Those of My Blood [Hardcover]

Jacqueline Lichtenberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1988

Integrating vampire love and page-turning suspense by an award-winning science fiction author, this story of fantasy and romance will appeal to genre fans of all kinds. Finding the remains of an alien spaceship complete with humanoid corpses, scientists begin to work on sending a message to the stars, in hope of contacting the newly discovered civilization. The scientists, however, are unaware that the aliens they are attempting to contact already walk among them. Stranded on Earth generations ago, the vampire-like Luren have split into two sects: the Residents, who consider themselves part of human society, and the Tourists, who prey upon humans as they wait to return to their home planet. Fearing that Luren civilization will enslave humanity upon the receipt of the message, astronomer and Luren Resident Titus Shiddehara works furiously to sabotage the scientists' contact attempts.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-- This title refers to a new race of vampires, the luren, who are aliens living on Earth for hundreds of years after an accident strands them. During those years they have developed into two groups: "Residents" who consider Earth their home as well as that of the native human race, and "Tourists" who view humans as little more than a food source. When an alien space ship crashes on the moon, Titus Siddeharra, one of the "Residents," joins the exploration team to the crash site. His mission: to discover the unknown "Tourist" agent and block efforts to send a beacon to the homeworld which would call others of their blood to Earth to feed. Imaginative, involving writing will keep fans of Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's "Saint Germain" vampire character (Timescape Bks.) and Ann Rice's vampires (Knopf), up all night reading. The surprise ending adds an intriguing perspective to the adaptations of both "Tourists" and "Residents" that is satisfyingly complex.
- Annette DeMeritt, Houston Public Library, Tex.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Sent to explore an alien spacecraft which has crashed on the moon, scientist Titus Shiddehara has a secret mission: Prevent the Earth from making contact with the vehicle's home planet, for it is from his ancestral world, and his race are vampires. The author of the "Dushau" trilogy and the "Sime-Gen" series ably integrates vampire lore with sf intrigue in a novel which should have broad appeal. JC
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 402 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; 1st edition (December 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312022980
• ISBN-13: 978-0312022983
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,230,183 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a professional sf/f writer, and a Life Member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. (sfwa.org) I'm also a member of EPIC, The Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition, and Backlist eBooks, a group of widely published writers presenting their own previously published work in eBook format.

My first novel, House of Zeor, first of the Sime~Gen novels, was published in hc in 1974 and remained continually in print for 20 years.

Today the series has been picked up by Wildside Press, Borgo imprint, re-issued as both e-book in a wide variety of formats including Kindle, and as Print on Demand. In addition brand new, never before published novels are included, and all are presented numbered in publication order.

Like Star Trek fandom, Sime~Gen fandom has produced more fanfiction than ever was professionally published -- and RPG's and LARPS and board games, and hand-crafts, and art, and poetry - and even a professionally written and recorded song.

My works in other universes are likewise coming in new formats, and brand new novels will be added through Wildside Press.

Watch for audiobook versions via audible.com which will appear here on Amazon. The first of my novels to be recorded as an audiobook is Molt Brother, which has a direct sequel City of a Million Legends. Both those are newly available as e-books on Kindle and other formats, as well as in paper.

A vampire-romance, Those of My Blood and its sequel Dreamspy are available in paper again, at regular not collector's prices, right here on Amazon.

After selling several Sime~Gen novels to hardcover, I was joined by Jean Lorrah (author of many Trek novels, as well as her own series of fantasy novels, Savage Empire). Jean's first novel was our Sime~Gen collaboration titled First Channel. We are now co-owners of Sime~Gen Inc. which owns simegen.com

I'm the originator of the term Intimate Adventure, quoted in Publisher's Weekly. All my novels belong to the Intimate Adventure genre, as do those of Jean Lorrah.

I am the sf/f book reviewer for The Monthly Aspectarian and my column is archived on simegen.com/reviews/. There you'll find a link to an article showing the Star Trek Connection behind everything to do with Sime~Gen and simegen.com.

The first two columns have an in-depth definition of Intimate Adventure with examples by many authors across many fields. Intimate Adventure is the Hidden Genre -- everyone loves it, nobody (especially publishers) knows it exists.

You'll find links to all my online projects on my personal page, simegen.com/jl/ or select information about currently available novels on jacquelinelichtenberg.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Review, February 13, 2004

By 

Alisa McCune (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Those of My Blood (Paperback)

Vampires on the moon? This premise provides a unique backdrop for Jacqueline Lichtenberg's Those of My Blood.

Dr. Titus Shiddehara is a human/vampire hybrid alien from the planet Luren. Titus, an astronomer has been sent to Project Station on the moon the stop his nemesis and vamphyric father, Dr. Abbot Nandoha from contacting the home world of Luren.

Titus is a resident - a Luren who does not drink blood from the human source. Instead, he drinks a cloned, dried blood mixed with heated water. Abbot, on the other hand, is a Tourist. He feels justified in not only drinking blood from humans, but also in their domination. To Abbot, humans are just like cattle - or orl. If Abbot succeeds in sending his message to Luren, humanity will be doomed.

Abbot and Titus, as vampires have incredible telepathic powers. They are able to bend others to their will and create believable illusions. Using these skills, Abbot does everything he can to try contact Luren. Titus is forced to struggle to thwart Abbot and stay alive. This power struggle, set against a conflicted Earth, creates a refreshing and fascinating world with unexpected twists and turns. Those of My Blood will keep you guessing until the end.

Jacqueline Lichtenberg is the author of the Sime Gen series and many other sci-fi novels. Lichtenberg's Dreamspy is also set on the same world as Those of My Blood. Currently Meisha Merlin Publishing and BenBella Books are reprinting many of Lichtenberg's books. More information can be found on the author's website http://www.simegen.com/

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect sf novel, October 10, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Those of My Blood (Paperback)

When an alien ship crashed on the moon, Project Hail formed. Astronomer Dr. Titus Shiddehara leads the moon investigation, in which many believe that they can contact the home planet. However, alien life form has existed on planet earth for centuries as the Luren, better known as vampires, reside among the humans. The Luren are split between the Residents who believe that humans are equals, deserving respect and dignity, and the Tourists who feel the species should be hunted as food and game. Both Luren factions deem the moon crash were members of their race.

Titus, a Resident, wants to insure no contact occurs with the native planet of the crashed victims for fear of what an arrival will do to the humans. The Tourists want to invite their "relatives" to a gala feast. On the project Titus meets the human he loved, Inea Cellura when he was Darrell Raaj. He explains to her that Darrell died in the car crash, but due to his vampiric sire, Darrell was reborn as Titus. Also on the moon side is Abbott the Tourist who sired Titus. The question remains who to trust in what could prove to be a pivotal moment for the sentient beings of planet earth.

THOSE OF MY BLOOD is an exhilarating tale that focuses on two competing parties (not the democrats and the republicans) struggling for supremacy since outlawing human kill in 1850. The story line and the cast provide a plausible supposition that vampires live among us. The moon crash accelerates the conflict giving the strong story line a critical moment (pivotal point) that will impact the future. Fans of supernatural science fiction will immensely treasure Jacqueline Lichtenberg's fabulous tale.

Harriet Klausner

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Return of a classic, December 3, 2003

By 

Patricia Altner "PVN" (Patricia's Vampire Notes) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Those of My Blood (Paperback)

I am so happy to find that this classic has been reprinted. It is a wonderful combination of vampire story and science fiction. The vampires call themselves Luren, and hail from another part of the galaxy. Hundreds of years before they were stranded on Earth, but all that may be about to change. Contact with their home world may soon be possible after all.