Really hard to decide on this book. The writing was good, the story was interesting however it did not draw me in like most of James Rollins stories do. For a thriller the pace just wasn't there and in some parts it almost felt everything was forced, it did not flow.

What I found interesting (and in the first of the Sanguines series) was the intermixing of vampires, biblical background, history, science and religion. Kept thinking Anne Rice writing a scientific thrilling based upon her vampire series. Maybe this does a disservice to James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell, just can't get past that feeling.

Debated with my self on the rating since overall feel this is sort of flat for what it is suppose to be. For awhile really considered it a 2 then it moved forward and, in many respects, started to provide a more solid less boring plot. The last 100 pages had more life and purpose than anything up to that point. While the story was adequately concluded it is obvious there is another book in the works. I will probably buy it and read it hoping it will be a more mature complete story with better flow and not quite as clumsy as this one. ( )

As silly as the premise was, it was a great read, lots of fast paced action.

This is the second novel in the Order of the Sanguines series. But, with this book, the series almost feels like a trilogy.

It starts in the past like a lot of James Rollins' others, but, this one, other than some flashbacks, stays in the present for the most part.

Many people seem to be trying to bring about the end of the world. And Rhun, Erin, and Jordan are trying to prevent it. There are also some new characters and a returning one as well. There's another Sanguinist introduced, Christian. I thought he was an interesting character, and it would be cool if he were in the next book, although with these two authors, who knows. For the entire book I most definitely wondered who was going to live and who was going to die. And I wasn't sure that one of the main characters wouldn't bit the bullet.

We also got to meet Elizabeth Bathory. Also, an interesting character with many layers.

The boy from the first book also made a reappearance, Tommy.

One thing that I find interesting about these two Sanguine books is how tightly intertwined the stories are. Even more than in Rollins' SIGMA series, these books are very much not stand alones.

The only problem that I sorta had with this novel was how hard it was to get into the story. Once I did get into the flow it raced ahead at breakneck speed, but, the beginning seemed choppy and a bit uneven.

Overall it was an interesting story, a great thriller, and I cannot wait to see where the cliffhanger from the end of the novel goes in the next one. ( )

Second in a new series from James Rollins, Innocent Blood marries the non-stop action readers have come to expect from Rollins with the all-too-real fantasy co-author Rebecca Cantrell does so well. Blending mythology, ancient history, and the origins of Christianity, Innocent Blood picks up the story of the Sanguinists, an order of vampires who find sustenance not from human blood but from the Blood of Christ, or consecrated wine. The Order of the Sanguinists, led by Cardinal Bernard and a rogue priest named Rhun, joined forces with two humans, a soldier (Jordan) and a scholar (Erin), in the series first book, Blood Gospel. In this installment, our heroes, the Knight of Christ (Rhun), the Warrior of Man (Jordan) and the Woman of Learning (Erin) race against time to stop the Gates of Hell from opening and unleashing Armageddon upon the world.

Nothing terribly serious here, except for some exceptionally good writing, a fun and suspenseful plot, and, best of all, no sparkly vampires! Well worth the read. ( )

Starting to get a little bored with this series. Still decent, though. ( )