Customer Reviews

ReVamped (Void City, Book 2)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book picks up right where Staked lefted off. Eric had been blown up, his car gone, his business destroyed, best friend dead, ex-girlfriend with someone else, the woman he loved for so long betrayed him, and his current lover was up to something... Yet, he was resiliant. He got his body back, considered opening a bowling alley in place of the club, and sought out a demon named J'iliol'lth in hopes to retrieve Marilyn's soul. I actually liked Eric more in this book than the previous one. I felt his fustration. In truth, I think, I would be a prick most of the time too, if I put up with half the crap he did. While he would deny it, I think he was a good guy underneath it all...even under the monster. It was apparent that he was loyal to those he cared about. But, the guy just wanted to be left alone. Yet, people seemed to always betray him or were always after him for one thing or another. Not to mention, Rachel who manipulated him with her tantric magic and cinnamon scent. I really didn't like her.

Like its predecessor, this book also had Tabitha's perspective. I was disappointed in her character, although I should have expected it. I didn't like that she pretty much whored herself to the vamps of high society. She seemed fickled, whiny, and didn't seem to have a clue half the time. But, I confess, I loved the showdown she had with Rachel. It was the first time, she showed some actual spirit and potential.

I thought the plot to be a bit confusing. Between the vampiric ascensions, the historical background on Eric's family, the curse, and the multitude of people who were manipulating events, I found it hard to keep track of what was going on. That being said, once I figured it all out, I was intrigued. I think, it will be interesting to learn more about the origins of Eric's powers in the next installment.

Overall, this series is an acquired taste. Like its predecessor, J.F. Lewis stepped out of normal and traditional vampire sterotypes and created a world that was not only raw and gritty, but filled with dark and sleazy humor. Revamped had bite.

Plot Summary: Even being vaporized by a blessed bomb isn't enough to keep Eric, an Emperor vampire, down. Regaining his body turns out to be tricky, but once he's got his feet on the ground, Eric finds that his problems didn't end with the explosion. The soul of his longtime love, Marilyn, is in the hands of a demon, who wants to trade it to Eric for a service. His ex-girlfriend, Tabitha, is shacking up with the richest, most powerful vampire in Void City. And Eric's current girlfriend and thrall, Rachel, seems to be controlling his thoughts and moods with her cinnamon scent.

Suh-weet. Finally, my long dry-spell of so-so reads is over. It's been a bad week over here, and "ReVamped" successfully banished my book blues. I've been very eager to read the next installment in the Void City series ever since I encountered "Staked" a few weeks ago, and J. F. Lewis stomps the petal to the metal once again (in a vintage Mustang, of course).

If anything, I'm even more in love with Eric and his old-fashioned, macho-man antics this time around. Eric's specialty is caring for a precious few, and telling the rest of the world to go *bleep* themselves. Don't get me wrong, it's an absolute mistake to think of him as a `good guy,' and as Eric explains at one point, he makes Charles Manson look like a Sunday school bible teacher. But, he's like the proverbial hooker with a heart of gold, and I can't help loving this murderous [...].

The next character who has earned my allegiance is Tabitha, and I didn't even like her at the beginning of "Staked." That girl has come a long way, and I'm rooting for her now. I've said it before, I hate it when writers create empty bubble-head characters, and the only way it can be justified is when a tremendous amount of growth will occur.

I suppose my only less-than-loving-it observation would be that I didn't find "ReVamped" nearly as funny as "Staked." Given all the character development and action, I didn't miss it too much, but still, I'm hoping Lewis can deliver even more graveyard humor in his next installment. And I've got to ask... Why is there a woman on the cover? This story is about Eric, through and through... I'd like to see him get top billing for once.

"ReVamped" was released in March 09, so Void City book three probably won't be on the horizon until next year. Such a bummer.

What's the story?
It's about Eric, a very powerful vampire who just wants to be left alone but is constantly getting dragged into one situation after another. He's brutally honest, coarse,impulsive,and doesn't give a crap about anyone; but he's loyal and protective of his friends and family and will kick the [...] of anyone stupid enough to mess with him and his small circle.

Why is ReVamped interesting?
Like Stake, the first Void City novel, it's a new point of view in a growing genre (urban fanstasy). Some things are familiar: vampire - thrall - sex. But Void City is an interesting place and there are so many great characters courtesy of J. F. Lewis. It's fast-paced, hilarious, and has a main character that both male and female readers can relate to.


I was hooked with Staked, extremely satisfied with ReVamped, and excited about what's going to happen in the third. I hope this isn't going to be a trilogy, but rather a series that gets better each year. I'd recommend this to fans of Jim Butcher and Rob Thurman. The hero is rough around the edges but solid as a rock!

A vampire car, two main characters-one is a bit of a jerk, the other is a bit clueless, demons, and magic stones. That doesn't sound like a book I would enjoy. It actually sounds a bit ludicrous. In reality it was f'in awesome! This book picks up right where the last one left off-Eric has been blown apart, Marilyn is dead, and Tabitha broke up with Eric since he is sleeping with her dead? sister. The cast of characters in this series is unforgettable. Sure Eric discards his lovers when they become dead, and can't help himself to tempting cinnamon smelling humans, but that doesn't make him less likable. Tabitha may get mad over tiny things and be a bit clueless, but she is a newly made vampire, and she does have strength. Even the treacherous Roger and Rachel are interesting. The plot is a bit confusing at times with relation to the Courtney curse and vampire ascendancy but it's not too bad. This is definitely a fast paced and fun book. Revamped doesn't have the slow pace with the quick ending that made the last one mediocre. Also, the things I didn't like about the characters in the first book seem to make them unique and different in this installment. I'm glad I decided to read this, and if you liked the first at all, then definitely check this out.

J.F. Lewis is a newly published author, I really enjoyed and was completely lost in the first book "Staked" so naturally I purchased "Revamped" and was not dissappointed at all. It was very hard to put the book down in order to do anything else. I loved every page and may reread it again soon. J.F. Lewis' next book; as soon as preorder is available will be in my cart without a question.

I enjoyed Staked, so was looking forward to this release. The authors second in this series was actually better. I felt Staked has some real misogynistic undertones, but this time around he took the time to develop his female characters.
At first the story seems erratic, like there is too much going on at once. But towards the middle all of the story lines come together quite nicely. Would have given 5 stars, but the end was rushed.

In Void City, vampire Eric Courtney struggles with his new existence. A few days ago his business partner at the Demon Heart Strip Club Roger blew up the place with Eric in it (see STAKED). Now Eric is a ghost, which makes taking a bite of blood a bit difficult.

His former fiancée Marilyn begins to fill in the details of his last living undead days in Void City, but before she can explain how he was betrayed, J'iliol'lth the demon takes her soul. Eric cuts a deal with J'iliol'lth. In exchange for him finding the Stone of Aeternemthe that raises the dead, the demon will grant him immortality and give him Marilyn's soul. All that seems simple enough, but he finds the hardest thing to accept is his Mustang has become a vampire and worse he must enter Vampire High Society with his almost girlfriend Tabitha if he is to complete his end of the Faustian deal.

Much more in your face (make that neck) humor than the biting jocularity of Eric's first tale, REVAMPED is an entertaining bloody vampire thriller with the spin of the hero becoming a ghostly blood sucker. The story line is fast-paced as Eric is the Murphy of the supernatural world in J.F. Lewis' fine urban fantasy in which he learns that even being an undead dead does not prove any safer.

Harriet Klausner

I enjoyed this book very much. The story picks up exactly were Staked left off. Eric, Marilyn and his strip club have been blown up by Roger. They both spend a bit of time wandering the Demon Heart reminiscing, until Marilyn's time approaches for her to move on. Unfortunately, her afterlife may not be as serine and quiet as one would hope. The background information is revealed on how Roger tortured Marilyn for more than 40 years. I totally loved the parts with Fang The Stang aka Eric's sidekick Zombie Mustang (no exaggeration, the car actually eats people). When Eric finally gets his body reformed, he crosses paths with a demon named J'iliol'lth. This is where the story heats up and moves quickly. He's force to strike a deal with the demon in order to save a loved one and also to be able to achieve true immortality. We also find out what Rachel is, what she's been up to and who she works for; when Tabitha and Rachel cross paths again it is not pretty! Void City may be short one strip club but not to fret it's gaining a vampire bowling alley! There was quite a bit of twisted-humor, which I enjoyed very much. I can't wait for the next installment which should follow Eric in old gay-pari, where he is on the quest to find his sire. I recommend this book to Urban Fantasy readers and look forward to the next book in the series.

I also recommend:
The Outlaw Demon Wails (The Hollows, Book 6)
Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane)
At Grave's End (Night Huntress, Book 3)
Nightwalker (Dark Days, Book 1)
Happy Hour of the Damned

If you like vamp fiction, this is a must read. After a disappointing first book, this sequel actually develops the shallow one-dimensional protagonists. Erik is now a flawed anti-hero who accepts the monster he's become instead of only being a rude jerk who kills werewolves that piss him off. Tabitha is still mostly useless, but her role is minimized and we understand how she fell for Erik and family situation. Rachel is promoted from 'girl toy' to 'smart person with own agenda.'

We find out tons of details involving vamp powers, society, thrall-dom, wizards, demons, and mousers. It's presented in a captivating, irreverent way. The sex is toned down and not a major focus like in the first book. Revamped is Erik's journey back from vaporized by a blessed bomb, and how he ventures into vamp high society to find how he can save his first love's soul.

This guy writes very well, he's one of the few vastly entertaining vampire writers. It has a Dresden-esq feel, but more like if Dresden didn't worry so much about right and wrong.

I love these books and I'm waiting eagerly for the next one. If you've run out of good Fantasy pick these up, you won't be dissapointed.