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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Mildly Infectious...Easy, Entertaining, & Fun!, February 14, 2004
I was thoroughly happy when I came across this title while randomly searching for horror reading on the Phoenix Public Library website...all copies were checked out, so I was compelled to put a copy on hold...and I was rewarded on Friday with a copy to read. I just finished it today (SATURDAY...yes, one day later). For those who don't know me...let me be the VERY first to admit I LOVE vampire novels...all kinds of vampire novels (and movies, and TV series, and short stories, and so one and so on...). I love the good ones, the bad ones (it's like sex and pizza for me...even the bad ones are still pretty good)...the mediocre ones, the heavy ones, the fluffy ones...he, he...well, I guess you get my drift here!
The premise, that vampirism is a VIRUS, invading the human body and transforming it, is certainly NOT new...its been seen in countless other novels, movies, ect...(both good and bad, well explained and completely implausible...it's been around the block a few times)...but it IS a plausible explanation for Vampirism (if you want to entertain the idea that it COULD...or does, depending on how you look at the world...actually have happened at some point in human history...or in the future...he, he). So it makes for an easily "suspension of reality" mode in my book...especially given the increasing voracity and occurrence of new viruses popping up these days.
Starting with the premise that vampirism is a the result of a viral infection which transforms humans INTO something simultaneously human (they can walk about and function in full day light, they eat and drink, they enjoy many of the other pleasures of human existence -- sex, alcohol) and decidedly inhuman...driven to consume human blood and in certain transformations become insane monsters who are uncontrollably violent in nature (the premise in this book is that most vampires are GOOD, or even benevolent, yet elusive members of society).
Romkey certainly does a wonderful job of weaving all of these diverse elements into an interesting plot which is easy to read and defiantly enjoyable...but still not the best I've ever read! It IS engaging....easy to read...I'd say it was a bit on the fluffy side...no real depth to the characters and no startling plot twists...it's not overly predictable...but it's also not overly had to figure out the "ending" well before the end of the book...
Some of the "flaws" for me include:
Dr. Bailey...it's NEVER explained WHY two strikingly handsome, very old vampires find her so irresistible...sure she's beautiful...but to have two vampires (men who've been around long enough to see a plethora of beautiful women) almost immediately, fall madly in love with her...is disconcerting...I would have liked to have "known her better," making it easier to make this leap. The author does not develop this character very well and it's hard to have sympathy or truly worry about her well being as the story develops because we simply never get to know her beyond a superficial level. The same is true for most of the characters in the book.
Father Xavier is introduced as a lonely, "fallen" priest who apparently had an affair in Mexico City and has been exiled to this desolate little town, where the natives apparently have NO use for him whatsoever. The point of this character is mainly to carry the story line along (there are other plot devices that could have better servied Romkey here) and perhaps provide a point for "moral outrage" where we might fail to find it and to serve as a counter point for some mild development of Lazaro's "history near the end of the book...his departure was abrupt and I felt this cloud have been developed and used in a slightly different manner and served the story line MUCH better, if the author had taken some additional time to do so.
Ludwig/Samas/Beethoven...and the illuminati...PLEASE...this was ridiculous beyond reason...a group of benevolent vampires -- age old and apparently VERY talented as well...(a vampire support group as one reviewer called it)...who's purpose and function are never fully explained -- but I have NOT read I, Vampire or the other two books in that series...so this may be why I find this disconcerting...still even if I had, Beethoven coming to South America to "fix" this little problem...seems a bit far fetched to me...and I usually have not trouble with "suspension of belief."
The old man...the priest visits an old man living on the mountain regularly...but we only get a very brief glimpse of him and his purpose ?????? there doesn't appear to be one...why even have this character????
Having said all this...I still enjoyed the book...a much nicer way to spend a Friday evening/Saturday morning than watching re-runs on TV and cartoons with my kids...don't get me wrong...I love an episode of Scooby, but this was an entertaining light read!!
I particularly enjoyed the archeological/scientific elements (this could have been a really long and equally enjoyable book if the author had developed these story elements more) and the introduction of animals as carriers/infectors of the virus...very nice element, I thought!
So...if you need a good, quick, light read...I highly recommend this book... if your looking to become engrossed in another era or "life..." it's not going to happen with this book!! Enjoy it for what it is...entertaining fluff!! I think this qualifies as a book version of a "B" movie (and I love those too)!!!
I give it a "B" also...entertaining and easy to read...but not a lot of substance and certainly not to be counted among the WORST vampire stories I've ever read!!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A fun, if not original Vampire tale, June 12, 2003
This is an entertaining book, but not entirely original. Several of the ideas have been put forward in other vampire books or film before. I know that the idea of vampirism being a disease process has been used before, I know that some of the modern day vampires walk around in the day light, several authors have suggested that famous historical people have really been vampires, and I know lots of the more modern vampires are "good" people.
Mr. Romkey takes all these ideas and weaves them into a reasonably entertaining read. The premise is that an archeologist dies in Costa Rica while investigating ancient Indian ruins. It turns out that these are really owned by a vampire. When the archeologist turns up dead, Dr. Bailey of the Centers for Disease Control goes down to see if there is a possible new "killer" virus involved. Dr. Bailey becomes involved with two ancient vampires, both with very interesting previous lives. One, a former conquistador, and the second a vampire named Ludwig, also a famous man from the past.
Although the story is a fair read, it has flaws. Ludwig is part of the Illuminati. This is supposedly a group of old world vampires who sound like a vampire support group, but they are never really explained. I notice that Mr. Romkey has written other vampire books and perhaps they are explained in more detail in another book. There do seem to be some characters thrown in that have no real purpose. There's an old man that the priest calls on that is never explained. The former affair of the priest does explain why he's there in the middle of nowhere but doesn't really add much to the story.
It short, although not extremely original, it's a light entertaining read.
My star ratings:
One star - couldn't finish the book
Two stars - read the book, but did a lot of skipping or scanning. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection or search out other books by the author
Three stars - enjoyable read. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection. Would judge other books by the author individually.
Four stars - Liked the book. Would keep the book or would look for others by the same author.
Five start - One of my all time favorites. Will get a copy in hardback to keep and will actively search out others by the same author.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The plot thickens., August 8, 1999
By A Customer
I have read all of the romkey vampire books. I was hooked from the first to the last. Though you should really start from the begining of these books, you can enjoy each one by itself. As with any series of books, don't expect to understand what is going on without starting from the begining. Now if you are expecting a "vampire" book that goes by the rules of Hollywood, then perhaps you might find the latenight movies more suitable. Romkey does an excelent job making you believe that their might really be vampires out there. After reading the series, you might start to wonder yourself.
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