Red, White and Blood

Title: Red, White and Blood Author: Christopher Farnsworth Genre:  Science Fiction, Fantasy Length: 446 pages (paperback) Sensitive Content: Sexual, Violence Rating: 4 out of 5

Nathanial Cade has met his match with the Boogeyman.  While Cade has "won" every encounter, the Boogeyman continues to return with the knowledge of each battle he's had with Cade.  He always had the same pattern, but this time it appears that he is going after a specific target, President Curtis.

It is an election year and President Curtis is on the campaign trail.  A few Secret Service agents are introduced to Cade as he will be joining the grass roots tour of the middle states.  Zach also rejoins the campaign trail, which ignites questions on where he's been the last few years.  More importantly, why he fell from grace and how he's returned to it.

Bodies are piling up, many along the path of the campaign trail.  Several are also tied to the Curtis campaign in some way.  Will Cade be able to stop the Boogeyman for good this time?

A lot of time was building the backstory of Zach.  As with the first two books in the series, we also saw several flashbacks to Cade's earlier days, which helps us to understand his previous encounters with the Boogeyman.  Several characters from the first book also make a reappearance.

The author went into graphic details on how the Boogeyman killed his victims, more than I felt necessary.  However, I still couldn't put the book down.  It definitely didn't end the way I expected.  I am left with a cliffhanger.  I've scoured the author's site and there are no additional books in this series at this moment.  I"ll be keeping an eye out!

The President's Vampire

Title: The President's Vampire Author: Christopher Farnsworth Genre:  Science Fiction, Fantasy Length: 335 pages (hardback) Sensitive Content: Violence Rating:  4 out of 5

Nathanial Cade has been bound to the President, through a blood oath, to protect the country from the Other Side as the President's vampire.  A well established group, with footholds in high political positions in the White House and other government organizations, believes the end justifies the means.  They take this to a whole new level by replacing humanity with something else that is highly contagious.  Cade has seen these creatures before over the years, but they've evolved.  Cade and Zach, his handler, must figure out who is behind it, where the creatures are coming from and keep them from spreading.

Cade and Zach are forced to work with Graves, and take orders from him, something that Cade has issues with but he is forced to do based on his oath.  This in essence means that any order that Graves gives him, he has to obey, which puts a chink in Cade's plans to stop Graves and those behind the virus.  It appears that Graves and Cade have a past history together, and Cade has a very long memory that never forgets, but can't quite place where they've met before.

The characters continue to evolve from the first book in the series, both the individual characters and their relationships with each other.  The author also weaves in pieces of historical information which helps us understand why Cade acts a certain way.

After finishing Blood Oath, I couldn't wait to pick up this book.  It was an easy read and kept me in suspense for the majority of the book.  I honestly didn't expect the last few chapters to turn out the way they did.  The only downside to this book is the truly graphic nature of some of the scenes. 

Blood Oath

Title: Blood Oath Author: Christopher Farnsworth Genre:  Science Fiction, Fantasy Length: 470 pages (paperback) Sensitive Content: Violence Rating:  5 out of 5

Zach Barrows is an up and coming White House staffer who has eyes on the chief of staff position.  He is caught in a compromising situation with the President's daughter in the Lincoln bedroom.  Coincidentally he is transferred out of the White House and partnered with Nathaniel Cade.

Cade is cursed.  He is also bound to the office of the President by a blood oath that is 140 years old.  Cade defends the United States against the evil that people do not want to see.

As Zach is beginning to settle into his new position as Cade's liaison to the White House, the reality of his position as well as Cade's supernatural world comes to life.  They are immediately thrown into a crime and must fly across the country to investigate.

The characters are well written.  I would act exactly as Zach did in almost every situation.  Griff, Cade's previous handler and Zach's mentor, is surprisingly lovable.  The Vice President is obnoxious.  The "evil" took a surprising turn.

This book was fast paced, intense, funny, emotional...everything you want in a great book!  I am excited that this is the first book in a series and I can't wait to see how it unfolds!