Blood Oath

Thanks to the Doctor for hosting TCOB last week!  Ah, to come from work and be met with an assortment of wines, a platter of hors d'oeuvres, good friends, and only one day to go until the weekend.  El Jefe was especially relieved to relax into the couch over a glass of sauvignon blanc and to munch on miniature shrimp and bell pepper skewers while catching up on the month's gossip.  From seafood to more seafood, it was a particularly unbloody meal considering the book at hand.  Although we probably should have paid homage by digging our fangs into an extra rare slab of steak, we instead feasted on savory tuna burgers with a spicy tapenade aioli on made-to-order Belwood buns.  Being a Bobby Flay recipe, the burgers had his signature smoky, almost spanish flavor--excellent with terra chips and a green salad.  And for dessert, assorted cookies, including a delightful almond selection.  Dalish!

We passed.

Blood Oath, by Christopher Farnsworth, was not surprisingly a controversial TCOB pick.

In fact, for the first time ever, there was even a suggestion that the book should have been previewed before subjecting all TCOB members to its full 400 pages.  With no write-in vote from Foxx, Blood Oath scored an even 5.  It always seems so cliche when people say, "You either love it or you hate it."  But then again, it also seems cliche to say, "Forget the War on Terror.  This is the War on Horror, and you've just been drafted."  Suffice it to say, there were a few of us (El Jefe proudly included) who ate it up.  And there was the other camp that wanted to throw the book across the room, burn it, or literally strangle the person who had the nerve to publish it.  To address the negatives first:  It is written like a screenplay.  It is the most transparent, unoriginal, rip-off conglomeration of all the more intelligent horror and sci-fi stories that have ever come before it.  It was unreadable.  The vampire sex was too tame (even Logan's run could handle it!).  The story was predictable and, frankly, lame.  All true, especially the part about the vampire sex.  Now for the positives:  The opening sequence involves werewolves who battle U.S. special ops in Serbia.  The subtitle is "the President's Vampire."  The vampire is a secret agent and has been under a blood oath to serve all American presidents since Andrew Jackson.  The vampire is supposed to be kind of hot.  The bad guys are jihadists.  The other bad guy is a German scientist.  The vampire has a vampire girlfriend.  Sorry, what is wrong with this book?  Nothing!  Can't wait for the movie!

Max Schreck, Nosferatu, 1922

Bela Lugosi, Dracula, 1931

Frank Langella, Dracula, 1979

Keifer Sutherland, Lost Boys, 1987

Tom Cruise as Lestat and Brad Pitt as Louis, Interview with the Vampire, 1994

Robert Pattinson, Twilight, 2008

The Foxx has offered to host our September meeting, and Ms. K. will host October.  In September, Red is bringing apps and El Jefe dessert.  For details on our book, see last month's post.  Until next time, read early and often and keep your fangs in.  xoej