Book Review: THE VAMPIRE HUNTERS by Scott M. Baker

-------------Review by contributing writer Scott Baker------------------

 

Note from Zombie Hayes:  My contributing writer, M. Scott Baker, is an author himself, so I pass on most any horror novel I get to him for review.  I thought it was great when I approached him about reviewing a book by an author named...Scott M. Baker!  HA!  So, just to clear us any confusion, the author of this book did not write his own review, and my contributing writer is not the author of this book. Confusing enough for ya? HA!  On to the review....

 

 

THE VAMPIRE HUNTERS

by Scott M. Baker

 

I guess technically this book should get an 'Awesome' rating simply because of the author's name. I mean, Scott Baker...that just has an awesome ring to it, doesn't it?

But seriously though, I have to be honest: I wasn't looking too forward to reading this book based on its title. I mean, it's simply not catchy or flashy. In short, it's bland. Thankfully, though, author Scott M. Baker's writing and story make up the for the blasé title. 

If you're not familiar with THE VAMPIRE HUNTERS, here is the synopsis courtesy of Amazon.com:

Modern day vampire hunters wage a brutal battle against the undead in the nation's capital. As former Boston cops, Drake Matthews and Alison Monroe thought they had experienced it all... until they found themselves tracking down a serial killer who turned out to be one of the undead. Stopping him cost them their careers and almost their lives. Thanks to an influential and anonymous benefactor, Drake and Alison find a new job ridding the streets of Washington D.C. of the vampiric threat terrorizing the nation's capital. Only this time, Drake and Alison are not facing a single vampire but an entire nest led by Ion Zielenska, one of history's most evil and twisted masters. As the vampires indiscriminately prey on humans, seeing them as nothing more than food to satiate their hunger, they create a wave of violence that threatens to engulf the city. Orchestrating the carnage is Antoinette Varela, the mistress of the nest, whose vendetta against the hunters is personal.

THE VAMPIRE HUNTERS is the first in a trilogy, and I've got to tell you: I can't wait to read the other two books in the series. Baker weaves an intricate world in which his vampire mythos unfolds. While Drake Matthews might be a bit stereotypical for books in this genre, the character of Alison Monroe as his partner is refreshing and new. Both are well fleshed out and give the reader many reasons to care about them. This obviously helps accentuate the immersion into the story.

I especially like Baker's vampires as well. Although they are slightly familiar, with their subtle sense of aristocracy, they are also savage and brutal, a cross between Anne Rice's sophisticated undead and David Wellington's blood-frenzied savages. This gives not a new, but definitely a unique take on the bloodsuckers, casting them in a more feral light. And with the story even going so far as to mention how the female vampires love to drain their victims during oral sex...well, let's just say that's definitely a new one on me.

Baker's writing is smooth and simple, with good prose and flowing descriptions. The action is very tight and kept me on the edge of my seat. My sole complaint about the book is that I found three grammatical errors (one is forgivable but three makes me think the editor was drowsy while going over the manuscript). Otherwise, The Vampire Hunters is a fun and loudly entertaining vision of vampires versus the living. I hope to read and review the other two titles in this series soon (HINT HINT, MR. BAKER). Check this one out for sure!

 

 

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