The Fixer: A Lawson Vampire Novel 1 (The Lawson Vampire Series) [Kindle Edition]

Jon F. Merz (Author)

Book Description

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Lawson, an elite Fixer faces his oldest enemy Cosgrove, in Boston to resurrect an ancient vampire god. Aided by the mysterious Talya, Lawson has one chance to stop Cosgrove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

Meet Lawson: vampire by birth, Fixer by trade. His mission: preserve the secret existence of vampires by any means necessary. There's just one problem - his oldest enemy Cosgrove is back, killing humans and threatening to unleash an ancient unholy evil. Can Lawson stop Cosgrove and still adhere to the very laws he protects by not falling in love with a beautiful human assassin named Talya?

LAWSON.

A cynical, wise-cracking vampire charged with protecting the Balance - the secret existence of a race of LIVING vampires that have evolved alongside humanity for thousands of years.

A FIXER.

Part-spy, and part-commando -- James Bond with fangs. Lawson mixes shrewd cunning with unmatched lethality to get his job done. He tries his best to dismantle conspiracies, dispatch bad guys, and live long enough to get home.

COSGROVE.

The name's enough to make Lawson go ballistic. The last time they tangled, Cosgrove butchered fifty people. Now he's back in Boston and the Council wants him dead. But Cosgrove has other plans.

TALYA.

An ex-KGB assassin with secrets of her own, and skills to match Lawson, she wants revenge and doesn't care who knows it.

THE SARGOTH.

An ancient legend. A whispered myth. And if Cosgrove has his way...an inevitable reality.

This is the first book in the Lawson Vampire series, originally published back in 2002. This book also contains an excerpt from THE INVOKER (A Lawson Vampire Novel #2) and runs approximately 81,000 words. The author's website is http://www.jonfmerz.net

Praise for Jon F. Merz:

"Lawson is more like Jason Bourne than Dracula, making this a vampire mystery with broad appeal." --Booklist

"A powerful novel by a man who knows the turf already." -NYT Bestselling author Robert. B. Parker

"Jon F. Merz's novels move at a break-neck pace, twisting through a landscape of thrills and terror." -- Douglas Clegg, author of The Infinite and The Priest of Blood

"...a fine stalking session in vampire-noir land...a series and talented writer I'll be sticking with all the way." -- Mort Castle, author of The Strangers and On Writing Horror

Praise for Jon F. Merz's THE KENSEI (A Lawson vampire Novel #5):

"If James Bond, True Blood and Kill Bill created a mutant hybrid of a book, it would be The Kensei. A bullet train slice 'em, dice 'em mixture of action, suspense, and vampire ninjas. Did I mention vampire ninjas?"--Jason Pinter, bestselling author of The Fury and The Darkness

"The Kensei is an action novel with real bite. Vampires, Yakuza killers, crooks and animal-monster hyrbids. Jon F. Merz brings his A-game and then ratchets it up to a whole new level of supernatural action. Highly recommended!" --Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of The Dragon Factory and Patient Zero

"In The Kensei, Jon F. Merz seamlessly welds gritty detail with myth and legend to create a thrill ride into the shadow-world lurking beneath modern Japan. Lawson's fight against evil has bone-crunching authenticity. Plus, it has vampires, ninjas, and vampire ninjas. What more could anyone ask?"--Christopher Farnsworth, author or Blood Oath

About The Author:

Jon F. Merz is a writer with over a dozen published novels, a producer for New Ronin Entertainment and a trained black belt ninja. He has taught defensive tactics to civilian crime watch groups, police, military units, and agencies like the US Department of State, the Department of Justice, and the Bureau of Prisons. In his past, Jon served with the United States Air Force, worked for the US government, and handled executive protection for Fortune 500 clients. He lives with his wife and two sons in suburban Boston.

(This version uploaded 11 August 2011)

Product Details

• File Size: 457 KB
• Print Length: 269 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004KSQVBA
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,189 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A unique and powerful hero. With fangs February 26, 2011

By Edward G. Talbot - Thriller author

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I picked up The Fixer for my kindle after author Jon Merz talked about the Lawson books on Twitter. I haven't read anything by him before, but after this I will be reading more. An excellent, fast-paced thriller.

I'm not specifically into vampires, but in the past year I have read several books with distinctive takes on the vampire legend. This is one of them. In this case, the vampire stuff is a constant backdrop, but it's really more of a hard-edged crime novel than anything else. Merz' dialogue is what shines the most - the back and forth is a mixture of one-liners and more extensive dialogue that are perfectly done and keep the pace frantic.

The writing is good beyond the dialogue as well, and he keeps a good balance between the thrilling part of the book and the Romantic tension between Lawson and the female lead. I suspect vampiricism is the reason he pulls it off. The plot is interesting as well, with a few twists as the book goes along.

If I had to name a complaint, it would be that the time spent on backstory - both for Lawson in particular and for vampires in general - slowed the book down. He needed to tell us most of it, but I did occasionally feel the urge to look forward when we switched from action to something about the vampire council. That is a minor concern at best - I would not have given the book four stars if I didn't like it a lot and feel comfortable recommending it to anyone who likes vampire stories that aren't heavy on gore, or likes action/crime stories and doesn't mind the vampire twist.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent beginning March 7, 2011

By Radella

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a story with the works- a KGB trained assassin, an arch nemesis hell-bent on resurrecting ancient evil in a bid for total world domination, love, betrayal, and a healthy dose of fighting. And did I mention vampires?
Lawson is a vampire, and his job as a fixer is all about preserving the balance between human and vampire. Of course, the vampires don't want the humans to know about their existence. So when the psychotic Cosgrove shows up in Boston, Lawson tries to take him out. Things go sideways, as these things are wont to do, with all the betrayal and ancient evil a reader could possibly want.
I found that Merz's writing style was not only highly descriptive, but also very readable. The way some things were described were just too clever; I didn't want to put this book down. Lawson is an interesting character- he's been around the block, but he's not fearless- and that's part of what makes this story work. Cosgrove makes a truly worthy nemesis, not a watered down villain, with all the crazy you could possibly cram into a character. The plot, while not unique, was handled in such a way as to keep the pages turning, just to find out what happens next.
An excellent start to the series!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic urban fantasy February 27, 2011

By Tammi Rapp

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Lawson reminds me very much of a cross between James Bond and Dresden, and Merz does a very good job of making three dimensional characters that you can (pardon the pun) really sink your teeth into. These are neither your sparkly vampires nor are they the dracula. The vampire society he's envisioned is an interesting look at how such beings could possibly have evolved alongside humans.

This book contains a great mix of action, adventure, gallows humor, forbidden romance, character and world history. Though there is sex, it's not the primary focus of the book, either.

If you're a reader who doesn't like the use of swear words, gore, or paranormal romance, skip this book. But I think fans of the Dresden files and similar urban fantasies will really enjoy Lawson.

More About the Author

My name is Jon F. Merz. I'm an entertainer. I give people an escape from their daily lives - whether it's for an hour, a few minutes, or days at a stretch.

Within the worlds that I've created over the course of more than two dozen novels, novellas, and countless short stories, you'll find yourself whisked away to places that defy the conventional, straddle the realms that we cannot always see, and highlight the violent struggles of good versus evil. When you choose to lose yourself in the stories that I write, you're buying a ticket on a nonstop thrill ride that lasts as long as you keep reading and then lingers for a long time afterward - or at least until you pick up my next book.

It's my job to deliver fun, thrills, excitement, suspense, and the kind of characters you always wanted to meet but never knew how. It's a job I love and one I take very seriously.

Because I love giving people an escape so much, I'm also producing my own television series with the help of one of my best friends, Jaime Hassett. Together, we've assembled a fantastic team of actors and crew and we'll be filming the first of many TV/film properties in the Fall of 2011. THE FIXER is our first project, based on my hardboiled supernatural espionage Lawson series. You'll definitely want to check that out. The official website is here: http://thefixer.tv

I also post news & info for writers under the hashtag #wintel out on Twitter.

THE LAWSON VAMPIRE SERIES

Let's face it: there are a LOT of vampire series out there. But none of them are like Lawson. My vampires aren't undead; they're a living race that has evolved in secret alongside humanity for generations. Lawson works as a Fixer - it's his job to keep the existence of his race a secret and he does this by eliminating anything or anyone that threatens to expose that secret. He's cynical, jaded, sarcastic, and conflicted. He's also extremely lethal. I happen to think you'll like him. A LOT. The series is always expanding, but for now, here are the adventures to-date: (blue covers are novels, green covers are novellas, and red covers are short stories)

OTHER NOVELS

Here are just a few of the other things I've written. Not shown here are the eleven installments I wrote in the international bestselling series ROGUE ANGEL for Harlequin/Gold Eagle. If you buy a Rogue Angel novel, check the copyright page and if says "Thanks to Jon F. Merz for his/her contribution to this work," it means I wrote the whole thing.

MY FANS

I'm a big ol' fan-o-phile. I love my readers - without you I wouldn't have a career and I make sure I talk to as many of you as I can. I'm not some recluse who spends all his time at the keyboard living in anonymity. I want to hear from you. I want to talk to you. I love answering questions. So below, you'll find a list of places that I hang out. Check me out there and say hello.

http://www.twitter.com/jonfmerz
http://www.facebook.com/jonfmerzfans
http://www.youtube.com/jonfmerz
http://gplus.to/jonfmerz

MY LIFE

In my past, I served with the US Air Force, did some government work, private sector protection stuff, and generally lived through some harrowing encounters. These days, I'm excited to be able to do what I love. I have a wonderful wife and two amazing sons. I'm also a lifelong martial artist with over 27 years of training in various styles including 20 years in my current style Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu/Ninjutsu. I'm fortunate to have one of the best teachers around - Mr. Mark Davis of the Boston Martial Arts Center and his instruction has saved my life numerous times.

That's about it in a nutshell. Make sure you sign up for my FREE newsletter at http://www.jonfmerz.net and I hope you have a great time reading my work. Don't forget to stay in touch!