Review: Blood Born by Linda Howard and Linda Jones

May 30th, 2010 | 2.5 Stars, ARC, G-I, Guest Reviews, J-L, Magic Users, Mystery, Paranormal, Suspense/Thriller, United States of America, Vampire

by Marcia, guest reviewer

A war is looming and life, as humans know it, is at stake. Vampires have been living hidden among humans for centuries, but now a group of them want to rebel against the ruling Council and come out in the open. Life is difficult for vampires. Most feel frustrated at having to hide in the shadows when their food (humans) lives openly. The digital age has complicated things, forcing them to acquire identification and move around constantly.

Luca Amrus is at first unaware of the plans for rebellion. He works as an executioner for the Council. He is unique in the fact that he was born a vampire and as a result has unique powers and abilities. He is old and very powerful. He is able to live among humans easily because no one can remember him, not even most vampires, and can move around freely. He receives an urgent call from a friend of his, Hector, who serves as head of the Council, with a premonition that war and death are coming. Hector sounds not just concerned, but frantic. Luca flies from Scotland to Washington, DC, where the Council lives and works, only to find that Hector has been murdered. Since the Council’s headquarters is very secure and Hector was very powerful, only a traitor on the Council could have arranged for Hector’s murder. Luca sets out to avenge Hector and in so doing discovers a plot that dates by several years.

There are immortal warriors who live in a different plain of existence, but watch over humans and keep them safe from evil. In order for the warriors to come to aid of humanity, they must be invited. In this scientific age, no one believes in immortal warriors or vampires. The warriors must try and make contact with their human decedents, called conduits, and convince them to ask for help. In the meantime, the rebel vampires are tracking down the conduits and killing them in an effort to keep the warriors from entering this world. They have also captured a young witch and her family, holding them hostage until the witch can learn how to lift the spell that keeps vampires from entering someone’s home without being invited.

In an effort to find the rebels responsible for Hector’s murder, Luca befriends and protects Chloe Fallen, a conduit. Their relationship blossoms into romance while they move from place to place hiding from the rebels.

Blood Born is not without it’s flaws. The plot moves slowly with the first third of the book taken up with introducing all the paranormal characters and explaining their powers and limitations. There is a disjointed feeling to the story with a number of characters being introduced and then either dying immediately or serving no real purpose. The flashes of humor are the most entertaining highlights of the story, but they are few and far between, illustrating the missed opportunities to develop a more ironic approach to the interaction between humans and vampires. The action does increase toward the conclusion that also serves as a prologue to the following book, Warrior Rising.

Readers of the vampire genre may find Blood Born too tame and mundane for their tastes, but romance readers who are looking for something a little different may find it entertaining.

Rating: 2.5 Stars

Buy: Blood Born