Turned back in the ‘40s, Mick is like transporting Sam Spade from “The Maltese Falcon” — full of witty remarks about gals while drinking highballs of Scotch and wearing a tailored suit and fedora — to present day L.A., well … that is if Sam Spade was an addict whose drug of choice evolved from shooting up heroin to shooting up human blood after he became a vampire. So, perhaps a mix of a vampire Sam Spade with notorious trumpetier Miles Davis, especially since Mick played trumpet in a band before being turned and Davis was known for dabbling in heroin.
To further complicate the formula, Mick is a vampire with a conscience, seeking out rapists, murderers and overall bad dudes to feed on in an attempt to bring order to the chaotic, blood-thirsty monster he’s become. He keeps vials of their blood in his fridge but at least he’s riding the world, well L.A., of bad guys and leaving the women, children and innocents.
I’ll come clean and admit I’ve never seen “Moonlight,” so upon judging this book by its cover I was expecting something along the lines of the books flooding the teenage/young adult market in recent years about supernatural beings, particularly vampires. After a few dozen pages in, where I encountered sex, violence, drug addiction and other sinister topics, I figured this book wasn’t for teens. Don’t let the big print fool you. This ain’t a book for kiddies. Also, the combination of the classic vampire story with film noir added a unique twist to the tale.
Even further into the 239-pager, I found the combination of Mick’s past, presented in flashbacks, with the present day drama very interesting. At times, after a flashback, I paused a few seconds to remember what was happening in present day as if I was fuzzy headed from Mick’s dream too. However, this was eased by the back-story being almost more interesting than present day, which kept me reading on.
I also enjoyed Munson’s exploration of vampire lore, including bats, coffins, sucking blood and immortality, doling out information through Mick’s sarcastic thoughts and comments. It was fun as a reader to be in on the joke — Mick’s a vampire and most characters don’t know.
“Angel of Vengeance” was tasty as junk food for the mind. Just as you often yearn for something junkie to eat (I am a nachos zealot), the mind also needs to cheat on its steady diet of brain-food from time to time. Am I interested in watching “Moonlight”? No. However, this book gave me something to read while on the treadmill every day, something to distract me from the annoying fact I was exercising. I’ll stick with my Twilight and True Blood obsessions but did enjoy the junkie snack! Sookie! — Kate Vendetta
Angel of Vengeance sounds like a fun read. I love suspense novels, especially ones that incorporate the paranormal (like the Pact Arcanum series by Arshad Ahsanuddin: http://pactarcanum.com). I’m excited to read it! From Kate Vendetta’s commentary, it sounds like something to read by the pool.
Trevor Munson’s Angel of Vengeance Book is Awesome indeed it’s story that filled with sort of a little classy noir Vampire PI story that is also very suspenseful,lots of heartpumping,boiling and thrills and much on the Darker side kind of story then it would be in the Moonlight show and also please keep in mind both moonlight show and the book are both equally as awesome but the stories from each other are somewhat different and slightly twisted story from each other. I would still love to give both the Angel Of Vengeance Book & The Moonlight Show a 5***** ratings or to the highest ratings it could go. They Both Rocks! You Rock as Well My BrotherFriend Trevor.
Peace,Much Love & God Bless You,
-Ruthie =)
If you like Kate’s reviews, feel free to check out her most excellent blog at: http://katevendetta.blogspot.com/
I thoroughly loved AOV. I loved seeing how my favorite character Mick St. John started out. I loved everything he goes through so he can become a better person. It was very well written and I can’t wait for the next book in the series to hit the bookstore shelves.
Congratulations Trevor on a job well done! :)
Calling this book, “junk food for the mind” is a total insult. This book was a fun, entertaining, read. I love Mick’s voice and point of view. I thoroughly enjoyed the world that Munson created for his vampire to inhabit. I liked the choices he made for his vampire universe. The fact that Mick can only see the color red was interesting. The fact that Mick was a former addict is interesting also, since the lust for blood can also be seen as an addiction of sorts. Mick has honor, and rules that he lives by, that make him simpathetic and likeable. I love characters with flaws; they are far more interesting. You can keep your sparkling vampires, I will take Mick Angel and Moonlight any day. Seriously, if you haven’t seen Moonlight, you are missing out on something special. Personally, I would give back my Twilight dvds and stop watching True Blood all together, if they would bring Moonlight back.
I love Vampire books.I got this book like one month ago through Amazon while looking for Vampires books. I am glad I got it. One of the best Vampire books I have read in a while.
If you’re looking for an authentic to the genre kind of vampire novel to sink your teeth into, pick up a copy of Angel Of Vengeance, it doesn’t disappoint! It’s got everything you could possibly want from a good vampire book, plus more! The author, who in my opinion is a master wordsmith in a category all his own, did a brilliant job creating a character that you not only love to hate, but hate to love! Mick Angel’s not your stereotypical brooding vampire, he’s a vampire on a mission to rid the world of scum, scum that he feels the world should not have to be burdened with! So, if you like your vampire stories bloody, sexy, dark, and mysterious, this is the book for you!
Comment for the review: You just don’t know what you are talking about or saying. Sounds like you aren’t a romantic type person or a game. Regardless of your review Trevor Sure did an Awesome Job! Oh! yes it also sounds like you don’t really appreciate the book so I suggest you why not just give up the book and send it to me I would buy it from you and offer it to someone else whom truly is more sincere,appreciates it and really needs a book cause there are still many whom wants the book bad but don’t got it cause of money or tight budget. So if you are willing to resell your book let me know my email: Amazingkeysoflove@hotmail.com I will pay for the book at the same price that you bought it for.
God Bless!
Wow. Angel of Vengeance is a junkie snack but Twilight and True Blood are brain food? PLEASE tell me you didn’t intend to imply that. They’re all junkie snacks!
Assuming that brain food means “works of literary merit,” then as far as modern vampire novels go, to me brain food would be works like Salem’s Lot by Stephen King, Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin, Children of the Night by Dan Simmons and the Joe Pitt novels by Charlie Huston.