Tag Archives: vampires

Relaxing at Sunset

pool

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Harold thought it was great that his friend Jimmy let him use his place in the Arizona desert while he had to stay in Phoenix. At sunset, it was still warm enough to relax in the pool with a drink, and in November, too.

“This is the life,” he said sipping at another bourbon. “At least while the food lasts.”

The emergency news channel was coming across his phone. The narrator was describing the vampire plague sweeping every populated area in the world.

“It’ll take ‘em a while to find me. After Jimmy turns, I wonder if he’ll come home?”

Continue reading →

Book Review of “Changes” (2011): A Dresden Files Novel by Jim Butcher

changes

© James Pyles

I just finished Jim Butcher’s Changes (2011), book twelve in The Dresden Files series and it is over-the-top great.

Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read this book yet, are a fan of the series, and want to be surprised STOP READING HERE!

You have been warned.

One of the dangers any series faces is falling into a pattern or formula. After all, as a writer, if you’ve found something that works, you tend to repeat it over and over for the sake of success. Publishers like success too, so they might even encourage such repetition for the sake of profits.

But as we’ve seen in all forms of entertainment, becoming “formulistic” can also mean the death of creativity and the loss of readers.

So Butcher changed all that.

Here’s the “spoilers” part.

Continue reading →

Book Review of “Turn Coat” (2009), a “Dresden Files” Novel

turn coat

© James Pyles

Last night I finished Jim Butcher’s 2009 novel Turn Coat, the 11th book in “The Dresden Files” series.

You’d think that in eleven books, Butcher would turn in a turkey now and then, but he is the gift that keeps on giving. That said, there’s always the danger things will start to get repetitive, especially as the reader becomes more familiar with the Dresden universe.

There is some of that, at least a little. After all (spoiler alert), the climax of this novel occurs on the same piece of magical real estate as the last one.

But there are surprises throughout.

Remember, I said spoiler alert.

Continue reading →

Book Review of “White Night” (2008), Book Nine in the Dresden Files Series

white night

© James Pyles

I was going to review another book before this one, but when I was halfway through that other book, my request for this one came through at my local public library. Library books have to be returned at a certain date, so this one got priority.

Jim Butcher’s White Night is the ninth novel in his Dresden Files series. Harry Dresden is a functioning and advertised wizard working in Chicago. It’s urban fantasy like Sam Spade meets Lord of the Rings, only sort of.

We last left Harry as a newly promoted Warden of the White Council, basically a police officer/enforcer for a conglomerate of good wizards who defend their laws and protect the world of mortals from the supernatural.

They are currently engaged in a war with the Red Court vampires (there are several courts, all with different characteristics). It’s a war that Harry inadvertently started and so far, things have been going badly for the White Council.

Add to that Harry’s new apprentice Molly. Molly is a late teen girl and daughter of devout Christians (her father Michael is literally a Holy Warrior, magic sword and all) but she, having inherited some magic ability from her mother (long story), used her powers badly and was nearly executed by the White Council. Harry went to bat for her and now either Molly plays the straight-and-narrow as his student, or the Council executes them both.

All caught up?

Good. Spoiler Alert!

Continue reading →

Review of “Blood Rites” (2004), Book Six in “The Dresden Files” series

blood rites

© James Pyles

If you like my work, buy me a virtual cup of coffee at Ko-Fi.

Yesterday, I finished Jim Butcher’s novel Blood Rites, the sixth book in The Dresden Files series.

Harry Dresden is the world’s only publicly advertised investigative wizard. He operates out of Chicago and is on contract with the Special Investigations unit of the Chicago P.D. to help solve the really weird crimes that sometimes happen thanks to ghosts, demons, fairies, and vampires.

“Blood Rites” continues the war between Harry (and by inference the White Council) and a group of vampires called the Black Court (vampires that most resemble “Dracula”). However, Harry’s life is always complicated. He is encouraged by his “White Court” vampire associate Thomas to take a job protecting the owner of a porn film company from what amounts to “the evil eye.” Two women associated with the production have already died.

Continue reading →

Review of “Death Masks” (2003), Book Five in “The Dresden Files” Series

death masks

© James Pyles

If you like my work, buy me a virtual cup of coffee at Ko-Fi.

Jim Butcher’s Death Masks, the fifth in his “The Dresden Files” series is the darkest and most intense story yet.

The Shroud of Turin is missing and a Catholic Priest from Rome hires wizard/investigator Harry Dresden to find it, believing the Shroud is now somewhere in Chicago. At the same time, the feud between the wizard’s White Council and the vampire’s Red Court has taken a strange turn. To resolve the “cold war” between them, a vampire lord and expert duelist Ortega challenges Harry to a duel to the death. Harry can’t refuse because if he does, vampire and mortal assassins will target and kill everyone Harry cares about.

While mortal thieves originally took the Shroud, supernatural forces known as “The Fallen,” mortals possessed by demons, are after it for their own purposes. This brings in the Knights of the Cross, lead by Michael Carpenter who we saw in a previous novel. He is accompanied by Shiro and Sanya who are more adept at fighting the Fallen than Harry ever could be.

Continue reading →

Leaving

boxes

PHOTO PROMPT © David Stewart

If you like my work, buy me a virtual cup of coffee at Ko-Fi.

Joel McIlroy looked at his packed boxes through harsh morning sunlight. The folding camera reminded him to take photos of his trip to send to his friends.

He said goodbye to them last night. His companions couldn’t help pack the trailer or see him off this morning.

He put on his sunglasses and got to work loading the truck.

Being cured of vampirism meant he was a “daywalker” for the first time in seventy years.

An hour later he was listening to John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane” as he left the House of Graves for a new life.

Continue reading →

Movie Review of “Lifeforce” (1985)

Mathilda May as “Space Girl” in “Lifeforce” (1985)

If you like my work, buy me a virtual cup of coffee at Ko-Fi.

The 1985 movie Lifeforce was on my “to watch” list more out of curiosity than anything else. I knew it wouldn’t be a great movie, but I wasn’t prepared for how bad it was.

Whatever the producers spent their money on, it wasn’t special or visual effects. The spaceship “Churchill” was a 1980s NASA space shuttle with ridiculously long solar panels. That was made even more silly since the spacecraft was nuclear powered.

The crew is on a joint UK/USA mission to come into contact with Halley’s Comet which visits the inner solar system about once every seventy-five years.

There were tons of technical errors I won’t get into but in the first five minutes, I regretted spending three dollars and change to stream this turkey.

Continue reading →

Only Two Days Left to Support Zehlreg A. Grindstone’s Spectacular Western Oddity Emporium

horror tree

Screenshot from Horror Tree.

If you like my work, buy me a virtual cup of coffee at Ko-Fi.

Actually slightly less than 48 hours as I write this. The western/fantasy/horror anthology will include my western, steampunk, vampire tale “Blood Trail” featuring Consulting Occult Detective E.E. Durbin and her partner former-Sheriff Bobby Bill Thornton.

Go to the kickstarter page to add your support or just to see how we’re doing.

Continue reading →

We’re Not As Alone As You Think

resized rooftop garden

PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox

If you like my work, buy me a virtual cup of coffee at Ko-Fi.

She was alone in the deserted park two blocks from home when she heard his breathing. It was too late to run. Rough hands grabbed her from behind. Instead of screaming, she whirled around in his grip and exposed her vampire’s fangs.

“What? You too?” Nigel retracted his fangs and stood back looking disappointed.

“Oh darn.” The voice came from their right and a slender, dark-haired vamp in goth black appeared.

One by one, they emerged looking rather sheepish.

Desiree, also known as “shortcut girl,” said, “If a real person comes along, I’ve got dibs.” Naturally they all started arguing.

Continue reading →