First Brood: Dreamhunter By Lenni (Book Review)
/Vampires are dying by the hundreds. The Lilim - vampires born of Lilith - are accustomed to death, but their brethren are being taken in their sleep with not a single physical trace left on or near the piles of ash that were once their bodies. When Lilith calls her favorite vampire son, Auris, to investigate, he risks his very soul to find the Dreamhunter and save his kin from extermination. But this hunter's appearance dredges up painful secrets from Auris' past which may destroy his mind well before the Dreamhunter can steal his soul.
First Brood: Dreamhunter is a great take on the vampire lore. I dare to say a breath of fresh air. One thing Lenni does great with the first entry out of the series, is setting the universe and establishing the characters. The vampires in this book live by a certain code. The book does a great job of establishing the hierarchy of the vampires, and showing you how they live. Yes these vampires still prey on man, but Lenni gives you a choice by showing both sides of the coin. The vampires still have to feed on humans to survive. However at the same time they are being killed by the Dreamhunter. As a reader it made me question who I should be more sympathetic too. Should I care about those who prey on man? Or should I care about those being preyed on by the Vampires?
This conflict is seen through the eyes of my favorite character Auris. Auris is a character I viewed as the chosen one based on the introduction in chapter 2. Auris job is gathered all of his siblings of The First Brood (those born of the vampire Lilith) to face this new threat. Auris is somebody who makes sure the job is done. The mission comes and that is all that matters the mission. As the story progresses I really enjoyed the dynamic of his character and the challenges Auris faces, not just from the hunter but from other vampires as well. Auris is a cutthroat and straight to the point and his interaction with his siblings in chapter 4 really states who he is. Morals are raised and honor is tested and to see Auris face these challenges kept me reading. The universe of First Brood and the setting and tone is what will keep you reading. As each character is introduce the world and rules becomes more clear. The tone starts off a little light but becomes dark as the story progresses and true motives are found.
Overall if you're looking for a compelling take on vampires, filled with action, drama, great characterization and pacing. First Brood: Dreamhunter might be the book for you. Give this a book and read and you too might be reciting the call of Lilith:
Brothers, Sisters
The alarm bell tolls.
Follow, follow
Lilith blood calls.
What threatens one,
Threatens us all,
Secret bids thee to the meeting hall.
First Brood: Dreamhunter is available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/First-Brood-Dreamhunter-Tales-Lilim-ebook/dp/B0051ZSA60
