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Sacred Blood
Adam Eberhardt has always felt different, but he never would’ve guessed he was a clone of Albert Einstein. Science geeks don't usually live inside the body of a hulk. A brain that never shuts off can be a blessing or a curse, but Adam hasn’t felt many blessings during his sleepless nights, regular victims of his severe anxiety disorder. Weaving through harrowing childhood memories, science research, and self-doubt, he most enjoys spending his mind power thinking about his wunderkind fellow student, Margot. . .who remains oblivious to his interest.
The serial abduction of nuclear scientists, including Margot, triggers a cascade of action that reveals things are not what they have seemed. Military officials dispatch to all corners of the globe to pick up individuals with an unusual gray marking on their wrist. Adam joins a group of seven young adults in a top-secret training facility where they learn a shocking each one is an enhanced clone of a famous historical figure.
They were created by the Phoenix Elite Initiative under the watch of scientist Emmanuel Kebe. Kebe has been popping in and out of their lives since their earliest memories, spending decades developing their natural abilities and training them from a distance, all in preparation for a time of global crisis. And that time of crisis has arrived.
The serial abduction of nuclear scientists, including Margot, triggers a cascade of action that reveals things are not what they have seemed. Military officials dispatch to all corners of the globe to pick up individuals with an unusual gray marking on their wrist. Adam joins a group of seven young adults in a top-secret training facility where they learn a shocking each one is an enhanced clone of a famous historical figure.
They were created by the Phoenix Elite Initiative under the watch of scientist Emmanuel Kebe. Kebe has been popping in and out of their lives since their earliest memories, spending decades developing their natural abilities and training them from a distance, all in preparation for a time of global crisis. And that time of crisis has arrived.
- GenresScience Fiction
405 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 9, 2024
About the author
C.T. Clark
5 books16 followersC.T. Clark is a devoted father, husband, and teacher with a passion for writing fun, fast-moving stories with interesting characters, impossible situations, big ideas, and deeper questions for readers who are into that sort of thing.
His stories explore love and loss, identity and expectation, science and faith, justice and conviction, and humanity’s endless attempts to understand, control, and outlive itself. But first and foremost, he wants readers to have a good time.
His characters are messy, imperfect, occasionally heroic, and usually trying to figure things out while the world changes faster than anyone can make sense of.
The Phoenix Elite series is a passion project more than ten years in the making.
He lives in Central Ohio with his wife, six kids, and a small herd of guinea pigs.
His stories explore love and loss, identity and expectation, science and faith, justice and conviction, and humanity’s endless attempts to understand, control, and outlive itself. But first and foremost, he wants readers to have a good time.
His characters are messy, imperfect, occasionally heroic, and usually trying to figure things out while the world changes faster than anyone can make sense of.
The Phoenix Elite series is a passion project more than ten years in the making.
He lives in Central Ohio with his wife, six kids, and a small herd of guinea pigs.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 30, 2024
CT Clark's first full length novel (that I am aware of) was a smash. Think of the intro like your classic James Bond start; not in the sexy gun battle sense but in the "jump right into the action and buckle up" sense. With a compelling plot that somehow seemed to mix a "Rainbow Six band of internationals thrown together to save the world" and a future that looked all too familiarly like the present, it was my favorite kind of thriller. It pulled me in without seeming over the top. The action moved briskly, the characters were more than skin deep and the cliffhanger ending made me curious to where the story will go and how the characters will develop. Clark imbued his characters with enough humanity to be more than a caricature, his villains with enough familiarity to be recognizable without being identifiable. To be frank, when I saw the plot involved clones, I was a little fearful of the worst of clichés. I was pleasantly surprised and look forward to reading the rest of the series!
September 1, 2024
This was an interesting technothriller adventure and I was happy to go along for the ride. While the multiple POVs were a little hard to keep straight through in the early parts of the book I settled in when our main characters and enjoyed how it came together. Each of the main characters is a clone of a historical figure, some are similar, others couldn't seem more different from their historical counterpart and it was an interesting choice by the other that allowed my inner history nerd to catch subtle nuggets and quirks as I went. Nonetheless clone revelation dropped an identity crisis right in all of their laps.
The interactions between the main characters in particular was my favorite aspect, and Clark clearly has a knack for dialogue. A lot in the sci-fi genre might lack here, characters sounding the same, being more or less flat to serve the plot. Not so much here. There is a lot to chew on in a nature/nurture aspect of the plot that I very much enjoyed. The character work was impressive with most of the main characters undergoing some significant change from beginning to end, some bigger than others. The multiple POV likely helped with that.
The plot itself, once their training abruptly ends, is propulsive with nearly non-stop action. The time spent between these sequences was reserved for some deeper than expected emotional dives into young people still very much in the grasp of learning a lot of their lives hasn't been what it has seemed.
The book as a whole, much like several plot points and the emotional punch, surprised me. It's a debut that leaves me wanting more.
The interactions between the main characters in particular was my favorite aspect, and Clark clearly has a knack for dialogue. A lot in the sci-fi genre might lack here, characters sounding the same, being more or less flat to serve the plot. Not so much here. There is a lot to chew on in a nature/nurture aspect of the plot that I very much enjoyed. The character work was impressive with most of the main characters undergoing some significant change from beginning to end, some bigger than others. The multiple POV likely helped with that.
The plot itself, once their training abruptly ends, is propulsive with nearly non-stop action. The time spent between these sequences was reserved for some deeper than expected emotional dives into young people still very much in the grasp of learning a lot of their lives hasn't been what it has seemed.
The book as a whole, much like several plot points and the emotional punch, surprised me. It's a debut that leaves me wanting more.
November 6, 2024
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's got action, it's got humor, and some interesting concepts and characters throughout. For being this author's first book, I'm excited to see what's to come next. This book is very well written, though there were parts that I wish were a little more fleshed out or elaborated on. I went into this not knowing what to expect, and I was not disappointed. I often found myself in that nice little reading groove where you forget you're even reading. Way to write em, C.T. Clark!
October 31, 2024
I loved this. It was a fun idea that hit my inner history nerd. Not what I expected in an action story. Adam's story and payoff was a cherry. Well done!
July 31, 2026
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
Someone finds out he's the clone of a historical figure. He joins a team of like people. It's basically a riff on X-Men before they were feared and hated.
Someone finds out he's the clone of a historical figure. He joins a team of like people. It's basically a riff on X-Men before they were feared and hated.
October 24, 2025
Loved the characters and multi-pov. Different and fun.
May 28, 2025
Decent story, R-rated language
The story was intriguing and full of action. Sadly, the need to frequently use profanity when it could have been easily avoided ruined the book. Not for children.
The story was intriguing and full of action. Sadly, the need to frequently use profanity when it could have been easily avoided ruined the book. Not for children.
October 23, 2025
Sacred Blood is a stunning debut that blends science, faith, and moral conflict into a high-octane thriller. Clark delivers unforgettable characters and cinematic action while asking what it truly means to be human. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
July 15, 2026
What stayed with me most after reading Sacred Blood is how confidently it blends high-concept science fiction with questions of identity and destiny. The premise alone—a group of college students discovering they are enhanced clones of history's greatest minds—is fascinating, but the novel succeeds because it never lets the science overshadow the humanity. At its core, it's about young people struggling to understand who they are when their past has been written for them.
What makes the story especially compelling is Adam Eberhardt. His internal conflict is just as engaging as the global conspiracy unfolding around him. Living with extraordinary intelligence while feeling like he never quite belongs makes him an easy protagonist to invest in, and his determination to protect the people he cares about gives the action genuine emotional stakes.
I also appreciated how the novel continually expands its scope. What begins as the mysterious disappearance of scientists quickly evolves into an international thriller involving military operations, secret experiments, and a looming global crisis. Each revelation raises the stakes without losing sight of the relationships among the seven students, whose different personalities and historical legacies create an engaging ensemble.
More than anything, Sacred Blood asks an intriguing question: if you inherited the DNA of history's greatest thinkers, would your future already be determined, or would your choices still define who you become? It's an entertaining blend of speculative science, fast-paced adventure, and philosophical reflection that will satisfy readers looking for intelligent science fiction with heart.
What makes the story especially compelling is Adam Eberhardt. His internal conflict is just as engaging as the global conspiracy unfolding around him. Living with extraordinary intelligence while feeling like he never quite belongs makes him an easy protagonist to invest in, and his determination to protect the people he cares about gives the action genuine emotional stakes.
I also appreciated how the novel continually expands its scope. What begins as the mysterious disappearance of scientists quickly evolves into an international thriller involving military operations, secret experiments, and a looming global crisis. Each revelation raises the stakes without losing sight of the relationships among the seven students, whose different personalities and historical legacies create an engaging ensemble.
More than anything, Sacred Blood asks an intriguing question: if you inherited the DNA of history's greatest thinkers, would your future already be determined, or would your choices still define who you become? It's an entertaining blend of speculative science, fast-paced adventure, and philosophical reflection that will satisfy readers looking for intelligent science fiction with heart.
July 30, 2026
Sacred Blood begins with an irresistible science-fiction premise: some of history’s most remarkable people have been cloned and brought into the modern world. Rather than relying on that idea as a novelty, C.T. Clark uses it to build a layered story about identity, purpose, anxiety, loyalty, and the burden of expectations. The result is an ambitious opening to a series with both blockbuster scale and deeply personal stakes.
Adam is an especially compelling central character because his intelligence does not protect him from uncertainty or fear. He is surrounded by people who expect greatness from him, yet he is still trying to understand who he is apart from the person whose DNA he carries. His relationship with Margot gives the story an emotional center and ensures that the larger conspiracy always feels personal.
The ensemble is another major strength. The historical clones have distinct voices, abilities, personalities, and cultural perspectives rather than feeling like a collection of famous names. Their differences create tension, humor, and genuine chemistry as they learn whether they can trust one another. The multiple viewpoints gradually reveal the scale of the threat while keeping the story focused on the people caught inside it.
The novel blends science, history, action, philosophy, and character-driven suspense in a way that feels refreshingly original. It asks whether identity comes from biology, memory, choices, or the relationships we build. Sacred Blood is an exciting and emotionally engaging beginning that creates a fascinating world while leaving plenty of room for the characters and ideas to grow.
Adam is an especially compelling central character because his intelligence does not protect him from uncertainty or fear. He is surrounded by people who expect greatness from him, yet he is still trying to understand who he is apart from the person whose DNA he carries. His relationship with Margot gives the story an emotional center and ensures that the larger conspiracy always feels personal.
The ensemble is another major strength. The historical clones have distinct voices, abilities, personalities, and cultural perspectives rather than feeling like a collection of famous names. Their differences create tension, humor, and genuine chemistry as they learn whether they can trust one another. The multiple viewpoints gradually reveal the scale of the threat while keeping the story focused on the people caught inside it.
The novel blends science, history, action, philosophy, and character-driven suspense in a way that feels refreshingly original. It asks whether identity comes from biology, memory, choices, or the relationships we build. Sacred Blood is an exciting and emotionally engaging beginning that creates a fascinating world while leaving plenty of room for the characters and ideas to grow.
July 30, 2026
enjoyable action adventure
Pretty much what the title says, it’s not something that will blow you away completely but it’s a fun story and especially for someone who is relatively newer to reading and needs a lot more action in order to stay attentive then the pacing of the story will fit them very well, and the content isn’t particularly heavy. I do feel a little robbed in the sense of having all these historical figures and not as much depth into whether the historical figures specialist was due to nature or nurture. The story does also seem to imply that socialism is a genetic thing, and my recommendation would be to not read it with a serious eye in terms of what it’s logically implying instead just enjoy a above average sci-fi action, adventure movie in a book
Pretty much what the title says, it’s not something that will blow you away completely but it’s a fun story and especially for someone who is relatively newer to reading and needs a lot more action in order to stay attentive then the pacing of the story will fit them very well, and the content isn’t particularly heavy. I do feel a little robbed in the sense of having all these historical figures and not as much depth into whether the historical figures specialist was due to nature or nurture. The story does also seem to imply that socialism is a genetic thing, and my recommendation would be to not read it with a serious eye in terms of what it’s logically implying instead just enjoy a above average sci-fi action, adventure movie in a book
October 30, 2024
I was pulled out of the book almost immediately, This seemed like my cup of tea, but I could barely continue on. I dragged myself through the pages and this is a book I can confidently say is not ready yet. There's so much potential here, such an interesting and fun concept, but it's half baked and it would be a disservice to put this out there right now.
October 31, 2024
His life is about change again when he learns he is a clone of Albert Einstein and he learns he is not the only one. There are other clones and they need to become a team to face a crisis to save the world. They need to work hard to try to save everyone and everything they want to keep safe. A brilliant read
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and wow what a brilliant read
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and wow what a brilliant read
July 1, 2026
This was a fast paced, action filled book, with an interesting plot and well formed characters. I wasn’t surprised at all that this was originally a screenplay. The concept of the characters being cloned from famous people was fascinating to me. Hope to pick up more in this series and see where it goes!
July 18, 2026
I enjoyed this. What stuck with me was the unique voices of the different characters. The multiple POV was an interesting choice. I don't pick up to many books that feature this many. The little slices of life added a lot to understanding who these people were.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews