Saint Sanguinus

Posted: Monday, November 21, 2011 by Travis Cody in
11

Saint Sanguinus is the first book in a new vampire trilogy, written by my blog pal Julia Phillips Smith.  Pam and I read it together this weekend.  We only put it down twice, and it was a struggle to leave it both times.

The first time was Saturday night so we could go to sleep.  The second time was Sunday afternoon to watch Pam's Seahawks play the Rams.  As soon as the game was over, we put Sunday Night Football on mute and finished the book.

It's a captivating story of...well, I don't think I'll tell you.  I think instead that I'll encourage you to read it for yourselves.  If you have an eReader, you can download the book from Amazon and Smashwords for $2.99.  

I'll say this also...Julia has crafted a believable mythology for her vampires.  They are dark and ravenous; monsters more in the tradition of the vampire as deadly dangerous and blood thirsty.  But it's not a horror story.  It's a dark romantic adventure with appeal to men and women. 

Trust me...Pam and I both liked it.

Pick this one up.  The characters stand up off the page to tell their stories.  Julia has a writing style that is comfortable.  She invites you into the story and keeps you there.  She understands how to build the story to a climax that closes this first chapter and sets up the next.

All together an outstanding debut.

11 comments:

  1. A great review for this one. I'll check it out.

  1. Akelamalu says:

    Great review for Julia's book Trav. :)

  1. Ivanhoe says:

    Now I have to go get it :) Hope I won't have night mares! Have a great Monday, Trav!

  1. WOW.

    Thanks for the great review!! ((hugs)) to you both for reading it out loud - wish I could have been a fly on the wall to hear some of the dialogue.

  1. This is not usually my favorite genre but your review makes me want to read it. Congrats to Julia!

  1. P.S. And knowing Julia and her writing style, it has to be that good.

  1. Love that you both read it out loud. What a way to become the characters.

  1. Wow... out loud and all

    Congrats to Julia. Will have to go and look this one up

  1. Cherie says:

    Well, I prefer my vampires to be vampires and not sparkly-glowy vegetarians. But despite you say it's not horror, I'd be afraid it might be too scarey. I get nightmares easily. ;)

  1. Linda says:

    It almost makes me wish I had an eReader but I'm hopeful I'll be able to read Julia's novel even without one.

    Great review, Travis!