatred towards all vampires is very refreshing, and the cavalier attitude reminds me of Joss Whedon.

Give it more humour, less repetition, and the series will shine. I'm certainly interested in reading more about Deacon and Co. mis/adventures.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was urban fantasy at its gritty and violent best. Deacon Chalk spends a lot more time talking about weapons and killing the monsters than doing anything else. It all starts when he is lured to an ambush. He does manage to escape along with the human who tried to stake him thinking he was a vampire. This starts Deacon on a quest to find out which vampire targeted him. It would take a very powerful one to control the number of lesser vampires sent after him.

Deacon works out of Polecats - a strip club - which he happens to own. It provides some of the financing for his battle. He is also supported in his hunt for monsters by his bartender Father Mulcahy, a priest from one of the militant orders, and various other employees of Polecats. He also brings in the guy who tried to stake him. Once self-titled Nyteblade, Larson becomes more than a reluctant source of information when his mother and sister are captured by the monsters. Larson is a total opposite to Deacon. He is small, slight, completely untrained. However, he does have knowledge about hunting vampires that does come in handy.

Deacon was an interesting character but a little one-dimensional. If we were told once, we were told ten times that he was willing to die and, in fact, looked forward to it so that he could be with his dead wife and children. His whole life is killing the monsters until one of them finally kills him. This episode comes pretty close with its climactic battle of good versus evil.

One thing I did like at the beginning was the homage to some other urban fantasy titles:
There are few proclaimed vampire slayers and they range all kinds. Anita out in St. Louis, but she has a lot of stuff going on, not just vampire executions. Cat and Bones run their crew killing vampires and do a fine job of it. I hear whispers about the blue woman now and again, but it's hard to pull the fact from the fiction on that one.
I don't recognize the Blue Woman. If anyone has read that one, I'd like author and title please.

If you are looking for gritty urban fantasy with a male main character and are more interested in fighting than emotional depth, this one will satisfy. I think I'll be following along on his future adventures to see if he grows and changes.

[Lexi Ander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deacon Chalk lost his family five years ago to a "monster" and since then he's become a bounty hunter for the things that go bump in the night.

A couple of things to note, if you are a teddy bear and rainbow reader, this is not for you. Deacon has no remorse for what he does. He doesn't lay awake at night, ridden by guilt over his actions, word, or death of friend or enemy.

Deacon is a gun toting, muscle car driving, Georgia good ole boy. He is surrounded by a host of people he's helped over the years. The only guilt he carries is not being there when his family was attacked, and because he's a devout Catholic, his belief that suicide is a sin keeps him from taking his own life to be with his family. He is the "shoot first ask questions later" type of guy. The monsters of his world are horrific and at time things get bloody and gore ridden. I loved every minute of it.

I would suggest that if haven't read That Thing at the Zoo first, you might want to do so. It is a short novella that introduces Deacon's life about six months before Blood and Bullets.

Why 4 out of 5 stars? ~grins~ The women here are all a little too perfect to the eye. They all fit into the same mold of lipstick, high-heals, and gorgeous. Logically I know that James wrote his women how he likes them which is perfectly fine. The other thing was we meet way too many people who are devoted to Deacon. I can see why but I was waiting for someone who didn't see eye to eye with him who wasn't a bad guy.

What I loved was vampires were the vampires of old. When they died you know it was a good thing because there was a good vampire. Not everything non-human was evil but there were clear lines that defined what he would and wouldn't shoot. The werespiders freaked the hell out of me. I have to give props to Father Mulkahy, who can drink coffee with a Kool hanging from his lips, and is the bar tender at the strip club Polecats.

Would I recommend this? Hell yeah! Just don't expect rainbows because there are none here.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book as part of the Read2Review program in the PNR & Urban Fantasy Fanatics discussion group! Thank you to them and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Blood and Bullets.

He lives to kill monsters. He keeps his city safe. And his silver hollow-points and back-from-the-dead abilities help him take out any kind of supernatural threat. But now an immortal evil has this bad-ass bounty hunter dead in its sights. . .

Blood and Bullets was an intense and bloody sprint of a book! If you like extreme weaponry, kicking supernatural butt and gore, Deacon Chalk, monster hunter and all around bad ass, is your guy. After being the target in an ambush attempt, Deacon is off to the races in effort to find out who set him up and why. What he finds is definitely not what he anticipated because he immediately becomes embroiled in a bloody battle to thwart an ancient vampire’s megalomaniacal plan to enslave humankind.

That said, Blood and Bullets was surprisingly not exactly my kind of read. There was way too much focus on the types of weaponry Deacon used and his macho posturing than story and no clear reasons as to exactly why Deacon was a threat. Sure the vampire seductress was hot for him (and we got numerous soliloquies on how appealing he is) but did she only target him to get in his pants or was it just because he was SO good at his job? I did like the addition of were-spiders to the supernatural lore (why not?) and loved what an amazing ally Charlotte became as she broke the vampire’s thrall and joined Deacon’s team. But ultimately I felt like instead of an urban fantasy thriller I was reading Guns and Ammo magazine.

The interesting thing is that this type of story might draw more male readers to the genre as there is a distinct lack of male protagonist voices in urban fantasy novels. I would keep James Tuck on my radar to see where he goes with the development of the Deacon Chalk , Occult Bounty Hunter series when book 2, Blood and Silver is released this summer.

[Michelle Greathouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood and Bullets is the first book in the Deacon Chalk, Occult Bounty Hunter series by James R Tuck and an Urban Fantasy from Kensington.

Blurb:

He lives to kill monsters. He keeps his city safe. And his silver hollow-points and back from the dead abilities help him take out any kind of supernatural threat. But now an immortal evil has this bad ass bounty hunter dead in its sights...

Ever since a monster murdered his family, Deacon Chalk hunts any creature that preys on the innocent. So when a pretty vampire girl ‘hires’ him to eliminate a fellow slayer, Deacon goes to warn him - and barely escapes a vampire ambush.

Now he’s got a way inexperienced newbie hunter to protect and everything from bloodsuckers to cursed immortals on his trail. There’s also a malevolent force controlling the living and the undead, hellbent on turning Deacon’s greatest loss into the one weapon that could destroy him...

My thoughts:

One time tattoo artist and family man, Deacon Chalk’s whole world fell apart when his wife and children were slaughtered by a supernatural monster. Now he has devoted what remains of his life to hunting and killing any monster he comes across.

When a vampire tries to hire him to kill another hunter - Deacon sets out to find the guy and let him know the vamps have put a bounty on his head. What he finds is an ambush.

The hunter is a newbie, untrained and nervous - and under the impression that Deacon is a vampire. First things, first. Deacon has to get the two of them to safety.

Now Deacon is determined to find out who tried to have him killed. His search leads him to vampire dance club - which leads him to a vampiress older than any Deacon has gone up against before.

It’s going to take all of Deacon’s considerable skill to walk away from this encounter alive...

Deacon Chalk is the sh*t. I can’t wait to read more in this series.

I give Blood and Bullets 4 out of 5 stars.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Kensington (February 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0758271476
ISBN-13: 978-0758271471

[Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/01/...

Deacon Chalk is a man with a mission. After he’s cornered by a young vamp asking for his protection outside his place of business, he knows something’s not right. He kills vamps. He certainly doesn’t protect them, and when he’s jumped by a group of vamps bent on draining him dry, along with a (very) amateur vampire hunter, he’s sure something big is going down. His search for the culprit leads him to a very powerful vamp bent on dominating Deacon to her will, but that’s not gonna happen, and Deacon’s going to make sure of it.

With a genre that’s dominated by female writers, I’m always excited to see an urban fantasy title come out written by a dude. Not to mention that it’s nice to see a fresh voice in the genre, period. Deacon Chalk is a man’s man. He loves his guns, packs a lot of heat, and knocks heads with the best of them. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a heart, because he does, and the author makes that point more than a few times. I mean, the man’s family was brutally taken by monsters, and it’s what drives him to kill them. There’s also no black and white with vamps in Blood and Bullets. They’re evil, period, and they certainly don’t sparkle. Deacon will have some help from unlikely folks, namely a priest that kicks some pretty serious ass, a were-spider, and an immortal with quite a rich history. Blood and Bullets has some awkward bits, but I attribute that firmly to first-book growing pains¸ and all in all it was a fun, fast-paced¸ rocket powered read. I couldn’t help but like Deacon and I’m anxious to see what the author does with the supporting cast in future books. Great action scenes round out a promising start to what looks to be a fun series!

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deacon Chalk is a monster hunter. No, he doesn’t have a show on Animal Planet or Discovery Channel. He is an Occult Bounty Hunter and ever since a Nephilim killed his family, turning his life upside down, he’s been open for business. His first job was killing the Nephilim and for five years he’s been successful at his job. You can hire him to hunt down a monster and he’ll get the job done or die trying. And he’s not afraid to die because when he does he can be with his family again. The only thing is he’s kinda hard to kill. When he was hunting down the Nephilim he rescued an Angel and during that rescue he died only to have her save him with her essence. So…now he’s more than human, hard to kill and hates the monsters. Let the extermination begin.

Fast-moving with a good plot and well-fleshed characters I very much enjoyed this first book in the Deacon Chalk series. The world building was smooth and the world is interesting. Very reminiscent of Anita Blake and I love that series. Yes, I still do even though it’s a very different series today than when it started. Anyway, it is like Anita Blake yet not. I liked this different angle of how the real world isn’t what we thought it was. There really are monsters and they don’t hang out under the bed. At least, none that I’ve noticed yet in the series. The monsters are out there mixing with the humans and almost all of them are up to no good.

I can’t wait to read more of this series. I love fast-paced books that sweep me along with them and refuse to let me put them down.

*The publisher provided a copy of this book to me for review. Please see disclaimer page on my blog.

[Sally Kilpatrick]

Okay, I've struggled with how to rate this book. On the one hand, I really love the character of Deacon Chalk. Sure, he's a total badass, but he also eats sushi. How cool is that?

Love, love, love Tuck's voice. Some of his asides as Deacon made me snort with laughter in a most unladylike fashion.

Premise? You can't beat using a strip club called Polecats as your base of operation for vampire hunting complete with a chain-smoking priest as your bartender.

The cons? Maybe this is because we're coming at the story from Deacon's point of view, but the female characters came off as pretty one-dimensional. In particular, would've loved to see Kat give Deacon some grief and kick some ass. The relationship with Tiffany fell a little flat for me, too. She fell for Deacon a little too easily--or maybe he gave in to her a little too easily. Also, I often tuned out in the descriptions of weaponry. If you love weapons and/or have devoted a significant amount of time to thinking about how to best kill vampires? This book is for you.

On the whole, however, I think some of the things I didn't like about the book were more personal preference than anything. I did enjoy it, and I plan to read the next one. I can't help but think Hollywood should snatch this one up and make a movie. With all of the action and witty dialogue, the screenplay is practically written.

If you're into urban fantasy, you'll want to give this one a shot.

*I've upgraded this. Characters this memorable need an extra star. Currently reading Blood and Silver, and Tuck just keeps getting better.

[Amy Jacobs · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is going to be a hard review to write. Bad ass monsters? Check. Down and dirty hero? Check. Lots of action? Check. Great story? Kind of.

I had a really hard time enjoying this book. While the character of Deacon Chalk was sexy and bad ass, he wasn't one that attracted my interest. He wasn't so much an alpha hero you would come to expect in the sense of good guy will prevail, simply because he is at times so rugged and dirty as the bad guys. He can kick butt and take names when he feels like it, but if you are looking for a romantic side of his character, don't get your hopes up. Yes he has the bad boy sex appeal, but that is as far as it goes for me.

The story in itself wasn't that bad. It had plenty of action and evil things to hunt. I feel that this book would be a better match for the male readers than the females. This is just my opinion, but I think the men will gravitate more to this book because of the action, violence and all around male cast of characters.

Again, the story in itself was pretty good, but it isn't a series that will keep me up at night waiting for release day.