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Burning Girl #2
Blood Echo
A conspiracy that promises bloodshed and the only woman who can stop it collide in the page-turning thriller by Christopher Rice, Amazon Charts bestselling author of Bone Music.
Kidnapped and raised by serial killers, Charlotte Rowe suffered an ordeal that made her infamous. Everyone in the world knew who she was. But no one in the world has any idea what she’s become…
Charlotte is an experiment. And a weapon. Enabled by a superpower drug, she’s partnered with a shadowy pharmaceutical company to hunt down and eliminate society’s most depraved human predators. But her latest mission goes off the rails in a horrifying way. Unsettled by her own capacity for violence, Charlotte wants some time to retreat so she can work on her new relationship with Luke, a sheriff’s deputy in the isolated Central California town she now calls home.
If only the threats hadn’t followed Charlotte there.
Something sinister is evolving in Altamira, California—a massive network of domestic terrorists with ties to Charlotte’s influential and corrupt employers. As a vast and explosive criminal conspiracy grows, the fate of Charlotte’s hometown hangs in the balance. With everyone she cares about in danger, Charlotte has no choice but to bring her powers home.
Charlotte Rowe has been triggered, and now she’ll have to take matters into her own powerful hands.
Kidnapped and raised by serial killers, Charlotte Rowe suffered an ordeal that made her infamous. Everyone in the world knew who she was. But no one in the world has any idea what she’s become…
Charlotte is an experiment. And a weapon. Enabled by a superpower drug, she’s partnered with a shadowy pharmaceutical company to hunt down and eliminate society’s most depraved human predators. But her latest mission goes off the rails in a horrifying way. Unsettled by her own capacity for violence, Charlotte wants some time to retreat so she can work on her new relationship with Luke, a sheriff’s deputy in the isolated Central California town she now calls home.
If only the threats hadn’t followed Charlotte there.
Something sinister is evolving in Altamira, California—a massive network of domestic terrorists with ties to Charlotte’s influential and corrupt employers. As a vast and explosive criminal conspiracy grows, the fate of Charlotte’s hometown hangs in the balance. With everyone she cares about in danger, Charlotte has no choice but to bring her powers home.
Charlotte Rowe has been triggered, and now she’ll have to take matters into her own powerful hands.
355 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 19, 2019
1706 people are currently reading
3393 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Rice
37 books2,584 followersChristopher Rice is the recipient of the Lambda Literary Award and is the Amazon Charts and New York Times bestselling author of A Density of Souls; Bone Music, Blood Echo, and Blood Victory in the Burning Girl series; and Bram Stoker Award finalists The Heavens Rise and The Vines. An executive producer for television, Christopher also penned the novels Ramses the Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra and Ramses The Damned: The Reign of Osiri with his late mother Anne Rice. Together with his best friend and producing partner, New York Times bestselling novelist Eric Shaw Quinn, Christopher runs the production company Dinner Partners. Among other projects, they produce the podcast and video network TDPS, which can be found at www.TheDinnerPartyShow.com. He lives in West Hollywood, California, and writes tales of romance between men under the pseudonym C. Travis Rice. Visit him at www.christopherricebooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 314 reviews
October 4, 2022
Earlier this year, I had begun to grow weary from consuming thriller after thriller after thriller. Each action packed novel I picked up seemed less exciting and more "been there, done that, and got the t-shirt". Had I just devoured my lifetime fill of novels in that genre? Turns out, the answer is no, I just needed someone as clever is Christopher Rice to churn out a new genre bending series to re-ignite my flame for all the things that get my heart racing.
A little backstory in case you're new to these books... 1) This is book #2 in the Burning Girl series, and these books NEED to be read in order. This isn't a case of "I can read these for the varying individual plot lines and fill in character development along the way"; each book builds on the previous and it is vital that you read them in order to understand and fully appreciate the dynamics between the characters, the plot, and how it's all connected up to this point. 2) These books aren't you're typical straightforward thrillers; they do have mild sci-fi aspects, so if you're looking for a realistic, traditional thriller, this is not for you. Now, onto the good stuff!
Blood Echo takes place shortly after the events of Bone Music wrap up; Charlotte has really come into her own working for Cole and her personal life appears to be the most normal it's ever been, but of course appearances are deceiving and things don't stay that way for long. After we get an exciting view at her latest case and some unexpected twists during the finale, we jump ship to see how her boyfriend/local police officer Luke is doing. A strange case lands on his desk and, after being blocked from all angles, he realizes it might be something larger than a simple domestic violence charge. Along the way, we find that both Charlotte's endeavors and Luke's case are connected, and what follows is a slow building suspense that leads into a bang up ending that still has me shook.
I really don't want to say too much, especially since this is a sequel, but I think it's safe to say that if you loved Bone Music you'll really enjoy Blood Echo as well. The pacing and format of storytelling was a huge change up from the previous novel, but I found this to be a really good thing, as it kept me on my toes. And that ending.... WOW! Dennis and I have been chatting about it all afternoon and we've both agreed that we need book #3 now! Guess we're in for a long wait, but I'm ecstatic to have something so delectable to look forward to!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy via NetGalley>
A little backstory in case you're new to these books... 1) This is book #2 in the Burning Girl series, and these books NEED to be read in order. This isn't a case of "I can read these for the varying individual plot lines and fill in character development along the way"; each book builds on the previous and it is vital that you read them in order to understand and fully appreciate the dynamics between the characters, the plot, and how it's all connected up to this point. 2) These books aren't you're typical straightforward thrillers; they do have mild sci-fi aspects, so if you're looking for a realistic, traditional thriller, this is not for you. Now, onto the good stuff!
Blood Echo takes place shortly after the events of Bone Music wrap up; Charlotte has really come into her own working for Cole and her personal life appears to be the most normal it's ever been, but of course appearances are deceiving and things don't stay that way for long. After we get an exciting view at her latest case and some unexpected twists during the finale, we jump ship to see how her boyfriend/local police officer Luke is doing. A strange case lands on his desk and, after being blocked from all angles, he realizes it might be something larger than a simple domestic violence charge. Along the way, we find that both Charlotte's endeavors and Luke's case are connected, and what follows is a slow building suspense that leads into a bang up ending that still has me shook.
I really don't want to say too much, especially since this is a sequel, but I think it's safe to say that if you loved Bone Music you'll really enjoy Blood Echo as well. The pacing and format of storytelling was a huge change up from the previous novel, but I found this to be a really good thing, as it kept me on my toes. And that ending.... WOW! Dennis and I have been chatting about it all afternoon and we've both agreed that we need book #3 now! Guess we're in for a long wait, but I'm ecstatic to have something so delectable to look forward to!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy via NetGalley>
January 18, 2019
I originally started reading books by Christopher Rice because I've read all the books by his mother, Anne Rice, and I wanted to see what kind of writer her son would be. The more he writes, the more his talent grows. The books become more complex and interesting.
When I picked up this book I wasn't aware that it was the second in a series - but it didn't matter because it was good all by itself. I like the characters Charlotte and Luke. The Cole character's pretty good too - but maybe dark side - I don't trust him. The plot is interesting and has several layers going on at the same time: the drug and experiments, the tunnel build, a romance, terrorists - it's a little busy. This is a violent book, so if you are adverse to reading that type of thing, this book is not for you. It is a fast-paced, nerve-wracking type of book though and if you like thrillers, you will enjoy it. Now I've got to go back and read Bone Music (the first in this series).
Thanks to Christopher Rice and Thomas & Mercer through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
When I picked up this book I wasn't aware that it was the second in a series - but it didn't matter because it was good all by itself. I like the characters Charlotte and Luke. The Cole character's pretty good too - but maybe dark side - I don't trust him. The plot is interesting and has several layers going on at the same time: the drug and experiments, the tunnel build, a romance, terrorists - it's a little busy. This is a violent book, so if you are adverse to reading that type of thing, this book is not for you. It is a fast-paced, nerve-wracking type of book though and if you like thrillers, you will enjoy it. Now I've got to go back and read Bone Music (the first in this series).
Thanks to Christopher Rice and Thomas & Mercer through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 19, 2019
One of my favorite novels this year was Christopher Rice's Bone Music. I fell in love with the story, the characters, and the realistic vibes of the supernatural that I've never seen before. This review will not be about Bone Music, but I just needed to make that disclaimer before I move on. If you haven't picked up Bone Music yet,
do not read Blood Echo
.
Blood Echo picks up right where we've left off. Charlotte (aka Charley—sometimes I will go back and forth with the naming of this character, because I'm lazy) has aligned herself with Cole and his pharmaceutical company in hopes to continue working with them on her Zypraxon-induced abilities. Zypraxon is a drug that has been created by Cole's company that has allowed Charley to gain superhuman strength and regenerative properties. Charley is the only person that this drug has ever worked for, and will continue to use it in hopes of creating a better society. Charley will team up with Cole, using Zypraxon, and preemptively strike serial killers and criminals before they attack. With one serial killer already taken into custody, the team decides to go after more.
As Charley and Cole continue with their experiments, the town that Charley and her boyfriend Luke call home—Altamira, California, has a problem of their own. When one of the richest developers in town's girlfriend comes to Luke's precinct to report criminal activity, Luke only scratches the surface of what's at stake here. Altamira needs Charlotte, and Charlotte needs Altamira. Will Cole allow Charlotte to pause on her experiments, in order to protect her home?
Blood Echo is rather different than it's predecessor, but still just as intoxicating. This time around, the story is more character driven than ever before. In fact, this time around, Cole takes the center stage. Blood Echo is more about Cole and his characterization, rather than any of the other characters. We do a deep dive into Cole's perspective, which is refreshing because we didn't get too much into detail about his life in Bone Music. Although I gave this story five stars, that does not mean that this novel isn't flawed. The first part of Blood Echo is astounding! Like hold onto your weaves, bitches, because we are moving fast! However, the second part changes course, and it's pacing dramatically. It really caught me off guard, but it sets the stage for the bigger, more important action in part three. Don't let frustrate you or put you off about continuing the story. The final 25% of the book reigns supreme, and really sets the series up for an unbelievable storyline. PS Christopher Rice, if you're reading this... I want more Dylan! Go into this book, and do not hold it up against Bone Music, because this story is more transitional than the first, but equally just as important to read if you're interested in continuing with the series.
Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Blood Echo will be released on February 19, 2019.
Blood Echo picks up right where we've left off. Charlotte (aka Charley—sometimes I will go back and forth with the naming of this character, because I'm lazy) has aligned herself with Cole and his pharmaceutical company in hopes to continue working with them on her Zypraxon-induced abilities. Zypraxon is a drug that has been created by Cole's company that has allowed Charley to gain superhuman strength and regenerative properties. Charley is the only person that this drug has ever worked for, and will continue to use it in hopes of creating a better society. Charley will team up with Cole, using Zypraxon, and preemptively strike serial killers and criminals before they attack. With one serial killer already taken into custody, the team decides to go after more.
As Charley and Cole continue with their experiments, the town that Charley and her boyfriend Luke call home—Altamira, California, has a problem of their own. When one of the richest developers in town's girlfriend comes to Luke's precinct to report criminal activity, Luke only scratches the surface of what's at stake here. Altamira needs Charlotte, and Charlotte needs Altamira. Will Cole allow Charlotte to pause on her experiments, in order to protect her home?
Blood Echo is rather different than it's predecessor, but still just as intoxicating. This time around, the story is more character driven than ever before. In fact, this time around, Cole takes the center stage. Blood Echo is more about Cole and his characterization, rather than any of the other characters. We do a deep dive into Cole's perspective, which is refreshing because we didn't get too much into detail about his life in Bone Music. Although I gave this story five stars, that does not mean that this novel isn't flawed. The first part of Blood Echo is astounding! Like hold onto your weaves, bitches, because we are moving fast! However, the second part changes course, and it's pacing dramatically. It really caught me off guard, but it sets the stage for the bigger, more important action in part three. Don't let frustrate you or put you off about continuing the story. The final 25% of the book reigns supreme, and really sets the series up for an unbelievable storyline. PS Christopher Rice, if you're reading this... I want more Dylan! Go into this book, and do not hold it up against Bone Music, because this story is more transitional than the first, but equally just as important to read if you're interested in continuing with the series.
Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Blood Echo will be released on February 19, 2019.
June 5, 2020
After having read Bone Music and loving it, I knew I had to continue the series with this the second outing of the Burning Girl series.
This book continues the story of Charlotte and her relationship with Cole, the owner of a pharmaceutical company which has made a drug entitled Zypraxon. This drug has enabled Charlotte to become a superhuman in strength also having the power to regenerate her body when it has been injured. It's a tenuous relationship for Charlotte, (Charley) and one in which her boyfriend Luke combats the onslaught of a major development team that seems to have nefarious dealings. With Cole seeming to run the show, Charley continues to be their one subject where Zypraxon has worked. It's time to save their town, so Charley and Luke spring into action and fight against what seem to be insurmountable odds.
In this segment we learn more of Cole, his background and how he became the person he is. It's an interesting look into this character in this outing and one that was both enjoyable and a quick read.
This book continues the story of Charlotte and her relationship with Cole, the owner of a pharmaceutical company which has made a drug entitled Zypraxon. This drug has enabled Charlotte to become a superhuman in strength also having the power to regenerate her body when it has been injured. It's a tenuous relationship for Charlotte, (Charley) and one in which her boyfriend Luke combats the onslaught of a major development team that seems to have nefarious dealings. With Cole seeming to run the show, Charley continues to be their one subject where Zypraxon has worked. It's time to save their town, so Charley and Luke spring into action and fight against what seem to be insurmountable odds.
In this segment we learn more of Cole, his background and how he became the person he is. It's an interesting look into this character in this outing and one that was both enjoyable and a quick read.
August 23, 2020
These books are so much fun. You're going to want to suspend your disbelief - the science is still pretty much handwaved - but when you do, there's something about Charlotte that's so much more satisfying than your average superhero.
Part of it, probably, is Christopher Rice and his absolutely unambiguous take on inequality, be that financial or otherwise. The company that's providing our superhero with her funding and protection isn't just throwing money around like they're the fairy godmother of plot convenience; instead, there's still internal politics, and the CEO may have his motivations but he's definitely not the best adjusted. Conflict between other characters exists, too, but wonder of wonders, communication is allowed to take place.
Overall, while there's certainly some violence, especially when it comes to the climax of the story, these books are mostly fun escapism, elevated by really good writing, trope subversion, and the odd jab at the rich and conservative. For a quick and entertaining read, these are a great choice.
Part of it, probably, is Christopher Rice and his absolutely unambiguous take on inequality, be that financial or otherwise. The company that's providing our superhero with her funding and protection isn't just throwing money around like they're the fairy godmother of plot convenience; instead, there's still internal politics, and the CEO may have his motivations but he's definitely not the best adjusted. Conflict between other characters exists, too, but wonder of wonders, communication is allowed to take place.
Overall, while there's certainly some violence, especially when it comes to the climax of the story, these books are mostly fun escapism, elevated by really good writing, trope subversion, and the odd jab at the rich and conservative. For a quick and entertaining read, these are a great choice.
February 7, 2019
Ahhhhhhhh.... I LOVE THIS SERIES. This is book 2 in the Burning Girl series and while sometimes these can be "fillers" for a series, this one does not feel that way in the slightest. Rice does what I love best in series and wastes no time, taking off from the ending of Bone Music from page one and never letting up. Because of this, I highly suggest you start with book one and then continue. If not, then you will be doing yourself a disservice as some things won't quite mesh without knowing the full backstory.
Charlotte is now committed to being at the service of men she doesn't trust (and for good reason) in order to keep some semblance of normalcy in her life. Charlotte isn't normal, her life isn't normal but hey, you can dream some right? She's now fully engaged in her romance with Luke (this is high on their commitment and struggles but without all the romantic nosh so don't get the wrong idea), and their connection grows with this book. His instincts about a case propels them both into some interesting conspiracy theories and how they're going to manage this - IF they can. Phew - does this open some doors to a continued story line. CHRISTOPHER, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME WITH THAT ENDING?!
It's hard to say too much without giving anything away. I will say that while book one felt fast paced, it really was slower in the sense of learning about Zypraxon, Charlotte's abilities when she's triggered and how everything fell into place. Blood Echo launches forward even faster as this background is already in place and we see just exactly what Charlotte is now capable of... good luck to anyone who lands on her bad side.
Do yourself a favor and pick up both books ASAP and you can thank me later.
Charlotte is now committed to being at the service of men she doesn't trust (and for good reason) in order to keep some semblance of normalcy in her life. Charlotte isn't normal, her life isn't normal but hey, you can dream some right? She's now fully engaged in her romance with Luke (this is high on their commitment and struggles but without all the romantic nosh so don't get the wrong idea), and their connection grows with this book. His instincts about a case propels them both into some interesting conspiracy theories and how they're going to manage this - IF they can. Phew - does this open some doors to a continued story line. CHRISTOPHER, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME WITH THAT ENDING?!
It's hard to say too much without giving anything away. I will say that while book one felt fast paced, it really was slower in the sense of learning about Zypraxon, Charlotte's abilities when she's triggered and how everything fell into place. Blood Echo launches forward even faster as this background is already in place and we see just exactly what Charlotte is now capable of... good luck to anyone who lands on her bad side.
Do yourself a favor and pick up both books ASAP and you can thank me later.
October 23, 2020
I love everything Christopher Rice does. He's a master of character and atmosphere! This is book two of a trilogy of book and I loved the first one so much I pretty much devoured this one.
November 15, 2018
Blood Echo by Christopher Rice was a very fast paced moving story that keeps you on your toes!!
The plot involves a corrupt pharmaceutical company that has been involved in some shoddy shenanigans. So many drugs that are being experimented with that are insane!! Charlotte was the result of one of their experiments which gave her superhuman powers of strength and regenerating wounds.
There is a serial killer around the town that needs to be stopped along with tons of other action. Although, since I didn't read the first in the series... it was a tad bit hard for me to follow. So, I felt I was a bit of disadvantage with this. I was confused on some characters/references in the book that I assume were from book one.
I felt like there was a TON of stuff going on in this book which caused my attention to sway in and out. I think sometimes authors put too much meat in the plot... which causes the story to fall flat for me. I don't know if reading the first in the series would have changed my mind with this?
Overall, this was a mediocre read for me and I'm not sure if I will go back and read the first in the series.
3 stars
Huge thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: 2/19/19
Published to GR: 11/15/18
The plot involves a corrupt pharmaceutical company that has been involved in some shoddy shenanigans. So many drugs that are being experimented with that are insane!! Charlotte was the result of one of their experiments which gave her superhuman powers of strength and regenerating wounds.
There is a serial killer around the town that needs to be stopped along with tons of other action. Although, since I didn't read the first in the series... it was a tad bit hard for me to follow. So, I felt I was a bit of disadvantage with this. I was confused on some characters/references in the book that I assume were from book one.
I felt like there was a TON of stuff going on in this book which caused my attention to sway in and out. I think sometimes authors put too much meat in the plot... which causes the story to fall flat for me. I don't know if reading the first in the series would have changed my mind with this?
Overall, this was a mediocre read for me and I'm not sure if I will go back and read the first in the series.
3 stars
Huge thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: 2/19/19
Published to GR: 11/15/18
February 21, 2019
Blood Echo was good. It was not too good but it was good. Book 1 blew me away and i had huge expectations for book 2. Blood Echo didn't hit all my buttons like Bone Music
August 15, 2020
Blood Echo is the sequel to Bone Music, in the Burning Girl series about Charley Rowe, a young woman raised by serial killers, who gained super-powers from taking an experimental drug produced by a shadowy corporation, and uses them to take out serial killers. I’ve got an ARC of the third book due on Tuesday so was in a hurry to get through this, but unfortunately after enjoying BM, found this one rather boring. You do need to read these in order for the plot and characters’ actions to make sense.
Set a few months on from the end of Bone Music, this begins with Charley, who has been living happily with Luke in Altamira, undertaking another test mission for billionaire Cole Graydon to catch a nasty predator who’s been skinning the bodies of the prostitutes he kills. As before, things go wrong due to her over-confidence but she gets the job done and returns home for some R&R. Sheriff’s Deputy Luke is sulking at being left out, so when a young woman is beaten up by her boyfriend, one of the construction bosses involved in building a tunnel for Cole’s luxury resort, he jumps in and arrests him, until forced to let him go by Cole for political reasons - but his discovery of a terrorist plot puts him in terrible danger, and only Charley can save him.
This starts and ends well, with the first and last fifths showing Charley using her powers to take out bad men in some exciting fast paced action scenes - which is what we came for. Unfortunately the middle 60% is all talking. Lots of talking. Charley’s angst about her actions, Luke’s angst about his job being boring, Cole’s angst that they don’t trust him... There are endless power plays in the various camps and very little actually happens. We do learn more about Cole’s traumatic past, and why he’s so obsessed with developing Zypraxon. The baddies are suitably evil but don’t have much of a plan beyond torturing people who get in their way. Hopefully Blood Victory will be better. 2.5 rounded down for the present tense narration.
Set a few months on from the end of Bone Music, this begins with Charley, who has been living happily with Luke in Altamira, undertaking another test mission for billionaire Cole Graydon to catch a nasty predator who’s been skinning the bodies of the prostitutes he kills. As before, things go wrong due to her over-confidence but she gets the job done and returns home for some R&R. Sheriff’s Deputy Luke is sulking at being left out, so when a young woman is beaten up by her boyfriend, one of the construction bosses involved in building a tunnel for Cole’s luxury resort, he jumps in and arrests him, until forced to let him go by Cole for political reasons - but his discovery of a terrorist plot puts him in terrible danger, and only Charley can save him.
This starts and ends well, with the first and last fifths showing Charley using her powers to take out bad men in some exciting fast paced action scenes - which is what we came for. Unfortunately the middle 60% is all talking. Lots of talking. Charley’s angst about her actions, Luke’s angst about his job being boring, Cole’s angst that they don’t trust him... There are endless power plays in the various camps and very little actually happens. We do learn more about Cole’s traumatic past, and why he’s so obsessed with developing Zypraxon. The baddies are suitably evil but don’t have much of a plan beyond torturing people who get in their way. Hopefully Blood Victory will be better. 2.5 rounded down for the present tense narration.
July 26, 2019
After thoroughly enjoying Bone Music I eagerly anticipated the same reaction with this second book in the series. While Blood Echo was interesting, something was just lacking for me and I honestly don't know what it was. The ingredients were all there -- returning characters from the previous book, Charlotte taking on another baddie, Luke investigating his own mystery that ends up connecting to Charlotte's work in a surprising way.
All this and yet it felt like nothing really happened in this book. If I had to put it into words, I guess this book felt like it existed purely to set up the future events in book three (and possibly beyond, as I have no idea how many the author plans for the Burning Girl series). I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it just wasn't what I expected.
I did like the fact that we got to learn more about Cole and his motivations, and the end of the book definitely took me by surprise and ensured my going along for the ride in book three.
To sum up, this was a good book; I just didn't think it was as good as the first one.
All this and yet it felt like nothing really happened in this book. If I had to put it into words, I guess this book felt like it existed purely to set up the future events in book three (and possibly beyond, as I have no idea how many the author plans for the Burning Girl series). I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it just wasn't what I expected.
I did like the fact that we got to learn more about Cole and his motivations, and the end of the book definitely took me by surprise and ensured my going along for the ride in book three.
To sum up, this was a good book; I just didn't think it was as good as the first one.
March 28, 2019
Some of my most trusted bookstagram friends have been raving about Christopher Rice for awhile now so late last year I finally picked up the first book in this series, Bone Music. They all told me that not only is his writing amazing, but that this series in particular had a unique edge, and man were they right! Even though this falls under the general umbrella of a thriller there are some sci fi elements which, surprisingly didn’t bother me at all even though that genre is way out of my comfort zone. Just a heads up!
As I said earlier this is the second book in a series and it is crucial to read both books. I did listen to the first book on audio and then flipped between the two for this one and the narration was great if you want that as an option. Anyway, do not start here and think you can get all caught up easily, there is imperative information in the first installment so do yourself a favor and start there.
I want to circle back to the sci fi angle I mentioned earlier, there is definitely some supernatural activity here but it was handled in the most believable way possible. Weird, I know, but even though things should seem far fetched it just all makes sense here and I didn’t actually feel like I was reading something out there or that I had to suspend disbelief at all. I think part of this is because the characterization is great, especially with Charlotte and while I feel like two books in we’ve taken a deep dive into who she is, I also get the sense that there is so much more to explore with her.
The pacing here is a little odd, it starts out fast and full of intensity and then things slow down a bit and then bam, you’re back to excitement and one hell of an ending. I’m a serious fan of the author now and really can’t wait for the next book, this is just a really cool concept and like nothing that I’ve read before.
Blood Echo in three words: Unusual, Complex and Dark
As I said earlier this is the second book in a series and it is crucial to read both books. I did listen to the first book on audio and then flipped between the two for this one and the narration was great if you want that as an option. Anyway, do not start here and think you can get all caught up easily, there is imperative information in the first installment so do yourself a favor and start there.
I want to circle back to the sci fi angle I mentioned earlier, there is definitely some supernatural activity here but it was handled in the most believable way possible. Weird, I know, but even though things should seem far fetched it just all makes sense here and I didn’t actually feel like I was reading something out there or that I had to suspend disbelief at all. I think part of this is because the characterization is great, especially with Charlotte and while I feel like two books in we’ve taken a deep dive into who she is, I also get the sense that there is so much more to explore with her.
The pacing here is a little odd, it starts out fast and full of intensity and then things slow down a bit and then bam, you’re back to excitement and one hell of an ending. I’m a serious fan of the author now and really can’t wait for the next book, this is just a really cool concept and like nothing that I’ve read before.
Blood Echo in three words: Unusual, Complex and Dark
February 10, 2019
I badly want to talk about this book! But I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll tread carefully.
First, I highly recommend starting at the beginning of this series, with Bone Music. While Rice does a great job of scattering details as reminders, this is the kind of series that is more a continuation of a storyline than separate plots with the same main character.
I really love this series. Rice gives us a unique spin on the traditional thriller, with what might feel to some like an element of science fiction. But the science behind it makes sense to me, and I can see it as a possibility, so I have no problem making that leap.
The characters are well developed. We're given a lot of emotional depth that adds layers to the story.
The content offers much to think about on issues such as vigilante justice and our illusion of privacy.
While there are aspects of this series that will be ongoing, we don't have any major cliffhangers. The immediate issues of the plot are resolved, which I appreciate because I really despise cliffhangers.
This is definitely a series I recommend!
*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.*
First, I highly recommend starting at the beginning of this series, with Bone Music. While Rice does a great job of scattering details as reminders, this is the kind of series that is more a continuation of a storyline than separate plots with the same main character.
I really love this series. Rice gives us a unique spin on the traditional thriller, with what might feel to some like an element of science fiction. But the science behind it makes sense to me, and I can see it as a possibility, so I have no problem making that leap.
The characters are well developed. We're given a lot of emotional depth that adds layers to the story.
The content offers much to think about on issues such as vigilante justice and our illusion of privacy.
While there are aspects of this series that will be ongoing, we don't have any major cliffhangers. The immediate issues of the plot are resolved, which I appreciate because I really despise cliffhangers.
This is definitely a series I recommend!
*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.*
August 28, 2021
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2.5 stars
I really enjoyed Bone Music, its action oriented plot made for thrilling read. Both Charlotte and Luke showed some actual character growth, and I came to like them both.
Sadly, Blood Echo is merely an echo of its predecessor. The beginning of this novel was promising enough, but it turns out that Charlotte's hunt for a 'serial killer' was merely an appetiser and not the full course meal. The action-packed start leads to a long-winded back and forth between various characters.
This book consists in characters bickering and/or arguing with one another about the most inane things. I get that 'tension run high' when you are leading, or part of, a secret operation that could revolutionise the world as we know it but why waste precious time rehearsing the same arguments?! Cole, Charlotte, and Luke (as well as a lot of the side characters) will have these stupid 'power struggles' where one character feels the need to assert his or her authority over another character. There will be character A who says something along the lines of "you don't want to mess with me" and character B will give a stupid reply like "is that a threat? "
I wouldn't have minded as much if these arguments made 1) sense 2) advanced the plot 3) revealed something about a character. But they don't! They just came across as 'pissing contests' and they make up the MAJORITY of this forking narrative. What happened to the actual story?Is there a story? N-O! We just have characters questioning each other about every other sentence they say making each 'conversation' almost never-ending, they almost seem to parrot one another.
I grew tired of how stupid the characters were and Cole, who happens to have a bigger role in this book, was such a disappointment. I was hoping that his having the 'limelight' would show what sort of personality/history/character he has but no such luck. Towards the end he recounts a traumatic event in such a 'I'm such a hard-core guy now' way that made what could have been a potentially emotional/distressing scene as flat as a pancake.
Charlotte and Luke seem to regress, becoming more immature by the sentence.
Overall, not only was this was a huge let down but it also made me dislike the characters and world I'd previously loved in Bone Music.
2.5 stars
I really enjoyed Bone Music, its action oriented plot made for thrilling read. Both Charlotte and Luke showed some actual character growth, and I came to like them both.
Sadly, Blood Echo is merely an echo of its predecessor. The beginning of this novel was promising enough, but it turns out that Charlotte's hunt for a 'serial killer' was merely an appetiser and not the full course meal. The action-packed start leads to a long-winded back and forth between various characters.
This book consists in characters bickering and/or arguing with one another about the most inane things. I get that 'tension run high' when you are leading, or part of, a secret operation that could revolutionise the world as we know it but why waste precious time rehearsing the same arguments?! Cole, Charlotte, and Luke (as well as a lot of the side characters) will have these stupid 'power struggles' where one character feels the need to assert his or her authority over another character. There will be character A who says something along the lines of "you don't want to mess with me" and character B will give a stupid reply like "is that a threat? "
I wouldn't have minded as much if these arguments made 1) sense 2) advanced the plot 3) revealed something about a character. But they don't! They just came across as 'pissing contests' and they make up the MAJORITY of this forking narrative. What happened to the actual story?Is there a story? N-O! We just have characters questioning each other about every other sentence they say making each 'conversation' almost never-ending, they almost seem to parrot one another.
I grew tired of how stupid the characters were and Cole, who happens to have a bigger role in this book, was such a disappointment. I was hoping that his having the 'limelight' would show what sort of personality/history/character he has but no such luck. Towards the end he recounts a traumatic event in such a 'I'm such a hard-core guy now' way that made what could have been a potentially emotional/distressing scene as flat as a pancake.
Charlotte and Luke seem to regress, becoming more immature by the sentence.
Overall, not only was this was a huge let down but it also made me dislike the characters and world I'd previously loved in Bone Music.
September 23, 2018
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this fast paced techno-thriller. The plot moves quickly and involves a shadowy, ethically corrupt pharmaceutical company. It is experimenting with some futuristic drugs, going far beyond ones which will alleviate illness. Some of its other projects seem objectionable. Charlotte is the heroine and the result of one of their experiments gave her superhuman strength when she is feeling fear and also the power to regenerate wounds. There is also a serial killer to be stopped, and a fanatical band of domestic terrorists that are endangering the town and surroundings.
The plot was filled with non-stop high octane excitement. However, since I hadn’t read the first book in the series I felt at an disadvantage. Characters and events from the first book were mentioned, but I felt there were gaps in my knowledge which prevented me from having a more enjoyable read. This was particularly true of Charlotte’s horrific early background and what led her to undergo the experiments which made her so powerful. I wanted to know how she met Luke, now a deputy sheriff in a small, isolated town. Charlotte would like to retreat there as some of her violent assignments have preyed on her conscience, but she is also tied to the company which made her superhuman.
I also found the large cast containing so many characters and names rather confusing.
I plan to read the first book in the Burning Girl series which preceded Blood Echo. I liked Charlotte and Luke and hope there will be a third book in the series, but maybe without such an abundance of characters to keep straight in my mind.
The plot was filled with non-stop high octane excitement. However, since I hadn’t read the first book in the series I felt at an disadvantage. Characters and events from the first book were mentioned, but I felt there were gaps in my knowledge which prevented me from having a more enjoyable read. This was particularly true of Charlotte’s horrific early background and what led her to undergo the experiments which made her so powerful. I wanted to know how she met Luke, now a deputy sheriff in a small, isolated town. Charlotte would like to retreat there as some of her violent assignments have preyed on her conscience, but she is also tied to the company which made her superhuman.
I also found the large cast containing so many characters and names rather confusing.
I plan to read the first book in the Burning Girl series which preceded Blood Echo. I liked Charlotte and Luke and hope there will be a third book in the series, but maybe without such an abundance of characters to keep straight in my mind.
February 26, 2019
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Thriller
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Blood Echo is the second installment in author Christopher Rice's Burning Girl series. The story takes place 5 months after the events of Blood Music and absolutely should be read as the books are released. The series follows Charlotte Rowe aka Trina Pierce who spent 7 years being raised by serial killers Daniel and Abigail Banning. It has been 18 years since her rescue, and Charlotte's life has turned in so many different directions, that you just have to hold on to your seat and watch what happens next.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Thriller
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Blood Echo is the second installment in author Christopher Rice's Burning Girl series. The story takes place 5 months after the events of Blood Music and absolutely should be read as the books are released. The series follows Charlotte Rowe aka Trina Pierce who spent 7 years being raised by serial killers Daniel and Abigail Banning. It has been 18 years since her rescue, and Charlotte's life has turned in so many different directions, that you just have to hold on to your seat and watch what happens next.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
May 6, 2020
I love this series so much! I can't wait for the next book in August.
May 29, 2019
Blood Echo (Burning Girl, Book 2)
By Christopher Rice
Genre - Fiction
Subgenre - Suspense/Thriller/Speculative Fiction
Pages - 351
Publication Information - Thomas & Mercer - February 19, 2019
Format - Hardcover
Reviewed by William C. Bitner, Jr. (https://booksinmylibraryblog.wordpres...)
Rating - 📙📙📙📙📙
The thrills and suspense continue in Blood Echo (Burning Girl, Book 2) by Christopher Rice. This installment seemed to me to be much more character driven, delving into and digging up some past relationships and experiences of some of the main characters. There are multiple stories going on at the same time and it is quite exciting and rather invigorating to keep track of all that is going on. The main characters are well developed and the plot and storyline are compelling, complex and original. Christopher is a master storyteller and has a magical, yet masterful way of structuring and constructing words into an original, mind blowing and believable story and reading experience. Fast paced and packed with suspense and thrills from start to finish. I have read all of Christopher’s books to date and find him just getting better with each new publication, making it very easy for me to say yes to the next book he puts out there. I look forward to the continued story in this series as well as any other books that come our way from this very talented author.
Inside the cover: Kidnapped and raised by serial killers, Charlotte Rowe suffered an ordeal that made her infamous. Everyone in the world knew who she was. But no one in the world has any idea what she’s become…
Charlotte is an experiment. And a weapon. Enabled by a superpower drug, she’s partnered with a shadowy pharmaceutical company to hunt down and eliminate society’s most depraved human predators. But her latest mission goes off the rails in a horrifying way. Unsettled by her own capacity for violence, Charlotte wants some time to retreat so she can work on her new relationship with Luke, a sheriff’s deputy in the isolated Central California town she now calls home.
If only the threats hadn’t followed Charlotte there.
Something sinister is evolving in Altamira, California—a massive network of domestic terrorists with ties to Charlotte’s influential and corrupt employers. As a vast and explosive criminal conspiracy grows, the fate of Charlotte’s hometown hangs in the balance. With everyone she cares about in danger, Charlotte has no choice but to bring her powers home.
Charlotte Rowe has been triggered, and now she’ll have to take matters into her own powerful hands.
About the Author: Christopher Rice is the New York Times bestselling and Lambda Literary Award–winning author of Bone Music (the Amazon Charts bestselling first novel in the Burning Girl series), A Density of Souls, and the Bram Stoker Award finalists The Heavens Rise and The Vines. He also co-authored Ramses the Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra with his mother, New York Times bestselling author Anne Rice. Christopher is currently serving as head writer and executive producer of The Vampire Chronicles, a television series based on his mother’s bestselling series of the same name. He also co-hosts the YouTube channel The Dinner Party Show with his best friend, New York Times bestselling author Eric Shaw Quinn (#TDPS). Christopher lives in West Hollywood, California. Visit him online at www.christopherricebooks.com.
Other books by Christopher Rice: Blind Fall: A Novel, The Heavens Rise, A Destiny of Souls, The Flame: A Desire Exchange Novella, Kiss the Flame: A Desire Exchange Novella, The Surrender Gate: A Desire Exchange Novella, Desire & Ice: A MacKenzie Family Novella, The Vines, Light Before Day, The Snow Garden, The Moonlit Earth, Bone Music, Ramses the Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra (co-authored with Anne Rice) and contributed to MatchUp, Thriller: Stories to Keep You Up All Night, Los Angeles Noir and nEvermore!, et. al.
By Christopher Rice
Genre - Fiction
Subgenre - Suspense/Thriller/Speculative Fiction
Pages - 351
Publication Information - Thomas & Mercer - February 19, 2019
Format - Hardcover
Reviewed by William C. Bitner, Jr. (https://booksinmylibraryblog.wordpres...)
Rating - 📙📙📙📙📙
The thrills and suspense continue in Blood Echo (Burning Girl, Book 2) by Christopher Rice. This installment seemed to me to be much more character driven, delving into and digging up some past relationships and experiences of some of the main characters. There are multiple stories going on at the same time and it is quite exciting and rather invigorating to keep track of all that is going on. The main characters are well developed and the plot and storyline are compelling, complex and original. Christopher is a master storyteller and has a magical, yet masterful way of structuring and constructing words into an original, mind blowing and believable story and reading experience. Fast paced and packed with suspense and thrills from start to finish. I have read all of Christopher’s books to date and find him just getting better with each new publication, making it very easy for me to say yes to the next book he puts out there. I look forward to the continued story in this series as well as any other books that come our way from this very talented author.
Inside the cover: Kidnapped and raised by serial killers, Charlotte Rowe suffered an ordeal that made her infamous. Everyone in the world knew who she was. But no one in the world has any idea what she’s become…
Charlotte is an experiment. And a weapon. Enabled by a superpower drug, she’s partnered with a shadowy pharmaceutical company to hunt down and eliminate society’s most depraved human predators. But her latest mission goes off the rails in a horrifying way. Unsettled by her own capacity for violence, Charlotte wants some time to retreat so she can work on her new relationship with Luke, a sheriff’s deputy in the isolated Central California town she now calls home.
If only the threats hadn’t followed Charlotte there.
Something sinister is evolving in Altamira, California—a massive network of domestic terrorists with ties to Charlotte’s influential and corrupt employers. As a vast and explosive criminal conspiracy grows, the fate of Charlotte’s hometown hangs in the balance. With everyone she cares about in danger, Charlotte has no choice but to bring her powers home.
Charlotte Rowe has been triggered, and now she’ll have to take matters into her own powerful hands.
About the Author: Christopher Rice is the New York Times bestselling and Lambda Literary Award–winning author of Bone Music (the Amazon Charts bestselling first novel in the Burning Girl series), A Density of Souls, and the Bram Stoker Award finalists The Heavens Rise and The Vines. He also co-authored Ramses the Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra with his mother, New York Times bestselling author Anne Rice. Christopher is currently serving as head writer and executive producer of The Vampire Chronicles, a television series based on his mother’s bestselling series of the same name. He also co-hosts the YouTube channel The Dinner Party Show with his best friend, New York Times bestselling author Eric Shaw Quinn (#TDPS). Christopher lives in West Hollywood, California. Visit him online at www.christopherricebooks.com.
Other books by Christopher Rice: Blind Fall: A Novel, The Heavens Rise, A Destiny of Souls, The Flame: A Desire Exchange Novella, Kiss the Flame: A Desire Exchange Novella, The Surrender Gate: A Desire Exchange Novella, Desire & Ice: A MacKenzie Family Novella, The Vines, Light Before Day, The Snow Garden, The Moonlit Earth, Bone Music, Ramses the Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra (co-authored with Anne Rice) and contributed to MatchUp, Thriller: Stories to Keep You Up All Night, Los Angeles Noir and nEvermore!, et. al.
January 22, 2019
The first book in this series was one of my favorite reads of last year. I read lots of suspense/thrillers and they can become very cookie cutter after awhile. This series has that little something that makes it stand out.
A little back story....Charley Rowe was abducted and raised by serial killers who murdered her mother when she was just an infant. After her rescue, her father exploited Charley's story with book deals, movie deals and any other way he could make a buck off of her terrible past. She eventually breaks ties with her father, changes her name and attempts to create a new, low-key life for herself. She starts seeing a psychiatrist that gives her a sample pack of a new drug said to help with anxiety. After a run in with a crazed follower of her abductors, Charley quickly realizes she was given something more than Xanex. This new drug is in fact, a form of para adrenaline that gives the user super human strength and healing abilities. Abilities that can help Charley prevent what happened to her mother from happening to other people. A new drug that, so far, has worked on no one but Charley.
I assumed this installment in the series would be about Charley nailing another serial killer. I wasn't wrong. The book opens up immediately with action. Charley is about to go in pretending to be a hooker to entice their latest suspect into picking her up. This is just the beginning though! How can we already be nailing the serial killer in the first few chapters? Because Christopher Rice is amazing! Because he isn't creating a cozy series where each book is the same just with different characters. There is so much more to it in this book. We learn so much more about the main characters and their pasts. Rice has created a world where love them, or hate them, you are invested in the players. I seriously can't wait until the next book comes out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the chance to review before release.
A little back story....Charley Rowe was abducted and raised by serial killers who murdered her mother when she was just an infant. After her rescue, her father exploited Charley's story with book deals, movie deals and any other way he could make a buck off of her terrible past. She eventually breaks ties with her father, changes her name and attempts to create a new, low-key life for herself. She starts seeing a psychiatrist that gives her a sample pack of a new drug said to help with anxiety. After a run in with a crazed follower of her abductors, Charley quickly realizes she was given something more than Xanex. This new drug is in fact, a form of para adrenaline that gives the user super human strength and healing abilities. Abilities that can help Charley prevent what happened to her mother from happening to other people. A new drug that, so far, has worked on no one but Charley.
I assumed this installment in the series would be about Charley nailing another serial killer. I wasn't wrong. The book opens up immediately with action. Charley is about to go in pretending to be a hooker to entice their latest suspect into picking her up. This is just the beginning though! How can we already be nailing the serial killer in the first few chapters? Because Christopher Rice is amazing! Because he isn't creating a cozy series where each book is the same just with different characters. There is so much more to it in this book. We learn so much more about the main characters and their pasts. Rice has created a world where love them, or hate them, you are invested in the players. I seriously can't wait until the next book comes out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the chance to review before release.
February 20, 2019
As usual, Lauren's narration is fantastic. She has a keen understanding of pitch, tempo, and inflection and she is one of very few women who can pull off a convincing male voice!
I haven't read any of Christopher Rice's other work, but so far with this series he never fails to impress.
Now, in fairness, the quality of the prose is not amazing. He uses a lot of passive voice and clunky constructions.
The way the POV switches from first to third person and back can be a little jarring, but as with the previous book, this is a masterclass on how to write in the present tense without it feeling like a gimmick.
And with that being said, I love Charlotte and Cole as characters. Both are very deep, complex, real-feeling characters. I especially love that while Charlotte is generally a good, moral person who wants to help people, she has a dark streak that tends to get people hurt, especially when someone she cares about is in danger.
This book goes into some more depth about her capabilities and limitations and stayed interesting and compelling even through the slower parts.
I definitely recommend this series to anyone, so long as you aren't too squeamish.
I haven't read any of Christopher Rice's other work, but so far with this series he never fails to impress.
Now, in fairness, the quality of the prose is not amazing. He uses a lot of passive voice and clunky constructions.
The way the POV switches from first to third person and back can be a little jarring, but as with the previous book, this is a masterclass on how to write in the present tense without it feeling like a gimmick.
And with that being said, I love Charlotte and Cole as characters. Both are very deep, complex, real-feeling characters. I especially love that while Charlotte is generally a good, moral person who wants to help people, she has a dark streak that tends to get people hurt, especially when someone she cares about is in danger.
This book goes into some more depth about her capabilities and limitations and stayed interesting and compelling even through the slower parts.
I definitely recommend this series to anyone, so long as you aren't too squeamish.
February 23, 2019
While I really enjoyed “Bone Music” I absolutely loved this sequel & it’s such a long wait for the conclusion of the trilogy alas that means it’ll have been long enough that I’ll want to reread the first two books just before the release of the third.
May 1, 2019
I love this series! I can never put his books downs! Keeps you on your toes and is shocking in many places.
February 21, 2019
I loved the first book in the series so much so I still talk about it, but this felt like a ton of set-up and nom action for the first 75% and nonstop events for the rest. Once I reached the end, I was screaming. I couldn't believe that's how it ended. I adore Christopher Rice's works, and gleefully look forward to his next.
November 25, 2020
4-4.1 A real fast read and a strong sequel.
March 12, 2019
TERRORISM IS FIRST OF ALL DOMESTIC
Christopher Rice is in many ways improving with time. This latest book of his is even better than the first volume of the Burning Girl series for a few reasons.
First, it starts very strong and then the author has to widen the subject and treatment of the character and the situation to keep the intensity of the tale and the dynamism of the action. And the book will have to come to a second climax at the end that will have to be a lot more dramatic to compete with the opening climax. How can he do that? The use of all kinds of miniature drones, or special eye-lenses to be able to receive visual messages and images, and audio equipment to be constantly connected to some base, not to speak of constant surveillance of the people concerned by Charley’s actions. This is science fiction, but it is already there among us, and we just don’t know, and add Artificial Intelligence to this technology, plus face recognition software and you will have Big Brother power 20.
The second reason for the improvement is that Christopher Rice mixes three genres. He builds his story on some science fiction. The whole gamut of it, biological research and new molecules that transform fear, fright and even terror in a subject into superhuman physical power and mental concentration. It plays with paradrenaline, this supposedly uncatchable hormonal substance produced by the body in such situations, and there is a hint that this substance first gives the concerned subject a healing power that is supernatural and it can be used to treat patients with cancer, and it leads to the “complete elimination” (page 172) of a tumor. This is on the verge of the supernatural, but it is also believable since today the progress of medicine is phenomenal. When we know that only about 15% maybe 20% of our grey matter in our brain is actually used, we can imagine that increasing this proportion by five points could produce effects we cannot even measure.
But Christopher Rice adds to this dimension that of horror and true enough the heroin is causing horrible events and she has to deal with all kinds of criminals. So far it was only predators, either pedophile or rapists, and it starts with that case as the opening climax, a heterosexual predator who skins his female victims, maybe alive, to make belts and billfolds with their skin. That’s really something, and it ends very badly. Later Charlotte or Charley will be confronted with a team of terrorists who love torturing their victims, and her own boyfriend, Luke, will become their prey. She will not pray one single time to get permission from the Lord. She will run after them and clean up that plate and save her lover. You reach in that horror the third element.
The third element is the thriller tempo and dynamic of the story. It is always dense, tense and running. There is not one moment without any thrilling intensity, from beginning to end, and the end is typically a promise for another episode with more science fiction end horror. But I won’t say a word about that. This thrilling dimension is conveyed by a social and political dimension. The terrorists we are dealing with here are “a domestic terrorist network” (page 327) as Christopher Rice calls them. But he gives a full description of them. They are all American citizens. Most of them have been in Afghanistan or Iraq, in other words, they are military personnel that had a few rounds in the Middle East. Some of them were honorably discharged and with medals. The head of that network is the son of a man whose family over many generations prospered in the mining industry in West Virginia, North Carolina and a few other states of this region. They are mostly uneducated, or little educated, totally under the dependence of strict biblical references and they want to make America great again by going back to abiding by the norms of a Christian Born again, and even maybe more, ideology.
But let me quote a little bit.
It all starts with the security chief-officer of the pharmaceutical boss, Cole Graydon, who is described as a non-savory character. “Ed made considerable money selling confiscated guns back to street criminals during his time as patrol cop on the LAPD before he vaulted up its power structure later in life.” (page 141) That’s how he became the chief security officer of Cole Graydon under Cole’s father. The credentials were his illegal dealings in LAPD, and of course his police training. That chap is nothing but a criminal domestic terrorist who provides criminals with weapons that had been confiscated from them. Cole Graydon gets rid of him when he discovers he is far from being obedient or simply convinced he has to do what he is asked to do, and later on Cole will find out that he lied on what protection he had provided for Charley and Luke, with dire consequences.
But the domestic terrorist network is defined as follows: “America’s moral decay is weakening its fiber, its very spine, and the country’s sliding downhill as a result. You don’t find the kind of barbarism they’ve seen by trying to understand it. You only try to understand it if you don’t want to fight the unchecked sin within yourself, and if that’s the case, you aren’t out to save anything but your pride – a state that describes most citizens of this once great country. The country’s would-be heroes are being weakened a few years out of the womb. They grow up questioning Christ because they’re taught to question everything from the very idea of patriotism to their own God-given gender. Freedom and self-indulgence are not the same thing. No man who gives in to his very instinct is free… Their self-indulgence lays the country open to ceaseless corruption from outside its borders and endless, unwinnable wars in culturally inferior hellscapes.” (page 285-6) And all that populist ranting is founded on one quotation from the Bible. “Their work will be shown for what it is because the day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. – 1 Corinthians 3:13.” (page 178) and this Pauline quotation is amplified by emails from the terrorist leader. “NO! His work will not be REVEALED!!! We r his agents. We r his soldiers! ACTION MUST BE TAKEN, be it against the sodomites, or the idolaters. Or the abortionists. TO SIT IDLY BY IS TO INVITE THE KINGDOM OF SATAN!” (page 178)
Since these terrorists are on the wrong side of the heroine of the novel and her manfriend (they both have gotten to a ripe age that takes them out of girlfriend and boyfriend’s country) we assume they are the bad guys and rejected by the novel, if not the author, and sure enough they are all destroyed, though at least one is kept to become some lab rat in the hands of a mad scientist under control from Graydon Pharmaceutical.
This is popular literature, but it has an interesting political dimension that reveals the depth of the divide and debate in the USA between those who believe in the American Dream for all, and those who believe in the strict implementation of the strictest reading of the Bible, Old or New Testaments alike. At the same time the book shows a big pharma firm can do what they want without any control. That’s what capitalism is and to bring that under control, no matter whose control, so that the general interest will be respected and satisfied, is quite another problem and the vision of that capitalistic opaque functioning is definitely shown as being by far and often of the most criminal type, with people disappearing cleanly into thin air as if they had never existed.
Fascinating in many ways and very disquieting.
Dr. Jacques COULARDEAU
Christopher Rice is in many ways improving with time. This latest book of his is even better than the first volume of the Burning Girl series for a few reasons.
First, it starts very strong and then the author has to widen the subject and treatment of the character and the situation to keep the intensity of the tale and the dynamism of the action. And the book will have to come to a second climax at the end that will have to be a lot more dramatic to compete with the opening climax. How can he do that? The use of all kinds of miniature drones, or special eye-lenses to be able to receive visual messages and images, and audio equipment to be constantly connected to some base, not to speak of constant surveillance of the people concerned by Charley’s actions. This is science fiction, but it is already there among us, and we just don’t know, and add Artificial Intelligence to this technology, plus face recognition software and you will have Big Brother power 20.
The second reason for the improvement is that Christopher Rice mixes three genres. He builds his story on some science fiction. The whole gamut of it, biological research and new molecules that transform fear, fright and even terror in a subject into superhuman physical power and mental concentration. It plays with paradrenaline, this supposedly uncatchable hormonal substance produced by the body in such situations, and there is a hint that this substance first gives the concerned subject a healing power that is supernatural and it can be used to treat patients with cancer, and it leads to the “complete elimination” (page 172) of a tumor. This is on the verge of the supernatural, but it is also believable since today the progress of medicine is phenomenal. When we know that only about 15% maybe 20% of our grey matter in our brain is actually used, we can imagine that increasing this proportion by five points could produce effects we cannot even measure.
But Christopher Rice adds to this dimension that of horror and true enough the heroin is causing horrible events and she has to deal with all kinds of criminals. So far it was only predators, either pedophile or rapists, and it starts with that case as the opening climax, a heterosexual predator who skins his female victims, maybe alive, to make belts and billfolds with their skin. That’s really something, and it ends very badly. Later Charlotte or Charley will be confronted with a team of terrorists who love torturing their victims, and her own boyfriend, Luke, will become their prey. She will not pray one single time to get permission from the Lord. She will run after them and clean up that plate and save her lover. You reach in that horror the third element.
The third element is the thriller tempo and dynamic of the story. It is always dense, tense and running. There is not one moment without any thrilling intensity, from beginning to end, and the end is typically a promise for another episode with more science fiction end horror. But I won’t say a word about that. This thrilling dimension is conveyed by a social and political dimension. The terrorists we are dealing with here are “a domestic terrorist network” (page 327) as Christopher Rice calls them. But he gives a full description of them. They are all American citizens. Most of them have been in Afghanistan or Iraq, in other words, they are military personnel that had a few rounds in the Middle East. Some of them were honorably discharged and with medals. The head of that network is the son of a man whose family over many generations prospered in the mining industry in West Virginia, North Carolina and a few other states of this region. They are mostly uneducated, or little educated, totally under the dependence of strict biblical references and they want to make America great again by going back to abiding by the norms of a Christian Born again, and even maybe more, ideology.
But let me quote a little bit.
It all starts with the security chief-officer of the pharmaceutical boss, Cole Graydon, who is described as a non-savory character. “Ed made considerable money selling confiscated guns back to street criminals during his time as patrol cop on the LAPD before he vaulted up its power structure later in life.” (page 141) That’s how he became the chief security officer of Cole Graydon under Cole’s father. The credentials were his illegal dealings in LAPD, and of course his police training. That chap is nothing but a criminal domestic terrorist who provides criminals with weapons that had been confiscated from them. Cole Graydon gets rid of him when he discovers he is far from being obedient or simply convinced he has to do what he is asked to do, and later on Cole will find out that he lied on what protection he had provided for Charley and Luke, with dire consequences.
But the domestic terrorist network is defined as follows: “America’s moral decay is weakening its fiber, its very spine, and the country’s sliding downhill as a result. You don’t find the kind of barbarism they’ve seen by trying to understand it. You only try to understand it if you don’t want to fight the unchecked sin within yourself, and if that’s the case, you aren’t out to save anything but your pride – a state that describes most citizens of this once great country. The country’s would-be heroes are being weakened a few years out of the womb. They grow up questioning Christ because they’re taught to question everything from the very idea of patriotism to their own God-given gender. Freedom and self-indulgence are not the same thing. No man who gives in to his very instinct is free… Their self-indulgence lays the country open to ceaseless corruption from outside its borders and endless, unwinnable wars in culturally inferior hellscapes.” (page 285-6) And all that populist ranting is founded on one quotation from the Bible. “Their work will be shown for what it is because the day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. – 1 Corinthians 3:13.” (page 178) and this Pauline quotation is amplified by emails from the terrorist leader. “NO! His work will not be REVEALED!!! We r his agents. We r his soldiers! ACTION MUST BE TAKEN, be it against the sodomites, or the idolaters. Or the abortionists. TO SIT IDLY BY IS TO INVITE THE KINGDOM OF SATAN!” (page 178)
Since these terrorists are on the wrong side of the heroine of the novel and her manfriend (they both have gotten to a ripe age that takes them out of girlfriend and boyfriend’s country) we assume they are the bad guys and rejected by the novel, if not the author, and sure enough they are all destroyed, though at least one is kept to become some lab rat in the hands of a mad scientist under control from Graydon Pharmaceutical.
This is popular literature, but it has an interesting political dimension that reveals the depth of the divide and debate in the USA between those who believe in the American Dream for all, and those who believe in the strict implementation of the strictest reading of the Bible, Old or New Testaments alike. At the same time the book shows a big pharma firm can do what they want without any control. That’s what capitalism is and to bring that under control, no matter whose control, so that the general interest will be respected and satisfied, is quite another problem and the vision of that capitalistic opaque functioning is definitely shown as being by far and often of the most criminal type, with people disappearing cleanly into thin air as if they had never existed.
Fascinating in many ways and very disquieting.
Dr. Jacques COULARDEAU
September 21, 2023
If you have read the first book, Bone Music, then you know that Charlotte Rowe was raised by serial killers and is now taking an experimental drug that has killed many others. She is a weapon and being used to take out serial killers and other human predators. The book starts out with Charley on a mission that does not go as planned. As she recuperates in Altamire, CA, with her boyfriend, Luke, they end up stumbling upon a possible terrorist group.
This was an interesting book with some pretty intense moments. Charley’s “job” is dangerous and the drug she takes before each mission has a short active time frame. If things go wrong she could be in over her head, but she a strong fierce character that takes her “job” very seriously. Her relationship with Luke is also strong. It gets tested in the book and I’m glad it went the way it did. Charley isn’t the most secure person when it comes to relationships. I look forward to reading the last book in this intense, sometimes humorous, trilogy.
This was an interesting book with some pretty intense moments. Charley’s “job” is dangerous and the drug she takes before each mission has a short active time frame. If things go wrong she could be in over her head, but she a strong fierce character that takes her “job” very seriously. Her relationship with Luke is also strong. It gets tested in the book and I’m glad it went the way it did. Charley isn’t the most secure person when it comes to relationships. I look forward to reading the last book in this intense, sometimes humorous, trilogy.
February 23, 2019
Excellent follow up to the first book in the series. Charlotte is an intriguing character. Still torn by the consequences of using her unique power and what that means for those she cares about. We learn more about the backgrounds and motivations of the other characters as well. Nice cliffhanger leading into book three Blood Victory.
February 20, 2019
Following on from Bone Music, Blood Echo wastes no time and dives straight into the action, giving an insight into the psyche of a serial killer who is on the hunt for his next victim. Little does he know he’s the one being hunted.
Despite not completely trusting him, Charlotte Rowe has formed an alliance with Cole Graydon, owner of the pharmaceutical company responsible for the production of Zypraxon, the drug that gives Charlotte super human abilities and the power to regenerate. Between them, for horrifically personal reasons, they are committed to hunting down serial killers and other predators before they have chance to harm any more women. When a test mission goes drastically wrong it leaves Charlotte unnerved by the power she wields when Zypraxon triggers in her system.
Charlotte was abducted and raised by the serial killers who numbered her mother in their list of victims. Exploited by her father after her rescue, she has no intention of letting anyone take advantage of her or her story ever again.
Taking time out with her partner, Luke, at home in Altamira isn’t quite the respite she was hoping for. Altamira is a quiet out of the way town, or it was until the developers landed. When Lacey Shannon, badly beaten, walks into the station wanting Luke to arrest the project manager it soon becomes apparent this isn’t the simple case Luke believed it to be but something much more sinister. Lacey’s request and what Luke finds are just the tip of a very large and deadly iceberg.
Even though Charlotte is irrevocably tied in with Graydon, she has no intention of letting things slide in Altamira and takes matters into her own hands. The multi layered plot is a good mix of action and character development. With an explosive beginning and ending, the middle section is slightly slower paced as we’re given more insight into the pharmaceutical side of things. Graydon’s past is explored in more detail, fleshing out his character and adding depth and emotion to the story. Dylan (Charlotte’s ex therapist), Marty (a close family friend who always has her back) and Bailey (Luke’s tech wizard brother) are excellently developed secondary characters, filling in more of the back history.
This is a complex storyline with several threads all eventually merging together. Christopher Rice has created a cast of well defined characters and taken a different slant on the definition of a thriller, giving it a suggestion of possible future scientific advances. After this ending, I’m looking forward to the third book.
I chose to read and review Blood Echo courtesy of Katie Olsen at Little Bird Publicity and NetGalley.
Despite not completely trusting him, Charlotte Rowe has formed an alliance with Cole Graydon, owner of the pharmaceutical company responsible for the production of Zypraxon, the drug that gives Charlotte super human abilities and the power to regenerate. Between them, for horrifically personal reasons, they are committed to hunting down serial killers and other predators before they have chance to harm any more women. When a test mission goes drastically wrong it leaves Charlotte unnerved by the power she wields when Zypraxon triggers in her system.
Charlotte was abducted and raised by the serial killers who numbered her mother in their list of victims. Exploited by her father after her rescue, she has no intention of letting anyone take advantage of her or her story ever again.
Taking time out with her partner, Luke, at home in Altamira isn’t quite the respite she was hoping for. Altamira is a quiet out of the way town, or it was until the developers landed. When Lacey Shannon, badly beaten, walks into the station wanting Luke to arrest the project manager it soon becomes apparent this isn’t the simple case Luke believed it to be but something much more sinister. Lacey’s request and what Luke finds are just the tip of a very large and deadly iceberg.
Even though Charlotte is irrevocably tied in with Graydon, she has no intention of letting things slide in Altamira and takes matters into her own hands. The multi layered plot is a good mix of action and character development. With an explosive beginning and ending, the middle section is slightly slower paced as we’re given more insight into the pharmaceutical side of things. Graydon’s past is explored in more detail, fleshing out his character and adding depth and emotion to the story. Dylan (Charlotte’s ex therapist), Marty (a close family friend who always has her back) and Bailey (Luke’s tech wizard brother) are excellently developed secondary characters, filling in more of the back history.
This is a complex storyline with several threads all eventually merging together. Christopher Rice has created a cast of well defined characters and taken a different slant on the definition of a thriller, giving it a suggestion of possible future scientific advances. After this ending, I’m looking forward to the third book.
I chose to read and review Blood Echo courtesy of Katie Olsen at Little Bird Publicity and NetGalley.
February 16, 2019
Have you read Bone Music - the first book in the Burning Girl series? If not - go read that right away!! It was excellent - and if anything, Blood Echo is even better!
You will definitely want to read Bone Music first - the action in this book picks up soon after the ending in that one and I don’t want to say much about the plot because I think it would be spoilery.
What I will say is that both books are action packed, intense, and filled with lots of twists and turns. Charley is a totally kickass, strong female character and I hope we get to follow her through 15 more books. I absolutely love the dialogue between characters. And the ending!! I won’t give anything away but will say I am sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for book 3!
One final note - if you read the first book a while ago and are worried about whether you remember enough, don’t worry! Blood Echo does a great job of reminding you of all the key details without ever feeling like you’re reading a synopsis - plus Bone Music was so great that as soon as you get the hints it will all come back to you!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the early review copy in exchange for my honest review.
You will definitely want to read Bone Music first - the action in this book picks up soon after the ending in that one and I don’t want to say much about the plot because I think it would be spoilery.
What I will say is that both books are action packed, intense, and filled with lots of twists and turns. Charley is a totally kickass, strong female character and I hope we get to follow her through 15 more books. I absolutely love the dialogue between characters. And the ending!! I won’t give anything away but will say I am sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for book 3!
One final note - if you read the first book a while ago and are worried about whether you remember enough, don’t worry! Blood Echo does a great job of reminding you of all the key details without ever feeling like you’re reading a synopsis - plus Bone Music was so great that as soon as you get the hints it will all come back to you!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the early review copy in exchange for my honest review.
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