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charms1976's review
3.0
This is going to be a hard review to write. Bad ass monsters? Check. Down and dirty hero? Check. Lots of action? Check. Great story? Kind of.
I had a really hard time enjoying this book. While the character of Deacon Chalk was sexy and bad ass, he wasn't one that attracted my interest. He wasn't so much an alpha hero you would come to expect in the sense of good guy will prevail, simply because he is at times so rugged and dirty as the bad guys. He can kick butt and take names when he feels like it, but if you are looking for a romantic side of his character, don't get your hopes up. Yes he has the bad boy sex appeal, but that is as far as it goes for me.
The story in itself wasn't that bad. It had plenty of action and evil things to hunt. I feel that this book would be a better match for the male readers than the females. This is just my opinion, but I think the men will gravitate more to this book because of the action, violence and all around male cast of characters.
Again, the story in itself was pretty good, but it isn't a series that will keep me up at night waiting for release day.
I had a really hard time enjoying this book. While the character of Deacon Chalk was sexy and bad ass, he wasn't one that attracted my interest. He wasn't so much an alpha hero you would come to expect in the sense of good guy will prevail, simply because he is at times so rugged and dirty as the bad guys. He can kick butt and take names when he feels like it, but if you are looking for a romantic side of his character, don't get your hopes up. Yes he has the bad boy sex appeal, but that is as far as it goes for me.
The story in itself wasn't that bad. It had plenty of action and evil things to hunt. I feel that this book would be a better match for the male readers than the females. This is just my opinion, but I think the men will gravitate more to this book because of the action, violence and all around male cast of characters.
Again, the story in itself was pretty good, but it isn't a series that will keep me up at night waiting for release day.
vikingwolf's review
5.0
Deacon is approached by a vampire who asks him to kill a fellow hunter but when Deacon goes to warn the man, the man attacks him, believing him to be a vampire, and they are then surrounded in an ambush by a ton of vampires. Deacon wants to know who used Larson to lure him into a trap and then he plans to get some major payback. The search begins with an ancient vampire who is in hiding but soon Deacon is confronted with a vampire who can control other vampires and shifters and could well be unbeatable.
Deacon Chalk for me is the ultimate urban fantasy hero. He is a tough biker all in wrestler looking guy with a mean look straight from an ACDC nightmare, with slightly enhanced speed and strength given to him by an Angel he saved who then returned the favour. He has a complete belief in God and that he is doing good work in fighting against monsters with the good Father. His faith adds to his complex character but it is not overpowering in the story and he isn't preaching to everyone. I liked that. He fights monsters because his beloved wife and kids were murdered in a black magick ritual five years ago, and he still suffers daily from the pain and trauma of not being able to save them. I so much liked how vulnerable he is to that pain, and that he kills monsters until they kill him to reunite him with his family someday, as suicide would be wrong. He is also kind and caring to his friends and the girls in the club but don't cross him...
Deacon owns a 'minimum of clothes' dance club as opposed to an actual strip club, called Polecats. We don't see the club during working hours and there is no stripping there, just dancing in skimpy clothes due to state law. The action we see at the club is where the monster fighters gather. The income from the club allows him to finance his monster fighting war as silver bullets do not come cheap. Kat who runs the club and provides all of his internet information and research was rescued from vampires by Deacon and he views her as a sister. Their bartender is the brilliant Father Mulcahy, Catholic Priest, exorcist, guardian of holy relics and monster fighter. He is a grizzled, wisecracking father figure to Deacon and I really liked him. We also meet a few of the girls like Ronnie who work in the bar and are fully aware of what Deacon does. I like that he gives them a safe place to work and the weapons they need to defend themselves from whatever Deacon is hunting.
The newer people that Deacon has to work with are Larson and Tiffany. Larson is a dumb wannabe vampire hunter with no idea what he is getting into. He continually locks horns with Deacon and is pretty much a whining ass in my book. I don't greatly like him and he is an idiot for trying to tell Deacon how he should be doing his job! Tiff is pretty interesting. She looks and sounds like a little girl lost but is much stronger than she sounds, and forms an instant connection with Deacon. We then meet a couple of really interesting characters-Charlotte the were spider, who is the creepiest shifter you could ever imagine *shudder* and Longinus, the accidental creator of vampires with a tortured past. Both are really great additions to the plot. We also meet a were-gorilla called George!
There is no romance in this book but there are emotional bonds between Deacon and Tiff which make them close friends quickly and hint that something could develop later. THIS is the way that potential romances should be handled instead of instaluv soulmate nonsense which has ruined many decent books for me in the past. I like the idea of a man tortured by the loss of his wife finding a connection to someone like Tiff, so I guess I'm rooting for them as a future couple! The characters themselves are well developed and you very much care about them when they go into battle. Deacon may be a bit enhanced but he is not superman and he takes realistic beatings from the monsters he has to fight. It adds realism to the fights which are brutal and he never has any kind of easy wins, which is a much better plot to read than easy victories every time.
I also liked the pop culture references to other vampire hunters as if they are people he knows or has worked with. Anita in St Louis is obviously Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake, Cat and Bones are from the books by Jeaniene Frost, Sam and Dean are the Supernatural boys and the two sets of vampire hunters in LA and a nearby town sound like Angel and Buffy. I'm not too sure about who the Blue Woman is though. I'm thinking the reference to the 'old guy and the black guy' might be Blade? It's also nice to have an MC who is not interested in rap and house music as I hate both! I might actually be interested in listening to a few of his song choices!
This book is full of vampire, shifters, tough battles, complex characters, tension, realism and great plot. In short it has everything I want in an urban fantasy adventure and it more than lived up to the promise of That Thing at the Zoo, the prequel story that I read which put me onto the series. Check it out if you haven't already read it. I recommend this book to fans of dark and gritty urban fantasy, those who like paranormal stories with strong plot and great characters.
Deacon Chalk for me is the ultimate urban fantasy hero. He is a tough biker all in wrestler looking guy with a mean look straight from an ACDC nightmare, with slightly enhanced speed and strength given to him by an Angel he saved who then returned the favour. He has a complete belief in God and that he is doing good work in fighting against monsters with the good Father. His faith adds to his complex character but it is not overpowering in the story and he isn't preaching to everyone. I liked that. He fights monsters because his beloved wife and kids were murdered in a black magick ritual five years ago, and he still suffers daily from the pain and trauma of not being able to save them. I so much liked how vulnerable he is to that pain, and that he kills monsters until they kill him to reunite him with his family someday, as suicide would be wrong. He is also kind and caring to his friends and the girls in the club but don't cross him...
Deacon owns a 'minimum of clothes' dance club as opposed to an actual strip club, called Polecats. We don't see the club during working hours and there is no stripping there, just dancing in skimpy clothes due to state law. The action we see at the club is where the monster fighters gather. The income from the club allows him to finance his monster fighting war as silver bullets do not come cheap. Kat who runs the club and provides all of his internet information and research was rescued from vampires by Deacon and he views her as a sister. Their bartender is the brilliant Father Mulcahy, Catholic Priest, exorcist, guardian of holy relics and monster fighter. He is a grizzled, wisecracking father figure to Deacon and I really liked him. We also meet a few of the girls like Ronnie who work in the bar and are fully aware of what Deacon does. I like that he gives them a safe place to work and the weapons they need to defend themselves from whatever Deacon is hunting.
The newer people that Deacon has to work with are Larson and Tiffany. Larson is a dumb wannabe vampire hunter with no idea what he is getting into. He continually locks horns with Deacon and is pretty much a whining ass in my book. I don't greatly like him and he is an idiot for trying to tell Deacon how he should be doing his job! Tiff is pretty interesting. She looks and sounds like a little girl lost but is much stronger than she sounds, and forms an instant connection with Deacon. We then meet a couple of really interesting characters-Charlotte the were spider, who is the creepiest shifter you could ever imagine *shudder* and Longinus, the accidental creator of vampires with a tortured past. Both are really great additions to the plot. We also meet a were-gorilla called George!
There is no romance in this book but there are emotional bonds between Deacon and Tiff which make them close friends quickly and hint that something could develop later. THIS is the way that potential romances should be handled instead of instaluv soulmate nonsense which has ruined many decent books for me in the past. I like the idea of a man tortured by the loss of his wife finding a connection to someone like Tiff, so I guess I'm rooting for them as a future couple! The characters themselves are well developed and you very much care about them when they go into battle. Deacon may be a bit enhanced but he is not superman and he takes realistic beatings from the monsters he has to fight. It adds realism to the fights which are brutal and he never has any kind of easy wins, which is a much better plot to read than easy victories every time.
I also liked the pop culture references to other vampire hunters as if they are people he knows or has worked with. Anita in St Louis is obviously Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake, Cat and Bones are from the books by Jeaniene Frost, Sam and Dean are the Supernatural boys and the two sets of vampire hunters in LA and a nearby town sound like Angel and Buffy. I'm not too sure about who the Blue Woman is though. I'm thinking the reference to the 'old guy and the black guy' might be Blade? It's also nice to have an MC who is not interested in rap and house music as I hate both! I might actually be interested in listening to a few of his song choices!
This book is full of vampire, shifters, tough battles, complex characters, tension, realism and great plot. In short it has everything I want in an urban fantasy adventure and it more than lived up to the promise of That Thing at the Zoo, the prequel story that I read which put me onto the series. Check it out if you haven't already read it. I recommend this book to fans of dark and gritty urban fantasy, those who like paranormal stories with strong plot and great characters.
git_r_read's review
5.0
This would be such a superb movie! Can't go wrong with vampires, were-gorillas and were-spiders and a wicked ancient vampire in control and out for Deacon's blood.
Excellent fight scenes abound through-out. Would love to meet Deacon and his team. James R Tuck describes each character well, not just dwelling on Deacon even as he is the main character.
Deacon could come off as only a tortured soul bent on revenge on the deaths of his family by monsters. He's more than that, though the memories could be his undoing if he let it.
I love his taste in music (hard drivin' blues) and his car, the Comet. Easy for me to get my crush on......
Can't wait to read BLOOD AND SILVER, next in the series. Let me get my Deacon on....
Excellent fight scenes abound through-out. Would love to meet Deacon and his team. James R Tuck describes each character well, not just dwelling on Deacon even as he is the main character.
Deacon could come off as only a tortured soul bent on revenge on the deaths of his family by monsters. He's more than that, though the memories could be his undoing if he let it.
I love his taste in music (hard drivin' blues) and his car, the Comet. Easy for me to get my crush on......
Can't wait to read BLOOD AND SILVER, next in the series. Let me get my Deacon on....
lizzy_22's review
2.0
I read this book as part of the Read2Review program in the PNR & Urban Fantasy Fanatics discussion group! Thank you to them and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Blood and Bullets.
He lives to kill monsters. He keeps his city safe. And his silver hollow-points and back-from-the-dead abilities help him take out any kind of supernatural threat. But now an immortal evil has this bad-ass bounty hunter dead in its sights. . .
Blood and Bullets was an intense and bloody sprint of a book! If you like extreme weaponry, kicking supernatural butt and gore, Deacon Chalk, monster hunter and all around bad ass, is your guy. After being the target in an ambush attempt, Deacon is off to the races in effort to find out who set him up and why. What he finds is definitely not what he anticipated because he immediately becomes embroiled in a bloody battle to thwart an ancient vampire’s megalomaniacal plan to enslave humankind.
That said, Blood and Bullets was surprisingly not exactly my kind of read. There was way too much focus on the types of weaponry Deacon used and his macho posturing than story and no clear reasons as to exactly why Deacon was a threat. Sure the vampire seductress was hot for him (and we got numerous soliloquies on how appealing he is) but did she only target him to get in his pants or was it just because he was SO good at his job? I did like the addition of were-spiders to the supernatural lore (why not?) and loved what an amazing ally Charlotte became as she broke the vampire’s thrall and joined Deacon’s team. But ultimately I felt like instead of an urban fantasy thriller I was reading Guns and Ammo magazine.
The interesting thing is that this type of story might draw more male readers to the genre as there is a distinct lack of male protagonist voices in urban fantasy novels. I would keep James Tuck on my radar to see where he goes with the development of the Deacon Chalk , Occult Bounty Hunter series when book 2, Blood and Silver is released this summer.
He lives to kill monsters. He keeps his city safe. And his silver hollow-points and back-from-the-dead abilities help him take out any kind of supernatural threat. But now an immortal evil has this bad-ass bounty hunter dead in its sights. . .
Blood and Bullets was an intense and bloody sprint of a book! If you like extreme weaponry, kicking supernatural butt and gore, Deacon Chalk, monster hunter and all around bad ass, is your guy. After being the target in an ambush attempt, Deacon is off to the races in effort to find out who set him up and why. What he finds is definitely not what he anticipated because he immediately becomes embroiled in a bloody battle to thwart an ancient vampire’s megalomaniacal plan to enslave humankind.
That said, Blood and Bullets was surprisingly not exactly my kind of read. There was way too much focus on the types of weaponry Deacon used and his macho posturing than story and no clear reasons as to exactly why Deacon was a threat. Sure the vampire seductress was hot for him (and we got numerous soliloquies on how appealing he is) but did she only target him to get in his pants or was it just because he was SO good at his job? I did like the addition of were-spiders to the supernatural lore (why not?) and loved what an amazing ally Charlotte became as she broke the vampire’s thrall and joined Deacon’s team. But ultimately I felt like instead of an urban fantasy thriller I was reading Guns and Ammo magazine.
The interesting thing is that this type of story might draw more male readers to the genre as there is a distinct lack of male protagonist voices in urban fantasy novels. I would keep James Tuck on my radar to see where he goes with the development of the Deacon Chalk , Occult Bounty Hunter series when book 2, Blood and Silver is released this summer.
texaswolfman's review
3.0
Pretty good start to a monster filled series. it doesn't let up a bit. some of the supporting characters could be fleshed out more but overall enjoyable.
chllybrd's review
3.0
I'm so used to reading books where the main character is a woman it was a bit hard to get into a male main character at first. Deacons family was murdered by the monsters he now hunts and he has made it his life's work to hunt them down until he dies doing it. While reading I had to do a double take as James threw in some of my favorite vampire hunters into his book and it defiantly made me like Deacon a tad bit more. Deacon at one points throws in that he knows not only Anita Blake but also Cat and Bones, All characters I can't get enough of. There were quite a few times that I felt like stuff was repeated way to much. Sometimes saying something once is enough and Deacon didn't quite get that memo so I found myself kinda skimming through parts of the book. As other reviewers mentioned Deacon is a mans, man so you kinda have to be into heavy guns, lots of swearing and little emotions from the main character to really get into Deacon but there were some great parts in the book that i was glad to have read.
BLOOD AND BULLETS was faced paced, full of action, and had some interesting characters. There were lots of monsters, and the world was easy to like. I'm not sure if I would read more books in this series but I will certainly take another look at it when the next book does come out.
BLOOD AND BULLETS was faced paced, full of action, and had some interesting characters. There were lots of monsters, and the world was easy to like. I'm not sure if I would read more books in this series but I will certainly take another look at it when the next book does come out.
rclz's review
4.0
This is James Tuck's first book in the Deacon Chalk series. I wasn't sure I'd like this. The vampires are evil, not a redeeming trait in the bunch and Deacon's job is to mow em down pretty much from the first page to the last. It turns out this is a pretty good book. It has a weird blend of religion and supernatural that really works. Deacon's religion is very important to him but in the book it just comes off as matter of fact. Very well done. I'm sure I'll read the next one.
mzzmia's review
4.0
I really liked this one. It's always refreshing when an author takes vampires pack to their origins of pure evil. I also liked the spin on how the first vampire came to be. I'll definitely keep an eye out for this author and this series.