Review by Bothofus07 -- The Hand Bringer

[Bothofus07]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Hand Bringer" by Christopher J. Penington.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Hand Bringer by Christopher J. Penington is one wild and crazy ride. This genre-defying tale combines a buddy action story with vampires, time travel, historical fiction, and a little romance thrown in for good measure.

Police detective Peter Hadrian is responding to a call when he is attacked and bitten by a vampire. On his way to the hospital, his ambulance is intercepted by government agents who whisk Peter and his partner Luke away to a secret research facility. As Peter's body battles the infection within, he and Luke learn the nature of this secret government agency. Peter's value to this particular project stems from his Romanian heritage and his apparent immunity to the full effects of the infection. As Peter recovers, while gaining superhuman strength, the agency recruits him and Luke for a strange secret mission. The stated goal of the mission is to travel back in time to eradicate the first vampires, particularly Vlad Dracula, and prevent the present-day vampire scourge.

The majority of the story takes place in war-torn fifteenth-century Romania, which gives the book a gritty and violent feel. We meet the historical figure of Vlad the Impaler, a ruthless and bloodthirsty warlord. Our twenty-first-century protagonists are somehow able to establish themselves as valuable allies to gain Vlad's favor. The plot is carried along by a series of bloody battles interspersed with confrontations with local vampires. Peter and Luke both encounter mysterious women whom they had already met. The adventure becomes increasingly complicated as loyalties change, the scope of the vampire power is realized, and the goals of the mission become less clear.

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book, and that is probably the best way to approach it. While I could have guessed a couple of aspects of the story, the plot as a whole was completely unpredictable. The fifteenth-century setting, in somewhat impressive historical detail, gave the story a more serious feel than it might otherwise have had. The characters and dialogue fleshed out the atmosphere of Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages. The main characters were well written and engaging. The story was complicated, almost overly so, with plenty of twists and turns that left me a little lost a few times but no less engaged in the outcome.

What I liked most about this story was the combination of historical fiction with a crazy science fiction fantasy plot that somehow worked. My absolute favorite thing was the unexpected existential turn the story took in pondering the nature of good and evil and the power of faith. What I disliked most was the relentless violence, particularly violence toward women. And I could have done without the detailed description of a victim being impaled. While the level of violence fit the setting, its relentless nature became a bit tiring. This was somewhat redeemed by the courage and faith of some of the characters, along with the love story woven into the plot. There was a fair amount of profanity and sexual depictions as well.

I give this book three out of four stars for a unique and action-packed story, though it could have used another round of editing for some spelling and grammar issues. It may not appeal to the faint of heart because of its non-stop violence, but it may appeal to fans of vampire lore and science fiction. It would appeal most to readers who are open to something completely different.

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The Hand Bringer
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