From new Thu Jun 16 18:52:53 1994 Xref: liuida rec.arts.sf.written:52809 rec.arts.books:79498 alt.books.reviews:2799 Path: liuida!sunic!EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!news.umbc.edu!haven.umd.edu!cville-srv.wam.umd.edu!cbaker From: cbaker@wam.umd.edu (C. Douglas Baker) Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written,rec.arts.books,alt.books.reviews Subject: ART IN THE BLOOD by P.N. Elrod Book Review by C. Douglas Baker Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.written Date: 15 Mar 1994 20:49:56 GMT Organization: University of Maryland, College Park Lines: 32 Message-ID: <2m571k$fq1@cville-srv.wam.umd.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: rac6.wam.umd.edu ART IN THE BLOOD by P.N. Elrod Book Review by C. Douglas Baker [Minor Spoiler] After BLOODCIRCLE, Book Three of the Vampire Files, I wondered where the story would lead since the mystery of Maureen's disappearance had been solved. In ART IN THE BLOOD, Book Four of the Vampire Files, Jack Fleming, our moralist vampire, befriends a group of artists and eventually finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation. Notice I said "eventually". ART IN THE BLOOD is meandering and irritating because half of the book could have been removed with little effect on the plot and storyline. The first third of the book is interesting but nothing much happens. The novel mucks around for awhile after the murder occurs. Finally, Jack has an insight as to who the murderer is and uses his hypnotic powers of persuasion to get at the truth. All in all not much of story. ART IN THE BLOOD is a disappointment after three fairly entertaining jaunts. Having read the series in order the familiarity of the characters kept me minimally interested. Unless you just must complete a series once you start it like me, I would recommend skipping ART IN THE BLOOD. %T Art in the Blood %A P.N. Elrod %C New York %D 1991 %I Ace $3.95 (pbk) %G ISBN 0-441-85945-3 (pbk) %P 195 From /tmp/sf.4146 Tue Aug 9 01:44:19 1994 Path: liuida!sunic!news.funet.fi!news.tele.fi!uunet!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!wupost!udel!news.sprintlink.net!dg-rtp!sheol!dont-reply-to-paths From: C_Douglas_BAKER@umail.umd.edu (cb52) Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.written Subject: Bloodlist by P.N. Elrod Book Review by C. Douglas Baker Approved: sfr%sheol@concert.net (rec.arts.sf.reviews moderator) Message-ID: <9402231815.AA05032@umailsrv0.UMD.EDU> Date: 26 Feb 94 00:55:51 GMT Lines: 48 BLOODLIST by P. N. Elrod Book Review by C. Douglas Baker If you like comic book quality action/adventure with a bit of the supernatural thrown in you will like __Bloodlist__, Book One of The Vampire Files. __Bloodlist__ cannot really be considered part of the horror genre because, really, it isn't that scary. That is unless an inept vampire getting riddled with bullet holes and blundering into trouble constantly constitutes "horror". Set in a gangster ridden Chicago, circa late 1930's, Jack Fleming, an unemployed reporter, is murdered. Jack comes back as a vampire as a result of an extended affair with a vampire, Maureen. He likens vampirism to a disease that is not contagious and is hard to catch or "we would be up to our armpits in vampires". The mysterious Maureen has inexplicably disappeared, leaving an obvious opening for the next book in the series. But I digress. Jack has been murdered by gangsters but his post- transformation amnesia leaves him with few clues as to why he was murdered; so he snoops around. Along the way he runs into a personable private eye, Charles Escott. Together they try to unravel the mystery, rather clumsily if the truth be known. Both are rather worse for the wear by the end of the adventure. And the mystery is really solved by....well, lets not spoil it. __Bloodlist__ certainly is not great literature but it is rather fun. Characterization is surprisingly well done and while the plot is not exceptional it does keep the reader's interest. If you want a relaxing read where little mental energy has to be expended and the story is both humorous and fast paced, then check out __Bloodlist__. On the other hand, if you are still searching for the next coming of Anne Rice's __The Vampire Chronicles__ steer well clear. %T Bloodlist %A P.N. Elrod %C New York %D 1990 %I Ace $3.95 (pbk) %G ISBN 0-441-06795-6 (pbk) %P 200 C. DOUGLAS BAKER Email: cb52@umail.umd.edu From /tmp/sf.4146 Tue Aug 9 01:47:00 1994 Path: liuida!sunic!EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!udel!news.sprintlink.net!dg-rtp!sheol!dont-reply-to-paths From: C_Douglas_BAKER@umail.umd.edu (cb52) Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.written Subject: LIFEBLOOD by P.N. Elrod Book Review by C. Douglas Baker Approved: sfr%sheol@concert.net (rec.arts.sf.reviews moderator) Message-ID: <9403082210.AA22921@umailsrv1.UMD.EDU> Date: 10 Mar 94 01:18:47 GMT Lines: 45 LIFEBLOOD by P.N. Elrod Book Review by C. Douglas Baker I described Elrod's BLOODLIST, Book One of The Vampire Files as "comic book quality action/adventure with a bit of the supernatural thrown in". LIFEBLOOD, Book Two of The Vampire Files, is more of the same. LIFEBLOOD continues the saga of Jack Fleming, former reporter, part-time private detective, full-time vampire. LIFEBLOOD brings back all the key characters from the previous novel and the story pretty much picks up where BLOODLIST left off. We find Fleming still searching for the elusive Maureen, his lost love. We also discover more of Maureen's past and why she fled from Fleming in New York. Jack meets Maureen's sister, now a gnarled and bitter old woman, after she responds to his advertisement in the personal column. This meeting marks the beginning of a life and death struggle for Jack. He is chased by two comical and inept vampire hunters who Fleming, not always so swift himself, easily dupes. But he also runs into a more diabolical and intelligent foe who nearly kills him. LIFEBLOOD is actually better than the first novel because it is much funnier and the plot is less thin. Escott plays a key role in his investigation of Maureen's past and once again has to save Fleming's vampiric hide (which I guess is kind of a spoiler but you knew he would pull through, right?). Elrod again does a nice job of providing humor and creating entertaining characters And Fleming continues to have an unfortunate proclivity for getting shot in the head or otherwise severely mangled. It all makes for good if not clean (blood stains) fun. %T Lifeblood %A P.N. Elrod %C New York %D 1990 %I Ace $3.95 (pbk) %G ISBN 0-441-84776-5 (pbk) %P 202 C. DOUGLAS BAKER Email: cb52@umail.umd.edu From /tmp/sf.4146 Tue Aug 9 01:47:29 1994 Path: liuida!sunic!pipex!demon!news.sprintlink.net!dg-rtp!sheol!dont-reply-to-paths From: C_Douglas_BAKER@umail.umd.edu (cb52) Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.written Subject: BLOODCIRCLE by P.N. Elrod Book Review by C. Douglas Baker Approved: sfr%sheol@concert.net (rec.arts.sf.reviews moderator) Message-ID: <9403100032.AA25951@umailsrv1.UMD.EDU> Date: 11 Mar 94 01:13:58 GMT Lines: 45 BLOODCIRCLE by P.N. Elrod Book Review by C. Douglas Baker [Spoiler for LIFEBLOOD] BLOODCIRCLE, Book Three of the Vampire Files, literally picks up right where Book Two, LIFEBLOOD left off. After surviving his encounter with Gaylen, Maureen's diabolical and homicidal sister, Jack Fleming is found working his hypnotic magic on an initially recalcitrant police official to get out jail. Once on the loose, Fleming and Charles Escott go in search of Maureen, Fleming's long lost lover. Fleming and Escott's search for Maureen is the sole focus of BLOODCIRCLE. Their search leads them to the vampire Jonathan Barrett, Maureen's former lover who she turned to for help after her sister escaped from a mental institution placing Maureen in mortal danger. Little did Maureen expect that she would face danger from less likely quarters. Nor do Jack and Escott, for awhile anyway. Their encounter with Barrett leads to two murders and two attempted murders. And yes, Fleming gets his skull smashed in again (a quite unhealthy habit). Once again Escott plays the Sherlockian role as he pieces together the information he and Fleming gather along to the way to discover who wants Fleming dead (again) and why. Eventually the entire mystery, including that of Maureen, is solved. I wonder what Elrod will do for Book Four? If you liked the first two books in The Vampire Files then BLOODCIRCLE is definitely for you. Then again, if you did not like the first two books you probably will not read this review or BLOODCIRCLE. %T Bloodcircle %A P.N. Elrod %C New York %D 1990 %I Ace $3.95 (pbk) %G ISBN 0-441-06717-4 (pbk) %P 202 C. DOUGLAS BAKER Email: cb52@umail.umd.edu From /tmp/sf.4146 Tue Aug 9 01:49:51 1994 Path: liuida!sunic!EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!convex!news.utdallas.edu!rdxsunhost.aud.alcatel.com!aur.alcatel.com!sheol!dont-reply-to-paths From: dg-rtp!umail.umd.edu!C_Douglas_BAKER (cb52) Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: ART IN THE BLOOD by P.N. Elrod Book Review by C. Douglas Baker Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.written Date: Wed, 16 Mar 1994 20:41:14 GMT Organization: not specified Lines: 31 Approved: sfr%sheol@concert.net (rec.arts.sf.reviews moderator) Message-ID: <9403152042.AA09386@umailsrv1.UMD.EDU> NNTP-Posting-Host: aursag.aur.alcatel.com ART IN THE BLOOD by P.N. Elrod Book Review by C. Douglas Baker [Minor Spoiler] After BLOODCIRCLE, Book Three of the Vampire Files, I wondered where the story would lead since the mystery of Maureen's disappearance had been solved. In ART IN THE BLOOD, Book Four of the Vampire Files, Jack Fleming, our moralist vampire, befriends a group of artists and eventually finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation. Notice I said "eventually". ART IN THE BLOOD is meandering and irritating because half of the book could have been removed with little effect on the plot and storyline. The first third of the book is interesting but nothing much happens. The novel mucks around for awhile after the murder occurs. Finally, Jack has an insight as to who the murderer is and uses his hypnotic powers of persuasion to get at the truth. All in all not much of story. ART IN THE BLOOD is a disappointment after three fairly entertaining jaunts. Having read the series in order the familiarity of the characters kept me minimally interested. Unless you just must complete a series once you start it like me, I would recommend skipping ART IN THE BLOOD. %T Art in the Blood %A P.N. Elrod %C New York %D 1991 %I Ace $3.95 (pbk) %G ISBN 0-441-85945-3 (pbk) %P 195 From /tmp/sf.4146 Tue Aug 9 01:50:05 1994 Path: liuida!sunic!EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!convex!news.utdallas.edu!rdxsunhost.aud.alcatel.com!aur.alcatel.com!sheol!dont-reply-to-paths From: dg-rtp!umail.umd.edu!C_Douglas_BAKER (cb52) Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: ART IN THE BLOOD by P.N. Elrod Book Review by C. Douglas Baker Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.written Date: Wed, 16 Mar 1994 20:41:14 GMT Organization: not specified Lines: 31 Approved: sfr%sheol@concert.net (rec.arts.sf.reviews moderator) Message-ID: <9403152042.AA09386@umailsrv1.UMD.EDU> NNTP-Posting-Host: aursag.aur.alcatel.com ART IN THE BLOOD by P.N. Elrod Book Review by C. Douglas Baker [Minor Spoiler] After BLOODCIRCLE, Book Three of the Vampire Files, I wondered where the story would lead since the mystery of Maureen's disappearance had been solved. In ART IN THE BLOOD, Book Four of the Vampire Files, Jack Fleming, our moralist vampire, befriends a group of artists and eventually finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation. Notice I said "eventually". ART IN THE BLOOD is meandering and irritating because half of the book could have been removed with little effect on the plot and storyline. The first third of the book is interesting but nothing much happens. The novel mucks around for awhile after the murder occurs. Finally, Jack has an insight as to who the murderer is and uses his hypnotic powers of persuasion to get at the truth. All in all not much of story. ART IN THE BLOOD is a disappointment after three fairly entertaining jaunts. Having read the series in order the familiarity of the characters kept me minimally interested. Unless you just must complete a series once you start it like me, I would recommend skipping ART IN THE BLOOD. %T Art in the Blood %A P.N. Elrod %C New York %D 1991 %I Ace $3.95 (pbk) %G ISBN 0-441-85945-3 (pbk) %P 195 From rec.arts.sf.reviews Tue Apr 14 12:23:15 1998 Path: news.ifm.liu.se!news.lth.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news99.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!masternews.telia.net!news-stkh.gip.net!news-peer.gip.net!news.gsl.net!gip.net!newsfeed.internetmci.com!18.24.4.11!newsswitch.lcs.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!not-for-mail From: lilith@dorsai.org (Lilith) Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: I, Strahd - P.N. Elrod Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.written Date: 09 Apr 1998 14:10:26 -0400 Organization: The Dorsai Embassy Lines: 23 Approved: wex@media.mit.edu Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: tinbergen.media.mit.edu X-Newsreader: Gnus v5.3/Emacs 19.34 Xref: news.ifm.liu.se rec.arts.sf.reviews:1841 I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire by P.N. Elrod Review Copyright 1998 althea A vampire hunter sneaks into the castle of Lord Strahd, believing that the vampire is in hibernation. He finds a book which seems to be the personal journal of the vampire, and begins to read... The most cliched story of vampirism I have ever come across. Every bad vampire movie stand-by is here, all the old rules apply, and nothing is surprising. The illustrations reflect this, showing a fanged figure in a high-necked cloak, usually surrounded by some typical "gothic horror" type scene. The prose is simple and juvenile. This book is undoubtedly aimed at teen vampire role-players. To them, I say: Go read _Dracula_. -althea %T I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire %A P.N. Elrod %I TSR %D 1993 %P 309 p.