What do you think?
Rate this book
Visceral #1
Integral
Alive since before the Great Collapse, Matthias and Frank are coasting through life as agents for the Noxcorp investigations division when a strange murder jeopardizes nocturnals’ place in the new world order. Polar opposites, the two vampires must work together to find the real killer else face the wrath of the council.
Charles is a warden of the university tasked with recovering one of its students, one of its prisoners, one of its mages. But Sandra is no ordinary mage. Her body defies the laws of physics, and she has been preparing for this moment for her entire life.
Paths cross when the university requests the assistance of Noxcorp. But when the agents discover that Sandra had outside help, a simple fugitive recovery quickly turns complicated, and all four find themselves caught in the middle of a deadly power grab.
All the while, a darker malignancy grows, showing itself only in strange dreams and machinations, waiting for its moment to rise again.
Charles is a warden of the university tasked with recovering one of its students, one of its prisoners, one of its mages. But Sandra is no ordinary mage. Her body defies the laws of physics, and she has been preparing for this moment for her entire life.
Paths cross when the university requests the assistance of Noxcorp. But when the agents discover that Sandra had outside help, a simple fugitive recovery quickly turns complicated, and all four find themselves caught in the middle of a deadly power grab.
All the while, a darker malignancy grows, showing itself only in strange dreams and machinations, waiting for its moment to rise again.
- GenresFantasyParanormal
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2017
86 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 3, 2017
This is a very clever and interesting story. I knew after reading the first couple of chapters that I was going to enjoy this book, and I wasn’t disappointed. Adam Thielen has such an easy and enjoyable writing style. I love Frank and Matthias as characters, and especially the background the Author has put into them. They are so different from each other, and I think this is why it works so well. The world in 2029 looked vastly different from 20 years ago. Now it was corporations rather than Governments that controlled everything, and Vampires now walked the earth. However it wasn’t all bad, as the Vampires didn’t run around killing indiscriminately. If someone was murdered than there still tended to be an investigation. So when Sheriff Lance Burton is murdered in Dodge City, Matthias is sent to investigate his death, and team up with Frank, a local Vampire to that area. The Sheriff was thought to be killed by a fellow vampire. Lucy, one of the working girls was the last person to see the sheriff alive, and it would be easy for Matthias to pin the murder on her. However Frank isn’t prepared to do that. So Matthias and Frank start to investigate who might be responsible, however there are those that are prepared to kill to keep that a secret. It’s definitely worth a read.
November 14, 2021
This is a 3.5 star read.
December 31, 2017
VAMPIRE CAN RHYME WITH FIRE
A strange book about vampires, magicians, called mages, and a criminal imbroglio in this nocturnal and magic society. Normal people, that is to say humans, are marginal in the story, though they do play an ancillary role now and then. The main characters are the vampires who are all members of an agency in Kansas City that is investigating vampiristic crimes. Mages are locked up in universities that are no campuses but plain prisons and they are trained in their magic but also trained in fighting, close combat and other war-time techniques. We do not know why and this is kept nicely secret within these universities that have their own security system.
Apart from that the story is a crime story in the style of “Person of Interest.” A little bit difficult at first for a few chapters that are dealing with a case that has nothing to do with the main case. This introduction is definitely too long and in fact not needed at all. When finally, we are in Kansas City and confronted to the case that is the main course of the meal we can find some tempo and even energy that creates suspense, expectations, surprises and various predictable or non-predictable developments.
This world is of course completely rotten with corruption. The boss of the investigation service in Kansas City is trying to liberate one seat on the Vampire Committee for himself by having the oldest member assassinated by a mage he has to bring out of campus, which is difficult since these mages have anklets that cannot be taken off, except by some cruel magic.
Rotten with corruption too because some private corporations are inventing drugs intended to be for vampires. These drugs are of course illegal and run underground, but it is a very juicy and profitable black market activity for people who like money.
The security system of the university is just as rotten as the vampire investigation service and society at large, and the boss of the service who is also a firearm instructor is revealed as taking all kinds of grenades out of the armory and selling them on another black market, the black-market of weapons, though the novel does not make much of this, except for the last grenade, a polonium grenade that has the particularity to kill mages, that is to say to go through their skin protection.
It all starts when a mage, in this case a young girl, Sandra, is reported as missing on campus. The campus security service asks for the help of the vampire investigation service. That leads to a complicated story with blackmailing, assassinations, extortions of anything valuable, thefts, robbery, assault of corporate buildings, thwarted digital surveillance and communication, hacking and many other imaginable crimes.
Unluckily the only sympathetic girl of the story is killed by the polonium grenade, the mage Sandra Haulstein, and the survivors get justice against their two rotten bosses, one retires and the other is bluntly killed after trying to kill one of his agents after confessing his corruption. Simple, my dear Watson.
You might find these vampires a little bit too human since they eat, drink and smoke anything they want. Blood is a treat from time to time, especially to regenerate their crumbling bodies when attacked, wounded, or anything worse. The magicians, mages, are not really exploited and you will not get much from and about their magic. Too bad. I would have enjoyed a little bit of pottering.
But as an entertaining reading for adults, it is OK. I guess some late or older teenagers might also enjoy it. It is more meant for male readers than female readers. At the same time the book ends up on an important color-non-invisibility that is reassuring about the USA and their race problem. “A dark-skinned man named Freddy, . . . “Tha’ was nice,” . . . “Might be tha bess I evah had.” . . . “Was that tha body magic?” . . . “If ya say so.” . . . “Ya ‘ave ta miss tha outside,” he said. . . “Tha’s rough.” “Dark-skinned” means black if we believe the language (“N***a ya black!). But that ends up the novel on a touch of black magic because this Freddy is in bed with someone we could consider as dead:
“Sandra Haulstein suppressed the urge to rise and retreat to her room, choosing instead to bask in a warm euphoria of contentment for a bit longer. Such simple moments are not to be trifled, for there may come a time when things are not so simple, and life's story comes to an...”
Let’s just stop on this suspended promise of a resurrection in some not too distant future.
Dr. Jacques COULARDEAU
A strange book about vampires, magicians, called mages, and a criminal imbroglio in this nocturnal and magic society. Normal people, that is to say humans, are marginal in the story, though they do play an ancillary role now and then. The main characters are the vampires who are all members of an agency in Kansas City that is investigating vampiristic crimes. Mages are locked up in universities that are no campuses but plain prisons and they are trained in their magic but also trained in fighting, close combat and other war-time techniques. We do not know why and this is kept nicely secret within these universities that have their own security system.
Apart from that the story is a crime story in the style of “Person of Interest.” A little bit difficult at first for a few chapters that are dealing with a case that has nothing to do with the main case. This introduction is definitely too long and in fact not needed at all. When finally, we are in Kansas City and confronted to the case that is the main course of the meal we can find some tempo and even energy that creates suspense, expectations, surprises and various predictable or non-predictable developments.
This world is of course completely rotten with corruption. The boss of the investigation service in Kansas City is trying to liberate one seat on the Vampire Committee for himself by having the oldest member assassinated by a mage he has to bring out of campus, which is difficult since these mages have anklets that cannot be taken off, except by some cruel magic.
Rotten with corruption too because some private corporations are inventing drugs intended to be for vampires. These drugs are of course illegal and run underground, but it is a very juicy and profitable black market activity for people who like money.
The security system of the university is just as rotten as the vampire investigation service and society at large, and the boss of the service who is also a firearm instructor is revealed as taking all kinds of grenades out of the armory and selling them on another black market, the black-market of weapons, though the novel does not make much of this, except for the last grenade, a polonium grenade that has the particularity to kill mages, that is to say to go through their skin protection.
It all starts when a mage, in this case a young girl, Sandra, is reported as missing on campus. The campus security service asks for the help of the vampire investigation service. That leads to a complicated story with blackmailing, assassinations, extortions of anything valuable, thefts, robbery, assault of corporate buildings, thwarted digital surveillance and communication, hacking and many other imaginable crimes.
Unluckily the only sympathetic girl of the story is killed by the polonium grenade, the mage Sandra Haulstein, and the survivors get justice against their two rotten bosses, one retires and the other is bluntly killed after trying to kill one of his agents after confessing his corruption. Simple, my dear Watson.
You might find these vampires a little bit too human since they eat, drink and smoke anything they want. Blood is a treat from time to time, especially to regenerate their crumbling bodies when attacked, wounded, or anything worse. The magicians, mages, are not really exploited and you will not get much from and about their magic. Too bad. I would have enjoyed a little bit of pottering.
But as an entertaining reading for adults, it is OK. I guess some late or older teenagers might also enjoy it. It is more meant for male readers than female readers. At the same time the book ends up on an important color-non-invisibility that is reassuring about the USA and their race problem. “A dark-skinned man named Freddy, . . . “Tha’ was nice,” . . . “Might be tha bess I evah had.” . . . “Was that tha body magic?” . . . “If ya say so.” . . . “Ya ‘ave ta miss tha outside,” he said. . . “Tha’s rough.” “Dark-skinned” means black if we believe the language (“N***a ya black!). But that ends up the novel on a touch of black magic because this Freddy is in bed with someone we could consider as dead:
“Sandra Haulstein suppressed the urge to rise and retreat to her room, choosing instead to bask in a warm euphoria of contentment for a bit longer. Such simple moments are not to be trifled, for there may come a time when things are not so simple, and life's story comes to an...”
Let’s just stop on this suspended promise of a resurrection in some not too distant future.
Dr. Jacques COULARDEAU
July 2, 2017
‘A human that was no longer a human. A being that lived for centuries and cared only for politics as a means to their survival.’
New Kansas author Adam Thielen studied Philosophy in college and he has always written stories and now book influenced by action movies and role-playing games. Though his subject matter for this series VISCERAL is cyberpunk, magical realism and paranormal themes, he makes his story more poignant by referencing the condition of the world we are witnessing today.
For example, he sets his book in motion with the following – ‘In the year 2029 governments had buckled under the pressure of financial debts and dwindling natural resources. In a chain reaction, one state after another declared bankruptcy and ceased providing services. Attempts to print money resulted in all trade agreements breaking down, and as the crisis dragged on, much of the world’s populace declared their governments illegitimate. For a month it was Armageddon. No police to protect property, most hospitals shuttered, fires raged with no one to put them out, and rioters filled the streets. While America’s collapse wasn’t pretty, Europe’s was far uglier. Their people, either less complacent or more disgruntled depending on the perspective, razed cities to the ground. Much of Western Europe was in ruin for years. While the western world imploded in on itself, the eastern world exploded outward into conflicts, their generals seizing power and waging campaigns over resources with neighboring states. Any nation spared conflict and unrest simply slumped into a new era of economic depression. But as quickly as America had collapsed, life returned to perceived normalcy with a relatively quick and convenient reinvention of government. Mega-corporations that practically printed their own money already, convened a summit to determine how best to provide law and order to the country. Territory was separated into districts, each one assessed for taxation value, then split up among the largest publicly traded corporations.’
From this somber opening his story proceeds with his vampire theme as follows – ‘Alive since before the Great Collapse, Matthias and Frank are coasting through life as agents for the Noxcorp investigations division when a strange murder jeopardizes nocturnals’ place in the new world order. Polar opposites, the two vampires must work together to find the real killer else face the wrath of the council. Charles is a warden of the university tasked with recovering one of its students, one of its prisoners, one of its mages. But Sandra is no ordinary mage. Her body defies the laws of physics, and she has been preparing for this moment for her entire life. Paths cross when the university requests the assistance of Noxcorp. But when the agents discover that Sandra had outside help, a simple fugitive recovery quickly turns complicated, and all four find themselves caught in the middle of a deadly power grab. All the while, a darker malignancy grows, showing itself only in strange dreams and machinations, waiting for its moment to rise again.’
The writing is dark and in need of polish, but the moods are impressive and one expects subsequent volumes of the series will be more satisfying. A fine start for a new writer.
New Kansas author Adam Thielen studied Philosophy in college and he has always written stories and now book influenced by action movies and role-playing games. Though his subject matter for this series VISCERAL is cyberpunk, magical realism and paranormal themes, he makes his story more poignant by referencing the condition of the world we are witnessing today.
For example, he sets his book in motion with the following – ‘In the year 2029 governments had buckled under the pressure of financial debts and dwindling natural resources. In a chain reaction, one state after another declared bankruptcy and ceased providing services. Attempts to print money resulted in all trade agreements breaking down, and as the crisis dragged on, much of the world’s populace declared their governments illegitimate. For a month it was Armageddon. No police to protect property, most hospitals shuttered, fires raged with no one to put them out, and rioters filled the streets. While America’s collapse wasn’t pretty, Europe’s was far uglier. Their people, either less complacent or more disgruntled depending on the perspective, razed cities to the ground. Much of Western Europe was in ruin for years. While the western world imploded in on itself, the eastern world exploded outward into conflicts, their generals seizing power and waging campaigns over resources with neighboring states. Any nation spared conflict and unrest simply slumped into a new era of economic depression. But as quickly as America had collapsed, life returned to perceived normalcy with a relatively quick and convenient reinvention of government. Mega-corporations that practically printed their own money already, convened a summit to determine how best to provide law and order to the country. Territory was separated into districts, each one assessed for taxation value, then split up among the largest publicly traded corporations.’
From this somber opening his story proceeds with his vampire theme as follows – ‘Alive since before the Great Collapse, Matthias and Frank are coasting through life as agents for the Noxcorp investigations division when a strange murder jeopardizes nocturnals’ place in the new world order. Polar opposites, the two vampires must work together to find the real killer else face the wrath of the council. Charles is a warden of the university tasked with recovering one of its students, one of its prisoners, one of its mages. But Sandra is no ordinary mage. Her body defies the laws of physics, and she has been preparing for this moment for her entire life. Paths cross when the university requests the assistance of Noxcorp. But when the agents discover that Sandra had outside help, a simple fugitive recovery quickly turns complicated, and all four find themselves caught in the middle of a deadly power grab. All the while, a darker malignancy grows, showing itself only in strange dreams and machinations, waiting for its moment to rise again.’
The writing is dark and in need of polish, but the moods are impressive and one expects subsequent volumes of the series will be more satisfying. A fine start for a new writer.
July 9, 2018
Integral is the first book in the Visceral series. I jumped at the chance to read this book as it featured two of my favourite things, vampires and magic. Corruption, murder, blackmail and revenge were the featured themes of this installment.
Set in the year 2029, the author introduced readers to a country recovering from economic depression. A country divided into territories by powerful corporations, enabling them to have control for their own selfish purposes. Vampires, after living in the shadows for 1000 years wanted their share and so they formed Noxcorp, a corporation run and operated solely by these nocturnal creatures.
The story which started out with details of what transpired prior to the current events, took a while for me to get into it. However, when it picked up, it took on a wild, imaginative, unique and intriguing ride. The story introduces Frank and Matthias, who are employed to Noxcorp as agents. Their paths first crossed when they had to investigate a murder where a vampire was considered the main suspect. This investigation opened a can of worms and what looked like an open and shut case on the surface, morphed into a situation riddled with danger and intrigue. The introduction of mages in the mix added to the appeal factor of the story.
Frank and Matthias were different as night from day. Frank was the emotional type while Matthias was detached, which at times left him lost and confused. Their motivations for solving cases may differ but they made a great team. Their partnership had a rocky start, but by the end of the story, a bond of friendship developed between them. Of the two characters, I had difficulty connecting with Matthias. This was due to the lack of background information regarding his past as a human and the point at which he became a vampire. I do not believe the author intended for there to be a lack of connection as the character in question had gaps in his memory.
I found the author’s views of vampires interesting. One aspect that stood out for me was the drinking the blood of a murdered victim to view their memories. It is not a great experience, but it helps in their investigations. There were a few twists I never expected, especially as it relates to the villains, but if fit perfectly into the scheme of things. Well-written action scenes, added to the intrigue.
There were aspects of the story the author failed to develop. It would have been great to know the outcome of the events. However, it did not prevent from enjoying the story on a whole.
Conclusion/Recommendation
I enjoyed Integral. The world the author created was not only unique it was imaginative, addictive and features characters I wanted to learn more about. The case wraps up nicely which left me satisfied. However, it is evident there is more to come and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Set in the year 2029, the author introduced readers to a country recovering from economic depression. A country divided into territories by powerful corporations, enabling them to have control for their own selfish purposes. Vampires, after living in the shadows for 1000 years wanted their share and so they formed Noxcorp, a corporation run and operated solely by these nocturnal creatures.
The story which started out with details of what transpired prior to the current events, took a while for me to get into it. However, when it picked up, it took on a wild, imaginative, unique and intriguing ride. The story introduces Frank and Matthias, who are employed to Noxcorp as agents. Their paths first crossed when they had to investigate a murder where a vampire was considered the main suspect. This investigation opened a can of worms and what looked like an open and shut case on the surface, morphed into a situation riddled with danger and intrigue. The introduction of mages in the mix added to the appeal factor of the story.
Frank and Matthias were different as night from day. Frank was the emotional type while Matthias was detached, which at times left him lost and confused. Their motivations for solving cases may differ but they made a great team. Their partnership had a rocky start, but by the end of the story, a bond of friendship developed between them. Of the two characters, I had difficulty connecting with Matthias. This was due to the lack of background information regarding his past as a human and the point at which he became a vampire. I do not believe the author intended for there to be a lack of connection as the character in question had gaps in his memory.
I found the author’s views of vampires interesting. One aspect that stood out for me was the drinking the blood of a murdered victim to view their memories. It is not a great experience, but it helps in their investigations. There were a few twists I never expected, especially as it relates to the villains, but if fit perfectly into the scheme of things. Well-written action scenes, added to the intrigue.
There were aspects of the story the author failed to develop. It would have been great to know the outcome of the events. However, it did not prevent from enjoying the story on a whole.
Conclusion/Recommendation
I enjoyed Integral. The world the author created was not only unique it was imaginative, addictive and features characters I wanted to learn more about. The case wraps up nicely which left me satisfied. However, it is evident there is more to come and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
July 13, 2017
For more of my book reviews you can check out my website: https://theartisanpenguin.com
Really 3.5 stars. ~ Vampires and Mages?!, these are two of my favourite things to read about in speculative fiction, so I was sold on this book the moment I read the description. Having now finished reading Integral, I'm happy to report that I wasn't oversold at all.
The time is 2029 and the world's governments have collapsed, corporations have taken over the management of people, places and things, always with a notation of governing to improve their bottom line. Matthias and Frank, vampires, are two investigators for Noxcorp, the public face of the ancient vampire council. When a human is murdered, and it looks like a vampire did the deed, it's up to Matthias and Frank to find the fiend before the public does. Things turn complicated when the University charged with "protecting" the magical born turns to Noxcorp for their assistance in tracking down one of their escaped mages, Sandra. Quickly Matthias and Frank find themselves caught in the middle of a power grab, and Sandra appears to be at the centre of it all.
Each chapter in Integral (Visceral Book 1) is an "episode", so the whole novel sort of jumps a little bit in it's narration, but it works. I found this futuristic world quite believable, despite the presence of vampires and mages. The idea that corporations will take over, not unrealistic to me at all. I also found the vampires in Integral to be refreshing, I don't want to say anything more why I found them refreshing for fear of spoiling the story (if you really want to know, just send me a message and I'll explain).
I found Integral to be an interesting story, and I loved having vampires and mages mixed together. There is a rather long battle sequence near the end of the book, and while it was actually well written, I personally would have liked it to be a little shorter. The mages are also treated poorly, that whole be afraid of what you don't understand type thing, that I would love to have more background on, their history sort of thing. I can only hope that if Thielen write a sequel, I'll get some more background on the mages.
I received an free ARC of Integral (Visceral Book 1) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Really 3.5 stars. ~ Vampires and Mages?!, these are two of my favourite things to read about in speculative fiction, so I was sold on this book the moment I read the description. Having now finished reading Integral, I'm happy to report that I wasn't oversold at all.
The time is 2029 and the world's governments have collapsed, corporations have taken over the management of people, places and things, always with a notation of governing to improve their bottom line. Matthias and Frank, vampires, are two investigators for Noxcorp, the public face of the ancient vampire council. When a human is murdered, and it looks like a vampire did the deed, it's up to Matthias and Frank to find the fiend before the public does. Things turn complicated when the University charged with "protecting" the magical born turns to Noxcorp for their assistance in tracking down one of their escaped mages, Sandra. Quickly Matthias and Frank find themselves caught in the middle of a power grab, and Sandra appears to be at the centre of it all.
Each chapter in Integral (Visceral Book 1) is an "episode", so the whole novel sort of jumps a little bit in it's narration, but it works. I found this futuristic world quite believable, despite the presence of vampires and mages. The idea that corporations will take over, not unrealistic to me at all. I also found the vampires in Integral to be refreshing, I don't want to say anything more why I found them refreshing for fear of spoiling the story (if you really want to know, just send me a message and I'll explain).
I found Integral to be an interesting story, and I loved having vampires and mages mixed together. There is a rather long battle sequence near the end of the book, and while it was actually well written, I personally would have liked it to be a little shorter. The mages are also treated poorly, that whole be afraid of what you don't understand type thing, that I would love to have more background on, their history sort of thing. I can only hope that if Thielen write a sequel, I'll get some more background on the mages.
I received an free ARC of Integral (Visceral Book 1) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2017
Integral isn't bad once you get into the story. It gets off to a rocky start not because it's badly written, but because you aren't given much of a reason to care. It took a long time to connect to the protagonists - two Vampire investigators (similar to FBI agents but the country is run by corporations rather than a federal government). The initial half of the novel are seemingly unrelated cases, giving it the feel of an anthology or serial. There’s more meat when you get to the core story of a Mage who breaks out of their university (prison) and is forced to assassinate a vampire leader. The duo, plus a warden from the university and the Mage herself are forced to deal with the fallout.
There are numerous loose ends left - the drug jester, the individual bitten who may or may not be an undiscovered Mage left to turn into a vampire after an attack by a drug mad vampire, the so called vampire God, and how the hell did her foot continue to work after being glued back on. It's a bit of a mess. There is potential there, but it isn't fully realized. Bits and pieces are very good, so maybe the next novel will be better. This one needs some work.
3 / 5
I received a copy of Integral from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
There are numerous loose ends left - the drug jester, the individual bitten who may or may not be an undiscovered Mage left to turn into a vampire after an attack by a drug mad vampire, the so called vampire God, and how the hell did her foot continue to work after being glued back on. It's a bit of a mess. There is potential there, but it isn't fully realized. Bits and pieces are very good, so maybe the next novel will be better. This one needs some work.
3 / 5
I received a copy of Integral from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
done-with
August 13, 2017I was disappointed by this one... I thought I would really get into it, given the blurb (vampires, mages, political intrigue thick on the ground), but just could not. The character of Kerwin was interesting, but Mathias just did nothing for me. It didn't help that the beginning of the book reads like a series of vignettes, twined together but not as tightly as I would have liked - it felt almost like a series of short stories, and I have a difficult time with shorts because they never get deep enough for me. From other comments, I understand that things eventually tighten up and there is a larger themed story - that may have held my attention better, but frankly I couldn't generate enough enthusiasm to keep slogging through the attempts by Mathias/Kerwin at badinage to get there... This one was not for me.
My review copy was provided by NetGalley.
My review copy was provided by NetGalley.
July 6, 2017
This is a neat combo of crime drama and corporate intrigue and vampires. Yep. All three. And it totally works.
If the author took out any of the three things, the book would still be good. But all three mix well.
The intricacy with which the author created this world is clear. He must have put together notebook after notebook. The book then gets to work exploring that world, in which corporations took over and vampires came out in public to face a world "that had more important issues than people allergic to sunlight."
The author announced the next volume in the series at the end of this one, so now the waiting begins.
(Review from an early review copy, by Joe Crowe, on Twitter at @RevolutionSF. )
If the author took out any of the three things, the book would still be good. But all three mix well.
The intricacy with which the author created this world is clear. He must have put together notebook after notebook. The book then gets to work exploring that world, in which corporations took over and vampires came out in public to face a world "that had more important issues than people allergic to sunlight."
The author announced the next volume in the series at the end of this one, so now the waiting begins.
(Review from an early review copy, by Joe Crowe, on Twitter at @RevolutionSF. )
October 18, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. Part urban fantasy, part paranormal, part thriller with a dash of sci fi. Set in a world that has seen the collapse of governments, the corporations run the world. Two vampires are tasked with tracking down a rogue mage, and are drawn deep into a web of lies and conspiracy. The writing is compelling, with a perfect blend of action and characters. The characters themselves are dynamic and complex, and I was wholly invested in the story. I didn't want to put it down. There is something in here for everybody, as it appeals to a broad number of genres. It has a lot of depth to it. I am eager to read more in this series and by this author.
I received a free copy of this book
I received a free copy of this book
November 22, 2017
Matthias and Frank are vampire detectives. They are put on a few cases that involve some high level groups that are behind the murders, but they are hoping they never find out who is really behind them. Kind of confusing since the book has a few cases instead of ending on one and have another book with another case. The story meanders into Matthias' past that he can't remember and then the story drops. Could be a much better story, but it had some interesting parts to it.
October 2, 2017
The world is ran by corporations & vampires...
An interesting read with lots of twists. Two vampire detectives trying to solve an intriguing case (or two) while bringing justice. And don't forget the pretty Mage who is tangled up in a mess.
I voluntarily agreed to review this book, and was given an Advanced Reader Copy to do so.
An interesting read with lots of twists. Two vampire detectives trying to solve an intriguing case (or two) while bringing justice. And don't forget the pretty Mage who is tangled up in a mess.
I voluntarily agreed to review this book, and was given an Advanced Reader Copy to do so.
January 12, 2018
JA Stone, Author
The writing is tight and imaginative, a thrilling new vision. Thielen's descriptions are vivid and his characters very lifelike. I would recommend this title to anyone!
The writing is tight and imaginative, a thrilling new vision. Thielen's descriptions are vivid and his characters very lifelike. I would recommend this title to anyone!
July 5, 2018
An interesting supernatural read. Vampires and Mages and sleuthing and prerequisite double-crossing all around. Matthias was an interesting character, looking forward to seeing more of him in the other books.
December 27, 2018
I felt the start of this novel to be a bit rough. Like it was dragging a couple of previously unpublished novelettes into the plot to give the ultimate story some grounding. By the end though, I was pleased with the results and will definitely follow up on the sequel.
February 13, 2019
I found the book interesting. The plot Centers arounds 2 vampires, Frank and Matthias who worked as investigators for a large corporation. There was action and some humor as the 2 investigators became used to working with each other. A very surprising ending but well worth the read.
July 18, 2018
An Awesome book!! it has everything !!!
January 7, 2021
Once again I have found a good book in this story. I found it hard to put it down until the end.
September 18, 2018
Integral Visceral Bk 1 Written by Adam Thielen Reviewed 2/8/18
The Vampire world as worked by to enforcers.
Polar opposites, two nocturnals must overcome their differences and find a way to survive the blistering light and the engulfing night. Matthias is tranquil and drained of emotion and color. Frank is crass, boisterous, and as full of life as he was before the turning. One is a man without a past, and the other wishes he could forget his. Both are assigned to a strange murder case and must bring one of their own to justice to preserve the peace between the ruling corporations and the vampire council. But as the case turns deadly, the agents are forced to confront a talented young mage, a towering system of corruption, and their own selfish natures.
What did I like? I loved these two Vampires that figured out how to work the corrupted system they were forced to work in. Between them and the young mage, they were unbeatable.
What will you like? Murder, Suspense, Fantasy, Corruption, Vampires, Mages, and Lots of humor. This is a fast-moving and intense story with lots of room for humor and murder. The story is well written and developed. The characters are unique and yet totally believable. The details and descriptions will take you over the top and right into the futuristic world that the author has created. Very enjoyable Read.
The Vampire world as worked by to enforcers.
Polar opposites, two nocturnals must overcome their differences and find a way to survive the blistering light and the engulfing night. Matthias is tranquil and drained of emotion and color. Frank is crass, boisterous, and as full of life as he was before the turning. One is a man without a past, and the other wishes he could forget his. Both are assigned to a strange murder case and must bring one of their own to justice to preserve the peace between the ruling corporations and the vampire council. But as the case turns deadly, the agents are forced to confront a talented young mage, a towering system of corruption, and their own selfish natures.
What did I like? I loved these two Vampires that figured out how to work the corrupted system they were forced to work in. Between them and the young mage, they were unbeatable.
What will you like? Murder, Suspense, Fantasy, Corruption, Vampires, Mages, and Lots of humor. This is a fast-moving and intense story with lots of room for humor and murder. The story is well written and developed. The characters are unique and yet totally believable. The details and descriptions will take you over the top and right into the futuristic world that the author has created. Very enjoyable Read.
September 21, 2021
I have received this book for a fair review, and I have read the prequel to Integral, also courtesy of the author. The book sets off running with a death of a person in the hands of a vampire, and two guys were assigned to investigate. In the post- apocalyptic world where money rules, things are always reasoned with profit and loss.
Vampires and mages are the main focus of the series, as well as a brewing of a potential war? I cannot wait for the next book in the series, as Matthias and Frank has stumbled upon a sleeping hornet's nest.
While I rub my hands with glee upon their pain, just a reminder that there is more than meets the eye. For Integral, not only the background story is strong, the characters have come a long way, hence the way they behave. It is fun to see how they interact, as they are almost polar opposites. As for the villain, it is staying very well hidden.
Vampires and mages are the main focus of the series, as well as a brewing of a potential war? I cannot wait for the next book in the series, as Matthias and Frank has stumbled upon a sleeping hornet's nest.
While I rub my hands with glee upon their pain, just a reminder that there is more than meets the eye. For Integral, not only the background story is strong, the characters have come a long way, hence the way they behave. It is fun to see how they interact, as they are almost polar opposites. As for the villain, it is staying very well hidden.
January 2, 2023
I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
August 16, 2017
Integral starts of with a noire feel that will appeal to fans of mystery as well as fans of fantasy. The cyberpunky setting is vividly captured, and the action increases as the plot builds. The book takes a turn after a drug-fueled encounter with the supernatural deepens the intrigue. The book may at first read like a series of several smaller stories, but the significance of the early cases is connected to the big picture in the end. Read this book if you like magic and intrigue.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews