Item: Dark Blood
Rating: 4.00
Author: wyvernfriend

by John Meaney

Police officer Donal Riordan, killed and brought back to life with the heart of his undead lover beating in his chest, is getting used to a bizarre and frightening new existence. As one of the undead the living citizens of Tristopolis distrust and fear him. But death has its advantages. He can sense the presence, the thoughts the feelings of his fellow zombies, he is tireless, he can see better, hear more acutely.

But none of this will necessarily save him as he begins to investigate who is behind a plot to ensorcel the entire population of Tristopolis. The plot goes right to the top and anyway who gets in the way will be killed again.

And all the time the members of the Unity party are stoking the fires of hatred towards the undead.

John Meaney's new series is a superb melding of the science fiction and horror genres and is perfectly timed for the resurgance of horror in the market.

This is an interesting world John Meaney has created, a world that runs on the power of bones. A world with other creatures, a world that's almost steampunk. It does have a vaguely victorian air about it.

Our hero, Donal Riordan, now has the heart of his undead lover beating inside him, with guilt and a strange echo of that woman living inside his head. He's trying to come to terms with his new life (there's a hilarious sequence about him exploring knitting which made me chuckle being a knitter myself) or unlife. He has abilities that he hasn't fully explored and if that wasn't enough there are people looking to strip the undead of their rights. Add in some assassination and you've got a complex and involved story that, while not being a fan of zombies and most darker fantasy, I found compelling and interesting.

I look forward to more installments and wonder how the author resolves the cliffhanger.

Dark Blood

by John Meaney

Reviewed by wyvernfriend on Mar 10, 2010

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