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The Gift #4
Bleed
Two years have passed since the costly airport raid, and Kris Chambers just wishes to forget, and be forgotten.
Working in deepest Asia, in the most physically punishing, mentally exhausting jobs he can find, he’s dragged out of the shadows by news of an alleged real-life a serial attacker, praying on victims late at night, and draining their blood.
Soon, he meets him – a teenager with unparalleled speed and strength, and an insatiable taste for human blood – and realizes he’s no longer the only superhuman in this world.
Is he truly a vampire? Or – like Kris himself – is he a technological freak? An experiment gone wrong; a puppet, with a greater force pulling his strings.
Kris must find out the hard way if his latest adversary is merely a misguided kid, imbued with powers he doesn’t yet understand, or if he’s far more dangerous…
Working in deepest Asia, in the most physically punishing, mentally exhausting jobs he can find, he’s dragged out of the shadows by news of an alleged real-life a serial attacker, praying on victims late at night, and draining their blood.
Soon, he meets him – a teenager with unparalleled speed and strength, and an insatiable taste for human blood – and realizes he’s no longer the only superhuman in this world.
Is he truly a vampire? Or – like Kris himself – is he a technological freak? An experiment gone wrong; a puppet, with a greater force pulling his strings.
Kris must find out the hard way if his latest adversary is merely a misguided kid, imbued with powers he doesn’t yet understand, or if he’s far more dangerous…
339 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 22, 2023
161 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 8, 2025
“Bleed” by Marc Stapleton is the 4th book in the “The Gift” series. This 2023 release continues the saga of Kris Chambers, who, two years after a devastating airport raid, yearns for a life of anonymity while doing the most grueling jobs in remote Asian locations. Despite his best efforts, Kris is pulled back into the shadows when reports surface of a real-life vampire attacker who targets victims, draining their blood.
Kris encounters this so-called vampire, a teenager endowed with extraordinary speed and strength, combined with a thirst for human blood. As Kris engages with him, the storyline raises compelling questions: Is this teenager truly a supernatural being, or is he a victim of technological experimentation gone awry? Kris must decipher the truth, confronting whether his new adversary is simply a confused youngster grappling with newfound powers or a far more menacing threat.
Stapleton, renowned for his immersive storytelling, excels in portraying Kris as a deeply flawed yet relatable character. The book expertly navigates Kris's internal struggle between his desire for a quiet life and the moral obligation to stand up against apparent evil. This internal conflict gives depth to Kris’s character while keeping readers engaged as they explore the dichotomy between human frailty and superhuman abilities.
What makes “Bleed” truly captivating is its blend of action, moral quandaries, and technological intrigue. The world-building remains grounded and realistic despite the extraordinary elements, creating a thrilling yet believable narrative. The dynamic between Kris and the teenager adds layers to the plot, highlighting themes of fear, manipulation, and the consequences of power.
However, "Bleed" is a mixed bags: Stapleton has taken a different direction in crafting Kris's journey than previous books in the series, and may well be the weakest book so far due to a lack of coherence and altered pacing. However, despite this, Stapleton’s prose and character development are commendable, creating strong emotional connections with the characters.
Kris encounters this so-called vampire, a teenager endowed with extraordinary speed and strength, combined with a thirst for human blood. As Kris engages with him, the storyline raises compelling questions: Is this teenager truly a supernatural being, or is he a victim of technological experimentation gone awry? Kris must decipher the truth, confronting whether his new adversary is simply a confused youngster grappling with newfound powers or a far more menacing threat.
Stapleton, renowned for his immersive storytelling, excels in portraying Kris as a deeply flawed yet relatable character. The book expertly navigates Kris's internal struggle between his desire for a quiet life and the moral obligation to stand up against apparent evil. This internal conflict gives depth to Kris’s character while keeping readers engaged as they explore the dichotomy between human frailty and superhuman abilities.
What makes “Bleed” truly captivating is its blend of action, moral quandaries, and technological intrigue. The world-building remains grounded and realistic despite the extraordinary elements, creating a thrilling yet believable narrative. The dynamic between Kris and the teenager adds layers to the plot, highlighting themes of fear, manipulation, and the consequences of power.
However, "Bleed" is a mixed bags: Stapleton has taken a different direction in crafting Kris's journey than previous books in the series, and may well be the weakest book so far due to a lack of coherence and altered pacing. However, despite this, Stapleton’s prose and character development are commendable, creating strong emotional connections with the characters.
April 8, 2024
I’m here for the whole series!
“The Gift: Bleed” continues the excellent storytelling Marc Stapleton brings to bear. In the “hands” of a lesser writer, this tale would be complete unbelievable. I know these books are fiction, but…there’s a reality FEELING to them. Like the character “Baynes,” I find myself intrigued by the possibilities, won over to them, and not at all rejecting the tale as fiction. And now, Marc has added even more extraordinary aspects to a very grounded tale. Kris is the perfect imperfect narrator.
The short version: I’m here for the entire series. Keep writing about Kris Chambers, Marc, and I’ll keep buying them. I wrote this great, nuanced review for “The Gift: Bleed” … and it just disappeared right before my eyes. THIS review is being written on my notepad. Just so you know you’re reading a review that has been pasted in just in case Amazon pulls another disappearing act.
The joy of a great read is that you have no problem believing it. That’s where I am with this series. What should be fantastic in the extreme is do deftly written that I find I am right there with Kris and his oh-so-slowly expanding cadre of supporters. You should be there, too. This ride is not to be missed.
“The Gift: Bleed” continues the excellent storytelling Marc Stapleton brings to bear. In the “hands” of a lesser writer, this tale would be complete unbelievable. I know these books are fiction, but…there’s a reality FEELING to them. Like the character “Baynes,” I find myself intrigued by the possibilities, won over to them, and not at all rejecting the tale as fiction. And now, Marc has added even more extraordinary aspects to a very grounded tale. Kris is the perfect imperfect narrator.
The short version: I’m here for the entire series. Keep writing about Kris Chambers, Marc, and I’ll keep buying them. I wrote this great, nuanced review for “The Gift: Bleed” … and it just disappeared right before my eyes. THIS review is being written on my notepad. Just so you know you’re reading a review that has been pasted in just in case Amazon pulls another disappearing act.
The joy of a great read is that you have no problem believing it. That’s where I am with this series. What should be fantastic in the extreme is do deftly written that I find I am right there with Kris and his oh-so-slowly expanding cadre of supporters. You should be there, too. This ride is not to be missed.
November 26, 2023
Not the series best. Enjoyable, but felt like the weakest book to date.
I've enjoyed this series overall, recommending it to everyone. That said, this is the weakest book in the series and was a bit of a letdown. The story felt rushed, and forced. It also changed pace and the main character's personalitys seem different. The story starts 2 years after the last book time-wise, and never felt like it had the same flow as the previous books. The author has created an arch villain and the story never decided if the main character was four against this new character. The character himself is conflicted with the use of his abilities, but it never really made sense to the reader. The whole book felt like it was forced to create a new plot line for the character. I felt it was rushed and rather weak. This book lacked any emotional attachment to any of the characters including the main character. I'm hoping this book is not the beginning to the end of what started as a really good series. I'll wait until the newest book comes out this spring and see if the author can recover some of the magic of the first three books.
I've enjoyed this series overall, recommending it to everyone. That said, this is the weakest book in the series and was a bit of a letdown. The story felt rushed, and forced. It also changed pace and the main character's personalitys seem different. The story starts 2 years after the last book time-wise, and never felt like it had the same flow as the previous books. The author has created an arch villain and the story never decided if the main character was four against this new character. The character himself is conflicted with the use of his abilities, but it never really made sense to the reader. The whole book felt like it was forced to create a new plot line for the character. I felt it was rushed and rather weak. This book lacked any emotional attachment to any of the characters including the main character. I'm hoping this book is not the beginning to the end of what started as a really good series. I'll wait until the newest book comes out this spring and see if the author can recover some of the magic of the first three books.
July 2, 2024
***MILD SPOILERS BELOW***
An interesting fourth volume in this series. Set two years after the previous volume, we find our nanobot-enhanced hero, Kris, making a concerted effort to, well, not be a superhero. He's traveling the world doing odd jobs, moving on whenever someone discovers his abilities. He finds himself in Thailand, where a vampire is preying on the locals - and tourists.
But there's no such thing as vampires, right? Turns out maybe there is. And this vampire is a match for Kris.
I'm not sure where Stapleton is going with the Vincent, the vampire character, but Vincent seems to have the makings of a nemesis for Kris - the Joker to Kris's Batman, if you will. Like previous volumes there's a lot of bodily harm here, but Kris (and Vincent) have the ability to recover from that, so they're quickly ready for battle again. All in all an enjoyable superhero tale, with an interesting twist on what makes a vampire.
An interesting fourth volume in this series. Set two years after the previous volume, we find our nanobot-enhanced hero, Kris, making a concerted effort to, well, not be a superhero. He's traveling the world doing odd jobs, moving on whenever someone discovers his abilities. He finds himself in Thailand, where a vampire is preying on the locals - and tourists.
But there's no such thing as vampires, right? Turns out maybe there is. And this vampire is a match for Kris.
I'm not sure where Stapleton is going with the Vincent, the vampire character, but Vincent seems to have the makings of a nemesis for Kris - the Joker to Kris's Batman, if you will. Like previous volumes there's a lot of bodily harm here, but Kris (and Vincent) have the ability to recover from that, so they're quickly ready for battle again. All in all an enjoyable superhero tale, with an interesting twist on what makes a vampire.
January 12, 2024
Kris changes his mind more often than I change my socks. Be nice if he made a decision and stuck to it. Also the "whoa is me. I'm a monster" shtick of his is getting old. Dude dismisses literally saving humanity from a truly existential threat and all he can do is think it would be better if he didn't exist.
January 13, 2025
Welcome return
This took me a while to return to this series again as It was feeling a bit of the same old story. But this story takes a different tack and ask the questions about other events that are mostly likely happening across the world and a bit more of the moral compass we gravitate to.
A good return and a short read that makes a welcome refresh.
This took me a while to return to this series again as It was feeling a bit of the same old story. But this story takes a different tack and ask the questions about other events that are mostly likely happening across the world and a bit more of the moral compass we gravitate to.
A good return and a short read that makes a welcome refresh.
September 5, 2025
Okay, book #4 in most series aren’t really up to par. Well, throw in a vampire?; ok..we are really reaching here. Well, surprise! Now I really look forward to the next Warlord #5.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews