Review of Unholy Embrace by Neil Benson - BK Walker Books

Review by Paula Phillips

"A popular storyline lately has been the tale of the mortal/vampire love story and the majority of them have ended up writing the male as a Vampire and the female as the lovestruck mortal. One thing that I really liked in Neil Benson's book is that he decided to use gender reversed roles and make the male the lovestruck mortal and the female the Vampire. Having it this way, was a nice change for once.

The story starts when Frank and Nessa are out on a date and are attacked by Werewolves, the attack causes Nessa to extract her fangs and go all-vampirey , something that Frank hasn't really experienced before. From then on , we are transported back to the beginning -where they first met and how their relationship started and of course how they reached the point in the story.


What follows is Nessa explaining and opening her 400yr old heart to Frank and telling her story on how she became a Vampire starting in Hungary all the way to her travels via Vienna and Paris to the Present time in New York. We read as the Werewolves attacks are just the beginning as Nessa has been on the run nearly 400 years and has been tracked by Narice - the vampire lover of the Vampire who turned Nessa and in return Nessa Killed out of vengeance.

When Frank realises the consequences and danger of being with Nessa , can he stand strong and embrace the unholiness of being with a Vampire or will he take the white feather coward option out and leave Nessa to follow a path of a normal life ?

An excellent story that shows readers in a paranormal and supernatural way that no matter what happens and how terrifying obstacles can be - love between not only mortals but mortals and supernaturals can stick together and overcome anything."


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Unholy Embrace review from reader on Amazon.com

''An excellent vampire romance and horror story . I enjoyed the love affair between the mortal man, Frank, and Nessa the vampire. Their battle to find and kill the demon was very exciting. This is an action packed love story between two people from different worlds. The characters are well defined and story is well conceived. From the starting page to end, the story is full of action and excitement. Overall, the book is well written and easy to read. I would highly recommend this book to all vampire book lovers."

http://www.amazon.com/Unholy-Embrace-Neil-Benson/dp/0982679505/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276478644&sr=1-1

Review of Unholy Embrace by Trish Martin at Horrornews.net

REVIEWED BY "TRISH MARTIN" http://www.horrornews.net/

Unholy Embrace by Neil Benson is the story of a romantic and dangerous love affair between a beautiful, ages-old vampire and a mortal man. This story is enchanting and sexy with an edge of excitement. Not only do we read about vampires but of werewolves and demons. The New York night life and seedy underbelly do well to create a dangerous atmosphere. I enjoyed reading about the main character’s blossoming relationship but also the horrific demons and monsters that lurk about in the night. Nessa Harcanu is the sexy vampire born in 1597 in a small town near Budapest.

Though Nessa is voluptuous and sultry, she posses a power beyond mortal imagination. She becomes involved with a mortal man named Frank Thornton who is an attractive architect that is skeptical about the existence of vampires and demons. Also joining the story are members of the Meyer family of which Nessa becomes close with early on in her life as a vampire; they come to serve her and assist her with her needs throughout the ages. We also come across a weaker vampire named Narice whom, after her master is killed by Nessa, begins following Nessa waiting to exact her revenge. There are a few other characters we run across in the story who serve as a backdrop in the evolvement of the two main characters. The interaction with these other characters gives us insight to the character’s lives and personalities.

Nessa’s tale of how she became a vampire and her life up until present day is one of intrigue and even sadness. Frank listens to Nessa’s story and becomes even more enchanted with her and begins to understand her a little better. Their relationship is really one of master and subservient, Nessa the master and Frank the subservient. Even with the uneven balance of power the relationship between the two becomes stronger and the need to protect one another grows. The appearance of a demon creates more drama and trouble for the two and they realize in order to save humanity they must defeat this demon in any way possible.

I would classify this story as less horror and more romantic suspense but it is still a wonderful and exciting tale. As I delved deeper into the book I found it hard to put down. It is definitely an easy read and isn’t cluttered with unnecessary plot and lag time. There were times of some light eroticism mixed in with story to give it an edge above the teeny-bopper vampire love stories. Also we examine great power within Nessa making her almost super-heroine like in her conquests. Frank’s mind is torn between his deep love of Nessa and his wish for normalcy in his life. My only complaint as far as this novel was concerned was that I felt that the ending was a tad rushed; I felt that maybe the writer was a little unsure of how to resolve the conflict without creating more trouble for the characters.

Neil Benson has a rare talent for creating a story where you can identify and truly care about what happens to the characters. Giving life to character’s like Nessa and Frank enables the reader to walk in the footsteps of the characters, getting more in-depth in the story and almost being able to see the world through their eyes. I would also have to give Neil Benson props on creating a dueling perspective between the characters; by doing this we can see the story from the perspective of both Nessa and Frank. I would highly recommend this book to all vampire lovers out there and especially those who enjoy romantic flights of fancy.

http://www.amazon.com/Unholy-Embrace-Neil-Benson/dp/0982679505/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274835629&sr=1-2

Unholy Embrace vampire novel by Neil Benson - an excerpt Paris 1899

New Year's Eve 1899: Nessa walking alone through the streets of Paris.

At 11:30 in the evening, I walked out of my house and joined the thousands of people celebrating the coming of the new century. As I walked among the crowd, I felt disconnected from the people and the celebrations. Alive, or rather undead, for three hundred years, I wandered among people mostly under age forty. What did I have to celebrate? Living forever had been more of a curse than a blessing.

I was walking joylessly through the streets, when a tall, dark-haired man came up beside me. He turned and wrapped his arms around me. He kissed me with great vigor on both cheeks. His eyes glistened, and I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

“It is a great time in which to live,” he said.

“I suppose so.”

“You suppose so? Mademoiselle, you are young and beautiful. The twentieth century will be filled with wonders we cannot imagine.” He put his arms on my shoulders and looked into my eyes. “Be alive, be alive. There is so much joy in life.” He kissed me on the lips then walked away into the crowd, sharing his joy with other women.

If he only knew.

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Unholy Embrace a vampire novel by Neil Benson - in the eyes of a vampire

A mortal, Frank, enters a wannabe vampire bar in Manhattan and finds himself scrutinized by a beautiful real vampire.

“You're not an overgrown boy or a self-styled stud eager to add me to his sexual trophy case.”

“You can tell that just by looking at me?”

“That and much more.”

“Okay, tell me what you know.” Her gaze caught mine as I issued the challenge.

“You're an architect in his mid-thirties who would rather be a painter,” she said without hesitation. She leaned back in her chair, steepling her fingers, her bright green eyes studying my every move.

“How do you know that?” Was she a mind reader or something?“There are traces of light green ocher paint under the nails of your index and middle fingers on your right hand.” I couldn't see anything, even when I held my nails under a light.

“I have excellent vision, especially at night.”

“There's nothing there to see,” I said.

“You failed to wash off all the ocher and pale yellow egg tempera paint you used.” She licked her lips.

Nessa had just described the colors I had been working with earlier in the evening. “I don't know how you guessed what I was using, but there's no way anyone could see the paint in this dim light.”

“A vampire could.” She leaned forward, opening her mouth, and showing the tips of sharp pointed fangs.

“Are those real?” I asked in a voice barely a croak. My heart beat faster and the hairs on the nape of my neck stood up.

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Why Did I Write a Vampire Novel? by Neil Benson

It started the night I watched the movie Underworld on a DVD. The story begins with the lovely Kate Beckinsale jumping from a bell tower over sixty feet to the ground on a dark, rainy night. She's a vampire, so the long jump to the pavement below doesn't even jar her. She's wearing a black skintight vinyl outfit accentuating her slender figure. (Sigh.)

During the initial action she explains (in a voice over) the history of the war between the vampires and the Lycans (werewolves), which started hundreds of years before the scene takes place. Kate plays the character of Selene, the chief assassin for the vampires in the war against the werewolves. She is lovely, lethal, and answers to no one, not even the current head of her vampire clan. An alpha female if there ever was one.

The scene that led to my writing the vampire novel occurs later in the movie when Kate is searching the room of a doctor played by Scott Spedman. Naturally, she searches the room in total darkness. When the doctor enters, she grabs Spedman just under the throat and lifts him three feet off the ground as if he was a small sack of potatoes.

At that point, I moved the action backward and reran the scene several times. I was struck by the image of a slender, petite woman lifting a man so easily and questioning him in a manner recalling a time when the police could interrogate a suspect using physical as well as verbal means. I didn't know Kate Beckinsale was 5'8" tall. Small detail.

I wondered what it would be like for a mortal man to be in a relationship with a female vampire dominant in and out of the bedroom. First, I needed to create a vampire. Kate Beckinsale and the character she played had an impact on my thinking. However, I wanted a powerful female vampire that used violence only as a last resort, but when necessary killed without hesitation. Then I decided to create a mortal male lover who was tall dark and handsome, with no need to prove his masculinity. In essence, a man who could deal with a powerful female vampire.

I wrote a short story that received positive feedback from several editors. However, they wanted "more," something different from the hundreds of vampire stories they read. I imagined circumstances and events to make the story unique, but I couldn't say them in five thousand words or less. I had received feedback that the story could be expanded to a novel

Unholy Embrace vampire novel by Neil Benson - meeting at a vampire bar

Frank gets a surprise when he meets a beautiful woman at a wannabe vampire bar.
I made my way to the bar at the back of the room and ordered a Heineken. From there, I observed the people at the tables nearby when I first saw her. She caught the attention of one male admirer after another, each rebuffed until she sat alone. Her tight black sweater accentuated her full breasts. I studied her copper hair, framing her fine-boned, pale face. She was stunning, unattainable by any of the men who sought her.

A heavily muscled blond man sat down beside her without invitation. She shook her head before he had a chance to say anything. When he put his left hand on her shoulder, she grasped his forearm with her right hand and twisted. The force of her motion lifted him out of his chair and spun him on to the floor.

He landed on his back and slid a few feet. He shook his head, as if to clear his mind, and then rose. He rolled up his shirtsleeve and examined his forearm. Even from where I sat, I could see the marks of her fingers. The man backed away, and then walked quickly to the other side of the room. A few people looked over, but turned away. I couldn't imagine how a petite woman could generate such force.

As I gazed at her, she gave me a bemused smile. I hesitated, even when her smile widened. She beckoned me with her finger, and I walked to her table and sat down opposite her.

“Hello, I'm Frank Thornton.”

“Nessa Harcanu,” she said in a husky voice with a trace of an accent.

“I assume it's safe for me to sit here.”

“I invited you, but he made an unwanted boorish advance.” Her glinting eyes accentuated her message.

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Unholy Embrace a vampire novel by Neil Benson. - A confrontation between mortal and immortal

Nessa, the vampire, starts off the interchange.

"I was lonely, and I sought an interesting and attractive man and decided to let events take their own course.” She paused, lowered her eyes, and remained that way for a long time. Then her gaze sought mine. “It was never my intention to fall in love with you.”

“Love? What we've shared is lust. You haven't expressed feelings, at least verbally,” I said. “From the moment we met, events never took a natural course. You were the sexual aggressor controlling me from the start.”

“You need to take responsibility for your actions.” Her tone stabbed me like a sharp saber. “You made a choice when you responded to my smile and sat beside me. Whatever responses I evoked are part of your nature. My behavior was provocative, but I never apologize for whom I am. You’re an adult. You know the risks you take when you meet a stranger in a bar. Especially when she tells you she's a vampire.”

Her eyes, flat and hard, presented a side of her that I hadn't seen before.

I took a deep breath and met the measure of her gaze.

Nessa stood there, hands on her hips, staring defiantly at me. Now that I saw beyond her beauty, I could recognize her strength in living a life she never chose. I stood at a crossroad few men ever experienced. What I said next could decide the rest of my life. “I love you, but I have no idea how we can become more than lovers.”

http://neilbenson-horrorandfantasyauthor.blogspot.com/p/unholy-embrace-by-neil-benson-first.html
First three chapters
 

Are Vampires Necessarily Evil? - Neil Benson

Let's assume that vampires, the undead kind, are real. When I first started writing Unholy Embrace, I was told by my editor vampires are by definition "evil." My response was to posit a question. If a sixteen-year-old who had never committed a mortal sin, and very few venal ones, was turned by a vampire, why would this person become evil? The response I received stated that if a vampire took the life, or the blood, from another person that made the vampire evil.


However, in recent years, we have seen movies such as Underworld, where the vampires ostensibly did not consume human blood. The vampires in the movie Underworld were a pretty rotten bunch and it would be hard to make a case they weren't evil. For some time, vampires have been able to obtain human blood from blood banks. Ergo, no need bite someone in the neck, lethal or otherwise.

So, if a young woman or man, living a virtually "pure" life, was turned into a vampire at the present time, there would be no need for this person to take blood from a mortal. Clearly, if a vampire kills, then the vampire is evil. However, this would be true of a mortal who commit murders. Without committing any acts that harm a mortal person, it seems to me that the vampire cannot necessarily be considered evil by solely by being one of the undead.

I'm sure that many people would tell me that I have oversimplified the issue or question. If I have, then I would like to hear the "complete" explanation of why a vampire would necessarily be considered evil.

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Unholy Embrace vampire novel by Neil Benson - an emotional commitment to a vampire

Frank ponders an emotional commitment to a vampire

After leaving her apartment, I was outside walking toward Central Park within five minutes. If I took too long to decide, our relationship would end. Nessa had been lonely for over four hundred years. She made a choice about me, perhaps impulsively, but now I knew how much I meant to her. She would be devastated if I rejected her, and I had no wish to be the cause of such pain. But I also needed to consider the risks involved.



I walked along the outside of the park until I found myself in front of the Museum of Natural History. For all the information it contained, it didn't have displays about creatures the visitors were better off not knowing. Nessa, werewolves, and demons didn't exist in any of the museum's catalogs. However, she was also a woman, one that aroused the strongest feelings I had ever experienced. Should I make a commitment based mostly on feelings? I was always so rational. To go with her was to step into the unknown and far beyond my comfort zone.


When I looked at my watch, I saw five hours remained until dawn. For once in my life I decided to go where my heart led. I walked south until I hailed a cab, and in a few minutes I was back at her apartment. The strong need I felt to be with her contrasted with how I felt two hours ago. Time is not measured in minutes or hours but by the manner in which we experience our lives. When I stood in front of her door, I knew my decision.


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Link to first three chapters