Daniel Sonderling's Reviews > Bloodlines

Excellent debut by a promising new SciFi writer, whom I shall be following with great interest. Possible spoilers, don't read on unless you finished the book. Thank you, Peter H., for a really good read! WARNING for sensitive readers, there are disturbing elements related to child abuse and drug use, so this is an adult read. Hastily written on a lunch break, and I weep that I cannot do this book full justice in my review; there's just SO MUCH going on in a single book!

The worldbuilding is particularly strong here, with lots of twists and jaw-dropping moments in a post-Apocalyptic Divided States of America, with rumors of the fearsome cult of neo-Confederates running a Southern enclave as protagonist Tom "Doc" Holiday battles evil in Empire City (formerly NYC).

The magic system, in which select users can leverage Nexus point energy unlocked by the nuclear apocalypse and its dimension-twisting fallout, was particularly pleasing, and I am jealous to see more of the fascinating ice witch, Leyla, along with her backstory as Doc's protegé. She's one of my favorite characters.

One of the most shocking (in a good way) revelations is the almost casual twist that the nuclear apocalypse not only unlocked magic in the form of Nexus energy but introduced aliens from another dimension to earth, the Vellans. This was cool and I want to see more. When the mysterious Vellan Besim joins the investigation, you can tell that a cast of great recurring characters are being set up for future journeys. I particularly liked Deacon, Besim's tough-talking, ex-Confederate with supernatural powers and a mysterious backstory of his own (I have a theory, but time will tell in future novels).

The blend of tech and magic is great, along with the AI system EVI and the way Hartog describes the thought-integration with the SMART gun's HUD (as a gamer, I really enjoyed the cyberpunk elements, including the combat scenes). A quibble of personal taste, I would prefer to see Doc use thought control more often with EVI and with the SMART gun instead of saying commands out loud, but that's just taste (and in a screenplay the verbal commands would certainly function well). I really liked the "spell-forged" super-materials as well, combining the power of nanoengineering with magic. Nerd brain-candy! And the piece de resistance, the shocking revelation that the perpetrator of a key crime is not merely a vampire, but a hybrid cyborg-vampire - this entire scene was so cool, and the concept was so well-executed. This is my jam, as they say! I also like the twist of the master fetch and the "long game" revealed later. And again, Marko, single best SciFi twist I've seen in film, books, or games for quite some time, along with the fight. Bravo!

Doc is damaged, having lived through (and done) some pretty awful stuff, and I started out disliking him, but something told me he is a living character on a journey of redemption that my gut tells me will arc through several stories. In fairness, he's a tortured soul, having weathered a rising star career in the police force cut short by addiction and the suicide of his true love, which he still blames himself for. He's kind of a dick in the beginning, with lots of mistrust and dislike for women (he thinks about his female partner as fat and ugly, and calls lots of female characters "bitches" a bit often for my taste, though in fairness most of those women are in fact trying to murder him in various ways). I like how he develops, though, growing in empathy, self-awareness. Even with his murderous former partner, he uses his supernatural Insight to see the Fetch possessing and feeding on her soul and causing her evil deeds. One could argue this reduces accountability, but I felt it was a moment of growth and empathy, helping Doc stop being such a misogynistic prick and helping him move beyond his belief that the world is almost entirely dark and negative. Also, the spin of having a cyberpunk homicide detective who has a PhD in literature, has traded drugs for coffee (the darker and staler the better) and who quotes Shakespeare throughout even the most gritty action scenes is delightful.

Besim is a great character, and I want to see more of her. I can't even do her justice. 'Nuff said. Honorable mention of the original twist on the obligatory quirky mortician (who ends up being fresh and amusing, but pathos-inducing when he sees the severity of the sweatshop, which was a quite moving moment on several levels). Father Jack is very cool and I want to see more of him in future! And I like the community of misfits in Doc's adopted family, including bookstore and deli denizens.

I'm (in)famous in my circles for my vocabulary, and haven't owned a dictionary in years. Not bragging, just explaining how momentous it was that I had to purchase a dictionary while reading this book. The vocabulary is damned impressive! Hartog is the first novelist I've ever seen to use the word lemniscate, inter alia, but beyond his lexical profundity, he is constantly dropping bon mots, and I underlined or highlighted countless quotes. For brevity I shall only include three favorites:

(1) "No." Mahoney grimaced as if he'd just swallowed day-old puke. "I've already been down that road. They aren't equipped to deal with the things that I want Special Crimes to handle."
"Such as what, exactly?" I asked.
"Things that require more than a badge, a pair of handcuffs and a warrant," Mahoney replied, fierce heat coating his words. "Things that laugh at the law, thinking they are above, or beyond it. Things that don't give a damn about you or me." — p. 19

(2) "I gave him one of my patented reassuring smiles, the kind I reserved for little kids, potted plants, and drunks." —p. 75

(3) "Your inadequacy is an illusion," Besim spoke quietly. Her voice resonated, the words palpable and telling. "It is a tool of the enemy you chase, to drag you down and subvert your strength." —p. 367

Now, some personal quibbles that some readers may completely disagree with: I'd like to see a bit more development on some key villain confrontations and reveals, such as the club and Crain facedown, and especially the confrontation with Orpheus and their assistant, which felt a bit incomplete. I also would like more dev in the fight scene at the deli.

In sum, a strong, clever debut by an intellectually gifted writer with compelling characters, complex and interesting plot and subplots, setting up a vibrant world and many future installments. With the occasional inevitable debut-novel plot or dialogue stumble here and there, I expect this strong beginning to lead to even stronger iterations. 4.5/5, round it on up to 5 because this is a good book!