Voice of the Blood [Mass Market Paperback]

Jemiah Jefferson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2001

The ordinary life of a grad student was so boring for Ariane. Sshe was desperate for some change, some excitement to shake things up. She had no idea she waso nly one step away from a whole new world -- a world of darkness and decay, of eternal life and eternal death. But once she fell prey to Ricari she would learn more about this world that she ever dreamed possible. More than anyone should dare to know...if they value their soul.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A fierce, disturbing and downright exciting vampire novel." - Statesman Journal

"Voice of the Blood is racy and gritty. It delivers all the bittersweet irony and tragedy requiste of modern Gothic horror." - Christine Filipak, Dark Realms

"If you let Voice of the Blood get under your skin, you'll be hooked." - Horror World

"Comparisons to  Anne Rice are inevitable, but Jefferson's writing is simultaneously tougher and more elegant." - Willamette Week

"Jemiah Jefferson has carved out her own vampire niche with grisly, character-driven novels." - Rue Morgue

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Jemiah Jefferson works in the editorial department at Dark Horse Comics, Inc.

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Leisure Books (February 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0843948302
• ISBN-13: 978-0843948301
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,373,733 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in Denver, Colorado, Jemiah Jefferson started writing fiction at the age of twelve, always with the goal of writing the material she wants to see but that doesn't yet exist. She has also written fiction, essays, and criticism for the local weekly newspapers Willamette Week and Just Out, the magazines PLAZM and 2Grlz Quarterly, and the culture blog Popshifter. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Relationships and the Drinking of Blood, October 17, 2001

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Voice of the Blood (Mass Market Paperback)

The blurb on the back of this book was clearly written by someone who wished to entice the reader, but who lacked time to actually read the book. As a result a very interesting and unusual approach to vampire fiction is hidden underneath some very vapid commentary. So if you have looked at the marketing for this little volume and decided it is yet another piece of dumb vampire fiction take my advice and go back and look again.

Graduate student Ariane Dempsey and her boyfriend John Thurbis are living a typical academic intellectual life. The only cloud on the horizon is that John is about to leave for England as a guest lecturer at Cambridge. They are having the usual difficulties of a couple facing a long separation when suddenly Ariane is catapulted into an unexpected nightmare. On returning to her lab one night she surprises a 'creature' in the middle of devouring her lab rats. In a flash it turns on her, and, in the most unusual fashion possible, fulfills its needs with her blood.

Ariane awakens in the hospital, recovers, and life goes on. As John readies to leave Ariane receives a letter of apology and an invitation to visit her intruder. When John flies to England Ariane has her first meeting with Ricari, the most ethereal of vampires. Hei is a complete ascetic, drinking only enough blood to survive, celibate, a devout catholic, and, currently, deeply desiring to end his two hundred years of life. Ariane agrees to help him if only he will share his story with her. But Ricari's end winds up being infinitely postponed as Ariane and he gradually come to love each other. But it is a doomed relationship. Ricari refuses to turn Ariane and continues to be driven by his own death wish. Finally, in a fit of anger, he injures her so badly that he sends to another vampire, Daniel, to get her out of his life.

Daniel repairs Ariane's injuries and introduces her to a lifestyle that is bizarre, even for Los Angeles. Living in earthquake damaged buildings; Daniel and a crowd of ragamuffin humans who are his followers carry out a lifestyle that is as erotically charged as Ricari's life was ascetic. There, Ariane meets Lovely, Chloe, Mimsy, and many other eccentric characters that have fled their own lives to pursue existence with a vampire. Ariane and Daniel become lovers caught in a dance that will inevitable lead through cycles of lust, death, and rebirth.

The novel has several levels, the vampire tale, the quest for transformation, and moments that are poetic in a post-modern sense. But the strongest theme is that of a sexuality which is both raw and rude. This is a modern gothic romance, and the players refer to their parts by name and function, and do some very unusual things with them. If you are easily shocked this may put you off of the story, so be warned. There is still a remarkable femininity to the sexuality, which should come as no surprise, since the story is written and told by a woman. For the most part I found the approach refreshing and imaginative. A far cry, however, from the lush sensuality of Anne Rice and Laurell Hamilton.

The book has much to recommend it, apart from the note that it is not for children. I do not know if Jemiah Jefferson will continue to experiment with the horror genre or if she will head off to more experiment zones. But I can recommend this book, and suggest you keep your eye out for her further efforts.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A flawed novel of vampires in the modern world, August 2, 2002

By 

Harmonyfb (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Voice of the Blood (Mass Market Paperback)

The cover looked good. Really. And the first chapter was promising. The initial horrific scene was also nice. It was all downhill from there.

The inital premise seemed refreshing - a vampire who was religious, and who was unhappy with himself and his existance. However, the protagonist was so inconsistently written that it made me want to scream. She was a brilliant scientist and researcher....who used drugs on a regular basis? She was strong enough to make a mark for herself in the world of science, enough of her own woman to refuse to leave her university and travel with her fiancee to support his fellowship, but she rolls over and submits to not one, but two total strangers?

Add to this the fact that there is not a single likeable character in the bunch (even Ricari, who at first seems concerned about the deaths he has caused is, in fact, only concerned with the disposition of his own soul.

Technically, the writing is good. I did, in fact, finish the novel, though the characters left me with a bad taste in my mouth. All in all, a flawed work.

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wickedly Amazing!!!, April 12, 2001

By 

M. H. (Weed, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Voice of the Blood (Mass Market Paperback)

I have always been a fan of anything to do with vampires. One day I was just looking around and stumbled upon this book. I bought it, then began reading it the next day. After the 1st chapter I was a little skeptical about continuing the book because something happened that I just wasn't expecting. But I'm glad I did continue reading. It turned out to be a book that I couldn't put down... it was absolutely amazing!!! The characters are totally wonderful. The vampire Daniel was my favorite. You kind of wish he were a REAL person. I thought that this book was written extremely well, and the details were so vivid. You got pulled into this world of love, lust, violence, sex, drugs, and friendship. I hope Jemiah Jefferson continues writing books like this. I think there needs to be a sequal to "Voice of the Blood" *hint hint Jemiah*!!! If you get the chance, pick this book up... because I guarantee you will not be able to put it down. And once it's over, you'll wish you would've read it slowly!