Bloodborne

Author: Gregg Luke

Publisher: Covenant

Published Date: August 2011

Softcover; 325 pages

Genre: Mystery-Suspense

ISBN# 978-1-60861-366-3

Reviewed by: Shanda, Sheila & Mindy

FTC FYI: LDSWBR received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review

Shanda’s Review

Bloodborne has everything that makes a suspense novel great. The threat is terrifyingly believable. The protagonists are imperfect and relatable. Close calls and unknown elements keep the reader turning pages. There is the black and white of right and wrong along with plenty of gray in between.

While the story is told mainly from Erin and Sean’s viewpoints, the reader experiences a significant amount through the villains’ points-of-view as well. The story carries smoothly between each character. I love that the reader gets to know one of the nicest characters in the book through the eyes of the main bad guy, who isn’t quite as unfeeling as one might expect.

Because suspense novels are very plot-based, I was not expecting the depth with which Gregg wrote Erin and Sean. Don’t get me wrong, Gregg is great at writing 3-dimensional, believable characters (if you’ve read Blink of an Eye, you know what I’m talking about). Bloodborne went well beyond my expectations, not just with characterization, but with the interaction between the two main characters as well. Erin and Sean’s relationship (don’t assume I mean romance here) is multi-faceted and complex.

I give Bloodborne 5 stars. I’m headed straight over to the Whitney Award website to nominate it for the Mystery-Suspense category. Well done, Gregg!

Sheila’s Review

My first thought after reading Gregg Luke’s Bloodborne was, “Move over Dan Brown, Gregg Luke is in the house!!” Gregg has written a novel that plays out like a movie in your head. At times I forgot I was reading a book. The action is great, the suspense is high and the characters keep you wondering who they really are and how they fit into the big picture.

The many storylines in the book seem at first to be disconnected, but soon you can see how all of the pieces start fitting together. The other amazing thing is that the whole story takes place over a period of only four days. There is A LOT that happens in those four days.

Some of the things that intrigued me in Bloodborne were the research done by Dr. Erin Cross, the main female character, the bad guys being members of the Order of Benjamin’s Blood with a Grand Illuminate at the head, and the strange background of the hero, former special ops agent Sean Flannery. Mosquitoes also play a huge part in this story (They also got front cover status!) I didn’t like these insects before and I hate them even more now. My skin kept itching every time I read about Jacob, the “Mad Scientist” breeding his deadly bio-weapon bugs.

I have read most of Gregg’s books and I feel that this book is his best!! He was on fire when he wrote Bloodborne. The storyline is so compelling that you cannot put this book down. I know that you hear this often from reviewers, but it is 100% true when you read Bloodborne. I stayed up late so I could finish this book. I really wanted it to continue and not end. I am wondering if Gregg could get more from this storyline and these characters. I am always impressed with the extensive research Gregg does for his novels. This book is no exception. You can tell he spent a lot of time gathering information.

Nice job, Gregg!! I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads.

Mindy’s Review

I was very excited to read this book after talking with Gregg about it at Storymakers. Right away, I was drawn in by the cover. Unfortunately, mosquitos love me. With my red hair and fair skin, I am always the first to get bit. I was very excited to see where this book would take me.

Bloodborne grabbed my attention from the first page. Dr. Erin Cross is at a deli when she receives a threatening text message telling her she is about to die. She looks around the deli wondering if someone there was playing a sick joke. Erin views the number and it is all zero’s, untraceable. Then, another one comes through, and another. She looks around and sees a middle aged, good looking guy, texting. Erin runs over and immediately accuses him of being the guilty sender. At that same moment, a man runs in the deli, guns drawn and shoots up the place. When confronted by Sean, the texter, he pulls out a knife, says some Latin phrases and stabs himself in the neck. Why does someone want to kill her? Eric is a scientist. Recently, she had a disastrous H1N1 trial, so she has been trying lie low since then. Could this have something to do with that?

See what I mean by “grabbed my attention?” I love Gregg’s writing style, and I really love his shorter chapters. They have a sneaky way of making me read just one more chapter. Before I know it, it’s midnight and I have finished a lot more then just one more chapter.

Bloodborne blew me away. I loved it. I read most of it with my mouth wide open. 4 1/2 stars out of 5. Excellent job, Gregg!