Alasdair

Masters Among Monsters, Book 1

By: Ella Frank

Narrated by: Bruce Cullen

Bestowed with eternal life by the Ancient Vasilios, Alasdair Kyriakous is one of the most feared and ruthless vampires in existence. His name carries weight across all of the seven continents. But he is a mystery to his kind, an anomaly among the self-indulgent. While he enjoys the pleasures of the flesh, he is exceptionally particular in his choice of partners and prides himself on his ironclad self-control. Yet with one look his control will become a thing of the past, and Alasdair will discover that eternal life doesn't always last forever....

Thrust into a world he could never have imagined, Leo Chapel awakens in his worst nightmare. Taken hostage by the dangerously mesmerizing vampire Alasdair, Leo must rely on his intelligence to escape before he reveals a secret he isn't even aware he's hiding. Unaware that they've been brought together by an outside force and are little more than pawns to a higher power, Alasdair and Leo spend time trying to uncover the other's secrets, the attraction between them growing stronger all the while. But enemies are watching and preparing to act against them. When decisions that will alter lives and destinies have to be made - can a dead, gray heart learn to beat again?

©2015 Ella Frank (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

An interesting listen...

Vampires/Paranormal are not my normal fare when it comes to audiobooks, but I adore Ella Frank's work (and her audiobooks), so I was interested to listen to the first book in this series

When I have listened to a PNR audiobook I've noticed that there is usually a lot of information information and scene setting and in Alasdair this translates into very lush scenes and you can quickly build up an image of Alasdair's world in your mind

The plot revolves around an ancient vampire Vasilios who is connected to the main character Alasdair. Alasdair in turn finds himself greatly drawn to a human named Leo who seems to be dangerous to him and vice versa. As the book progresses, it's obvious it is not a standalone, but thankfully there isn't a frustrating cliffy at the end. The secondary characters also play a big party in the story of Alasdair and Leo and enhance the development of the story. This is not the Cullens and family-friendly Twilight style vampires!

The narration by Bruce Cullen was very crisp and clear and his handling of non-English phrases was excellent. The only thing I didn't connect with in his narration was he sounded a bit old for the characters, which is seems illogical given Vampires are very old, but I would have preferred a slightly younger male voice

This is definitely a slow burn. The chemistry between Alasdair and Leo is super hot and the tension between the two is off the charts!

So overall an interesting new series for me, with decent narration and I will certainly look out for the next audiobook in the series

Great book

Love this author - I can see the words come to life in my minds eye.

Leonidas and Alasdair 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 Five Glorious

Leonidas is the lead in all of the series. He is one of three men intended for the Vampires that lurk in the shadows. The instant chemistry between Leonidas and Alasdair was so hot it made my 5 hour drive fly by and you really should not drive that worked up! I cannot tell you how good it was! This was my first Audible ever and the voices used were perfect for a Vampire series!

The Hot factor! 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 Five Glorious Flames! I also miss Leonidas already!

Ohhhhh... and the way the Bruce Cullen narrates this is melt your panties hot! His voice is perfect for a strong vampire role, and the softness of his voice for Leonidas's character was on point.

Lovin some HOT Vamps

What did you love best about Alasdair?

I am a huge fan of Ella's and when she said she was writing a PNR with vampires and it was going to be an MM book I couldn't wait till it came out. I fell in love with this set of characters and the back story. Her writing skills are amazing, how she can bring a set of characters alive and make you feel each of their emotions.

What other book might you compare Alasdair to and why?

The Thirds Series by Charlie Cochet. Of course the PNR reference but how these characters love hard, protect their own and the secondary characters that occur thru out each story.

Have you listened to any of Bruce Cullen’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Have not listened to his audios before but that will be changing in the future.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, once you get settled and having read the book previously it was amazing how I got lost in the words, like you were right there in the room with the characters

Wow

This is a crazy ride that leaves you wondering what happens next. This is a common occurrence with the author. This is darker read than I have seen in awhile and left me trying to figure it all out. Apparently I need to listen to the next one!