Title: Vintage SoulAuthor: David Niall Wilson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 12/09/09
Summary:
Donovan DeChance is a collector of ancient manuscripts and books, a practicing mage, and a private investigator. When, despite the finest in natural and supernatural security, a sexy and well-loved, three hundred year old lady vampire is kidnapped right out from under her lover's nose, Donovan is called in to investigate.
He soon finds that there is much more to the case than a simple abduction when an unknown intruder invades his home and steals a very rare, very ancient manuscript. There will be no ransom for the kidnap victim, and if Donovan doesn't prevent an ancient, forbidden ritual from reaching its culmination, far more than a single vampire's undead existence will be at stake.
Calling on his lover and partner, Amethyst, and an odd assortment of contacts, informants, and connections, Donovan follows the ghostly trail of the kidnapper through a winding maze of intrigue-always a step behind-through magical battles, murders, and confrontations with a rogue band of young vampires intent on beating Donovan at his own game.
Vintage Soul is a dark urban supernatural mystery with a hint of romance. Set in an underground society, a city within the city of San Valencez, California, it opens portals to the unknown darkness that surrounds us. Fast-paced, strewn with clues, investigation, and magic, this is a book sure to slake the appetites of fans of mystery and the supernatural.
Plot: 3 Stars
There are many twists and turns in this novel that will keep you guessing. The vampires were different from many other vampires in the way they aquired the blood they needed, and the magic performed by Donovan and others was interesting. I just wished more of it could've been explained. I did enjoy getting to see many interesting places within San Valencez. The world-building within this novel was definitely very thought out.
Pace: 2 Stars
The novel was a little slower paced than I would've liked. It took a bit longer to become really engaged in the story. There were also too many point of view changes. I understand that it was needed to cover all aspects of the plot, but the way the story jumped from point of view to point of view felt a little disjointed. They just didn't fit together smoothly in some points.
Characters: 2.5 Stars
I felt like we never really got to know any of the characters that well due to the numerous point of view changes. I didn't engage with many of the characters because we didn't really get to know a lot about them, neither from their point of view or other's. The main thing I wish we had gotten about some of the more important characters is history, especially Donovan and Amethyst. It's a bit hard to tell exactly what their relationship is.
Cover: 3.5 Stars
Although the cover is a little dark, it depicts a specific scene from the book with many details that are true to the story. With so many covers out there that are vaguely related to the story, this one was a fresh cover for the urban fantasy genre. As much as I would've loved the main character, Donovan, to make an appearance, it's still a striking cover.
Overall: 3 Stars
Disclosure: I received my copy for review from the author.
I enjoyed this book. It did start out a bit slow and I was rather confused, though lately it seems a lot of books have been harder for me to get into at first. I'm really looking forward to the next book. I can't wait to learn more about Donovan and all the other characters, and the world for that matter. The first book was an interesting look at the world and a great start for me.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I loved the cover too!!
Hmmm... sounds interesting.
ReplyDelete