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Aeterna
Vampires have conquered the living world, eradicated human society, and rule an undead empire from their underground palace of Aeterna. No longer forced to hide in the shadows, they build a luxurious metropolis of epicurean excess, savage rituals, and royal lineages, all existing in perfect eternal harmony.Of Aeterna's byzantine rites, the Bloodlet is the a spectacular hunt held once a century to choose which royal house will ascend the throne. But for Marcus Atreidae, the last vampire to be created before the annihilation of mankind, the Bloodlet offers a chance to explore the ruins of a dead city and learn all he can about those creatures of myth and humans.Barred from participating as punishment for his curiosity, Marcus sneaks to the surface but, when catastrophe strikes, he finds himself trapped amid the dystopian ruins with an unlikely ally -- a beautiful and fearless clone named Bo. Together, they discover a web of lies that stretches all the way to Aeterna's putrid core. Will the truth of Marcus' own mysterious past set him free? Or will it destroy an empire?In Aeterna, Kim Bannerman weaves an astonishing tale of intrigue, betrayal, mystery and adventure. From warrior kings to soothsayers, bio-engineers to slaves, ogres to phantoms, this sweeping epic is as rich and haunting as the undead who populate the city, and sure to delight fans of fantasy and dystopian fiction.Aeterna is in development with a Hollywood production company and is soon to be a motion picture.
- GenresFantasy
Kindle Edition
Published May 26, 2021
3 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Kim Bannerman
32 books21 followersKim Bannerman's stories have appeared in anthologies like ‘She’s Shameless’ (Tightrope Books), ‘Teen Angst Poetry’ (St. Martin’s Press), ‘Wolf-Girls’ (Hic Dragones Press), and ‘When Birds Are Near’ (Cornell University Press). She received a Canada Council Grant to complete her novel ‘Bucket of Blood’ in 2008, and her novels include the Circus Salmagundi Mysteries series, beginning with ’Truly the Devil’s Work’, and the modern fairy tale, ‘The Tattooed Wolf’. She can be found online at www.kbannerman.com.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 4, 2021
It was a good book and I enjoyed reading it.
August 18, 2021
3.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book! I initially picked this book up because vampires - if it says vampires I'm intrigued. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from it initially, but overall I thought it was a good read. It's been some time since I picked up vampire book that wasn't straight romance, but I'm glad I did. There is some romance to this, but I wouldn't say it dominates the storyline and instead helps it to unfold as Marcus finds his way through the world of Aeterna - the only place he has memories of, since he remembers nothing of his human life before. I was intrigued by the concept of a post-apocalyptic world dominated by vampires, but really it was the political intrigue and deceptions that had me wanting to finish it. I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.
I'll be interested to see where the next book in the series leads.
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book! I initially picked this book up because vampires - if it says vampires I'm intrigued. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from it initially, but overall I thought it was a good read. It's been some time since I picked up vampire book that wasn't straight romance, but I'm glad I did. There is some romance to this, but I wouldn't say it dominates the storyline and instead helps it to unfold as Marcus finds his way through the world of Aeterna - the only place he has memories of, since he remembers nothing of his human life before. I was intrigued by the concept of a post-apocalyptic world dominated by vampires, but really it was the political intrigue and deceptions that had me wanting to finish it. I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.
I'll be interested to see where the next book in the series leads.
September 5, 2021
*Thank you NetGalley for a copy of Aeterna*
While reading the description, you had me at vampires. I love all things vampire. Ive read so many vampire books that it is hard to keep them separate. I struggle sometimes with all of the different liberties taken when writing a vampire novel. Not this one! I loved the premise behind this from the beginning. Aeterna still followed the basic rules of vampirism, but in a whole different way. I was absolutely enamored with the world building of this story! I enjoyed the character development. The story moved at a pretty steady pace. There were unexpected twists that came out of nowhere. While reading this book I went through most all of the emotions. I found myself smiling, laughing, gasping in shock, crying and even a few fearful shivers and cringes. All ingredients for a solid winner in my eyes. I definitely recommend this book if for no other reason, it's unique spin on the undead. I am also looking forward to the next installment(which after the open ending, there had better be one!)
While reading the description, you had me at vampires. I love all things vampire. Ive read so many vampire books that it is hard to keep them separate. I struggle sometimes with all of the different liberties taken when writing a vampire novel. Not this one! I loved the premise behind this from the beginning. Aeterna still followed the basic rules of vampirism, but in a whole different way. I was absolutely enamored with the world building of this story! I enjoyed the character development. The story moved at a pretty steady pace. There were unexpected twists that came out of nowhere. While reading this book I went through most all of the emotions. I found myself smiling, laughing, gasping in shock, crying and even a few fearful shivers and cringes. All ingredients for a solid winner in my eyes. I definitely recommend this book if for no other reason, it's unique spin on the undead. I am also looking forward to the next installment(which after the open ending, there had better be one!)
July 30, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and the BooksGoSocial for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.
Aeterna is a post apocalyptic vampire story. Its really the story of Marcus, the last vampire created, coming of age and trying to understand his place in the world. Aeterna is the name of the subterranean city that the vampires have created in the aftermath of The Cleanse. Vampires have cleansed the planet of humans and are living under the rule of the 9 families. Every 100 years, the 9 families complete in a content of Bloodletting. The family that kills the most cloned humans in a single night ascend to the position of first among firsts (aka the leaders) for the next century. Marcus is the youngest vampire and a member of the currently ruling family who longs to see the human world and understand where he came from. As he begins to explore, Marcus finds himself embroiled in a plot to end the current system.
So, I didn't really love or hate this book. I feel like the elements of the story that I was most interested in: namely the Bloodlet, did not have enough time to breathe and really develop. It also felt like we spent a lot of time doing world building which is something I'm never a fan of. In all fairness, I did not know this book was the 1st in a new series when I started. Once I learned that nugget of information the pacing, character development and general plot made more sense. This book suffers from what I think of as series syndrome. What I mean is that the book is focused heavily on explaining the world, background and introducing characters that are involved in later entries. These items are done at the detriment of the 1st books story and plot. It also explains why the story pitched in the blurb really don't start until the 45-50% mark.
Marcus and Bo are fine characters. I wish there had been more time to explore them as existing characters and their backgrounds.
Overall, I find this to be a fine book, but I probably won't continue on with the series.
Recommend for lovers of dystopian and vampires.
Aeterna is a post apocalyptic vampire story. Its really the story of Marcus, the last vampire created, coming of age and trying to understand his place in the world. Aeterna is the name of the subterranean city that the vampires have created in the aftermath of The Cleanse. Vampires have cleansed the planet of humans and are living under the rule of the 9 families. Every 100 years, the 9 families complete in a content of Bloodletting. The family that kills the most cloned humans in a single night ascend to the position of first among firsts (aka the leaders) for the next century. Marcus is the youngest vampire and a member of the currently ruling family who longs to see the human world and understand where he came from. As he begins to explore, Marcus finds himself embroiled in a plot to end the current system.
So, I didn't really love or hate this book. I feel like the elements of the story that I was most interested in: namely the Bloodlet, did not have enough time to breathe and really develop. It also felt like we spent a lot of time doing world building which is something I'm never a fan of. In all fairness, I did not know this book was the 1st in a new series when I started. Once I learned that nugget of information the pacing, character development and general plot made more sense. This book suffers from what I think of as series syndrome. What I mean is that the book is focused heavily on explaining the world, background and introducing characters that are involved in later entries. These items are done at the detriment of the 1st books story and plot. It also explains why the story pitched in the blurb really don't start until the 45-50% mark.
Marcus and Bo are fine characters. I wish there had been more time to explore them as existing characters and their backgrounds.
Overall, I find this to be a fine book, but I probably won't continue on with the series.
Recommend for lovers of dystopian and vampires.
December 20, 2021
*I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review*
After the cleanse of humanity by their own hands, vampires retreated below the surface to Aeterna, a city paradise that is designed to last an eternity. Every one-hundred years the Bloodlet is held to decide which family will rule over Aeterna. For most it offers power, but for Marcus it is an opportunity. He is the last vampire created and has no memories of his mortal past. The Bloodlet is his chance to go to the surface and explore the world that humans left behind. When the unthinkable happens, Marcus finds himself drawn to Bo, a human clone who, unlike the others, has memories of her past life. Together they must uncover the betrayal than runs deep through Aeterna, whilst learning of their former lives in the process.
I was drawn to reading Aeterna as it offers a different kind of vampire story. Humans have been eradicated, but the undead have found a way to survive. The ingenuity and new world captured my interest, and it certainly did not disappoint. Every detail has been meticulously thought out, which crafts a fully functioning way of life and society.
Our guide through Aeterna, Marcus, is a very likeable and well-developed main character. He lacks the ambition of the majority of his family, and instead craves knowledge and to understand where he came from. His loss of memories was interesting, and I was just as curious as he was to learn more of his past. His origins were fitting of his character and gave a further understanding of what continues to drive him. I enjoyed the developing romance between Marcus and Bo. It was just enough to make it believable and did not distract from the main plot of the story.
If you are looking for a different kind of vampire story, I absolutely recommend Aeterna, and cannot wait to read more books in the series.
After the cleanse of humanity by their own hands, vampires retreated below the surface to Aeterna, a city paradise that is designed to last an eternity. Every one-hundred years the Bloodlet is held to decide which family will rule over Aeterna. For most it offers power, but for Marcus it is an opportunity. He is the last vampire created and has no memories of his mortal past. The Bloodlet is his chance to go to the surface and explore the world that humans left behind. When the unthinkable happens, Marcus finds himself drawn to Bo, a human clone who, unlike the others, has memories of her past life. Together they must uncover the betrayal than runs deep through Aeterna, whilst learning of their former lives in the process.
I was drawn to reading Aeterna as it offers a different kind of vampire story. Humans have been eradicated, but the undead have found a way to survive. The ingenuity and new world captured my interest, and it certainly did not disappoint. Every detail has been meticulously thought out, which crafts a fully functioning way of life and society.
Our guide through Aeterna, Marcus, is a very likeable and well-developed main character. He lacks the ambition of the majority of his family, and instead craves knowledge and to understand where he came from. His loss of memories was interesting, and I was just as curious as he was to learn more of his past. His origins were fitting of his character and gave a further understanding of what continues to drive him. I enjoyed the developing romance between Marcus and Bo. It was just enough to make it believable and did not distract from the main plot of the story.
If you are looking for a different kind of vampire story, I absolutely recommend Aeterna, and cannot wait to read more books in the series.
August 19, 2021
Aeterna
By Kim Bannerman
First i'ed like to thank Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing story .
I couldn't resist this dark fantasy/end of the world vamp book.
It was so good, couldn't put it down, at times it felt like I was watching a movie, the story really sucks you in, no pun intend.
I'm really looking forward to read book two.
Highly recommend to lovers of fantasy.
By Kim Bannerman
First i'ed like to thank Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing story .
I couldn't resist this dark fantasy/end of the world vamp book.
It was so good, couldn't put it down, at times it felt like I was watching a movie, the story really sucks you in, no pun intend.
I'm really looking forward to read book two.
Highly recommend to lovers of fantasy.
April 20, 2022
I've become incredibly picky about which vampire novels I'll read these days, but staying with my current jam of post-apocalyptic treats, Aeterna by Kim Bannerman ticked all the boxes for me. The premise is simple: the vampire bloodlines have finally banded together to overthrow the human race. Their underground city of Aeterna has everything the vampires need, and humans are reduced to mindless blood-factors in the – ahem – same way the Machines treat humans in The Matrix. So I'm drawing that parallel, and I'll leave it there.
We follow the doings of Marcus, the scion of the ruling family, and the last vampire to be made before humanity's downfall, and then Bo, a human who has been genetically engineered for a special hunt event that will determine which vampire bloodline will rule the city for the next hundred years.
But both Marcus and Bo are special: Marcus cannot remember his mortal life at all, and his boundless curiosity sees him breaking the rigid protocols that bind vampiric society, while Bo is aware and is not some mindless, jelly-brained clone. She remembers what she shouldn't – how to string together words, how to think.
Aeterna has been built to last for ever, but in doing so, it has become trapped in stasis – a natural state for vampires that Marcus kicks against. I won't spoil to say how the hunt goes, but Marcus and Bo are thrown together by a twist of fate that sees the very foundations of this eternal tremble.
Overall, Bannerman's writing is solid, fast-paced and engaging, and I found myself immersed in the setting and more than happy to ride this one through to its cataclysmic end. My inner editor had a few nits to pick, but nothing to make me too twitchy. If you, like me, were ever a fan of the White Wolf Vampire: The Masquerade RPGs back in the late 1990s, then this one will more than likely push all the right buttons.
We follow the doings of Marcus, the scion of the ruling family, and the last vampire to be made before humanity's downfall, and then Bo, a human who has been genetically engineered for a special hunt event that will determine which vampire bloodline will rule the city for the next hundred years.
But both Marcus and Bo are special: Marcus cannot remember his mortal life at all, and his boundless curiosity sees him breaking the rigid protocols that bind vampiric society, while Bo is aware and is not some mindless, jelly-brained clone. She remembers what she shouldn't – how to string together words, how to think.
Aeterna has been built to last for ever, but in doing so, it has become trapped in stasis – a natural state for vampires that Marcus kicks against. I won't spoil to say how the hunt goes, but Marcus and Bo are thrown together by a twist of fate that sees the very foundations of this eternal tremble.
Overall, Bannerman's writing is solid, fast-paced and engaging, and I found myself immersed in the setting and more than happy to ride this one through to its cataclysmic end. My inner editor had a few nits to pick, but nothing to make me too twitchy. If you, like me, were ever a fan of the White Wolf Vampire: The Masquerade RPGs back in the late 1990s, then this one will more than likely push all the right buttons.
July 11, 2022
3 stars. An original take on vampires, but the story just fell a bit flat for me. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Aeterna is an underground city where the vampires live after "cleansing" the world of humanity. They survive off of the blood of grown clones and every 100 years their is a bloodlet where the founding 9 families go to the surface to hunt clones. The family with the most kills will rule Aeterna for the next 100 years. Marcus is a member of the current ruling family and is excited for his first Bloodlet. When his master announces that their family will not take place in the Bloodlet, how far will Marcus go to participate? And what will he find waiting from his past?
Aeterna was a fresh take on vampires. It had a really great world building base, but I didn't really care for Marcus as a character. The other nine families were sooooo cool that I was bummed the novel didn't share their story instead. The clones were an interesting take, but not enough to keep me entertained by their storyline. The pacing had a hard time finding it's footing in the beginning, but by the 40% mark it had picked up. The writer has a really great way with words, and the descriptions they produced of the surroundings in Aeterna made you feel like you were there.
3 stars for what I found as overall Meh, but vampire lovers will devour this fresh take on a vampire love story. Recommended for readers 14+, nothing too graphic and no trigger warnings.
Aeterna is an underground city where the vampires live after "cleansing" the world of humanity. They survive off of the blood of grown clones and every 100 years their is a bloodlet where the founding 9 families go to the surface to hunt clones. The family with the most kills will rule Aeterna for the next 100 years. Marcus is a member of the current ruling family and is excited for his first Bloodlet. When his master announces that their family will not take place in the Bloodlet, how far will Marcus go to participate? And what will he find waiting from his past?
Aeterna was a fresh take on vampires. It had a really great world building base, but I didn't really care for Marcus as a character. The other nine families were sooooo cool that I was bummed the novel didn't share their story instead. The clones were an interesting take, but not enough to keep me entertained by their storyline. The pacing had a hard time finding it's footing in the beginning, but by the 40% mark it had picked up. The writer has a really great way with words, and the descriptions they produced of the surroundings in Aeterna made you feel like you were there.
3 stars for what I found as overall Meh, but vampire lovers will devour this fresh take on a vampire love story. Recommended for readers 14+, nothing too graphic and no trigger warnings.
July 9, 2021
Vampires have conquered the living world, eradicated human society, and rule an undead empire from their underground palace of Aeterna. No longer forced to hide in the shadows, they build a luxurious metropolis of epicurean excess, savage rituals, and royal lineages, all existing in perfect eternal harmony. Their greatest ritual is the Bloodlet: a spectacular hunt held once a century to choose which royal house will ascend the throne. But for Marcus Atreidae, the last vampire to be created before the annihilation of mankind, the Bloodlet offers a chance to explore the ruins of a dead city and learn all he can about those creatures of myth and legend: humans.
I haven’t read many vampire novels, but I really enjoyed this one. It’s quite different than the ones I’ve read before, where vampires live in the human world (either side-by-side with humans or in hiding). You may be wondering how vampires live in a world without humans— don’t they need blood to survive? Well they solved this problem by growing seemingly mindless clones. Most are kept for their blood, and a small portion are grown specifically to be released above ground for the Bloodlet. This is a hunt where the nine royal lineages chase down the clones, and whichever family kills the most is then the ruling family for the next hundred years (theoretically 😉). But when Marcus meets a clone named Bo everything changes. She is not the mindless automaton she is supposed to be. She remembers portions of her former life; she also retains language skills, which none of the others do. I thought the evolution of both characters was well done, and I recommend this book. NOTE: since vampires and blood are involved, there are definitely gruesome moments in this book to be aware of.
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I haven’t read many vampire novels, but I really enjoyed this one. It’s quite different than the ones I’ve read before, where vampires live in the human world (either side-by-side with humans or in hiding). You may be wondering how vampires live in a world without humans— don’t they need blood to survive? Well they solved this problem by growing seemingly mindless clones. Most are kept for their blood, and a small portion are grown specifically to be released above ground for the Bloodlet. This is a hunt where the nine royal lineages chase down the clones, and whichever family kills the most is then the ruling family for the next hundred years (theoretically 😉). But when Marcus meets a clone named Bo everything changes. She is not the mindless automaton she is supposed to be. She remembers portions of her former life; she also retains language skills, which none of the others do. I thought the evolution of both characters was well done, and I recommend this book. NOTE: since vampires and blood are involved, there are definitely gruesome moments in this book to be aware of.
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
March 4, 2022
This book was a really pleasant surprise and a break from normal vampire romances.
I was drawn to the rather unique take on dystopia, with vampires being the ones living in the new world. They world building here is quite good. I found it easy to imagine such a place and also understand the politics of this type of world.
The characters were interesting and I found both Marcus and Bo likeable. Although you don't learn a great deal about the other families in the Glorious Nine, I found I did have an image of them all and I even found myself associating voices and a way of walking to each.
The plot is really good. For me, it's unique. So Marcus is a vampire, desperate to know his past, and Bo is a clone created for the blodlet, which is a day when all the vampires go above ground and hunt the cloned humans. This was a really clever idea as it allows the reader to like the vampires as they are not technically hurting humans. Well they shouldn't be, but Bo has sentience.
So we have Marcus with no memories and Bo with a load she doesn't want or understand.
I don't want to say too much as there is so much that happens and it is a really clever book. Not so much YA, more adult fantasy, but other than a sex scene, it's not a romance. It's much more clever than that.
Well written, engaging and mostly pacey. I will be reading the next installment.
I was drawn to the rather unique take on dystopia, with vampires being the ones living in the new world. They world building here is quite good. I found it easy to imagine such a place and also understand the politics of this type of world.
The characters were interesting and I found both Marcus and Bo likeable. Although you don't learn a great deal about the other families in the Glorious Nine, I found I did have an image of them all and I even found myself associating voices and a way of walking to each.
The plot is really good. For me, it's unique. So Marcus is a vampire, desperate to know his past, and Bo is a clone created for the blodlet, which is a day when all the vampires go above ground and hunt the cloned humans. This was a really clever idea as it allows the reader to like the vampires as they are not technically hurting humans. Well they shouldn't be, but Bo has sentience.
So we have Marcus with no memories and Bo with a load she doesn't want or understand.
I don't want to say too much as there is so much that happens and it is a really clever book. Not so much YA, more adult fantasy, but other than a sex scene, it's not a romance. It's much more clever than that.
Well written, engaging and mostly pacey. I will be reading the next installment.
April 24, 2025
Tengo sentimientos encontrados con Aeterna, porque por momentos me enganchaba pero por otros, como todo el principio, me perdía de lo que pasaba. Si bien es una buena novela sobre vampiros, hay momentos en los que no me gusto como fue llevado a cabo.
Empecemos por las cosas que celebro. La idea fue muy buena, un mundo en donde los humanos técnicamente no existen y los vampiros son los que gobiernan pero bajo tierra, bastante original. El crecimiento de los personajes, especialmente Bo, ella me pareció la mas intrigante de todos. EL PLOT TWIST.
Ahora, las cosas que no me gustaron. El romance que se genero entre los protagonistas, era predecible pero sucedió muy rápido, demasiado diría yo. En la pelea "final" fácil podrían haberlo matado o mismo haberla matado a ella antes pero no lo hicieron. Creo que podría haber sido un buen libro auto conclusivo pero decidieron continuarlo y no me gusta hacia donde quieren llevarlo.
Pero, después de todo, creo que es un libro que tendría en mi biblioteca.
Empecemos por las cosas que celebro. La idea fue muy buena, un mundo en donde los humanos técnicamente no existen y los vampiros son los que gobiernan pero bajo tierra, bastante original. El crecimiento de los personajes, especialmente Bo, ella me pareció la mas intrigante de todos. EL PLOT TWIST.
Ahora, las cosas que no me gustaron. El romance que se genero entre los protagonistas, era predecible pero sucedió muy rápido, demasiado diría yo. En la pelea "final" fácil podrían haberlo matado o mismo haberla matado a ella antes pero no lo hicieron. Creo que podría haber sido un buen libro auto conclusivo pero decidieron continuarlo y no me gusta hacia donde quieren llevarlo.
Pero, después de todo, creo que es un libro que tendría en mi biblioteca.
July 3, 2021
Aeterna was an entertaining read from start to finish. I loved the premise, which was well formulated, and the action moved along at a good pace. Marcus was an instantly engaging character and I also came to like Bo as the story progressed. Their interactions were great fun to read, and you could see both characters grow through them. I had assumed this book would be a standalone story; however, from the way it ends, a sequel seems possible, if not likely. As the blurb suggests, this story plays out across several genres and therefore it's worth checking out if you like one or more of the following: vampires; dystopian; paranormal; mystery; and sci-fi. I would certainly read on if the story continues. For me, it's a 4.5-star read.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2021
In a post-apocalyptic world, vampires have ‘cleansed’ the planet of human life and established their own underground city – Aeterna – run by the nine senior families.
Every 100 years, the families compete in the Bloodlet, hunting cloned humans released onto the surface with the victor becoming First Among Firsts and leading the city for the next century.
Aeterna (the first book in a new series) follows Marcus, the youngest son of the current leader as he prepares for his first bloodlet and tries to learn more about his life before being turned into a vampire.
His world is turned upside down, however, when he finds himself in the middle of a plot to overthrow the nine families and encounters a cloned human with memories of her own.
I didn’t realise until I was a few chapters in that this was the start of a new series and it definitely helped to explain the detailed descriptiveness of the writing.
There is a lot of world building for the longer term benefit of the series, helping to explain how the characters are connected, the hierarchy of vampire life and what happened before the fall of the human race.
The story really begins to get exciting when they arrive at the surface for the Bloodlet and Bo (the cloned human) becomes a more prominent character.
A supernatural dystopian romance with a hint of mystery – I can’t wait for the next book to learn more about what’s next for both vampire and humankind!
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Every 100 years, the families compete in the Bloodlet, hunting cloned humans released onto the surface with the victor becoming First Among Firsts and leading the city for the next century.
Aeterna (the first book in a new series) follows Marcus, the youngest son of the current leader as he prepares for his first bloodlet and tries to learn more about his life before being turned into a vampire.
His world is turned upside down, however, when he finds himself in the middle of a plot to overthrow the nine families and encounters a cloned human with memories of her own.
I didn’t realise until I was a few chapters in that this was the start of a new series and it definitely helped to explain the detailed descriptiveness of the writing.
There is a lot of world building for the longer term benefit of the series, helping to explain how the characters are connected, the hierarchy of vampire life and what happened before the fall of the human race.
The story really begins to get exciting when they arrive at the surface for the Bloodlet and Bo (the cloned human) becomes a more prominent character.
A supernatural dystopian romance with a hint of mystery – I can’t wait for the next book to learn more about what’s next for both vampire and humankind!
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 22, 2021
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Honestly I'm a sucker for vampire novels, throw in some science-fiction to really get the party started! I recommend this one for fans Julie Kagawa's Blood of Eden series.
This book started off really quick and continues in a fast pace. The story gives a fresh new take on the vampire-theme in dystopian world. Sometimes the pacing got a bit to quick in the action scenes, but that didn't diminish the story. There is a clear case of instant-love. Luckily to constant changes in viewing point, it's prevented of being awkward.
Overall the worldbuilding was amazing and we got to discover an interesting new take on the vampire-theme. I really loved following Marcus and Bo and can't wait to see what the future has in store for them!
Honestly I'm a sucker for vampire novels, throw in some science-fiction to really get the party started! I recommend this one for fans Julie Kagawa's Blood of Eden series.
This book started off really quick and continues in a fast pace. The story gives a fresh new take on the vampire-theme in dystopian world. Sometimes the pacing got a bit to quick in the action scenes, but that didn't diminish the story. There is a clear case of instant-love. Luckily to constant changes in viewing point, it's prevented of being awkward.
Overall the worldbuilding was amazing and we got to discover an interesting new take on the vampire-theme. I really loved following Marcus and Bo and can't wait to see what the future has in store for them!
July 17, 2022
This is not like other vampire books. I did not enjoy the first 20% of the book and I was considering giving up at this point and wow! I'm so glad I didn't because this was brilliant. Vampires have eradicated humans above ground and now clone them in their labs for blood and sport. In a vampire utopia of simpering vamps and rulers underground, it takes one curious vampire who wants to know the inner workings of their underground world called Aeterna. What he discovers isn't all a bed of roses and the lower working levels are planning a revolution. Plenty of vampire deaths and gore all round! Brilliant. I would even go as far to say it's a vampire book for people who think they don't like vampire books
June 5, 2022
RATING 3.25
keeping it short and sweet because I have better things to do than waffle!
Pros
Enjoyed the POV that humans were simply blood bags, it felt very Soylent Green but vampires
Sibyl is an absolute crackpot but also she's honest so 🤷♀️
The doctor is great despite being in it very little
That Drauger dude was just a dick but also I love him for being so straight to the point
Cons
Bo was just kinda annoying
Main character dude was super whiny and honestly I wanted to punch him for half the book
It was SO. DAMN. SLOW. to get to anything interesting
That ending was just meh
It was the averagest of average but got a bonus for Sibyl and Diaz
keeping it short and sweet because I have better things to do than waffle!
Pros
Enjoyed the POV that humans were simply blood bags, it felt very Soylent Green but vampires
Sibyl is an absolute crackpot but also she's honest so 🤷♀️
The doctor is great despite being in it very little
That Drauger dude was just a dick but also I love him for being so straight to the point
Cons
Bo was just kinda annoying
Main character dude was super whiny and honestly I wanted to punch him for half the book
It was SO. DAMN. SLOW. to get to anything interesting
That ending was just meh
It was the averagest of average but got a bonus for Sibyl and Diaz
August 9, 2021
Thank you to the Author and to NetGalley for providing me with an eArc in exchange for an honest review!
This was a fun, quick read. I enjoyed the idea behind it (an underground vampire city) and the main characters were sweet. I hoped for more development both in characters (who sometimes felt flat) and worldbuilding (just how did humanity disappear?), but overall it was a good introductory book in a series. I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series!
TW: blood and death (vampires!). 3.5 stars
This was a fun, quick read. I enjoyed the idea behind it (an underground vampire city) and the main characters were sweet. I hoped for more development both in characters (who sometimes felt flat) and worldbuilding (just how did humanity disappear?), but overall it was a good introductory book in a series. I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series!
TW: blood and death (vampires!). 3.5 stars
July 10, 2021
Vampires have taken over the world and the human race is no more. They all live underground in the city of Aeterna. Marcus spends his time deep below in the Womb, where human clones are made and kept to feed the vampires. A fight for power and a coup threaten to destroy everything they have worked so hard to create.
I really enjoyed this book! This was a different take on vampires from what I have read before. I can't wait until the sequel!
I really enjoyed this book! This was a different take on vampires from what I have read before. I can't wait until the sequel!
August 29, 2021
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I haven’t really read any books about vampires lately, Twilight kind of ruined them for me. But the description of this book intrigued me.
I liked the characters. It was nice seeing the development. I liked Marcus from the beginning. I liked the storyline. I liked it enough that I will definitely read the next one in the series.
I haven’t really read any books about vampires lately, Twilight kind of ruined them for me. But the description of this book intrigued me.
I liked the characters. It was nice seeing the development. I liked Marcus from the beginning. I liked the storyline. I liked it enough that I will definitely read the next one in the series.
October 27, 2021
I read plenty of vampire stories and this was one of the most original I read.
It's a mix of dystopia and fantasy, a coming of age of a vampire in a post-apocalyptic world.
It's fast paced, action packed. Good world building and character development.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
It's a mix of dystopia and fantasy, a coming of age of a vampire in a post-apocalyptic world.
It's fast paced, action packed. Good world building and character development.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
July 13, 2021
Take vampires and mix them with a bit of SciFi and you've got yourself a pretty fun read. It wasn't perfect or outstanding but still pretty intriguing and fun. I'd be more than willing to read more from this author.
August 24, 2021
This got off to a shaky start for me, there was far too much info dumping at the start of the book, slowing the pace for a while. I also found some of the descriptions overly detailed and unnecessary for developing the story. However once we get to Bo, the story picked up and I found myself much more engaged by what is essentially a blend of paranormal, suspense and romance. Once I'd got through that first third the plot picked up in intensity and I found myself not wanting to put the book down.
It took me a while to understand Marcus' motivation, he felt a little lacklustre at first but we really get to know him as the story progresses. There was also good character growth and I soon found myself captivated by him. Bo was a really fascinating character and I very much enjoyed seeing how the pair of them interacted together. I would rather have had more time spent on developing their relationship and less on the early over explanation. On balance, however, this was still an engaging read.
It took me a while to understand Marcus' motivation, he felt a little lacklustre at first but we really get to know him as the story progresses. There was also good character growth and I soon found myself captivated by him. Bo was a really fascinating character and I very much enjoyed seeing how the pair of them interacted together. I would rather have had more time spent on developing their relationship and less on the early over explanation. On balance, however, this was still an engaging read.
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