Beckoning Blood by Daniel de Lorne-Review, Guest Post and Giveaway

Beckoning Blood
by Daniel de Lorne
Release Date: May 1, 2014
Genre: paranormal, vampire, M/M,

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 2014

A gripping, blood‐drenched saga about twin brothers, the men they love, and the enduring truth that true love never dies — no matter how many times you kill it.

Thierry d’Arjou has but one escape from the daily misery of his work at a medieval abattoir — Etienne de Balthas. But keeping their love a secret triggers a bloody chain of events that condemns Thierry to a monstrous immortality. Thierry quickly learns that to survive his timeless exile, he must hide his sensitive heart from the man who both eases and ensures his loneliness…his twin brother.

Shaped by the fists of a brutal father, Olivier d’Arjou cares for only two things: his own pleasure and his twin. But their sadistic path through centuries is littered with old rivals and new foes, and Olivier must fight for what is rightfully his – Thierry, made immortal just for him.

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NOTE: Beckoning Blood is a M/M storyline with graphic depictions of same sex scenarios, obsession and bloody violence.

REVIEW: BECKONING BLOOD is the first instalment for first time author Daniel de Lorne’s new paranormal, adult, vampire series focusing on twin brothers Theirry and Olivier d’Arjou. The storyline spans over six hundred years-from 1390 to present day-following the brothers’s transformation to vampires and lethal killers. Beckoning Blood is a story of love, hatred, blood lust and sibling rivalry. This is not your sparkly vampire novel-this is a novel of betrayal and revenge between two brothers and a series of enemies they have made along the way.

The focus of the storyline is the relationship between twin brothers Thierry and Olivier d’Arjou. Growing up in a violent and abusive household the brothers are turned one fateful night that saw Thierry’s lover murdered and the brothers on the run. The storyline fast forwards in several spots, skipping hundreds of years at a time but what happens in the ensuing years is revealed when necessary to the plot and story. As Thierry continues to mourn the loss of his soul mate Etienne, Olivier’s thirst for blood and revenge are the building blocks of a violent history between two brothers who are searching for love and acceptance-Thierry’s search for his long dead lover in every soul that he meets and Olivier’s obsession and love for Thierry. With over six hundred years of history, the brothers have made many enemies and will soon discover they are not the only immortal beings with a thirst for revenge.

The relationship between Thierry and Olivier is volatile, necessary and emotional. They are tied to one another’s psyche through bloodline, power and pain. The twins are the epitome of good and evil; black and white; yin and yang. Years and centuries would separate the brothers but they are pulled to one another in an emotional tale of jealousy, love and family ties. When it finally looks like Thierry will be free of Olivier’s psychotic and painful deception, fate will step in when it is learned that Olivier is needed for a higher purpose. It is Olivier’s never ending love and need for Thierry that fuels his crazed and murderous jealous rages.

The secondary characters are numerous, colorful and play a continuous role throughout the storyline in various incarnations and sources of threats. The brothers will face their mortality on more than one occasion but there is always someone or something watching and waiting to step in and save the day.

Told from third person close point of view BECKONING BLOOD is a well written, evenly paced, original storyline of suspense and horror about a love between two brothers that is violent, graphic and not without some questionable moral ethics. There are no apologies for the death and destruction reaped by the brothers-they are, after all, predators and, humans are their prey. But Thierry does have a conscience-one born of love-that pits the brothers against one another in an enduring battle of right and wrong throughout the years.

Daniel de Lorne has written a seductively dark and dangerous storyline where the fine line between love and hate is only a matter of blood. The world building spans centuries and countries; family and friends; death and rebirth. BECKONING BLOOD is astonishing in its’ violence; dramatic in its’ presentation; passionate in its’ love.

Copy supplied by the author through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

In defense of blood

First up, I’d like to say a big thank you to The Reading Cafe for reviewing my book and allowing me to guest post here today.

Now, on to a topic that’s near and dear to my heart…blood. (Get it? That’s a joke because you know…blood…heart…right, moving on.)

One of the things I hear from readers is how bloody Beckoning Blood is. Of course, for me, I don’t really have a problem with it. There’s not much that turns my stomach, least of which is blood, but I can appreciate some people’s aversion to the stuff, even when they’re reading about it. (My mother-in-law probably won’t take much pleasure in reading about flowing veins.)

But in my defense, it’s not my fault. You see, my main characters, twin brothers Olivier and Thierry, are vampires and what else are they going to drink? You might say, “Ahh yes, but everything in moderation.” But if there’s anything that my characters struggle with, particularly Olivier, it’s moderation.

By way of illustration, here’s a short passage from my book, soon after Thierry is made vampire:

They rent flesh, broke and smashed bones, and opened the body up to be devoured like some roasted boar at a banquet. Each slippery sinew, each quivering organ slid into their mouths and down their throats. Thierry had never tasted anything like it before. No animal held this much flavour, held this much potency. His anger simmered beneath his hungry grunting as he dipped into the body again and again to wolf down all he could. They chewed through heart and liver, stomach and spleen, sucked on brains and lungs. They covered themselves with gore and blood until there was nothing left but bones. … They sat back and looked at each other, covered with blood like painted warriors of Gaul.

Not much room for moderation there, especially in the heat of the moment.

But everything has its place and Beckoning Blood isn’t a complete bloodfest. At least I hope you agree. There are shades of light and dark throughout when it comes to blood. Olivier, for all that he gorges himself, is still a connoisseur:

Olivier emerged from his last kill like some sated pig, the blood of seven warming his body, and his tongue over-sensitive from the taste of so many lives. Each one had been unique, and each had something to savour. Not one flavour repeated on his tastebuds, and he regretted their loss as they slipped away but the possibilities of more snuffed out any sadness.

Rest assured though, the pages aren’t flowing with the red stuff but the brothers get their lips wet on more than one occasion – all in the name of bloody good fun.

But I’m keen to hear what you think? How much blood is too much blood? Does the thought put you off or are you ok with this most vital of bodily fluids?

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Daniel de Lorne writes mostly about the loves and trials of hot and sexy paranormal men – and creatures. He grew up in Perth, Western Australia, and developed a fascination for the mythical and magical early on. Daniel wrote stories from a young age but it was high school biology class he remembers fondly as providing an excellent cover for writing stories that were filled with teen angst and fantastical creatures. He now lives in Canada with his partner. It was while in this great northern frontier that Escape Publishing accepted his first book, Beckoning Blood, for publication.

For a free read, introducing you to the “heroes” of Daniel’s book, head to his website at Daniel de Lorne

 

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