A dystopian science fiction thriller of telepathic evil greys, mysterious rebellion, martial arts, and Alien Vampires.
Sandy Cox believed WWIII was over. But for those Alien Vampires, War Has Just Begun.
Forty-eight hours after a World War III treaty is signed, Sandy Cox awakens in an underground compound unable to move. Tied to machines she screams for help but no one answers. At least no one human.
And they’ve taken her unborn child.
Phil is a rebel freedom fighter who has had more than his share of Alien Vampires. Armed with THE BLADES, a sacred alien martial art, he enters the compound on a mission to find Sandy. But as he battles through the compound, Phil discovers Sandy has her own agenda. Finding her stolen child is all that matters.
But the vampires have their own plan and Sandy’s baby is at the heart of their diabolical plot. Joined by a crew of rogue soldiers, they must navigate the underground compound, battling genetically mutated humans, aliens and monsters.
When battling Alien Vampires, one thing is certain… Get Ready To Bleed!
PD Alleva writes thrillers. Whether those thrillers are Sci-Fi Fantasy’s about Alien Vampires attempting to subjugate the human race, or steeped in a haunting mystery, or an urban paranormal fantasy, PD always provides readers with a profound, entertaining, and satisfying reader experience, in a new genre he has coined as alternative fiction. His novels blend mystery, conspiracy, psychology, and action with the supernatural, horror, fantasy, and science fiction. Alternative fiction is PD's attempt at describing what readers uncover in any one of his books, a new discovery towards mainstream storytelling. He's been writing since childhood, creating and developing stories with brash and impactful concepts he describes are metaphors for the shifting energies that exist in the universe. PD lives inside of his own universe, working diligently on the Sci-Fi/Fantasy series, The Rose Vol. II, the urban paranormal fantasy series, Girl on a Mission, and Jigglyspot and the Zero Intellect, PD’s upcoming horror novel.
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The Rose series blends all of the most addicting genres into a fascinating, original story that successfully delivers an action-packed, creatively creepy and all things wonderfully thrilling.
The story begins at the end of World War III. The people of earth have signed a peace treaty with each other, just in time to battle against Alien Vampires whose war has just begun. But there are other motives in the works, enemies among friends, and a galactic showdown that could shake the cosmos and enslave humankind for eternity.
Speaking of vampires, this is not your typical cliche story. This series is full of originality, mashups, and unique twists to common sci-fi tropes. Although the the book is fast-paced, the character development is extremely well done without giving us too much fluff or filler. I really enjoyed the side story of Cam and the crew, as well as the mystery of Robyn Winter and his connection to Phil. I also liked the alternating viewpoints of the main characters and the mystery behind The Rose's origin. I can't wait to see what's next in The Rose Vol 2!
While the series offers a variety of genre options, I would best describe The Rose as a dystopian sci-fi horror, and is perfect for thrill seeking, alien invasion, government conspiring, blood thirsty book lovers.
Official rating: 4.5/5
*FTC DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of the book and wrote this review voluntarily. The opinions expressed are entirely my own and is in no way affiliated with the author or publisher.
Hands down one of the best thrillers I've read in quite a while.
And after that end... Come on!!! I need Volume 2 RIGHT NOW!!
True to the promise from the blurb, The Rose is masterful, dystopian science fiction thriller of, telepathic evil greys, mysterious rebellion, martial arts, and Alien Vampires.
Yes. Frigging alien vampires! And they are downright delightfully creepy.
In a world where humanity has made a mutually agreement with alien vampires and there is a whole civilization living underground, not quite happy with their living arrangements I might add, it's only a matter of time till shite will hit the fan. And this is exactly what happens here.
The predators should have remembered the saying: 'Don't make deals with food. It may come back to haunt the future.'
It all starts with a vision, revolves around a little baby and is made possible by The Rose. What The Rose is exactly, you're gonna have to read this to find out. But I guarantee you won't see it coming.
Forty-eight hours after a World War III treaty is signed, Sandy Cox awakens in an underground compound, tied to a table and unable to move. She's held captive by alien vampires, who've taken her unborn baby.
Phil is a rebel freedom fighter on a mission. Protect Sandy and her baby and get them to safety at all costs. Armed with THE BLADES, a sacred alien martial art, he enters the compound searching for the woman. But the baby has already been born and Sandy has her own agenda. Find the baby at any cost. If that may involve trusting an alien vampire and battling genetically mutated humans, aliens and monsters alike, so be it. 'Get Ready To Bleed!' - is the only certainty of the day.
Joined by a crew of rogue soldiers, Phil and Sandy must navigate the underground compound, battling genetically mutated humans, aliens and monsters. Alien vampires, evil doctors and pills turning people into slaves are the least of their problems. The whole damn camp needs to be blown off the planet, as far as they're concerned, but not before they get Sandy's baby, and rescue everyone they can.
Fast-paced and addictive, this page turner here will have you in it's grip from the very first page. And it will keep you turning pages till the end. It's a unique, fast paced edge of the seat dystopian tale that manages to be both light and complex, as well as simple and sophisticated.
The gripping plot is nicely highlighted by beautifully fleshed out characters, all in different shades of grey. The wordbuilding is excellent and the pace fantastic. But the highlight for me was the masterful mix of thrilling mystery, fantasy, suspense, dystopia and science fiction. This book has something for fans of any of these genres, including horror if I may be exact. Action, gore, medical experiments and supernatural powers, as well as a mother's connection to her child... This author delivers on each and every count. And he does it in style!
If you love Star Wars, and Ancient Aliens you'll be fascinated by this high-powered, intelligent, edge of your seat dystopian sci-fi action thriller.
It's downright brilliant.
Happy reading everyone and remember 'Don't believe it can happen. Know that it will happen.'
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
As soon as I saw the cover for The Rose by P D Alleva, I had to have it. Alien vampires…don’t see a lot of those and I am looking forward to finding out WTH is going on.
Sandy, who is pregnant, and Phil are hiding out in a demolished hotel, watching the American, Russian, and Chinese soldiers kill everyone, men, women and children.
Phil tells Sandy his mission is to find her and bring her to Atlanta. Why is she so special? Or is it her unborn child? No matter, he will lay his life on the line for them.
So far, I am loving where this is going…Alien vampires with evil intent. And the government? No surprise they sell out the little guy is there? What are the ancestor Dracs true intentions, the ones kept hidden from humans and their subordinates?
The Rose is magic and both humans and Dracs have access to it. Indigo is a threat to the Dracs, a human threat they are determined to find and eradicate.
Tesla, a Drac, immediately caught my attention. I think she could be one of the good guys, but we will have to wait and see if I am correct.
Well, that was an action packed adventure that had me quickly flipping the pages, wondering what was going to happen to who.
Alien vampires, werewolves, and other wicked creatures, and the humans who have become involved with them since the war and destruction of Earth. Why are they here? What do they want? Creatures, battles, fights for their lives, caves and pits…It will take another novel to tell the tale and I am very curious to know.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Rose by P D Alleva.
When I read and reviewed Golem by PD Alleva, I knew that I would need to read everything else he has written. Alleva has a unique and stylish way with words. He can write a beautiful horror sci-fi novel and give you all the dark feelings you crave. Just like in Golem, in The Rose, Alleva uses similes to describe emotions and scenes throughout the story.
“Something was missing, something that didn’t connect, like a river that slammed into a dam with no means to connect to the water on the other side.”
In book one of The Rose duology, it is 48 hours after World War III has ended. Underground there is a civilization that preys on humans. These creatures are tired of living underground and are getting anxious to go above ground and be at the top of the food chain. There is no end to the evil and torture to get what they want.
Meanwhile, Phil has been given a job to find a woman who plays an important role in the fate of humanity. Soon he has found her, but not for very long. After Sandy Cox is taken to a compound, Phil begins his search to find and rescue Sandy. The Drac have something else in mind for Sandy, unaware that Phill is making his way to her. What ensues is a fast, bloody, and visceral story.
The good guys and bad guys are relatable, I can sympathize with both sides. The world building is perfect, I can visualize the rooms, the compound and the above ground buildings. The torture scenes are so detailed that you can easily form a mental image and feel the pain and suffering. As the book builds to a crescendo, the ending is both surprising and epic.
I am eager to start book two, the ending of this story was so unexpected and pure genius.
The Rose is a wild sci-fi thriller that leans heavily into its alien vampires premise and ends up being a genre mash up combining many elements of thrilling adventure tales.
The novel establishes undercurrents of political satire, depicting the grim realities already present in society under the surface veneer of its glossy futurism, but combined with sci-fi tropes both familiar and surprising. A not too implausible scenario for WW3 leads us to a much-changed earth, with humans trapped in a sorry state. Thereafter the world building opens up, revealing a diversity of foes, who set the stage for a full exhibition of the warlike propensities bred into human nature -and extraterrestrial nature, as Hollywood tells us. What results is a grimly provocative tale that will provide plenty of delight to conspiracy theorists.
On the writing side, the prose is well done, making use of intense imagery, but not wasting too much time with unnecessary details, leaving us with a well-paced piece of genre fiction and the start to a promising series. We live in a terrifying cosmos I believe, and if there really are ill-intentioned aliens waiting in the wings, we stand even less of a chance of surviving into futurity. Without sacrificing entertainment value, the author composes a thought-provoking scenario and a suspenseful plot with convincing characters. An onslaught of fairly graphic battles ensues and coalesces with a few unresolved possibilities lying in wait for the next installment.
The reader is offered multiple, conflicting viewpoints to guide us through this disturbing dystopia, which incorporates a large scope and ambitious amount of potential for the next in the series.
In the opening chapters of The Rose by P.D. Alleva, readers are sent headfirst into an oppressive hellscape of a world consumed by the fires of yet another worldwide war referred to as World War 3. The main belligerents of this conflict are, of course, The United States, Russia, and China, which if one were keeping track of the geo-political landscape of the world as we speak, doesn't seem too far off from reality. With the world in ruin, any survivors are forced to go underground to a world that until that very moment was pure speculation or the rantings of guys in tinfoil hats. It seems our largest cities lay on top of huge subterranean complexes that house aliens, yep you heard me right, aliens. The world governments have known and actively hidden this secret world from the general populace for a long time, but it appears that it's time to try to integrate the two societies "for the protection of all". To make matters much worse, some of these aliens thirst for human blood! Perhaps the protection needed was not for the warring world governments after all, perhaps it should have been from a threat within.
This is the world created for this book, a setting that isn't 100% groundbreaking, but comes across pretty interesting simply because of how the author plays around with genre tropes and creates his own hybrid of action, thrillers, science fiction, and horror. Alleva taps into many ideas that permeate day-to-day political discourse such as rising infertility rates, international wars, conspiracy theories, and even your tried and true xenophobia to anchor this in our modern world pretty well. If you enjoy books that read in a more "cinematic" way, especially ones that are great for small chapter reads (such as one a night before bed), The Rose by P.D. Alleva keeps the reader on their toes throughout.
"Aliens do exist. Vampires too. And in this dystopia, Alien Vampires exist. In the aftermath of WW3, vampires from Hollow Earth have secretly forged an alliance with alien grays and the human elite to subjugate the human population in a quest for interstellar domination. Phase One of their diabolical plan is to destroy their greatest threat: The human genome. Now humanity is forced into reprogramming camps. Forced to endure genetic manipulation, torture, and vile psychological experiments. But from the depths of time an age-old enemy challenges the vampire’s dominion. This evolved human rebellion is trained in the ancient alien practices of mind and body. Armed with The Blades, a sacred alien martial arts weapon, and wielding the metaphysical superpower known across the universe as The Rose, the rebellion seeks to stab at the heart of the evil triad, and usher in a new age of evolution. When battling Alien Vampires, one thing is certain…Get Ready To Bleed! Fans of Dune, Annihilation, Gideon the Ninth, The X-Files, and Ancient Aliens will be fascinated by this pulse pounding, jaw dropping, scifi fantasy thrill ride."
Speaking of vampires, I appreciate this book trying to do something different with the old literary and folkloric concept of a "vampire". Rather than just changing superficial things, this race (known as "Dracs") is well-fleshed out. For an example of what I don't like, I've seen fiction where the story relies on a trope such as "Imagine if there was Vampires, BUT THEY COME OUT DURING THE DAY!!!!". Instead of falling into that trap, vampires are inserted into the narrative in a way that gives them agency and their own character. I've quite enjoyed the recent concept of "a space vampire", something that has been popping up a lot in various media, or stuff that I like reading at least. Recently, I listened to an audio drama called Impact Winter that featured the idea, as well as a series I should read again from Miguel Connor called The Dark Instinct series. I guess one could look back as far as old Buck Rogers episodes for the concept, but these recent works of fiction perfect it, and The Rose by P.D. Alleva is no exception.
Gorehounds will likely enjoy this book quite a bit, as Alleva particularly excels in describing the grizzly ways as to which The Dracs dispatch their enemies as well as their human food sources. Early on, there's a scene where a vampire attacks a man in a way that I can best describe as "getting blood from a human Pez Dispenser" that really sets the tone moving forward. Everything is extremely violent and vividly described, something that would be commonplace in a horror novel, but is fairly shocking in a science fiction book. It's a testament as to why this merger of genres works so well.
My only real issue with this book is that it honestly could have benefitted from another pass of editing before release. There's a few clunky sentences and some typos, but for the most part everything reads well and the wild ideas that Alleva has put into the narrative makes up for it. These issues dissipate pretty early into the book, or I got used to his style as I was reading, I've read and enjoyed books with far more issues. Either way, it's an easy read that plays out somewhat like you are reading a TV/film treatment in many ways. I mentioned that the book was written in a cinematic manner earlier, and I hold to the idea that this would make an excellent blueprint for either a TV show or a graphic novel at some point.
The Rose by P.D. Alleva is the first book in a series by this author, and this book has held my interest enough that I will definitely try to read the next installment. It mixes many genres such as horror, science fiction, thrillers, and war novels in such a way that you'd be hard-pressed to find another book quite like it anywhere else. It's not a perfect boo by any means, but the story, characters, and setting are interesting enough that most casual fans of the above genres will undoubtedly enjoy the ride. If you are looking for Underworld meets Terminator or somesuch, this may just be the next book you should check out!
As you may or may not know, sci-fi is not my favorite genre. I am a fantasy (and romance) lover, however, I decided to give this book a go and I’m glad I did because I really liked it.
This book follows a group of people, one of which is Sydney who is pregnant, who have just survived the war. However, what they are about to find out is far worse than the war. Alien vampires who have come to the Earth with the intention of stealing human children and making humans their food. But not everything will go their way as one of the humans, Phil, is determined to fight them and save Sydney.
This book was fast paced and action packed, starting out from the very beginning. It’s an interesting and quite unique read, even for readers who are more familiar wit sci-fi. This is the first time I’ve come across alien vampires and I must admit, they are terrifying.
I found the book interesting due to it’s fast pace and overall story. However, I did ave a problem wit remembering all the characters’ names and recognizing them from one another. There is a lot of characters, both human and alien ones (which sounded especially similar to me), but even though I had that problem, I was able to understand everything in the end.
To summarize, this was a very interesting sci-fi dystopia and I enjoyed it. It’s a good start to the series and I’m curious to see how the story will progress.
Don't read this at night with only one little light on. Take every dystopian story you've read and put it aside. This is a true original. Aliens and vampires, everything mankind has always feared lurked in the dark on the other side of the fire. A twisted tale.
2 stars Before I start my review, I want to thank P.D. Alleva for reaching out to me and letting me review his books. This will be my first review, but later a review about Volume 2 of this book will follow!
When I heard this book was about Alien Vampires I was immediately intrigued. What was this going to be about? How does it work? So, I started reading and wrote down my thoughts.
The first thing I thought was that sometimes I would encounter sentences that could have been better written. They were not always as clear. Which made it harder to understand what was meant, but this was especially at the beginning of the book. When I had reached a farther point in the book it did not occur is often. Next, to it not always being clear I felt like their could have been more details added to the story. The descriptions were often not very detailed, and to me it made it hard to imagine scenes accurately.
Also, the starting point of the book felt a bit off to me. It was like you landed on one big question mark. There was so much information missing, that I started doubting whether I was going to like this. You just drop in the middle of big happenings in the world, but you have barely any context. And to be honest that context was still missing at the end of the book. I hope to find more about it in the second volume.
But the more I read, the more I started to like the story. It took me till the 30% mark, but then I was really invested in the story and I did want to know what was going to happen. I loved how original the story is and everything that is happening in it. Hopefully this will continue in the next book.
The last thing I want to discuss are the characters. I liked them and I wanted to love them. But in order to love them I need to know more of them. The felt a little flat. At the end of the story I still felt like I did not know most of them. I'm eager to find out if this will change when the story continues.
I received an advance reader copy of The Rose: Volume 1 for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
P.D. Alleva's The Rose (Vol. 1) A Dystopian Science Fiction Thriller packs a lot in. Kicking off with the end of World War III, and quickly introducing the reader to space vampires in a story that is in equal parts dystopia, thriller, adventure, science fiction and horror, it is a testament to the author that it all comes together so well.
In the immediate aftermath of World War III, The Rose Volume 1 tells the story of Sandy, held captive by alien vampires who have taken her unborn baby, and Phil, the freedom fighter tasked with rescuing Sandy and her baby.
The plot is filled with twists and turns, as the author paints a dystopic tale that is tense throughout, building suspense throughout. While "alien vampires" could easily be the stuff of a B-grade science fiction tale, the author presents a new take on vampires, and one that is entirely compelling.
Add in werewolves, "grey" aliens, witches, corrupt governments, slavery and conspiracies and there is so much going on in this book. At a little over 300 pages, the book is not particularly long, and yet, the author has built a narrative so tight that it never feels overstuffed.
The book's characters are flawed, who exist in a world full of grey. As the world is not black and white, neither is its characters. They are all richly written, sometimes thinking altruistically, sometimes thinking about their own self-interest, and often both. Through this, I rarely knew which characters I could trust, and found them entirely relatable.
While its length is fairly moderate, The Rose: Volume 1 is a heavy read and benefits from reading it closely. The paragraphs are often long, and the story takes its time to properly unfurl its mysteries.
The story is full of dark themes and violence, but it occasionally lets the light come through, and when it does, it's a thing of beauty. Sometimes this is because of the relationship between mother and child, sometimes, it's a rare moment of peace. These demonstrations of humanity bring the book together in a great way.
While this book stands on its own as a first volume, by the time you reach the end, it becomes apparent that there is so much story to tell if you want the complete story.
I recommend sitting down and spending some time with The Rose: Volume 1. Its dispirate elements come together to form a wonderful whole.
My full review will be available on my website from 16 March. To read my thoughts about it, other books - including The Rose Vol 2, available on 18 March - just follow this handy link.
This book! This book is just absolutely brilliant! Incredibly written, a story that is gripping and quite literally left me stunned at several places throughout. We’ve got a world war 3, land devastated by war, people in refugee camps taken to underground laboratoriums, mass murders and to top it all of ALIEN VAMPIRES! The way this whole scenario comes together is so incredibly brilliant you’ll have to read it to truly appreciate this masterpiece. I absolutely loved how we get insight from all sides of the ‘fighting’. There’s Sandy, whose rescue starts off the story, because there is something important about her. She’s also pregnant, which will have a huge part to play in how things will turn out. Why she’s so special we’ll only find out at the end of the book, but until then we see her make bad decisions that don’t only affect her own well-being, but also the people closest to her.
Then there is Sanos, the head of the space vampires that is slowly going mad on a drug that’s created in one of the underground labs, where Sandy also ends up in. I want to hate him, I really do, because he is the enemy to the captive humans. My loyalties should lie with my species, correct? Buuut the book is so fantastically written I connect with the struggles of the aliens as I learn more about their struggles and motives. And not only Sanos, but also the seven under his orders. We’ve got Cam, Grimes and Lao American and Chinese soldiers trapped in the same base under false belief that they are working on governments orders and totally oblivious of the real happenings below ground. And we’ve got Phil, the only person who truly knows what’s going on, but his focus is to get Sandy back to safety. Because she is important to the cause.
Aaand then shit hits the van!
With several things escalating at the same time, this fast paced thriller is born. And I can’t begin to describe how incredibly brilliant this whole book is with everything that’s going on. The characters are fantastic and you’ll want to root for every single one of them. I got to warn you, though, there is a lot of dying going on in this war between aliens and humans. If I say alien vampire’s I don’t mean big cuddly beasts. They're damn cruel! Humans are but food to them, kept like livestock in cages. There is absolutely no connection they could make with us. Until Telas, one of the seven, gets her own agenda. And I know all of what I’m saying doesn’t make any sense to you since you’ve not read the book, but I hope some of it spikes your interest, because this one is something you really need to add to your reading list.
If you like - Vampires - Action - Multiple POV
Triggers - Blood. Lots and lots of blood. - Death. Lots and lots of death. - Human experimentations, including kids and babies - Kidnapping babies - And some other pretty fucked up stuff that are part of why this book is super brilliant.
I just finished reading The Rose by P.D. Aleva. It’s an incredible sci-fi novel that delves into a horrifying realm of nightmare scenarios. The author throws us into the final gasping breaths of a World War 3 between the USA, Russia and China in which there are no clear winners. Surviving populations on all continents have been herded into camps for their own ��safety”. But with the war finally over…safety from what? It turns out the camps all cover entrances to immense underground facilities. Those facilities, some of which are actually massive cities, have been populated by different alien species for thousands of years. That’s right…according to this author, aliens are real. UFO sightings really are aliens flying around our skies. Yes, there really are little gray aliens and reptilians, too…and even more monsters and beasties than you can possibly imagine. . .and they are tired of living their lives hidden underground - out of human sight.
Imagine a world – right here on our own earth – where governments are well aware that other beings exist on this planet. . .where governments willingly work with these other creatures because those entities are more powerful than our greatest scientists or armies. . .even though it is well known that the others do not have human’s best interests at heart. In fact…some of them even consider humanity as nothing more than food!
Is it possible that humans have been sharing the earth with one or more hidden species for thousands of years? I’ve always been curious about such things. In my younger days my curiosity even drew me to attend a few local MUFON meetings. Though I heard lots of stories there – some interesting and some kind of scary - nothing I witnessed convinced me that aliens really existed. But still…the curiosity never really faded completely away. One of my favorite shows today is Ancient Aliens, mainly because the producers have a way of making it seem so possible that most of those ancient structures around the world must have been designed and built by something other than humans. But if true…where did they all go?
Did they fly back to their planets promising to return another day or did they go underground right here on earth? Are there really aliens working with our world governments in ways that both help and harm human kind? I’m not going to totally discount any possibilities but I truly hope that the possible future that the author of The Rose envisions is totally and completely inaccurate. The aliens in this story are not the nice ones. Surely, aliens can’t all be bad, can they? Maybe not, but I won’t find that out until the sequel is published. Hurry up and finish it Mr. Aleva. I can’t wait to read it!
With a freshly signed treaty, World War III is believed to be over and that’s what Sandy, pregnant and making her way to Atlanta with a man named Phil, thought to be true; however, a different kind of war has begun, waged by Alien Vampires, more simply called Dracs. Awaking disoriented and unable to move in an underground compound, Sandy soon realizes that her unborn child has been taken from her womb and is doggedly determined to find her child. Separated from Sandy, Phil makes his way in to the compound to find her, fighting off Dracs and other creatures along the way skillfully, using their sacred martial arts and blade weapons against them. With the baby, genetically modified with Drac DNA, at the heart of a plot to assert Drac dominance, Sandy, Phil, and an assorted group of soldiers collected along the way navigate an escape out of the compound while battling against a variety of adversaries, including genetically modified humans, aliens, and lycans as they fight toward their survival – at least for now.
With near-constant, bloody action as impossible odds continually stack against the characters in an intriguing dystopian and apocalyptic world featuring both supernatural and sci-fi elements in a unique manner, the story is propelled forward at a rapid pace with obscured truths helping to drive the plot while crafting a sense of tension, and leaving some things unaddressed, to make you curious what will come next. While typically assumed that your mind is safe refuge, this story questions the sanctity, and power, of someone’s mind with external invasions wreaking havoc on memory and perception of reality, not to mention the experimentation to dampen the mind to create a population of fodder at the direction of corrupt leaders. The various creatures presented depict social statuses in a way that makes it easy to see where power currently lies, providing dynamics that offer a complexity to the interactions between and motivations of characters, whose perspectives are transitioned between throughout the text to create a more cohesive whole from their individual parts; the connection of Sandy and Telas felt shockingly sudden and was a bit difficult to believe, though gene manipulation offered an explanation for it within this world and it became more developed and nuanced as the narrative progressed.
*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I don't normally read sci-fi and I think this is something that happens to a lot of horror readers.
Nevertheless, PD Alleva knows how to deliver an amazing story. Characters are so real that you can even hear them in your mind.
When you start the first chapter you understand why the five-star reviews have been raining on him.
The thread is complex, this is not the average little tale. The author places us at the end of a World War, where the war itself is the last thing to be worried about.
He uses sci-fi elements to keep you in constant tension, such as reptilian creatures, alien descriptions that would steal your our sleep for weeks.
How would you feel if you suddenly discovered that below your feet there's a horrifying civilization to be terrified of?
That is especially one thing I loved about this author: he is not conformed with mixing aliens and vampires, no. He builds up such strong character psyches that he is going to make the vampire lovers, love his vampires and the alien fans, love his aliens.
I really couldn't put it down because the action never stops. It very rarely happens to me. I must thank the author for not falling on cliches, otherwise, he makes use of traditional elements that will make the horror fans fall in love with his narrative.
Also, one thing to highlight is the deep psychological work on characters that he develops. You can perfectly see the effort built behind it. Even when you don't realize it, this is what makes a book excellent. Avoiding mediocrity, easy ways out, quick endings and impossible time frames.
I honestly recommend this book, which makes your heart beat until the end. If you don't believe me, because you're not keen on reading sci-fi or you don't like your horror mixed, I invite you to read all the reviews on the Amazon page because you'll see I'm not alone on becoming a number one fan of The Rose.
THE ROSE delves deep into the underground where horror and scifi favourites - reptilian aliens, UFO’s, vampires and werewolves - exist alongside corrupt human governments seeking to exploit the alien's superior technologies, a strategy fraught with risk, given the vampires’ dim view of humans. In the words of Sanos, an influential vampire, “Don’t make deals with your food.”
THE ROSE regularly switches POV between multiple protagonists and antagonists in a rapid-fire style, reflecting the chaotic and desperate situation the humans face, holocaust-like survivors of World War 3, required either for food or experimentation.
The many and varied characters shine in Alleva’s unique work, the first of a proposed trilogy. This is unusual in a high octane thriller, but I found myself caring for the ensemble of humans, pitted against the overwhelming power of the telepathic Greys (reptilian aliens), vampires and their various beast soldiers.
Phil, the main protagonist is a master of the martial arts, his weapon, the blade. He faces impossible odds with a faith born from his leader, Robyn Walker, a human with the ability to see all things, past, present and future. Phil’s warrior spirit endures as he takes on an army. “Get ready to bleed!” his call to arms.
I thoroughly enjoyed the thriller style of this book, enough to forgive the sometimes confusing narrative. Where the thrills pulsed along, slower scenes were less effective, at times bordering on information dumps. The occasional pacing issues aside, the story steamrolled ahead, adding multiple layers of suspense and intrigue as the characters attempted to escape their perilous situation.
All of this is unfolding in a world on the cusp of intergalactic war, a theme touched on throughout, no doubt to be fully explored in future instalments.
Interesting world-building, memorable characters, an intricate plot with a page-turning thriller edge made this a 4.5 STAR novel for me. Fans of Haldeman’s The Forever War or Watt’s Blind Sight should enjoy this book.
This was a fast paced, easy to read page turner. The world building was brilliantly done and quite scary.
The plot had many “evil” forces like the Russians and Chinese that were at war with the Americans. And if that’s not horrible enough you got freaking aliens who are actually in control. The characters are so real and well thought out that I was rooting for them. Well, the “good” guys that is.
I was having trouble getting through this book simply because I didn’t want it to end. It has crossed many genres and sub genres. I cannot put my finger on just one. It has action/adventure, horror because of the varied creatures, first contact because of alien beings, apocalyptic because of war in the form of WW3, Science fiction because again aliens, dystopian/apocalypse because of the survival aspects. Anyways all these genres and sub genres make for an outstanding read. I really really loved this book, and I am trying to pace myself before I read book 2. Since book 3 isn’t coming until 2023.
PD Alleva draws you into this new and scary world with such rich descriptions and likeable characters in a good versus bad scenario that made it into the perfect book.
I received a review copy of this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Rose Vol. 1 is the first in a series of dystopian sci-fi thrillers. The first thing that made me want to read this was mostly curiosity. A description of the book includes the end of a world war, alien vampires, gray aliens, enslaved humans, and human rebels. My question was, how is the author going to bring all these plot points together and make a cohesive story out of them? The answer is he did it masterfully. This story is packed with action set in a world where there seems to be little hope for humanity. Once one opens this book, it is difficult to set aside, and there is no end to the thrills, twists, and turns.
Well written and edited, if you enjoy sci-fi monster stories with vivid descriptions of brutality, this is a book you will really sink your teeth into.
Soon after World War III, people are gathered in "refugee camps," supposedly for their own safety. What they are is fodder for alien vampires for genetic experimentation and food.
Sandy Cox is taken by the aliens and awakes in a lab tied to a table, and her unborn fetus has been taken from her for some nefarious purpose only known to the vampires. She makes it her sole mission to get her baby back while others work to rescue her and others from the horrors of the alien laboratory.
Phil, a freedom fighter, is armed with combat knowledge, and a pair of sacred alien blades, and a crew of rogue soldiers. He fights his way through the complex feverishly to free Sandy, her child, and others. All along the way, they run into vampires, grays, and genetically enhanced humans and monsters.
There isn't a lot of background on the war or the characters in this story, so there were none that really stood out to me except for Phil. He is a soldier who has seen a lot of combat with the aliens and knows how to kill them. But there are a lot of them to face and his success is not assured. He and his rag-tag bunch put up a gallant fight. There is never a dull moment in The Rose!
I would have liked to have a little more background on World War III and the factions involved. Apparently, the US has been invaded by both Russian and Chinese troops and there has been a hell of a fight which left the US vulnerable to the Alien invasion. It isn't clear if the alien invasion is an isolated thing, or a widespread problem. Perhaps these things will be covered in future installments of the story. While I would have liked more history, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of this imaginative and complex story told from the human point of view and the alien perspective.
The aliens in The Rose think pretty well as we do. They have their agenda and pursue it. What that agenda isn't completely clear, but it revolves around Sandy's baby and perhaps may be revealed in future volumes of the story.
My takeaway from The Rose is how humanity has to be ever vigilant. It would seem while people of the Earth were busy fighting each other, it left, at least the US, wide open for an even more horrible threat from extra-terrestrial beings who see people as a source to gain scientific knowledge.
For me, this was more of a Sci-Fi Horror story than anything else. It is an engaging and entertaining story that is full of blood and guts that some readers may find disturbing. Alleva's descriptions are quite vivid and detailed, adding to palpable visions of violence perpetrated against not only humans, but against aliens as well. If this story doesn't give one chills, it would make me wonder if the reader has no feelings at all.
I recommend The Rose Volume 1 for those who enjoy a story that moves at warp speed with twists all along the way. It is certainly a journey into the darkness that will thrill, and maybe even cause a few nightmares.
♤ rating: 4.5/5 ♤ tw: death, murder, kidnapping, war ♤ review: I read this book during my exams so this one was like stress reliever for me. So I had a high expectations with this one, and i am do glad to say that it served y'all! I loved how it threw you right into the action and I was super invested in the plot... i was always forward to read this one after my exams. This is divided into several povs to get different perspectives on the plot, few of the main pov are of Sandy, Phil, Telas, Sanos and Cam. Cam's and Telas's pov were super interesting. And the character development in Telas made her one of my fav characters. I pitied with the characters and truly hated the villians ~ this book brought out my emotions. The plot was laid out pretty well...it was lil slow paced for me at the start but it was made up for. If you're a fan of sci-fic mixed with tragedy then this is the one for you. Super excited for the next in the series.
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♡ thank you so much to the author for reaching out to me!
A great combination of conspiracy theories combined with sci-fi. Governments cover up worldwide events, telling people only what they think they can handle, and even that have very few elements of truth to it. Add on top of that the fact that alien species are also involved in the coverup, and you end up with this intriguing story of the aftermath of World War Three.
The story will keep you guessing who's cause is just, if any. We all see things from the point of view of how we've been brought up, so who's to say what is right and what is wrong? It was easy to understand why the different species behave as they do. But throughout the story, there's still the unknown, the master plan. Is there a justifiable reason for all the destruction? The story certainly makes you think about it in terms of our own cultures and the strife that occurs in our world. Can we say "our" way is the right way? Factions divide even among nations, the same as they do among the alien species.
Lots of originality in the development of the species, and plenty of action to keep the sci-fi fan invested in the story. My only regret is that I have to wait to find out what happens next...
In the ashes of the third world war, it seems that peace can finally come at last. However, not everything is as it seems to be.
So many characters, all of them with multiple faces. It’s not so easy to decide who is good and who is bad. Each of them is motivated by their own goals which leads to plenty of clashes and action.
This suspenseful read keeps you wondering who can be trusted and who will lead others into destruction. So many genres blend together to make this amazingly addictive dystopian read. It spins the idea of the typical vampire myth on its head and gives us a brand new one set in a time outside of modern day. Oh and did I mention there are aliens too?
Everything about this book was so fresh that I couldn’t put it down. I ended up reading it in one day because the world was just so easy to get lost in that I didn’t want to leave it.
The Rose is a unique dystopian tale set at the end of a world war. I loved the description of the telepathic abilities. You really get a sense of how these powers function and the logic of how they fit into this universe. You can tell that the author lives in this world and cares about the mechanics of it.
The characters are also handled with this level of sophistication and care. They breathe and inhabit this world a way that you could easily imagine yourself inhabiting it. They’re decisions, be they self-serving or altruistic, are relatable.
I loved that we got the antagonist’s perspective as well. I’m always a fan of understanding why the antagonists believe they are in the right. And the author does a great job of relating their intentions.
This book is another great read from P.D. Alleva and I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.
This is a different kind of Fantasy or Fantasy Science Fiction book than I am familiar with reading. It not really my cup of tea but the story was well thought out and put together. I'm sure other Science Fiction readers would enjoy the book.
I realized the story also took place after an EMP had occurred so we were in an Dystopian Science Fiction with Vampires, Witches and humans. There seemed to be multiple events occuring.
We have Ben, Sandy & the baby-to-be trying to escape the Chinese and Phil arrives to save Sandy & her Baby-to-be; then we meet Admiral Leo, and his crew to find out everyone needed to vacated the compound & a character named Cam is there to help guide them out & saves children in the compound. Finally, we also get to know the witches, and the Vampires , who are fighting to gain control over everything and everyone, vampires and humans. The witches has taken the Baby Adam.
This book has it all violence, action, intrigue, betrayal, trust building, loyalty suspense, lots of twists and unpredictable turns, battles, fights, originality, different and unique characters.
I received a free copy of this book for an honest review. I would recommend this book to anybody who enjoys Fantasy, and Fantasy Science Fiction books.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Sandy - Phil - Cam - Ben - the Dracs - the greys - all of Alleva's characters are multi-faceted and unpredictable with infinite layers. Nothing is as it seems - power plays are ongoing and who is in control changes over and over again until your head spins. Who to trust? What will they do next? The plot line is complex and will keep you reading as fast as you can to find out if good will triumph over evil. I held my breath time and time again hoping for a quick resolution, but things kept getting worse and worse, with one shocking development and upheaval after another. If you like thrillers, sci-fi, or dystopian, you will meet your match in THE ROSE. Riveting.
Loved the approach, vampires being aliens? ok, you got my attention.
This is a dystopian story set after World War 3, there is a lot of conflict and the story was incredibly captivating. There is a bit of everything: fantasy, mistery and suspense, combats, a nice mixture.
A nice of well built cast of characters, each with their own personality and a past, lots of them relatable and with fitting traits to the devastated world they live in. Same goes for the worldbuilding, which can be only described as excellent.
An amazing beginning for a dystopian series, I am eagerly looking forward to the next installments .
THIS IS A PRETTY COOL BOOK. IT STARTS WITH THE END OF WW2. YOU HAVE A YOUNG MOTHER WHO HAS HER BABY TAKEN AWAY BY ALIEN VAMPIRES AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
THERE'S A COLABERATION BETWEEN THESE VAMPIRES AND HUMANS, THERE'S ALSO HEROICE HUMANS WHO ARE TRYING TO STOP THESE VAMPIRES.
I WOULD COMPARE THIS BOOK TO A ROLLER COASTER RIDE THAT NEVER STOPS.
READ THIS NOVEL AND THINK ABOUT HOW VAMPIRES CAN BE EVEN SCARIER THEN YOU THOUGHT.
Not my normal fare when it comes to books I ended up really enjoying The Rose. After an abrupt start I started really getting into the story and understand more of the world as story progressed. It became an exciting battle with new takes on famous monsters. Things are not as they seem, conspiracies thrive, power struggles and lots and lots of blood. Look forward to reading the second book and see how the adventure continues and if we will ever find out THE TRUTH.
I received a complimentary review copy of The Rose in exchange for an honest review through participation in a blog tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. Thank you to PD Alleva and Goddess Fish Promotions for the opportunity! This has not swayed my review. My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
The USA declared war on Russia and China, and the world suffered. As WWIII dies away and the dust begins to settle, nothing will ever be the same again. Aliens have been living beneath us, and now that we've done so much to destroy ourselves, nothing can keep us safe. Governments used to keep us in the dark, but those governments have fallen. It's now humanity vs the Dracs, a vampiric race of aliens, and they've abducted our heroine Sandy's unborn child.
This is a powerful, suspenseful book full of so many twists and turns and two-faced characters that keep you guessing right through to the very end! The world itself is also so expertly crafted and thought out. I would not be surprised if someone told me Alleva has at least 10 times as many words as the novel's word count written somewhere else that's just world-building. And unlike so many novels I've come across with drastically different dystopian worlds written for an adult audience, this one doesn't beat you over the head with info dumps nor does it leave you stranded with too many ambiguous terms that haven't been defined.
This book is full of multiple POVs, which may turn some readers off as it can be difficult to properly track and attach to more than two or three POVs in a single book in general, but I think Alleva has handled it well. My favourite POV to read was Sandy's, but I really enjoyed the fact that not all of the POVs were the "good guys" and that we got a well-rounded picture of what all sides are up to.
This book is fast-paced, gripping, and completely unique as far as vampire stories, dystopian worlds, etc. goes based on what I've read before, and I absolutely recommend it to anyone who loves vampires, aliens, and stories about living past the end of times. With that said, this book is quite dark and there is battle and gore aplenty, so squeamish and younger viewers be warned.
-- I read this title for a blog tour! To read the rest of the post and gain easy access to the rest of the tour, visit: westveilpublishing.com/?p=3035
I have just recently begun to read vampire books thanks to a few authors including this one. Non-stop action from the first page to the last. I was intrigued by the whole story and the best part about this book, not only did it keep me entertained, Alien Vampires? What a fun read. It was GREAT to read something different for a change. Love this author and he NEVER disappoints! Highly recommend!
The Rose Vol 1 is a step outside my usual sci-fi comfort zone, in that it's a dystopian SFF thriller/horror title, but I'm definitely glad that I gave it a shot. PD Alleva has created a fascinating dystopian world in which the U.S. has been invaded by other nations, but it's a smokescreen for the real invasion of an alien vampire race that resides below the surface of the Earth.
A young pregnant woman, is being assisted by a resistance member, Phil. But when Sandy is kidnapped, and her baby is genetically modified in the womb as part of experiments being conducted by the alien race to create hybrid children, all bets are off. There are various factions who want this experiment to succeed and others who wish it to fail, and it becomes a battle of epic proportions.
This is a fast-paced and unique story that's not quite like anything I've read before. There's a lot going on and you need to pay attention, and be prepared to pick up the second volume because the ending leaves you wanting more.
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy of The Rose Vol 1. All thoughts and opinions are my own.