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Blood Fugue
Reclusive outdoorsman, Jimmy Kerrigan, finds himself battling a vampiric plague which threatens to destroy Hobson’s Valley, the isolated mountain community he calls home. When his family, friends and neighbours fall prey to the ‘Fugue’, Kerrigan is the only one who can save them and prevent the disease spreading beyond the remote town’s boundaries.Kerrigan is challenged beyond his limits when an innocent family of outsiders hikes straight into a wilderness crawling with Fugues – a wilderness he is responsible for. Can he really save them and protect the town? Can he defeat the creature who has caused the Fugue to mutate? And, most crucially, when he learns the horrifying truth about his own infection, will he even have the strength to try?This second edition contains an introduction by the book’s original editor and a brand new foreword by the author.“A trip through the forest from hell…Unforgettable.” Dark Arts Magazine“Sexy, terrifying and very, very visceral…This book is just glorious.” Adventures in Trash“A near perfect mix of vampires, body horror and ecological thriller. if you only read one vampire novel this year, make sure it is this one.” Gingernuts of Horror
- GenresHorror
279 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2012
23 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Joseph D'Lacey
35 books428 followersBecame vegetarian after writing MEAT. Fond of meditation, unfathomable questions and cats.
Repped by Robert Dinsdale.
"Joseph D'Lacey rocks!" Stephen King.
Repped by Robert Dinsdale.
"Joseph D'Lacey rocks!" Stephen King.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 15, 2014
Original and readable take on the vampire theme which I thought was good until the midway point but then dissolved into the raging battle of good v evil...and I fell asleep.ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
December 6, 2012
Blood Fugue by Joseph D’Lacey
Reclusive outdoorsman, Jimmy Kerrigan, finds himself battling a vampiric plague which threatens to destroy Hobson’s Valley, the isolated mountain community he calls home. When his family, friends and neighbours fall prey to the ‘Fugue’, Kerrigan is the only one who can save them and prevent the disease spreading beyond the remote town’s boundaries. . .
It would be best if you dismissed any expectations of a traditional vampire story before you begin to read ‘Blood Fugue’. It’s not; it’s similar, but D’Lacey creates his own creatures as naturally as if they’ve existed for centuries in the wilderness. They’re wonderfully deceitful beings that lurk inside their victims without them even knowing that they’ve become possessed, urging echoes of The Thing throughout. D’Lacey’s victims/creatures were my favourite part of the story, provoking the interesting dilemma of an affliction that sufferers don’t remember the evil they complete; a vampiric amnesia if you will.
Character and story wise, D’Lacey forms a world that is some part the beautiful mystery of early Koontz, the small town whimsy of King and the dangerously blurry line between sex and violence that encapsulates Laymon. All the savageries of small town living you can never escape from are balanced nicely with the eerie expanse of the vast forest that surrounds Hobson’s Valley. As he did so with the apocalyptic Abryne in Meat, D’Lacey conjures up his setting well, placing the reader in the midst as if he knew the place well enough to call home.
Whilst visually stunning, D’Lacey’s creations did annoy me the fact that their origin is never fully explored. When I read about a monster, by the end of the story I want to know his birthday, and in this the full back story is somewhat neglected. But saying this, the idea of such a creature existing on the fringes of our society, gently feeding on us without us knowing without spilling a drop of blood or causing a death is an interesting idea. D’Lacey’s monster needs us to be unaware, for the moment he’s discovered he’ll obviously be burnt at the proverbial stake. What corrupts the beautiful plan is the wanton greed of modern society as the victims seek out more and more blood. There seems to be an underlying message of consumerism in this disguised by the creatures bloodlust. The main character of Jimmy Kerrigan leads a pious life, shunning modern convinces, even cars and stable relationships. This is where D’Lacey’s eco-message comes through; less is more. We all should aspire to lead less busy lives no matter life throws at us.
Whilst I enjoyed Blood Fugue, a few plot holes in regards to the creature’s origin left a few unanswered questions which gave the story as a whole an unfinished feel. I felt that more could have been said in certain places. Aside from this the story is solid, the characters well rounded and the action bloody and frequent. This isn’t D’Lacey at his best, so anyone expecting to be blown away as you are with a first read of Meat won’t close this one with that same satisfaction. Nevertheless, fans of his, vampires, and kinky blood play in general will lap this up.
4/5
Reclusive outdoorsman, Jimmy Kerrigan, finds himself battling a vampiric plague which threatens to destroy Hobson’s Valley, the isolated mountain community he calls home. When his family, friends and neighbours fall prey to the ‘Fugue’, Kerrigan is the only one who can save them and prevent the disease spreading beyond the remote town’s boundaries. . .
It would be best if you dismissed any expectations of a traditional vampire story before you begin to read ‘Blood Fugue’. It’s not; it’s similar, but D’Lacey creates his own creatures as naturally as if they’ve existed for centuries in the wilderness. They’re wonderfully deceitful beings that lurk inside their victims without them even knowing that they’ve become possessed, urging echoes of The Thing throughout. D’Lacey’s victims/creatures were my favourite part of the story, provoking the interesting dilemma of an affliction that sufferers don’t remember the evil they complete; a vampiric amnesia if you will.
Character and story wise, D’Lacey forms a world that is some part the beautiful mystery of early Koontz, the small town whimsy of King and the dangerously blurry line between sex and violence that encapsulates Laymon. All the savageries of small town living you can never escape from are balanced nicely with the eerie expanse of the vast forest that surrounds Hobson’s Valley. As he did so with the apocalyptic Abryne in Meat, D’Lacey conjures up his setting well, placing the reader in the midst as if he knew the place well enough to call home.
Whilst visually stunning, D’Lacey’s creations did annoy me the fact that their origin is never fully explored. When I read about a monster, by the end of the story I want to know his birthday, and in this the full back story is somewhat neglected. But saying this, the idea of such a creature existing on the fringes of our society, gently feeding on us without us knowing without spilling a drop of blood or causing a death is an interesting idea. D’Lacey’s monster needs us to be unaware, for the moment he’s discovered he’ll obviously be burnt at the proverbial stake. What corrupts the beautiful plan is the wanton greed of modern society as the victims seek out more and more blood. There seems to be an underlying message of consumerism in this disguised by the creatures bloodlust. The main character of Jimmy Kerrigan leads a pious life, shunning modern convinces, even cars and stable relationships. This is where D’Lacey’s eco-message comes through; less is more. We all should aspire to lead less busy lives no matter life throws at us.
Whilst I enjoyed Blood Fugue, a few plot holes in regards to the creature’s origin left a few unanswered questions which gave the story as a whole an unfinished feel. I felt that more could have been said in certain places. Aside from this the story is solid, the characters well rounded and the action bloody and frequent. This isn’t D’Lacey at his best, so anyone expecting to be blown away as you are with a first read of Meat won’t close this one with that same satisfaction. Nevertheless, fans of his, vampires, and kinky blood play in general will lap this up.
4/5
November 15, 2012
My first introduction to Joseph D'Lacey was his eco-horror novel, Meat. I listened to it on audiobook the first time around, and I was so entranced by it that I ended up purchasing and reading the print version a year or so later. So when I was given an opportunity via Joseph and his publisher, Salt Publishing, to read and review his latest book, Blood Fugue, I was so keen to get started I pushed all my other reading aside and read it immediately.
Blood Fugue is definitely not for the faint hearted. Although it appears the idea came from vapiric lore, this is vampires on crack - they're big, bad, and very very ugly. I've always loved a good horror novel - the gorier and more shocking the better - and Blood Fugue delivered on every single level. This is not a novel for the faint hearted or easily squeamish, but it's certainly one for readers who love to scare the absolute crap out of themselves.
One issue I've found in the past with horror novels set around a small town is that there is so much going on with the plot that character development tends to fall a little to the side. But in Blood Fugue, Joseph D'Lacey has created characters that are believable and very easily identifiable. From the main character, Jimmy, whose reclusive yet caring nature makes him a natural lead for the story, through to his on and off girlfriend Amy, his parents and the few townspeople that have more than a cameo appearance, every single character stands out in their own right.
The plot itself seems straightforward, but there are quite a few twists that I didn't see coming, and Mr. D'Lacey isn't afraid to kill characters off which makes the story even more creepy and unpredictable. The tension runs high and the pace makes for a real page turner. The ending wasn't rushed at all, and I really was on the edge of my seat through the final chapters and ended on that perfect note of an almost completed story with just the right amount of teaser that made me a little more afraid of what lurks in the dark.
If you love horror that doesn't hold anything back with great, three-dimensional characters, unique plots and some scary-arse monsters, pick up a book by Joseph D'Lacey - his stories are inventive, terrifying and oh-so-good - horror at its very best.
Read more of my reviews at The Aussie Zombie
Blood Fugue is definitely not for the faint hearted. Although it appears the idea came from vapiric lore, this is vampires on crack - they're big, bad, and very very ugly. I've always loved a good horror novel - the gorier and more shocking the better - and Blood Fugue delivered on every single level. This is not a novel for the faint hearted or easily squeamish, but it's certainly one for readers who love to scare the absolute crap out of themselves.
One issue I've found in the past with horror novels set around a small town is that there is so much going on with the plot that character development tends to fall a little to the side. But in Blood Fugue, Joseph D'Lacey has created characters that are believable and very easily identifiable. From the main character, Jimmy, whose reclusive yet caring nature makes him a natural lead for the story, through to his on and off girlfriend Amy, his parents and the few townspeople that have more than a cameo appearance, every single character stands out in their own right.
The plot itself seems straightforward, but there are quite a few twists that I didn't see coming, and Mr. D'Lacey isn't afraid to kill characters off which makes the story even more creepy and unpredictable. The tension runs high and the pace makes for a real page turner. The ending wasn't rushed at all, and I really was on the edge of my seat through the final chapters and ended on that perfect note of an almost completed story with just the right amount of teaser that made me a little more afraid of what lurks in the dark.
If you love horror that doesn't hold anything back with great, three-dimensional characters, unique plots and some scary-arse monsters, pick up a book by Joseph D'Lacey - his stories are inventive, terrifying and oh-so-good - horror at its very best.
Read more of my reviews at The Aussie Zombie
November 29, 2012
There's something happening in British horror-writing these days. And Joseph D'Lacey and Adam Nevill are the ones doing it. In Blood Fugue, D'Lacey has gifted us with vampires the likes of which we've never before encountered. To say that what he has done with them verges on the visionary is to sell them short. They are some of the most disturbing, sickening, and alluring beings I've ever come across. They revolt me at the same time as they fill me with a kind of sick wonder.
Then comes the hunter. James Kerrigan. Who fashions circular throwing weapons called binders out of pine. Weapons that remind us that the cross did not originate with Christians. Yes, this is an old old earth power, and Kerrigan is its current embodiment.
Add to that a detailed depiction of the small community of Hobson's Valley and the dense American wilderness that surrounds it (and D'Lacey writes about wilderness from somewhere deep in his unconscious), and you have a novel whose pages fly past faster than dry leaves in a November blast.
Read it.
Then comes the hunter. James Kerrigan. Who fashions circular throwing weapons called binders out of pine. Weapons that remind us that the cross did not originate with Christians. Yes, this is an old old earth power, and Kerrigan is its current embodiment.
Add to that a detailed depiction of the small community of Hobson's Valley and the dense American wilderness that surrounds it (and D'Lacey writes about wilderness from somewhere deep in his unconscious), and you have a novel whose pages fly past faster than dry leaves in a November blast.
Read it.
November 21, 2012
From the riveting, sexually charged opening chapter of Blood Fugue, the reader knows they’re in good, if a little twisted, hands. D’Lacey’s tale blasted through 265 blood-soaked pages in a fevered frenzy. Haven’t had this much fun with a dark tale since Wilson’s The Keep. It’s vampires pumped up on steroids and raunchy as hell, making Stoker’s Dracula blush and Myer’s vamps in Twilight seem even more like sparkly, emo wimps.
August 3, 2013
3 and a half stars but as you know there are no half stars for me to use!! This book was good but not great and I enjoyed my small amount of time with it. It started off good yet tapered off to a place at the end I found a little over the top. Nevertheless if you can suspend your imagination a little more than myself, you will definitely enjoy this vampire novel!
Edited my review to add that I definitely read more of D'lacey's books in the future and Meat is still one of my fav's :-)
Edited my review to add that I definitely read more of D'lacey's books in the future and Meat is still one of my fav's :-)
June 9, 2020
Holy s#!t!!
This was... something else! A fierce story of sex and death, hurt and hate, life and everything it entails, mixed in with a new type of insane vampiric monster, and the man destined to try to stop it. This was something you'll be thinking about long after you turn the final page. That I can guarantee.
This was... something else! A fierce story of sex and death, hurt and hate, life and everything it entails, mixed in with a new type of insane vampiric monster, and the man destined to try to stop it. This was something you'll be thinking about long after you turn the final page. That I can guarantee.
December 26, 2012
once again, Mr d' Lacey does not disappoint.Fast- paced and exquisitely written as always . Loved it!
March 12, 2013
Proper old school horror
June 12, 2020
Different
This is truly a unique and different spin on the vampire genre! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and if you like vampires you'll love this book too!
This is truly a unique and different spin on the vampire genre! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and if you like vampires you'll love this book too!
November 16, 2012
Reclusive outdoorsman, Jimmy Kerrigan, finds himself battling a vampiric plague which threatens to destroy Hobson’s Valley, the isolated mountain community he calls home. When his family, friends and neighbours fall prey to the ‘Fugue’, Kerrigan is the only one who can save them and prevent the disease spreading beyond the remote town’s boundaries.
Kerrigan is uniquely equipped to deal with the outbreak. He carries a variant strain of Fugue enabling him to overcome and heal its victims. However, the nature of the illness ensures neither he nor those he hunts down are aware they’re infected. After feeding on humans, the diseased forget their behaviour. Even Kerrigan, having confronted or neutralised a Fugue, is unable to recall his actions as guardian of Hobson’s Valley.
The illness and its effects have, like tetanus, survived in the earth around the mountain for countless generations. The lineage of Fugue Hunters has always been able to reverse an outbreak but not this time; someone wants the disease to spread and, in combination with a mutation of the virus, Kerrigan realises he may not be strong enough to contain it.
Kerrigan is challenged beyond his limits when an innocent family of outsiders hikes straight into a wilderness crawling with Fugues – a wilderness he is responsible for. Can he really save them and protect the town? Can he defeat the creature who has caused the Fugue to mutate? And, most crucially, when he learns the horrifying truth about his own infection, will he even have the strength to try?
Kerrigan is a fascinating character. No wait, that’s not right, if we’re being 100% accurate Kerrigan is two fascinating characters. The virus that courses through his veins effectively makes him two distinctly different people. One is Jimmy Kerrigan, reclusive writer who jumps at his own shadow. The other is the Fugue Hunter, a being utterly driven to stopping the Fugue from spreading. A large part of Jimmy’s journey is trying to discover how to reconcile these two disparate elements of his psyche into one whole.
Elsewhere, D’Lacey captures the minutiae of small town America with a skill that is reminiscent of early Stephen King. The residents of Hobson’s Valley initially appear to be a wholesome bunch, but there is some nice bitterness, a dash of unhealthy resentment and more than a few skeletons in closets. There’s a character called Randall Moore, a convenience store owner, who rather perfectly illustrates this. All smiles and goodwill, but underneath the thin veneer of civility, not nearly so nice as he first appears. His natural animosity toward Kerrigan creates some genuinely creepy moments later on in the story.
The book’s finale features Kerrigan unleashing his full-on berserker rage against a group of the infected. The Fugue Hunter finally confronts the power of the Fugue, and all hell breaks loose. These scenes were a real highlight – bloody, outrageous and well worth the wait. There is also a nice coda to the tale that offers the suggestion events may not have resolved themselves entirely. Jimmy Kerrigan may return at some point in the future. I do hope so. Much as I enjoyed the intimate setting of this novel I think I would be equally interested in seeing a continuation of this story unfold on a larger stage. The prospect of something on a bigger scale fills me with a certain amount of glee.
I’ve heard Joseph D’Lacey’s writing described as “eco-horror”, this seems an entirely apt label. The underlying themes of this novel subtly explore how man and nature aren’t always able to coexist together harmoniously. Kerrigan spends his time fighting against, and protecting people from, a physical manifestation of a disease that has existed for eons in the wild. The vast tracks of forest that surround Hobson’s Valley are the prefect breeding ground for the Fugue’s evolution. It has reached the point where the infection has become one with the eco-system that it exists in.
Horror can be the trickiest of genres to gauge correctly. I think it’s the mark of a good author that they know when to go for the out-and-out shock and when to leave the reader to fill in the blanks themselves. Blood Fugue is at times graphic, and occasionally extreme, but D’Lacey knows exactly what scenes require that shock value and which can be left to the reader’s imagination. If you’re a horror fan and you’re not already reading Joseph D’Lacey you had better have a bloody good excuse. In fact I demand you remedy this outrageous oversight immediately.
Blood Fugue is published by Proxima Books and is available from 16th November.
Kerrigan is uniquely equipped to deal with the outbreak. He carries a variant strain of Fugue enabling him to overcome and heal its victims. However, the nature of the illness ensures neither he nor those he hunts down are aware they’re infected. After feeding on humans, the diseased forget their behaviour. Even Kerrigan, having confronted or neutralised a Fugue, is unable to recall his actions as guardian of Hobson’s Valley.
The illness and its effects have, like tetanus, survived in the earth around the mountain for countless generations. The lineage of Fugue Hunters has always been able to reverse an outbreak but not this time; someone wants the disease to spread and, in combination with a mutation of the virus, Kerrigan realises he may not be strong enough to contain it.
Kerrigan is challenged beyond his limits when an innocent family of outsiders hikes straight into a wilderness crawling with Fugues – a wilderness he is responsible for. Can he really save them and protect the town? Can he defeat the creature who has caused the Fugue to mutate? And, most crucially, when he learns the horrifying truth about his own infection, will he even have the strength to try?
Kerrigan is a fascinating character. No wait, that’s not right, if we’re being 100% accurate Kerrigan is two fascinating characters. The virus that courses through his veins effectively makes him two distinctly different people. One is Jimmy Kerrigan, reclusive writer who jumps at his own shadow. The other is the Fugue Hunter, a being utterly driven to stopping the Fugue from spreading. A large part of Jimmy’s journey is trying to discover how to reconcile these two disparate elements of his psyche into one whole.
Elsewhere, D’Lacey captures the minutiae of small town America with a skill that is reminiscent of early Stephen King. The residents of Hobson’s Valley initially appear to be a wholesome bunch, but there is some nice bitterness, a dash of unhealthy resentment and more than a few skeletons in closets. There’s a character called Randall Moore, a convenience store owner, who rather perfectly illustrates this. All smiles and goodwill, but underneath the thin veneer of civility, not nearly so nice as he first appears. His natural animosity toward Kerrigan creates some genuinely creepy moments later on in the story.
The book’s finale features Kerrigan unleashing his full-on berserker rage against a group of the infected. The Fugue Hunter finally confronts the power of the Fugue, and all hell breaks loose. These scenes were a real highlight – bloody, outrageous and well worth the wait. There is also a nice coda to the tale that offers the suggestion events may not have resolved themselves entirely. Jimmy Kerrigan may return at some point in the future. I do hope so. Much as I enjoyed the intimate setting of this novel I think I would be equally interested in seeing a continuation of this story unfold on a larger stage. The prospect of something on a bigger scale fills me with a certain amount of glee.
I’ve heard Joseph D’Lacey’s writing described as “eco-horror”, this seems an entirely apt label. The underlying themes of this novel subtly explore how man and nature aren’t always able to coexist together harmoniously. Kerrigan spends his time fighting against, and protecting people from, a physical manifestation of a disease that has existed for eons in the wild. The vast tracks of forest that surround Hobson’s Valley are the prefect breeding ground for the Fugue’s evolution. It has reached the point where the infection has become one with the eco-system that it exists in.
Horror can be the trickiest of genres to gauge correctly. I think it’s the mark of a good author that they know when to go for the out-and-out shock and when to leave the reader to fill in the blanks themselves. Blood Fugue is at times graphic, and occasionally extreme, but D’Lacey knows exactly what scenes require that shock value and which can be left to the reader’s imagination. If you’re a horror fan and you’re not already reading Joseph D’Lacey you had better have a bloody good excuse. In fact I demand you remedy this outrageous oversight immediately.
Blood Fugue is published by Proxima Books and is available from 16th November.
November 3, 2019
Meh
I generally don’t read vampire books because I feel like it’s been done to death. And after listening to this I am convinced yet again that I should steer clear of them.
These ‘fugues’ were slightly more interesting than the usual type of vampire, but they were overall underwhelming.
Basically every scene with a ‘fugue’ involves some sort of sexual content. I almost feel like the audible preview was all I needed to listen to, because several parts of the book seemed to just recycle that scene in slightly different ways.
Overall I felt it was way too many sex scenes, which were not scary, and it almost didn’t feel like a horror novel at all.
For the majority of the book, there weren’t many deaths, except in the last 45 minutes or so.
The tree... it was a weird aspect of the story and was not scary at all.
After reading the excellent ‘Meat’ by the same author, I was very disappointed in this novel.
I generally don’t read vampire books because I feel like it’s been done to death. And after listening to this I am convinced yet again that I should steer clear of them.
These ‘fugues’ were slightly more interesting than the usual type of vampire, but they were overall underwhelming.
Basically every scene with a ‘fugue’ involves some sort of sexual content. I almost feel like the audible preview was all I needed to listen to, because several parts of the book seemed to just recycle that scene in slightly different ways.
Overall I felt it was way too many sex scenes, which were not scary, and it almost didn’t feel like a horror novel at all.
For the majority of the book, there weren’t many deaths, except in the last 45 minutes or so.
The tree... it was a weird aspect of the story and was not scary at all.
After reading the excellent ‘Meat’ by the same author, I was very disappointed in this novel.
May 25, 2013
Vampire novels, sadly these have turned into flowery love stories about sparkling teens in their 100+ years existence. Sad times. In contrast Joseph D'lacey steps through and delivers a first round K.O. Blood Fugue is, unlike the now standard vampire novel as scary and gruesome as it gets. In the most complimentary way possible I felt like I had achieved something making it to the end of this one. The slant on vampires, the memory deficient and incredibly violent 'Fugue', is original and very well played out. The setting is almost comic book bleak and a brilliant poke at a backwater America, no detail has been spared, and, as has come to be expected from an author of D'lacey's calibre the ability to write so beautifully about things so horrible once again borders on a work of art.
December 27, 2012
Racey, pacy and so so original. I've only ever read two other vampire books (one of them Dracula) and had no interest in reading more. But this is the most satisfyingly frightening take of vampirism I could hope for.
Don't read it unless you like lots of sex, blood, pathos, blood, violence, blood, tension and blood.
Don't read it unless you like lots of sex, blood, pathos, blood, violence, blood, tension and blood.
November 17, 2012
A great ending - not as deep or as chilling as D'Lacey's other books.
October 23, 2022
“Blood Fugue” (BF) is the third novel by horror, sci-fi, fantasy writer Joseph D’Lacey.
The premise of BF takes a well trodden horror trope path; A small rural township, a deep forest with dangerous inhabitants (vampires infected with the Fugue), and a loner with a secret all of his own and is the only one to contain them. That said BF is unlike any vampire story I’ve ever read before.
D’Lacey has thrown away the rule book when it comes to his vampires. They are not just undead bloodsuckers, but there is a hive mind; there are no fangs to be seen (something probably a touch more disturbing) and it’s not just blood they need but all bodily fluids; those infected with the fugue can be cured; and once sated the Fugues completely forget what they’ve done until they need to feed once more. Also the hero of this tale carries a variant of the Fugue, the Lethen, passed down each generation so a new Fugue Hunter can keep the spread in check.
The characters are at times a little stereotypical but they still suit the story well.
For a short book (just under 300 pages) there is a lot going on. The storyline is solid and starts at a fair pace. That said, D’Lacey measures his pacing throughout to best suit the scene - frenetic horrific action right through to a slow burn that builds dread and anticipation. I didn’t feel that there was a wasted scene anywhere.
D’Lacey’s content is not for everyone - with its bloody, visceral horror mixed with graphically described sexual encounters but there is nothing that I would deem as gratuitous.
Overall BF is a refreshing twist to the vampire lore with a clever but deliberately ambiguous ending that makes you think “Wait, what? Oh that’s very good!” Is it Pulitzer worthy? No. Is it a good read to give you the creeps if you hear something go bump in the night? Absolutely.
BF gets 3.5 desiccated bodies in the forest out of 5.
The premise of BF takes a well trodden horror trope path; A small rural township, a deep forest with dangerous inhabitants (vampires infected with the Fugue), and a loner with a secret all of his own and is the only one to contain them. That said BF is unlike any vampire story I’ve ever read before.
D’Lacey has thrown away the rule book when it comes to his vampires. They are not just undead bloodsuckers, but there is a hive mind; there are no fangs to be seen (something probably a touch more disturbing) and it’s not just blood they need but all bodily fluids; those infected with the fugue can be cured; and once sated the Fugues completely forget what they’ve done until they need to feed once more. Also the hero of this tale carries a variant of the Fugue, the Lethen, passed down each generation so a new Fugue Hunter can keep the spread in check.
The characters are at times a little stereotypical but they still suit the story well.
For a short book (just under 300 pages) there is a lot going on. The storyline is solid and starts at a fair pace. That said, D’Lacey measures his pacing throughout to best suit the scene - frenetic horrific action right through to a slow burn that builds dread and anticipation. I didn’t feel that there was a wasted scene anywhere.
D’Lacey’s content is not for everyone - with its bloody, visceral horror mixed with graphically described sexual encounters but there is nothing that I would deem as gratuitous.
Overall BF is a refreshing twist to the vampire lore with a clever but deliberately ambiguous ending that makes you think “Wait, what? Oh that’s very good!” Is it Pulitzer worthy? No. Is it a good read to give you the creeps if you hear something go bump in the night? Absolutely.
BF gets 3.5 desiccated bodies in the forest out of 5.
January 24, 2021
After finishing Blood Fugue, my third Joseph D'Lacey novel, one thing I have learned is that this author has an incredible imagination. The other 2 Meat and Garbage Man were pretty unique and truly displayed his talents. Blood Fugue is a different take on a somewhat overdone genre - the vampire novel. The reader spends time in Hobson's Valley, getting to know the players whilst at the same time being fed snippets of what the story is really about. With the stage set, things move along at a pace as the nuts and bolts of the story unfold. D'Lacey keeps things somewhat mysterious without reverting to explanations, so the reader is kept in the dark to some extent. This allows for a few surprises, and the action ramps up towards a bloody finale. Well-written as always, fast moving and never dull, Blood Fugue is another great read from the crazy pen of Joseph D'Lacey.
January 17, 2021
Read : January 17, 2021
Rating : 3 Stars
This was not what I was expecting at all.
I thought this was about vampires of some sort and I guess you could slot them under the vampire "species" but also not really since they don't resemble any vampire I've ever read about.
I think the closest thing would be the vamps in the Blade movies?
Even then, they are more dissimilar than similar.
This starts off with a scene that tells you how the book is gonna be straight away and I have to admit, I really thought of just shutting it then but was too intrigued by the strangeness of it all.
I can't honestly say that I'm happy I did read on but underneath all the craziness it was well written and provoked a weird creepy feeling over the whole story.
So.. Yeah.. Can you tell I'm conflicted about this?
I'll just give it, a solid in the middle, 3 Stars because I honestly don't know what to to rate this.
Rating : 3 Stars
This was not what I was expecting at all.
I thought this was about vampires of some sort and I guess you could slot them under the vampire "species" but also not really since they don't resemble any vampire I've ever read about.
I think the closest thing would be the vamps in the Blade movies?
Even then, they are more dissimilar than similar.
This starts off with a scene that tells you how the book is gonna be straight away and I have to admit, I really thought of just shutting it then but was too intrigued by the strangeness of it all.
I can't honestly say that I'm happy I did read on but underneath all the craziness it was well written and provoked a weird creepy feeling over the whole story.
So.. Yeah.. Can you tell I'm conflicted about this?
I'll just give it, a solid in the middle, 3 Stars because I honestly don't know what to to rate this.
March 13, 2025
I’m sorry Joseph but I think you may be a one hit wonder for me my love. I enjoyed Meat, DNF’d The Garbage Man and struggled with this one.
Blood Fugue is readable but from the half way point it’s a slug…oh does it drag.
At about 100 pages in it starts to liven up but even the it’s dull and like I said, it starts to drag.
Some parts of the story came off a bit cringe and dare I say juvenile.
The main character is a creep as well.
Blood Fugue is readable but from the half way point it’s a slug…oh does it drag.
At about 100 pages in it starts to liven up but even the it’s dull and like I said, it starts to drag.
Some parts of the story came off a bit cringe and dare I say juvenile.
The main character is a creep as well.
April 9, 2024
Having read Meat by Mr. D'Lacey, I decided to read this book by him. I like the premise of Fugue and Lethe and how Jimmy was the Fugue Hunter. My only observation is how Carla and Jimmy fell in love so quickly. It was a shame that Jimmy could not save anyone but Carla and in the end did the tree win? Or was it just a dream? It could be the start of another book for Mr. D'Lacey. Well done!
deals
April 26, 202026 April 2020: $0.99 on Kindle
June 14, 2020
Not bad
Easy read. I like the style but the content was fluffy. Would recommend for a weekend read. 3 stars for sure
Easy read. I like the style but the content was fluffy. Would recommend for a weekend read. 3 stars for sure
Read
September 28, 2021most excellent book
February 27, 2025
Started and finished date - 21.02.25 to 24.02.25.
My rating - Three Stars.
This book was okay but I didn't love it and the cover of book was fine also I think this book started off good. The atmosphere was pretty great and the paced of plot was okay also the The ending of book was fine and the characters was okay but I would like them be flash out bit.
My rating - Three Stars.
This book was okay but I didn't love it and the cover of book was fine also I think this book started off good. The atmosphere was pretty great and the paced of plot was okay also the The ending of book was fine and the characters was okay but I would like them be flash out bit.
February 14, 2015
Though I’m sure to upset some authors and publishers who, understandably, want five-star reviews, I’ve my own definition of the five-star system.
*One Star: A crime against God and man.
*Two Stars: Poor, or otherwise not ready for publication.
*Three Stars: A solid work worth the money/read.
*Four Stars: A superior, award-worthy achievement.
*Five Stars: A standard setter, a work to stand the test of time, a work to be studied and read again and again….
Blood Fugue, by Joseph D’Lacey
Wonderful vampiric fun! A three-star winner, even if....
Even if?
Now what in the hell is that supposed to mean? We'll get to that later; for now, what's "Blood Fugue" about?
Here's the description from the back of the book:
Reclusive outdoorsman, Jimmy Kerrigan, finds himself battling a vampiric plague which threatens to destroy Hobson's Valley, the isolated mountain community he calls home. When his family, friends and neighbors fall prey to the "Fugue," Kerrigan is the only one who can save them and prevent the disease spreading beyond the remote town's boundaries.
Kerrigan is challenged beyond his limits when an innocent family of outsiders hikes straight into a wilderness he is responsible for. Can he really save them and protect the town? Can he defeat the creature who has caused the Fugue to mutate? And, most crucially, when he learns the horrifying truth about his own infection, will he even have the strength to try?
Sound interesting?
It does!
At least for me. This description, along with the great cover (a fantastic job done by The Cover Factory), not to mention having read D'Lacey's breakout novel "Meat," had me hooked.
But did it deliver?
It did!
With "Blood Fugue," the author brings a utilitarian, dark fantasy read, complete with its own mini-mythos.
I couldn't be happier.
Even if....
Eww! There's that ugly line again. But what does it mean? Here, it means prejudice, bias, and ugly competition. And from all places, probably from the author's other book--"Meat."
But why?
I'm of the mind that when it comes to choosing particular authors, one of the things readers go for is "replication." That's to say, readers want to--with a particular author's work--replicate whatever experience they've previously had. This is especially true within commercial or genre fiction. Read (and enjoy) an author's legal thriller, then, of course, one wants to read and enjoy said author's next legal thriller.
Perfectly understandable.
But sometimes it can bite.
Example: What if a reader were to take on King's "The Stand," then "Under the Dome," then the Dark Tower series ... and finally come to something like ... hmm, "Gerald's Game," or "Delores Claiborne"?
Would that reader be happy? Moving from vast, sweeping, stories with enormous casts, down to something quite different, smaller in scope, and very intimate?
Maybe. Maybe not.
How about reading any number of Koontz books, dark works of suspense, and then taking on his very humorous novel "Tick Tock"?
Reading other reviews--negative ones--about "Blood Fugue," I couldn't help but wonder where the hate came from, and this is what I determined, that, indeed, some readers might've been looking for another "Meat," and found themselves disappointed.
One criticism stated that "Blood Fugue" felt slapped together ... stood full of underdeveloped characters. Is the charge true? Certainly was for that critic. And, yes, people are entitled to their genuine opinions. One cannot classify such things as right or wrong. The field is inherently subjective.
But know this, I reviewed D'Lacey's novel "Meat," and gave it a rare score of four-stars. It's a tale I'll never forget, a book that more than deserves that great plug from Stephen King, and every other accolade received. With "Blood Fugue," I've scored the work with three stars, which means a work worth a reader's time and money. But with only three stars compared to four, does that mean it's a lesser work?
The answer's a resounding NO.
Instead, "Blood Fugue" is a different work. A different story. To cite an analogy out of King's "On Writing," a different unearthed fossil. And in my view, a work to be proud of.
All writing is risk. All writing, all the time. Therefore, writers need to be brave, need to be dragonslayers, need to be willing to do something different. Need to give every a story its due, and to allow it its own glory, whether it's a home run, or a well-played single.
With "Blood Fugue," what I did receive was a novel where the pages turned, a story with little to no chaff, a suspenseful work with some genuinely creepy scenes, and with a wonderful re-invention of the venerable blood-sucker.
And with the work's very-interesting-mythos, D'Lacey might've invented a world worth revisiting in the future. Were the author to do so, I'd love to be there to go on another ride.
In the meantime, I am happy to know there's D'Lacey's sophomore novel "The Garbage Man" to hit next.
*One Star: A crime against God and man.
*Two Stars: Poor, or otherwise not ready for publication.
*Three Stars: A solid work worth the money/read.
*Four Stars: A superior, award-worthy achievement.
*Five Stars: A standard setter, a work to stand the test of time, a work to be studied and read again and again….
Blood Fugue, by Joseph D’Lacey
Wonderful vampiric fun! A three-star winner, even if....
Even if?
Now what in the hell is that supposed to mean? We'll get to that later; for now, what's "Blood Fugue" about?
Here's the description from the back of the book:
Reclusive outdoorsman, Jimmy Kerrigan, finds himself battling a vampiric plague which threatens to destroy Hobson's Valley, the isolated mountain community he calls home. When his family, friends and neighbors fall prey to the "Fugue," Kerrigan is the only one who can save them and prevent the disease spreading beyond the remote town's boundaries.
Kerrigan is challenged beyond his limits when an innocent family of outsiders hikes straight into a wilderness he is responsible for. Can he really save them and protect the town? Can he defeat the creature who has caused the Fugue to mutate? And, most crucially, when he learns the horrifying truth about his own infection, will he even have the strength to try?
Sound interesting?
It does!
At least for me. This description, along with the great cover (a fantastic job done by The Cover Factory), not to mention having read D'Lacey's breakout novel "Meat," had me hooked.
But did it deliver?
It did!
With "Blood Fugue," the author brings a utilitarian, dark fantasy read, complete with its own mini-mythos.
I couldn't be happier.
Even if....
Eww! There's that ugly line again. But what does it mean? Here, it means prejudice, bias, and ugly competition. And from all places, probably from the author's other book--"Meat."
But why?
I'm of the mind that when it comes to choosing particular authors, one of the things readers go for is "replication." That's to say, readers want to--with a particular author's work--replicate whatever experience they've previously had. This is especially true within commercial or genre fiction. Read (and enjoy) an author's legal thriller, then, of course, one wants to read and enjoy said author's next legal thriller.
Perfectly understandable.
But sometimes it can bite.
Example: What if a reader were to take on King's "The Stand," then "Under the Dome," then the Dark Tower series ... and finally come to something like ... hmm, "Gerald's Game," or "Delores Claiborne"?
Would that reader be happy? Moving from vast, sweeping, stories with enormous casts, down to something quite different, smaller in scope, and very intimate?
Maybe. Maybe not.
How about reading any number of Koontz books, dark works of suspense, and then taking on his very humorous novel "Tick Tock"?
Reading other reviews--negative ones--about "Blood Fugue," I couldn't help but wonder where the hate came from, and this is what I determined, that, indeed, some readers might've been looking for another "Meat," and found themselves disappointed.
One criticism stated that "Blood Fugue" felt slapped together ... stood full of underdeveloped characters. Is the charge true? Certainly was for that critic. And, yes, people are entitled to their genuine opinions. One cannot classify such things as right or wrong. The field is inherently subjective.
But know this, I reviewed D'Lacey's novel "Meat," and gave it a rare score of four-stars. It's a tale I'll never forget, a book that more than deserves that great plug from Stephen King, and every other accolade received. With "Blood Fugue," I've scored the work with three stars, which means a work worth a reader's time and money. But with only three stars compared to four, does that mean it's a lesser work?
The answer's a resounding NO.
Instead, "Blood Fugue" is a different work. A different story. To cite an analogy out of King's "On Writing," a different unearthed fossil. And in my view, a work to be proud of.
All writing is risk. All writing, all the time. Therefore, writers need to be brave, need to be dragonslayers, need to be willing to do something different. Need to give every a story its due, and to allow it its own glory, whether it's a home run, or a well-played single.
With "Blood Fugue," what I did receive was a novel where the pages turned, a story with little to no chaff, a suspenseful work with some genuinely creepy scenes, and with a wonderful re-invention of the venerable blood-sucker.
And with the work's very-interesting-mythos, D'Lacey might've invented a world worth revisiting in the future. Were the author to do so, I'd love to be there to go on another ride.
In the meantime, I am happy to know there's D'Lacey's sophomore novel "The Garbage Man" to hit next.
March 27, 2015
Very sexy, very scary. Thrills & chills and lots of twists. Original & compelling.
Read
March 4, 2016An interesting spin on vampires. Intense sexual descriptions and some grotesque scenes make this perfect for every sick puppy out there.
January 15, 2017
Awesome book. Review on www.terror-tree.co.uk
May 4, 2014
An interesting, scary take on vampirism but the ending seemed a little abrupt.
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