Dead Camp, Book One

By: Sean Kerr

Narrated by: Stephen Van Doren

Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Eli is an ancient vampire with an ego the size of a planet and a sex drive to match, but his tumultuous past left him broken, so he hides from humanity and cowers from love, left to endure the crushing guilt that haunts his every waking moment. Even his best friend, Malachi, a ghost who is hopelessly in love with Eli, remains unaware of all that transpired in London. Malachi can never know the truth.

When the Angel Daniyyel pays an unwelcome visit, Eli must face his secrets, secrets that he has tried so long to hide. To make matters worse, a chance encounter with the most beautiful man he has ever seen shatters his beloved isolation, pushing him into the world of the living once more. Something about this strange man seems so familiar, but Eli can’t even remember who he was before he became a vampire, never mind explain the unwanted emotions the enigmatic stranger ignites in his dead heart. So Eli has a choice - return to the world that ruined him, or continue his self-imposed exile with no hope of salvation.

©2015 Exstasy Books (P)2019 Sean Kerr

What?

All I found good was the narrator the story really did not make since and bounced around to much the ideal of a vampire , a jew, a ghost and an angel. Personally I got caught into the story. I did understand the basic story of WWII, Hitler and some of the basic ideals but for some reason I just could not get into the audiobook. I feel it needed to be laid out better there is way to many storylines that just starts and stops and as a listener I could not figure what was going on or were, when the action was suppose to have happen.

complex

Would I listen to it again: probably
Did the story keep me engaged: reasonably
Was I invested in the characters: yes
Do the books in this series need to be listened to in order? in my opinion - yes

Story comment: At the time of this review (06/2020) I've listened to the four audio books available in this series back-to-back and hope the fifth is available soon.

This series is a very complex story interwoven with different points in time and history, characters and events. I wouldn't call it an "easy listen", but it is thought provoking, masterfully constructed and I enjoyed it.

Book 1 is for the most part, Eli's backstory and an introduction to the characters, it has a reasonable pace and I enjoyed the characters that make up Eli's circle. I did find it a complicated listen, often if I was distracted, there would be a change in time or event and I would find myself lost and having to go back.

If your curiosity is piqued, I suggest perusing some of the amazon.com reviews, there are a multitude of reviews from those who found far more comprehensive nuances in the story than I ever could.

Narrator comment: I enjoyed Stephen Van Doren's narration and think he has done a good job narrating this series. I had no problem distinguishing characters or feeling the tension, action, horror, humor, love ... you name it, the emotions are all in there somewhere ... of the story.

Work of art!

4.5 Blue Roses
5 Blue Flames

Narrator Stephen Van Doren delivered a curious eccentric multifaceted plot, cross-hatched from reality and paranormal creatures during the periods between world war one and world war two. It is written from multiple POV and includes interactions with the Queen of England, Hitler and Jesus of Nazareth Crucifixion.

The fine satire and dry humor carried me through this complicated story line. After listening and metabolizing the information. I have a need to acknowledge the research and planning intermingled with sex and historical romance, that this book is a work of art.

I recommend this audiobook if you appreciate black humor and want to hear something outside the mainstream.

Happy Listening