A Taint in the Blood: A Novel of the Shadowspawn [Hardcover]

S. M. Stirling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 4, 2010 | Series: Novel of the Shadowspawn (Book 1)

View our feature on S.M. Stirling’s A Taint in the Blood.

First in the new Shadowspan series from the New York Times bestselling "master of speculative fiction" (Library Journal).

Eons ago, Homo Lupens ruled the earth. Possessing extraordinary powers, they were the source of all of the myths and legends of the uncanny. And though their numbers have been greatly reduced, they exist still- though not as purebreds.

Adrian Breze is one such being. Wealthy and reclusive, he is more Shadowspawn than human. But he rebelled against his own kind, choosing to live as an ordinary man. Now, to save humanity, he must battle the dark forces of the world-including those in his own blood...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Stirling (The Sword of the Lady) launches a new series with a messy and unappetizing mix of well-worn monster tropes and excessive sexual violence. The ancient, powerful, and sociopathic Shadowspawn have always lived among (and interbred with) humans. When Adrian Brézé, the one Shadowspawn capable of resisting his violent urges, discovers that his ex, Ellen, has been kidnapped by his evil twin sister, Adrienne, he begins a war against his own kind. Adrienne repeatedly rapes Ellen, who endures using psychological techniques she developed during childhood abuse, as she prepares her own political machinations. Stirling hits just about every cliché, from the grizzled vampire hunter and mentor to Adrienne's pathologically devoted servants (who call themselves lucies and renfields). Stirling's prose is competent, but there's nothing new in his story, and few readers will have the stomach for the over-the-top sadism. (May)
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From Booklist

With this book, Stirling starts a new series about the presence of werewolves, or Shadowspawn, among humans. Homo lupens is an ancient race possessing dark power. Vague memories of the time when they ruled the planet are the source of many myths and legends of evil monsters. They still exist, though reduced in numbers and power. Adrian, a reclusive Shadowspawn male, has chosen to live as a human, fighting his dark nature. But his sister, ruled by her desire to return the Shadowspawn to power and by her hatred for her brother, abducts Adrian's human lover. To save her and possibly all humans, Adrian must fight with all his powers. The plot is archetypical, and Stirling's werewolves are vicious enough to cause a good many fictional vampires to think twice before taking them on. Action predominates, characterization is competently done but not outstanding, and the dialogue is at times implausible. A strong sexual element makes warming to the yarn definitely a matter of taste. --Frieda Murray

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Roc Hardcover; 1St Edition edition (May 4, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451463412
• ISBN-13: 978-0451463418
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #635,001 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a writer by trade, born in France but Canadian by origin and American by naturalization, living in New Mexico at present. My hobbies are mostly related to the craft -- I love history, anthropology and archaeology, and am interested in the sciences. The martial arts are my main physical hobby.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Homo sapiens nocturnus, May 6, 2010

By 

Robert Rhodes (Arkansas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Taint in the Blood: A Novel of the Shadowspawn (Hardcover)

S M Sterling's great strength is the the depth of his world building. Here the premise is the existence of a human sub-species with special abilities. This sub-species was dominant until the genes disappeared into the general population with occasional sports appearing as monsters or tyrants. Then a couple of centuries ago a secret society started to breed back to the sub-species which has become the the secret masters of the world. Their abilities are great but balanced by an inability to play well with others of their kind, poor emotional control and nasty tempers. The theme of the series of which this is the first book is the vampires' plan to thin the human heard either by a plague or even more brutal EMP attack. The plot of this book is the seizure of the girlfriend of a anti-vampire vampire by his twin sister and struggle to recover her. Along the way there are lots of neat weapons, kinky sex, food and shopping porn.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing take on vampires., May 21, 2010

By 

R. Pelcak (Derry, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Taint in the Blood: A Novel of the Shadowspawn (Hardcover)

I found this book to be a refreshing new take on the vampire novel.

The "Publisher's Weekly" writeup complains that
"Stirling hits just about every cliché, from the
grizzled vampire hunter and mentor
to Adrienne's pathologically devoted servants...".
The book includes these elements, but Mr. Stirling's approach to these
cliches is decidedly un-cliched.
None of it seems forced, and the plot lines seem very much
character- rather than plot-driven.

As his career has progressed, Stirling has gotten better and
better at writing *people*; this book does not disappoint in that
regard. There are no "why would someone do THAT?" moments that
seem typical of genre novels.

One of the real strengths of the book (and of Mr. Stirling's work
generally) is the depth to which the world and the bases for
the Shadowspawn's talents have been thought through.
This differentiates "Taint in the Blood" very strongly from
books like Laurell Hamilton's, where vampires just *are*, with the
world otherwise pretty much unchanged from the one we live in.

I think Mr. Stirling had fun writing this book;
I certainly had fun reading it, and look forward to the sequels.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Hated the Sexual Sadism, October 2, 2010

By 

Susan Medlin - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Taint in the Blood: A Novel of the Shadowspawn (Hardcover)

I own most of his books, and am a great fan of The Change series. However, I hated this book. The hero's girlfriend is kidnapped in the first 3 pages, then repeatedly raped and tortured for the remainder of the book. The graphic descriptions were unnecessary, and the whole book left me feeling slimy. What happened to S.M. Stirling? Please turn this series around, and focus on plot and character development. Leave the sadistic porn for lessor writers.