Specify Appertaining To Books The World on Blood (James Whistler #1)
| Title | : | The World on Blood (James Whistler #1) |
| Author | : | Jonathan Nasaw |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 341 pages |
| Published | : | April 1st 1996 by Dutton Books |
| Categories | : | Horror. Paranormal. Vampires. Fiction. Fantasy. Thriller |
Jonathan Nasaw
Hardcover | Pages: 341 pages Rating: 3.83 | 448 Users | 32 Reviews
Ilustration During Books The World on Blood (James Whistler #1)
“Hi, everybody. My name is Nick, and I’m a vampire.”“Hi, Nick!”
Yes, it’s a meeting of Vampires Anonymous, the central conceit of Jonathan Nasaw’s hip horror novel. In this moonlit world, blood is just another drug, the ultimate high, the ultimate aphrodisiac. And no one ever needs to die – just a little sip does the trick. Of course, there are drawbacks. There’s the killer hangover, and blood-abuse does make a person light-sensitive. Otherwise the lifestyle doesn’t seem too bad. True, vampires wake up at sunset, the stale taste of last night’s bleeder still in their mouths, and their apartments stink something awful, but there are compensations, like enhanced strength, speed and sensory perception. Not to mention the incredible sex. So why would anyone seek refuge in a sort of Nosferatu twelve-step program? Because, no matter how cool they look in their dark glasses, all vampires (or, as they prefer to be called, recovering blood addicts) run the risk of losing control. They call it going werewolf. And it gets messy.
Real messy.
Sadly, much of The World on Blood concerns itself relentlessly with the recovery rhetoric of VA meetings, which turn out to be just as numbingly repetitious as those of every other such organization. (Just substitute blood for alcohol or drugs or gambling or sex or Stephenie Meyer novels.) Vampires, apparently, are just as tediously screwed up as everyone else. So what could possibly get a plot like thus up and flapping?
Enter the villain – a traditional vampire bent on destroying the organization from within. It’s even easy to understand why the old boy is so provoked. After all, if there’s one thing that gets on the undead’s nerves, it’s sanctimonious ex-bloodsuckers who don’t drink anymore.
That’s it. The whole book. Nothing of the supernatural remains, and the conflict becomes that of reformed versus orthodox. Gushing with complications, like the queer vamp hero who agonizes over whether to become a sperm donor, the novel nevertheless seems curiously drained. After all, once these creatures of the night have been demystified, what’s intriguing about them? Their sex lives! (Or so the author appears to believe.) Mercifully, these are not the ascetic martyrs of, say, an Anne Rice opus, evolved beyond passion or brevity of expression. No, these are party monsters. Orgies, threesomes, bi-vampires in hot tubs: somebody is always sucking something. Plus they’re all such globetrotters. The story veers from bathhouses in San Francisco to voodoo rituals on the islands, and sex scenes occur in cars and boats, everywhere but in a coffin. One such sequence climaxes just as a private jet touches down in Dallas.
“Even the O’s are bigger in Texas, she thought wonderingly.”
If the Talamasca only knew.
Be Specific About Books As The World on Blood (James Whistler #1)
| Original Title: | The World on Blood |
| ISBN: | 0525940669 (ISBN13: 9780525940661) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Series: | James Whistler #1 |
| Literary Awards: | Lord Ruthven Award for Fiction (1997) |
Rating Appertaining To Books The World on Blood (James Whistler #1)
Ratings: 3.83 From 448 Users | 32 ReviewsWrite Up Appertaining To Books The World on Blood (James Whistler #1)
Hi, everybody. My name is Nick, and Im a vampire.Hi, Nick!Yes, its a meeting of Vampires Anonymous, the central conceit of Jonathan Nasaws hip horror novel. In this moonlit world, blood is just another drug, the ultimate high, the ultimate aphrodisiac. And no one ever needs to die just a little sip does the trick. Of course, there are drawbacks. Theres the killer hangover, and blood-abuse does make a person light-sensitive. Otherwise the lifestyle doesnt seem too bad. True, vampires wake up atWhat a difference a decade (plus) makes. I read TWOB when it was first published and I loved it with a burning firey passion. I put it on my keeper shelf because I was certain I would want to savor it again at a future date. So here we are 16 years later and...it's definitely lost some of it's charm. I still, solid 3 1/2 stars liked it; but it definitely didn't come close to my previous 5 star appraisal. I think what I originally liked about TWOB was the original approach it took towardsFor a certain percentage of humanity, alcohol is an addictivesubstance. At the beginning of this series, everyone is part of VA. Then, things get complicated.
I was bored by the 3rd chapter. Slow paced and the new "twist" on vampirism was a real let down. I dont want to see my favorite mythological creatures downplayed as little more than modern junkies - I was so disappointed I quit reading and tossed the book in the "for the used book store" box.
I bought this book for two reasons: 1) It was only $4 on a bargain shelf in a bookstore, 2) the premise intrigued me. I, like other reviewers of this book, was ready for a fresh take on vampirism. And I got it.Unfortunately, I had to weed through pages and pages of cliche, nonsense, and over-romantic, unnecessary description to get that fresh take. The book started out boring, just a guy in his bedroom drinking a "mysterious" liquid from a Clamato jar. (Incidentally, I don't know why all the
The reason I rate this book so highly is primarily because the author approaches the vampire mythology in a totally new way; so toss out all your old notions, because apparently vampires are normal humans until they realize that they are addicted to blood itselt - Nasaw has a sense of humor, as well - He even has a 12-step program for recovering vamps!!
I'm not sure. I kind of had a love hate relationship with this book. The whole vampire thing was a little different to read, however I did get sucked into the storyline and had to finish the book.
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