Blood Blade by Marcus Pelegrimas
Blood Blade, the first installment in the Skinners series by Marcus Pelegrimas, is a solid urban fantasy novel. All of the major elements of this genre — such as vampires, werewolves, humans fighting them, and a little relationship drama — are present. The challenge of late has been finding an author who could still make this combination fun to read. Marcus Pelegrimas did just that; he made it fun to read.
Cole Warnecki, our hero, is a computer programmer by trade who has gotten a little bored with his life. He is not the typical sit-behind-a-keyboard-and-do-nothing sort of guy, so he decides to go on an extreme hunting expedition to add some experience and feeling to a new project. The hunting trip goes awry when his group is attacked by an enormous monster. The monster ravages the group; Cole runs for his life. This event provides his entrance into the supernatural.
Pelegrimas creates a workable urban fantasy world that layers well over the reality we live in. I like the fact that Pelegrimas’ world is more gritty than seductive, and the bad guys are truly bad. It’s a world that passes some of the common-sense tests that make an author’s work compelling and interesting rather than silly.
Blood Blade is a fun novel. I didn’t find it impossible to put down, but it was good enough to keep my attention all the way through and to convince me that reading the next book would be worth the money. Marcus Pelegrimas has a good base on which to build and I am looking forward to seeing what the next book will add.
Skinners — (2008-2013) Publisher: After narrowly surviving a bizarre animal attack while on vacation in the wilds of British Columbia, urbanite Cole Wickstrom is introduced to the mysterious world of werewolves, vampires, and other creatures, who are hunted by a loose-knit band of humans called Skinners. Lost and pursued by werewolves in the woods, Cole is saved by a skinner named Paige, who teaches him the ways of the supernatural. Cole realizes that the Skinners are dwindling in numbers and losing a fight against the supernatural creatures that could leak over into the regular human world at any time. Meanwhile the vampire Misonyk, who has an old grudge against the Skinners, has convinced another very powerful creature to fight for him.The creature is very strong, very dangerous and insane. Events set into motion by Misonyk and his creature could very well pave the way for the most powerful breed of werewolves to come forward and reclaim their territory. Cole takes a liking to Paige and cannot just leave her when this vampire and his companion begin their own killing spree. Eventually, Paige convinces Cole to join up with the Skinners and train to become one of them. Cole (and the reader) are shown that the Skinners are more than just hunters, but have their own history as well as a special connection to the supernatural.
I have this book. At the time I thought it sounded good and interesting, but it has since been swallowed up in the masses of books I have waiting to be read.
I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t perfect, but I am actually looking forward to more of it. The monsters really were monsters!