"Ancient Blood" by Brian Patrick McKinley! *Review*

*Originally published on August 5th, 2013.

Materials & images provided by Goodreads.com; review owned by Desert Rose Reviews.

Just in time for Halloween, a wonderful book for this time of year!!  This week's #ThrowbackThursdayReview :

Ancient Blood: A Novel of the Hegemony 
(The Order Saga, Vol. 1)

~Published: September 22nd, 2012

~Publisher: Mystical Press

~Length: 294 Pages

~Genres: Adult Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy, Thriller

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Avery Doyle loves vampires; he's read every novel, seen all the movies, and researched the folklore. When his first one-night-stand, Caroline, turns out to be a true vampire on the run, he jumps at the chance to leave his ordinary life and join her as a "child of the night." The honeymoon ends, however, when Caroline's brutal Creator Sebastian enslaves them on his island estate and Avery must confront the dehumanizing reality behind his dreams. In order to survive, Caroline and Avery take their place as servants in Sebastian's household during a gathering of the most powerful vampires on Earth, the Hegemony, and soon find themselves involved in the myriad schemes, plots, and revenges that form the night-to-night existence of The Order. A society of wealth, power, and inhuman decadence whose existence is protected by human complicity and disbelief, The Order is the immortal aristocracy hidden behind the giant corporations and political leaders of the world. Sebastian, however, has a plan that will change The Order forever and shatter human civilization. A fast-paced thriller that both re-imagines and pays tribute to the traditional vampire, Ancient Blood is a story of love, ambition, sacrifice, and betrayal that is frighteningly human.

I've wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember. I was that kid who wrote up little stories to show his parents and grandparents. School newspapers? Joined up with them at every school I attended, desperate to see my stories in print. I was also an avid amateur actor, though, and the twin passions of storytelling and performing have played a big role in my life and the stories I write today. At times, I went back and forth between wanting to be a novelist or a movie star, but eventually I came to the realization that I was a better wordsmith than thespian. My desire to perform has never abandoned me, however, and part of what I think makes my stories good is my attention to the characters. I write about characters who get involved in events as opposed to plot scenarios that happen to feature characters. To me, it's an important distinction. I write about characters that I would love to portray, rich characters with strong inner lives and goals.

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Honestly, when I read the description of this book on Goodreads, it seemed pretty straight forward. I wasn't expecting a book that would scare the socks off me. I wasn't expecting a book that would make me feel like I've stepped into an alternate reality. I wasn't expecting some serious depth and detail. Boy, was I wrong.

The plot in this book is really interesting. Fast paced and full of surprises, it captures not only the best kind of thrilling mystery, but also suspenseful action and vampire secrets. Full of vivid descriptions of characters and events, this book is a true look into the dark world of the vampire Order. With a secret in every shadow and corner, where no one is who they seem, no one is safe.

All the characters are very easy to imagine, especially for any vampire fan. Every quintessential stereotypical vampire seems to be present, all the way down to personality differences. The hierarchy of the Order and the system they're all working in show fascinating sides to each character, bringing a true sense of realism to a story most would like to hope is just a dark fantasy.

Written in a personal manuscript form, from Avery's point-of-view, made reading this book truly fascinating. The depth and detail in this book are incredible, and it's obvious that a lot of effort and research went into this story. The author did a fantastic job at making the situation realistic, and bringing Avery to life.

My overall thoughts on this book are mixed- many of the areas disturbed me to read, however they are perfect for the story, and oddly realistic. In the end, I have to say it's a really good book, and a great story, but not for the fainthearted. Certainly not a book for someone looking for a shallow vampire story. Perfect for anyone wanting a deep look into the world of vampires, and the reality that lies there. I rated it four roses simply because of my own issues with some of the areas (I'm almost a bit too fainthearted for this book! Haha). I would certainly recommend this book though- it was a good read, kept me at the edge of my seat and seriously hoping for a good ending!

*I was given an eCopy of this book, from the author, to read in exchange for an honest review.

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