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Markus
"This book is a modern story that just so happens to also include vampires, werewolves, and a crotchety once-powerful old man. It was a blast...." (
Witty and Sarcastic Book Club
)
Markus Blue is one of the most powerful men alive. Fire from his hands can destroy armies and his battles are legendary. He is one of a rare breed called the warlock, one of the last of his kind, and he is dying. But he must face one more battle, one more challenge, or it will mean the end of the world as we know it.
The vampires look to be rising and Markus is dying; does he have enough left to protect the world one last time?
Markus Blue is one of the most powerful men alive. Fire from his hands can destroy armies and his battles are legendary. He is one of a rare breed called the warlock, one of the last of his kind, and he is dying. But he must face one more battle, one more challenge, or it will mean the end of the world as we know it.
The vampires look to be rising and Markus is dying; does he have enough left to protect the world one last time?
- GenresFantasy
Audible Audio
Published October 15, 2019
6 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
David Odle
4 books33 followersI discovered my love for writing at the age of thirteen after reading a little gem called Cujo. I engulfed it and from that point on, reading became my passion. At the same time, I started to dabble in writing short stories, often spending great swaths of time alone at my desk writing as fast as my newly-learned cursive would allow.
I wrote a plethora of stories while growing up in Warren County, Indiana. Some scary, some not. Most of the time trying to sound just like Stephen King, or Edgar Allen Poe, or Richard Matheson. One thing I knew for sure - I'd found my love. My Passion. My dark-skinned brunette from across the room offering the blue pill to see how far down the rabbit hole goes.
Maybe that's a little over-dramatic.
But after seven years in the military and over twelve years as an IT consultant living in Austin, Texas, I now reside right back in Indiana with my wife and five children where I'm currently finalizing my next novel.
This little hobby of mine never died. I hope you enjoy my stories and I hope we get a chance to meet someday. We can discuss the land of make-believe.
Take care, my reader. There's more to come.
I wrote a plethora of stories while growing up in Warren County, Indiana. Some scary, some not. Most of the time trying to sound just like Stephen King, or Edgar Allen Poe, or Richard Matheson. One thing I knew for sure - I'd found my love. My Passion. My dark-skinned brunette from across the room offering the blue pill to see how far down the rabbit hole goes.
Maybe that's a little over-dramatic.
But after seven years in the military and over twelve years as an IT consultant living in Austin, Texas, I now reside right back in Indiana with my wife and five children where I'm currently finalizing my next novel.
This little hobby of mine never died. I hope you enjoy my stories and I hope we get a chance to meet someday. We can discuss the land of make-believe.
Take care, my reader. There's more to come.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 17, 2021
Readers of paranormal and vampire lit will dig this.
There are Biblical tones, over and under, throughout Markus, an urban fantasy where wizards are dispatched by the Vatican to battle vampires in a modern setting. I was getting Constantine (the Keanu Reeves movie) vibes from this, and it also reminded me a little of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere.
David Odle's churning prose keeps the action flowing. His crisp characterizations quickly and precisely got to the crux of the character, immediately conveying what you need to know about that person. Good descriptions of spells being cast, too!
I listened to the audiobook and honestly the narrator did the book no favors. He was too stiff and his emphases were often oddly placed. His delivery reminded me somewhat of an old school, hardboiled detective novel. I suppose that works, since there were essentially agents out on the streets tracking down vampires. Aside from that, there isn't much to complain about and a whole lot to like!
There are Biblical tones, over and under, throughout Markus, an urban fantasy where wizards are dispatched by the Vatican to battle vampires in a modern setting. I was getting Constantine (the Keanu Reeves movie) vibes from this, and it also reminded me a little of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere.
David Odle's churning prose keeps the action flowing. His crisp characterizations quickly and precisely got to the crux of the character, immediately conveying what you need to know about that person. Good descriptions of spells being cast, too!
I listened to the audiobook and honestly the narrator did the book no favors. He was too stiff and his emphases were often oddly placed. His delivery reminded me somewhat of an old school, hardboiled detective novel. I suppose that works, since there were essentially agents out on the streets tracking down vampires. Aside from that, there isn't much to complain about and a whole lot to like!
March 21, 2020
This is a must read for fans of Urban Fantasy! It features the most beloved and classic monsters- vampires and werewolves. But in an interesting twist, author David Odle also includes some kick ass Warlocks & Witches. This book really has everything. Magic. Action. Even a hint of romance. The fight sequences are vivid, playing out like a fast paced scene in a movie. Odle has a knack for description, transporting the reader into tense and horrifying moments. My favorite, when the young Alexis is confronted with the wolves-The door rips away, and she looks into the hideous face that will haunt her for the rest of her life. It peers inside, the snout wrinkled in a snarl revealing teeth dripping with fresh blood. Its ears are laid back against its massive skull. She stays on her hands and knees, not scrambling into the corner, not doing anything but glaring into the eyes of the creature she hates. Burn them. Burn them all.-
Dispersed throughout the book are human interactions that feel real and organic. The main character, Markus Blue, is well thought out and has effective layering, making him an immediate favorite. One of my absolute favorite lines- For a brief moment, Markus forgot he was dying. He loved those moments. He flipped his cigarette out into the yard. It tasted like shit anyway.-
I am very much looking forward to David Odle's future books. Highly recommended!
Dispersed throughout the book are human interactions that feel real and organic. The main character, Markus Blue, is well thought out and has effective layering, making him an immediate favorite. One of my absolute favorite lines- For a brief moment, Markus forgot he was dying. He loved those moments. He flipped his cigarette out into the yard. It tasted like shit anyway.-
I am very much looking forward to David Odle's future books. Highly recommended!
March 17, 2020
A ripping read
Didn't know what to expect but it was a fun read. Thrilling story and the main character is engaging. Well done.
Didn't know what to expect but it was a fun read. Thrilling story and the main character is engaging. Well done.
August 6, 2019
I love this book. I found the characters relatable, the pace quick, and the story a fun, can’t-put-down, read. I just hope there is more to come!
This book hits a sweet spot for me. I like stories that take our world and add a hidden “what if” to it. This book reminds me of “The Dresden Files” by Jim Butcher in the way it does this. While I don’t want to give too much of story away, from the Jacket you know that Markus Blue is a Warlock, which means magic is real.
Odle's book, unlike the books by Butcher, adds a grittier feel, with more realism comparable to “The Passage” by Justin Cronin. I use both of these books as examples because the way Markus is told is similar to me. It hooks you quick and then builds much of the backstory as you go. I personally like it when this is done as sometimes books of this genre can be written too campy or too light. While there were instances where I knew where the storyteller was going, most of the time it was a fun quick ride and I wasn’t sure how it was going to end, if it was going to end well, or even how I wanted it to end! These are things that I look for in a great book.
Another reason I used the books I did as examples is because they exist in a unique universe, by that I mean a world in which the author creates many stories and characters to be told in the next books. I truly hope that that is the case here. There are many stories I want told, stories of a young Markus Blue, stories of the escapades of some of the other characters (both good and bad). There is so much more I want. I think some of the bad guys have some really interesting stories to tell, and some of the previous experiences of the characters together would be fun. Also, there is still more backstory to tell and I can’t wait to see how that develops to show how the characters became who they are.
My biggest disappointment with this book is that I feel much of the story was left out, and I just wanted more. My guess, based off of interviews with Stephen King, is that as a new writer much was edited, and the story condensed. As the story got better the pages got fewer, I almost wanted to slow down my reading and savor the story like a great steak, morsel by morsel. Unfortunately, I am greedy, and I finished the story and now I must wait for the author to write more which I hope he will. Like a staving man, I must wait for my next meal, which can’t come fast enough. I look forward to more.
This book hits a sweet spot for me. I like stories that take our world and add a hidden “what if” to it. This book reminds me of “The Dresden Files” by Jim Butcher in the way it does this. While I don’t want to give too much of story away, from the Jacket you know that Markus Blue is a Warlock, which means magic is real.
Odle's book, unlike the books by Butcher, adds a grittier feel, with more realism comparable to “The Passage” by Justin Cronin. I use both of these books as examples because the way Markus is told is similar to me. It hooks you quick and then builds much of the backstory as you go. I personally like it when this is done as sometimes books of this genre can be written too campy or too light. While there were instances where I knew where the storyteller was going, most of the time it was a fun quick ride and I wasn’t sure how it was going to end, if it was going to end well, or even how I wanted it to end! These are things that I look for in a great book.
Another reason I used the books I did as examples is because they exist in a unique universe, by that I mean a world in which the author creates many stories and characters to be told in the next books. I truly hope that that is the case here. There are many stories I want told, stories of a young Markus Blue, stories of the escapades of some of the other characters (both good and bad). There is so much more I want. I think some of the bad guys have some really interesting stories to tell, and some of the previous experiences of the characters together would be fun. Also, there is still more backstory to tell and I can’t wait to see how that develops to show how the characters became who they are.
My biggest disappointment with this book is that I feel much of the story was left out, and I just wanted more. My guess, based off of interviews with Stephen King, is that as a new writer much was edited, and the story condensed. As the story got better the pages got fewer, I almost wanted to slow down my reading and savor the story like a great steak, morsel by morsel. Unfortunately, I am greedy, and I finished the story and now I must wait for the author to write more which I hope he will. Like a staving man, I must wait for my next meal, which can’t come fast enough. I look forward to more.
February 16, 2020
This is an awesome book. A real page turner marcus blue is a very interesting character. I started reading and could not put it down. I would recommend it to everyone.....
August 21, 2019
When I read the description for this book, I thought it would be a fantasy adventure, the sort that pits one against many. Instead, this book is a modern story that just so happens to also include vampires, werewolves, and a crotchety once-powerful old man. It was a blast.
The premise was simple: a big, bad vampire rampaging around, causing no end of trouble. Battles ensue. I loved it. It was so much fun! I enjoyed the daylight out of myself. This book pairs well with 90’s nostalgia and popcorn.
There wasn’t a lot of character depth, but with a book like this, there doesn’t need to be. It sounds like I’m just listing negative traits, but what would normally be considered a negative is actually a very good thing in this story. Markus was a fun character with a tough exterior, experience and power to back up his ego, and a hidden soft heart.
Every now and again I have one of those days where the only solution is to watch a movie like Blade. One that’s not heavy on the plot, it’s easy to tell the good guys from the bad guys, and there are cool sunglasses. Markus didn’t have the sunglasses, but in every other aspect it felt like a simple, fun vampire flick. Check it out!
The premise was simple: a big, bad vampire rampaging around, causing no end of trouble. Battles ensue. I loved it. It was so much fun! I enjoyed the daylight out of myself. This book pairs well with 90’s nostalgia and popcorn.
There wasn’t a lot of character depth, but with a book like this, there doesn’t need to be. It sounds like I’m just listing negative traits, but what would normally be considered a negative is actually a very good thing in this story. Markus was a fun character with a tough exterior, experience and power to back up his ego, and a hidden soft heart.
Every now and again I have one of those days where the only solution is to watch a movie like Blade. One that’s not heavy on the plot, it’s easy to tell the good guys from the bad guys, and there are cool sunglasses. Markus didn’t have the sunglasses, but in every other aspect it felt like a simple, fun vampire flick. Check it out!
August 23, 2019
This book is enjoyable and entertaining, a fun read that keeps you hooked.
I liked the cast of characters, the world building and the plot.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I liked the cast of characters, the world building and the plot.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
September 22, 2019
This was a fantastic read. David does a great job of both humanizing the Vampires as well as bringing weight to his unlikely heroes. The story is action-packed to the very end and sets up the potential of a follow on story. I look forward to seeing the next story!
April 2, 2020
Overall Rating = 4.58
Storyline & Concept = 5
Writing & Delivery = 4.5
Editorial = 4.25
Markus Blue is a dying warlock, one of the last of his kind, facing the final battle of his life against a powerful vampire, his Legions of followers, and mystical Wolves.
Markus is an action-packed fantasy adventure that grabbed my interest from the first page. The unrelenting pace of the novel holds the reader’s interest throughout, but what makes this story stand out are the characters. The author does an excellent job of developing his characters to make them believable, interesting, and someone to whom we can feel connected. He has taken an old-world concept and incorporated it into a contemporary setting, and the result is exceptional.
Sublime Line: “A fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat fantasy adventure that will pull you in, spin you around, and leave you wanting more.”
Storyline & Concept = 5
Writing & Delivery = 4.5
Editorial = 4.25
Markus Blue is a dying warlock, one of the last of his kind, facing the final battle of his life against a powerful vampire, his Legions of followers, and mystical Wolves.
Markus is an action-packed fantasy adventure that grabbed my interest from the first page. The unrelenting pace of the novel holds the reader’s interest throughout, but what makes this story stand out are the characters. The author does an excellent job of developing his characters to make them believable, interesting, and someone to whom we can feel connected. He has taken an old-world concept and incorporated it into a contemporary setting, and the result is exceptional.
Sublime Line: “A fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat fantasy adventure that will pull you in, spin you around, and leave you wanting more.”
July 31, 2020
This was an interesting concept, though not necessarily one that hasn't been done before. The author executes the story well, and the pages do turn, which is good. This book functions well as escape fiction. I kept getting hung up on Pittsburgh not being spelled with an H, which I know is silly and does not detract from the writing, but I wanted to note that. I think fans of Jim Butcher will want to check this out if they have a hankering for this. Anyone into vampire fiction or detective fiction will enjoy this as well.
August 6, 2021
Beautiful characters and a great romp
I loved the characters in this book, especially Markus, who is a mysterious old man. I have seen old men like him and wondered what powers they might have, whether they might be warlocks for real. I enjoyed way Markus’ powers were slowly revealed, and the way all the characters were slowly revealed to be warlocks, werewolves and vampires — all without saying those words as early descriptors. It was delicious to wonder, “What kind of creature is this?”
I loved the characters in this book, especially Markus, who is a mysterious old man. I have seen old men like him and wondered what powers they might have, whether they might be warlocks for real. I enjoyed way Markus’ powers were slowly revealed, and the way all the characters were slowly revealed to be warlocks, werewolves and vampires — all without saying those words as early descriptors. It was delicious to wonder, “What kind of creature is this?”
November 1, 2020
I don't read a lot in the supernatural genre, but this book got me right from the start. The writing is excellent; the descriptions are vivid; and the characters are well-drawn. The plot is action-filled, tense, exciting, yet peppered with emotional scenes that change the pace and give you a real feel for the characters. This won't be the only book I read from this author.
September 12, 2023
Quite the page-turner!
Like Dracula's gaze, you'll be mesmerized & drawn into this book with no hope of escaping. If Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Harry Potter had a love child, this would be it. Read it...NOW!
Like Dracula's gaze, you'll be mesmerized & drawn into this book with no hope of escaping. If Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Harry Potter had a love child, this would be it. Read it...NOW!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews