Never Ceese

Thirsting for Blood #1

by Sue Dent

A determined werewolf, acting on her long-held wish to free herself of her curse, teams up with a skeptical vampire who can no longer admit that having his curse removed is something he wants. Will Cassie Felts be able to help them as her grandmother implored her to do or will they suffer at the hands of a radical and evil stem cell researcher who want the fame and immortality he believes their blood will give him?

Genres: Fantasy, Vampires, Werewolves, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult

300 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2006

About the author

Sue Dent hails from Mississippi and is the author of Never Ceese and Forever Richard the first two installments in her Thirsting for Blood Series. Her debut novel Never Ceese appeared on the 2007 preliminary ballot for a Bram Stoker Award. Her second book in her Thirsting for Blood Series, Forever Richard, made the 2010 long-list at the British Fantasy Society.
Both Never Ceese and Forever Richard made the 2009 Pluto Award long-list with Never Ceese moving onto the top three books short-listed. Never Ceese was also Book Club Choice of the month at the American Christian Fiction Writers Association in May of 2007 when Sue was a member. Sue no longer pays to be a member due to the fact that the ACFW is a writer's group designed to help author's find homes with CBA niche market publishers. Sue is currently a member of HWA, Horror Writer's of America.
Dent’s stories continue to appeal to general market readers with surprise appeal to the denominationally discriminative (niche market CBA member publisher's serve. Ms. Dent likes to point out that though her work appeals to readers of this niche market, she does not write specifically for that market which is why you won't find her work in CBA member bookstores or rather on any shelf at any Christian Retailer or even listed on-line at member on-line bookstores such as Christianbook.com

Reviews

[KOMET · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers a lot of surprises and interesting angles on vampiricism and lycanthropy. The wife of a minister in early 19th century Wales is working in the garden of her home one day when she is accosted by a man who rapes her and subsequently takes on the form of a wolf before her eyes and assaults her. She is left terribly shaken up and for some time, cannot bring herself to tell her husband (who was away at the time of the attack) what had happened to her for fear of losing her husband. Eventually, she tells him everything and discovers that she is pregnant. Her husband assures her that the child would be treated as if it were their child, along with their other children.


Fast forward 200 years later. A large she-wolf has separated herself from a pack and struggles in the fading night to reach the crest of a hill, where she lets out a plaintive howl. Slowly, thoughts that had been lost or long suppressed press themselves upon her mind. As dawn emerges across the horizon, fur slowly retracts from her body, which stretches and contorts until the wolf assumes the body of a young, dirtied, nude woman. Unsteadily, she rises to her feet, laps water from a nearby stream, and after some searching, comes across some clothing on a clothesline. She remembers now the necessity for clothes. She walks across a wide swath of land towards a house which dominates the scene.

In this house are an old woman (Penny) and a vampire (Richard) who owns the estate on which the house sits. Richard lives a comfortable life with Penny, and dotes on her. He has lived so long that he has largely forgotten what life and family were like before he was cursed. Richard is a survivor fully at home in a 21st century world. The young woman knocks on the door and is admitted by Penny, who apparently knows her because the woman is instantly at ease in her presence. Richard she doesn’t trust at all and lunges at him, snarling with bared fangs (barely controlling the wolf within), leaving him with some nasty, bloody wounds. Penny explains that she mentally called the woman (Ceese) to come to their home because she believes that Ceese and Richard need each other. But both are very wary of each other. After all, vampires and werewolves don’t normally get along.


As the story proceeds, we learn that Penny has cancer and not long to live. Before dying, she extracts from Richard a promise to support and help Ceese. We learn that Ceese, too, is living under a curse, and longs to be free of it, so that she can be with her family in Heaven. Eventually, Ceese (who also has some psychic powers) and Richard develop an uneasy relationship and undertake a trip to New York, where Penny’s granddaughter has offered to help both of them find a cure for their respective curses.

The reader will find this a rich and absorbing story, full of twists and turns, with a surprising outcome.

[Evan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A somewhat off the radar book. A kind of Christian fiction vampire/werewolf novel aimed at the YA crowd.



A vampire and a werewolf meet up and try to contact a few scientists that may have a cure for their condition. The problem is that the vampire is somewhat apathetic about ever being human again, the werewolf has been in wolf form for over 70 years and doesn't quite get modern civilization, the scientists are being manipulated by an evil stem cell researcher looking to use the vampire curse to achieve immortality...and most of the characters seem ready to strangle each other. The result is more humorous than horrifying. Richard, the vampire and Ceese the werewolf clash constantly, and the result is mostly funny. They share a connection which is heavily hinted at but only revealed in the very end. The resolution seemingly wraps things up but the author adds a few loose ends to set up for the sequel.



Oddly enough although Sue Dent has said she doesn't consider herself a "Christian author" and indeed, some light swearing and the use of alcohol and tobacco by some of the characters (ironically, perhaps more than the vampires and werewolves) ensure this won't be in many Christian book stores. But Christian faith plays a very explicit role in this book The vampires and werewolves are genuinely cursed, and the curse unquestionably evil in nature. For the characters to speak or even think of anything holy causes them great pain (one character tries to recite John 3:16 at one point, and it nearly kills him). The great fear of the protagonists, ultimately, is that they will face damnation in their current state.



I'm not here to theologically break down the book, but I will say it was a nice read with a very neat redemptive conclusion. And in a market full of vampires and werewolves who either embrace their baser natures, treat their curse like a superpower, or endlessly brood in hopelessness, it seems downright refreshing to see a tale where the curse is genuine evil but redemption is accomplished triumphantly.



So why only three stars? For some reason, the dialogue just got tiring after awhile, with Richard and Ceese bicker like, well teenagers, but hen this is aimed at a high school audience. That and I thought the villain was a bit 'stock' and could have been better. Minor complaints, but in the end the whole worked seemed like "good, not one of the best I've read all year. Though is it certainly unique because of what it is.

[Tammie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I liked the story but sometimes the characters came across as immature. There is too much bickering amongst them. I had to constantly remind myself that these were adults I was reading about, not little kids.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through a giveaway. No stipulations were placed upon my receipt of the book, but I feel an honest review is appropriate in exchange.

Synopsis: What happens when a determined werewolf and a skeptical vampire join forces at the request of an aging friend? Will they succeed in finding a way to rid themselves of their respective curses in spite of their natural hatred for each other or will they suffer at the hands of a radical and evil stem cell researcher who wants the fame and immortality he believes their blood will give him? 

My Thoughts: This is an interesting and different take on the same old vampire and werewolf stories. In Sue Dent’s world, vampires and werewolves suffer from a very similar curse,which leaves them young, strong, immortal – and completely missing a soul. In this world, many werewolves go feral, living decades with wolf packs and away from people. And, interestingly, if they don’t transform periodically they will forget how.

I enjoyed these characters, and felt that, at least as far as vampires go, Dent’s ideas more truly match with the legends and lore than many modern vampire tales. After all, without a soul how could one comprehend, let alone feel, human emotion? I felt that the solution was maybe a bit too simplistic in the end, but at the same time the conclusion was satisfying. I think people who enjoy the vampire and werewolf mythos will enjoy this book. I certainly did!

[raquel soto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have gotten to know the author from Shoutlife and had been meaning to get to buy the book, but had yet to get around to it. One day I was out with a friend who was an aspiring writer and I told her what I knew about this book (from the author and the many wonderful comments I read). It inspired her to not only finish her own book, but read this one as well. I was so inspired and blogged about it. I received the hardcover from the author herself a week later!

The problem with faith writers is that they write compelling stories only to halt it completely to insert a chapter/sermon. Then they build up momenteum and do it again. It really kills a book.

But not here!

Sue does a wonderful job writing this story that really speaks to those places in us we really don't like. It offers hope and redemption, no matter what we have done.

I love vampire books but have abandoned reading them because of the dark content. Sue brought me back to the love of vampire lores and I can't wait to read the 2nd installment, Forever Richard.

This book was one of those I CAN'T PUT THIS THING DOWN! kinda books. It's simply THAT GOOD! Read the other rave reviews @ Amazon.

-R

[Jill Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review by Jill Williamson

Penelope has a plan. She calls her dear friend Ceese, who happens to be a werewolf, to her castle home so that Ceese can help Penelope’s vampire friend Richard. Ceese and Richard instantly hate one another, but Penelope begs that they try to get along. She insists that they need each other to free themselves from their curses—vampire and werewolf—so that they may make it ti heaven someday. Ceese wants to be free very much, but Richard doesn’t believe it is possible. Penelope’s granddaughter tries to help them, but a scientist with an evil agenda wants the werewolf and vampire for himself in hopes to gain his own immortality.

I was really excited to read this book, and for the most part, it did not disappoint. Ceese is a werewolf. Sue Dent does an amazing job with this character. I loved everything about how Ceese was trying to remember how to be a lady, but kept forgetting by lapping water from a bowl and scratching her ear with her foot.

Richard is a vampire. I liked his character as well, but mostly I liked the dynamics between the immortal vampire, Richard, and his aged friend, Penelope. The author did wonderful with this interaction in a way that did not leak any secrets about Richard or Penelope’s past. Everything up to when Ceese and Richard went to New York was really gripping. Then the story switched gears. In the last forty pages things got confusing. I didn’t understand why certain people came back to life, or never died. I found some of it a bit convenient, but I can’t go into it without spoiling the ending.

I also have to note the mild swearing in this book, which did not affect my overall ranking, but because of it, I couldn’t recommend it on my blog, which was a shame. If I were to share this book to the teens in my youth group, who are trying to watch their language…I just can’t. And that frustrates me, because I’d love to recommend this book to people. But I have parents who are watching my every move and an example to set.

So, overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It was fun to read and I didn’t want to put it down. I'm interested to read the sequel to see what will happen next. But the confusion in the ending kept me from giving it five stars, which I really wanted to do.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me a strong feeling of religion mixed with the idea of the "Damed." Main character Ceese and Richard are damed, but in Ceese's lifetime she was a religious person, so now she tries to spend her time reading prayers and struggling through the Bible. These book is so unique and I looked every minute of it. Though the prologue was confusing I found that when I skipped it I had an easier time enjoying the book. Thank you so much Sue Dent for writing something so new and creative.

[Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, some fun and facts:
When my office received this book, a handsome hardcover from Journey Stone Creations, and it found its way to my hands, I looked it over thoroughly and sent author Sue Dent an email confirming its receipt. On an odd note, the wolf on its cover was exactly the same wolf on my computer screen's wallpaper, and I held one up to the other amused. I'd been made aware of Sue's existence while browsing through that vast social bird's nest called Myspace, we corresponded a few times, and here I have her novel as a result. I was particularly drawn to it because it boasted traditional Protestant Christian-inclined values and overtones so much so that even Christian book stores should welcome it. And it's a horror novel, in essence. About vampires and werewolves.
Well, well.
Back during what would become my last years of preaching and active church-going worship, I originally set out to complete my first horror novel as a Christian allegory. And I wasn't the only one doing it. Nowadays, though I've never since then and to this day was inclined to check out what's going on in anything peddled as Christian/Suspense/Supernatural or even stepped into a Christian book store (that I recall), I'm aware of some good writing in itself going on there. The current trend of Last Days apocalyptic fiction is at an all-time high, that I know, and in spite of entire communities banning Harry Potter from libraries, C.S. Lewis-type fantasies seem to have become an increasingly popular trend also in that market.
But enough of that, and my sudden editorial lapse by no means suggests Never Ceese is churchy. Yes, the storyline carries with it a cover-to-cover essence of biblical morality and overall themes of redemption through want and sacrifice, and there is absolutely nothing about its content that I can imagine would incline parents to object to their young teens reading it. I think parents and teens alike would be utterly thrilled to read it, which brings us now to the basics without beating around the bush any further.
I simply can't give Sue Dent enough praise for this work. I truly adored it. It read like the work of a master storyteller, its narrative virtually flawless. At first it seemed like it was going to be a period piece, and throughout that portion of the book it was atmospheric and foreboding.
The approach Dent takes is that werewolves and vampires are essentially human beings carrying a curse which strips them of almost any hope of redemption, salvation, and most of the popular basic rules regarding their nature apply, save that vampires themselves are undead in predominant lore. Ceese, or Cecilia, has the werewolf curse and has been wandering the earth in wolf form for a few hundred years or so because of it. She is summoned by an aging friend who lives in an isolated English castle whose resident vampire, Richard, has cared for her for a long time. Fearful of the knowledge that if he should feed on a human being his curse would be absolute, he instead feeds on the blood of the goats of local herdsmen or blood he purchases off the internet. Before she dies, the friend sends Ceese and Richard to New York in pursuit of a possible cure for their curses via stem cell research, where an evil university professor awaits their arrival in an obsessive search for the power of eternal life.
This is Sue Dent's first work, and I am very proud of her. Very imaginative, stylistic, and highly entertaining, she excels without compromise to personal belief and the learned expertise it takes to write so well. I highly recommend it, and I can't recommend it enough.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read. A vampire/werewolf novel written from a Christian perspective. I did enjoy the book, but I will also confess that for about half the book, I literally hated the werewolf character, the girl the book is named after. She is an extremely difficult person to get along with. Granted she has little understanding of modern practices and customs, but she seems to work really hard at being difficult.

The other main character, Richard, seems rather arrogant at times, and is also kind of difficult. And the interaction between the two is, at times, very painful. At some point in the book, though, they start getting along, and it gets a little smoother from that point.

The story revolves around Richard (the vampire), his really good friend, Penny, (he calls her MaMa because she has aged and he hasn't), Ceese (short for Cecelia) the werewolf, and Cassie and her college "friends." Oh, yes. There is also an evil professor who desires to live forever and is using stem cell research to try to figure this out.

There are some pretty intense spots, as well as some light humor throughout. It was a pretty good read. Sue Dent has written a pretty good book. There is a sequel called Forever Richard.

[M.C. Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this fantasy. Funny thing is that when I first went to read this, I had a strong bias against it and didn't read past the first paragraph. Two years later, I opened it up to give it another try...and was hooked. Although I found a few mistakes, the story was so good that it didn't matter.

Here's my Amazon review:

"At first? Reluctant. Next? Intrigued. By the second page? Thoroughly engaged. Sue has brought the urban mythos of vampires and werewolves to the spiritual plane. She causes her readers to delve into tragedy while hoping for redemption. Bravo! I eagerly await the promised sequel."

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Sue Dent is by far one of the best writters that I have had a privilige of enjoying! Never Ceese takes you on a journey that is so in depth that you feel as though you are along for the ride! Her description of characters and places and situations provides you with excellent background so that you know and understand exactly what is happening in said time. A rollercoaster of emotions ensues as you read and you will keep reading!!

[DeAnna Newsome · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as fast-paced as many of the books I read, but it is very good. Sue Dent does a very good job of getting you emotionally involved with the characters. I found myself, even with my busy schedule, looking at the book and HAVING to give in and sit to read more.

[Henrik]

Received a signed copy today from the author. Thanks, Sue!:-)

[Angel Gail Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

SOOO excited about this! A Christian paranormal book? FINALLY!!!!!!!!!

UPDATE: I couldn't read past a few pages it was so poorly written. Very disappointed!