Adrian Phoenix, In the Blood Review

Overall Rating

In the Blood
Adrian Phoenix
Pocket, Jan 2009, $15.00
ISBN: 9781416541455

In New Orleans, vampire rock star Dante Baptiste used his music to save the life of FBI agent Heather Wallace (see 'A Rush Of Wings'). However soon afterward, the Nightkind rocker learns a shocker about his origins. Besides being a True Blood born vampire, his father is Lucien a fallen angel.

Lucien DeNoir realizes his Fallen brethren probably heard the song played by his son and his band when he saved the Fed; and like him they also realize a new creawdwr was born. His theory proves right as the Fallen ones meet in Gehenna, believing their savior has arrived. Lucien knows who the Fallen believe the savior is and is willing to die to keep that person safe from his peers.

In Seattle, Dante and his band the Inferno are performing. Heather, who realizes her beloved FBI is corrupt and evil, is also in town. In the meantime a deep covert government agency wants to kill Dante and Heather as part of their plan to eliminate anyone associated with Project Bad Seed while someone else plans to use the rocker with his feet in two realms as an expendable pawn for avenging a seemingly eternal affront.

'In The Blood' continues the saga of Dante and Heather and though they have left the south for the northwest, the atmosphere remains dark and gloomy. Betrayal is the norm as the lead pair learns no one has your back because everyone has an agenda whether they are Fallen, Nightkind, Feds, or others. With multiple layers involving various support groups focused mostly on the brooding Dante, he and Heather struggles to survive in Adrian Phoenix's extremely complex well written urban fantasy world.

Harriet Klausner