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Hybrid Helix #3
Blood Reunion
People are dying, their corpses left savaged and drained of blood. The obvious culprit: vampires. But vampires shouldn’t be able to sneak around Wistful undetected or shadowstep freely inside her body. Soon the station herself becomes oddly uncooperative, leaving Rohan and Wei Li bewildered and all her inhabitants in danger.
Finding and defeating the killer will require a deep dive into the ancient history of Wistful and of the il’Drach people. Into the connections between the Ursans, the wormholes, and the races that preceded them. Into the dark past of a tormented space station that yearns only for death.
Rohan will be forced to fight, and maybe even to kill. He’ll have to face those who bear grudges from his past, the Empire he once served, and his own reluctance to again become the warrior he sometimes needs to be.
Finding and defeating the killer will require a deep dive into the ancient history of Wistful and of the il’Drach people. Into the connections between the Ursans, the wormholes, and the races that preceded them. Into the dark past of a tormented space station that yearns only for death.
Rohan will be forced to fight, and maybe even to kill. He’ll have to face those who bear grudges from his past, the Empire he once served, and his own reluctance to again become the warrior he sometimes needs to be.
408 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2022
22 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
November 13, 2023
Part of my Review Roundup on Before We Go Blog.
Blood Reunion is the third entry in JCM Berne’s Hybrid Helix series. The novel again centers on the hybrid Rohan, who has inherited superpowers from his father’s (alien) side of the family.
Whereas the previous book in the series, Return of the Griffin, brought Rohan to Earth and explored the relationship with his mother, in Blood Reunion Rohan is back in space and dealing with daddy issues.
In Blood Reunion, JCM Berne strikes just the right balance among character development, worldbuilding, and raw action. Berne’s writing is witty without becoming a self-parody, and his pacing is spot on.
The Hybrid Helix series is definitely recommended for fans of space opera. It’s superhero saga with heart, and it will also make you laugh while telling a great story. Check it out!
Blood Reunion is the third entry in JCM Berne’s Hybrid Helix series. The novel again centers on the hybrid Rohan, who has inherited superpowers from his father’s (alien) side of the family.
Whereas the previous book in the series, Return of the Griffin, brought Rohan to Earth and explored the relationship with his mother, in Blood Reunion Rohan is back in space and dealing with daddy issues.
In Blood Reunion, JCM Berne strikes just the right balance among character development, worldbuilding, and raw action. Berne’s writing is witty without becoming a self-parody, and his pacing is spot on.
The Hybrid Helix series is definitely recommended for fans of space opera. It’s superhero saga with heart, and it will also make you laugh while telling a great story. Check it out!
December 13, 2022
Action-packed and full of heart! JCM Berne makes Space operas fun!
Another solid entry into the Hybrid Helix Saga! It was great to dive deep into the history of the universe that is being created. I have always been curious about Wistfulls history. I am happy to report that it does not disappoint.
I loved exploring Rohan's heart-felt desire to be a better man. While this story doesn't have a love interest for our Hero to entangle with I do feel like we explored what makes his found family dynamic so strong and wildly entertaining.
I continue to love these books and cannot wait for the next book
Another solid entry into the Hybrid Helix Saga! It was great to dive deep into the history of the universe that is being created. I have always been curious about Wistfulls history. I am happy to report that it does not disappoint.
I loved exploring Rohan's heart-felt desire to be a better man. While this story doesn't have a love interest for our Hero to entangle with I do feel like we explored what makes his found family dynamic so strong and wildly entertaining.
I continue to love these books and cannot wait for the next book
April 16, 2025
Another romp with Rohan! This time, we jump back into the space setting to our favorite sentient galactic station, Wistful. Beleaguered by a deadly vampiric foe, Rohan and his crew of friends that we met back in book one have to put together all their strengths to beat him.
Things look pretty dire for our hero and his cohort through much of this installment. Rohan survives his encounters with the powerful ancient opponent by the skin of his teeth and the help of his motley crew.
I really liked the way that Berne explored vampirism in the space station setting, bringing in more of the ancient backstory of Wistful's origins and pulling back the curtain on some of the infrastructure. I was also incredibly happy to be back with the characters from the first book after a hiatus to save Earth in book two.
The dialogue seemed far more heavy in this book, and I often found my focus wandering during long conversations, which happened pretty frequently. The plot for this one did feel a bit more repetitive than book one as well.
Going back to Wistful was a joy, and I absolutely loved the ships Insatiable and Void's Shadow whenever they were on page. There was a discussion between Rohan and Void's Shadow at one point during the book that really had me invested and brought back that awesome switch that Berne can pull with his characters that takes them from superhero adventure to a moment of deep emotional immersion.
I look forward to the next book!
Things look pretty dire for our hero and his cohort through much of this installment. Rohan survives his encounters with the powerful ancient opponent by the skin of his teeth and the help of his motley crew.
I really liked the way that Berne explored vampirism in the space station setting, bringing in more of the ancient backstory of Wistful's origins and pulling back the curtain on some of the infrastructure. I was also incredibly happy to be back with the characters from the first book after a hiatus to save Earth in book two.
The dialogue seemed far more heavy in this book, and I often found my focus wandering during long conversations, which happened pretty frequently. The plot for this one did feel a bit more repetitive than book one as well.
Going back to Wistful was a joy, and I absolutely loved the ships Insatiable and Void's Shadow whenever they were on page. There was a discussion between Rohan and Void's Shadow at one point during the book that really had me invested and brought back that awesome switch that Berne can pull with his characters that takes them from superhero adventure to a moment of deep emotional immersion.
I look forward to the next book!
February 12, 2023
Blood Reunion is my favourite book in this series so far.
If this was an episode of Star Trek, it might be dubbed a bottle episode, taking place primarily in one location. Some of the best episodes can be confined in this way, and this book is no different. Taking place on Wistful for the majority of the story, this does not restrict the plot at all. If anything, it helps focus on the strengths of this series, namely its characters and the brilliant dialogue.
The author has the ability to take you from a fight scene in one chapter, to a meal between friends in the next, whilst never losing your engagement or interest. His dialogue is the best. Natural, witty, and real.
There is some excellent character work on display and further development of some of my favourites. I enjoyed spending more time with Ursula, Wei Lei, and Rohan here. So many wonderful moments between the characters.
There is still plently of action, and further universe building, with lots of pop culture references and Easter eggs scattered throughout.
I can't wait for more from Rohan in future books. This series is an absolute gem that you need to discover.
Thank you for taking the time to read this review.
If this was an episode of Star Trek, it might be dubbed a bottle episode, taking place primarily in one location. Some of the best episodes can be confined in this way, and this book is no different. Taking place on Wistful for the majority of the story, this does not restrict the plot at all. If anything, it helps focus on the strengths of this series, namely its characters and the brilliant dialogue.
The author has the ability to take you from a fight scene in one chapter, to a meal between friends in the next, whilst never losing your engagement or interest. His dialogue is the best. Natural, witty, and real.
There is some excellent character work on display and further development of some of my favourites. I enjoyed spending more time with Ursula, Wei Lei, and Rohan here. So many wonderful moments between the characters.
There is still plently of action, and further universe building, with lots of pop culture references and Easter eggs scattered throughout.
I can't wait for more from Rohan in future books. This series is an absolute gem that you need to discover.
Thank you for taking the time to read this review.
February 14, 2023
I had began reading the Hybrid Helix in 2022 and once again as I'm working on getting caught up with my open series I dove into Blood Reunion by J.C.M. Berne. I've really enjoyed this series so far and even got another coworker sucked into this world as well. He actually got through book three before I had a chance to get to it!
Anyways the third installment to this series did not disappoint. I do feel that as the series continues we learn more and more about Rohan as he is learning about himself along the way. Of course I was excited to see more of a role both from Wei Li and Ursula again as well since they are a couple of my favorite supporting characters!
Again, we get a rather large inclusion from Rohan's past in the third book as well. Continuing to help us understand the relationships from his past making him who he is. But at the same time each book has shown his growth and becoming someone different than who he was as well.
Ok I know anyone else who has read these books probably looks at the above thinking these short, exciting, fast paced adventure reads can't possible have this much depth to them. But I swear they actually do! Joe has done a great job in including all of these aspect along with different types of adventures and characters who are very relatable to at times.
I'll start with the pacing since I've around touched on this. Joe's style of beginning his books with the current timeline before flashing back to spend the rest of the book bringing us back up to that moment took me some getting used to. However, I'm comfortable with it now and have grown to actually enjoy it simply as a big reveal by the end. As previously mentioned these are very fast paced with a lot of action. They are shorter reads without much struggle on the vocabulary for myself.
The worldbuilding only continues to grow with each book. Not necessarily Joe's skill at this but his continuation of showing us more and more of this world. This time around definitely had more of a focus on the timeline or history of things but that only helps us understand more of what is happening in the present.
Finally, I think most can already guess my stance on the character development. WE continue to learn more and more about Rohan but also more about the other characters. Learning more about our living ships and stations continues to be entertaining. But more of our ancient civilizations and their relationships to current character was awesome in book three! We still have some unanswered questions, but I'm sure we will continue to fill in those blanks throughout the series and have new questions we seek answers for.
As I've mentioned before the books in the Hybrid Helix series would be great for someone looking for a fast paced science fiction read. Book three includes what I'd consider a more typical fantasy type race or creature as well which brings a nice true science fiction fantasy crossover element this time around.
I'll be looking forward to the next read in the series!
Anyways the third installment to this series did not disappoint. I do feel that as the series continues we learn more and more about Rohan as he is learning about himself along the way. Of course I was excited to see more of a role both from Wei Li and Ursula again as well since they are a couple of my favorite supporting characters!
Again, we get a rather large inclusion from Rohan's past in the third book as well. Continuing to help us understand the relationships from his past making him who he is. But at the same time each book has shown his growth and becoming someone different than who he was as well.
Ok I know anyone else who has read these books probably looks at the above thinking these short, exciting, fast paced adventure reads can't possible have this much depth to them. But I swear they actually do! Joe has done a great job in including all of these aspect along with different types of adventures and characters who are very relatable to at times.
I'll start with the pacing since I've around touched on this. Joe's style of beginning his books with the current timeline before flashing back to spend the rest of the book bringing us back up to that moment took me some getting used to. However, I'm comfortable with it now and have grown to actually enjoy it simply as a big reveal by the end. As previously mentioned these are very fast paced with a lot of action. They are shorter reads without much struggle on the vocabulary for myself.
The worldbuilding only continues to grow with each book. Not necessarily Joe's skill at this but his continuation of showing us more and more of this world. This time around definitely had more of a focus on the timeline or history of things but that only helps us understand more of what is happening in the present.
Finally, I think most can already guess my stance on the character development. WE continue to learn more and more about Rohan but also more about the other characters. Learning more about our living ships and stations continues to be entertaining. But more of our ancient civilizations and their relationships to current character was awesome in book three! We still have some unanswered questions, but I'm sure we will continue to fill in those blanks throughout the series and have new questions we seek answers for.
As I've mentioned before the books in the Hybrid Helix series would be great for someone looking for a fast paced science fiction read. Book three includes what I'd consider a more typical fantasy type race or creature as well which brings a nice true science fiction fantasy crossover element this time around.
I'll be looking forward to the next read in the series!
April 1, 2023
5/5 Stars
Blood Reunion doesn’t skip a beat, balancing great action, storytelling and incredible character development. Turn Three of the Hybrid Helix is a self-published Superhero Space Opera and marks another great read in the series.
A killer roams Wistful leaving corpses behind, drained of blood. All signs point to vampires, except they shouldn’t be able to sneak around Wistful undetected. When Wistful herself becomes
uncooperative, Rohan and Wei Li are left to try and protect the inhabitants of the station. As danger looms millions of lives are on the line, and Rohan is forced to fight to protect those he loves.
It was great to be back with Rohan and the gang. After spending some time on Earth in Return of the Griffin, I was excited to spend more time with Wistful and many of the characters I’ve come to love. Being thrown right into action and mystery made it easy to fall into the pages. JCM Berne does not waste any time pulling readers in as suspense builds from the first chapter.
Despite how much we have explored Rohan’s character, he still receives great development here. Further building on the superhero we’ve come to love. Where the situations and choices he must make demonstrate how human Rohan is. He is complex and continually strives for improvement regardless of how others see him. As Rohan navigates old and new adversities, he is not alone through these struggles. In getting more time with the side cast, we not only learn more about them, but it added a great balance to the story.
The worldbuilding continues to grow with a deeper look into a long-forgotten history. This is where the foreshadowing from the previous books begins to pay off, while still building for the next book in the series.
The pacing of Blood Reunion felt the best out of the series so far. From pivotal moments, intrigue, character development to mystery, everything felt perfectly timed.
I also can’t forget to mention the great fight scenes, vampires, space bears, political tensions, family issues, and epic space battles.
For me, Blood Reunion takes everything that made Wistful Ascending and Return of the Griffin great and packs it into this stellar installment in the series.
If you haven’t already, I’d highly recommend picking up this series!
Blood Reunion doesn’t skip a beat, balancing great action, storytelling and incredible character development. Turn Three of the Hybrid Helix is a self-published Superhero Space Opera and marks another great read in the series.
A killer roams Wistful leaving corpses behind, drained of blood. All signs point to vampires, except they shouldn’t be able to sneak around Wistful undetected. When Wistful herself becomes
uncooperative, Rohan and Wei Li are left to try and protect the inhabitants of the station. As danger looms millions of lives are on the line, and Rohan is forced to fight to protect those he loves.
It was great to be back with Rohan and the gang. After spending some time on Earth in Return of the Griffin, I was excited to spend more time with Wistful and many of the characters I’ve come to love. Being thrown right into action and mystery made it easy to fall into the pages. JCM Berne does not waste any time pulling readers in as suspense builds from the first chapter.
Despite how much we have explored Rohan’s character, he still receives great development here. Further building on the superhero we’ve come to love. Where the situations and choices he must make demonstrate how human Rohan is. He is complex and continually strives for improvement regardless of how others see him. As Rohan navigates old and new adversities, he is not alone through these struggles. In getting more time with the side cast, we not only learn more about them, but it added a great balance to the story.
The worldbuilding continues to grow with a deeper look into a long-forgotten history. This is where the foreshadowing from the previous books begins to pay off, while still building for the next book in the series.
The pacing of Blood Reunion felt the best out of the series so far. From pivotal moments, intrigue, character development to mystery, everything felt perfectly timed.
I also can’t forget to mention the great fight scenes, vampires, space bears, political tensions, family issues, and epic space battles.
For me, Blood Reunion takes everything that made Wistful Ascending and Return of the Griffin great and packs it into this stellar installment in the series.
If you haven’t already, I’d highly recommend picking up this series!
March 29, 2025
“You’ve mentioned this before. I have to tell you, it’s refreshing to meet someone so liberated.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean ‘liberated’?”
His smile broadened. “So many of the people I meet are slaves to things like civility and manners. You’re just so… unencumbered.”
I ended book 2’s review saying I will certainly start book 3 soon and look at me, sticking to my word for once. I am so glad I immediately jumped into Blood Reunion and at the time of writing this review, I am actually 32% into Book 4. Now, Wistful Ascending still holds my heart but objectively (if there is such a thing in book reviews) this is the best book I’ve read by JCM Berne yet.
Everything in this book is balanced so well. The character development, the action scenes, the banter, the story arc, the tension, the world building, the mystery, the reveals, the stakes, the family drama. I feel like this is the first book where we are getting glimpses of the actual wider arc Joe is trying to build to. There are some things alluded to in this book that I cannot wait to see in the future books. I cannot talk about it because of spoilers but this is the book where you get the feeling “Oh, this series is going to go somewhere I didn’t expect at all but also somewhere much, much grander than I expected.”
When I say this, it is not just about how the world of hybrid helix is expanding, how the history is getting deeper, how the action scenes are getting bigger, but it is also about how Rohan’s character is constantly being explored. Fonda Lee has said ‘The term epic fantasy conjures an expectation of vast continents, kingdoms and armies, the rise and fall of nations. But there is also an epic scale to be found in a single life.’ And when I stop and think more deeply about this series, this is what JCM Berne is doing. Rohan is such an epic protagonist to follow. In every book, he has significant character exploration going on even if it might not really show on the surface.
In book two, the plot happens on Earth and for me, it took a bit long to warm up to the new characters. In Blood Reunion, we are back in the Wistful space station and I didn’t need any time to be invested. I loved everything about being back in Wistful and it was like meeting old friends - effortless really. The story flowed so smoothly and the main characters were basically confined to a small space because of an impossible ancient vampire threat. So it was dialogue heavy and I was reminded once again why JCM is one of the best dialogue writers in the business. Every scene with Wei Li’s dialogue is my favorite scene in the book. And the fight scenes and badassery of Rohan keeps getting more and more delicious with each book.
I need to get back to book 4, so I’m ending the review here. I also don't know what more I can say more about the book without going into specifics of the plot. So far, it is the best entry in the series for me and JCM is definitely one of the best writers in super hero fantasy/ space Operas.
Her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean ‘liberated’?”
His smile broadened. “So many of the people I meet are slaves to things like civility and manners. You’re just so… unencumbered.”
I ended book 2’s review saying I will certainly start book 3 soon and look at me, sticking to my word for once. I am so glad I immediately jumped into Blood Reunion and at the time of writing this review, I am actually 32% into Book 4. Now, Wistful Ascending still holds my heart but objectively (if there is such a thing in book reviews) this is the best book I’ve read by JCM Berne yet.
Everything in this book is balanced so well. The character development, the action scenes, the banter, the story arc, the tension, the world building, the mystery, the reveals, the stakes, the family drama. I feel like this is the first book where we are getting glimpses of the actual wider arc Joe is trying to build to. There are some things alluded to in this book that I cannot wait to see in the future books. I cannot talk about it because of spoilers but this is the book where you get the feeling “Oh, this series is going to go somewhere I didn’t expect at all but also somewhere much, much grander than I expected.”
When I say this, it is not just about how the world of hybrid helix is expanding, how the history is getting deeper, how the action scenes are getting bigger, but it is also about how Rohan’s character is constantly being explored. Fonda Lee has said ‘The term epic fantasy conjures an expectation of vast continents, kingdoms and armies, the rise and fall of nations. But there is also an epic scale to be found in a single life.’ And when I stop and think more deeply about this series, this is what JCM Berne is doing. Rohan is such an epic protagonist to follow. In every book, he has significant character exploration going on even if it might not really show on the surface.
In book two, the plot happens on Earth and for me, it took a bit long to warm up to the new characters. In Blood Reunion, we are back in the Wistful space station and I didn’t need any time to be invested. I loved everything about being back in Wistful and it was like meeting old friends - effortless really. The story flowed so smoothly and the main characters were basically confined to a small space because of an impossible ancient vampire threat. So it was dialogue heavy and I was reminded once again why JCM is one of the best dialogue writers in the business. Every scene with Wei Li’s dialogue is my favorite scene in the book. And the fight scenes and badassery of Rohan keeps getting more and more delicious with each book.
I need to get back to book 4, so I’m ending the review here. I also don't know what more I can say more about the book without going into specifics of the plot. So far, it is the best entry in the series for me and JCM is definitely one of the best writers in super hero fantasy/ space Operas.
October 22, 2025
I love the Hybrid Helix. Rohan is one of my all-time favorite protagonists, and that belief keeps strengthening with every entry as make my way through this awesome series. Now, I loved the first two entries. Despite the epic scale of conflicts that Rohan and his friends face, the cozy character moments between scenes of kinetic action really makes this series a beautiful experience.
With Blood Reunion, Joe seems to have really upped his game. Because, of all the three books I’ve read so far, Blood Reunion was the best by a significant margin.
At this point, I feel like I have the formula for this series figured out. Every prologue starts with Rohan in a near-beat-up state, wisecracking his way against an obviously more powerful adversary. Cut to a few days earlier, and we’re on for an adventure that’ll somehow lead us to knowing how and why Rohan ended up in that situation. You might think… won’t that get old? Wrong! I love trying to figure out how, despite all our protagonists’ efforts, everything still ends up with Rohan getting beat up. Plus, almost always, these scenes lead to major reveals of lore that give you a deeper glimpse into the true scale of the conflict that’s brewing in the background. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to the review…
SPOILERS AHEAD!
What I Liked:
Right off the bat, Rohan is a gem. But, this time around he really gets thrown in the Hybrid meat grinder. Without going into spoilers, I’ll say that this book has him essentially decommissioned and on the brink of death, which—despite the serious implications of the situation—Joe manages to beautify with spurts of Rohan’s ill-timed humor. It’s brilliant. Rohan’s entire arc in this book, from facing an immortal soul-eating vampire to coming to terms with his father’s reappearance was perhaps the most emotionally compelling conflict that our Hybrid Tow-Chief has faced in the series yet. Rohan might be a loud-mouth, but underneath the façade of annoying humor, there’s a real person with feelings there, one who’s mature enough to take the tough decisions when needed. And Joe has built this character expertly, which means you never question the reasoning behind Rohan’s actions; you simply understand them.
And building off the main character, the supporting cast too is just as interesting. Wei Li and Ursula play the biggest roles here, but we got a lot more involvement from the mysterious engineer Tollan, whose origins somewhat come to light, revealing more about this world, the il’Drach empire, and the grander conflict brewing in the background of that imperial dominance. And if that’s not enough, Dhruv (Rohan’s dad) further expands that lore-building with his absurd personality. Each of these characters plays a crucial role in Rohan’s arc, supporting his story but living their own adventures in the background. Their personalities balance out Rohan’s in a way that makes their interactions feel organic and entertaining, often giving insights into real human emotions. This is one of Joe’s strengths that I absolutely love. And I’ll keep saying this: these character moments between spurts of action are what really make this series so special to me.
Continue reading on SFF Insiders…
With Blood Reunion, Joe seems to have really upped his game. Because, of all the three books I’ve read so far, Blood Reunion was the best by a significant margin.
At this point, I feel like I have the formula for this series figured out. Every prologue starts with Rohan in a near-beat-up state, wisecracking his way against an obviously more powerful adversary. Cut to a few days earlier, and we’re on for an adventure that’ll somehow lead us to knowing how and why Rohan ended up in that situation. You might think… won’t that get old? Wrong! I love trying to figure out how, despite all our protagonists’ efforts, everything still ends up with Rohan getting beat up. Plus, almost always, these scenes lead to major reveals of lore that give you a deeper glimpse into the true scale of the conflict that’s brewing in the background. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to the review…
SPOILERS AHEAD!
What I Liked:
Right off the bat, Rohan is a gem. But, this time around he really gets thrown in the Hybrid meat grinder. Without going into spoilers, I’ll say that this book has him essentially decommissioned and on the brink of death, which—despite the serious implications of the situation—Joe manages to beautify with spurts of Rohan’s ill-timed humor. It’s brilliant. Rohan’s entire arc in this book, from facing an immortal soul-eating vampire to coming to terms with his father’s reappearance was perhaps the most emotionally compelling conflict that our Hybrid Tow-Chief has faced in the series yet. Rohan might be a loud-mouth, but underneath the façade of annoying humor, there’s a real person with feelings there, one who’s mature enough to take the tough decisions when needed. And Joe has built this character expertly, which means you never question the reasoning behind Rohan’s actions; you simply understand them.
And building off the main character, the supporting cast too is just as interesting. Wei Li and Ursula play the biggest roles here, but we got a lot more involvement from the mysterious engineer Tollan, whose origins somewhat come to light, revealing more about this world, the il’Drach empire, and the grander conflict brewing in the background of that imperial dominance. And if that’s not enough, Dhruv (Rohan’s dad) further expands that lore-building with his absurd personality. Each of these characters plays a crucial role in Rohan’s arc, supporting his story but living their own adventures in the background. Their personalities balance out Rohan’s in a way that makes their interactions feel organic and entertaining, often giving insights into real human emotions. This is one of Joe’s strengths that I absolutely love. And I’ll keep saying this: these character moments between spurts of action are what really make this series so special to me.
Continue reading on SFF Insiders…
January 6, 2023
Disclaimer: ARC provided by the author in exchange for honest and fair review
Hey everyone it's me the #1 Rohan fan back to tell you how once again JCM Berne knocked it out the park with another fantastic space opera.
The Hybrid Helix Series is officially one of my favorite all time series and I can’t wait for book four. Okay enough of that you are here because you want to know the nitty gritty about Blood Reunion so let's get into it.
In this installment we get to see Rohan struggle through his relationship with his estranged father who decides to show up on Wistful at the most peculiar of times. We also get a few nods back to characters from Return of The Griffin as Rohan begins to learn not only more about how the il’Drach were created but how the universe as a whole was created. Lastly and quite possibly my favorite part we get to learn about Wisftul’s origins and what makes her tick so to speak.
We also get a bit of a new love interest for Rohan in this book but much like my high school dating years things just didn’t pan out once again. We of course get more time with our favorite space bears along with most of the others from book one.
Simply put if you loved Wistful Ascending and/or Return of The Griffin then you are going to love this as well. JCM is a master at writing wholesome super hero stories blended in with its fair share of dad jokes and honestly I think the world needs more of this right now because laughter helps to heal the soul. Also ability to write fight scenes shows that he has a martial arts background and spent time crafting something that is a good balance between fantasy and being realistic. This is something a lot of authors seem to struggle with and JCM makes it look easy every time.
If you are anything like me the cover will give you straight up UFC vibes but as the saying goes because this book is so much deeper than that.
Rohan stood with her. “It was nice meeting you all. Uh, sorry about the, uh, being infected with vampirism. Thing. That sucks.”
Hey everyone it's me the #1 Rohan fan back to tell you how once again JCM Berne knocked it out the park with another fantastic space opera.
The Hybrid Helix Series is officially one of my favorite all time series and I can’t wait for book four. Okay enough of that you are here because you want to know the nitty gritty about Blood Reunion so let's get into it.
In this installment we get to see Rohan struggle through his relationship with his estranged father who decides to show up on Wistful at the most peculiar of times. We also get a few nods back to characters from Return of The Griffin as Rohan begins to learn not only more about how the il’Drach were created but how the universe as a whole was created. Lastly and quite possibly my favorite part we get to learn about Wisftul’s origins and what makes her tick so to speak.
We also get a bit of a new love interest for Rohan in this book but much like my high school dating years things just didn’t pan out once again. We of course get more time with our favorite space bears along with most of the others from book one.
Simply put if you loved Wistful Ascending and/or Return of The Griffin then you are going to love this as well. JCM is a master at writing wholesome super hero stories blended in with its fair share of dad jokes and honestly I think the world needs more of this right now because laughter helps to heal the soul. Also ability to write fight scenes shows that he has a martial arts background and spent time crafting something that is a good balance between fantasy and being realistic. This is something a lot of authors seem to struggle with and JCM makes it look easy every time.
If you are anything like me the cover will give you straight up UFC vibes but as the saying goes because this book is so much deeper than that.
Rohan stood with her. “It was nice meeting you all. Uh, sorry about the, uh, being infected with vampirism. Thing. That sucks.”
November 3, 2025
FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!
As much as I love the first book in this series, I do believe BLOOD REUNION is my new favorite. It was everything I wanted it to be. I had not read any science fiction in a while, so I picked this one up and it was exactly what I was looking for: amazing characters whose stories continue to expand and grow, new interesting characters/character groups, world building (which is crazy in space!) and intriguing bits about the overarching plot of the series.
It was literally so good that I could start over from the beginning and have just as much fun with it the second time around!
As much as I love the first book in this series, I do believe BLOOD REUNION is my new favorite. It was everything I wanted it to be. I had not read any science fiction in a while, so I picked this one up and it was exactly what I was looking for: amazing characters whose stories continue to expand and grow, new interesting characters/character groups, world building (which is crazy in space!) and intriguing bits about the overarching plot of the series.
It was literally so good that I could start over from the beginning and have just as much fun with it the second time around!
October 15, 2023
Look, I have made it no secret that I am a huge fan of the Hybrid Helix series, but even then I wasn’t expecting to love Blood Reunion as much as I did. I mean, we’re doing vampires and daddy issues in this book, do I really need to say more?!
Berne absolutely knocked it out of the park here and this third instalment is without a doubt the best book in the series so far, I had such a blast!
After we took a departure to Earth in book 2, this story returns us to life on our one and only beloved sentient space station, Wistful. It brought me endless amounts of joy to be back on Wistful with all the characters I had come to love in book 1. To no one’s surprise though, things just can’t seem to stay peaceful for long in Rohan’s life and he is once again thrown into a riveting mystery and high stakes adventure.
These books could so easily end up feeling repetitive or formulaic, but they totally don’t. The plots continue to feel exciting and fresh and the continued character development, for both Rohan and the secondary cast, is just phenomenal. All of the characters have so much depth and personality, which makes it feel like I am spending time with life-long friends when I read these books. The complex interpersonal relationships are one of the major highlights of this series and I can’t get enough of all the hysterical interactions and witty banter.
Rohan is also absolutely one of my favourite protagonists at the moment and I am so invested in his journey at this point. It’s true that we see him wrapped up in a lot of exciting action scenes in this series, but to me, it’s the battle he’s fighting in his own mind that’s the most compelling. Rohan is continuously faced with his past and we really see him grapple with his morality here, which I loved. His character growth is simply outstanding and I really appreciate that he is an unabashedly flawed and messy person, that just makes me love him even more.
I also really enjoy how the world building in this series just keeps expanding. With every instalment, we uncover more hidden truths about all the different races, cultures, histories and personal backstories, which keeps things so exciting.
Blood Reunion focused heavily on vampire society and contained some juicy details about the ancient history of Wistful and the il’Drach race, which I was SO here for.
Simply said, I can’t see how you won’t enjoy this third instalment if you even slightly enjoyed book 1 and 2, because it took everything that was good from those first two books and just took it up a notch. I just can’t get enough of these incredibly engaging space opera adventures and I desperately need the next instalment now!
Needless to say that I HIGHLY recommend this series, even if you might not think it’s the genre/story for you. Just give it a shot, I promise Rohan will capture your heart and I have no doubt that you will have zero regrets ;)
Berne absolutely knocked it out of the park here and this third instalment is without a doubt the best book in the series so far, I had such a blast!
After we took a departure to Earth in book 2, this story returns us to life on our one and only beloved sentient space station, Wistful. It brought me endless amounts of joy to be back on Wistful with all the characters I had come to love in book 1. To no one’s surprise though, things just can’t seem to stay peaceful for long in Rohan’s life and he is once again thrown into a riveting mystery and high stakes adventure.
These books could so easily end up feeling repetitive or formulaic, but they totally don’t. The plots continue to feel exciting and fresh and the continued character development, for both Rohan and the secondary cast, is just phenomenal. All of the characters have so much depth and personality, which makes it feel like I am spending time with life-long friends when I read these books. The complex interpersonal relationships are one of the major highlights of this series and I can’t get enough of all the hysterical interactions and witty banter.
Rohan is also absolutely one of my favourite protagonists at the moment and I am so invested in his journey at this point. It’s true that we see him wrapped up in a lot of exciting action scenes in this series, but to me, it’s the battle he’s fighting in his own mind that’s the most compelling. Rohan is continuously faced with his past and we really see him grapple with his morality here, which I loved. His character growth is simply outstanding and I really appreciate that he is an unabashedly flawed and messy person, that just makes me love him even more.
I also really enjoy how the world building in this series just keeps expanding. With every instalment, we uncover more hidden truths about all the different races, cultures, histories and personal backstories, which keeps things so exciting.
Blood Reunion focused heavily on vampire society and contained some juicy details about the ancient history of Wistful and the il’Drach race, which I was SO here for.
Simply said, I can’t see how you won’t enjoy this third instalment if you even slightly enjoyed book 1 and 2, because it took everything that was good from those first two books and just took it up a notch. I just can’t get enough of these incredibly engaging space opera adventures and I desperately need the next instalment now!
Needless to say that I HIGHLY recommend this series, even if you might not think it’s the genre/story for you. Just give it a shot, I promise Rohan will capture your heart and I have no doubt that you will have zero regrets ;)
August 28, 2024
Blood Reunion is Peak Berne
Better stakes, both aboard Wistful and off, with a action packed and progressive story. Rohan is a unstoppable powerhouse and it's good to see JCM take the put him in scenarios where his strengths are nullified. I'd like to see more relational development between certain characters, but I can see signs in the writing that this may be addressed in the next books. I also applaud Berne's subtle uses of humor that made me snicker as much as the snark. This universe has some distant locales, but I feel the world is tight and plot progression is well thought out. Can't wait to read the next novel next month.
Keep going, code monkey...
Better stakes, both aboard Wistful and off, with a action packed and progressive story. Rohan is a unstoppable powerhouse and it's good to see JCM take the put him in scenarios where his strengths are nullified. I'd like to see more relational development between certain characters, but I can see signs in the writing that this may be addressed in the next books. I also applaud Berne's subtle uses of humor that made me snicker as much as the snark. This universe has some distant locales, but I feel the world is tight and plot progression is well thought out. Can't wait to read the next novel next month.
Keep going, code monkey...
September 19, 2023
4.5/5 stars
Blood Reunion is the third book in JCM Berne’s superhero/space opera scifi series Hybrid Helix about a retired superhero/ex-soldier Rohan as he settles for a quiet life in distant independent space station Wistful. Once again, a crisis comes to Wistful and Rohan is dragged back in. An ancient vampire is holding the entire space station and its 2 million citizens hostage, and Wistful is strangely allowing it to happen. It is up to Rohan to step up again before the Empire is forced to intervene.
This is once again another fun and action-packed entry into the series. The addition of vampires was a surprise, but it really worked in this space setting. We also delve deeper into the history of this world and we are starting to see the ultimate endgame of the series (I hadn’t even realized this was where the story was headed). All the while it still manages to deliver an earnest and heartfelt story in between all the fighting and action set pieces.
This is still a story of redemption. Rohan develops further as our reluctant protagonist who is forced time and again to return to his old violent ways, and he must find it in himself to strike a balance between doing what he feels he should (or should not) and doing what must be done. He just keeps getting better and better as he becomes the man he wants to be alongside a found family he somehow becomes a part of.
"𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥."
Blood Hybrid is probably the best entry so far in this superhero and space opera mash-up series.
Blood Reunion is the third book in JCM Berne’s superhero/space opera scifi series Hybrid Helix about a retired superhero/ex-soldier Rohan as he settles for a quiet life in distant independent space station Wistful. Once again, a crisis comes to Wistful and Rohan is dragged back in. An ancient vampire is holding the entire space station and its 2 million citizens hostage, and Wistful is strangely allowing it to happen. It is up to Rohan to step up again before the Empire is forced to intervene.
This is once again another fun and action-packed entry into the series. The addition of vampires was a surprise, but it really worked in this space setting. We also delve deeper into the history of this world and we are starting to see the ultimate endgame of the series (I hadn’t even realized this was where the story was headed). All the while it still manages to deliver an earnest and heartfelt story in between all the fighting and action set pieces.
This is still a story of redemption. Rohan develops further as our reluctant protagonist who is forced time and again to return to his old violent ways, and he must find it in himself to strike a balance between doing what he feels he should (or should not) and doing what must be done. He just keeps getting better and better as he becomes the man he wants to be alongside a found family he somehow becomes a part of.
"𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥."
Blood Hybrid is probably the best entry so far in this superhero and space opera mash-up series.
August 26, 2024
The Hybrid Helix, once again, does not disappoint. These books improve with each entry and deliver exactly what they promise.. page-turning, fun, space superhero adventures. There's plenty of humor with enough touching moments to not make the series a satire. We are learning more about the MC's past, family, and the Empire itself here in Blood Reunion. I really appreciate how the author doesn't hold mysteries forever and then resolves at the very end. He keeps the story moving by not keeping the reader in the dark overly long. This series is a Recommend for me and I'll be talking about it more in depth on my YouTube channel, BellTube.
November 11, 2022
Blood Reunion has great characters, great world building , great action and is also quite funny.
If I could actually write this is what I’d want to be writing. After three books this in the upper echelons of book series I have read or am reading.
JCM Berne is now and forever an auto buy author.
If I could actually write this is what I’d want to be writing. After three books this in the upper echelons of book series I have read or am reading.
JCM Berne is now and forever an auto buy author.
July 2, 2025
This review was originally posted on SFF Insiders.
4.5 stars, rounded up
How do you follow up a superhero story tackling world-threatening giant shark kaiju? A close-quarters thriller with vampires?
Eff it, let’s roll.
With the third turn of the Hybrid Helix—Blood Reunion—JCM Berne continues to expand on his gripping sci-fi universe where vampires now meld seamlessly with talking bears and sentient starships. A tall order on paper for any author, but in Berne’s hands, it makes for another thrilling turn in this sci-fi superhero epic.
After returning to his guise as the Griffin and saving the Earth from megaton sharks, Rohan is happy to be back home aboard Wistful. But when corpses are discovered drained of blood, the obvious culprit is a vampire. But though the culprit is obvious, the solution is far less so. Torn between wanting not to take on the mantle of the il’Drach weapon he once was and protecting all those he holds dear from a powerful supernatural threat, Rohan must uncover a dark past and unearth old grudges if he stands a chance at stopping the hands of death from taking hold once again.
I’ve said it before in speaking on the first two books of the series, but Rohan is an absolute star of a character, one of the most memorable I’ve read in recent memory. Each book has peeled back another layer of this outwardly quippy and inwardly conflicted hero, and Blood Reunion is no exception. Rohan has long wished not to be the killing machine he once was in service to the il’Drach Empire, and this book perfectly explores the psyche of one who cannot bear to use his Powers to kill again, even if it is so others may live. Not only does Berne delve into this conflict in exploring how best to tackle a vampiric threat, but we also learn of those who were affected personally by the Empire—whether directly or indirectly by Rohan. An additional wrinkle is thrown in with Rohan’s complicated family dynamic, where we are introduced to his father and all the baggage that comes with that previously unseen link to the il’Drach Empire. Great stuff all around.
The supporting cast is wonderful again, and after being away from the Wistful crew in Return of the Griffin, it was a treat to see the likes of Wei Li, Ursula, and the sentient Wistful once again. The new arrivals add more layers to the vast galaxy Berne is exploring, from the order of vampires who abstain from drinking blood to the exiled physician whose life was uprooted by the Empire to the space station driven to madness and wishing for death. On paper, the Hybrid Helix, as a whole, can feel like a “spaghetti-on-the-wall” approach with the different races present, but it’s to Berne’s credit that every inclusion here feels natural and authentic to the world he’s created. I’ll admit to some apprehension that Blood Reunion would be a vampire story, but those concerns were unwarranted—it all fits in perfectly.
After all the bombast of the previous book, it was nice to have such a constrained narrative in Blood Reunion. The threat of the looming vampire is palpable throughout the book, and returning the danger to the close confines of Wistful helped elevate the tension than would a planet- or galaxy-spanning threat. This story is a page-turner from front to back, with all the high action, witty dialogue, big twists, and wonderfully deep lore that I’ve come to expect from this series. If there is one misstep along the way, it would be the same misstep I found glaring in the previous books: the in medias res prologues, which once again feels a bit disjointed from the rest of the book, especially given the story’s events don’t catch up to it until the final chapters. Maybe it’s more a preference thing on my end, but it’s overall a very minor issue that doesn’t detract from the book.
There’s a lot to love in Blood Reunion, and a lot to love with the Hybrid Helix series as a whole. JCM Berne has crafted a hell of an epic, and I’m eager to see what wild adventures Rohan will get into next.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m trying to wean myself off of blood, so I’m gonna go drink some red Kool-aid.
4.5 stars, rounded up
How do you follow up a superhero story tackling world-threatening giant shark kaiju? A close-quarters thriller with vampires?
Eff it, let’s roll.
With the third turn of the Hybrid Helix—Blood Reunion—JCM Berne continues to expand on his gripping sci-fi universe where vampires now meld seamlessly with talking bears and sentient starships. A tall order on paper for any author, but in Berne’s hands, it makes for another thrilling turn in this sci-fi superhero epic.
After returning to his guise as the Griffin and saving the Earth from megaton sharks, Rohan is happy to be back home aboard Wistful. But when corpses are discovered drained of blood, the obvious culprit is a vampire. But though the culprit is obvious, the solution is far less so. Torn between wanting not to take on the mantle of the il’Drach weapon he once was and protecting all those he holds dear from a powerful supernatural threat, Rohan must uncover a dark past and unearth old grudges if he stands a chance at stopping the hands of death from taking hold once again.
I’ve said it before in speaking on the first two books of the series, but Rohan is an absolute star of a character, one of the most memorable I’ve read in recent memory. Each book has peeled back another layer of this outwardly quippy and inwardly conflicted hero, and Blood Reunion is no exception. Rohan has long wished not to be the killing machine he once was in service to the il’Drach Empire, and this book perfectly explores the psyche of one who cannot bear to use his Powers to kill again, even if it is so others may live. Not only does Berne delve into this conflict in exploring how best to tackle a vampiric threat, but we also learn of those who were affected personally by the Empire—whether directly or indirectly by Rohan. An additional wrinkle is thrown in with Rohan’s complicated family dynamic, where we are introduced to his father and all the baggage that comes with that previously unseen link to the il’Drach Empire. Great stuff all around.
The supporting cast is wonderful again, and after being away from the Wistful crew in Return of the Griffin, it was a treat to see the likes of Wei Li, Ursula, and the sentient Wistful once again. The new arrivals add more layers to the vast galaxy Berne is exploring, from the order of vampires who abstain from drinking blood to the exiled physician whose life was uprooted by the Empire to the space station driven to madness and wishing for death. On paper, the Hybrid Helix, as a whole, can feel like a “spaghetti-on-the-wall” approach with the different races present, but it’s to Berne’s credit that every inclusion here feels natural and authentic to the world he’s created. I’ll admit to some apprehension that Blood Reunion would be a vampire story, but those concerns were unwarranted—it all fits in perfectly.
After all the bombast of the previous book, it was nice to have such a constrained narrative in Blood Reunion. The threat of the looming vampire is palpable throughout the book, and returning the danger to the close confines of Wistful helped elevate the tension than would a planet- or galaxy-spanning threat. This story is a page-turner from front to back, with all the high action, witty dialogue, big twists, and wonderfully deep lore that I’ve come to expect from this series. If there is one misstep along the way, it would be the same misstep I found glaring in the previous books: the in medias res prologues, which once again feels a bit disjointed from the rest of the book, especially given the story’s events don’t catch up to it until the final chapters. Maybe it’s more a preference thing on my end, but it’s overall a very minor issue that doesn’t detract from the book.
There’s a lot to love in Blood Reunion, and a lot to love with the Hybrid Helix series as a whole. JCM Berne has crafted a hell of an epic, and I’m eager to see what wild adventures Rohan will get into next.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m trying to wean myself off of blood, so I’m gonna go drink some red Kool-aid.
January 18, 2024
You know that feeling when you’ve tried several new authors but none of them hold up and you just keep wishing you could come back to someone you really enjoyed?
I was so thankful there was another book in the Hybrid Helix, and now there’s even a fourth one!
But first, this one. So I have to say, I’m not a huge fan of vampires. They are my least-favorite fantasy-type thing. That being said, I thought Berne handled them really well, without any Twilight references at all! (Okay, maybe a couple in jest.)
What I loved most about this entry in the Hybrid Helix saga was the return to Wistful and all the characters therein. It was like coming back to old friends. And as always, some wonderful character growth in our leading man, Rohan.
The plot was slower in this one, and, like Rohan, I felt there was a lot of standing around and talking. But then it would pick up and I would forget that feeling for a little while.
What makes Berne such an amazing author is his ability to pile on the problems and then somehow untwist them all in the denouement. All while keeping the story light-hearted enough to make me laugh out loud, and then a page later make me tear up with something extremely profound.
My favorite line in this one was: “Having someone willing to listen is a big part of being okay with not having any answers.”
Loved the story and still loving the characters! I won’t wait as long to dive into Book 4!
I was so thankful there was another book in the Hybrid Helix, and now there’s even a fourth one!
But first, this one. So I have to say, I’m not a huge fan of vampires. They are my least-favorite fantasy-type thing. That being said, I thought Berne handled them really well, without any Twilight references at all! (Okay, maybe a couple in jest.)
What I loved most about this entry in the Hybrid Helix saga was the return to Wistful and all the characters therein. It was like coming back to old friends. And as always, some wonderful character growth in our leading man, Rohan.
The plot was slower in this one, and, like Rohan, I felt there was a lot of standing around and talking. But then it would pick up and I would forget that feeling for a little while.
What makes Berne such an amazing author is his ability to pile on the problems and then somehow untwist them all in the denouement. All while keeping the story light-hearted enough to make me laugh out loud, and then a page later make me tear up with something extremely profound.
My favorite line in this one was: “Having someone willing to listen is a big part of being okay with not having any answers.”
Loved the story and still loving the characters! I won’t wait as long to dive into Book 4!
August 14, 2024
Best One Yet!
The stakes are higher, the tone is darker, and the enemies more unstoppable. JCM Berne continue to up his game in character, prose and plot. A tour de force!
The stakes are higher, the tone is darker, and the enemies more unstoppable. JCM Berne continue to up his game in character, prose and plot. A tour de force!
June 4, 2025
What do you do when you've already done superheroes in space, talking bears, and kaiju? Vampires it is! Except it's SPACCCE vampires. Which I think is a fantastic thing. The story goes a little far in justifying why our protagonist can't just kill the vampire involved and it gets a bit annoying but I still think it works. We also get an idea of the larger metaplot as to what the enemy of the setting is.
December 17, 2022
Yay! I very much enjoyed this story! Tow Chief Rohan of old is back! And he’s just a quirky and engaging as ever! And Wistful is back! And Wei Li!
January 19, 2023
Great book
Great book ,epic series I will reread these books as they are just that great.
Looking forward to reading the next 5 books.
Great book ,epic series I will reread these books as they are just that great.
Looking forward to reading the next 5 books.
November 21, 2025
This was better than the Land sharks, and Mr. Berne's take on Vampires and vampirism was really unique and incredible, the history of the stations like Wistful, the progenitor races (like the il'sein, Drachna and others), also the place between the worlds, why is everyone so keen on making the Cephalopods the enemy??? The Berneverse is slowly but surely becoming one of the more exciting realities out there!!!
October 8, 2022
Berne offers an addictive and satisfying genre-bending romp through space. Bravo!!!
January 10, 2025
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S BLOOD REUNION ABOUT?
There's a nasty, Buffy-Summers-would-be-paralyzed-with-fear level vampire loose on Wistful. Rohan and his friends, some new allies, and a couple of people he'd really not rather work with have to stop it before it kills everyone aboard and countless others when it can escape—or before the Empire obliterates Wistful to achieve the latter end.
'nuff said.
BACK TO WISTFUL
I guess some readers complained that the second book in the series took place on Earth, not on Wistful, the sentient space station that Rohan calls home. I didn't share the sentiment, but I guess I could understand that—it wasn't just Wistful that we didn't get that much from, it was most of the other characters that were introduced in the first turn.
Being back on Wistful, however, has me thinking that maybe those people were on to something. Having our hero back on his adoptive home turf—with the advantages and challenges that it brings really adds something to the story. Wistful is an interesting character and a great setting (and we get to see a lot more of both aspects of Wistful here). Having characters like Wei Li and the Ursans on hand is a major plus, too.
I won't complain about Rohan going to visit Earth—but I'm sure glad to see him home.
DADDY ISSUES
We met Rohan's fantastic mother in Return of The Griffin, and now it's time to meet Dad. Boy, I missed Mom—and this isn't a knock on Berne's work introducing us to Dhruv, I think we're supposed to find hi a problematic character.
He's got quite the charm about him, do doubt. He's determined, he's focused, he's powerful, he's wily—things that he clearly passed on to his son. He's also deceitful, egotistical, stubborn, and unwilling to consider opposing points of view (other things you can see in Rohan, but he's fighting them).
He and Rohan have a complicated relationship, let's say.
The addition of Rohan's mother to the series was fun and mostly sweet. This is fun and...something else. I'm not sure what that something is quite yet. I think we need to see a little more from Dhruv, and I expect we will.
ROHAN'S DILEMMA
This right here is what draws me to Rohan (well, in addition to the banter, the action, and everything else)—Berne isn't satisfied to just give us a super powerful, quippy, superhero. Rohan is trying to get away from his past and to live differently.
But...like the man said, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!" Rohan can't get away from his reputation, his status, his errors/crimes, and even his inclinations to act as the Griffin. Not only can he not escape all that—he has to rely on it here. I don't want to get into details here, but Rohan has to play the Rohan card to keep the il'Drach Empire from coming in making a bad situation worse.
He also has to wrestle with himself—he knows (on some level) and is being told repeatedly by just about everyone—that to save the people on the station (and maybe even beyond it), he has to kill the vampire. But he's trying not to do that anymore. Also, he thinks there are ways to defeat the vampire without killing him...Rohan just has to figure out what those are. But he's torn—if he does "the right thing" for him and his morals, what's the risk/damage to the innocents on Wistful? Should he be willing to even consider that?
Beyond that...Rohan has to let some people jeopardize themselves—and even outright sacrifice themselves so he has a chance to stop the vampire.
I really love that Berne is making Rohan deal with this (it's not the first time, and it won't be the last, I trust).
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT BLOOD REUNION?
It's a JCM Berne book. This means I liked it and I think you should read it. I have two unread JCM Berne books on my TBR shelf—I can tell you now, with 98.732% confidence, that's what I'm going to say about those. The question here is...what do I say specifically?
The vampires (both kinds we see here) are just cool. Nothing incredibly revolutionary about them—it's nigh unto impossible to do something new with a vampire, it's just about how can you make one of the most utilized creature-types feel fresh. Berne pulls it off. They're even different than the vamps in Return of the Griffin, so that's a neat trick. I want to say more about this, but that'd violate my spoiler policy.
Dhruv was just great—I mistyped that a second ago as "grate," but maybe that was a slip of the Freudian-type. Because he can be a little grating, too. By design, I should stress. But I look forward to his return as much as Rohan is apprehensive about it.
The exploration of Wistful was interesting and the promise of finding more layers to her is fantastic. I would've liked a bit more of it now though, it's the one point where I think Berne could've improved here. Maybe in the aftermath of this, Wistful and Rohan (or Rohan and Wei Li) can debrief some on this and I'll feel better about it.
Speaking of Wei Li—if anyone is going to supplant Rohan in my book, it's going to be Wei Li. Can we get a spinoff novella or seven?
I have to mention the dialogue, not just the bantering (but especially the bantering). Berne has reached Jim Butcher-levels here. I don't care what the story is, I just want to read his characters talking.
I don't have anything else to say, really—action, dialogue, great aliens, some good moral dilemmas, and some quality time with characters that are becoming old friends. Blood Reunion is another winner from Berne. Go grab Wistful Ascending and dive in!!
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S BLOOD REUNION ABOUT?
There's a nasty, Buffy-Summers-would-be-paralyzed-with-fear level vampire loose on Wistful. Rohan and his friends, some new allies, and a couple of people he'd really not rather work with have to stop it before it kills everyone aboard and countless others when it can escape—or before the Empire obliterates Wistful to achieve the latter end.
'nuff said.
BACK TO WISTFUL
I guess some readers complained that the second book in the series took place on Earth, not on Wistful, the sentient space station that Rohan calls home. I didn't share the sentiment, but I guess I could understand that—it wasn't just Wistful that we didn't get that much from, it was most of the other characters that were introduced in the first turn.
Being back on Wistful, however, has me thinking that maybe those people were on to something. Having our hero back on his adoptive home turf—with the advantages and challenges that it brings really adds something to the story. Wistful is an interesting character and a great setting (and we get to see a lot more of both aspects of Wistful here). Having characters like Wei Li and the Ursans on hand is a major plus, too.
I won't complain about Rohan going to visit Earth—but I'm sure glad to see him home.
DADDY ISSUES
We met Rohan's fantastic mother in Return of The Griffin, and now it's time to meet Dad. Boy, I missed Mom—and this isn't a knock on Berne's work introducing us to Dhruv, I think we're supposed to find hi a problematic character.
He's got quite the charm about him, do doubt. He's determined, he's focused, he's powerful, he's wily—things that he clearly passed on to his son. He's also deceitful, egotistical, stubborn, and unwilling to consider opposing points of view (other things you can see in Rohan, but he's fighting them).
He and Rohan have a complicated relationship, let's say.
The addition of Rohan's mother to the series was fun and mostly sweet. This is fun and...something else. I'm not sure what that something is quite yet. I think we need to see a little more from Dhruv, and I expect we will.
ROHAN'S DILEMMA
This right here is what draws me to Rohan (well, in addition to the banter, the action, and everything else)—Berne isn't satisfied to just give us a super powerful, quippy, superhero. Rohan is trying to get away from his past and to live differently.
But...like the man said, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!" Rohan can't get away from his reputation, his status, his errors/crimes, and even his inclinations to act as the Griffin. Not only can he not escape all that—he has to rely on it here. I don't want to get into details here, but Rohan has to play the Rohan card to keep the il'Drach Empire from coming in making a bad situation worse.
He also has to wrestle with himself—he knows (on some level) and is being told repeatedly by just about everyone—that to save the people on the station (and maybe even beyond it), he has to kill the vampire. But he's trying not to do that anymore. Also, he thinks there are ways to defeat the vampire without killing him...Rohan just has to figure out what those are. But he's torn—if he does "the right thing" for him and his morals, what's the risk/damage to the innocents on Wistful? Should he be willing to even consider that?
Beyond that...Rohan has to let some people jeopardize themselves—and even outright sacrifice themselves so he has a chance to stop the vampire.
I really love that Berne is making Rohan deal with this (it's not the first time, and it won't be the last, I trust).
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT BLOOD REUNION?
It's a JCM Berne book. This means I liked it and I think you should read it. I have two unread JCM Berne books on my TBR shelf—I can tell you now, with 98.732% confidence, that's what I'm going to say about those. The question here is...what do I say specifically?
The vampires (both kinds we see here) are just cool. Nothing incredibly revolutionary about them—it's nigh unto impossible to do something new with a vampire, it's just about how can you make one of the most utilized creature-types feel fresh. Berne pulls it off. They're even different than the vamps in Return of the Griffin, so that's a neat trick. I want to say more about this, but that'd violate my spoiler policy.
Dhruv was just great—I mistyped that a second ago as "grate," but maybe that was a slip of the Freudian-type. Because he can be a little grating, too. By design, I should stress. But I look forward to his return as much as Rohan is apprehensive about it.
The exploration of Wistful was interesting and the promise of finding more layers to her is fantastic. I would've liked a bit more of it now though, it's the one point where I think Berne could've improved here. Maybe in the aftermath of this, Wistful and Rohan (or Rohan and Wei Li) can debrief some on this and I'll feel better about it.
Speaking of Wei Li—if anyone is going to supplant Rohan in my book, it's going to be Wei Li. Can we get a spinoff novella or seven?
I have to mention the dialogue, not just the bantering (but especially the bantering). Berne has reached Jim Butcher-levels here. I don't care what the story is, I just want to read his characters talking.
I don't have anything else to say, really—action, dialogue, great aliens, some good moral dilemmas, and some quality time with characters that are becoming old friends. Blood Reunion is another winner from Berne. Go grab Wistful Ascending and dive in!!
February 26, 2023
I love this series.
What can I say except that I am all in with the Hybrid Helix series. This installment had me on the edge of my seat wondering how our hero could possibly face all the obstacles before him. This book ties in so many previous threads and gives us a deeper understanding of the big picture. What a fun book that’s also inviting the reader to look at big ideas like right and wrong, forgiveness and justice, dignity and respect. You will love it.
What can I say except that I am all in with the Hybrid Helix series. This installment had me on the edge of my seat wondering how our hero could possibly face all the obstacles before him. This book ties in so many previous threads and gives us a deeper understanding of the big picture. What a fun book that’s also inviting the reader to look at big ideas like right and wrong, forgiveness and justice, dignity and respect. You will love it.
November 11, 2024
A clever and amazing third instalment of the Hybrid Helix Series!
Rohan is in the mess of it once more with the third turn of the Hybrid Helix. When a mysterious creature is literally feeding on people’s blood on the Space station Wistful, he and Wei Li must discover what is going on. Turns out, it’s an ancient vampire that is threatening the station and the people who live there. Wait, a vampire? I know, as someone who doesn’t like vampires that much, I was skeptical. However, JCM Berne has taken our blood sucking fiends and turned them into a terrifying and complex idea that really brought me around to the idea of vampires. Rohan must face this vampire and see if he can beat it. But, Rohan, being as smart and kind as he is, knows that this creature may have information about terrible things that might be coming, so will he try and kill it or will he try to reason with it? The third book, Blood Reunion, explores the complexities of agency and the importance of doing the right thing, even if that thing is hard to do. The book is also packed with compelling and complex new characters that bring this already vibrant universe to life with their personalities and dialogue.
Rohan is as funny as ever with his clever wit and his ability to take the direst of situations and bring some much-needed humor to it. While he may use humor to help ease the tense circumstances, he also uses smart and clever tactics to try and solve problems that come his way. Rohan really shines as the hero of the story as he risks his life to save the people he has grown to care for deeply in the space station Wistful. The conversations he has with his friends are engaging and filled with heart, and comedy.
It's not just Rohan that shines in this story, however. His friends play major roles in the story as they help him try to solve what to do about the vampire. His friends Wei Li, Ursula, Dr Ben, and Dr. Marion Stone, as well as new friends, show what they are willing to do to help Rohan. In the book, I found myself feeling very warm and fuzzy when his friends would do things for Rohan that showed that they truly cared for his wellbeing and safety, as well as his life. Rohan is surrounded by smart and strong women who save his life multiple times in this book.
Rohan also must deal with a character that he has tried to stay away from for a long time, someone from his past. This creates more difficulties for Rohan as he must navigate interacting with this character while also trying to solve the problem with the vampire.
Honestly when I read these books, I can’t help but see them as an amazing opportunity to make them into an animated TV show. They are fun, engaging and very well realized. Book three gives you a bigger picture of Wistful herself, and what the whole series could be moving to. I deeply enjoyed book three of the Hybrid Helix series and I can’t wait for what more there is to come for Rohan and his friends.
Rohan is in the mess of it once more with the third turn of the Hybrid Helix. When a mysterious creature is literally feeding on people’s blood on the Space station Wistful, he and Wei Li must discover what is going on. Turns out, it’s an ancient vampire that is threatening the station and the people who live there. Wait, a vampire? I know, as someone who doesn’t like vampires that much, I was skeptical. However, JCM Berne has taken our blood sucking fiends and turned them into a terrifying and complex idea that really brought me around to the idea of vampires. Rohan must face this vampire and see if he can beat it. But, Rohan, being as smart and kind as he is, knows that this creature may have information about terrible things that might be coming, so will he try and kill it or will he try to reason with it? The third book, Blood Reunion, explores the complexities of agency and the importance of doing the right thing, even if that thing is hard to do. The book is also packed with compelling and complex new characters that bring this already vibrant universe to life with their personalities and dialogue.
Rohan is as funny as ever with his clever wit and his ability to take the direst of situations and bring some much-needed humor to it. While he may use humor to help ease the tense circumstances, he also uses smart and clever tactics to try and solve problems that come his way. Rohan really shines as the hero of the story as he risks his life to save the people he has grown to care for deeply in the space station Wistful. The conversations he has with his friends are engaging and filled with heart, and comedy.
It's not just Rohan that shines in this story, however. His friends play major roles in the story as they help him try to solve what to do about the vampire. His friends Wei Li, Ursula, Dr Ben, and Dr. Marion Stone, as well as new friends, show what they are willing to do to help Rohan. In the book, I found myself feeling very warm and fuzzy when his friends would do things for Rohan that showed that they truly cared for his wellbeing and safety, as well as his life. Rohan is surrounded by smart and strong women who save his life multiple times in this book.
Rohan also must deal with a character that he has tried to stay away from for a long time, someone from his past. This creates more difficulties for Rohan as he must navigate interacting with this character while also trying to solve the problem with the vampire.
Honestly when I read these books, I can’t help but see them as an amazing opportunity to make them into an animated TV show. They are fun, engaging and very well realized. Book three gives you a bigger picture of Wistful herself, and what the whole series could be moving to. I deeply enjoyed book three of the Hybrid Helix series and I can’t wait for what more there is to come for Rohan and his friends.
Read
January 7, 2023This review will be expanded later, when I write a "proper" in-depth review of the kind I normally do.
As always, Rohan is a delightful, relatable character. I'm reading the series slightly out of order, so I feel like there are some things about his personal growth between Wistful Ascending and now that I've missed and so don't quite make sense to me. But this is an exciting, adventurous story, and I will mention two things that really stood out to me:
Firstly, Rohan's relationship with his ship, Void's Shadow. I feel like it had a lot of relatability to the struggles of real-life relationships how he's told her to think for herself, but then when he really wants her to help him do something that she really doesn't want to do and thinks is a bad idea, he gets frustrated and commands her to ... or almost does, and she wants to know if it's a command, because she's very determined to be a good ship and will do what he commands if it's a command, since that's her understanding of what it means to be a good ship (she was originally built to be an il'Drach war(scout)ship). So then he realizes his mis-step, and has some trouble taking it back/setting things right/convincing her he really does want her to be free and he's sorry. By the way, I really liked Void's Shadow. I love her personality.
Secondly, and this is a bit of a spoiler
As always, Rohan is a delightful, relatable character. I'm reading the series slightly out of order, so I feel like there are some things about his personal growth between Wistful Ascending and now that I've missed and so don't quite make sense to me. But this is an exciting, adventurous story, and I will mention two things that really stood out to me:
Firstly, Rohan's relationship with his ship, Void's Shadow. I feel like it had a lot of relatability to the struggles of real-life relationships how he's told her to think for herself, but then when he really wants her to help him do something that she really doesn't want to do and thinks is a bad idea, he gets frustrated and commands her to ... or almost does, and she wants to know if it's a command, because she's very determined to be a good ship and will do what he commands if it's a command, since that's her understanding of what it means to be a good ship (she was originally built to be an il'Drach war(scout)ship). So then he realizes his mis-step, and has some trouble taking it back/setting things right/convincing her he really does want her to be free and he's sorry. By the way, I really liked Void's Shadow. I love her personality.
Secondly, and this is a bit of a spoiler
January 31, 2024
I really enjoyed my return to the world of super-powered hybrid Rohan and the sentient space station, Wistful, on whom he lives and works as a tow chief, pulling in spaceships and parking them in the bays on board.
It was great to be back on Wistful, as the previous book took place on Earth, where Rohan is from, and I missed the witty banter between Rohan and empath Wei Li, Wistful’s chief of security.
In this story an ancient vampire has managed to get on board and is feeding off two thousand of the innocent, bearlike Ursans while goading Rohan to fight him. He wants to eat Rohan’s soul and absorb his Powers.
In addition to this situation Rohan has to deal with his father coming on board - who he hasn’t seen for fifteen years and with whom he has a very complicated relationship.
There were many Easter egg like nods to other SciFi series such as Dr Who (Ch’Doon rhinoceroses vs the Judoon rhinos) and the Mandalorian (“This is the way”). I’m sure there were probably a few more that I missed as well. These were a lot of fun to pick up on.
The tone of this series is lighthearted and comedic, despite the deaths of a couple of important characters and themes of enslavement, of the Ursans and a couple of the sentient space stations. There is plenty of fighting - but luckily Rohan heals quickly due to his hybrid physiology. Fans of Kung Fu movies or gaming boss battles and superheroes will love this series. I am neither and I love it for its relationships and banter between the main characters. Berne is particularly talented at writing many layered characters with disparate, complex personalities and believable dialogue.
It was great to be back on Wistful, as the previous book took place on Earth, where Rohan is from, and I missed the witty banter between Rohan and empath Wei Li, Wistful’s chief of security.
In this story an ancient vampire has managed to get on board and is feeding off two thousand of the innocent, bearlike Ursans while goading Rohan to fight him. He wants to eat Rohan’s soul and absorb his Powers.
In addition to this situation Rohan has to deal with his father coming on board - who he hasn’t seen for fifteen years and with whom he has a very complicated relationship.
There were many Easter egg like nods to other SciFi series such as Dr Who (Ch’Doon rhinoceroses vs the Judoon rhinos) and the Mandalorian (“This is the way”). I’m sure there were probably a few more that I missed as well. These were a lot of fun to pick up on.
The tone of this series is lighthearted and comedic, despite the deaths of a couple of important characters and themes of enslavement, of the Ursans and a couple of the sentient space stations. There is plenty of fighting - but luckily Rohan heals quickly due to his hybrid physiology. Fans of Kung Fu movies or gaming boss battles and superheroes will love this series. I am neither and I love it for its relationships and banter between the main characters. Berne is particularly talented at writing many layered characters with disparate, complex personalities and believable dialogue.
April 19, 2023
Blood Reunion is a triumph.
Boy oh boy did this book exceed my expectations. I have so much respect for J.C.M. Berne, and more so after finishing this wonderful novel.
Let's put aside for the moment that this book is incredibly fun, has wonderful characters, great dialog, isn't ashamed of doing playful things---this much is obvious from the first chapter, and the previous books in the series. By this point, you know the basic structure of a Hybrid Helix novel. We start with the end, leave it on a cliffhanger and then wonder how the hell Rohan ended up there, and work our way back toward it. Initially, you believe that this is the case, and you're in for the ride because the other two books were so much fun, and it works. And for first two acts I was right there, working my way through it, laughing, cheering our hero along...
Then it hits you. There's something lurking beneath all the fun. Things start to feel a little unfamiliar and you start to see the bigger picture. Certain themes that have been hidden beneath all the lighthearted banter start to boil over, and you find yourself being punched in the gut, more than once...
It's amazing how Berne has been able to both draw a line under the trilogy and make it feel like it's just getting started in the same book. I am 100% hooked.
Bravo, Joe. Keep them coming, and I'll keep buying them.
Boy oh boy did this book exceed my expectations. I have so much respect for J.C.M. Berne, and more so after finishing this wonderful novel.
Let's put aside for the moment that this book is incredibly fun, has wonderful characters, great dialog, isn't ashamed of doing playful things---this much is obvious from the first chapter, and the previous books in the series. By this point, you know the basic structure of a Hybrid Helix novel. We start with the end, leave it on a cliffhanger and then wonder how the hell Rohan ended up there, and work our way back toward it. Initially, you believe that this is the case, and you're in for the ride because the other two books were so much fun, and it works. And for first two acts I was right there, working my way through it, laughing, cheering our hero along...
Then it hits you. There's something lurking beneath all the fun. Things start to feel a little unfamiliar and you start to see the bigger picture. Certain themes that have been hidden beneath all the lighthearted banter start to boil over, and you find yourself being punched in the gut, more than once...
It's amazing how Berne has been able to both draw a line under the trilogy and make it feel like it's just getting started in the same book. I am 100% hooked.
Bravo, Joe. Keep them coming, and I'll keep buying them.
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