Innocent Blood

Innocent Blood by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell
Publication Date: December 10, 2013 by William Morrow
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss for an honest review
Description from Goodreads:
In this riveting follow-up to The Blood Gospel, the first book in their thrilling and atmospheric Order of the Sanguine series, New York Times bestselling authors James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell deliver a riveting tale of international adventure, intrigue, suspense, and supernatural mystery involving a modern scientist, a highly secret eternal spiritual order, and a terrifying power who must join forces to bring down a ruthless and cunning enemy and prevent the Apocalypse

While exploring a tomb hidden for centuries in the depths of Masada, Israel, brilliant archaeologist Erin Granger began an incredible journey to recover a miraculous ancient artifact tied to Christ himself. The quest introduced her to a diabolical enemy determined to discover the book and use its powers for his own dark ends. It also led her to an ancient and highly secret Vatican order-known simply as the Saguines. Though she survived, the danger has only just begun . . .

An attack outside Stanford University thrusts Erin back into the fold of the Sanguines. As the threat of Armageddon looms, she must unite with an ancient evil to halt the plans of a man determined to see the world end, a man known only as Iscariot.

With The Blood Gospel, the first novel in the Order of the Sanguine series, James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell breathtakingly combined science and religion and introduced a world where miracles hold new meaning and the fight for good over evil is far more complicated than we ever dreamed. In Innocent Blood, they again take us to the edge of destruction . . . and into the deepest reaches of imagination.

My Take:

I was so pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the first book, The Blood Gospel, that I jumped at the opportunity to read the second book in the series, Innocent Blood. I will state up front, that I was not disappointed by the second book. The subject matter is fun and exciting and the writing is just great. I enjoyed the pacing and I don't know if the authors could have put any more tantalizing hints or characters in the book if they tried.

We follow the characters from the first book and get to know them a bit more. The woman that Rhun turned into a Strigoi, Elizabeth, becomes a major character in the story and there is some debate about who is the real Woman of Learning - Erin or Elizabeth. Either way, she becomes an important figure and plays a vital part in the drama. As with each important character, she is complicated and interesting.

I found one particular new character to be especially interesting. Arella, the immortal woman that Judas loves and encounters over the centuries is such a compelling character. I don't want to give too much away, but I really enjoyed this story line.

I have to say that Rollins and Cantrell definitely know how to keep the reader interested all the way to the end of the story. They also have mastered the art of throwing some tantalizing hints at the reader right at the end of the book, so that you are anxious to read the next one. The Order of the Sanguines Series has so much going for it: vampires, Sanguines (holy vampires?), Judas, Rasputin, ancient mysteries, prophecies, and angels (both good and evil). I'm not sure what more a reader could ask for. Innocent Blood, like The Blood Gospel was such fun to read from start to finish. Highly recommend.

The Blood Gospel

The Blood Gospel by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell
review copy provided by William Morrow
Description from Goodreads:
An earthquake in Masada, Israel, kills hundreds and reveals a tomb buried in the heart of the mountain. A trio of investigators—Sergeant Jordan Stone, a military forensic expert; Father Rhun Korza, a Vatican priest; and Dr. Erin Granger, a brilliant but disillusioned archaeologist—are sent to explore the macabre discovery, a subterranean temple holding the crucified body of a mummified girl.

But a brutal attack at the site sets the three on the run, thrusting them into a race to recover what was once preserved in the tomb’s sarcophagus: a book rumored to have been written by Christ’s own hand, a tome that is said to hold the secrets to His divinity. But the enemy who hounds them is like no other, a force of ancient evil directed by a leader of impossible ambitions and incalculable cunning.

From crumbling tombs to splendorous churches, Erin and her two companions must confront a past that traces back thousands of years, to a time when ungodly beasts hunted the dark spaces of the world, to a moment in history when Christ made a miraculous offer, a pact of salvation for those who were damned for eternity.

Here is a novel that is explosive in its revelation of a secret history. Why do Catholic priests wear pectoral crosses? Why are they sworn to celibacy? Why do the monks hide their countenances under hoods? And why does Catholicism insist that the consecration of wine during Mass results in its transformation to Christ’s own blood? The answers to all go back to a secret sect within the Vatican, one whispered as rumor but whose very existence was painted for all to see by Rembrandt himself, a shadowy order known simply as the Sanguines.

In the end, be warned: some books should never be found, never opened—until now.

My Take:
When I saw there was a new book by James Rollins, I was anxious to read it because the last book I read by Rollins was just such a page turner and I really wanted another fast, exciting read. When I first read the prologue, for some reason, it struck me as something completely different from what I was expecting and I put it down for a few weeks. When I picked it up again, it was just what I was looking for and I read the book from cover to cover in a day.  I'm not sure why the prologue hit me wrong the first time, but I am so glad I picked it up again.

Rollins has taken an age-old idea of the vampire and taken it to new and daring places - or actually, it feels like he has put it back where it belongs. I really liked the new terminology that Rollins applies to the concept of vampire and how he treats them in a historical context.

I have to hand it to Rollins and Cantrell - I don't know of very many authors who would tackle vampires and ancient history and Biblical history all in one book. I absolutely loved how it was handled. I thought the concepts worked well and I liked the way so many of the explanations for why priests wore a hooded cassock and silver crosses to taking a vow of celibacy (or chastity), for example, were brought into the story.

The prophecy of the Knight of Christ, Woman of Learning and Warrior of Man is interesting and brings in three great characters: Rhun Korza the Sanguinist, Dr. Erin Granger, archaeologist, and Sargent Jordan Stone.  There is tension between the three main protagonists, but they compliment each other and work well as a team - most of the time. I like this trio and very much look forward to reading more about them in the next book in the series.

This was such a action-packed book -- and it should be, considering the topic. There is a lot of history as well, which makes the story even more interesting. I loved the way it goes from Biblical times all the way to World War II and current time and then several places in between while revealing the various aspects of the Blood Gospel itself and Rhun's life history. So exciting and fascinating.

I don't want to give anything away, but oh! I loved how things get um. . . twisty and tangly at the end. Well played. I am anxiously waiting for the next installment in The Sanguines Series.

Bloodline

Bloodline by James Rollins
review copy provided by William Morrow/HarperCollins
Description from Goodreads:
In a thrilling masterwork that will make you rethink your perceptions of life and death, New York Times bestselling author James Rollins takes you to the edge of medicine, genetics, and technology, revealing the next evolutionary leap forward: immortality.

Galilee, 1025. Infiltrating an ancient citadel, a Templar knight uncovers a holy treasure long hidden within the fortress's labyrinth: the Bachal Isu -- the staff of Jesus Christ -- a priceless icon that holds a mysterious and terrifying power that promises to change humankind forever.

A millennium later, Somali pirates hijack a yacht off the coast of the Horn of Africa, kidnapping a young pregnant American woman. Commander Gray Pierce is enlisted for a covert rescue mission into the African jungle. The woman is no rich tourist: she's Amanda Gant-Bennett, daughter of the U.S. president.

Suspicious that the kidnapping masks a far more nefarious plot, Gray must confront a shadowy cabal which has been manipulating events throughout history...and now challenges the current presidency.

For this unique mission, SIGMA is aided by a pair of special operatives with unique talents: former Army Ranger Captain Tucker Wayne and his military war dog, Kane. But what should be a straightforward rescue turns into a fiery ambush and a deadly act of betrayal, as Gray and his team discover that the hostage is a pawn in a shattering act of terrorism with dark repercussions. And the danger is only beginning...

Halfway around the world, a firebombing at a fertility clinic in South Carolina exposes a conspiracy that goes back centuries...a scheme that lies within our genetic code. With time against them, SIGMA must race to save an innocent unborn baby whose very existence raises questions about the nature of humanity, asking:

Could you live forever?

Would you live forever?

My take:

Until Bloodline, I had never read any of James Rollins books. I'm not sure exactly why that is, now. I had so much fun reading this book! First of all, who doesn't love a good conspiracy? I mean, really? And I absolutely love a good Knights Templar conspiracy, so it also had that going for it. This book kept me on the edge of my seat from very early on. The story is very fast paced and exciting. I don't like to explain too much about conspiracy books -- I always end up giving too much away.


Apparently, this is Sigma Force novel #8, so I will have to go back and read the other books. However, this did not diminish my enjoyment of the book or my ability to follow the story. I would classify Bloodline as a definite Thriller but with a whole lot of science as well. I might have said science fiction instead of science, but after reading the Author's Note to Readers: Truth or Fiction at the end of the book, I have to just go with science. And that is actually more disturbing. The robotics in the book are quite fascinating and fun to read about, the DNA work and some of the experiments described are disturbing and very unsettling. 


One of my favorite parts of the book was everything pertaining to Captain Tucker Wayne and his military dog Kane. I loved the descriptions of their bond and the way they worked together as a team. The characters in Bloodline are well drawn and there is obviously much more to their relationships that has been built over their time together.  I would like to read the previous books so I can get to know these characters better. 


Rollins can definitely write a conspiracy novel - I loved the way things twist and turn and keep the reader just on the edge of figuring it all out and then there is another twist and everything is uncertain again. Nothing is quite what it seems. Everyone is suspect. This is one of the better conspiracies I've read in a long while.