Creature feature meets the Orient Express. Good quick read... ( )

I really loved this book and the setting of the story just whisks you back in time to the days of the Orient Express! I have never read this author before and it was quite a surprise that the book just captures the feel of days gone by.

The year is 1914. The Orient Express has just departed Paris, France with businessmen and important people on board. The two main characters, Sam Carter a/k/a adventurer and Lucas Avery a/k/a British diplomat are literally right in the thick of it on board the train. It seems that there are other interesting characters aboard the train as well including what seems to be royalty with a Count and Countess along with their man servant on board.

The book starts off with a little world building and character descriptions, but when the screams start on the train is when the books kicks into high gear. Sam Carter along with Lucas Avery investigate and what they find is beyond their imagination. No one would ever dream that vampires are riding the train, but that is what Sam and Lucas find when they delve deep into the train cars.

The book reminds me of the old "cloak and dagger" stories, but this one has more of a twist as instead of cloak and daggers the characters have "stakes and holy water".

The book moves along at a fast pace and I was entranced by the feeling of the characters as it really makes you feel that you have been transported back in time. The story literally flows along and keeps the mystery of the vampires secret or I should say "cloaked in the shadows" until the big reveal.

The author, Shane Carrow, just grabs the reader from the first page and literally throws them on a time machine back to 1914. The atmosphere of the Orient Express surrounds the reader and makes them feel like they are really there.

I did have this starred with 4 stars, but the more I think about it I have decided to make it 4.5 which I will round up to 5 stars as I really did love this story and will be putting it on my favorites shelf.

( )

This was a fast-paced, very classic vampire story that reminded me a lot of 'Dracula', in a good way.
The characters were interesting, the story was engaging, all in all, this is an entertaining read.

With delightful britishness:

"Call me Sam, for Christ's sake. You're Lucas, right?"
Avery's nose twitched, the same micro-organisms which dyed his blood blue rebelling at the casual attitude of this Colorado tumbleweed. "If you prefer."

There's also this one skeptic who annoys everybody with his scepticism and they just have no time for his bs, which is to be appreciated as well.

I didn't get much of a feeling for the villain, he seemed kind of random in his actions to me. On one hand, I get it, because vampires are evil in this story, no debate, and that was represendetd very well and is an aspect that I like. On the other hand, he didn't seem to have a plan and rather seemed to make it up at random as he went along, which seemed more like a plot device to me than an evil villain.

I liked the queer representation and how it was woven into the story and the time period it takes place in, without being overly dramatic in one direction or the other. This added a lot to the feeling of a classic story, updated for a modern audience, and I appreciated that. It felt a lot like just normalizing having queer characters around and I think that's great and we need to do that more.
I do wish the author would have given the same treatment to his female characters, though. Sadly, he didnt. They do fall flat completely and there is none who really does anything. He did have a chance, and he ignored it.
'"Do you think I select just any soul to join me in eternity? It is an honour, gentlemen. A great honour."
"Why did you pick the girl, then?" Carter said. "What makes her so special?"
[The vampire] smiled, his lips thin and pale in the glum lanternlight. "Because she is young," he said softly, "and beautiful."

tldr; characterization left something to be desired, but I did like the pacing and the style, so I might check out the second book in this series. ( )

Vampire on the Orient Express by Shane Carrie is a pretty good story with a different vibe on vamps. Nice plot, creatures, and characters. I couldn't help visualising the movie Murder on the Orient Express and taking the background, old clothes, train, etc. Soon I was visualising it as a movie! Nicely done! Entertaining and great paranormal fantasy! ( )

A highly entertaining page turner. Atmospheric, creepy and claustrophobic.
A terrific addition to the Vampire genre.
Hopefully there will be a sequel. Loved the main characters, Avery and Sam. ( )