Ben Tripp

This is a tough book to review. I remarked to friends early on that it felt something like a contemporary Dracula tale--with a similar pacing and formality in many ways. And yet, this is undoubtedly contemporary and can't be mistaken for anything else; the level of gore/graphic violence also speaks to a far more modern author, though as I mention that, I should also say I don't think it was overdone.

What I really struggled with here was the uneven pacing. I didn't truly sink into the book show more until the POV character--a hilariously greedy antiques and antiquities dealer who a reader can't help finding likeable, whether he's lusting after a young priest or ogling a particularly handsome clock--took us back in time to his first vampire hunt, and I admit that at that point the book had me hooked. Who couldn't fall in love with a vampire hunter who didn't mean to become a vampire hunter, and did so only because he was curious about their furniture? But when we did go back in time, the action and the atmosphere were incredibly page-turning.

Really, the whole book is wonderfully written. It just takes quite a bit of time for the contemporary timeline to really develop any feeling of danger or inertia--though, once it does, it doesn't stop--so the reader is relying on the power of the memories and the slow-burn build-up of what's coming, which doesn't disappoint.

All told, this did feel like an uneven read, but the wonderful writing, the memorable characters, and the overall payoff made it more than worthwhile, and I believe I'll look forward to picking up another Ben Tripp book as a result. show less

This book was a weird, gory little ride. And I mean that in a mostly good way.

First, let’s make one thing clear: Tripp’s vampires are not the seductive, brooding, or glittery types. They’re disgusting, decrepit, genuinely awful creatures who creep, skitter, and murder. Tripp doesn’t hold back on the gore, either.

I love a good ragtag team that comes together, and this one had some fun standouts. A few characters were totally over-the-top, but I genuinely enjoyed watching them clash show more and bond and eventually get eaten. One of the biggest highlights for me was the Romanian side character. It’s so rare to see Romanian representation in English fiction, and even rarer for it to be actually decently done. The inclusion of spoken Romanian (and the fact that it was accurate!) was a really nice surprise.

The writing style worked for me. There’s a kind of dry cleverness to the prose. Enough that I found myself chuckling at a few moments, even if the book is not laugh-out-loud funny. The tone walks a fine line between grim and playful, which fits the story well. It kind of felt like watching a B-movie vampire flick where the gore is great, the cast is fun, and the lead actor is kind of annoying… but you’re still glad you watched it.

The story itself is a horror-adventure with a cool spin on vampire anatomy. (That’s where the fifth chamber of the heart title comes from—it’s the part of the vampire’s heart you have to destroy to actually kill one. Gotta love a monster that comes with a user manual.)

The plot and pacing were both a little uneven, and I thought the last third dragged quite a bit. Though to be fair, that’s a pattern with me and books in general these days. Unless the final act is exceptional, I tend to just want it to be done by that point. I kept waiting for a big narrative payoff, and while the action ramps up, the emotional impact didn’t quite land.

Overall, this was a fun, sometimes slow, mostly entertaining read. It’s not a book I’d rave about, but it was just what I needed at the time. show less

This sequel came out of the gate with a roar! While I found the first book mediocre, this one blew me away from beginning to end. Danny is still kicking ass and leading her tribe through the zombie apocalypse. As if the zombies mutating and being able to think and act like humans isn't enough, humans themselves act without thinking and cause themselves misery and pain. If something seems too good to be true in a zombie apocalypse, IT is! Danny may not be a perfect person, but she has a sense show more of loyalty and justice. She recognizes you can't save everyone but you can do something! The ending wasn't wrapped in tule and tied with a bow, but it was the right ending. Loved, loved, loved this book! show less

Rise Again brings a realism to the zombie genre that I haven't seen done this well before. When people start dropping dead, the townspeople of Forest Peak, including Sheriff Danny Adelman, don't have a clue what to do. As those who survive manage to hold it together the best they can amidst the chaos, the dead begin to get up and start walking around. Denial sets in for many, yet a few put a name to the phenomenon - zombies. How refreshing to find characters embroiled in a zombie book show more actually having seen Night of the Living Dead.

When the dead start eating the living, terror ensues. Not just in the form of zombie carnage, but among the human element as well. Danny must protect the survivors from dead and undead alike, while searching for her missing sister and dealing with her PTSD from her tours in Iraq. Unexpected people die. Unexpected people manage not to survive. A stunning, emotionally devastating ending will chill readers to their very core.

Rise Again is flawless. Every emotion realistic, every action thrilling, every page perfectly written. I find myself unable to convey the magnitude of awe this book has inspired in me. It literally left me with my jaw hanging open on more than one occasion. Terrifying and amazing, Rise Again will traumatize you in the way you always hope zombies would. show less