My Rating: 
Author: Christopher Farnsworth
Narrator: Bronson Pinchot
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
My Review:
First of all, I would like to talk about why I selected this book. At the time I had burned through several Vampire related audiobooks (The Passage, The Strain, 13 Bullets and Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter) and I was ready for a change. I didn’t go out looking for another vampire book. Instead I went out looking for another book narrated by Bronson Pinchot.
Bronson had thoroughly impressed me with his narration of Matterhorn (Click for my review of Matterhorn) and I was eager to duplicate this experience with more of his work. I have to admit that it is a pretty rare thing for me to actively seek out a book primarily because of the narrator. Usually I’m chasing after my favorite authors or leaning on recommendations from friends on Goodreads or LibraryThing.
Fortunately this decision turned out to be pretty good. Not only did I enjoy another great performance by Bronson Pinchot, I also fell into a thoroughly engrossing political thriller. One that just happens to be full of vampires, necromancers and the undead.
Story: Mr. Farnsworth has created a very interesting character in Nathaniel Cade. Picture him as half Edward Cullen (minus the pouting and the sparkly skin) and half Jack Bauer. In other words, Nathaniel Cade is a blood sucking bad ass.
After Cade was turned into a vampire back in 1867 he lost control and killed two of his shipmates. Realizing what he had become and what he had done Cade begged for death. Instead he was imprisoned and held until he was visited by the President and offered a chance to redeem himself. Seeing this opportunity as the only way he can do anything good with his life he agrees to serve the President. Cade also vowed that he will never again taste a single drop of human blood. This vow proves to be one that is VERY hard to keep.
The other character that you need to know is Cade’s handler and liaison to the President. Meet Zack Barrows. The Scully to Cade’s Mulder. Zack was an up and coming political star until he was suddenly thrown into a world he never believed existed. Zack is called in to replace Cade’s current handler that is suffering from a life threatening disease. Zack is understandably shaken by his first encounter with a vampire but quickly adapts to the situation. Zack’s wit is one of the things I really enjoyed about the book. It was a perfect counter to the cold, business like demeanor of Nathaniel Cade.
Cade and Barrows work together tracking down paranormal or “unnatural” National Security threats. The threat that they stumble into in Blood Oath is unlike anything this country has ever seen before. An army of undying, unstoppable killers that were reanimated by none other than the original Dr. Frankenstein.
Audio Production: Bronson was great once again. Every character was nailed. At first I didn’t like how he was portraying Cade. He just seemed so cold and lifeless… shortly after I had that thought I realized that cold and lifeless is exactly how a vampire should sound.
Overall: I thoroughly enjoyed Blood Oath. I wasn’t necessarily looking for another vampire book so I was really happy to find that this book is unlike any other vampire book I have ever read.
I was also pleased to see how perfectly the duo of Cade and Barrows is set up for a long line of sequels. Keep them coming Mr. Farnsworth!
Get the book: Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth
Disclosure: I received this audiobook as a review copy from the publisher
