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Blood World
Everything changed when scientists discovered the drug. It looked like the cure for aging, but all progress comes with a price tag. Now, eternal youthfulness will be paid for by the blood of the innocent.
The blood of “carriers” is the most valuable commodity on earth. When treated with a new wonder drug, it cures disease, increases power, and makes the recipient a virtual superman.
It also makes the carriers targets. Young people with the right genes are ripped from their families and stashed in “blood farms.”
Ellie Batista became an LAPD officer specifically to fight this evil as a member of the Blood Squad, but her ambitions are thwarted—until the day she and her partner are ambushed during a routine stop. The resulting events plunge her into an undercover world more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.
Because a madman has found a way to increase the potency of the blood to levels previously unimagined. As he cuts a bloody swath through the already deadly world of blood cartels, Ellie is the only hope to stop him before the body count explodes.
The blood of “carriers” is the most valuable commodity on earth. When treated with a new wonder drug, it cures disease, increases power, and makes the recipient a virtual superman.
It also makes the carriers targets. Young people with the right genes are ripped from their families and stashed in “blood farms.”
Ellie Batista became an LAPD officer specifically to fight this evil as a member of the Blood Squad, but her ambitions are thwarted—until the day she and her partner are ambushed during a routine stop. The resulting events plunge her into an undercover world more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.
Because a madman has found a way to increase the potency of the blood to levels previously unimagined. As he cuts a bloody swath through the already deadly world of blood cartels, Ellie is the only hope to stop him before the body count explodes.
560 pages, Paperback
First published August 18, 2020
39 people are currently reading
2552 people want to read
About the author
Chris Mooney
48 books524 followersHailed as “one of the best thriller writers working today” by Lee Child and “a wonderful writer” by Michael Connelly, Chris Mooney is the international bestselling author of twelve novels, most recently, The Snow Girls. His fourth book, The Missing, the first in the Darby McCormick series, was a main selection of the International Book of the Month Club and an instant bestseller in over thirteen countries. The Mystery Writer’s Association nominated Chris’s third book, Remembering Sarah, for an Edgar Award for Best Novel. Foreign rights to his novels have been sold to twenty-eight territories. He has sold nearly two million copies of his books.
Chris teaches writing courses at Harvard and the Harvard Extension School, and lives in the Boston area with his wife and son. His new novel, Blood World, will be released in August of 2020.
International Praise for Chris Mooney:
“Scary voice, scary talent. Mooney is one of the best thriller writers working today.”
– Lee Child
“A wonderful writer . . . Compelling, thrilling and touching.”
– Michael Connelly
“Harrowing, gripping, haunting, gut-wrenching and beautifully written.”
– Harlan Coben
“Chris Mooney has written his finest novel, and that’s saying something indeed.”
– Dennis Lehane
“It will keep you up past your bedtime.”
– Karin Slaughter
“A thriller that will chill your blood, break your heart and make your pulse race.”
– Mark Billingham
"Chris Mooney is an exceptional thriller writer, with the rare gift of being able to of balance action with compassion, and grit with humanity. I envy those who have yet to read him."
– John Connolly
“The Missing is the season’s most unrelenting thriller. It will keep readers enthralled from its gripping opening chapters to its shocking last page.”
– George Pelecanos
“Mooney writes like a man on fire.”
– Linda Fairstein
“The smart money has long been on Chris Mooney, one of crime fiction’s rising stars.”
– Laura Lippman
Chris teaches writing courses at Harvard and the Harvard Extension School, and lives in the Boston area with his wife and son. His new novel, Blood World, will be released in August of 2020.
International Praise for Chris Mooney:
“Scary voice, scary talent. Mooney is one of the best thriller writers working today.”
– Lee Child
“A wonderful writer . . . Compelling, thrilling and touching.”
– Michael Connelly
“Harrowing, gripping, haunting, gut-wrenching and beautifully written.”
– Harlan Coben
“Chris Mooney has written his finest novel, and that’s saying something indeed.”
– Dennis Lehane
“It will keep you up past your bedtime.”
– Karin Slaughter
“A thriller that will chill your blood, break your heart and make your pulse race.”
– Mark Billingham
"Chris Mooney is an exceptional thriller writer, with the rare gift of being able to of balance action with compassion, and grit with humanity. I envy those who have yet to read him."
– John Connolly
“The Missing is the season’s most unrelenting thriller. It will keep readers enthralled from its gripping opening chapters to its shocking last page.”
– George Pelecanos
“Mooney writes like a man on fire.”
– Linda Fairstein
“The smart money has long been on Chris Mooney, one of crime fiction’s rising stars.”
– Laura Lippman
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
May 16, 2020
Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.
Ah, the ever elusive fountain of youth. What if you could kick your last couple of decades of aging to the curb with a simple blood transfusion? There are but a few individuals who carry the special type of blood that can effect this enhancement. Once discovered, they are often abducted and end up hidden away on blood farms for future use. Think of the riches this enterprise could produce for a person with a savvy business sense and no discernible conscience. Sadly, I couldn't work up any love or hate for the characters. Great premise, but this thriller did not enthrall me.
Ah, the ever elusive fountain of youth. What if you could kick your last couple of decades of aging to the curb with a simple blood transfusion? There are but a few individuals who carry the special type of blood that can effect this enhancement. Once discovered, they are often abducted and end up hidden away on blood farms for future use. Think of the riches this enterprise could produce for a person with a savvy business sense and no discernible conscience. Sadly, I couldn't work up any love or hate for the characters. Great premise, but this thriller did not enthrall me.
August 5, 2020
A chilling depiction of a world where your blood can be a priceless asset that marks you for life. A protein has been identified that can be the fountain of youth. Carriers of this protein are identified and protected from those who would plunder that resource. It is a fascinating concept that drew me to try my first Chris Mooney thriller. The main character is a female police officer who decides to go undercover to attempt to bring down the criminal minds who have established blood farms to mine the lifeblood of other human beings. There are sci-fi elements, but the setting is present day California and its wildfires are a character of their own. This action-packed thriller will appeal to readers who love Lee Child and David Baldacci.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
August 30, 2021
Blood World sounds like a science fiction thriller along the lines of a Mad Max society. It’s actually a modern-day thriller with the twist being blood, well, special blood that you can’t just get out of any blood bank. It comes from those with special genes and acts like a fountain of youth coupled with a high dose of ecstasy. Of course, it’s an underground pleasure and siphoned off of carriers housed in hidden blood farms and sucked dry to feed a growing market. Different criminal gangs are at odds trying to seize the burgeoning market. Into this maelstrom we find Ellie, whose twin brother was kidnapped years earlier, but she never gave up trying to find him. Ellie us now an LAPD officer who wants to join the fabled blood squad and break the organizations involved. Much of the exciting story is her undercover journey into the heart of the criminal enterprise which plays out similarly to many undercover stories. All in all, an exciting thrill ride.
January 5, 2023
This is a cross over of a thriller and science fiction. I gave up after 65 pages. This was my first book by Chris Mooney and my main problem was that everything is too drawn out. I like authors with a more 'snappy' style, who do not explain everything. When someone gets a gun, we get the story why he uses this particular gun, and how he came to carry it and so on and so on. The main character is too whiny to my taste and to be honest, I can see where all this is going miles away.
Thanks to Edelweiss for this digital review copy.
Thanks to Edelweiss for this digital review copy.
July 14, 2020
Part thriller, part science fiction, Chris Mooney’s BLOOD WORLD proves that vanity knows no bounds as humans with special genes carry the blood that becomes a miraculous cure-all for disease, old age, and makes its recipients almost super-human with appetites to match. Of course, there will always be someone whose greed will abuse this almost magical brew. Carriers are kidnapped, “milked” for their genetic gift and the body count is rising. One detective with her own dark secrets will stop at nothing to bring this monster down.
Intriguing, the concept behind this book is fabulous and magnetic! Who wouldn’t want to sip from the fountain of youth? But, like everything good, there is a dark side and for me, it was the inconsistent pace and a main character that just seemed a little flat to me.
That said, this still make a good crime novel with a bloody twist.
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Berkley! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Publisher: Berkley (August 18, 2020)
Publication Date: August 18, 2020
Genre: Techno-thriller
Print Length: 448 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Intriguing, the concept behind this book is fabulous and magnetic! Who wouldn’t want to sip from the fountain of youth? But, like everything good, there is a dark side and for me, it was the inconsistent pace and a main character that just seemed a little flat to me.
That said, this still make a good crime novel with a bloody twist.
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Berkley! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Publisher: Berkley (August 18, 2020)
Publication Date: August 18, 2020
Genre: Techno-thriller
Print Length: 448 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
August 9, 2020
Originally published on the Nerd Daily | Review by Kaylie Seed
Chris Mooney’s Blood World is a sci-fi thriller that is bound to leave a positive impression on readers. Releasing on August 18th, Blood World takes today’s world and immerses the reader in a place where certain people’s blood (called Carriers) can reverse the ageing process and make people feel invincible; essential leaving them feeling like they are a superhero and like they have discovered the fountain of youth. This new world has created an underground ring of illegal activity that the police have dubbed “the blood world” where people are kidnapped and become blood giving slaves for the rest of their life so that the rich and famous can continue to live a luxurious life.
Read the FULL REVIEW on the Nerd Daily
Chris Mooney’s Blood World is a sci-fi thriller that is bound to leave a positive impression on readers. Releasing on August 18th, Blood World takes today’s world and immerses the reader in a place where certain people’s blood (called Carriers) can reverse the ageing process and make people feel invincible; essential leaving them feeling like they are a superhero and like they have discovered the fountain of youth. This new world has created an underground ring of illegal activity that the police have dubbed “the blood world” where people are kidnapped and become blood giving slaves for the rest of their life so that the rich and famous can continue to live a luxurious life.
Read the FULL REVIEW on the Nerd Daily
January 31, 2022
Ich muss sagen, der Klappentext des Buchs hat mich sehr angesprochen. Die Idee mit den Blutfarmen klang neu und innovativ. Ich habe mir ein sehr düsteres und dreckiges Setting ausgemalt, bei dem Menschen alles tun, um an das Blut zu kommen, ähnlich wie bei Heroin.
Allerdings wurden meine Erwartungen komplett enttäuscht.
Denn das Blut und die damit verbundene Technologie spielen nur eine sehr untergeordnete Rolle.
Im Prinzip geht es um einen Gangster, der sein Geld mit den verbotenen Bluttransfusionen verdient, der aber eigentlich gar nicht so böse ist. Denn da gibt es noch einen viel böseren Gangster, der Gangster 1 das Blutgeschäft abnehmen will - und mittendrin haben wir dann noch eine Polizistin, die unbedingt ganz tief in dieser Untergrundblutwelt ermitteln will, weil es da etwas in ihrer Vergangenheit gibt, was sie nicht loslässt. Es war also gar nicht das, was ich mir vorgestellt hatte.
Das wäre nicht unbedingt schlimm, wenn die Story, die ich dann bekommen habe, wenigstens actionreich und blutig gewesen wäre. Aber ich fand die Geschichte nur unglaublich langweilig erzählt. Nachdem es zu Beginn einen Schusswechsel gab, der mich recht positiv gestimmt hat, gab es nur noch endloses Gerede. So viele Kriminelle und so wenig Waffengebrauch – ich war wirklich überrascht.
Die Figuren hätten eigentlich Potenzial gehabt. Wir haben hier die Hauptfigur Ellie Battista, eine junge, engagierte Polizistin, die sich in ihrer Freizeit stark mit den Blutfarben auseinandersetzt und unbedingt in die dazu gehörige Sonderermittlungseinheit der Polizei möchte.
Und auf der anderen Seite gibt es noch Sebastian, einen der größten Blutmogule des Landes, der nach außen hin den unschuldigen Immobilienmakler mimt.
Beide Figuren hätten durch Charakter überzeugen können, doch sie waren einfach nur blasse Abziehbildchen. Selten habe ich in einem Buch Figuren erlebt, deren Hintergrundgeschichte so klischeehaft war und mich so kalt gelassen hat.
Auch, dass alles vor einer sehr wohlhabenden Kulisse gespielt hat, fand ich recht öde. Klar, wenn reiche Leute ein Produkt wie diese Bluttransfusionen kaufen, ist viel Geld im Spiel – doch ich hätte mir einfach gewünscht, dass im Hintergrund mehr Dunkelheit herrscht.
Sicher hat das Buch einen durchdachten Plot und einen roten Faden, dagegen kann ich nichts sagen. Aber das Potenzial für eine actionreiche Story im Untergrundmillieu wurde einfach nicht genutzt. Vieles, was mich näher interessiert hätte, etwa die Zusammensetzung des Blutes, vielleicht ein bisschen die Sicht der Spender, Sebastians Geschäft mit dem Blut an seinen Patienten...all das wurde nur unzureichend, bzw. gar nicht beleuchtet.
Zum Ende hin gab es zwar wieder ein wenig Action, jedoch erneut vor sehr klischeehafter Kulisse eines Waldbrandes, sodass es mich nicht wirklich überzeugen konnte.
Schade, aber mir hat die Geschichte leider gar nicht gefallen.
Allerdings wurden meine Erwartungen komplett enttäuscht.
Denn das Blut und die damit verbundene Technologie spielen nur eine sehr untergeordnete Rolle.
Im Prinzip geht es um einen Gangster, der sein Geld mit den verbotenen Bluttransfusionen verdient, der aber eigentlich gar nicht so böse ist. Denn da gibt es noch einen viel böseren Gangster, der Gangster 1 das Blutgeschäft abnehmen will - und mittendrin haben wir dann noch eine Polizistin, die unbedingt ganz tief in dieser Untergrundblutwelt ermitteln will, weil es da etwas in ihrer Vergangenheit gibt, was sie nicht loslässt. Es war also gar nicht das, was ich mir vorgestellt hatte.
Das wäre nicht unbedingt schlimm, wenn die Story, die ich dann bekommen habe, wenigstens actionreich und blutig gewesen wäre. Aber ich fand die Geschichte nur unglaublich langweilig erzählt. Nachdem es zu Beginn einen Schusswechsel gab, der mich recht positiv gestimmt hat, gab es nur noch endloses Gerede. So viele Kriminelle und so wenig Waffengebrauch – ich war wirklich überrascht.
Die Figuren hätten eigentlich Potenzial gehabt. Wir haben hier die Hauptfigur Ellie Battista, eine junge, engagierte Polizistin, die sich in ihrer Freizeit stark mit den Blutfarben auseinandersetzt und unbedingt in die dazu gehörige Sonderermittlungseinheit der Polizei möchte.
Und auf der anderen Seite gibt es noch Sebastian, einen der größten Blutmogule des Landes, der nach außen hin den unschuldigen Immobilienmakler mimt.
Beide Figuren hätten durch Charakter überzeugen können, doch sie waren einfach nur blasse Abziehbildchen. Selten habe ich in einem Buch Figuren erlebt, deren Hintergrundgeschichte so klischeehaft war und mich so kalt gelassen hat.
Auch, dass alles vor einer sehr wohlhabenden Kulisse gespielt hat, fand ich recht öde. Klar, wenn reiche Leute ein Produkt wie diese Bluttransfusionen kaufen, ist viel Geld im Spiel – doch ich hätte mir einfach gewünscht, dass im Hintergrund mehr Dunkelheit herrscht.
Sicher hat das Buch einen durchdachten Plot und einen roten Faden, dagegen kann ich nichts sagen. Aber das Potenzial für eine actionreiche Story im Untergrundmillieu wurde einfach nicht genutzt. Vieles, was mich näher interessiert hätte, etwa die Zusammensetzung des Blutes, vielleicht ein bisschen die Sicht der Spender, Sebastians Geschäft mit dem Blut an seinen Patienten...all das wurde nur unzureichend, bzw. gar nicht beleuchtet.
Zum Ende hin gab es zwar wieder ein wenig Action, jedoch erneut vor sehr klischeehafter Kulisse eines Waldbrandes, sodass es mich nicht wirklich überzeugen konnte.
Schade, aber mir hat die Geschichte leider gar nicht gefallen.
May 15, 2020
This is one of those books that took a minute. While I liked some of the near future elements (the whole carrier thing), I was a little put off by our main character. Every so often, I thought to myself – definitely a man trying to write a woman.
Before you @ me, a non-spoiler example:
When a woman walks into a bar that’s full of older, rich men and young, surgically enhanced blondes, she’s definitely having some thoughts, but her first thought generally isn’t ‘sausage fest’. It’s also likely not her 2nd, 3rd, or 800th thought. There were things like that throughout the book.
However, despite my nitpick, the book soon smoothed into a very good crime novel! It’s just gritty enough and the meld of those near future items is extremely well done. I especially liked that the author plays with our perceptions of some of the characters. When I found myself kind of rooting for a pretty evil character, I knew he’d done a good job of making his characters more complex and interesting than I’d expected.
The book is good. It’s a quick read and it’s the kind that makes you sorry you need to stop for sleep or work.
I’d read the author again.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
Before you @ me, a non-spoiler example:
When a woman walks into a bar that’s full of older, rich men and young, surgically enhanced blondes, she’s definitely having some thoughts, but her first thought generally isn’t ‘sausage fest’. It’s also likely not her 2nd, 3rd, or 800th thought. There were things like that throughout the book.
However, despite my nitpick, the book soon smoothed into a very good crime novel! It’s just gritty enough and the meld of those near future items is extremely well done. I especially liked that the author plays with our perceptions of some of the characters. When I found myself kind of rooting for a pretty evil character, I knew he’d done a good job of making his characters more complex and interesting than I’d expected.
The book is good. It’s a quick read and it’s the kind that makes you sorry you need to stop for sleep or work.
I’d read the author again.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
August 18, 2020
Do you ever read a book and know exactly how it would play out in film? I mean, I know we play the movie version in our heads while we read but some books just scream to be made into a film and I think this is one of them.
In this day and age where we continue to look for the fountain of youth, Blood World touches on sci-fi and talk about how some people, the Carriers, have extra special blood. In this novel, this blood can be mixed with other things that you get a transfusion of and voila (insert jazz hands) you are on the high of your life. Whether it will heal you or up your sex drive to crazy heights - you must have money in order to access it and then head to a Blood Farm and get yourself fixed UP. I really wish I had more information on the science behind all of this. More info please!!
There's Sebastian and Paul - father/son duo of the year..... both working the Blood Farm circuit but competition is NOT friendly. Personally I would've loved a little more Paul. Oh the evil. As you can imagine, people who are Carriers are being picked up off the street and taken to farms because.... money... and evil. And as you can guess, we now have a Blood Crimes unit and Ellie is undercover. (Not gonna lie, I think she was my favorite character.)
I had a lot of fun reading this. Lots of action. I love undercover stories and really enjoyed the sci-fi aspect of this. The ending was a little too neatly tied in a bow after everything else happening within the read. The pure entertainment of this book is addictive! I wish the cover would reflect what the insides are because this quick actiony read is pure heart racing fun!
In this day and age where we continue to look for the fountain of youth, Blood World touches on sci-fi and talk about how some people, the Carriers, have extra special blood. In this novel, this blood can be mixed with other things that you get a transfusion of and voila (insert jazz hands) you are on the high of your life. Whether it will heal you or up your sex drive to crazy heights - you must have money in order to access it and then head to a Blood Farm and get yourself fixed UP. I really wish I had more information on the science behind all of this. More info please!!
There's Sebastian and Paul - father/son duo of the year..... both working the Blood Farm circuit but competition is NOT friendly. Personally I would've loved a little more Paul. Oh the evil. As you can imagine, people who are Carriers are being picked up off the street and taken to farms because.... money... and evil. And as you can guess, we now have a Blood Crimes unit and Ellie is undercover. (Not gonna lie, I think she was my favorite character.)
I had a lot of fun reading this. Lots of action. I love undercover stories and really enjoyed the sci-fi aspect of this. The ending was a little too neatly tied in a bow after everything else happening within the read. The pure entertainment of this book is addictive! I wish the cover would reflect what the insides are because this quick actiony read is pure heart racing fun!
August 18, 2020
An exciting, yet frightening sci-fi thriller
In the near future man has conquered the effects of old age. All it takes is a whole lot of money and a blood donor who is a carrier of a specific gene. The blood from these donors dissolves excess fat, tightens loose skin, erases wrinkles, gives strength of body and mind, and heightens all the senses. Since the donors aren't willing to just give up their blood, they are kidnapped, held on "blood farms" and their blood is transfused into people rich enough to pay the price.
Ellie Batista is a patrolman on the LAPD but her long-time desire is to get involved in the newly formed LAPD Blood Crimes Unit. She hasn't had any luck so far in getting onto the unit.
But a series of unfortunate events have them seeking her out to work undercover. And she jumps at the chance even though it will mean leaving everything in her old life behind. But she's wanted this for years, for reasons known only to her.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I liked Ellie's character and it was a sign of the author's writing skill that there were a few of the bad guys I found myself liking (or at least not hating), too. The story moved at a fast pace and I enjoyed every bit of it.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers, science fiction, or just a plain good book.
I received this book from Berkley Publishing through Net Galley and Edelweiss in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
In the near future man has conquered the effects of old age. All it takes is a whole lot of money and a blood donor who is a carrier of a specific gene. The blood from these donors dissolves excess fat, tightens loose skin, erases wrinkles, gives strength of body and mind, and heightens all the senses. Since the donors aren't willing to just give up their blood, they are kidnapped, held on "blood farms" and their blood is transfused into people rich enough to pay the price.
Ellie Batista is a patrolman on the LAPD but her long-time desire is to get involved in the newly formed LAPD Blood Crimes Unit. She hasn't had any luck so far in getting onto the unit.
But a series of unfortunate events have them seeking her out to work undercover. And she jumps at the chance even though it will mean leaving everything in her old life behind. But she's wanted this for years, for reasons known only to her.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I liked Ellie's character and it was a sign of the author's writing skill that there were a few of the bad guys I found myself liking (or at least not hating), too. The story moved at a fast pace and I enjoyed every bit of it.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers, science fiction, or just a plain good book.
I received this book from Berkley Publishing through Net Galley and Edelweiss in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
August 23, 2020
I really wanted to like this more but ended up pretty meh about it. The premise of the blood carriers was the whole reason I picked this up and the book did deliver on some interesting pseudo-science around that. The meh part was the character work. The story was very successful about making you root for the morally bankrupt blood dealer over the utter psychopath blood dealer but then again that's not hard if you make your villain a Villain with a capital V. I also never really connected to the main female character.
It's almost like author used up all the fantastic elements for the blood science fiction and then decided to ground everyone in reality. Which I ended finding kind of boring.
It's almost like author used up all the fantastic elements for the blood science fiction and then decided to ground everyone in reality. Which I ended finding kind of boring.
August 11, 2020
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Blood World is an interesting dystopia. For "carriers," it is a brutal world with one kind of prison or another. The rich can and will pay anything for the blood effects. The criminals running the blood farms are not good guys, but certainly some are worse than others.
Ellie is our main character and I feared for her and was terrified often. She is smart and careful but takes so many risks. The blood producers are willing to torture or kill as needed; it doesn't bother them. When she goes undercover, she manages to make herself useful and luckily her cover identity holds well. There are many instances where she almost dies.
The blood producers, Sebastian, Frank and their security guy Ron, have long been successful and profitable. Now they have some major problems. Sebastian is our other main character. If he and his partners weren't bad guys, I could almost feel sorry for them. Their enemies, who are competitors, are worse.
I found this exciting, violent, full of action and suspense. The world was developed with intriguing, mysterious facets of blood production. The criminals were vicious but had to have some outer face to deal with their rich clients. The police had their own corrupt officers helping the criminals to an easier time. Ellie had her own deceptions to reach her goals. These main characters were flawed with layers but overall true to their path in life.
Review copy was received from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Blood World is an interesting dystopia. For "carriers," it is a brutal world with one kind of prison or another. The rich can and will pay anything for the blood effects. The criminals running the blood farms are not good guys, but certainly some are worse than others.
Ellie is our main character and I feared for her and was terrified often. She is smart and careful but takes so many risks. The blood producers are willing to torture or kill as needed; it doesn't bother them. When she goes undercover, she manages to make herself useful and luckily her cover identity holds well. There are many instances where she almost dies.
The blood producers, Sebastian, Frank and their security guy Ron, have long been successful and profitable. Now they have some major problems. Sebastian is our other main character. If he and his partners weren't bad guys, I could almost feel sorry for them. Their enemies, who are competitors, are worse.
I found this exciting, violent, full of action and suspense. The world was developed with intriguing, mysterious facets of blood production. The criminals were vicious but had to have some outer face to deal with their rich clients. The police had their own corrupt officers helping the criminals to an easier time. Ellie had her own deceptions to reach her goals. These main characters were flawed with layers but overall true to their path in life.
January 19, 2022
Der Thriller hat mir wirklich gut gefallen. Es hatte genau den richtigen Mix aus Erschreckendem, Emotionalen und Gutem (also im Sinne von ›nicht böse‹). Allerdings muss ich trotzdem einen – eigentlich halben – Stern abziehen, da mich in der ersten Hälfte doch zwei Dinge gestört haben, die ich zwar letztlich nicht stark gewichte, die aber doch den Roman zu einem nicht ganz perfekten machen. Dadurch kann ich ihm auch nicht guten Gewissens die vollen fünf Sterne geben.
Vorneweg: Die Geschichte wird vorwiegend von zwei personalen Erzählern geschildert. Zum einen aus der einer jungen Polizistin, zum anderen aus der eines Manns, der bereits seit vielen vielen Jahren im illegalen Blutgeschäft unterwegs ist, also auch schon ein wenig älter.
Also von zwei komplett unterschiedlichen Personen, die kernverschieden sind. Und da ist mein erstes Problem, denn die beiden haben viel zu ähnliche Erzählstimmen, was es etwas unnatürlich und inszeniert macht. Vor allem, da auch beide Charaktere ganz extrem in der Vergangenheit leben und sich an Dingen festklammern, von denen ich mich manchmal gefragt habe, warum die nicht schon die letzten Jahr(zehnt)e angegangen wurde. Gerade auch durch diese Vergangenheiten, die zentrale Rollen spielen, müssten die Erzählstimmen sich stärker unterscheiden, finde ich.
Abgesehen von diesen beiden Punkten ist der Roman wirklich fesselnd und mitreißend, auch wenn vor allem anfangs wenig Action (show) und viel Erzähltes (tell) abgeht. Eine Leseempfehlung gibt es also definitiv!
Kurz: Ein guter Science-Thriller, der mich wirklich begeistert hat.
Vorneweg: Die Geschichte wird vorwiegend von zwei personalen Erzählern geschildert. Zum einen aus der einer jungen Polizistin, zum anderen aus der eines Manns, der bereits seit vielen vielen Jahren im illegalen Blutgeschäft unterwegs ist, also auch schon ein wenig älter.
Also von zwei komplett unterschiedlichen Personen, die kernverschieden sind. Und da ist mein erstes Problem, denn die beiden haben viel zu ähnliche Erzählstimmen, was es etwas unnatürlich und inszeniert macht. Vor allem, da auch beide Charaktere ganz extrem in der Vergangenheit leben und sich an Dingen festklammern, von denen ich mich manchmal gefragt habe, warum die nicht schon die letzten Jahr(zehnt)e angegangen wurde. Gerade auch durch diese Vergangenheiten, die zentrale Rollen spielen, müssten die Erzählstimmen sich stärker unterscheiden, finde ich.
Abgesehen von diesen beiden Punkten ist der Roman wirklich fesselnd und mitreißend, auch wenn vor allem anfangs wenig Action (show) und viel Erzähltes (tell) abgeht. Eine Leseempfehlung gibt es also definitiv!
Kurz: Ein guter Science-Thriller, der mich wirklich begeistert hat.
April 4, 2021
3.5 Stars
Interesting story that surrounds certain people called carriers. These carriers have a blood type that when transfused to another person, it makes them look younger and feel better. Albeit, sometimes there are side effects. These carriers are prized. It is dangerous for them to be out and about for they could be kidnapped and made to work in the blood farms where they may never been seen or heard from again. That is what happened to Ellie's twin brother when she was young and she has been searching for him since. Even getting on the police force to get closer. When she is assigned to the task force that is trying to find the blood farms, she ends up getting in way over her head.
The story was great. Ellie and a few others were likeable characters. Most of them you either like to hate or just hate. They were terrible people doing a terrible thing and, wow, some of those scenes made me cringe.
The only part of the story I didn't really like was it was way too long. Even though the writing was good, it was way too detailed. A little detail is nice but this was excessive. Made it hard to hold my attention at times. Look forward to more by this author though.
Interesting story that surrounds certain people called carriers. These carriers have a blood type that when transfused to another person, it makes them look younger and feel better. Albeit, sometimes there are side effects. These carriers are prized. It is dangerous for them to be out and about for they could be kidnapped and made to work in the blood farms where they may never been seen or heard from again. That is what happened to Ellie's twin brother when she was young and she has been searching for him since. Even getting on the police force to get closer. When she is assigned to the task force that is trying to find the blood farms, she ends up getting in way over her head.
The story was great. Ellie and a few others were likeable characters. Most of them you either like to hate or just hate. They were terrible people doing a terrible thing and, wow, some of those scenes made me cringe.
The only part of the story I didn't really like was it was way too long. Even though the writing was good, it was way too detailed. A little detail is nice but this was excessive. Made it hard to hold my attention at times. Look forward to more by this author though.
May 17, 2020
WOW! A gritty, high-octane crime thriller punctuated with explosions and gun battles, deceit and Machiavellian confrontations with an intriguing underlying premise cemented in speculative fiction. The premise ... there has been discovered a unique protein in the blood of some "carriers" ... when taken and transfused into another individual it imparts many unique and beneficial "side effects" to the recipient . An anti-aging property with the seemingly wiping away 10 to 15 years of age with enhancement of muscle and skin properties ... a regeneration effect counter acting disease and injury ... and even a libidinous property of enhancing arousal and performance. Naturally, a black market evolves, with the kidnapping of the young carriers, quartering them like cattle in "blood farms" and harvesting their blood for transfusions. True "carrier" blood remains rare as the Hope Diamond and ridiculously expensive .. and for the most part is utilized by the rich elite. The lesser, and second-tier products are peddled primarily by the Mexican and Armenian cartels. Sebastian Kane actually appears to be the kingpin in the "blood world"... utilizing his real estate empire as a front, he controls most of the high-end blood products ... the primo agent is termed "Pandora". A Blood War erupts between Sebastian and his psychopathic step-son, Paul Young ... for ultimate control of this most profitable business venture.
Mooney spins a twisted high-octane thriller pitting the two adversaries and their minions ... replete with explosions , AR 15 and sniper rifles .... and shredded bloody bodies. Embroiled in the action is undercover agent, Ellie Batista who infiltrates the world of Kane , not only to thwart the evil empire but perhaps find her twin brother .. a carrier who was kidnapped when they were only 6 years old. This page turner escalates into an exhilarating conclusion. The theme is explored, that a parent will put the needs and welfare of a child above their own ... always and forever. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. ( at readersremains.com )
Mooney spins a twisted high-octane thriller pitting the two adversaries and their minions ... replete with explosions , AR 15 and sniper rifles .... and shredded bloody bodies. Embroiled in the action is undercover agent, Ellie Batista who infiltrates the world of Kane , not only to thwart the evil empire but perhaps find her twin brother .. a carrier who was kidnapped when they were only 6 years old. This page turner escalates into an exhilarating conclusion. The theme is explored, that a parent will put the needs and welfare of a child above their own ... always and forever. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. ( at readersremains.com )
August 18, 2020
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The nitty-gritty: An exciting, multilayered sci-fi crime thriller with action, intrigue and emotional depth.
Thank you to the publisher for inviting me to post a review during the blog tour for Blood World. I had so much fun with this book!
If you love sci-fi thrillers that lean more towards crime fiction than sci-fi, then I suspect you’ll love Blood World as much as I did. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading, but the cover really sets the tone for this story. Blood World takes place in a gritty, almost lawless near future Los Angeles. Certain people are born with a particular gene that causes their blood to have miraculous healing powers, especially when the blood is mixed with certain drugs. These “carriers” as they are called, are highly sought after, and most live their lives in fear of being kidnapped and drained of their blood. A secret underground blood world has sprung up because of these carriers, and the most savvy criminals have made fortunes from carrier blood, selling it to wealthy individuals who are looking for the ultimate fountain of youth. A carrier’s blood, you see, can be injected through needle or blood transfusion and imbues the recipient with a youthful appearance, strength and beauty.
The LAPD has created a special task force called the Blood Crimes Unit to counteract this illegal behavior, but they have been unable to prove the existence of and locate a “blood farm”—a secret location where carriers are kept against their will and forced to give up their blood.
Ellie Batista is a street cop who wants nothing more than to make it into the Blood Crimes Unit. Ellie is obsessed with carriers and has spent years researching those kidnapped and never seen again. But Ellie has a personal reason for her obsession—her brother J.C. was kidnapped as a child, and Ellie has never given up on finding him alive. Her chance comes when she’s asked to go deep undercover in order to infiltrate the inner workings of the blood trade, an assignment that puts her in danger but also brings her closer to finding her brother.
As Ellie—now “Faye”—gets to know the dangerous players of the blood world, her life depends on how well she can play her part. And Ellie’s keeping plenty of secrets, not only from the men who hold her life in their hands, but from the LAPD as well.
Blood World was a twisty story full of violence (if you’re squeamish when it comes to cold blooded killing and torture, this might not be the right book for you), secrets and lies, backstabbing, betrayal, and plenty of high stakes. The chapters alternate between Ellie and Sebastian, an ex-con who has created a lucrative—although highly illegal—business with carrier blood. Ellie ends up working with Sebastian when she goes undercover as Faye, and I thought Sebastian was a great counterpoint to Ellie’s wide-eyed determination to find her brother. Some of my favorite parts of the story were the ones where Faye is interacting with Sebastian and his fellow criminals and has to be very careful about what she says. Because she’s undercover with the Blood Crimes Unit, she’s being watched and protected while she’s deep in the criminal underworld, but even they can’t protect her from everything. There were so many terrible situations that Ellie/Faye found herself in and I honestly didn’t know which way things were going to go.
Mooney adds a nice emotional layer to his tale by giving many of the characters personal motivations. Sebastian in particular had quite the backstory, which included a tragic shooting in his past that put him behind bars, ruining his relationship with his soulmate Ava. Sebastian’s godson Paul also plays a big part, and his actions set the whole story in motion. Sebastian is torn between trying to protect Paul—he’s almost like family, after all—or wanting to kill him for what he’s done. I also ended up really liking and feeling sorry for Sebastian, believe it or not. He’ll kill you at the drop of a hat if he thinks you’re betraying him, but he also has a soft squishy side that gave him an interesting vulnerability. He sort of reminded me of Avery from The Firm (played by Gene Hackman), if you’ve seen that movie, another despicable character who you can’t help but feel sorry for at the end. Plus Sebastian and Faye end up bonding in a way, and I really enjoyed their odd relationship.
Mooney did a fantastic job with the Los Angeles setting, and it was so well done, in fact, that I was sure he was a California native (his bio says he lives on the East Coast). He’s certainly done his homework, that’s for sure. The story takes place over a sprawling area of Southern and Central California, as the characters go from L.A. to Long Beach, to Ojai and Santa Paula and other places in between. Because I live in the area, it was easy to picture the characters hitting the freeways, getting stuck in traffic, etc. Mooney also uses the California wildfires as a backdrop to his story, which added an extra layer of tension and danger. The final showdown takes place right on top of one of these fires, and even though I was cringing the whole time (because brush fires are real and very dangerous), I couldn’t help but applaud the author’s adept use of integrating the fires seamlessly into his story.
I did have a few reservations, however. I wanted a little more background on how carrier blood evolved and how it was discovered. Also, the ending felt a bit rushed to me, and things were resolved a little too quickly and neatly for my taste. I’ve heard the ending described as a “cliffhanger,” although it didn’t feel that way to me. But now that I think about it, it seems that Ellie’s story might not be over. Given the author’s penchant for writing series, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more books set in this world, and I'd definitely be on board for a sequel.
Overall, I had a blast reading Blood World, and I look forward to Chris Mooney’s next book.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
Thank you to the publisher for inviting me to post a review during the blog tour for Blood World. I had so much fun with this book!
If you love sci-fi thrillers that lean more towards crime fiction than sci-fi, then I suspect you’ll love Blood World as much as I did. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading, but the cover really sets the tone for this story. Blood World takes place in a gritty, almost lawless near future Los Angeles. Certain people are born with a particular gene that causes their blood to have miraculous healing powers, especially when the blood is mixed with certain drugs. These “carriers” as they are called, are highly sought after, and most live their lives in fear of being kidnapped and drained of their blood. A secret underground blood world has sprung up because of these carriers, and the most savvy criminals have made fortunes from carrier blood, selling it to wealthy individuals who are looking for the ultimate fountain of youth. A carrier’s blood, you see, can be injected through needle or blood transfusion and imbues the recipient with a youthful appearance, strength and beauty.
The LAPD has created a special task force called the Blood Crimes Unit to counteract this illegal behavior, but they have been unable to prove the existence of and locate a “blood farm”—a secret location where carriers are kept against their will and forced to give up their blood.
Ellie Batista is a street cop who wants nothing more than to make it into the Blood Crimes Unit. Ellie is obsessed with carriers and has spent years researching those kidnapped and never seen again. But Ellie has a personal reason for her obsession—her brother J.C. was kidnapped as a child, and Ellie has never given up on finding him alive. Her chance comes when she’s asked to go deep undercover in order to infiltrate the inner workings of the blood trade, an assignment that puts her in danger but also brings her closer to finding her brother.
As Ellie—now “Faye”—gets to know the dangerous players of the blood world, her life depends on how well she can play her part. And Ellie’s keeping plenty of secrets, not only from the men who hold her life in their hands, but from the LAPD as well.
Blood World was a twisty story full of violence (if you’re squeamish when it comes to cold blooded killing and torture, this might not be the right book for you), secrets and lies, backstabbing, betrayal, and plenty of high stakes. The chapters alternate between Ellie and Sebastian, an ex-con who has created a lucrative—although highly illegal—business with carrier blood. Ellie ends up working with Sebastian when she goes undercover as Faye, and I thought Sebastian was a great counterpoint to Ellie’s wide-eyed determination to find her brother. Some of my favorite parts of the story were the ones where Faye is interacting with Sebastian and his fellow criminals and has to be very careful about what she says. Because she’s undercover with the Blood Crimes Unit, she’s being watched and protected while she’s deep in the criminal underworld, but even they can’t protect her from everything. There were so many terrible situations that Ellie/Faye found herself in and I honestly didn’t know which way things were going to go.
Mooney adds a nice emotional layer to his tale by giving many of the characters personal motivations. Sebastian in particular had quite the backstory, which included a tragic shooting in his past that put him behind bars, ruining his relationship with his soulmate Ava. Sebastian’s godson Paul also plays a big part, and his actions set the whole story in motion. Sebastian is torn between trying to protect Paul—he’s almost like family, after all—or wanting to kill him for what he’s done. I also ended up really liking and feeling sorry for Sebastian, believe it or not. He’ll kill you at the drop of a hat if he thinks you’re betraying him, but he also has a soft squishy side that gave him an interesting vulnerability. He sort of reminded me of Avery from The Firm (played by Gene Hackman), if you’ve seen that movie, another despicable character who you can’t help but feel sorry for at the end. Plus Sebastian and Faye end up bonding in a way, and I really enjoyed their odd relationship.
Mooney did a fantastic job with the Los Angeles setting, and it was so well done, in fact, that I was sure he was a California native (his bio says he lives on the East Coast). He’s certainly done his homework, that’s for sure. The story takes place over a sprawling area of Southern and Central California, as the characters go from L.A. to Long Beach, to Ojai and Santa Paula and other places in between. Because I live in the area, it was easy to picture the characters hitting the freeways, getting stuck in traffic, etc. Mooney also uses the California wildfires as a backdrop to his story, which added an extra layer of tension and danger. The final showdown takes place right on top of one of these fires, and even though I was cringing the whole time (because brush fires are real and very dangerous), I couldn’t help but applaud the author’s adept use of integrating the fires seamlessly into his story.
I did have a few reservations, however. I wanted a little more background on how carrier blood evolved and how it was discovered. Also, the ending felt a bit rushed to me, and things were resolved a little too quickly and neatly for my taste. I’ve heard the ending described as a “cliffhanger,” although it didn’t feel that way to me. But now that I think about it, it seems that Ellie’s story might not be over. Given the author’s penchant for writing series, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more books set in this world, and I'd definitely be on board for a sequel.
Overall, I had a blast reading Blood World, and I look forward to Chris Mooney’s next book.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
July 28, 2020
Blood World was a fascinating fast-paced Crime Thriller with Sci-Fi elements that I devoured in a day!
Basically, science has found some people have special blood that when mixed with secret elements and transferred to others can keep people looking young and healthy in as little as an hour after a transfusion. And now doctors are mixing it with other things and have come up with a new super-potent blood mix they are calling Pandora, that will heal you incredibly fast and also make you very horny. Obviously all blood trade is illegal, but there's a huge underworld of "blood farms" where people can get transfusions if they can afford it.
The story follows Ellie, a cop who's got a vested interest in trying to get on the secret Blood Crimes task force and Sebastian, a Blood Farm owner who's dealing with a rogue former employee who wants to kill him and take over his entire operation. Sebastian thinks of himself as one of the "good guys" because he treats his blood "donors" with kindness and only kidnaps people with rough lives to stay on his Blood Farm. His stepson has totally different ideas and is the more evil bad guy in the story.
If you're looking for lots of action, undercover cop drama, and the seedy underside of society mixed with some light science bits about blood this is the book for you. I'm only rating it 4 stars instead of 5 because I thought the blood stuff could have been explained better and more thoroughly and the ending was a little too tidy in my opinion. I can see this becoming a movie though and I hope it does because it would be pure entertainment.
Basically, science has found some people have special blood that when mixed with secret elements and transferred to others can keep people looking young and healthy in as little as an hour after a transfusion. And now doctors are mixing it with other things and have come up with a new super-potent blood mix they are calling Pandora, that will heal you incredibly fast and also make you very horny. Obviously all blood trade is illegal, but there's a huge underworld of "blood farms" where people can get transfusions if they can afford it.
The story follows Ellie, a cop who's got a vested interest in trying to get on the secret Blood Crimes task force and Sebastian, a Blood Farm owner who's dealing with a rogue former employee who wants to kill him and take over his entire operation. Sebastian thinks of himself as one of the "good guys" because he treats his blood "donors" with kindness and only kidnaps people with rough lives to stay on his Blood Farm. His stepson has totally different ideas and is the more evil bad guy in the story.
If you're looking for lots of action, undercover cop drama, and the seedy underside of society mixed with some light science bits about blood this is the book for you. I'm only rating it 4 stars instead of 5 because I thought the blood stuff could have been explained better and more thoroughly and the ending was a little too tidy in my opinion. I can see this becoming a movie though and I hope it does because it would be pure entertainment.
October 1, 2020
Blood World by Chris Mooney was a strange read for me. This is actually a good book with an interesting premise but for some reason it did not resonate with me while I am pretty confident it will for other readers.
In the story of Blood World, certain people have unique blood containing enhancing and rejuvinating properties. This blood then becomes a sort of biological fountain of youth for those that receive this blood in transfusions. In the "Blood World," it is not uncommon for people learned to be "carriers" of this blood to be kidnapped and their blood harvested or the person completely drained of their blood and then their bodies discarded after their usefulness has been completed.
Ellie Bautista is a Los Angeles police officer and along with secretive motives of her own, interested in becoming a member of a unit that is tasked with investigating this so-called "Blood World."
Through her own drive and deep, self-gathered intelligence, she is soon tasked with entering this secretive, high-tech world as an undercover agent to achieve both her own goals and the demands of the government.
Though this novel did not spark overwhelming interest for me, it is highly recommended for those that do enjoy crime-espionage thrillers with plenty of carnage and destruction. As I typed at the start, this is a well-written and interesting novel many should greatly enjoy, despite my minor criticisms (for example, Glock firearms do not have switchable safetys and I felt several of the major characters lacked reader appeal).
In the story of Blood World, certain people have unique blood containing enhancing and rejuvinating properties. This blood then becomes a sort of biological fountain of youth for those that receive this blood in transfusions. In the "Blood World," it is not uncommon for people learned to be "carriers" of this blood to be kidnapped and their blood harvested or the person completely drained of their blood and then their bodies discarded after their usefulness has been completed.
Ellie Bautista is a Los Angeles police officer and along with secretive motives of her own, interested in becoming a member of a unit that is tasked with investigating this so-called "Blood World."
Through her own drive and deep, self-gathered intelligence, she is soon tasked with entering this secretive, high-tech world as an undercover agent to achieve both her own goals and the demands of the government.
Though this novel did not spark overwhelming interest for me, it is highly recommended for those that do enjoy crime-espionage thrillers with plenty of carnage and destruction. As I typed at the start, this is a well-written and interesting novel many should greatly enjoy, despite my minor criticisms (for example, Glock firearms do not have switchable safetys and I felt several of the major characters lacked reader appeal).
August 19, 2020
BLOOD WORLD by Chris Mooney is an adult, sci-fi, futuristic thriller line focusing on the fight for control of the fountain of youth.
Told from third person perspective BLOOD WORLD follows several paths including that of LAPD police officer Ellie Bautista. Desperate to secure a position on the Blood Squad, Ellie goes undercover in an effort to ferret out the people responsible for a series of kidnappings and missing persons known as carriers, people who carried the fountain of youth in their blood. A play for power and control of the blood carriers finds several powerful men vying for the top position in the world of illegal blood trade, and the use of specific drugs known to enhance the benefits of the blood’s use. As Ellie begins to work with some of the men responsible for the local blood farms, a fight for control turns into an all out war where the price for endless youth is indeed high.
BLOOD WORLD is a futuristic story line set in California, the playground of the rich and famous where eternal youth is a commodity very few have the money to pay. The discovery of the fountain of youth has provoked a hunger for power, the power to control the ultimate prize.
Chris Mooney pulls the reader into a what if story line. What are you willing to do? What are you willing to pay? Will you sell your soul to eternal youth? An edgy and dramatic story line; a thought provoking and intriguing tale of desperation, power and control.
copy supplied for review
www.thereadingcafe.com
Told from third person perspective BLOOD WORLD follows several paths including that of LAPD police officer Ellie Bautista. Desperate to secure a position on the Blood Squad, Ellie goes undercover in an effort to ferret out the people responsible for a series of kidnappings and missing persons known as carriers, people who carried the fountain of youth in their blood. A play for power and control of the blood carriers finds several powerful men vying for the top position in the world of illegal blood trade, and the use of specific drugs known to enhance the benefits of the blood’s use. As Ellie begins to work with some of the men responsible for the local blood farms, a fight for control turns into an all out war where the price for endless youth is indeed high.
BLOOD WORLD is a futuristic story line set in California, the playground of the rich and famous where eternal youth is a commodity very few have the money to pay. The discovery of the fountain of youth has provoked a hunger for power, the power to control the ultimate prize.
Chris Mooney pulls the reader into a what if story line. What are you willing to do? What are you willing to pay? Will you sell your soul to eternal youth? An edgy and dramatic story line; a thought provoking and intriguing tale of desperation, power and control.
copy supplied for review
www.thereadingcafe.com
August 12, 2020
Chris Mooney’s Blood World is a sci-fi thriller that is bound to leave a positive impression on readers. Releasing on August 18th, Blood World takes today’s world and immerses the reader in a place where certain people’s blood (called Carriers) can reverse the ageing process and make people feel invincible; essential leaving them feeling like they are a superhero and like they have discovered the fountain of youth. This new world has created an underground ring of illegal activity that the police have dubbed “the blood world” where people are kidnapped and become blood giving slaves for the rest of their life so that the rich and famous can continue to live a luxurious life.
26-year-old Ellie Batista is an everyday patrol cop with the LAPD who desperately wants to prove herself as more than just a pretty face in the police force so that she can be taken seriously and get on the Blood Squad. One fateful day, Ellie’s wish comes true as she gets promoted to the Blood Squad after a series of unfortunate events and goes undercover as gambling addict turned stickman (someone who checks to see if people are Carriers) named Faye Simpson. When Ellie/Faye end up crossing paths with Sebastian Kane, a huge name in the blood world, Ellie/Faye finds that she is going deeper into the blood world than she ever thought possible and gets thrown into dangerous situations that will leave the reader holding their breath, hoping Ellie/Faye makes it out alive. As the story progresses, readers will get to follow both Ellie/Faye and Sebastian’s sides of the story giving the reader an inside look at both sides of this new world. Mooney does an excellent job at creating well rounded characters that are both likeable and realistic.
Mooney explores quite a few themes throughout Blood World including greed, vanity, human trafficking, and of course the ‘fountain of youth’ trope. What Mooney does so well with his writing is that he bleeds each of these topics into one another in such a way that they are continuously brought up throughout the story while maintaining a sense of wonder from the reader. Mooney slowly releases information to the reader while also upholding a fast-paced atmosphere that keeps the reader engaged and entertained throughout the entire novel.
Mooney has clearly put a lot of thought and research into his latest novel. The science behind the blood world is sound and he leaves no stone unturned when explaining things to the reader. Mooney does this effortlessly creating an incredibly believable world. The characters in Mooney’s novel are each flawed in a way to make them relatable and likeable. Sebastian is meant to be one of the villains in the novel however he has so many likeable qualities that it can be hard for the reader to see him as someone so evil, and Mooney has done this brilliantly. The ending of this novel leaves the reader with some unanswered questions which leads the reader to suspect that maybe this isn’t the last of Ellie Batista and the blood world.
Huge thank you to Penguin Random House for the eARC and thank you to The Nerd Daily for making it happen!
https://www.thenerddaily.com/review-b...
Originally posted on The Nerd Daily’s website, link above.
26-year-old Ellie Batista is an everyday patrol cop with the LAPD who desperately wants to prove herself as more than just a pretty face in the police force so that she can be taken seriously and get on the Blood Squad. One fateful day, Ellie’s wish comes true as she gets promoted to the Blood Squad after a series of unfortunate events and goes undercover as gambling addict turned stickman (someone who checks to see if people are Carriers) named Faye Simpson. When Ellie/Faye end up crossing paths with Sebastian Kane, a huge name in the blood world, Ellie/Faye finds that she is going deeper into the blood world than she ever thought possible and gets thrown into dangerous situations that will leave the reader holding their breath, hoping Ellie/Faye makes it out alive. As the story progresses, readers will get to follow both Ellie/Faye and Sebastian’s sides of the story giving the reader an inside look at both sides of this new world. Mooney does an excellent job at creating well rounded characters that are both likeable and realistic.
Mooney explores quite a few themes throughout Blood World including greed, vanity, human trafficking, and of course the ‘fountain of youth’ trope. What Mooney does so well with his writing is that he bleeds each of these topics into one another in such a way that they are continuously brought up throughout the story while maintaining a sense of wonder from the reader. Mooney slowly releases information to the reader while also upholding a fast-paced atmosphere that keeps the reader engaged and entertained throughout the entire novel.
Mooney has clearly put a lot of thought and research into his latest novel. The science behind the blood world is sound and he leaves no stone unturned when explaining things to the reader. Mooney does this effortlessly creating an incredibly believable world. The characters in Mooney’s novel are each flawed in a way to make them relatable and likeable. Sebastian is meant to be one of the villains in the novel however he has so many likeable qualities that it can be hard for the reader to see him as someone so evil, and Mooney has done this brilliantly. The ending of this novel leaves the reader with some unanswered questions which leads the reader to suspect that maybe this isn’t the last of Ellie Batista and the blood world.
Huge thank you to Penguin Random House for the eARC and thank you to The Nerd Daily for making it happen!
https://www.thenerddaily.com/review-b...
Originally posted on The Nerd Daily’s website, link above.
September 16, 2020
Fast-paced and fun, this science fiction thriller is set in the near future and features an LAPD cop who goes undercover to expose the illegal business of treatment centers that provide special transfusions and the blood farms where the carriers are kept.
After a lost dog leads Ellie Batista and her partner, Danny, to a mansion in Brentwood that turns into a bloodbath, she is tapped to get on the inside as the Feds and police try to take down the main players in the blood world. Carriers are a very valuable commodity and usually very well protected, but lately many of them have been kidnapped and drained of their special blood -- which acts like a fountain of youth restoring muscle tone and vitality. As Faye Simpson, Ellie gets involved with some of the major characters involved in the lucrative practice. As those in the trade fight among themselves, Ellie/Faye has her own agenda -- to find someone she loved who disappeared a very long time ago. Will she stay alive long enough to get what she wants? NO SPOILERS.
I enjoyed this one though it was definitely full of lots of blood and gore, torture, and grisly detail. The "science" of the carrier blood and its effects was fascinating and quite believable. The characters were multi-dimensional, so much so that I found myself rooting for the bad guy a time or two. It was absorbing and kept me interested throughout.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this E-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.
After a lost dog leads Ellie Batista and her partner, Danny, to a mansion in Brentwood that turns into a bloodbath, she is tapped to get on the inside as the Feds and police try to take down the main players in the blood world. Carriers are a very valuable commodity and usually very well protected, but lately many of them have been kidnapped and drained of their special blood -- which acts like a fountain of youth restoring muscle tone and vitality. As Faye Simpson, Ellie gets involved with some of the major characters involved in the lucrative practice. As those in the trade fight among themselves, Ellie/Faye has her own agenda -- to find someone she loved who disappeared a very long time ago. Will she stay alive long enough to get what she wants? NO SPOILERS.
I enjoyed this one though it was definitely full of lots of blood and gore, torture, and grisly detail. The "science" of the carrier blood and its effects was fascinating and quite believable. The characters were multi-dimensional, so much so that I found myself rooting for the bad guy a time or two. It was absorbing and kept me interested throughout.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this E-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.
August 13, 2020
Blood World by Christopher Mooney is the best thriller that I have reviewed this year. Picture a world where money buys unique and special blood that increases longevity, beauty, physical fitness. Then imagine that the way to get all of the above is to buy it. Simple, right? Sure, except there is a limited supply. And those who have it in them are targets by gangs who kidnap them and keep them forever in captivity draining their blood and selling it to the highest bidder. Add to this brilliant premise the usual cops, robbers, schemers, and plotters and you have a perfect recipe for fantastic entertainment. I say no more except that you should buy Blood World the moment it comes out.
March 20, 2021
Very Good
I thin Mooney is an excellent writer and have read a few of his earlier books. This book is well written and the characterizations are excellent. I think the plotting left a bit to be desired and of wrapped up fast. And more could have been done it’s the effects of the blooding. I liked the book but not as much as other reviewers.
I thin Mooney is an excellent writer and have read a few of his earlier books. This book is well written and the characterizations are excellent. I think the plotting left a bit to be desired and of wrapped up fast. And more could have been done it’s the effects of the blooding. I liked the book but not as much as other reviewers.
November 5, 2021
Buchtitel: Blood World - Die Zukunft ist in Blut geschrieben
Autor: Chris Mooney
Verlag: Heyne Verlag
ISBN: 9783453321175
Ausgabe: Taschenbuch
Erscheinungsdatum: 12.07.2021
Inhalt:
"Es ist nichts Geringeres als eine medizinische Sensation: Durch die Entdeckung eines neuen Wundermittels kann der Alterungsprozess des Menschen aufgehalten werden! Wer das Medikament regelmäßig nimmt bleibt nicht nur ewig jung, er ist auch schöner und stärker als »normale« Menschen. Doch die neue Wunderdroge hat einen Haken: Man braucht dazu das Blut von Menschen, deren DNA eine besondere Sequenz aufweist. Oft werden diese »Träger« entführt und in Blutfarmen gefangen gehalten. Schon ihr ganzes Leben lang hat LAPD-Officer Ellie Battista diesen Praktiken den Kampf angesagt, doch dann bekommt sie es mit einem Gegner zu tun, der sie tief in die dunkelsten Abgründe der Blutkartelle lockt ..."
Meinung:
Zuerst möchte ich mich beim Bloggerportal, dem Verlag und bei der Autorin für dieses Rezensionsexemplar bedanken!
Zu Beginn reden wir einmal kurz über das Cover. Dieses ist perfekt zum Inhalt passend rot wie Blut und das Design generell ist einfach nur wirklich gut gelungen.
Nun möchte ich aber auch schon etwas über den Inhalt sprechen. Vorneweg muss ich ja sagen, dass mich der Klappentext direkt angesprochen hatte, weswegen ich das Buch unbedingt lesen musste. Allgemein hat man es bei diesem Werk ja mit den beiden Parteien, Ellie Battista (ein LAPD-Officer), und unterschiedlichen Kartellen zu tun. Das Spiel zwischen den beiden Parteien baut eine unglaubliche Spannung auf, die in einem großen Finale am Ende gipfelt. Tatsächlich endet das Buch auch noch mit einem richtigen Schocker, der mich sprachlos zurückgelassen hat. Außerdem nimmt die Geschichte immer einmal wieder Wendungen, die man so definitiv nicht vorhergesehen hat, wodurch auf jeden Fall auch wichtige Elemente eines Thrillers aufgegriffen wurden. Generell die Grundidee mit den Blutträgern wiederum sorgt dafür, dass das Buch auch Punkte aus dem Genre Science-Fiction beinhaltet. Insgesamt die Entwicklung von Zufall zu einem regelrechten Krieg ist richtig spannend und toll geschrieben. Was aber auch toll ist, ist die Behandlung von so vielen Thematiken, welche auch in der derzeitigen Gesellschaft eine große Rolle spielen: die Schere zwischen Arm und Reich, die Gier der Menschheit als auch die Ausbeutung von Menschen.
Die Protagonisten sind in meinen Augen sehr gut gelungen. Jeder von ihnen hat seine Ecken und Kanten und ist bei weitem nicht perfekt, was dem gesamten Buch eine gewisse Authentizität gibt. Vor allem Ellie hat mir besonders gefallen, da sie eine durchaus starke Persönlichkeit ist. Ich finde starke Protagonisten, die trotzdem irgendwo ihre Schwächen haben und diese versuchen zu unterdrücken, sehr spannend. Generell muss ich ja sagen, dass alle handelnden Personen eine gewisse Komplexität haben. Der Autor hat es einfach richtig gut geschafft, den Figuren Leben einzuhauchen.
Was mir beim Schreibstil besonders gefallen hat war der Wechsel in den Perspektiven, wodurch man Einblicke in die unterschiedlichsten Gedankenwelten bekommen hat. Auch dadurch wurde natürlich eine gewisse Art von Spannung erzeugt. Der Schreibstil insgesamt war sehr angenehm und flüssig, wodurch einem das Lesen recht leicht fällt. Auch der Einstieg ins Buch fällt einem dadurch recht leicht, vor allem weil einem auch zu Beginn noch einmal alles Grundlegende erklärt wird.
Fazit:
Alles in allem ist es ein richtig gutes Buch aus dem Bereich Thriller und Science-Fiction, welches ich an jeden Fan dieser Genres weiterempfehlen würde!
Autor: Chris Mooney
Verlag: Heyne Verlag
ISBN: 9783453321175
Ausgabe: Taschenbuch
Erscheinungsdatum: 12.07.2021
Inhalt:
"Es ist nichts Geringeres als eine medizinische Sensation: Durch die Entdeckung eines neuen Wundermittels kann der Alterungsprozess des Menschen aufgehalten werden! Wer das Medikament regelmäßig nimmt bleibt nicht nur ewig jung, er ist auch schöner und stärker als »normale« Menschen. Doch die neue Wunderdroge hat einen Haken: Man braucht dazu das Blut von Menschen, deren DNA eine besondere Sequenz aufweist. Oft werden diese »Träger« entführt und in Blutfarmen gefangen gehalten. Schon ihr ganzes Leben lang hat LAPD-Officer Ellie Battista diesen Praktiken den Kampf angesagt, doch dann bekommt sie es mit einem Gegner zu tun, der sie tief in die dunkelsten Abgründe der Blutkartelle lockt ..."
Meinung:
Zuerst möchte ich mich beim Bloggerportal, dem Verlag und bei der Autorin für dieses Rezensionsexemplar bedanken!
Zu Beginn reden wir einmal kurz über das Cover. Dieses ist perfekt zum Inhalt passend rot wie Blut und das Design generell ist einfach nur wirklich gut gelungen.
Nun möchte ich aber auch schon etwas über den Inhalt sprechen. Vorneweg muss ich ja sagen, dass mich der Klappentext direkt angesprochen hatte, weswegen ich das Buch unbedingt lesen musste. Allgemein hat man es bei diesem Werk ja mit den beiden Parteien, Ellie Battista (ein LAPD-Officer), und unterschiedlichen Kartellen zu tun. Das Spiel zwischen den beiden Parteien baut eine unglaubliche Spannung auf, die in einem großen Finale am Ende gipfelt. Tatsächlich endet das Buch auch noch mit einem richtigen Schocker, der mich sprachlos zurückgelassen hat. Außerdem nimmt die Geschichte immer einmal wieder Wendungen, die man so definitiv nicht vorhergesehen hat, wodurch auf jeden Fall auch wichtige Elemente eines Thrillers aufgegriffen wurden. Generell die Grundidee mit den Blutträgern wiederum sorgt dafür, dass das Buch auch Punkte aus dem Genre Science-Fiction beinhaltet. Insgesamt die Entwicklung von Zufall zu einem regelrechten Krieg ist richtig spannend und toll geschrieben. Was aber auch toll ist, ist die Behandlung von so vielen Thematiken, welche auch in der derzeitigen Gesellschaft eine große Rolle spielen: die Schere zwischen Arm und Reich, die Gier der Menschheit als auch die Ausbeutung von Menschen.
Die Protagonisten sind in meinen Augen sehr gut gelungen. Jeder von ihnen hat seine Ecken und Kanten und ist bei weitem nicht perfekt, was dem gesamten Buch eine gewisse Authentizität gibt. Vor allem Ellie hat mir besonders gefallen, da sie eine durchaus starke Persönlichkeit ist. Ich finde starke Protagonisten, die trotzdem irgendwo ihre Schwächen haben und diese versuchen zu unterdrücken, sehr spannend. Generell muss ich ja sagen, dass alle handelnden Personen eine gewisse Komplexität haben. Der Autor hat es einfach richtig gut geschafft, den Figuren Leben einzuhauchen.
Was mir beim Schreibstil besonders gefallen hat war der Wechsel in den Perspektiven, wodurch man Einblicke in die unterschiedlichsten Gedankenwelten bekommen hat. Auch dadurch wurde natürlich eine gewisse Art von Spannung erzeugt. Der Schreibstil insgesamt war sehr angenehm und flüssig, wodurch einem das Lesen recht leicht fällt. Auch der Einstieg ins Buch fällt einem dadurch recht leicht, vor allem weil einem auch zu Beginn noch einmal alles Grundlegende erklärt wird.
Fazit:
Alles in allem ist es ein richtig gutes Buch aus dem Bereich Thriller und Science-Fiction, welches ich an jeden Fan dieser Genres weiterempfehlen würde!
November 15, 2020
"Blood World" was chilling, brutal, gory, and both fantastic in the original meaning and painfully believable. Light on science, heavy on action, violence, and treachery, Mooney painted a world that looked and felt like ours but was an undefined number of years in the future. The only technological change and cultural changes depicted were those related to the blood world; everything else could have been lifted from a contemporary novel.
In this world, a protein in human blood has been identified that can be the fountain of youth, or at least boost your health. Carriers of this protein are identified and often kidnapped so their blood can be be illegally sold. It's the hot new drug. Oh, and the blood is even more potent when the carrier is young. Children are kidnapped for their blood. The wealthy drive the demand but even the less well-off would like an infusion of the special blood; if they can afford it at all, they can only get the cheap stuff which doesn't have the same results.
There are several organizations or individuals who are the main players in the sale of the potent blood and there's a new player trying to make his mark on the scene. The lead character is a female police officer, Ellie Batista, who's willing to do absolutely anything to bring down the illegal blood suppliers and the blood farms. Ellie is cold, pragmatic, determined, and loyal. She gets a chance to go undercover to insert herself into one of the criminal organizations and she buries herself in her work.
"Blood World" skimps on science and doesn't try too hard to engage our emotions. Although, I did find myself at times rooting for one of the bad guys. Then he would say or do something to remind me that he was actually a very nasty person. Still, I mostly liked him better than our heroine Ellie. She had a nice little tragic backstory and I wanted her to accomplish both her personal mission and her official mission, but I never connected with her or cared about her. I wanted her success because of the awfullness of the blood world and the horror that carriers lived with daily. And that's where Mooney shone. The world building, despite the lack of scientific grounding, was strong. The blood trade could as easily have been our modern day drug trade. We get an up close look at building and keeping a criminal enterprise going and the violence that keeps one afloat or catches the attention of the law. The details around the process of selling the special blood, finding carriers, finding clients, etc drew me in.
"Blood World" was enthralling, a story with colorful personalities, a future problem that resonates with current problems, and a breakneck pace. The ending was...over the top, and the final scene both expected and unexpected. The story was a wild ride; I mean, I never thought I'd be rooting for a murderer, who was also a drug dealer and a kidnapper, and yet I did. His allies were nearly as compelling and both his allies and his enemies were greedy, amoral, and fascinating. "Blood World" is a crime novel with a slight science fiction twist that will keep you up reading to see what happens, who comes out on top, who lives, who dies, and whether the good guys are really the good guys.
In this world, a protein in human blood has been identified that can be the fountain of youth, or at least boost your health. Carriers of this protein are identified and often kidnapped so their blood can be be illegally sold. It's the hot new drug. Oh, and the blood is even more potent when the carrier is young. Children are kidnapped for their blood. The wealthy drive the demand but even the less well-off would like an infusion of the special blood; if they can afford it at all, they can only get the cheap stuff which doesn't have the same results.
There are several organizations or individuals who are the main players in the sale of the potent blood and there's a new player trying to make his mark on the scene. The lead character is a female police officer, Ellie Batista, who's willing to do absolutely anything to bring down the illegal blood suppliers and the blood farms. Ellie is cold, pragmatic, determined, and loyal. She gets a chance to go undercover to insert herself into one of the criminal organizations and she buries herself in her work.
"Blood World" skimps on science and doesn't try too hard to engage our emotions. Although, I did find myself at times rooting for one of the bad guys. Then he would say or do something to remind me that he was actually a very nasty person. Still, I mostly liked him better than our heroine Ellie. She had a nice little tragic backstory and I wanted her to accomplish both her personal mission and her official mission, but I never connected with her or cared about her. I wanted her success because of the awfullness of the blood world and the horror that carriers lived with daily. And that's where Mooney shone. The world building, despite the lack of scientific grounding, was strong. The blood trade could as easily have been our modern day drug trade. We get an up close look at building and keeping a criminal enterprise going and the violence that keeps one afloat or catches the attention of the law. The details around the process of selling the special blood, finding carriers, finding clients, etc drew me in.
"Blood World" was enthralling, a story with colorful personalities, a future problem that resonates with current problems, and a breakneck pace. The ending was...over the top, and the final scene both expected and unexpected. The story was a wild ride; I mean, I never thought I'd be rooting for a murderer, who was also a drug dealer and a kidnapper, and yet I did. His allies were nearly as compelling and both his allies and his enemies were greedy, amoral, and fascinating. "Blood World" is a crime novel with a slight science fiction twist that will keep you up reading to see what happens, who comes out on top, who lives, who dies, and whether the good guys are really the good guys.
December 4, 2021
Yeah, this book was not what I expected. I knew what I was going to get story-wise and that was fine. The characters were okay, I just couldn’t get invested in them, the good or the bad. The book was just.....okay. It was okay. It’s not a bad book, maybe it just needed some editing, and perhaps a villain who wasn’t such a.....I don’t know what word I am looking for actually. I liked the book okay. I just think it could have been better.
September 5, 2020
This is not the Chris Mooney I've become used to. It could have been edited down to around 65% of its published size and been a lot snappier. Nothing wrong with the story itself but too much over-delineation of the book's characters (background, thoughts, feelings at tedious length) at the expense of action.
October 14, 2020
Using a ridiculously implausible medical miracle which has no explanation nor scientific credibility as a plot vehicle does not count as Science Fiction!
September 26, 2021
„Blood World“ ist der neueste Thriller von Chris Mooney, in dem es um eine Verbrecherorganisation geht, die mit Blut handelt, das besondere Fähigkeiten hat. Erschienen ist der Roman im August 2020 bei Berkley. Heyne hat das Buch im Juli 2021 auf deutsch herausgebracht.
Im Blut von einigen Menschen wurde eine besondere DNA Sequenz gefunden, die den Alterungsprozess aufhalten und teilweise sogar rückgängig machen kann. Dies kann mit Hilfe einer Transfusion auch auf Nichtträger dieser Sequenz übertragen werden. Infolgedessen werden immer mehr Träger entführt. Blutkartelle sind entstanden und Elli Bartista, eine Polizistin beim LAPD, hat es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, diesen Praktiken ein Ende zu bereiten. Auch vor einem Undercover-Einsatz schreckt sie nicht zurück und so wird sie bald in eine Fehde hineingezogen, die sie ganz tief in die Welt der Blutkartelle reinzieht.
Als ich das Buch in der Vorschau gesehen habe, war ich sofort angetan von der Idee mit dem Blut und ich hatte direkt viele Ideen im Kopf, was im Buch alles passieren konnte. Auf unterschiedlichen Seiten wurde das Buch als Techno- oder auch Science-Thriller beworben, aber in dieser Hinsicht wurde ich herbe enttäuscht. Die Science wurde in drei Sätzen abgehandelt und der Rest des Buches ist ein normaler Thriller, an denen ich persönlich in der Regel nicht so viel Interesse habe.
Anfangs war ich noch guter Dinge und das Buch beginnt direkt spannend, doch es wurde schnell klar, dass hier eher das Verbrechen im Vordergrund steht und nicht die Wissenschaft hinter dem Blut. Das Buch lässt sich gut und flüssig lesen und auch der verwendete englische Wortschatz ist nicht besonders schwierig.
Das Buch ist in verschiedene Abschnitte eingeteilt, die den Fokus der Geschichte immer etwas anders legen. Nachdem die Ausgangslage geschaffen wurde, wird es erstmal etwas ruhiger, bevor die Situation zum Ende hin dann vollkommen eskaliert. Thematisch beschäftigt sich das Buch mit der Wirkung des Blutes auf die Empfänger, der Organisation, die hinter den Bluttransfusionen steckt und die Arbeit als Undercoveragent.
Wir bekommen auch einen kleinen Einblick, wie sich die Welt durch diese Entdeckung verändert hat und ich persönlich hätte mir den Fokus tatsächlich mehr hierauf gewünscht und ich hätte wahnsinnig gerne mehr zur Wissenschaft hinter dem Blut erfahren.
Dass ich wirklich mit jemandem im Buch mitgefiebert habe, kann ich nicht sagen, aber die LAPD-Polizistin Ellie Bartista hatte bei mir durchaus einige Sympathiepunkte. Sie ist sehr fokussiert darauf ihr Ziel zu erreichen und schreckt nicht davor zurück, alles Nötige dafür zu tun und ist auch bereit die Konsequenzen zu tragen. Das ging mir fast schon etwas zu weit, hat mich aber auch beeindruckt.
Die Antagonisten in diesem Buch haben teilweise eine sehr verquere Vorstellung davon, was denn nun Gut und Böse ist. Es gibt in diesem Buch einen „guten“ Bösen und einen „bösen“ Bösen und das hat mir überhaupt nicht gefallen. Man bekommt teilweise einen sehr detaillierten Einblick in die Denkweise und erlebt mit, was diese Personen bereit sind zu tun. Wahrscheinlich sollte erreicht werden, dass ein gewisses Verständnis aufgebracht wird, aber bei mir hat das nur das Gegenteil ausgelöst. Ich war angeekelt davon, wie man sich noch für den Guten halten kann, bei dem was alles schon an Gräueltaten angesammelt wurde.
Wie bereits vorher erwähnt steht das Verbrechen und das Führen des Blutkartells im Vordergrund dieses Buches. Wir erfahren viel über den Aufbau und die Strukturen innerhalb der Organisation, wie sich diese nach außen hin tarnt, wie ausgedehnt die Organisation ist, welche Ressourcen ihr zur Verfügung stehen. Gewalt und Folter kommen häufig vor und werden als probates Mittel angesehen, Zeugen werden ohne jede Reue aus dem Weg geräumt.
Insgesamt war mir die Geschichte teilweise zu vorhersehbar. Ich habe einige Plottwists schon recht früh geahnt, auch wenn diese nicht ganz genau wie erwartet eingetreten sind. Bei einigen Dingen musste ich die Augen verdrehen. Es war teilweise wie in einem schlechten Actionfilm, wo man schon sagen kann, was im nächsten Moment passiert, weil die Personen durch ihr Verhalten das geradezu herausfordern. Das Finale packt noch mal eine Schippe in Sachen Action und Gewalt drauf, aber ich muss zugeben, dass ich die letzten 20% des Buches nur noch quergelesen haben. Einige Entwicklungen haben mich etwas versöhnlicher gestimmt, bei anderen Entwicklungen war mir wiederum zu viel Glück im Spiel. Trotz des Querlesens habe ich nicht das Gefühl etwas verpasst zu haben, was für ein Buch nicht das beste Zeichen ist.
Fazit: Ein Buch, dass mich auch gemessen an reinen Thriller-Kriterien eher enttäuscht hat. Wenn man einen schlechten Actionfilm in Buchform lesen möchte, dann ist man bei dem Buch genau richtig. Ich hätte mir mehr Wissenschaft und einen deutlich anderen Fokus gewünscht, denn die Idee hat definitiv das Potenzial eine spannende sowie bahnbrechende Geschichte zu erzählen.
Im Blut von einigen Menschen wurde eine besondere DNA Sequenz gefunden, die den Alterungsprozess aufhalten und teilweise sogar rückgängig machen kann. Dies kann mit Hilfe einer Transfusion auch auf Nichtträger dieser Sequenz übertragen werden. Infolgedessen werden immer mehr Träger entführt. Blutkartelle sind entstanden und Elli Bartista, eine Polizistin beim LAPD, hat es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, diesen Praktiken ein Ende zu bereiten. Auch vor einem Undercover-Einsatz schreckt sie nicht zurück und so wird sie bald in eine Fehde hineingezogen, die sie ganz tief in die Welt der Blutkartelle reinzieht.
Als ich das Buch in der Vorschau gesehen habe, war ich sofort angetan von der Idee mit dem Blut und ich hatte direkt viele Ideen im Kopf, was im Buch alles passieren konnte. Auf unterschiedlichen Seiten wurde das Buch als Techno- oder auch Science-Thriller beworben, aber in dieser Hinsicht wurde ich herbe enttäuscht. Die Science wurde in drei Sätzen abgehandelt und der Rest des Buches ist ein normaler Thriller, an denen ich persönlich in der Regel nicht so viel Interesse habe.
Anfangs war ich noch guter Dinge und das Buch beginnt direkt spannend, doch es wurde schnell klar, dass hier eher das Verbrechen im Vordergrund steht und nicht die Wissenschaft hinter dem Blut. Das Buch lässt sich gut und flüssig lesen und auch der verwendete englische Wortschatz ist nicht besonders schwierig.
Das Buch ist in verschiedene Abschnitte eingeteilt, die den Fokus der Geschichte immer etwas anders legen. Nachdem die Ausgangslage geschaffen wurde, wird es erstmal etwas ruhiger, bevor die Situation zum Ende hin dann vollkommen eskaliert. Thematisch beschäftigt sich das Buch mit der Wirkung des Blutes auf die Empfänger, der Organisation, die hinter den Bluttransfusionen steckt und die Arbeit als Undercoveragent.
Wir bekommen auch einen kleinen Einblick, wie sich die Welt durch diese Entdeckung verändert hat und ich persönlich hätte mir den Fokus tatsächlich mehr hierauf gewünscht und ich hätte wahnsinnig gerne mehr zur Wissenschaft hinter dem Blut erfahren.
Dass ich wirklich mit jemandem im Buch mitgefiebert habe, kann ich nicht sagen, aber die LAPD-Polizistin Ellie Bartista hatte bei mir durchaus einige Sympathiepunkte. Sie ist sehr fokussiert darauf ihr Ziel zu erreichen und schreckt nicht davor zurück, alles Nötige dafür zu tun und ist auch bereit die Konsequenzen zu tragen. Das ging mir fast schon etwas zu weit, hat mich aber auch beeindruckt.
Die Antagonisten in diesem Buch haben teilweise eine sehr verquere Vorstellung davon, was denn nun Gut und Böse ist. Es gibt in diesem Buch einen „guten“ Bösen und einen „bösen“ Bösen und das hat mir überhaupt nicht gefallen. Man bekommt teilweise einen sehr detaillierten Einblick in die Denkweise und erlebt mit, was diese Personen bereit sind zu tun. Wahrscheinlich sollte erreicht werden, dass ein gewisses Verständnis aufgebracht wird, aber bei mir hat das nur das Gegenteil ausgelöst. Ich war angeekelt davon, wie man sich noch für den Guten halten kann, bei dem was alles schon an Gräueltaten angesammelt wurde.
Wie bereits vorher erwähnt steht das Verbrechen und das Führen des Blutkartells im Vordergrund dieses Buches. Wir erfahren viel über den Aufbau und die Strukturen innerhalb der Organisation, wie sich diese nach außen hin tarnt, wie ausgedehnt die Organisation ist, welche Ressourcen ihr zur Verfügung stehen. Gewalt und Folter kommen häufig vor und werden als probates Mittel angesehen, Zeugen werden ohne jede Reue aus dem Weg geräumt.
Insgesamt war mir die Geschichte teilweise zu vorhersehbar. Ich habe einige Plottwists schon recht früh geahnt, auch wenn diese nicht ganz genau wie erwartet eingetreten sind. Bei einigen Dingen musste ich die Augen verdrehen. Es war teilweise wie in einem schlechten Actionfilm, wo man schon sagen kann, was im nächsten Moment passiert, weil die Personen durch ihr Verhalten das geradezu herausfordern. Das Finale packt noch mal eine Schippe in Sachen Action und Gewalt drauf, aber ich muss zugeben, dass ich die letzten 20% des Buches nur noch quergelesen haben. Einige Entwicklungen haben mich etwas versöhnlicher gestimmt, bei anderen Entwicklungen war mir wiederum zu viel Glück im Spiel. Trotz des Querlesens habe ich nicht das Gefühl etwas verpasst zu haben, was für ein Buch nicht das beste Zeichen ist.
Fazit: Ein Buch, dass mich auch gemessen an reinen Thriller-Kriterien eher enttäuscht hat. Wenn man einen schlechten Actionfilm in Buchform lesen möchte, dann ist man bei dem Buch genau richtig. Ich hätte mir mehr Wissenschaft und einen deutlich anderen Fokus gewünscht, denn die Idee hat definitiv das Potenzial eine spannende sowie bahnbrechende Geschichte zu erzählen.
September 11, 2021
"Blood World - Die Zukunft ist in Blut geschrieben" von Chris Mooney hat mein Interesse zum Einen aufgrund des einprägenden Covers zum Anderen aufgrund des Klappentexts geweckt, der einen dramatischen und abwechslungsreichen Thriller verspricht. Und dieses Versprechen konnte der Roman auch durchaus halten. Wenngleich man als Leser sehr schnell den den vollen Durchblick hat, wird man immer wieder durch kleine Wendungen überrascht.
Im Mittelpunkt des Romans steht allen voran die Polizistin Ellie Battista, die schon lange versucht Mitglied in einer Spezialeinheit zu werden, die Kartelle jagt, die sich auf Verjüngungen mit besonderen Blutransfusionen spezialisiert haben. Diese Kartelle nutzen das Blut von sogenannten Trägern, deren Blut eine spezielle Gensequenz aufweist und die gemischt mit weiteren Medikamenten dazu führen, dass derjenige, der ihr Blut erhält, jünger und stärker ist. Ellie versucht schon ihr Leben lang diese Kartelle zu bekämpfen, zumal sie seit ihrer frühesten Kindheit etwas damit verbindet. Ellies Chance ist gekommen, als sie bei einem Einsatz zufällig auf eine solche Transfusion stößt, die jedoch im Desaster endet, bei dem ihr Partner getötet wird. Ellie wird mit einer Tarnidentität ausgestattet und in den Kreis der Kartelle eingeschleust. Doch je tiefer Ellie in die Kartellgeschäfte einsteigt, um so dreckiger wird es für sie, so dass sie sich mit den tiefsten Abgründen und schlimmsten Gegnern konfrontiert sieht.
Ellie ist als Figur ein Charakter, in den man sich erst hineindenken muss, um ihre Handlungen so recht nachvollziehen zu können. Bis zum Schluss bleibt ein Teil von ihr unergründlich, so dass man im Laufe des Romans immer wieder positiv von ihr überrascht wird. Man ahnt sehr schnell, dass in ihr eine immense innerliche Stärke steckt, die sie auch fortwährend nach außen trägt. Gleichzeitig schimmern aber auch immer wieder Unsicherheiten durch, die sie lebensnah erscheinen lässt.
Generell sind die Figuren in diesem Roman sehr gut gezeichnet, so dass man ein all umfassendes Bild von den Geschehnissen erhält. Und auch wenn dieser Roman so echte psychotische Hasscharaktere enthält, sorgt gerade dies für Spannung. Man möchte, dass ihnen das Handwerk gelegt wird. Gleichzeitig verwischt in diesem Roman auch immer wieder die Grenze zwischen Gut und Böse was die Charaktere angeht. Nicht jede "böse" Figur in diesem Roman ist wirklich böse (oder hat zumindest ihre Gründe dafür) und nicht jede "gute" Figur stellt sich letztendlich als wirklich gut heraus.
Chris Mooney hat mit seinem Roman ein dunkles Bild gezeigt, von was wäre, wenn so etwas wirklich möglich wäre. Und auch wenn dieser Roman in der Gegenwart spielt, hat man beim Lesen eher die Zukunft vor Augen, weil man die Tatsache, dass das Blut spezieller Menschen den Alterungsprozess aufzuhalten, zum einen für realistisch, zum Anderen auch auch für Fiktion hält.
Chris Mooneys Schreibstil ist sehr detailgenau, so dass man das Gefühl hat real vor Ort zu sein und den blutigen Kampf gegen bzw. den Kartellen real mitzuerleben. Er schafft es immer wieder neue Wendungen mit einzubringen, so dass die Handlunge in immer neue Bahnen gelenkt wird. Der Spannungsfaden in diesem Roman wird durchgehend aufrecht gehalten, obwohl man als Leser sehr schnell die Gesamtzusammenhänge durchblickt.
Dies ist ein Roman, der einen von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite fesselt, da man wissen möchte, ob sich der schlimmste Albtraum, denn Ellie im Laufe ihrer Ermittlungen und eigentlich auch schon ihres Lebens durchlaufen muss, in ein gutes Ende verwandelt. Und eins kann ich schon mal versprechen: Dieser Roman hält ein extrem spannendes Ende bereit, bei dem sich die Ereignisse förmlich überschlagen.
Fazit:
Mit "Blood World - Die Zukunft ist in Blut geschrieben" ist Chris Mooney ein überaus abwechslungsreicher und spannender Roman gelungen, bei dem der Spannungsbogen durchweg hochgehalten werden kann und in ein fulminantes Ende gipfelt. Man wird bis zur letzten Seite von den Ereignissen und den Charakteren mitgerissen. Der Roman zeigt, was sein könnte, wenn der Alterungsprozess durch ein Wundermittel aufgehalten werden könnte und welche Machenschaften dies mit sich bringen würde.
Ich kann für diesen Roman eine unbedingte Leseempfehlung aussprechen!
Note: 1- (💗💗💗💗💗)
Im Mittelpunkt des Romans steht allen voran die Polizistin Ellie Battista, die schon lange versucht Mitglied in einer Spezialeinheit zu werden, die Kartelle jagt, die sich auf Verjüngungen mit besonderen Blutransfusionen spezialisiert haben. Diese Kartelle nutzen das Blut von sogenannten Trägern, deren Blut eine spezielle Gensequenz aufweist und die gemischt mit weiteren Medikamenten dazu führen, dass derjenige, der ihr Blut erhält, jünger und stärker ist. Ellie versucht schon ihr Leben lang diese Kartelle zu bekämpfen, zumal sie seit ihrer frühesten Kindheit etwas damit verbindet. Ellies Chance ist gekommen, als sie bei einem Einsatz zufällig auf eine solche Transfusion stößt, die jedoch im Desaster endet, bei dem ihr Partner getötet wird. Ellie wird mit einer Tarnidentität ausgestattet und in den Kreis der Kartelle eingeschleust. Doch je tiefer Ellie in die Kartellgeschäfte einsteigt, um so dreckiger wird es für sie, so dass sie sich mit den tiefsten Abgründen und schlimmsten Gegnern konfrontiert sieht.
Ellie ist als Figur ein Charakter, in den man sich erst hineindenken muss, um ihre Handlungen so recht nachvollziehen zu können. Bis zum Schluss bleibt ein Teil von ihr unergründlich, so dass man im Laufe des Romans immer wieder positiv von ihr überrascht wird. Man ahnt sehr schnell, dass in ihr eine immense innerliche Stärke steckt, die sie auch fortwährend nach außen trägt. Gleichzeitig schimmern aber auch immer wieder Unsicherheiten durch, die sie lebensnah erscheinen lässt.
Generell sind die Figuren in diesem Roman sehr gut gezeichnet, so dass man ein all umfassendes Bild von den Geschehnissen erhält. Und auch wenn dieser Roman so echte psychotische Hasscharaktere enthält, sorgt gerade dies für Spannung. Man möchte, dass ihnen das Handwerk gelegt wird. Gleichzeitig verwischt in diesem Roman auch immer wieder die Grenze zwischen Gut und Böse was die Charaktere angeht. Nicht jede "böse" Figur in diesem Roman ist wirklich böse (oder hat zumindest ihre Gründe dafür) und nicht jede "gute" Figur stellt sich letztendlich als wirklich gut heraus.
Chris Mooney hat mit seinem Roman ein dunkles Bild gezeigt, von was wäre, wenn so etwas wirklich möglich wäre. Und auch wenn dieser Roman in der Gegenwart spielt, hat man beim Lesen eher die Zukunft vor Augen, weil man die Tatsache, dass das Blut spezieller Menschen den Alterungsprozess aufzuhalten, zum einen für realistisch, zum Anderen auch auch für Fiktion hält.
Chris Mooneys Schreibstil ist sehr detailgenau, so dass man das Gefühl hat real vor Ort zu sein und den blutigen Kampf gegen bzw. den Kartellen real mitzuerleben. Er schafft es immer wieder neue Wendungen mit einzubringen, so dass die Handlunge in immer neue Bahnen gelenkt wird. Der Spannungsfaden in diesem Roman wird durchgehend aufrecht gehalten, obwohl man als Leser sehr schnell die Gesamtzusammenhänge durchblickt.
Dies ist ein Roman, der einen von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite fesselt, da man wissen möchte, ob sich der schlimmste Albtraum, denn Ellie im Laufe ihrer Ermittlungen und eigentlich auch schon ihres Lebens durchlaufen muss, in ein gutes Ende verwandelt. Und eins kann ich schon mal versprechen: Dieser Roman hält ein extrem spannendes Ende bereit, bei dem sich die Ereignisse förmlich überschlagen.
Fazit:
Mit "Blood World - Die Zukunft ist in Blut geschrieben" ist Chris Mooney ein überaus abwechslungsreicher und spannender Roman gelungen, bei dem der Spannungsbogen durchweg hochgehalten werden kann und in ein fulminantes Ende gipfelt. Man wird bis zur letzten Seite von den Ereignissen und den Charakteren mitgerissen. Der Roman zeigt, was sein könnte, wenn der Alterungsprozess durch ein Wundermittel aufgehalten werden könnte und welche Machenschaften dies mit sich bringen würde.
Ich kann für diesen Roman eine unbedingte Leseempfehlung aussprechen!
Note: 1- (💗💗💗💗💗)
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