Gifts Of Blood
Registered by 
GoryDetails
of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 5/16/2018
This book is in a Controlled Release!
GoryDetails of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 5/16/2018 This book is in a Controlled Release!
2 journalers for this copy...
I got this good-condition paperback from an online seller, for another release copy.
When I first discovered the book, I was intrigued by the concept: a special breed of beings dwelling on the Russian steppes, beings who need human blood to live, but who are not the typical undead vampires... I'd read one of the stories in the collection Tomorrow Sucks, and was glad to find more of Petrey's work.
This is a very enjoyable collection of stories, and the premise is certainly unusual. The main characters are two brothers with very different temperaments, but who have both inherited their clan's ability to heal humans and horses, as well as the need to drink a little human blood now and then. In their own lands, they've become accepted and are readily (more or less) offered their small blood-fee in exchange for their help, but times change, and other cultures are not as accepting. Will the reckless Spareen avoid getting himself accused of being a bloodthirsty demon? Will Vaylance, his gentle-natured brother, find a way to continue his healing practices in the face of new, close-minded cultures?
Some charming touches: being from a steppe clan, the characters are expert horsemen, and can even converse with the beasts, a great advantage when trying to diagnose illnesses (and a source of humor now and then, as in the short-short story "Fleas"). And as the tribe can only reproduce with women of their own kind - and female children are very rare - the tribe is dwindling, much to the discomfiture of the randier characters.
The story "Leechcraft" takes an interesting turn, introducing a modern-day character who somehow manages to reach across time to our hero's mid-1800s era. "Small Changes" has Spareen falling captive to Christians (who, unsurprisingly, do not look kindly on blood-drinking heathen). The details of the healing songs and rituals, of the diagnostic techniques, and of life on the steppes are all charming - a very enjoyable collection.
There are two additional stories not about the blood-drinkers of the steppes: "The Neisserian Invasion", a futuristic alien-invasion story with an amusing (and/or scary) premise for the method of transmission, and "Spidersong", a sweetly sad love story about a lonely lyre spider who lives inside a lute.
When I first discovered the book, I was intrigued by the concept: a special breed of beings dwelling on the Russian steppes, beings who need human blood to live, but who are not the typical undead vampires... I'd read one of the stories in the collection Tomorrow Sucks, and was glad to find more of Petrey's work.
This is a very enjoyable collection of stories, and the premise is certainly unusual. The main characters are two brothers with very different temperaments, but who have both inherited their clan's ability to heal humans and horses, as well as the need to drink a little human blood now and then. In their own lands, they've become accepted and are readily (more or less) offered their small blood-fee in exchange for their help, but times change, and other cultures are not as accepting. Will the reckless Spareen avoid getting himself accused of being a bloodthirsty demon? Will Vaylance, his gentle-natured brother, find a way to continue his healing practices in the face of new, close-minded cultures?
Some charming touches: being from a steppe clan, the characters are expert horsemen, and can even converse with the beasts, a great advantage when trying to diagnose illnesses (and a source of humor now and then, as in the short-short story "Fleas"). And as the tribe can only reproduce with women of their own kind - and female children are very rare - the tribe is dwindling, much to the discomfiture of the randier characters.
The story "Leechcraft" takes an interesting turn, introducing a modern-day character who somehow manages to reach across time to our hero's mid-1800s era. "Small Changes" has Spareen falling captive to Christians (who, unsurprisingly, do not look kindly on blood-drinking heathen). The details of the healing songs and rituals, of the diagnostic techniques, and of life on the steppes are all charming - a very enjoyable collection.
There are two additional stories not about the blood-drinkers of the steppes: "The Neisserian Invasion", a futuristic alien-invasion story with an amusing (and/or scary) premise for the method of transmission, and "Spidersong", a sweetly sad love story about a lonely lyre spider who lives inside a lute.
I'm adding this to the Vampire bookbox, which will be on its way soon. Enjoy!
This journeyed to me as part of the recently-unstalled Vampire Bookbox. Since these books have been out of circulation for the last five years, I am setting them aside to use for a new round.
I’m intrigued by this concept, so I took this one out to read.
I’m intrigued by this concept, so I took this one out to read.
I’ll be honest, the cover art and dramatic back copy had me braced for something pretty pulpy and even hokey. GoryDetails’ strong review was the main thing that made me decide to read this, and I am glad I did!
It was a engaging, unique setting, and I felt like the author did a good job balancing the supernatural-sounding components with enough scientifically-plausible ones to keep me grounded in this setting. I also really liked the multi-sensory descriptions and the steady pacing, which added to the sense of this as a real location and people who live fairly normal lives during times of historical events.
As a slight warning to future readers who might find it distressing, the introduction talks about the author’s death by possible suicide and her history of drug use. If reading about someone’s mental and physical health struggles is not what your mind needs right now, skip over to the first story. Personally, I found it touching that her friends and writing community embraced and supported her through these struggles, even posthumously finding, collecting, and publishing her works to continue keeping her memory alive.
It was a engaging, unique setting, and I felt like the author did a good job balancing the supernatural-sounding components with enough scientifically-plausible ones to keep me grounded in this setting. I also really liked the multi-sensory descriptions and the steady pacing, which added to the sense of this as a real location and people who live fairly normal lives during times of historical events.
As a slight warning to future readers who might find it distressing, the introduction talks about the author’s death by possible suicide and her history of drug use. If reading about someone’s mental and physical health struggles is not what your mind needs right now, skip over to the first story. Personally, I found it touching that her friends and writing community embraced and supported her through these struggles, even posthumously finding, collecting, and publishing her works to continue keeping her memory alive.
Added to the new edition of the Vampire Bookbox
