First Paragraph:
"By 2125 the world had been overthrown by monsters dubbed Century Vampires. Some kind of mutation in the human genome gave rise to the first ones, or so the scientists suspected. Vamps spent the first one-hundred years of their existence growing in number --some born, some turned --all deadly. They wreaked havoc for the past eight-three years."
Midnight: Century of Vampires by Ami Blackwelder is the first novella in the Century of Vampires Trilogy. It centres around Aura and Mark, two survivors fighting to keep it that way.
It's the year 2125 and vampires have taken over the world. They rule from 6pm to 6am and the only "safe" way to fight is bombing them as they sleep. No one is sure how vampires came to be, but some suspect there was a mutation to the human genome. Survivors are forced to hold down fort in abandoned buildings in small groups, hiding the twelve hours vampires hunt.
Our two protagonists have pretty similar backstories (as do all the survivors). Aura's mother was killed 5 years previously and her brother was taken and never seen again. She never knew her father. Mark's parents were killed when he was ten and his sister killed five years later.
The vampires of this world are more like the original vampires literature used to create than the ones around nowadays, in that they are dangerous killers. They sleep like bats, living in caves and hanging from the ceiling. They only become "beautiful" and "celestial" at midnight, appearing hollow skinned and creature-like before then. Their flesh rots on their bones and their eyes glow red.
Scattered throughout are a few illustrations, which are nice enough. Full-coloured illustrations for those interested.
I did find this book a little confusing, nothing is really explained and it just felt a little rushed. I don't know if questions will be answered in later parts though. I still found the story interesting. It's not really anything new, but then it doesn't have to be. I fully intend on reading the next two parts and (as novellas) they'll be quick enough reads.
One final issue, if you buy the kindle version, do NOT read the book club questions at the end as they hold definite spoilers- though reading them I found a few points predictable, especially if you're familiar at all with this genre.
If you like dystopian worlds, dangerous vampires and young adult books why not give this a try?
Disclaimer: I was sent this book by the author through a giveaway. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.
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