I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Blood World by Chris Mooney on August 18 2020
Genres: Adult, Science fiction, Thriller
Pages: 448
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: An exciting, multilayered sci-fi crime thriller with action, intrigue and emotional depth.
Thank you to the publisher for inviting me to post a review during the blog tour for Blood World. I had so much fun with this book!
If you love sci-fi thrillers that lean more towards crime fiction than sci-fi, then I suspect you’ll love Blood World as much as I did. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading, but the cover really sets the tone for this story. Blood World takes place in a gritty, almost lawless near future Los Angeles. Certain people are born with a particular gene that causes their blood to have miraculous healing powers, especially when the blood is mixed with certain drugs. These “carriers” as they are called, are highly sought after, and most live their lives in fear of being kidnapped and drained of their blood. A secret underground blood world has sprung up because of these carriers, and the most savvy criminals have made fortunes from carrier blood, selling it to wealthy individuals who are looking for the ultimate fountain of youth. A carrier’s blood, you see, can be injected through needle or blood transfusion and imbues the recipient with a youthful appearance, strength and beauty.
The LAPD has created a special task force called the Blood Crimes Unit to counteract this illegal behavior, but they have been unable to prove the existence of and locate a “blood farm”—a secret location where carriers are kept against their will and forced to give up their blood.
Ellie Batista is a street cop who wants nothing more than to make it into the Blood Crimes Unit. Ellie is obsessed with carriers and has spent years researching those kidnapped and never seen again. But Ellie has a personal reason for her obsession—her brother J.C. was kidnapped as a child, and Ellie has never given up on finding him alive. Her chance comes when she’s asked to go deep undercover in order to infiltrate the inner workings of the blood trade, an assignment that puts her in danger but also brings her closer to finding her brother.
As Ellie—now “Faye”—gets to know the dangerous players of the blood world, her life depends on how well she can play her part. And Ellie’s keeping plenty of secrets, not only from the men who hold her life in their hands, but from the LAPD as well.
Blood World was a twisty story full of violence (if you’re squeamish when it comes to cold blooded killing and torture, this might not be the right book for you), secrets and lies, backstabbing, betrayal, and plenty of high stakes. The chapters alternate between Ellie and Sebastian, an ex-con who has created a lucrative—although highly illegal—business with carrier blood. Ellie ends up working with Sebastian when she goes undercover as Faye, and I thought Sebastian was a great counterpoint to Ellie’s wide-eyed determination to find her brother. Some of my favorite parts of the story were the ones where Faye is interacting with Sebastian and his fellow criminals and has to be very careful about what she says. Because she’s undercover with the Blood Crimes Unit, she’s being watched and protected while she’s deep in the criminal underworld, but even they can’t protect her from everything. There were so many terrible situations that Ellie/Faye found herself in and I honestly didn’t know which way things were going to go.
Mooney adds a nice emotional layer to his tale by giving many of the characters personal motivations. Sebastian in particular had quite the backstory, which included a tragic shooting in his past that put him behind bars, ruining his relationship with his soulmate Ava. Sebastian’s godson Paul also plays a big part, and his actions set the whole story in motion. Sebastian is torn between trying to protect Paul—he’s almost like family, after all—or wanting to kill him for what he’s done. I also ended up really liking and feeling sorry for Sebastian, believe it or not. He’ll kill you at the drop of a hat if he thinks you’re betraying him, but he also has a soft squishy side that gave him an interesting vulnerability. He sort of reminded me of Avery from The Firm (played by Gene Hackman), if you’ve seen that movie, another despicable character who you can’t help but feel sorry for at the end. Plus Sebastian and Faye end up bonding in a way, and I really enjoyed their odd relationship.
Mooney did a fantastic job with the Los Angeles setting, and it was so well done, in fact, that I was sure he was a California native (his bio says he lives on the East Coast). He’s certainly done his homework, that’s for sure. The story takes place over a sprawling area of Southern and Central California, as the characters go from L.A. to Long Beach, to Ojai and Santa Paula and other places in between. Because I live in the area, it was easy to picture the characters hitting the freeways, getting stuck in traffic, etc. Mooney also uses the California wildfires as a backdrop to his story, which added an extra layer of tension and danger. The final showdown takes place right on top of one of these fires, and even though I was cringing the whole time (because brush fires are real and very dangerous), I couldn’t help but applaud the author’s adept use of integrating the fires seamlessly into his story.
I did have a few reservations, however. I wanted a little more background on how carrier blood evolved and how it was discovered. Also, the ending felt a bit rushed to me, and things were resolved a little too quickly and neatly for my taste. I’ve heard the ending described as a “cliffhanger,” although it didn’t feel that way to me. But now that I think about it, it seems that Ellie’s story might not be over. Given the author’s penchant for writing series, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more books set in this world, and I’d definitely be on board for a sequel.
Overall, I had a blast reading Blood World, and I look forward to Chris Mooney’s next book.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
Ooh this sounds like fun! I’ve just rewatched Blade and going to rewatch Underworld, so I’m all about that blood trade
Oh yeah, very similar vibes. I think you would enjoy this:-)
What an intriguing premise! And I love the breathless thrill of following undercover operatives… 🙂
Maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…THE TRIALS OF KOLI (Rampart Trilogy #2), by M.R. Carey
It was exciting! I was scared for all the characters the entire time I was reading:-)
Great review! Well, if it does turn out to be a series, it sounds like Blood World is a pretty good start.
Priscilla Bettis recently posted…Never Have I Ever, Writer Edition
It was a good start, and I’d love the author to explain more about the scientific details if he writes another book:-)
What a great review, I’ll definitely need to have a look at this. I love near future settings with a touch of crime!
Heather @ RandomRedheadedRamblings recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Books That Need Netflix Shows
Thanks Heather! I think you’d have fun with this.
I hadn’t heard of this but it sounds so good and like something I would really enjoy. Must add to the wishlist.
Lynn 😀
It was a nice change of pace, especially after a few fantasy titles all in a row:-)
You had me at “gritty, almost lawless near future Los Angeles” I love that shit. But even without that is sounds like a super thrilling book!
Stephanie @ Bookfever recently posted…ARC Review: The Stars of Heaven by Jessica Dall
It was! I recommend it, especially if you’re in the mood for this type of genre.
I was skeptical of the book when I first read its description on goodreads. Not entirely sure why, perhaps because it sounds vaguely familiar, though I can’t place exactly what it reminds me of, perhaps bits and pieces of many things. But you’ve won me over, I’d be very curious to check this one out. It sounds like it has the depth to suck you in.
I have read other books that deal with “special” blood but I can’t think of specific titles at the moment. I liked the police/crime angle with this one, though.
Great review – sound like a very cool book, one that’s deeper and more interesting than the cover blurb would suggest.
I was surprised at all the emotional depth, it definitely added to the reading experience:-)
This *does* sound good!
Heather @ Froodian Slip recently posted…Book Review: Real Life by Brandon Taylor
It was, and a little scary too!
Ooh, a sci-fi crime thriller, plus a very intriguing premise. I have never read such a book, Tammy. Will definitely look for this one. Thanks again for your brilliant recommendation.
Debjani recently posted…Secure the Shadow by Marion Grace Woolley – Review & Blog Tour
This is a genre I don’t read a lot of, but when I do I enjoy myself so much!
Great review!
Thanks Kristi!
Would this be good for a light sci-fi reader such as myself…lol. 🙂
Definitely Stormi! It’s actually very light on sci-fi elements. If it weren’t for the strange blood, it would be a normal crime novel.
It says a lot knowing you’d read a sequel for this one, Tammy. I’ve been seeing this one on instagram, and it’s good to know that it is an exciting story!
That is a good indication that you like a book for sure!
Excellent review! I enjoyed this and would read more in this world too. I didn’t feel it was a cliff hanger.
Yeah, I wonder why people think it’s a cliffhanger at the end? I’m glad we both enjoyed it:-)
Right, I’m sold! 😀
I love the concept even if it sounds like it misstepped in a few places. Glad you enjoyed it- great review!
Glad you loved this one! It looks like a bit of a wild ride. 🙂 Thanks for your thoughts on it, Tammy!
This sounds like a really exciting read. I love crime thrillers and I love sci-fi so will definitely have to check this one out. 🙂
I really like this premise — mostly especially because of the very inventive crime angle.
And now I have to read this one too!!