Customer Reviews

Fire in the Blood (Vampire Files, No. 5)

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Book Review by C. Douglas Baker

FIRE IN THE BLOOD is somewhat disappointing. For those who have read the previous four books in the series, it will get quite boring. Jack is such a clumsy and sometimes stupid guy, he can't seem to keep his head from getting smashed in over and over again, despite his super human strengths and abilities.

The book does introduce us to Jack struggling with the morality of being a vampire and his need to feed on blood. Elrod begins to explore this inner struggle as Jack loses controls of his actions. But the novel leaves the resolution of these problems to future books. If Elrod can get out of the rut of writing repetitive plots that read just like the last book, and further explore Jack's struggles as a vampire, good things will happen.

(And since I've now read every single one, I can tell you indeed, this does happen.)

Unlike the other reviewer, *sheesh what a vicious writeup* I never thought Elrods books were that bad. Fleming isn't her best series, her other is actualy better, but that doesn't mean that this one isn't somewhat entertaining. I partly like it because I found some of it's triteness to be funny, and I like it better than some books because of it's 'vampire theory' where you don't nessisarily become a vampire just because you were bitten. So if you're looking for an easy read and a desent laugh, this book is ok. Otherwise, I'd say L.K. Hamilton. She's pretty good.

I find this review not in agreement with the others on this page. Yes, this book isn't a 'must read' but I still think it's an excellent story with interesting characters, a plot and learning more about Jack and his vampiric nature.

The first page in this book is great fun as we meet Jack apparently stripping Olivia Vandemore's evening gown from her and about to sacrifice her on an altar to Sabajajji, the Spider God. Fortunately this is just part of the novel he is writing rather than reality - although reality for Jack Fleming, Vampire PI, is often as bloodthirsty as this novel.

Jack and Charles Escott, Private Agent, are summoned to see Mr Sebastian Pierce, a rich retired Chicago man who tasks them to find a valuable bracelet that his daughter's boyfriend or a friend of his may have stolen. Jack finds himself shadowing the daughter to Bobbi's club and soon enough they stumble into murder and mayhem. A new member of the Chicago Underground, Vaughn Kyler, comes into play in this book and he's a particularly creepy individual who is resistant to Jack's vampire hypnosis. This book also sees the darker side of Jack having an outing after an episode of hypnotising goes rather wrong. Once again Jack finds himself in dodgy situations and only escapes by the skin of his teeth - is this ability going to pall any time soon?

The ending of this book is rather open and in fact leads directly into the next story, "Blood on the Water", although fortunately this episode does reach some sort of a conclusion. However Jack's rather more off balance in this book because of the darker side of his powers and we are learning more about him through it. Another great episode in this excellent series - a series that it probably pays to read in order.

This book defies description, it so bad. The dialogue is trite, the characters shallow, and the writing amateur. Sorry, Elrod, maybe you should go back to your day job. I'm ashamed I have bought all of Elrod's book on the advice of another author at Uncommon Con in Dallas/Fort Worth last year. I'm beginning to think she was in cahoots with Elrod to sell books for each other.