By Melissa Garza
In the last few weeks, I’ve been engrossed in a trilogy of books written by John G. Rees. Prior to reading, I really thought that vampires had been done to death. I came from the generation that was enthralled with Anne Rice and Interview with a Vampire. I could never get into the Twilight series. Then of course we have the Twilight spinoffs and the television shows with vampires. So to be completely honest, I really thought that there was nowhere left to go.
I’m happy to say that I was completely wrong. John G. Rees is able to take vampirism to another level. His work is so engrossing and intellectual without crossing the road into pretentiousness. This isn’t written for teenyboppers. His work is most certainly written for adults who enjoy a great story that pulls you in on page one.
All three books follow our protagonist Jake Strom who works for Megacorp an evil multi-national corporation that ignores rules and laws. They look at Jake and his friend Johnny as “reusables” whose only purpose is to do risky and unsafe work. As they are vampires they have abilities that humans simply don’t, and they can do things that humans could never do. For example, Johnny, a scientist, has the ability to conduct tests on himself without the risk of dying. Jake, a commercial diver can stay under water longer than humans.
Throughout the trilogy, Jake works to maintain his sense of right and wrong, though issues arise which are not all black and white. His moral compass is tested over and over again in ways that the reader may wonder how they would react in the same situation. He fights his own internal battles and struggles to find the strength to combat his natural instincts.
The greatest aspect about Rees writing is the continuous intensity he is able to incorporate in his writing. These are the type of books that once you begin reading, you are unable to put down. He is able to create villains, heroes, and then blur the lines of what each term means.
For those looking for a horror/sci-fi book that doesn’t talk down to its reader, Rees work is definitely for you.
