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jmoses's review
4.0
This was a pretty decent read. From the description, I had mixed feelings starting it, and for the first chapter or two, I still couldn't decide if it was going to be good, or obnoxious. It certainly fell out towards the good side. The settings and characters are interesting, and feel like they could be real people. The story is interesting, if not super original, although it had some intriguing points. I'd really like to read a novel set way back in the world's history . That certainly has potential.
Towards the end, it felt like the pacing slowed way down. The first half was more frantic, and you had the impression that things were going to *move*. The second half couldn't keep up with the pace, but it wasn't a huge disappointment.
Overall I enjoyed it, and would read more in this universe.
Oh, I was also sent a "review" copy of the ebook, so, full disclaimer and all.
Spoiler
when all the mystical creatures were being hunted and imprisonedTowards the end, it felt like the pacing slowed way down. The first half was more frantic, and you had the impression that things were going to *move*. The second half couldn't keep up with the pace, but it wasn't a huge disappointment.
Overall I enjoyed it, and would read more in this universe.
Oh, I was also sent a "review" copy of the ebook, so, full disclaimer and all.
modernzorker's review
4.0
Jason Ridler can spin a fine, fun yarn, but what really endeared me to Blood & Sawdust, more than the almost relentless pace of action, were the characters. Because somehow, despite the crusty old mythology and rules that "everybody knows" about vampires, he's managed to break almost all of them effortlessly--and without rubbing that in your face. And he does so by rolling expectations so as to create underdog heroes from out-and-out assholes.
Malcolm might be the main character of the story (since none of the transpiring events would happen if he hadn't shown up at this one particular cage fight on this one particular evening), but even though he's carrying around the weight of a terrible tragedy on his 14-year-old shoulders, he's only the second-most interesting member of the cast. The blue ribbon goes to his unwilling business partner, Milkwood.
Milkwood's a vampire, but he's the furthest thing from LeStat or Edward Cullen you could possibly imagine. Far from being a perfectly-chisled hardbody living it up in New Orleans or upstate Washington, Milkwood slouches through his un-life in much the same way he did before being turned. In Ridler's vampire world, what you look like when a bloodsucker takes your humanity is what you're stuck with forever. And Milkwood's an obese, pale, chronically unsure of himself, pasty tub of lard. The sort of guy who couldn't get laid if he was an egg. The last person on earth you'd expect to ride to your rescue. And the last guy on earth you'd expect to see crawl into the cage for a low-budget, bare-knuckle throwdown. The first time you see him, you hate him. His behavior through the story barely allows you room to root for him. And yet, like the best antiheroes of fiction, Ridler throws him, with all his faults, all his personality problems, all his selfish behavior in our faces and dares us to like him anyway. And we do.
There are occasional grammar errors through the story ("grizzly" when it should be "grisly" and the like), and an instance of a character referring to someone by the wrong name, but you're not likely to notice the latter, and the former doesn't impede the pace of the story enough for me to get too worked up. A character who I hoped would have a larger part only appears once, a prime player in the game rolls up out of nowhere in the second act, and there's a major villain who, while vaguely foreshadowed, doesn't show up "in the flesh" until near the end of the book, but while these might feel like disappointments, they're disappointing because the characters in question wound up being interesting enough that I wanted to know more about them. Ridler's left things open for a second book if he feels like telling another story, but make no mistake: the book might be open-ended, but the story itself is very much resolved.
All told, I really enjoyed Jason's story of the supernatural meeting the underground fighting circuit. I blew through the book in a matter of a few hours, and while it's not overly long at 150 pages (I read an ebook version), at no time did I feel like my time was being wasted. Blood & Sawdust is exactly as long as it needs to be, with no padding to overstay its welcome. Recommended for anyone who enjoys a little bit of the paranormal mixed with their garden-variety tales of ass-kicking, revenge, and bloodshed.
Malcolm might be the main character of the story (since none of the transpiring events would happen if he hadn't shown up at this one particular cage fight on this one particular evening), but even though he's carrying around the weight of a terrible tragedy on his 14-year-old shoulders, he's only the second-most interesting member of the cast. The blue ribbon goes to his unwilling business partner, Milkwood.
Milkwood's a vampire, but he's the furthest thing from LeStat or Edward Cullen you could possibly imagine. Far from being a perfectly-chisled hardbody living it up in New Orleans or upstate Washington, Milkwood slouches through his un-life in much the same way he did before being turned. In Ridler's vampire world, what you look like when a bloodsucker takes your humanity is what you're stuck with forever. And Milkwood's an obese, pale, chronically unsure of himself, pasty tub of lard. The sort of guy who couldn't get laid if he was an egg. The last person on earth you'd expect to ride to your rescue. And the last guy on earth you'd expect to see crawl into the cage for a low-budget, bare-knuckle throwdown. The first time you see him, you hate him. His behavior through the story barely allows you room to root for him. And yet, like the best antiheroes of fiction, Ridler throws him, with all his faults, all his personality problems, all his selfish behavior in our faces and dares us to like him anyway. And we do.
There are occasional grammar errors through the story ("grizzly" when it should be "grisly" and the like), and an instance of a character referring to someone by the wrong name, but you're not likely to notice the latter, and the former doesn't impede the pace of the story enough for me to get too worked up. A character who I hoped would have a larger part only appears once, a prime player in the game rolls up out of nowhere in the second act, and there's a major villain who, while vaguely foreshadowed, doesn't show up "in the flesh" until near the end of the book, but while these might feel like disappointments, they're disappointing because the characters in question wound up being interesting enough that I wanted to know more about them. Ridler's left things open for a second book if he feels like telling another story, but make no mistake: the book might be open-ended, but the story itself is very much resolved.
All told, I really enjoyed Jason's story of the supernatural meeting the underground fighting circuit. I blew through the book in a matter of a few hours, and while it's not overly long at 150 pages (I read an ebook version), at no time did I feel like my time was being wasted. Blood & Sawdust is exactly as long as it needs to be, with no padding to overstay its welcome. Recommended for anyone who enjoys a little bit of the paranormal mixed with their garden-variety tales of ass-kicking, revenge, and bloodshed.
caseykd's review
4.0
When I started reading this book I was unsure if I would like it because the base of the story revolved around underground fighting. But as the story developed I became vested in what was happening and began to really root for Malcolm and Milkwood! The characters were developed really well and had intriguing back stories that were great additions to the story. There were a few unexpected turns along the way that kept me wanting to read on. I never got bored and really enjoyed the story! I recommend it as long as you can handle a little blood and guts in a story! Two thumbs up!
pickettreads's review
4.0
What do you get when you cross fight club with the dregs of society? A weird fighting circuit called the fringe. Place your bets on your favorite fighter to kill, blind, or maim his opponent and hope for the fight to be bloody and dirty. That is what Jason Ridler treats you to in Blood & Sawdust. When I first read the summary it certainly piqued my interest in all things scary, gory or just downright wrong.
The first 50 to 75 pages were a bit of a struggle for me as I found this book to be over the top gore. Even with the gore I forged ahead because the characters were starting to intrigue me and I am so glad I did. I loved the plot fight club meets the underworld and really liked Malcolm and Milkwood. These are two very different characters that form an alliance that will eventually lead to a friendship. They certainly have you cheering for the underdog.
Overall, this was a great read. There are a few grammatical and punctuation errors but they don't detract from the story. Ridler is an author I will read again.
The first 50 to 75 pages were a bit of a struggle for me as I found this book to be over the top gore. Even with the gore I forged ahead because the characters were starting to intrigue me and I am so glad I did. I loved the plot fight club meets the underworld and really liked Malcolm and Milkwood. These are two very different characters that form an alliance that will eventually lead to a friendship. They certainly have you cheering for the underdog.
Overall, this was a great read. There are a few grammatical and punctuation errors but they don't detract from the story. Ridler is an author I will read again.
azeryk's review
4.0
Now I don't normally read vampire books, to me they've become too domesticated in the past decade, to the point that I can't take them seriousness. This book however sounded more interesting and slightly different.
The book follows two very different people, Malcolm the streetwise kid who bets on the fringe fights for his abusive brother, and Milkwood the punch bag who loses every fight. The story then picks up the pace when Malcolm finds out Milkwoods vampiric secret and they plot together to win money to change both of their lives.
All of the characters in the book are colourful and very varied, not the usual stereotypes, and combined with a very fast paced story makes this quite a page turner. There is quite a bit of wrestling/fighting lingo used in the book, something I found helped give depth to the story although some could find this confusing if they are not used to the lingo.
Overall I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would, Milkwood is not your normal young, attractive (or sparkling) vampire which was refreshing and the story had plenty of twists. If your a fan of vampire stories which aren't aimed at youngster, or a fighting fan then you will find this well worth reading.
The novel was received in exchange for an honest review.
The book follows two very different people, Malcolm the streetwise kid who bets on the fringe fights for his abusive brother, and Milkwood the punch bag who loses every fight. The story then picks up the pace when Malcolm finds out Milkwoods vampiric secret and they plot together to win money to change both of their lives.
All of the characters in the book are colourful and very varied, not the usual stereotypes, and combined with a very fast paced story makes this quite a page turner. There is quite a bit of wrestling/fighting lingo used in the book, something I found helped give depth to the story although some could find this confusing if they are not used to the lingo.
Overall I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would, Milkwood is not your normal young, attractive (or sparkling) vampire which was refreshing and the story had plenty of twists. If your a fan of vampire stories which aren't aimed at youngster, or a fighting fan then you will find this well worth reading.
The novel was received in exchange for an honest review.
evavroslin's review
4.0
If you read and loved Jason Ridler's previous wrestling-themed book, Death Match, you'll really dig Blood & Sawdust. Although I enjoyed the wrestling elements of Death Match, I liked that the vampire story took more of the center stage in Blood & Sawdust. There’s plenty of action to be had here, and the fast-paced scenes make it a very entertaining and quick read. If you find yourself bored of the current WWE or TNA storylines and want something with a bit more originality and zest, or alternately, if you’re still on a post-Wrestlemania high (especially from the epic Punk vs. Taker match), consider picking up Blood & Sawdust, and the book also makes for great reading if you’re a horror fan but not so much a wrestling fan.
For my full review, click here.
For my full review, click here.
talismanlangley's review
5.0
This wasn't what I expected (although to be fair, I wasn't sure *what* to expect, really) but it was great. A quick read with a surprising and engaging storyline.
tinavenusreads's review
4.0
I finished this book a few days ago and decided to let it absorb before reviewing it. Now, a few days later, I think that it grew on me. It's a story told alternately from two different perspectives, and I like that. You get a sense of what each character is thinking. The vampire in this isn't a Twilight vampire, all sparkly and hunky, he's overweight and makes bad decisions. The "bad guys" are truly unlikeable. The wolf aspect of the story bugged me while reading it, to be honest. I was thinking, one supernatural aspect per book! But that's actually the part of the story that I found myself thinking about after I finished reading it. I want to know more about it. It seemed to me that the ending could be the set up for a series of books if the author wanted--I have no idea if it's part of one. I would read the sequel to this. Full disclosure, I was sent this book free of charge for review.
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