Innocent Blood: The Order of the Sanguines Series (Order of the Sanguines Series, 2)

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What a thankless job it must be to save the world. Beaten, bloody, betrayed, and risking death all for billions of people who must remain totally ignorant of your existence, and also of the fact that you've allowed them another day to be, well, human.Time is racing towards Armageddon and with a traitor in their midst it's going to be even more difficult to figure out how to stop the clock. Angels, immortals, strigoi, demonic beasts and a couple of humans make for one irresistible read.One of the most enjoyable things about this story, for me anyway, is the lack of a definite clear cut delineation between good and evil. Every faction believes in their own rhetoric and some of the arguments are credible. When I can see certain aspects of differing opinions have merit, it makes me pay closer attention to the story as a whole. Although in the end there is evil and no arguments for extenuating circumstances are going to be enough to overcome that fact.My only real irritation with the series is Rhun's continual guilt over Elisabeth, taking responsibility for every single evil action ever performed by her. It would seem that hundreds of years of reflection, repentance and fighting evil have still left him with the emotional maturity of a young boy. If he had any tattoos I'm sure the largest would be "mea culpa" in appropriately ornate script. And now, after all the angst and breast beating, he has made in essence the SAME mistake- irrevocably changing her existence without bothering to consult her first. I suppose the next tattoo should read "bonehead".In the end, this is why I read. As much as I loved HBO's "Carnivale" and as much as I still love "Supernatural", they will never be able to compete with books that carry me away. Books like this one.

I really enjoyed this book. I've enjoyed all of James Rollins' books, but when you add Rebecca Cantrell into the mix, you really get a different tone and texture to the storytelling. Like Clive Cussler does in most of his books Rollins is always mixing historical facts within his fiction to come out with a plausible and entertaining story. Rollins books are very action oriented, pulse pounding, and work very well for guys like me who enjoy that kind of stuff. I haven't read Rebecca Cantrell's other novels yet, but I've read all the novels and novellas in this series and I can tell you that her influence adds more than a little femininity and sensitivity to Rollins writing style and the combination of the two give the reader a very different reading experience. The Blood Gospel that came before this novel had one of the great hook-you-in endings that I've read in a long while, and Innocent Blood takes right up where the Blood Gospel left off with the characters that survived trying to move forward in their lives while being dragged right back into the mystical world they thought they left behind. Like many Thrillers this is a chase from beginning to end, that takes twists, turns, and throws surprises at you around every corner. I don't want to give too much away, but there are quite a few bible references in here, to go along with all the supernatural creatures, but the authors throw such a creative spin on everything that you can't help but be entertained. The fury with which they bring the story to it's cataclysmic conclusion was just awesome and had me flipping pages way too late in the evening. I'd highly recommend this book and I am looking forward to the next book because the ending once again has me hooked.

The first part, The Blood Gospel, had ended with a bang. It had closed many open loops and created new ones in such a way that the reader was satisfied and also left wanting more! Innonnect Blood take the story further, delves deeper into the world of Sanguines and of course gives a whole new interpretation to the lost years of Jesus Christ. It is fun to read an ancient mystery where all characters have not just dark, but long pasts and interesting histories, most of the time intertwined with their current enemies. This alone adds layers of complexity to everyone's motives and actions. The two "current" characters, who are also the protagonists along with Father Kurza, are Sgt Jordan Stone and Dr. Erin Granger, and the view from their vantage point resonates with the readers and answers their many questions. The Sanguines just take everything in their stride!I personally loved the old world, ancient Oracle and her healing technique. Judas' chapter was also satisfactorily closed and explained, and his entangled love affair with the mysterious Oracle gave glimpses of love transcending centuries. However, I would have loved to have more detail on "how's" and "why's" of the oracle. Also, for me, the Woman of Learning confusion had the "Test" to choose them, made very little sense.The so-called redemption of Father Kurza seems to hold promise for future twists and turns, as does the Knight of Man's left arm. Looking forward to the next installment.

I waxed very merry at the expense of the first volume of this series, and although I stand by my criticisms (I do not like the "As you know Bob" tangling up of pop-Gnosticism with traditional Catholicism), I have to give credit where it is due.Yes, I read the second one. Yes, I will read the third one when it comes out. Congratulations, Mr Rollins and Ms Cantrell, you've got me. Despite the eye-rolling I do at things like "Women were priests and bishops and it was only the Nasty Old Patriarchy that got into the Church and took away their rights", never mind things like "Lazarus was the first Vampire", and that ordinarily a book with an epigraph from the Gospel of Judas would have me "nopeing" back out at lightspeed, I'm following the story with great interest, even though with the move to an Egyptian setting I knew we'd be seeing something from the pseudepigraphical infancy gospels.However, in its favour, if I'm going to read a book about vampires and accept that Lazarus was the first vampire (for the plot purposes), then to demur at the rest would be to strain a gnat and swallow a camel. Even though the theology is on the level of the "Left Behind" books, the writing is fluid, the prose style unobjectionable (that may sound like damning with faint praise, but often to get a clearly written, non-clunky line of plain descriptive prose is a rarity in books intended for a mass-market genre audience, so good straightforward honest writing is nothing to turn your nose up at), and unlike the better known Dan Brown, the authors are willing to allow the Catholic Church to be acting in good faith and with good intentions regarding secret orders and their activities in the world, as well as the respectful handling of the doctrine of Transubstantiation (they're a little cavalier with splashing around the Most Precious Blood), but they haven't attempted any misuse of the Host, and they don't engage in any symbolic representation or 'it works if you believe in it' psychological explaining-away; they treat it straight-up and, as a traditional Catholic, I appreciate that greatly.The characters are also interesting and sympathetic, and the authors have managed the extremely difficult feat of making even Elizabeth Bathory vaguely sympathetic (which, if you are aware of her real-life crimes, is indeed a triumph to pull off: it's like making Jeffrey Dahmer sound relatively not that bad, once you get to know the background to his crimes).I am also pleased that vampirism is described and treated as a curse, as a plague, as something that will warp you and cause you to lose your humanity which is valuable, and that it will make you a predator on others to their woe, unless you have support, wish to make amends, and engage in penitential suffering.And I am also pleased that a vampire-human love triangle is not presented as a romantic notion, with the heroine sighing over the tortured brooding vampire in preference to a mortal love. Choosing vampirism is a very bad idea, and "vampires in love" works out badly for all concerned, vampire and human alike.So in sum, I can recommend this for anyone looking for a vampire novel. Not a vampire romance in the current urban fantasy/paranormal romance style, but a return to the older style of vampire novel where vampirism is as bad as smallpox, not a cool means of staying young, hip and beautiful for eternity. If you take Christianity seriously, then your mileage may vary on how you feel about how the themes are handled; personally, I contented myself with a bit of compensatory eye-rolling and a strong invocation of suspension of disbelief, but if you feel that the name and person of Christ have no place in this kind of book, it may put you off. That's my only caveat.

In Innocent Blood, James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell have achieved the remarkable. They have created a sequel worthy of one of my favourite thrillers of the year,  The Blood Gospel (Order of the Sanguines) . And in short order, too, for which I'm especially grateful. This is not a type of world in which I'm normally comfortable - vampires, monsters, angels, warrior priests, immortals walk through these pages but while this would normally put me off, Rollins and Cantrell have the ability to ground them in reality. Jordan and Erin, our entirely human heroes, albeit touched by something else, are completely believable characters and their struggle to comprehend this alternative world that they have been pulled into helps the reader to do just the same. Equally important is the way that the characters, whether good or evil, have been given complex motivations and inspirations.Innocent Blood is a supernatural, mystical thriller that sends shivers down the spine while keeping you hanging on to every word. The action pounds along from start to finish, racing through countries, all wonderfully described. It is beautifully and carefully written, both authors working together perfectly. Its twists are powerful and the atmosphere is extraordinarily rich and consuming. This is storytelling at its best and now one of my very favorite thriller series. The Blood Gospel (Order of the Sanguines)

What a fabulous second book. The story continues with The Woman of Learning, The warrior of man and the Knight. Twists and turns. Death and betrayal. Suspense and sadness. Even a tear in your eye. Loved it. Can't wait for the third and final book.

I have been a fan of James Rollins for some years now having enjoyed his Sigma series. This book written in conjunction with Rebecca Cantrell has all the pace and thrills of his other books with a great supernatural twist. One needs to read all three of the books in the Blood Gospel series in order.

Couldn't wait for this book after reading the blood gospel and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest, another edge of your seat ride. I just couldn't put this down, every bit as good as the blood gospel if not better. I won't spoil by giving away the it or ending suffice to say I hope the partnership of James and Rebecca continue!