Bloodbound

Pathfinder Tales #30

by F. Wesley Schneider

Hunters of the Dead!

Larsa is a dhampir—half vampire, half human. In the gritty streets and haunted peaks of Ustalav, she's an agent for the royal spymaster, keeping peace between the capital's secret vampire population and its huddled human masses. Meanwhile, in the cathedral of Maiden's Choir, Jadain is a young priestess of the death goddess, in trouble with her superiors for being too soft on the living. When a noblewoman's entire house is massacred by vampiric invaders, the unlikely pair is drawn into a deadly mystery that will reveal far more about both of them than they ever wanted to know.

From Pathfinder co-creator and veteran game designer F. Wesley Schneider comes a new adventure of revenge, faith, and gothic horror, set in the award-winning world of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Vampires, Horror

480 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2015

About the author

Editor-in-chief at Paizo Inc. and co-creator of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, F. Wesley Schneider is the author of dozens of Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons adventures as well as several dark fantasy and sci-fi tales.

His first novel, Pathfinder Tales: Bloodbound, debuted from Tor and Paizo Inc. in December 2015. Watch for his story, "Stray Thoughts," in Eclipse Phase: After the Fall - The Anthology of Transhuman Survival & Horror, coming in early 2016.

Find more from Wes at wesschneider.com, on Tumblr at wesschneider, or on Twitter at @FWesSchneider.

Reviews

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes going into this because I like Wes Schneider from listening to interviews about the Pathfinder RPG (he's a managing editor at Paizo, I think). He's a dynamic speaker and is obviously enthusiastic about the world and product. Also, Ustalav deserves some mind-space and has excellent potential for horror-tinged fantasy goodness.

And the story is serviceable and the characters are interesting and the plot didn't suck. And yeah, all of that is mild praise, I know. The thing is, while the writing is evocative and flows unobtrusively well, some of the other elements undermined the impact I think this story should have had. Some examples:

* The metronome-like viewpoint trade-off between Larsa and Jadain felt mechanical and lead to things like breaking chapters in the middle of action sequences.
* Jadain's relationship with her worship and church were rather monotone and left you wondering how she could possible continue as a member, let alone priestess when everyone else was so very antagonistic towards her approach to her religion and towards her personally.
* Larsa and Jadain's friendship never reached even casual reconciliation, let alone anything I felt could last beyond mutual convenience. This is a real shame as Larsa's emotional need is in the foreground throughout the novel and some catharsis there would have been both welcome and endearing. Yeah, I get that Jadain is fundamentally uncertain, but her failure to connect by the end was outstanding in the worst possible way. A real opportunity was not just missed, but tossed out the window when Jadain left Larsa to find her own healing after the final vampire showdown.
* Way too much of the plot revolved around Ailson Kindler. Indeed, Larsa was merely a bystander for too much of the emotional impact of the central plotline and Jadain was completely tangential to it. Not to mention that I thought Larsa should have pushed Ailson's face in during their final conversation rather than the passive exchange of "gifts" we got.

Wow, that sounds like a lot. And it is. Fortunately, Schneider is a decent writer and he kept my interest engaged even through the perceived weaknesses. I liked both Larsa and Jadain and was never tempted to put the book down and simply move on. So while it's three stars, bear in mind that that means I liked the book and am happy I had the chance to read it.

[Hilmi Isa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pathfinder Tales merupakan siri novel yang mengandungi tajuk-tajuk cerita yang berdasar atau berlatarbelakangkan dunia permainan board game bergenre fantasi iaitu Pathfinder RPG (Role-Playing Game). Siri novel ini bertindak sebagai fluff atau gambaran mengenai dunia fantasi Pathfinder melalui cerita-cerita pengembaraan watak-watak protagonis di dalamnya.

Di dalam Bloodbound,setting ceritanya adalah di Ustalav,sebuah negara di dalam wilayah yang dipanggil Inner Sea Region. Larsa,seorang dhampir (separuh manusia dan separuh vampire)merupakan seorang anggota Royal Accuser,sebuah pertubuhan perisikan kerajaan Ustalav. Larsa juga merupakan seorang yang berasal dari dunia gelap bawah tanah yang dihuni makhluk penghisap darah. Dirinya berusaha untuk mengetahui identiti dirinya yang sebenar dan memburu Rivascis,seorang vampire yang dibencinya sejak sekian lama. Cerita ini turut menampilkan watak utama kedua iaitu Jadain,seorang paderi wanita yang berkhidmat kepada Dewi Kematian Pharasma. Melalui pertemuan yang tidak disengajakan dengan Larsa,Jadain nekad untuk mengikuti pengembaraan Larsa menuju ke Ardis di utara Ustalav. Dia berbuat demikian untuk mencari kekuatan diri selepas kemampuan dan kredibilitinya sebagai seorang paderi wanita Pharasmin dipertikaikan oleh orang atasannya sendiri.

Penulisnya,F. Wesley Schneider,menggunakan gaya penceritaan orang pertama melalui kaca mata Larsa dan Jadain. Ini adalah gaya penceritaan yang unik dan pertama kali saya baca. Naratif sebegini dilakukan secara bergilir-gilir. Yakni,di dalam bab pertama,Larsa menjadi pencerita,manakala,di dalam bab kedua giliran Jadain pula,kembali semula kepada Larsa di dalam bab yang ketiga dan seterusnya. Melalui kajian ringkas di dalam internet,saya memerhatikan terdapat banyak tajuk di dalam siri Pathfinder ini. Insya-Allah. Saya akan mengikuti siri novel ini dan akan mengumpul serta membaca buku-buku di dalamnya jika berkesempatan berbuat demikian.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "Bloodbound" which I won through Goodreads/First Reads F. Wesley Schneider takes the reader into the chillingly dark cesspool of Caliphas where Larsa a dhampir (half-human, half-vampire) and accuser (royal agent) has been sent to investigate a vampiric massacre at Thorenly Manor. Attacked by rogue vampires which she quickly annihilates, Larsa haunted by her sketchy past discovers a painting with her likeness that links her to Lady Ellishan Thorenly, the only survivor of the butchery.

After an exorcism at the Havenguard Asylum under the watchful eye of High Inquisitor Mardhalas goes awry Jadain Losritter, a Parasmin priestess fearing dismissal from her order stays behind to sit in on Larsa's interview of Lady Ellishan. Shattered by the experience the noblewoman not only gives a rambling account of the bloodbath with the cryptic statement that " it's all happening again" but alludes to a connection between Larsa and her sister Alison Kindler. This begins a journey that will take Larsa and Jadain to Ardis not only to track down an elusive vampire traitor but to hunt for clues to the Accuser's lineage.

F. Wesley Schneider sets the stage in a vividly imaginative world of vampires and humans where a truce has been forged between Caliphas's living and undead populace. As an agent of the royal spymaster, it is Larsa's duty to protect the peace, investigating any unnatural events in the capital that would undermine it. Drawn into a deadly mystery that will take her on a journey far from the city she finds help in the most unlikely places; from a disgraced priestess hounded by the High Inquisitor for being too soft with the living and the Pathfinder Society, a group of explorers learning about the past to create a better future.

In a tale of political intrigue and revenge told from Larsa and Jadain's perspectives, Wesley Schneider uses evocative details mixed with a gothic horror style to create a fast-paced, action-packed fantasy that captivates the reader from beginning to end. The author builds intensity and suspense with every step that Larsa and Jadain take in their journey including a mountain storm, rockslides, freakish watchmen and vicious priests, adding to a high stakes game that has them unravelling secrets about themselves. Although this is one of many Pathfinder Tales, Wesley Schneider quickly and smoothly immerses the reader in his fantasy world, characters and a plot with surprising twists.

Infused into this high-energy drama are starkly realistic and complex characters that continually face the violent and terrifying bloodthirsty vengeance of vampires determined to hunt them down. Larsa haunted by her abusive past shows sparks of humanity but is obsessed with getting revenge against the traitorous father who abandoned her. Jadain Losritter is gentle with the penitent, an open and honest priestess who discovers that her faith can be imperfect and still do the will of the goddess of death.

"Bloodbound" is a well-written, innovative and intoxicating tale that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. I liked it and recommend it to those that like a blend of high adventure, revenge and intrigue set in a world where the living and the dead barely co-exist.

[Maria Haskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Bloodbound’ is a terrific and very entertaining fantasy and adventure story with strong shades of gothic horror. There are vampires aplenty, and one of the main characters – the gutsy and gloriously ornery Larsa – is the offspring of a human and a vampire: alive, but endowed with some vampire powers. The other main character is the young priestess Jadain who serves Pharasma. Pharasma is the goddess of death and rebirth, and pretty much the nemesis of any and all undead, including vampires, making the initial meeting between Larsa and Jadain somewhat tense.

‘Bloodbound’ starts out a little slow as it introduces the reader to Jadain and Larsa (each chapter in the book switches between their points of view, a storytelling device that works well here), but once the two are thrown together, the tale really catches fire. The story then follows the unlikely friendship that forms between them as they set out on a long journey and difficult quest together, facing several dark and perilous adventures.

I loved the way Larsa and Jadain’s friendship grows slowly but surely throughout the tale: the relationship has an entertaining odd-couple-on-the-road feel to it. The story is well-written and fast-paced with several fantastical and gore-horror-fabulous fight scenes: there were some towards the end that had me turning the pages frantically to find out how Jadain and Larsa would save their skins (and souls).

‘Bloodbound’ is a rollicking dark fantasy tale lit up by two strong female characters whose friendship is allowed to shine through the story from start to finish. All together an excellent adventure.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started off quite good but than I somehow lost touch with it along the way. This is a gothic novel set in Golarion and I feel the gothic and the heroic clashes at times. Very interesting characters though.

[Horror Underground · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review from Horrorunderground.org

Bloodbound
Pathfinder Tales
Tor Books
Author: F. Wesley Schneider

Bloodbound follows the story of Larsa, a dhampir—half vampire, half human. In the gritty streets and haunted moors of gothic Ustalav, she’s an agent for the royal spymaster, keeping peace between the capital’s secret vampire population and its huddled human masses. Yet when a noblewoman’s entire house is massacred by vampiric invaders, Larsa is drawn into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse that will reveal far more about her own heritage than she ever wanted to know.

Based on the wildly popular Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, this story is set in the fantastical world of Golarion, a place that gamers and fans have come to know quite well. Most of these tales tend to be more in the realm of sword and sorcery, fitting for a Dungeons & Dragons inspired RPG. The exception being that this novel takes us in the direction of a gothic horror story, relying less on the elves and dragons one would expect from this type of narrative. Instead, Bloodbound offers a mix of the best of both worlds. Using high concept horror and the lush, expansive nature of fantasy storytelling, the result is a rich, Hammer style gothic horror overflowing with political intrigue and revenge.

I have played Pathfinder in the past, as a young adult RPGs like this were a favorite of mine, although I never got that heavy into the this world. So, as far as faithfulness to the representation of this game, I can only say that the game’s co-creator F. Wesley Schneider wrote this so I am assuming that it is as faithful as a story could be. Already having an established world to work with, Schneider takes quick strides in showcasing the vibrant land and has us dive right into the story. Introductions are given in haste, but the wording is so well placed that you will need no previous knowledge of the games or other publications based upon it. A hundred pages in and I felt completely knowledgeable and immersed in the narrative. Larsa’s story is rather similar to other half vampire novels or films, but the presentation is completely original and the twists that are unraveled and revealed are insanely entertaining.

Surprisingly violent, despite the humanity within Larsa and other characters, the vampires strike with a viciousness that is missing from broad audience tales like this. I was a little concerned that the vamps would spend so much time talking that the brutality of their race would be just a side plot. Not the case. Both the horror and fantastical chess game are balanced with a surgeon's precision.

Schneider’s ability to draw you into a world that already has an expansive structure makes this a perfect introduction to the narrative world of Pathfinder. Balancing gothic horror, revenge and high drama is no easy task, but Schneider certainly makes it seems as though it is. A fun and violent spin on fantasy storytelling, Bloodbound is a great novel because it offers more than just a book to sell to fans of the game, this is a solid, original story that should please genre fans as well.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won my copy of Bloodbound through a giveaway at Tor.com.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Bloodbound. This was a book I very likely never would have read if not for winning the giveaway. It’s a Pathfinder Tales book, which is a series of fantasy books set in the world of the Pathfinder role playing game. I’ve never played Pathfinder, though I have played Dungeons & Dragons in the past. I have read (or attempted) several books based in game worlds (Dungeons & Dragons, Magic the Gathering) in the past and found the quality varied tremendously, so I’ve often avoided these sorts of books. But Bloodbound was well-written and a fun read. I was drawn in by the characters, found the world interesting, and enjoyed riding along as the author crafted, then slowly revealed the various mysteries in the book.

The story involves vampires, which is another reason I might have overlooked it. But I really enjoyed the author’s take on vampires. They are gritty, vicious, mysterious, monstrous, and sometimes human creatures. They are not the romantic love interests of so many of the vampire tales these days. This was refreshing. The vampires were elements in the overall story, which involved some level of horror, but also a fair bit of mystery.

I found interesting the author’s choice to tell the tale using first person perspective, but from the point of view of two different characters, rotating between the two, one chapter per character. The first chapter is told from the point of view of Larsa, a dhampir (half vampire/half human), who has loyalties to both the human government and the vampire underground. The second chapter is told from the point of view of Jadain, an inexperienced priestess who starts the story very naive and sheltered, but grows and matures throughout the novel. I think this worked very well. We have two different characters who should naturally clash, a half-vampire and a priestess whose church thinks undead should be cleansed from the earth, who have to work together to accomplish their goals. Great choice of main characters and great choice with the two points of view.

I really enjoyed Bloodbound. I will certainly keep an open mind about Pathfinder books in the future, and any other books by F. Wesley Schneider.

[Cory Gilman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite liked this novel. I encountered at least one reference to the typical fantasy RPG paradigm that was fun to see but not so intrusive as to confuse someone unfamiliar with the trope. Overall an enjoyable read.

[Anthonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully well-written dark fantasy novel about a dhampir named Larsa. It is told in first person point of view. I love the story of Larsa the hunter and the duty she fulfills in this story. A must read

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

*SOME SPOILERS*

This is the first Pathfinder Tales book that I have read, and while it didn't scare me off from reading any of the other books in the series, it has made me a little cautious about paying full price for any others.

I have never played any of the Pathfinder games and had never heard of them before. I picked up several books in the series at a decent discount because I thought the backcover blurbs sounded interesting. In spite of my unfamiliarity with Pathfinder, I never found that to be a problem while reading Bloodbound.

I had a lot of fun reading the first 200 or 300 pages: riding along in a wagon with some mismatched misfits setting out on a gothic adventure to a distant, mysterious city named Ardis. Unfortunately, not long after reaching the city, the story crashes and burns. Most of the paper-thin characters, though singed, manage to crawl to safety but the plot is totaled.

The problem isn't the city. It has real potential as an eerie set piece. Unfortunately, it's let down by the plot and the main antagonist. He is terrible. His personality changes from scene to scene.
When we finally meet this guy, he seems relatively genteel - even kind compared to some of the characters we meet along the road. Next chapter he's straight up Darth Vader. In another chapter he's emo Anakin Skywalker. At one point he sets up a ridiculous tableau straight out of a goofy 1960s horror film. A row of coffins are lined up on stage, draped in cloth and covered with flowers. Large portraits of the deceased occupants hang above the coffins. All the coffins are occupied except for the middle one which is intended for one of the heroes.
All of this just so he can torment a woman he kind of fell in love with over fifty years ago. And when he finally dies, the next to last line he utters, while obviously intended to invoke pathos, just reeks of bathos instead. He didn't earn that line. At no point in this book does he come off as the least bit sympathetic.
Then, as he dies, he drops (on his daughter's face) a single tear mixed with his own ashes.

It's so dumb.
Vincent Price might have been able to pull that off, but not this guy.
Everything involving that character is so different in tone from the rest of the book, it's bizarre.

I honestly wish that instead of going to Ardis, they had instead investigated that weird, creepy monastery they passed on the way. It seemed cool. That scene where they meet the monk on the mountain road in the middle of a terrible storm is probably the only genuinely creepy gothic moment in Bloodbound. If this had been a video game, I would have rushed to Ardis, sold my loot and made a beeline back to that monastery to uncover every one of its horrible secrets.

I could go on about the weak plot (and some small subplots that were left hanging - seriously, what was up with that monk?) and the weak characters (how many hints do you need, priestess? - LEAVE YOUR CHURCH - or at least start a new one), but this review is already too long.
As it is, if you can get this book cheap or borrow it from the library, I recommend it based on roughly the first three quarters (I actually did really enjoy them) - but lower your expectations for the last.

[S.B. (Beauty in Ruins) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must admit, I cracked the spine on Pathfinder Tales: Bloodbound with no little trepidation. It was to be my first exposure to the Pathfinder universe, and I had no idea what to expect. While I have fond memories of cutting my genre teeth on the old TSR novels, Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms haven't stood up well over time. That said, I find I actually appreciate their Ravenloft horror/fantasy world more now than I did back then, so entering into the Pathfinder world with vampires and clerics seemed like a good choice.

Having closed the book on my first Pathfinder journey, I'm pleased to say F. Wesley Schneider put together a pretty solid novel that incorporates some of the universe's overall world-building, but which is still accessible to a new reader. I feel like I came out of it understanding at least one corner of the world, and definitely curious to know more.

As for the story itself, this is largely a gothic horror story, within the setting and time period of a pseudo-medieval fantasy. There are so many little elements here that make it all work. The settings include including drafty old castles, sprawling places of worship, and an altogether chilling asylum; the characters include vampires, half-vampires, priestesses, and Inquisitors; and the plot lines involve exorcisms, possessions, family secrets, and betrayals. I'll be honest, I wasn't thrilled about the idea of a half-vampire heroine at the start - it's a tired old trope - but Larsa is sharp enough in terms of edge, wit, tongue, teeth, and blade to make it all work. Jadain, the conflicted priestess, was intriguing to me right from the start, and I really like the way Schneider explored the conflicts in her loyalties and her faith.

If the book struggled in one aspect, it's in the absence of a truly fearsome villain. This is a dark tale, set in what I understand to be one of the darker corners of the Pathfinder world, with some really dark acts taking place. While there are a few villains lurking about, none of them were strong enough or malevolent enough to be worthy of the plot. While the narrative structure is a bit weak early on, and kept me from really getting into a flow, this confusing/awkward changes of POV do eventually get smoothed out - and the rest of the narrative, especially the Gothic feel of the descriptions, is actually a cut above your standard tie-in fantasy fair.

I can't speak to its fan appeal, but as an introduction to the world, Pathfinder Tales: Bloodbound is a solid read, and one that ensures I'll make time in the reading schedule for a return to the world with Pathfinder Tales: Hellknight.


Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way affect the honesty or sincerity of my review.

[Nick Orvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

F. Wesley Schneider's Bloodbound is a decent gothic horror story and a good mass-market branded paperback (at least from my limited experience). Set in the world of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game (though I suspect it'd be at least broadly accessible, if less enticing, to unfamiliar readers), the novel tells the story of Larsa, a half-vampire woman living in the gloomy city of Caliphas, where the ruling class has an unspoken truce with the vampires lurking the warrens below their city. As a half-human, half-vampire woman, Larsa polices the borders of this truce, slaying vampires who overstep their bounds (for example by preying on anyone other than the powerless and poor) and reporting to both the king's chief of intelligence and the rule of vampires, her cruel and manipulative "Grandfather." When a mysterious vampire attack just outside of the city sends her to the local asylum, she falls in with Jadain, an earnest and compassionate priestess of the death goddess Pharasma, and they begin a journey that will take them across the country and deep into the dark recesses of Larsa's past.

Schneider's prose is solid and occasionally chilling (and occasionally squicky in its descriptions of vampire feedings, etc.--I'm guessing a generic staple, though I personally wasn't enthralled). There's a tendency to indulge in slightly purple descriptions, particularly of the landscape, locals, and forboding presences. Chapters alternate between Larsa and Jadain's viewpoints, and while Larsa is clearly the center of the narrative I enjoyed Jadain's character more - her journey from earnest and slightly lost young priestess to the adult woman she becomes at the end of the book seems more fully realized than any journey of Larsa's (who, in classic gothic horror fashion, mostly attempts to ignore or brush off the things that are non-literally haunting her). Most of the supporting characters are vivid, though not all are fully fleshed out (Tashan was a bit of a disappointment). Overall, not a book I'd look to for any great insight on its major themes - revenge, self-determination, and faith - but an enjoyable adventure story and, even at over 400 pages, a fun and quick read.

[Kurt Springs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was first published on Kurt's Frontier.

Synopsis:

Larsa is a royal accuser: an agent for the royal spymaster who keeps the peace between the capital’s secret vampire population and humanity. She is also a dhampir, born of a union between vampire and human. Jadain is a young priestess of the Maiden’s Choir and servant to the death goddess. Her more fanatical superiors harass her for being too soft on the worshipers. The unlikely pair come together when vampiric invaders massacre almost the entire household of a noblewoman. They set out on a journey to find out who would attack this house. The problem is that the enemy is her father, and he is targeting a mother she doesn’t know.

Review:

Wesley Schneider’s Bloodbound is a tale from the popular Pathfinder series of games. It is told in the first person and from the point of view of Larsa, a dhampir hunter of dark things, and Jadain, a soft-hearted priestess of the goddess of death. The tone of this dark fantasy trends toward gothic horror. Larsa was born from a union between a vampire and a human. After a childhood of living hell, she was forged into a tool for maintaining the uneasy truce between humans and the undead, killing anyone caught breaking the truce. She is never truly accepted by either vampires or humans. Jadain is caught in a power struggle between two factions of her order. The more fanatical faction would love to destroy Larsa.

While not exactly hard to put down, the book is interesting. Bram Stroker’s Dracula has been described as a slow burn. In most respects, so is this book though with more action. Larsa and Jadain have to piece together a mystery as to why Larsa’s father is targeting her mother, and why the woman refuses to remember.

[Kirakazumi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's my first pathfinder book and I have to say that I quite enjoyed it.

Cons:
- Overtly descriptive of throwaway locations
- The two leads could've used more bonding time to strengthen their friendship
- Perspective jumps are jarring sometimes

Pros:
- Expansive world bulding and multiple locations
- Relatable and endearing leads
- Action scenes are concise and fast, just rightly paced

[Neil McGarry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always wary of RPG books, and particulary of the half-vampire trope, but Bloodbound allayed all my fears. Author F. Wesley Schneider combines solid prose with non-sexualized female leads to create an engaging tale of vampiric intrigue. Recommended.

[J. W. Hood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good vampire novel.

interesting heroines and the plot was more complex than an average hack and slash adventure.
I was surprised by the ending.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A journey by a half vampire to find and kill her father. On the way she discovers who she really is and enemies become friends.

[Charmaine Spears · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOOD BOUND

Very dark , very Gothic and highly enjoyable I loved both characters in this! They made a great team and I liked how it was told from both their viewpoints

[Michael Cantwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before the actual review a note on a pet peeve of mine around reviews and that's holding back a five star rating for 'perfection'. Given that you only have five stars to cover the entire spectrum between 'My god, that was awful! I don't understand how this even made it into print... Why?!' and a literally perfect literary effort, I really don't agree with the 'I never give five stars!' brigade.

So what's my criteria for star ratings? Broadly speaking: one is 'Oh god, no!' two is 'Well, it's not awful...', three is probably a range from a 'Well it wasn't my cup of tea but...' to 'OK', four is good and five is I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to others. For me, Bloodbound fell into that last category. There were several times as I read through it that I thought of friends and family that would really enjoy reading this too. I can see my copy getting tattered and dog-eared as I try and convince others to give it go.

I'm not going to recount any of the story here, it's easy enough to read a synopsis online rather than my ham-fisted attempt at one, but it is a book based in the world of a fantasy role-playing game, Pathfinder. Pathfinder is essentially an off-shoot of Dungeons and Dragons but don't let that put you off! Firstly, some game fiction is fantastic; I'd recommend the Dragonlance books by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickmanm to anyone in a heartbeat. Secondly it's not your traditional 'swords and sorcery' book that you might expect would come from that, this has a very European gothic feel to it. It’s a book about vampires and vampire hunters with a good dash of religious fanatics and inquisitors that see heresy everywhere.

I will say it took me a while to get into this. Now I’ll give the author the benefit or the doubt here because I really don’t find much time to read any more. In the past the daily commute would be my opportunity to read, captive and away from the day to day distractions, but currently that’s only 10 minutes. It’s really not enough time to really get my teeth into anything so I can’t say whether it’s me or the author so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. The format of the book is that there are two protagonists, Larsa and Jadain, who take it in turns to give their point of view. Perhaps that’s not giving enough time for the first to grab you before moving to the second and this split attention slows down how long it takes for the book to get it’s teeth into you but, like I say, I really don’t find the time to read so I’ll give the author the benefit of the doubt here. I imagine it’s more me than him.

Once I got properly started, though, I couldn't put it down! Now I do play Pathfinder, and I am currently GMing the first part of Carrion Crown, set in the same area and it's an excellent game resource as well as an enjoyable book. Anyone playing or consider playing that campaign, this is a must read! The background detail it gives to the area is fantastic. Similarly, anyone playing a follower of Pharasma, read this! Not only is half the book about Jadain, a Pharasmin priestess, but a key part of the conflict for the character is multiple interpretations of worshipping the goddess of death. This aside, it's still a really great story in it's own right that I think non-RPG types will still enjoy. And I learned a new word. Bivouacked. Not once, but twice!

Now, I don't see this story as a must-read cornerstone of vampire fiction (the main antagonist, Rivascis, isn't the new Dracula or Lestat, for example) and there were a few errors that really should have been picked up in editing that jarred the reading experience but, minor issues aside, I'd really recommend giving this a try. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

[Jes Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Summary from Amazon]: Larsa is a dhampir-half vampire, half human. In the gritty streets and haunted moors of Gothic Ustalav, she's an agent for the royal spymaster, keeping peace between the capital's secret vampire population and its huddled human masses. Yet when a noblewoman's entire house is massacred by vampiric invaders, Larsa is drawn into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse that will reveal far more about her own heritage than she ever wanted to know.

My boyfriend has a few of the Pathfinder Tales novels and knows of the RPG, but I am unfamiliar with Pathfinder in general so I went into this novel with a completely blank slate ready to evaluate the plot.

Likes:

- I loved that the novel includes advanced vocabulary that I haven't encountered often in previous books. It requires you to use context clues to understand the definition, or to put forth the effort of researching it.

- A novel that has vampires, and a dhampir. What's not to love?

- Strong female characters! Larsa and Jadain are the main characters of the novel. Larsa being a strong, determined dhampir that doesn't take crap from anyone and Jadain, a level-headed and open minded Priestess that searches for the good in others no matter what her faith dictates.

- The novel has plenty of action throughout the novel, plenty of it occurring back to back. Also, there aren't any distracting romantic interests that take away from the plot. Unless you count Tashan and Considine .. but that was acceptable!

- Jadain's openness towards Larsa being a vampire, and later to Considine, despite her faith dictating that vampires are abominations and should be destroyed. Jadain concentrates on the good of her Pharsmin faith as opposed to following the judgmental, and dangerous aspect of the religion.

Dislikes:

- The author should have provided a pronunciation key for the names of the characters. While they are undeniably unique they are absolutely difficult to sound out and pronounce correctly.

- The religious fanatics are overwhelming in their stupidity and defense of Pharasma. They encompass the faith so completely that they aren't afraid to condemn their brethren to death, or mutilation for not embodying the religion. (Ex: The symbol imprinted on Jadain's eye)

However, this aspect of the novel allows the reader to understand that almost everything in life is a matter of perspective, and that where you stand often times dictates what you see, or how you see things/people.

Jadain said it perfectly when she stated that "everyone is a heretic to someone".

- There are MANY texts errors throughout the novel. Spelling errors, missing words to make the sentence correct or repeated words that don't need to be present. Nothing a simple proofread couldn't fix.

- While the scenery descriptions are lengthy, and detailed which allow the reader to indulge their imagination they also seemed to dampen my interest at certain parts and slowed my progress while reading.

Overall, it's a worthwhile novel to check out if you are into an action/adventure novel that has a SciFi element to it. Whether you are familiar with the Pathfinder RPG or not, it's a pretty entertaining read.

[Brannigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published on TheQwillery.com

F. Wesley Schneider’s story in the Pathfinder universe is centered around Caliphas, a dark dangerous city that has made a truce with the undead, in particular, vampires. So when there is a vampire attack at the Thorenly Manor, there is an investigation to determine if this was a deliberate attack against the peace treaty or something else. Larsa is a half-vampire and accuser working as a royal agent. Jadain Losritter is a priestess struggling to understand her own faith and her place in her church. Together, they seek a way to bring the peace back to Caliphas.

Wesley is a master at creating the perfect gothic mood for fantasy/horror stories. You immediately get wrapped up in the cobwebs and shadows. There’s also plenty of creepy settings, from castles to asylums. He also isn't afraid to go to some dark places in his story with vampire attacks and possessions. You really get your fill of the dark world Wesley creates.

Wesley did a great job with the two protagonists, Larsa and Jadain. They worked well together and I found myself enjoying the journey. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of a half-vampire or priestess questioning her faith, as both of these have been used a lot in other horror and fantasy stories. However, Wesley was able to provide an interesting take, and soon I forgot about the overused character types and focused on the story as a whole.

The story pacing didn’t immediately take off for me. I had to invest some energy to get invested in the characters, but once I did the pacing sped up and I quickly lost myself in the story.

Bloodbound is a moody read that puts you in the chase as two heroins seek to hold back the darkness. There are plenty of frighting encounters and battles to keep you reading late into the night. This is a perfect read for the fantasy goth in your life. I’d recommend it for older teens to adults with the amount of horrific imagery and plot points.

[Joel Flank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloodbound is the first novel by F Wesley Schneider, the editor in chief at Paizo, and resident expert on the gothic horror country of Ustalav. Based on this, I was thrilled to see what he did with the setting in his debut (excluding the myriad of gaming products he has written.) He doesn't disappoint, introducing the vampire hunter, Larsa, who struggles with her upbringing as a Dhampir, a half vampire, beholden to the vampire rulers of the capital's underworld, as well as Jadain, an unusually compassionate priestess of Pharsasma, goddess of death.

Both of them are thrown together on a mission to warn an innocent victim of the latest vampire machinations that she's in danger. And both of them have their own personal stake (yes, I made a vampire pun!) in the mission. Not only do they have to survive facing a powerful vampire manipulator, but they have to face their inner demons to salvage their psyches. Along the way, they encounter the well liked setting character Allison Kinder, whom has been featured in various gaming products as a feisty monster hunter. It was great seeing her brought to life in a novel, and to see that even in her twilight years, she's more than formidable (and the character I'd least like to meet in a dark alley.)

As appropriate for the land of Ustalav, Bloodbound is a darker story than many of the Pathfinder Tales novels, but right on target for a macabre vampire story. None of the characters make it to the end of the book unscathed, and I'm hoping we'll get to see their future adventures in a sequel. (Thought I fear for their suffering in the future - they've been through enough.)

[Tellatale · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read some of the other in the same series and although I know nothing about the RolePlaying game, I have liked reading the adventures in these books better than some other mainstream fantasy books. That said, I did not enjoy this as much as the others that I have read before. The first one was Tim Pratt's 'Lair's Island' that I thoroughly enjoyed and that started me off on finding more books in this series.
This one was a lot darker in setting and storyline but darkness done well can be entertaining and can hold my attention. I liked the character of Larsa and the mystery surrounding her even though she is a dhampir, a half vampire, and I have never really liked any of the vampire mythos. It never worked for me even at the height of its popularity. I liked Jadain and she could have been so much more. Instead she ended up being more of a vanilla character at best. And the pace of the story was too slow and took forever to get where it needed to go. it picked up when they finally got to their destination and shortly before the villain came on scene but until then it was a slow hard slog and I almost gave up. A lot of characters introduced for a few scenes really did not add much to the over-arching storyline and only dragged on the length. A tighter pace and more well connected instead of rambling sequences would have made the book a little shorter but much more enjoyable.

[~Cyanide Latte~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do I know anything about the world of Pathfinder? Not at all. Clearly however, that wasn't enough to deter me from jumping into this novel. For what my opinion is worth, Schneider did such an excellent job writing this that I don't think one necessarily needs knowledge of the world of Pathfinder in order to read, follow and enjoy this story. Primarily it is a vampire novel of sorts, which is what drew me in and made me curious in the first place, and it's the sort that I'm especially partial to.

I'm not sure what I could tell you here that isn't in the summary blurb and doesn't give away too much of the plot. Perhaps the characters are what can be mentioned, and they deserve to. Larsa was very likeable in her gruff, tortured protagonist not accepted by either side of society sort of way, and while it took a while, Jadain did eventually grow on me as she endures a struggle of her faith and understanding of her religious beliefs. There are also some fascinating, important side characters, one of whom has a novella Schneider wrote before this book. I fully intend to check it out when I can.

All in all, this was a very fun and diverting book that was a refreshing change of pace from the other things I've been reading lately, and I'm glad I finally got to it, not the least because it's one of the books that has been on my TBR list the longest.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloodbound is Wes Schneider's freshman novel, picking up some characters from his previous short-stories. Set in Pathfinder's fantasy world of Golarion—specifically in the Gothic land of Ustalav—Bloodbound is a fantasy noir tale featuring characters making hard choices and confronting hard truths about themselves. It features some potent imagery and fun twists and turns along with vivid characters, focusing on the vampire hunter Larsa and the death-priestess Jadain (I'm inordinately fond of the vampire fop Considine, myself). It's a fun read for fans of fantasy-noir, gothic style, or fantasy-adventure stories. While strongly rooted in the Pathfinder signature setting, no prior knowledge or experience is required to enjoy this book.

[Richard Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 5-star rating here is admittedly skewed by my love of the setting in which this novel takes place. I've not spent nearly as much time playing the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game in any part of its signature campaign world as the fog-shrouded gothic nation of Ustalav, so getting to see its portrayal as envisioned by this country's creator is a real treat. Wes Schneider does not disappoint those of us who bought the book for "gamer porn", drawing the reader into his world of decadent vampires, pious priestesses, and the tortured souls caught between these two worlds. I'm desperately hoping to someday read more stories about the survivors of this novel, and perhaps see a resolution to some of the loose plot ends left dangling at the book's conclusion.

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

In reality, I only got this book because I saw it was about Pathfinder. I play that game. Overall, the dark plot didn't draw me in enough. I stopped reading it because one of the characters could not stop swearing. The plot was also a little dark for my taste. All I got about the plot is that it was about a half vampire, or dhampir, who has to team up with a young priestess of the death goddess to solve a mystery of a murder. Overall, the swearing and plot make it not worth it to read.

[Benjamin Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good story featuring strong, well-developed characters on an interesting journey.

Full review (with spoilers) on my blog.

[Leliel Mitsukai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I know I'm a sucker for a good Pathfinder Tale, but this was even better than most. Well-written and engaging, I had trouble putting this one down.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid story with enjoyable protagonists. I enjoyed it.