Wicked Game Fiction Review
Posted on May 21, 2008 by Flames
From the author’s website:
Recovering con artist Ciara Griffin is trying to live the straight life, even if it means finding a (shudder!) real job. She takes an internship at a local radio station, whose late-night time-warp format features 1940s blues, 60s psychedelia, 80s Goth, and more, all with an uncannily authentic flair. Ciara soon discovers how the DJs maintain their cred: they’re vampires, stuck forever in the eras in which they were turned.
To boost ratings and save the lives of her strange new friends, Ciara re-brands the station as “WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock ’n’ Roll.” In the ultimate con, she hides the DJs’ vampire nature in plain sight, disguising the bloody truth as a marketing gimmick. But the “gimmick” enrages a posse of ancient and powerful vampires who aren’t so eager to be brought into the light. Soon the stakes are higher-and the perils graver-than any con game Ciara’s ever played…
Review:
I had high hopes for this novel. The premise sounded like so much fun, and being a fan of the musical periods the vampires represent made it even more tempting. I will confess that I am frequently disappointed with Urban Fantasy that tips into the romance end of the scale, but the relationship between Ciara and Shane, the youngest of the vampires from the 90s, is not the main plot.
Keeping sleepy privately owned WWMP afloat is. A giant radio station eating corporation wants WWMP, and Ciara steps up out of the box and comes up with the gimmick that will save the station. The reactions of the various DJs are hysterical about her plan.
Smith-Ready’s vampire model is quite original. I’d never heard of anyone using the trapped in time situation for their fanged ones. Having the vampires fighting to stay solid by clinging to their eras and adjusting to the ever changing world is a great take on the mythos.
The evil vampire cult leader is as creepy as they come. Smith-Ready paints a vivid and believable picture of the big bad and his followers – both fanged and human. No his logic doesn’t always make sense, but he’s crazy so that’s ok.
I’m very much looking forward to more books in this series. It is well written. Although being told in present tense makes it a bit jarring at first, but I think I understand why it’s told that way. It’s to keep the reader locked in the present, not the past like the vampires are. (But I could be wrong.) The pacing is good, and I never found myself skimming over filler sections. All in all it was a great read.
And the website for WVMP – the life blood of rock and roll might be the greatest tie-in site ever created. There are playlists from each of the DJs, station merchandise and soon there will be DJ blogs too. Be sure to check it out.
Review by Jenn Moffatt.
Tags | urban fantasy, vampire radio, vampires
