Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Blood World by Chris Mooney Published by Berkley on August 18, 2020
Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller
Pages: 448
Format: eARC
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The most valuable commodity on earth is the blood of "carriers." These young people hold within them a virtual fountain of youth. Those with the right genes produce blood that, when treated with a new wonder drug, cures disease, increases power, and makes the recipient a virtual superman.
It also makes the carriers targets. Blood farms filled with kidnapped children spring up around the country, and Los Angeles is at the center of this blood-dealing world. The police are overwhelmed.
Ellie Bautista became an LAPD officer specifically to fight this evil as a member of the Blood Squad, but she has been consistently denied a transfer to the prestigious unit--until the day she and her partner are ambushed during a routine stop. The resulting events plunge her into an undercover world more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.
A madman has found a way to increase the potency of the blood to levels previously unimagined. As he cuts a bloody swath through the already deadly world of blood cartels, Ellie is the only hope to stop him before the body count rises.
Blood World is an interesting dystopia. For “carriers,” it is a brutal world with one kind of prison or another. The rich can and will pay anything for the blood effects. The criminals running the blood farms are not good guys, but certainly some are worse than others.
Ellie is our main character and I feared for her and was terrified often. She is smart and careful but takes so many risks. The blood producers are willing to torture or kill as needed; it doesn’t bother them. When she goes undercover, she manages to make herself useful and luckily her cover identity holds well. There are many instances where she almost dies.
The blood producers, Sebastian, Frank and their security guy Ron, have long been successful and profitable. Now they have some major problems. Sebastian is our other main character. If he and his partners weren’t bad guys, I could almost feel sorry for them. Their enemies, who are competitors, are worse.
I found this exciting, violent, full of action and suspense. The world was developed with intriguing, mysterious facets of blood production. The criminals were vicious but had to have some outer face to deal with their rich clients. The police had their own corrupt officers helping the criminals to an easier time. Ellie had her own deceptions to reach her goals. These main characters were flawed with layers but overall true to their path in life.
About Chris Mooney
Hailed as “one of the best thriller writers working today” by Lee Child and “a wonderful writer” by Michael Connelly, Chris Mooney is the international bestselling author of twelve novels, most recently, The Snow Girls. His fourth book, The Missing, the first in the Darby McCormick series, was a main selection of the International Book of the Month Club and an instant bestseller in over thirteen countries. The Mystery Writer’s Association nominated Chris’s third book, Remembering Sarah, for an Edgar Award for Best Novel. Foreign rights to his novels have been sold to twenty-eight territories. He has sold nearly two million copies of his books.
Chris teaches writing courses at Harvard and the Harvard Extension School, and lives in the Boston area with his wife and son. His new novel, Blood World, will be released in August of 2020.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- COYER-20
I’m about 20% in and really enjoying it so far. I’m surprised how it’s more of a police procedural than sci fi, though. Awesome review?
Thanks. I enjoyed it too. It’s an interesting interplay with the two main characters being a police and criminal.
Not at all what I was expecting when I saw the cover… Sounds intriguing.
It’s a different twist on things and I really liked it
Oh it looks good! I didn’t know about this one
It’s not the typical scifi or police story but I enjoyed it.
Wow, this would be awesome on audio. Adding to my list!
Everything is awesome on audio if it has a narrator you can enjoy.
This sounds really interesting. I just checked and my library has the Kindle edition so I’ve put it on hold. Good review!
Thank you. I really liked this one with the interplay of a cop and a criminal.