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    Blood Riders
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    Blood Riders
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    Blood Riders
    Ebook427 pages6 hours

    Blood Riders

    By Michael P. Spradlin

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    “The history of the Old West written in blood and laced with dark humor, all set against a backdrop of ancient evil and a struggle for survival….You’re in for the ride of your life.”
    —James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of The Devil Colony

    Already a New York Times bestselling author for his satiric, gore-soaked “songbooks” (It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Zombies; Every Zombie Eats Somebody Sometime), author Michael P. Spradlin now dons a different hat and gallops hell for leather into a darker, wilder West. Blood Riders is the story of Civil War veteran Jonas R. Hollister, who’s recruited by the U.S. government to hunt down and destroy an ancient tribe of vampires that is terrorizing the frontier territories. An ingenious mash-up of western and dark fantasy—with an intriguing touch of American steampunk weaponry thrown in for good measure—Spradlin’s Blood Riders has Hollister joining up with real-life historical figures Samuel Colt and Alan Pinkerton and one of horror literature’s most famous monster hunters (Abraham Van Helsing from Bram Stoker’s Dracula) to rid the West of the undead scourge once and for all.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateSep 25, 2012
    ISBN9780062096616
    Unavailable
    Blood Riders
    Author

    Michael P. Spradlin

    New York Times–bestselling author Michael P. Spradlin is the author of more than twenty books for children and adults. His works include the international bestselling Youngest Templar series, the Killer Species series, and several picture books. He is fluent in Australian, British, Canadian, South African, and several other English-based languages. Sharks swim in the other direction when he steps into the ocean. He has a black belt in television remote control. He does not understand why VHS tapes “have not made a comeback.” Spradlin lives in Lapeer, Michigan. Lapeer is French for the peer, which is a big joke on the French because there is no peer there. Unless you count Michael P. Spradlin. But even he is without peer. Sorry, French.   

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    Reviews for Blood Riders

    4/5

    12 ratings5 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Blood Riders is a satisfying western/horror that gets the job done with a competence I appreciated. It's not going to set anyone's world on fire, but in a genre riddled with crap, it's definitely one of the better ones. Captain Hollister is disgraced after his wild stories of being attacked by superhumans are discounted. But something weird is happening in the west, and he's being pressed back into service by none other than Allan Pinkerton himself. Will Hollister be able to prevent a terrible evil from spreading?The answer, may not exactly surprise you, but it's a fun journey getting there. Spradlin has worked as a writer for quite some time in various areas, and his experience shows. The prose is clean and unobtrusive, the pacing excellent - probably the best strength of the novel - and the ideas creative without being silly. The novel itself is built around several set pieces, and he has a real gift for this mini "episodes" as it were. Deserted towns overrun by vampires, with ticking deadlines and civilians in danger, it sounds a little hackneyed but he puts them together really well. The conclusion was satisfying, setting up for an obvious sequel that never seemed to arrive, which is disappointing, as I would read it.
    • 3/5
      3.5
      This book has a weird ending. It's just a warning. It isn't a cliffhanger, just a sort of an opening.

      Jonas Hollister witnessed the death of his men and nobody believed him since no body was ever found. He survived thanks to sunrise. He ended up in prison, since he didn't want to change his story that the killers weren't Indians. Four years later, Allan Pinkerton came to get him out since there was another similar attack. Hollister wanted another inmate, Chee, to be pardoned and placed under his command if they were to hunt the things that killed his men. They were not the only ones who were hunting. Another person who was after Malachi, the insane Ancient, was Shaniah, also an Ancient, but the one who follows the rules and doesn't feed on human blood. She came to America either to capture or kill Malachi.

      Although there is nothing new in this book which I haven't seen before and with all the books featuring vampires either as good guys or villains, there is little left to surprise a reader. There are vampires here - Archaics in this book - with their own laws, they can be hurt with water, and a number of other already used things (Van Helsing is helping them, Winchester is their gunsmith), but the setting is great and I think that is the greatest strength of this book. That and its awesome characters (Chee and his Dog). The combination of already used motifs with this setting is still great. The weakest points are the vampires. With characters like Hollister, Chee and his dog, any monster would do for a story. I didn't like how the Ancients were depicted though (You are more than a few hundred years old and you are surprised to hear that men send their best to places where they learn battle tactics? Really?)

      The world in this book is horrible and harsh. The army is full of pompous fools, corruption is very common and racism is commonplace. Chee is half Chinese and one quarter black and a lot of people treat him as if he isn't a human being. Or they try. I loved the way Hollister dealt with the general manager at the hotel who didn't want to serve Chee. Shaniah's encounter with the three scavengers shows how people treat women (especially if they are alone). That one was rewarding. I am bloodthirsty like that.

      The bottom line is if you like Dracula and 19-century America, you will like this story. But take this with reserve. Don't expect it to be the same. It's just a few elements you might recognize, but they don't ruin the story.

      Hollister, Chee and his Dog are reason enough to like this story.
    • 4/5
      great novel, love the old west and vampires!!!!! ENJOY.
    • 5/5
      I've read a lot of historical fiction but this is my first venture into hysterical fiction. Or is that hystorical or histerical? Whatever you call it I loved it!! Knowing Mike Spradlin for many years, I was not surprised that he could create a captivating adult novel. I give it five stars not because he is a friend but because I love this book and want more! It somehow sneaks an exploration of human prejudice into a tale of blood eating monsters in the Post Civil War era. Add in a bunch of incredibly advanced modified weapons and a super train and let the fun begin!
    • 4/5
      A thoroughly enjoyable book. Can't wait for the next one. Jonas Hollister has survived the worst that life can throw at him -- first war, then an encounter with monsters, then the results when no one believes him. But now someone does believe him and life gets really interesting. Wonder what happens with his child? Shania? I hope he takes kung fu from Chee.....