A Bleak Remedy by DS LaLonde Book Review

LaLonde twists the vampire lore into a thrilling biotech genre mashup. A secret lab harbors world's greatest predator: a vampire. The scientists are fascinating with this creature's ability to rejuvenate quickly and decide to study him in hopes of developing medical advancements for humanity. What could possibly go wrong?

This large ensemble scifi horror has many compelling moments. The action, fight scenes, and terror leap off the page and there is a desire to keep reading and discover how all the elements will eventually peace together; however, some readers will be daunted by the length. This isn't a quick read. In fact, it's upward of 500 pages, and when a book is that long, it's only natural to ask, "is every word essential?" Unfortunately, the answer for many will be no. While there's no denying that this is a fun premise with memorable moments, there is also a lot of background information and meticulous details (readers don't necessarily need to know everyone's outfits or what they're eating for lunch) that some readers will find a tad laborious to the reading experience.

Still, others will enjoy the opportunity to sink into a clever and imaginative twist on a familiar villain. The plethora of characters means there's someone for every reader to connect with and plenty of external and emotional stakes. Perhaps if it were streamlined just a bit, it would appeal to a larger audience, but for those who enjoy slow burns and hefty word counts, this is a dynamic and entertaining vampire tale!