First of all, this novel is part of the Redaction series. The good thing is, you need to have read the previous novels to understand what's going on. In that respect, it's more a stand-alone than a series novel.

In Conceived in Blood, Andrews returns to the tight writing and descriptive characters that go me hooked on the Redaction series in the first place. She has a unique gift of giving even the most unlikeable of characters some kind of redeeming quality. (Except for Marshall and Titan. Sorry, they were scum.) The characters don't suddenly change direction or become redeemed, but instead an hint of... humanity is sparked in many of the 'Viders. Something that I didn't quite expect.

The entire novel is action-packed and extremely readable. It's a story that literally pulls the reader along to one scene to the next, rather than forcing the reader to work their way through it. There were a couple of loose minor plot threads left open, but I'm assuming that's for a continuation of the series.

All in all, excellent work. If you enjoy post-apocalypic fiction set in the future (ie, well past the event), you'll enjoy this book. ( )