9.05.2014

Fantastic Speculative Fiction - This is Worth Reading: Blood Family by Mark Knight

Can't decide what to read next? Untethered Realms is sharing what we loved reading the first Friday of every month.


Blood Family: Quest for the Vampire Key


Blurb

Book 1 of The Rites of Daniel Dark

Daniel Dark lives a random life - hanging out with his friends, enjoying alone time with his girlfriend, and working on cars. Having a strict Pastor for a dad doesn't make things easy, either. Especially when you suspect that he is hiding a secret from you.

A mysterious messenger brings Daniel shocking news about his origins. His true father is an unspeakably evil vampire - the master of all vampires, Dominus. As Daniel's own fearsome half-vampire powers begin to emerge, he sets out on a desperate journey across America, Mexico, and finally to the mist-shrouded moors of England. Daniel searches for his birth mother, imprisoned  by Dominus somewhere within the impenetrable Silverwood Manor.

Hiding his dhampir identity, Daniel teams up with Logan DuPris, daughter of England's most famous vampire hunter. As they unravel the clues that lead Daniel to his missing mother, they squabble, fight... and soon ignite intense passion for each other. 

To make things worse, Daniel is hunted by his adoptive father, Pastor Nathan Dark - now determined to destroy the boy he once called son.

My review

Before Blood Family, I'd not considered myself a fan of vampire fiction. In fact, I avoided such books. All that changed when I read Mark Knight's original and unique take on the vampire genre. The detailed world, fully realised characters, and different spin on what it means to be a vampire managed to sink its teeth into me and I'm now a convert. In fact, I've been left hungry for more.

Of extra significance for me was the setting. Part of the story takes place in a location close to my heart - Dartmoor, England. Knight had clearly done his homework, and it was a joy to see places I knew brought to life on the page.

Blood Family's characters - in particular the powerful shaman Xochil - and plot kept me hooked until the very end. There are not many stories that will leave me desperate to return to them, but this was one of them. I'm eagerly awaiting the next instalment.


You can find Blood Family on Amazon here.

9 comments:

  1. Thanks for the review, Ellie! Love the cover for the book and it sounds unique!

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  2. Ooo, it sounds delicious. I'll have to add it to my Nook.

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  3. I'm not a vampire reader either, but this sounds really good. And I always luurve an English setting.

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  4. Drat you. There are very few genres I won't/don't read and you have just put more temptation in my way.

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  5. Sounds fantastic! That cover is awesome.

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  6. This sounds like a very intriguing book and an understatement in the term "dysfunctional family".

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  7. I enjoy a well-written vampire story. This one sounds great and the cover is awesome. Thinking about hitting the button. I have so many books in my kindle. Urgh!

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  8. Great review! I'm a huge fan of vampire fiction, so this looks like something I should probably check out...

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