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Throat
R. A. Nelson takes us on a supernatural thrill ride, a modern-day vampire story set on a NASA base and filled with space-and-science intrigue. Seventeen-year-old Emma feels cursed by her epilepsy—until the lost night. She's shocked to wake up in the hospital one morning, weak from blood loss. When her memories begin to return, she pieces together that it was a man—a monster—who attacked her: a vampire named Wirtz. And it was her very condition that saved her: a grand mal seizure interrupted Wirtz and left Emma with all the amazing powers of a vampire—heightened senses, rapid speed—but no need to drink blood. Is Emma now a half-vampire girl? One thing soon becomes clear: the vampire Wirtz is fierce and merciless, feared even by his own kind, and won't leave a job undone.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published January 19, 2011
42 people are currently reading
2294 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Nelson
8 books140 followersR.A. Nelson's work was selected as a finalist for National Public Radio's list of the "Best Young Adult Fiction Ever Written." He was chosen a Horn Book Newcomer and his books have been nominated to the YALSA Best Books for Young Adults list and recognized by the Parents' Choice Awards, the New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age list, Booksense Kid Picks, the Miami Herald Best Books of the Year, teenreads.com Best Books of the year, and others. Nelson is a recipient of NASA's prestigious Silver Snoopy Award for "outstanding support provided to the Space Shuttle program." Teach Me has been optioned by Protagonist Films for a feature film. His website is http://www.ranelsonbooks.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
January 10, 2013
Gave this one over 200 pages, but not much happens. The world-building isn't very complicated/convincing, the heroine isn't particularly interesting, and villains who are merely mindless killers are pretty boring. yawn
February 7, 2012
Seventeen year old Emma feels like her life is falling apart. Not only does she suffer from epilepsy, she was recently attacked by a vampire and was forced to flee from her family. An epileptic seizure interrupted her vampire transformation, but even though she does not drink blood and can stand to be out in the sunlight she does have many useful vampire powers and strengths. Unfortunately, she also has a permanent connection to the evil vampire that bit her. Emma knows that her only choice for survival is to kill him before he can get to her or her family. She creates a bunker on a remote corner of a protected NASA base and learns to adjust to her new life. Aided by Sagan, a cute astronomer, and a crew of “good” vampires, Emma plans her revenge. The Sonnen, or “good” vampires, are worried about starting a war with the Verloren, or “bad” vampires. Sagan is worried about losing Emma, and everyone is wondering when the next massive solar flare will occur that may cure them of their vampire curse. But mostly, Emma just wants to stop living in fear. She summons the evil vampire to his doom, but he has a few dark surprises of his own. Who will come out alive in the final battle?
Although billed as a YA novel and populated with teenaged and adult characters, I believe this book would be best suited for an upper middle school audience. It is a “clean” vampire story that would suit younger students who are perhaps not ready for House of Night or even Twilight, although this is a dark and at times violent story. High schoolers have a lot of other more mature vampire series to choose from, and vampire stories are not of quite as high interest as they were a few years ago.
None of the characters in this book were particularly likeable (other than the somewhat flat, nerd cliché astronomer), and the complex plot is often a stretch even for paranormal fiction. The ending leaves a lot of very loose plot points, and certain aspects of the story were confusing or obvious contrivances. Also, the egregious overuse of ellipses quickly becomes annoying. If your teens or tweens are still clamoring for vampire romance fiction and you have a decent budget, I recommend this book for its thriller, edge-of-your-seat ending, which is admittedly well done. Otherwise, I would skip this one.
Although billed as a YA novel and populated with teenaged and adult characters, I believe this book would be best suited for an upper middle school audience. It is a “clean” vampire story that would suit younger students who are perhaps not ready for House of Night or even Twilight, although this is a dark and at times violent story. High schoolers have a lot of other more mature vampire series to choose from, and vampire stories are not of quite as high interest as they were a few years ago.
None of the characters in this book were particularly likeable (other than the somewhat flat, nerd cliché astronomer), and the complex plot is often a stretch even for paranormal fiction. The ending leaves a lot of very loose plot points, and certain aspects of the story were confusing or obvious contrivances. Also, the egregious overuse of ellipses quickly becomes annoying. If your teens or tweens are still clamoring for vampire romance fiction and you have a decent budget, I recommend this book for its thriller, edge-of-your-seat ending, which is admittedly well done. Otherwise, I would skip this one.
July 8, 2013
This book was so bad I didn't even want to finish it. I literally got 190 pages in and said, "I'm just gonna skip to the end." So I did. And I really didn't miss out on anything.
The book started out pretty strong, and I liked Emma's character--though for some reason I kept forgetting her name. She doesn't really seem like an "Emma" to me.
I usually like R.A. Nelson as a writer. He comes up with some unique plots and characters, but this book just didn't cut it for me. After Emma gets attacked by the vampire (which happens within the first 30-ish pages, I think) the whole story slows way way down. Too boring to finish.
The book started out pretty strong, and I liked Emma's character--though for some reason I kept forgetting her name. She doesn't really seem like an "Emma" to me.
I usually like R.A. Nelson as a writer. He comes up with some unique plots and characters, but this book just didn't cut it for me. After Emma gets attacked by the vampire (which happens within the first 30-ish pages, I think) the whole story slows way way down. Too boring to finish.
July 12, 2017
This book is unlike any vampire book I've ever read. It is action packed and such a good read.
September 17, 2011
Yes, I know...some of you are already saying "Oh, great, another vampire book." BUT, this is and, I swear, completely different than those love triangle, white-faced hunk vs. tight ab werewolf people. This is actually a FANtastic story that adults will truly love.
Emma Cooper is our main character's name. When Emma was thirteen she ran away from home, trying desperately to outrun the curse that was trying to wipe her out. During her escape, Emma learned one very real thing...the world is a big, scary place. Now, Emma is seventeen, and in forty-eight hours she will be seizure-free for the last six months. And that means...FINALLY Emma can get her driver's license and get these doctor's off her back. All she's listened to for years is the epilepsy mantra and she's so sick of it she could slap the medical men silly; they've only been ruining her life since she can remember. In fact, Emma will never forget when she was in the eighth grade and had her first grand mal seizure, RIGHT in front of Lane Gainer who was the one boy she'd loved with all her heart. He'd been so into her, but after seeing the shaking and the other gross things that happened when that electrical storm hit her brain, he dumped her, and so did her best friend Gretchen.
But that was yesterday. And today is her soccer tournament. Emma has been one of the best soccer players throughout school; she has no fear, and can kick the ball and fake-out her opponents better than anyone whose ever played the game. Unfortunately, a horrific hit brings on yet another seizure and ruins her chances of getting the driver's license and all the freedom that comes with it. When she wakes up on the field, Emma has never been so angry. She steals her mother's keys, races out of the parking lot and into the woods, crashing through trees, and finally having an accident that could've been a heck of a lot worse. Emma knows that she saw an old house buried in these woods; so, pulling herself together, she walks up to the front door to ask for help. Help is what she got, but Emma had no idea it would come in the form of an even bigger curse that she could most definitely not outrun.
Wirtz is a vampire. He speaks German and has waited a long time for young, fresh blood to feed upon. Unfortunately for the monster, his feast is interrupted by a farmer's headlights. Emma soon finds herself waking up in a hospital with tubes running out of her and a doctor talking to her about the large gash in her leg that almost took her out permanently. Slowly, Emma begins to remember the dark shadow that spoke to her that night in the woods. Not only that, but Emma soon begins to change in ways she never knew possible. Gone are the seizures; instead, she finds herself being able to run like the wind, lift heavy objects without breaking a sweat, and being able to see objects in the dark as if a bright blue sun was lighting the world.
Soon, a chase begins, with Wirtz trying desperately to find Emma so that he can either finish her or her beloved sister off. Emma must run to protect her family from the monsterg and ends up on the grounds of the NASA Space Center. Hiding there, Emma begins to set up for the siege that she knows is coming. Not only does she meet a variety of vampires - good (Sonnen clan) and evil (the Verloren), but she also meets a young man by the name of Sagan who is truly into everything "space-y," and wants nothing more than to help Emma through whatever it is she's going through.
This is not your regular vamp fare, guys and gals. This book offers an in-depth look at a REAL girl living with a TRUE illness. The intricate look at the Space Center is also something to really be excited about. from the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory to the cool underground caves, this book is seriously cool! From the romance that is anything but trite, to the amazing science fiction aspects, you will find yourself FINALLY happy that a good writer wrote a very good vampire book. Enjoy!
Emma Cooper is our main character's name. When Emma was thirteen she ran away from home, trying desperately to outrun the curse that was trying to wipe her out. During her escape, Emma learned one very real thing...the world is a big, scary place. Now, Emma is seventeen, and in forty-eight hours she will be seizure-free for the last six months. And that means...FINALLY Emma can get her driver's license and get these doctor's off her back. All she's listened to for years is the epilepsy mantra and she's so sick of it she could slap the medical men silly; they've only been ruining her life since she can remember. In fact, Emma will never forget when she was in the eighth grade and had her first grand mal seizure, RIGHT in front of Lane Gainer who was the one boy she'd loved with all her heart. He'd been so into her, but after seeing the shaking and the other gross things that happened when that electrical storm hit her brain, he dumped her, and so did her best friend Gretchen.
But that was yesterday. And today is her soccer tournament. Emma has been one of the best soccer players throughout school; she has no fear, and can kick the ball and fake-out her opponents better than anyone whose ever played the game. Unfortunately, a horrific hit brings on yet another seizure and ruins her chances of getting the driver's license and all the freedom that comes with it. When she wakes up on the field, Emma has never been so angry. She steals her mother's keys, races out of the parking lot and into the woods, crashing through trees, and finally having an accident that could've been a heck of a lot worse. Emma knows that she saw an old house buried in these woods; so, pulling herself together, she walks up to the front door to ask for help. Help is what she got, but Emma had no idea it would come in the form of an even bigger curse that she could most definitely not outrun.
Wirtz is a vampire. He speaks German and has waited a long time for young, fresh blood to feed upon. Unfortunately for the monster, his feast is interrupted by a farmer's headlights. Emma soon finds herself waking up in a hospital with tubes running out of her and a doctor talking to her about the large gash in her leg that almost took her out permanently. Slowly, Emma begins to remember the dark shadow that spoke to her that night in the woods. Not only that, but Emma soon begins to change in ways she never knew possible. Gone are the seizures; instead, she finds herself being able to run like the wind, lift heavy objects without breaking a sweat, and being able to see objects in the dark as if a bright blue sun was lighting the world.
Soon, a chase begins, with Wirtz trying desperately to find Emma so that he can either finish her or her beloved sister off. Emma must run to protect her family from the monsterg and ends up on the grounds of the NASA Space Center. Hiding there, Emma begins to set up for the siege that she knows is coming. Not only does she meet a variety of vampires - good (Sonnen clan) and evil (the Verloren), but she also meets a young man by the name of Sagan who is truly into everything "space-y," and wants nothing more than to help Emma through whatever it is she's going through.
This is not your regular vamp fare, guys and gals. This book offers an in-depth look at a REAL girl living with a TRUE illness. The intricate look at the Space Center is also something to really be excited about. from the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory to the cool underground caves, this book is seriously cool! From the romance that is anything but trite, to the amazing science fiction aspects, you will find yourself FINALLY happy that a good writer wrote a very good vampire book. Enjoy!
August 23, 2014
Going into this, I thought it would be pretty ok - only to discover I would be continuously annoyed, bored, disappointed, and exasperated in equal measure.
The beginning of the book was interesting - because of that I was willing to overlook the lack of depth / sentences longer than six words. But once she was headed into the woods to get attacked and accidentally half-turned? Utter disappointment. The entire novel felt like a shallow glossing over what could have potentially been really interesting. No suspension of disbelief here - even the other characters (vampires) weren't very believable. I think this is because they were supposedly from foreign+/olden times yet they spoke in contemporary English with a random foreign word thrown in here and there just to remind you. As well as why I didn't invest really in any of the characters (2-D, generic).
It was all very disjointed.
The main character? I wanted to beat her upside the head the majority of the time. After the beginning I had no sympathy for her whatsoever, everything she contemplated was recycled endlessly without even the possibility of a rephrasing. I felt like I read the same statements / thoughts at least four times each. I especially hated how despite her (I also didn't like her name choice, it didn't suit her) plan to defeat the vamp who (accidentally) didn't kill her but partially-turned her, she still hesitated once she started fighting back.
I'm talking about one specific scene where she actually manages to get the upper hand and, rather than killing one of her attackers feels so much pity that she decides to WALK AWAY?! I almost threw the book across the room (I'm the type that keeps all my books pristine) - she spent the entire book talking about how she needed to get free and save herself and her family and her boyfriend and spends at minimum two dozen pages fighting for her life and then thinks at the last minute "Never mind"?! At that point I just thought "if that's how it's going to be WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE ME THE EFFORT AND DIE THIRTY PAGES AGO?!"
I can go on.
Proud I managed to get through that without typing a single swear word - that was NOT what happened while reading this book. Surprised I managed to finish it honestly... Painful. Not he worst I've read, but pretty faaaaaar down there.
The beginning of the book was interesting - because of that I was willing to overlook the lack of depth / sentences longer than six words. But once she was headed into the woods to get attacked and accidentally half-turned? Utter disappointment. The entire novel felt like a shallow glossing over what could have potentially been really interesting. No suspension of disbelief here - even the other characters (vampires) weren't very believable. I think this is because they were supposedly from foreign+/olden times yet they spoke in contemporary English with a random foreign word thrown in here and there just to remind you. As well as why I didn't invest really in any of the characters (2-D, generic).
It was all very disjointed.
The main character? I wanted to beat her upside the head the majority of the time. After the beginning I had no sympathy for her whatsoever, everything she contemplated was recycled endlessly without even the possibility of a rephrasing. I felt like I read the same statements / thoughts at least four times each. I especially hated how despite her (I also didn't like her name choice, it didn't suit her) plan to defeat the vamp who (accidentally) didn't kill her but partially-turned her, she still hesitated once she started fighting back.
I'm talking about one specific scene where she actually manages to get the upper hand and, rather than killing one of her attackers feels so much pity that she decides to WALK AWAY?! I almost threw the book across the room (I'm the type that keeps all my books pristine) - she spent the entire book talking about how she needed to get free and save herself and her family and her boyfriend and spends at minimum two dozen pages fighting for her life and then thinks at the last minute "Never mind"?! At that point I just thought "if that's how it's going to be WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE ME THE EFFORT AND DIE THIRTY PAGES AGO?!"
I can go on.
Proud I managed to get through that without typing a single swear word - that was NOT what happened while reading this book. Surprised I managed to finish it honestly... Painful. Not he worst I've read, but pretty faaaaaar down there.
November 16, 2011
Throat
By: R.A. Nelson
Published~ January 25th 2011
Genre~ Horror/Fantasy
The Setting is a small town that nobody has ever really heard of. He protagonist, Emma, is an outcast teenager with epilepsy, a seizure disorder. She refers o he disease as ‘the curse’ and blames everything on it. Soccer is everything she cares about and the only reason that her doctor lets her play is because it keeps her mind active. Until a popular stuck up girl and her go for the ball at the same time, and Emma’s head smacks into her shoulder, inducing a seizure. When she wakes up, she Is furious at the girl and breaks her nose. Then she is kicked off the team, and takes her mom’s car when no one is looking, because everyone is fighting and trying to decide if Emma will stay on the team or not. She flies off a bridge and lands in a mud pit in the woods and gets out of the car, miraculously not dying. She finds a cabin and an odd man steps out. He has an odd flap of skin just hanging off of his forehead. He is a vampire, he throws her down, and she slaps him, which is a disgrace to his kind and he almost kills her by taking all her blood, but she has a seizure and the process stops, making Emily have all the powers of a vamp, but not the side effects. No sunlight equaling death, no blood cravings, Nothing but the power. The vamp who turned her keeps visiting her and she has to run away before he founds out where she lives and kills her family. Emma meets some unlikely friends along the way. Sagan, who’s parents work at the NASA base Emma hides out at, and three Sonnen, or vampires who believe the sun can cure them if it erupts. (They are the good kind) However, Emma is up against a whole lot. The vamp who turned her, and his posse.
The theme of this piece is I guess that anything is possible if you believe, because Emma faced a bunch of hardships, and sometimes, her epilepsy got in the way of this. But she still manages to work out the kinks in her life and save her family. For example, when Emily was trapped by two vampires, she took out some tools from Home Depot and got to work. When Sagan, her Boyfriend, was taken hostage in the Solar Observatory, she still managed to save his life using one of his favorite movie quotes to get him to fight back. Also, when the Vampire first appeared in her room and she had to get away even though she was in the middle of a seizure.
The book was very interesting and I would definitely recommend it to fans not so much of romance, because even though there is a little of that, theres only so much. However, I would recommend this book to people who enjoy gore. Because, there was a LOT of that going around. Also, for fans of suspense and … duh, Vampires. This book is shot at an interesting angle. The Sonnen being very delicate vamps who generally knock their prey out with chloroform and then fed from them and didn’t kill them, but instead they sealed the wound on the neck (shoulder more like) up and put them in a pose that looked like they passed out, as to where the Verloren, or what the vampire that turned Emma is, are very aggressive and just tear into the prey.
The quote I chose from the book is actually not just from the book, but also a Clint Eastwood movie. The quote was used a couple of times in the book, so there really is no page number. That, and I already returned the book. Sorry. The quote was “Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?” My favorite part the quote was used was when the Verloren trapped Emily and Sagan in the Solar Observatory. The vampire that turned Emma had Sagan pinned to a table and was killing him. She shouted the quote and he snapped back to reality and pressed a button on the computer that stores the softwear that monitors the sun, which bacsically blinded and hurt the vampires while Emma and Sagan escaped for a while.
My relationship with the book would actually fit right in, because even though I am obviously not a vampire with epilepsy, its so relatable. I believe this because all of the characters have their baggage, even the bad vampires. And I think it shows that no matter who you are, even if you are the biggest low life on the entire planet, you have a reason to do what you do. And we all go through awful times, some of us more than others, but hey, that’s inevitable. With Throat, I was pleasantly surprised. Contrary to popular belief, it started kind of slow and I was tempted to put it back on the shelf, but this book was DEFINITLEY worth it. However, I was shocked at the amounts of blood in the book. It was a little much, but that is just fine with me, considering I’m cool with it.
By: R.A. Nelson
Published~ January 25th 2011
Genre~ Horror/Fantasy
The Setting is a small town that nobody has ever really heard of. He protagonist, Emma, is an outcast teenager with epilepsy, a seizure disorder. She refers o he disease as ‘the curse’ and blames everything on it. Soccer is everything she cares about and the only reason that her doctor lets her play is because it keeps her mind active. Until a popular stuck up girl and her go for the ball at the same time, and Emma’s head smacks into her shoulder, inducing a seizure. When she wakes up, she Is furious at the girl and breaks her nose. Then she is kicked off the team, and takes her mom’s car when no one is looking, because everyone is fighting and trying to decide if Emma will stay on the team or not. She flies off a bridge and lands in a mud pit in the woods and gets out of the car, miraculously not dying. She finds a cabin and an odd man steps out. He has an odd flap of skin just hanging off of his forehead. He is a vampire, he throws her down, and she slaps him, which is a disgrace to his kind and he almost kills her by taking all her blood, but she has a seizure and the process stops, making Emily have all the powers of a vamp, but not the side effects. No sunlight equaling death, no blood cravings, Nothing but the power. The vamp who turned her keeps visiting her and she has to run away before he founds out where she lives and kills her family. Emma meets some unlikely friends along the way. Sagan, who’s parents work at the NASA base Emma hides out at, and three Sonnen, or vampires who believe the sun can cure them if it erupts. (They are the good kind) However, Emma is up against a whole lot. The vamp who turned her, and his posse.
The theme of this piece is I guess that anything is possible if you believe, because Emma faced a bunch of hardships, and sometimes, her epilepsy got in the way of this. But she still manages to work out the kinks in her life and save her family. For example, when Emily was trapped by two vampires, she took out some tools from Home Depot and got to work. When Sagan, her Boyfriend, was taken hostage in the Solar Observatory, she still managed to save his life using one of his favorite movie quotes to get him to fight back. Also, when the Vampire first appeared in her room and she had to get away even though she was in the middle of a seizure.
The book was very interesting and I would definitely recommend it to fans not so much of romance, because even though there is a little of that, theres only so much. However, I would recommend this book to people who enjoy gore. Because, there was a LOT of that going around. Also, for fans of suspense and … duh, Vampires. This book is shot at an interesting angle. The Sonnen being very delicate vamps who generally knock their prey out with chloroform and then fed from them and didn’t kill them, but instead they sealed the wound on the neck (shoulder more like) up and put them in a pose that looked like they passed out, as to where the Verloren, or what the vampire that turned Emma is, are very aggressive and just tear into the prey.
The quote I chose from the book is actually not just from the book, but also a Clint Eastwood movie. The quote was used a couple of times in the book, so there really is no page number. That, and I already returned the book. Sorry. The quote was “Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?” My favorite part the quote was used was when the Verloren trapped Emily and Sagan in the Solar Observatory. The vampire that turned Emma had Sagan pinned to a table and was killing him. She shouted the quote and he snapped back to reality and pressed a button on the computer that stores the softwear that monitors the sun, which bacsically blinded and hurt the vampires while Emma and Sagan escaped for a while.
My relationship with the book would actually fit right in, because even though I am obviously not a vampire with epilepsy, its so relatable. I believe this because all of the characters have their baggage, even the bad vampires. And I think it shows that no matter who you are, even if you are the biggest low life on the entire planet, you have a reason to do what you do. And we all go through awful times, some of us more than others, but hey, that’s inevitable. With Throat, I was pleasantly surprised. Contrary to popular belief, it started kind of slow and I was tempted to put it back on the shelf, but this book was DEFINITLEY worth it. However, I was shocked at the amounts of blood in the book. It was a little much, but that is just fine with me, considering I’m cool with it.
May 16, 2011
One of the perks of being a book reviewer for a website like this is we get access to books, often ahead of schedule. Throat, by R. A. Nelson (released January 25th, 2011) was one of those books, and not one I would have necessarily read on my own. It is called Throat for goodness sakes, which immediately made me think of vampires (and I wasn’t wrong), and the cover is a girl bending her head back. None of this seemed very unique or exciting. But I read the blurb, wanting to give this book a chance, and my interest was immediately swayed. Something that looked typical turned out to be a smart, creative read with unique ideas on an over-done theme.
From the start this book is a little different than most YA urban fantasy with paranormal romance overtones. The main character, Emma, has epilepsy. It is basically ruining her teenage years, making her a social pariah and even killing her chances at driving like every other normal teen her age. One night, in a fit of frustration, she takes the family car and escapes, only to crash, driving the car off the road into the woods. Scared and lost, she wanders to a nearby cabin, where she asks a dark mysterious stranger for help. Of course he isn’t as he seems, and next thing Emma remembers is waking up in the hospital, having no idea of how she got there.
This is where the story really gets interesting. The creeper was a vampire, and she is starting to get his traits... but only some of them. And as she realizes what is happening to her, and discovers that the baddie is still after her, she runs to save her family, ending up on a nearby NASA base, which she uses as her new home while she can figure out exactly what is happening to her and how to stay alive in the process.
This story in some ways is basic in its plot. The protagonist does something stupid that alters her life. And then because of the results of this bad choice, she is basically being hunted, and needs to either run or face her accuser. However, I didn’t feel any of that ordinariness when I was engrossed in the story. This book was incredibly intelligent. Those simple details were flushed out with interesting characters and unique ideas. Written by someone who works at NASA, the scientific details were accurate and really fascinating. Science makes magic more believable, in my humble opinion, and there was also a nice balance of that in the story. A part of me wanted to believe this story, that’s how well the science was infiltrated into the fantasy elements.
I also enjoyed the love interest being a really bright geek with a good heart, and it was a great way for the author to get scientific information across to the reader without blatant telling, which is generally a writing no-no. It was such a nice change of pace from the dark, handsome brooding hottie or the werewolf who has the hots for the protagonist. Sagan was a breath of fresh air, and I really enjoyed the dynamic between him and Emma.
This was a great book. I haven’t read a book in a while that excited me like this one did, and it is one I will surely read again in the future. Don’t let the simple title or stereotypical vampire romance cover throw you; there is a lot of amazing substance between the covers, and it is definitely worth a read!
(review written for lytherus.com)
From the start this book is a little different than most YA urban fantasy with paranormal romance overtones. The main character, Emma, has epilepsy. It is basically ruining her teenage years, making her a social pariah and even killing her chances at driving like every other normal teen her age. One night, in a fit of frustration, she takes the family car and escapes, only to crash, driving the car off the road into the woods. Scared and lost, she wanders to a nearby cabin, where she asks a dark mysterious stranger for help. Of course he isn’t as he seems, and next thing Emma remembers is waking up in the hospital, having no idea of how she got there.
This is where the story really gets interesting. The creeper was a vampire, and she is starting to get his traits... but only some of them. And as she realizes what is happening to her, and discovers that the baddie is still after her, she runs to save her family, ending up on a nearby NASA base, which she uses as her new home while she can figure out exactly what is happening to her and how to stay alive in the process.
This story in some ways is basic in its plot. The protagonist does something stupid that alters her life. And then because of the results of this bad choice, she is basically being hunted, and needs to either run or face her accuser. However, I didn’t feel any of that ordinariness when I was engrossed in the story. This book was incredibly intelligent. Those simple details were flushed out with interesting characters and unique ideas. Written by someone who works at NASA, the scientific details were accurate and really fascinating. Science makes magic more believable, in my humble opinion, and there was also a nice balance of that in the story. A part of me wanted to believe this story, that’s how well the science was infiltrated into the fantasy elements.
I also enjoyed the love interest being a really bright geek with a good heart, and it was a great way for the author to get scientific information across to the reader without blatant telling, which is generally a writing no-no. It was such a nice change of pace from the dark, handsome brooding hottie or the werewolf who has the hots for the protagonist. Sagan was a breath of fresh air, and I really enjoyed the dynamic between him and Emma.
This was a great book. I haven’t read a book in a while that excited me like this one did, and it is one I will surely read again in the future. Don’t let the simple title or stereotypical vampire romance cover throw you; there is a lot of amazing substance between the covers, and it is definitely worth a read!
(review written for lytherus.com)
February 3, 2011
I can not say that I enjoyed this book...I tried, I really did...I mean the cover drew me in from the moment I first saw that this was an upcoming release at the time and I was so siked to read this, but, it really disappointed me...It's definately an original take on the whole vampire lore...I liked that the emphasis was coming from german folklore which was something I had never read before, but, the story just didn't draw me in...I couldn't get an emotional connection to the heroine of the story, matter of fact I wanted to ring her neck from the beginning of the story...I do believe having afflicted with epilepsy was tastefully done by the author, again the first time I personally have read a vampire book where the main character was afflicted with epilepsy...I mean a lot of firsts for me with this particular book, but, all and all I thought it was way too long for the storyline that was being presented the whole bringing it into NASA etc...just wasn't my cup of tea...I don't really even want to go into detail about the plot because I just can't do it I just want to get this book away from me....I do not know if there is meant to be a sequel or not, it probably will be depending on how well this book does, but, me personally, I would have to really think long and hard before picking up another book by this author even if it is a sequel to this book...Just not my cup of tea...But, I'm sure just like we all are different with our personalities, emotions, and feelings, I'm sure there will be people who will love this book...I would say if you're a fast reader not intimidated by a pretty thick book, and love vamps and looking to read a different take on the whole vampire story, maybe this book will be your sac of gold...just didn't work for me:-0
Oh, one more thing....The writing didn't flow for me...When I read it's to relax and chill out this was choppy and got boring...It didn't make me want to flip the pages....It was more like, omg can I please just be done with this book...
Oh, one more thing....The writing didn't flow for me...When I read it's to relax and chill out this was choppy and got boring...It didn't make me want to flip the pages....It was more like, omg can I please just be done with this book...
May 22, 2011
Emma suffers from her "curse"- epilepsy. She has continuously had to struggle with it all her life, and, after an extremely embarrassing soccer game, she escapes in her mother's car, dying to get away from the humiliation. Along the way, her car gets stuck and she encounters Wirtz, the evil vampire.
He drinks from her as she has an epilepsy, therefore she is not wholly transformed into a vampire, nor is she still human. She's half and half, which is extremely rare.
She manages to get away from Wirtz, but he is determined to chase her down and kill her should she resist to join him. Along the way, Emma meets a few vampire friends, and an interesting human named Sagan, whom she falls for.
---
For the first half of the book, it was plain boring. The plot was pretty interesting, but the writing was too detailed and way too slow to follow along. So slow, I even once forgot what the book was about.
For the next half, as the book and plot developed, so did the writing. It tremendously improved, and I was a bit surprised that it did. I have to say, though, that the action was a bit over-done. Like you would think it's over, but it's not. And then think it's over again and again, yet it's not. And that drove me insane.
I would rate this book a 2.5- if I hadn't read the second half, I would've settled for just a 2, but because of the plot change (etc) it automatically bumped up .5 points.
He drinks from her as she has an epilepsy, therefore she is not wholly transformed into a vampire, nor is she still human. She's half and half, which is extremely rare.
She manages to get away from Wirtz, but he is determined to chase her down and kill her should she resist to join him. Along the way, Emma meets a few vampire friends, and an interesting human named Sagan, whom she falls for.
---
For the first half of the book, it was plain boring. The plot was pretty interesting, but the writing was too detailed and way too slow to follow along. So slow, I even once forgot what the book was about.
For the next half, as the book and plot developed, so did the writing. It tremendously improved, and I was a bit surprised that it did. I have to say, though, that the action was a bit over-done. Like you would think it's over, but it's not. And then think it's over again and again, yet it's not. And that drove me insane.
I would rate this book a 2.5- if I hadn't read the second half, I would've settled for just a 2, but because of the plot change (etc) it automatically bumped up .5 points.
November 18, 2012
Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com
Emma's epilepsy has ruined her life on more than one occasion, but she'll never forget the time it saved her from being killed by a vampire named Wirtz. She's grateful to be alive, but she soon learns she'll never be the same.
Emma has the abilities and powers of a vampire, but without the curses of drinking blood and avoiding sunlight. It's a great feeling, until she realizes it's put her in danger. The vampire who bit her isn't about to let her walk free. He's hunting her, and Emma knows it's only a matter of time before he finds her.
Desperate to keep her family safe, Emma runs away. She doesn't count on meeting Sagan and falling in love. When Wirtz catches up with her, she'll have to fight for her life - and for Sagan's, too. But Wirtz is a vampire other vampires fear, and he doesn't fight his battles alone. Emma isn't sure she can win the fight, but it won't be for lack of trying.
Nelson's dark tale of ugly vampires is a refreshing change from the gorgeous vampires found in other novels. I loved Emma from the start. The characters and places are vivid, making it easy for the story to play in full color in my mind. The NASA Space Center setting is a particularly brilliant touch.
I bit into THROAT, enjoyed every gulp of dark mystery, and was sorry to set it aside once I'd drained the story from it.
Emma's epilepsy has ruined her life on more than one occasion, but she'll never forget the time it saved her from being killed by a vampire named Wirtz. She's grateful to be alive, but she soon learns she'll never be the same.
Emma has the abilities and powers of a vampire, but without the curses of drinking blood and avoiding sunlight. It's a great feeling, until she realizes it's put her in danger. The vampire who bit her isn't about to let her walk free. He's hunting her, and Emma knows it's only a matter of time before he finds her.
Desperate to keep her family safe, Emma runs away. She doesn't count on meeting Sagan and falling in love. When Wirtz catches up with her, she'll have to fight for her life - and for Sagan's, too. But Wirtz is a vampire other vampires fear, and he doesn't fight his battles alone. Emma isn't sure she can win the fight, but it won't be for lack of trying.
Nelson's dark tale of ugly vampires is a refreshing change from the gorgeous vampires found in other novels. I loved Emma from the start. The characters and places are vivid, making it easy for the story to play in full color in my mind. The NASA Space Center setting is a particularly brilliant touch.
I bit into THROAT, enjoyed every gulp of dark mystery, and was sorry to set it aside once I'd drained the story from it.
May 25, 2011
A fabulous, kick-ass ride of a story!
Emma suffers a grand mal seizure when she's attacked by centuries old vampire with not even a memory of a soul left in him, and a penchant for making sure when he takes an individual's blood, he takes ALL of it!
The seizure startles him into dropping and leaving the "damaged" girl, not realizing that this girl is still alive and has been transformed by his violent and violating act; transformed enough for her to become someone she no longer knows, and someone who with the help of some unexpected allies will make sure he and his putrid existence rot in hell!
Emma suffers a grand mal seizure when she's attacked by centuries old vampire with not even a memory of a soul left in him, and a penchant for making sure when he takes an individual's blood, he takes ALL of it!
The seizure startles him into dropping and leaving the "damaged" girl, not realizing that this girl is still alive and has been transformed by his violent and violating act; transformed enough for her to become someone she no longer knows, and someone who with the help of some unexpected allies will make sure he and his putrid existence rot in hell!
July 25, 2013
This book was a very interesting book to read. Even though it was yet ANOTHER vampire book, I really enjoyed it. I loved how the author put so much detail into this book to make it so amazing. The main character, Emma, really helped the book come alive. The author wrote out her thoughts about what was happening and how she felt about it and what she would do. I would recommend this book to someone who likes vampire books, but who also likes some action with a little bit of romance mixed in. Over all it was a very good book and I loved reading it. I would love to read another book written by R. A. Nelson.
November 12, 2016
So, I did enjoy it as much as before in some senses, but I did notice a few more plot holes and was slightly more annoyed by Emma this time around. I still do believe that it is an entirely unique spin on vampire mythology and I appreciate that more than ever. In the five years since I first read it, I've still read nothing even remotely resembling it. I found the complete lack of resolution with the Sonnen vamps more glaring in its gaping hole (i.e. utter lack of existence) at/before the book's ending. Disappointing after the big ass chunk of the plot concerning Sonnens versus Verlorens. Well, can't have it all I guess.
February 12, 2019
The cover does not match this story. The cover is all “sexy vampire” and the story is about a nice, soccer-playing teen who is a good big sister and a bit of a loner.
The best part of the story is that the author uses his very cool workplace (NASA!) as a location.
The best part of the story is that the author uses his very cool workplace (NASA!) as a location.
September 23, 2010
Twilight fans are going to LOVE this one!
July 13, 2017
It actually was a really great story.
February 8, 2011
I'm gonna be honest - I finished this book sitting straight up in bed at 2 am, eyes racing down the page, heart pounding, butt-cheeks clenched, shaking fingers flipping pages like mad. R.A.Nelson is a master of suspense and the end of Throat will leave you breathless.
If you're a paranormal junkie, this book is for you. If you're a lover of realism, this book is for you, too. Nelson's main character, Emma, is a real-world gutsy girl dealing with the anxiety of epileptic seizures that isolate her from former friends, the terrifying fear of grisly violence that threatens the life of her sister Manda, and guilt over unwittingly drawing her new-found love, Sagan, into a nightmare that could lead to his death. It's great modern-day magical realism, with everyday events and people interwoven with the dark deeds of the "undead" and horrific attacks by gruesome creatures and hideous monsters - all told in a style that makes the story completely believable.
I love the contrast between the fast-paced, frantic attempts of Emma to build her defenses - physically and emotionally - against a terrifying Verloren vampire, Wirtz, and the touching plight of the Sonen, the "peaceful" vampires, who long for the healing powers of the sun while they engage in the Blood Hunt under cover of night.
Titles are important and this one is perfect. From the book: "'The throat is heilig. Sacred. The most sacred part of the body...the seat of the voice...I could feel your words, your voice, with my fingers as much as I could hear them with my ears. Second, even more than the lips or the mouth, the throat is also the seat of love, passion. There are those who say that the kiss was invented because the throat was too tempting, too dangerous. There is such a natural instinct to taste your lover's skin just here...' She trailed her thin fingers over my neck, making my skin pulse and tingle deliciously. No girl had ever touched me this way. `Are you ready?' she said...She sank her teeth into my neck."
While it is a vampire lover's feast, this book is no Twilight knock-off. The vampire lore of Throat is refreshingly original, with its German influence, historical references, and heart-rending stories. The NASA base setting is unusual and intelligent - full of scientific allusions and vivid descriptions. The characters are beautifully drawn. Emma acts instead of reacting; very much her own person, she doesn't take her cues from others. And I hope we'll see more of the wise and beautiful Lena in a sequel. The credibility of the opening event, the playful development of the two main characters' relationship, and the rich world-building of the opposing vampire camps all work together to drive the plot toward a terrifying conclusion that will leave you wanting more.
If you're a paranormal junkie, this book is for you. If you're a lover of realism, this book is for you, too. Nelson's main character, Emma, is a real-world gutsy girl dealing with the anxiety of epileptic seizures that isolate her from former friends, the terrifying fear of grisly violence that threatens the life of her sister Manda, and guilt over unwittingly drawing her new-found love, Sagan, into a nightmare that could lead to his death. It's great modern-day magical realism, with everyday events and people interwoven with the dark deeds of the "undead" and horrific attacks by gruesome creatures and hideous monsters - all told in a style that makes the story completely believable.
I love the contrast between the fast-paced, frantic attempts of Emma to build her defenses - physically and emotionally - against a terrifying Verloren vampire, Wirtz, and the touching plight of the Sonen, the "peaceful" vampires, who long for the healing powers of the sun while they engage in the Blood Hunt under cover of night.
Titles are important and this one is perfect. From the book: "'The throat is heilig. Sacred. The most sacred part of the body...the seat of the voice...I could feel your words, your voice, with my fingers as much as I could hear them with my ears. Second, even more than the lips or the mouth, the throat is also the seat of love, passion. There are those who say that the kiss was invented because the throat was too tempting, too dangerous. There is such a natural instinct to taste your lover's skin just here...' She trailed her thin fingers over my neck, making my skin pulse and tingle deliciously. No girl had ever touched me this way. `Are you ready?' she said...She sank her teeth into my neck."
While it is a vampire lover's feast, this book is no Twilight knock-off. The vampire lore of Throat is refreshingly original, with its German influence, historical references, and heart-rending stories. The NASA base setting is unusual and intelligent - full of scientific allusions and vivid descriptions. The characters are beautifully drawn. Emma acts instead of reacting; very much her own person, she doesn't take her cues from others. And I hope we'll see more of the wise and beautiful Lena in a sequel. The credibility of the opening event, the playful development of the two main characters' relationship, and the rich world-building of the opposing vampire camps all work together to drive the plot toward a terrifying conclusion that will leave you wanting more.
March 1, 2012
I really liked the idea for this book. A girl with epilepsy is bitten by a vampire. While the vampire is feeding she goes into a "tonic clonic" which messes up the whole process and she becomes half-vampire. Actually, she's more like a third in my book. She doesn't need to drink blood and can go out in the sunlight, but she's super duper sensitive to light and can see in the dark, and she's super strong now and can run like crazy.
The vampire that turned her, Wirtz, is a 'bad' guy and gets pissed when she doesn't heed to his Call. He comes to her in a sort of hologram-ish way. Like, he's there in mind but not in body, understand? And he threatens her little sister. What's the rational thing to do? Flip the crap out and run away with only your pj's and find yourself at a NASA Base.
Emma decides to set up camp at the base for when Wirtz does find her. Because, of course he will! She goes to Home Depot, steals what she can, then to a mall and again steals what she can. Of course at the mall she has to show her new skills with a stand off with the police and makes it out alive. I suppose after the adventure of the day she cannot possibly remember to steal food, so thankfully Sagan shows up.
There are good and bad vampires, but the good vampires reminded me of people that could live on a commune. NO VIOLENCE! I'll just sit back and let you get hurt. Just as long as it doesn't come back to me! Thanks! Hopefully the Sonnen will happen beforehand!
Okay, like I said before, I really liked the idea of this book but I feel kind of as things went astray. Maybe if there had been some kind of altercation between her being bitten and Wirtz threatening her sister then that might have helped things. Or maybe it's just Emma I didn't like. I mean, I didn't mind that she was sarcastic, but all the same, give me a flipping break. 'I can't tell you because it would put you in danger' or "Oh, Sagan, you'd never understand. I WISH I could tell you!' Give me a break.
It's not a slow read per-see (it did take me about 3 weeks to read this, but I do work and go to school so I find that accounted for the slowness), and there's a good amount of action. And I'd tell friends about it if they want to read a vampire book. And the inevitable hook-up between Emma and Sagan was nice, though I have to ask what happened afterwards? It's not like she could pretend to be Stephanie(?) all while they were dating. And Wirtz ended up being one of those prideful vampires that wants to die, but won't do it without a fight which I thought was just plain silly! Thanking her for killing him off! Honestly!
The vampire that turned her, Wirtz, is a 'bad' guy and gets pissed when she doesn't heed to his Call. He comes to her in a sort of hologram-ish way. Like, he's there in mind but not in body, understand? And he threatens her little sister. What's the rational thing to do? Flip the crap out and run away with only your pj's and find yourself at a NASA Base.
Emma decides to set up camp at the base for when Wirtz does find her. Because, of course he will! She goes to Home Depot, steals what she can, then to a mall and again steals what she can. Of course at the mall she has to show her new skills with a stand off with the police and makes it out alive. I suppose after the adventure of the day she cannot possibly remember to steal food, so thankfully Sagan shows up.
There are good and bad vampires, but the good vampires reminded me of people that could live on a commune. NO VIOLENCE! I'll just sit back and let you get hurt. Just as long as it doesn't come back to me! Thanks! Hopefully the Sonnen will happen beforehand!
Okay, like I said before, I really liked the idea of this book but I feel kind of as things went astray. Maybe if there had been some kind of altercation between her being bitten and Wirtz threatening her sister then that might have helped things. Or maybe it's just Emma I didn't like. I mean, I didn't mind that she was sarcastic, but all the same, give me a flipping break. 'I can't tell you because it would put you in danger' or "Oh, Sagan, you'd never understand. I WISH I could tell you!' Give me a break.
It's not a slow read per-see (it did take me about 3 weeks to read this, but I do work and go to school so I find that accounted for the slowness), and there's a good amount of action. And I'd tell friends about it if they want to read a vampire book. And the inevitable hook-up between Emma and Sagan was nice, though I have to ask what happened afterwards? It's not like she could pretend to be Stephanie(?) all while they were dating. And Wirtz ended up being one of those prideful vampires that wants to die, but won't do it without a fight which I thought was just plain silly! Thanking her for killing him off! Honestly!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2014
I picked this book up at my schools library I was in between books and had no idea when I would be going to the library next so I dropped by quickly before my first period.
This book was a new book at our library displayed front and center when you walk into the room.
I grabbed the book without even reading the inside flap.
This book is told through the character Emma. Emma is seventeen and suffers from epilepsy. One night after an attack from her epilepsy she steals her mother's car trying to get a way from everyone. She ends up in the hands of Wirtz a vampire who tries to kill her but fails because she had an attack.
Emma wakes up with out any memory of the night in the hospital. She later finds she has unique abilities no other human should have. Wirtz starts to visit her at night through a link that "creators " and "children" possess and threatens her family resulting in Emma running away from home to protect her family. She ends up at NASA where she meets Sagan a trainee astronomer who helps her survive and eventually falls in love with him
This book I really liked how there was a new and unique twist on the vampire theme. I like how the book also added science themes and the caves was also really cool. One of my favorite things about this book is it doesn't glorify that all vampires are awesome at the beginning. You know human changed by a totally awesome vampire that the reader is suppose to really like.
The book also has two separate groups of vampires those who wish to get rid of the "curse" and those who don't.
Another aspect I love about this book is there is some really great fighting scenes. Lastly I love Sagan! Sagan is such an awesome character. I'll admit it I usually love the male characters more than the girls but Sagan is completely lovable. I like that the love interest is clever and and smart with out being supernatural or a monster hunter/hater like most of the other books out there.
The only things I didn't really love was the cliff hanger ending and that their was so much that felt like it was left out or that there should of been more in certain parts of the story. As far as I know this book is a stand alone but I may be wrong. If it is a stand alone than I am a little bit disappointed in all of the hangers if not than I will probably pick up the next book in the series since I really do like the world R.A. Nelson has created
This book was a new book at our library displayed front and center when you walk into the room.
I grabbed the book without even reading the inside flap.
This book is told through the character Emma. Emma is seventeen and suffers from epilepsy. One night after an attack from her epilepsy she steals her mother's car trying to get a way from everyone. She ends up in the hands of Wirtz a vampire who tries to kill her but fails because she had an attack.
Emma wakes up with out any memory of the night in the hospital. She later finds she has unique abilities no other human should have. Wirtz starts to visit her at night through a link that "creators " and "children" possess and threatens her family resulting in Emma running away from home to protect her family. She ends up at NASA where she meets Sagan a trainee astronomer who helps her survive and eventually falls in love with him
This book I really liked how there was a new and unique twist on the vampire theme. I like how the book also added science themes and the caves was also really cool. One of my favorite things about this book is it doesn't glorify that all vampires are awesome at the beginning. You know human changed by a totally awesome vampire that the reader is suppose to really like.
The book also has two separate groups of vampires those who wish to get rid of the "curse" and those who don't.
Another aspect I love about this book is there is some really great fighting scenes. Lastly I love Sagan! Sagan is such an awesome character. I'll admit it I usually love the male characters more than the girls but Sagan is completely lovable. I like that the love interest is clever and and smart with out being supernatural or a monster hunter/hater like most of the other books out there.
The only things I didn't really love was the cliff hanger ending and that their was so much that felt like it was left out or that there should of been more in certain parts of the story. As far as I know this book is a stand alone but I may be wrong. If it is a stand alone than I am a little bit disappointed in all of the hangers if not than I will probably pick up the next book in the series since I really do like the world R.A. Nelson has created
January 3, 2012
This was an... interesting book. It was just so long. I mean, seriously. It's a 400 page book, and 250 pages of it is her eating with her boyfriend. That got really old, really, really fast. That was basically the only fast part of the entire novel actually. The beginning wasn't half bad (the beginning being up to the point that she starts eating with her boyfriend). The end wasn't terrible either, mostly because the fight scene was pretty cool, and, well, the book was ending.
I wanted to like this book, a lot. I really did. The premise is so interesting, and there was so much potential in the book. But the author just handled it so badly. It's a little like I Am Number Four . The beginning is good, and so is the end. But the middle just sucks ass. It just moved so slowly. I still can't get over it. I ended up hating the main character. I mean, she was just so stupid sometimes. And sometimes she was really smart. And because herfeeder boyfriend liked her, I ended up hating him too.
Honestly, the only guy I liked in the book was the guy trying to kill her, Wirtz. I can't remember, but it was a weird name. Although now that I think about it, he wasn't actually that great. But next to Emma, he was a fucking god. Like I said, this book had a lot of great potential. I mean, there was a great background (all these vampires waiting for the all-healing sun vs. those who don't care). And weird vampire powers (visions, super-jumping). Instead, I got a mouthful of awkward lunch dates and information dumps. And no satisfying conclusion.
Note: Lots of people seem to have issues with the violence in this book. Honestly, it was not that bad. The violence that's in it isn't that graphic. I mean, Anne Rice's novels are more graphic than this, and you'll see worse in a PG-13 movie. Seriously, don't let it put you off. At least it HAS violence, unlike a certain vampire book series that leads up to a huge epic battle of sparkly vampires, only to have nothing happen.
I wanted to like this book, a lot. I really did. The premise is so interesting, and there was so much potential in the book. But the author just handled it so badly. It's a little like I Am Number Four . The beginning is good, and so is the end. But the middle just sucks ass. It just moved so slowly. I still can't get over it. I ended up hating the main character. I mean, she was just so stupid sometimes. And sometimes she was really smart. And because her
Honestly, the only guy I liked in the book was the guy trying to kill her, Wirtz. I can't remember, but it was a weird name. Although now that I think about it, he wasn't actually that great. But next to Emma, he was a fucking god. Like I said, this book had a lot of great potential. I mean, there was a great background (all these vampires waiting for the all-healing sun vs. those who don't care). And weird vampire powers (visions, super-jumping). Instead, I got a mouthful of awkward lunch dates and information dumps. And no satisfying conclusion.
Note: Lots of people seem to have issues with the violence in this book. Honestly, it was not that bad. The violence that's in it isn't that graphic. I mean, Anne Rice's novels are more graphic than this, and you'll see worse in a PG-13 movie. Seriously, don't let it put you off. At least it HAS violence, unlike a certain vampire book series that leads up to a huge epic battle of sparkly vampires, only to have nothing happen.
March 24, 2011
Seventeen-year-old Emma has a curse. Her epilepsy…has cost her friends and derailed her dreams; she can’t even legally drive. The curse is ruining her life—until the night it saves her. Emma wakes up in a hospital, weak from blood loss…she pieces together a brutal attack by a…monster—a vampire named Wirtz. His feeding was cut short by Emma’s grand mal seizure, enabling her to escape, but the curse did more than save her. Now Emma has all the…powers of a vampire, without the need to drink blood or fear the sun.
This is definitely not the standard cute YA vampire book. In this book, the vampire Wirtz is dirty, violent, cruel, and evil. There are no sparkles here. It’s gore at its bloody best. The story is well-written, the characters believable and the world building allows you to accept what is happening. While I can appreciate the story on a technical level, and I do, I was not prepared for the amount of gore and violence in the story. Even though it is well done, it was a bit of a turn-off for me – and I realize that is a personal issue. Those who like horror stories, and this is definitely one, will probably find it tame, but definitely not lame. Written in the first person, we are drawn into Emma’s world and all the issues she is facing, not just with her epilepsy, but with the stalking of a nasty vampire, her first love interest, the need to protect her family, and trying to come to terms with what she’s become.
If you like your vampire stories on the gory side, this is definitely the book for you. If you like them on the sweeter side, you might want to pass on this one, not because it’s a bad book – it’s not – but because it can be nightmare inducing for the gentle of mind. Recommended for fans of horror books.
This is definitely not the standard cute YA vampire book. In this book, the vampire Wirtz is dirty, violent, cruel, and evil. There are no sparkles here. It’s gore at its bloody best. The story is well-written, the characters believable and the world building allows you to accept what is happening. While I can appreciate the story on a technical level, and I do, I was not prepared for the amount of gore and violence in the story. Even though it is well done, it was a bit of a turn-off for me – and I realize that is a personal issue. Those who like horror stories, and this is definitely one, will probably find it tame, but definitely not lame. Written in the first person, we are drawn into Emma’s world and all the issues she is facing, not just with her epilepsy, but with the stalking of a nasty vampire, her first love interest, the need to protect her family, and trying to come to terms with what she’s become.
If you like your vampire stories on the gory side, this is definitely the book for you. If you like them on the sweeter side, you might want to pass on this one, not because it’s a bad book – it’s not – but because it can be nightmare inducing for the gentle of mind. Recommended for fans of horror books.
February 14, 2011
Seventeen-year-old Emma has suffered from epilepsy all of her life. When she is attacked by a vampire, she suffers from a seizure, and the seizure somehow fuses the two together in a way that neither understands. Emma does understand that she is putting her family in danger by drawing the vampire - Wirtz - to them. In a moment of fear and anxiety, she decides to run away from home and ends up finding a place to hide out on the grounds of a NASA base in a nearby town. One night she is so hungry that she decides to break into the NASA facility to try to get something to eat. While attempting to raid the cafeteria, she runs into Sagan, an intern who orders her a pizza and agrees not to turn her in. She begins to develop a relationship with Sagan, but thoughts of Wirtz and their inevitable confrontation are never far from her mind. She knows that Wirtz will find her eventually and with Sagan’s help she prepares to fight for her life.
Throat puts an interesting spin on the gender roles established in the ever popular Twilight series. Emma – the physically gifted half-vampire – must protect her fragile human boyfriend; however, neither Emma nor Sagan nor any of the other characters are particularly believable or compelling. The explanation of how the vampires came to be and how they exist in the human world is unsatisfying. The plot drags at times and even the most action-packed sequences fail to generate much suspense though they are filled with plenty of blood and gore. At more than four hundred pages long, Throat will fail to hold the attention of anyone but the most devoted fans of paranormal romance.
Throat puts an interesting spin on the gender roles established in the ever popular Twilight series. Emma – the physically gifted half-vampire – must protect her fragile human boyfriend; however, neither Emma nor Sagan nor any of the other characters are particularly believable or compelling. The explanation of how the vampires came to be and how they exist in the human world is unsatisfying. The plot drags at times and even the most action-packed sequences fail to generate much suspense though they are filled with plenty of blood and gore. At more than four hundred pages long, Throat will fail to hold the attention of anyone but the most devoted fans of paranormal romance.
March 3, 2011
Emma is a 17 year old girl with a "seizure condition" (as she calls it). One day after having a seizure on the soccer field after being maliciously smacked by one of her teammates, she runs away and is attacked by a vampire: Wirtz. In the middle of his feeding, however, she has another seizure, and when she wakes up a few days later in the hospital, she discovers she has become part vampire. In addition, she has a connection with Wirtz's mind, and she knows he is coming for her, so she runs away again so he won't harm her family.
The beginning of Throat was great, because a lot happened, very quickly. Then the book dragged for a few hundred pages. Yes, Emma did learn some information about vampires, but mostly a large chunk of the book was about her waiting for the vampire that turned her to find her so they could fight to the death. I liked Emma because she is very tough and independent; she is prepared to fight Wirtz to save her little sister. Kudos to Nelson as well for the original take on vampires. There are two types of vampires, the Verloren (evil) and the Sonnen (who believe that a sort of solar eruption will someday save them). Those names are based in German, as are all other vampiric terms in the book. The vampires are not the perfect "Twilight" vampires, who have amazing willpower and get astounding beauty to boot. They are much deeper than that, definitely one of the highlights of the story. Overall, this book should be more of a 3.5 or 3.75 but I can't do partial stars on here and it isn't a 4. It's a quick read if you don't let yourself get bogged down in all the pages of Emma waiting for Wirtz.
The beginning of Throat was great, because a lot happened, very quickly. Then the book dragged for a few hundred pages. Yes, Emma did learn some information about vampires, but mostly a large chunk of the book was about her waiting for the vampire that turned her to find her so they could fight to the death. I liked Emma because she is very tough and independent; she is prepared to fight Wirtz to save her little sister. Kudos to Nelson as well for the original take on vampires. There are two types of vampires, the Verloren (evil) and the Sonnen (who believe that a sort of solar eruption will someday save them). Those names are based in German, as are all other vampiric terms in the book. The vampires are not the perfect "Twilight" vampires, who have amazing willpower and get astounding beauty to boot. They are much deeper than that, definitely one of the highlights of the story. Overall, this book should be more of a 3.5 or 3.75 but I can't do partial stars on here and it isn't a 4. It's a quick read if you don't let yourself get bogged down in all the pages of Emma waiting for Wirtz.
April 22, 2017
So throat is actually a pretty interesting take on vampires. It's about a chick, Emma, who has epilepsy and got pissed at a chick on the soccer field for head butting her right into a seizure, about two days before she hasn't had a seizure in 6 months, long enough for her to get her coveted license. Once she has the seizure she blames it on the chick who hit her and punches her, steals her moms car, and wrecks it. She finds this creepy looking house and well the rest is history. Now this guy who made the change in her, is tormenting her, he tells her he will come after her little sister, so she does the best thing she knows how. She runs away. She doesn't run that far though....really only about 30 miles or so from home...bit weird. There is a lot of German in here and not many translations, somethings don't need translations while some of the others do. I feel it's the authors job to kind of tell us who the other language is saying so readers not fluent know what is being said. This author only did it half the time. Anyways Emma runs away and finds some place to lure her attacker to, not all at once, she has to build her fortress first. She meets a guy, with a pretty cool name, I do dig it, it's Sagan, there's a reason behind this. So it's like a story about vampires that meets astronomy and scify. It's definitely an interesting take. I do wish though that we kind of got a glimpse of what life was like after the end. Overall a decent story, bit too much internal monologuing though but when there aren't many characters that's to be expected.
April 27, 2011
I will admit that this is a strange book that actually got my attention. What got me hooked was the plot. The characters were a little hard to grasp. Some seemed unbelievable while others you can get right away!
Emma is not your normal teenager. She had epilepsy and the things of the world seem far for her. She struggles with finding who she is or where she fits. After having everything she has worked for blown up in her face, Emma runs away crashing the car. But not before a vampire named Wirtz gets to her.
I really enjoyed reading Emma. Her character has gone through so much and for once just wanted to be normal. No doctors, no medications, just a regular teenager. I felt for Emma and the anger that she harbored. She had a lot to deal with. After becoming a vampire, Emma seems to find herself more. She finds strength in not only what she has become but she finds strength in her new relationship with Sagan. Emma draws strength from him in order to do what she has to do. She does her best to protect her family by separating herself from them.
The relationship between Emma and Sagan I loved. They fell into an easy relationship that was not stressed. They brought peace and comfort to each other was nice. I like how Sagan was there for her and helped her out. The setting I did find a bit strange. The whole thing was based on a NASA base plant where Emma was hiding out. Sagan worked there. There was lots of talk of aliens and astronomy.
Overall, it was a good, fun, read!
Emma is not your normal teenager. She had epilepsy and the things of the world seem far for her. She struggles with finding who she is or where she fits. After having everything she has worked for blown up in her face, Emma runs away crashing the car. But not before a vampire named Wirtz gets to her.
I really enjoyed reading Emma. Her character has gone through so much and for once just wanted to be normal. No doctors, no medications, just a regular teenager. I felt for Emma and the anger that she harbored. She had a lot to deal with. After becoming a vampire, Emma seems to find herself more. She finds strength in not only what she has become but she finds strength in her new relationship with Sagan. Emma draws strength from him in order to do what she has to do. She does her best to protect her family by separating herself from them.
The relationship between Emma and Sagan I loved. They fell into an easy relationship that was not stressed. They brought peace and comfort to each other was nice. I like how Sagan was there for her and helped her out. The setting I did find a bit strange. The whole thing was based on a NASA base plant where Emma was hiding out. Sagan worked there. There was lots of talk of aliens and astronomy.
Overall, it was a good, fun, read!
September 14, 2014
A fictional Mystery Novel that draws you in with its beautiful yet scarey cover. A beautiful blond girl hangs upside down while exposing her throat to an unknown mystical creature.
17 year old Emma seems like your average teenage girl...but one strange thing about her, shes thinks shes cursed. Emma sufferers from epilepsy,because of her condition she doesnt have a normal teen life. What she doesnt know that her epilepsy is nothing compared to what she must face after a supernatural creature changes her life forever.
After a strange encounter with a tall dark creature emmas epilepsy saved her life, but did it? As she starts to notice changes in her body things started to get a lot weirder around her house, to keep her family safe emma disappears into the NASA space center miles away from her home town. Being stalked by her creator Emma searches for a way to defeat him while also learning the ins and outs of her new life.
I love this book, it caught my attention and intrigued my sense of adventure and mystery, but with its length and somewhat drawn out storyline i would say it is more of an adult read. Teens may get confused as they try to keep up with the book as it jumps from the past to the present multiple times. It may become a little confusing to some it you dont pay enough attention to details. Those readers who do connect and stick with it could find themselves intrigued and craving for more.
17 year old Emma seems like your average teenage girl...but one strange thing about her, shes thinks shes cursed. Emma sufferers from epilepsy,because of her condition she doesnt have a normal teen life. What she doesnt know that her epilepsy is nothing compared to what she must face after a supernatural creature changes her life forever.
After a strange encounter with a tall dark creature emmas epilepsy saved her life, but did it? As she starts to notice changes in her body things started to get a lot weirder around her house, to keep her family safe emma disappears into the NASA space center miles away from her home town. Being stalked by her creator Emma searches for a way to defeat him while also learning the ins and outs of her new life.
I love this book, it caught my attention and intrigued my sense of adventure and mystery, but with its length and somewhat drawn out storyline i would say it is more of an adult read. Teens may get confused as they try to keep up with the book as it jumps from the past to the present multiple times. It may become a little confusing to some it you dont pay enough attention to details. Those readers who do connect and stick with it could find themselves intrigued and craving for more.
December 30, 2010
Throat is a strangely inventive storyline that captured my attention immediately. The idea of a young girl with epilepsy that is attacked by a vampire was very original and interesting. It was quite a journey to explore that world for this young girl after having discovered a she carries vampiristic characteristics while still human. More interesting was the actual account of her trying to medically find an explanation for her symptoms. In most stories this is avoided at all costs. It was nice to see the reality of this young girl having to process the evidence of being something other than human. This was a good read that I found intriguing, but it was a mild struggle. This story is just over 500 pages, but it was a lot of information that may not have been exactly essential for the story. With the extent of detail and structure this story was border lined overload. I felt that this story was lacking the ability to grab the reader and glide you through the rest of the story. This was mostly due to the abundance of information provided. It was not a quick story or even a exhilarating story that would allow readers to over look the length. Overall, Throat was still entertaining and exciting to read.
March 3, 2011
Yet again, another vampire novel with good vampires and bad vampires. Emma plays soccer, has a bad temper, and suffers from epilepsy. After a soccer game during which she lost her temper, injured another player, and would probably be kicked out of the league, Emma takes her mother's car and wrecks her car near a river. She was then attacked by a brutal vampire but does not fully remember the attack when she regained consciousness...until he appears to her and threatens her family. She begings to notice having unnatural strength, speed, and an eye sensitivity to light, so she decides to leave to protect her sister and mother from the vampire who turned her and whatever she was becoming. She decided to set up camp on the NASA compound near Huntsville, Alabama and begins to collect materials for protection. She does not develop a thirst for blood and thinks maybe an epileptic seizure may have interferred with her being fully turned. A college intern discovers her on base and helps her to ready for the fight against her sworn enemy, but will their precautions be enough to win again someone so brutal and determined to discover her secret to being able to resist his call? Recommended for grades 7+; this will surely please those who are vampire thrill seekers.
March 21, 2018
This book was really quite enjoyable. And I would have given it 4 stars had it not been for the last 50 pages or so.
After the Twilight hype I think a lot of people got a little weary of the vampire theme. This is definitely a new spin. With a new backstory/mythology that was quite refreshing.
It was also great to see a chronic illness turned into a superpower. It was a nice touch and it really made sense in the story.
I enjoyed the relationship in this book and the other new people Emma encountered too, but there was something a little too convenient about both of them.
The other thing that bothered me was the build-up of the "sonneneruption" that led pretty much nowhere.
Anyway, there were parts of this book that I sped through and massively enjoyed. I was very much looking forward to finishing this book, but the ending wasn't really my cup of tea. All the action and gore became a bit of a blur -though there was still a clever action scene at the very end-, and it just didn't leave me feeling very satisfied.
However, I would not not recommend this book. If the themes appeal to you, go for it. It's a nice read. Not the best, but not a waste of time either.
After the Twilight hype I think a lot of people got a little weary of the vampire theme. This is definitely a new spin. With a new backstory/mythology that was quite refreshing.
It was also great to see a chronic illness turned into a superpower. It was a nice touch and it really made sense in the story.
I enjoyed the relationship in this book and the other new people Emma encountered too, but there was something a little too convenient about both of them.
The other thing that bothered me was the build-up of the "sonneneruption" that led pretty much nowhere.
Anyway, there were parts of this book that I sped through and massively enjoyed. I was very much looking forward to finishing this book, but the ending wasn't really my cup of tea. All the action and gore became a bit of a blur -though there was still a clever action scene at the very end-, and it just didn't leave me feeling very satisfied.
However, I would not not recommend this book. If the themes appeal to you, go for it. It's a nice read. Not the best, but not a waste of time either.
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