jrobles76's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely a great sequel to Hater. I'm a fan of different uses of point of view and this novel uses first person for Danny, a third person omniscient narrator, and a 3rd person limited to tell the story of Mark and his wife, a couple living inside the quarantine zones. It's great in that it lets you see the world of the haters and the normals. The most interesting choice is to only use first person for Danny, one of the "haters". The novel forces you to be in the mind of, essentially, the bad guys. You're purposefully distanced by the 3rd person narrative from sympathizing with the normal people. It's a great device, because you know that you'd probably be one of the normal people, "the unchanged", yet you're in the mind of the killers. Not to get too socio-political, but with the way the unchanged are like refugees, it's almost a comment on how we should try to understand more what displaced people feel like. "but for the grace of god" and all that. If a catastrophe strikes we could be displaced without any rhyme or reason. The author is from England, and in Europe they deal with displaced people more than we do here, but just thinking about Katrina and the people from Louisiana who had to leave their homes and move to new places. I felt like it was a comment on how "hate" serves to distance us and dehumanize those we don't like. Maybe he's trying to say we are all "haters". Or, maybe he's just making great horror fiction. Either way I hope he keeps it up.
trudilibrarian's review
3.0
Not as strong as Book 1, but a decent sequel that achieved the necessary plot development to move the story along to what will hopefully be a rousing finale. By now, we know what's going on so there's no mystery there (even though we still don't know why and for what purpose).
This time the story lacks the fever-pitch level of suspense that grabs you by the throat in Hater and doesn't let go. Dog Blood shows us how most humans are "dealing with" the crisis in the short-term, having become refugees locked behind a perimeter surrounding their own ravaged cities, existing under martial law, depending on the military for every basic human need. All the while government soldiers and pseudo-conscripted volunteers, wage a war on the Haters in their attempt to wipe them out.
What I did find totally engaging here is Danny McCoyne's quest to find his five year old daughter, also a Hater. The ramifications of child Haters, and their possible role in the on-going war against humans, is chilling. What's remarkable is that McCoyne is no less sympathetic now, as a blood-thirsty full-on Hater, then he is in Book 1 as a normal Joe Blow underachiever trying to protect his family from the exploding violence.
Dog Blood also raises some interesting questions about the Hate, whether it is a disease, an alien influence, or a genetic malfunction in some humans triggering an evolutionary dichotomy between man and Hater. Other than the bloodlust and insatiable need to kill the Unchanged, Haters remain recognizably human. But cannot or will not co-exist with non-Haters. So my hope for Book 3 is that we learn the true nature and purpose of the Hate and that Moody will take a closer look at the Hater goal -- if they succeed in wiping out the Unchanged and essentially taking over the planet, what will that "new world" look like, and how will they choose to live in it with no one ostensibly left to hate?
This time the story lacks the fever-pitch level of suspense that grabs you by the throat in Hater and doesn't let go. Dog Blood shows us how most humans are "dealing with" the crisis in the short-term, having become refugees locked behind a perimeter surrounding their own ravaged cities, existing under martial law, depending on the military for every basic human need. All the while government soldiers and pseudo-conscripted volunteers, wage a war on the Haters in their attempt to wipe them out.
What I did find totally engaging here is Danny McCoyne's quest to find his five year old daughter, also a Hater. The ramifications of child Haters, and their possible role in the on-going war against humans, is chilling. What's remarkable is that McCoyne is no less sympathetic now, as a blood-thirsty full-on Hater, then he is in Book 1 as a normal Joe Blow underachiever trying to protect his family from the exploding violence.
Dog Blood also raises some interesting questions about the Hate, whether it is a disease, an alien influence, or a genetic malfunction in some humans triggering an evolutionary dichotomy between man and Hater. Other than the bloodlust and insatiable need to kill the Unchanged, Haters remain recognizably human. But cannot or will not co-exist with non-Haters. So my hope for Book 3 is that we learn the true nature and purpose of the Hate and that Moody will take a closer look at the Hater goal -- if they succeed in wiping out the Unchanged and essentially taking over the planet, what will that "new world" look like, and how will they choose to live in it with no one ostensibly left to hate?
andolaria's review against another edition
2.0
A decent follow up to Hater, but it could have been so much better.
beledit's review against another edition
5.0
As good as book 1 in the trilogy. Couldn't put it down. Finished it in less than a day and immediately downloaded book 3.
This series is even better than the Autumn series. Reading Moody's books is like eating hot, buttered toast. You know it's crap, and contains no nourishment whatsoever, but you just can't stop. He builds a coherent world with well-defined characters and paces the story so as to keep you on the edge of your seat. Reading this series reminds me of Dexter - you find yourself rooting for the bad guy, and that makes you feel simultaneously excited, uncomfortable and rather ashamed of yourself. Yep, like with the toast.
Recommended for fans of the post-apocalyptic genre, especially the more gritty and realistic stories set in the UK.
Now please let me get back to book 3, Them or Us.
This series is even better than the Autumn series. Reading Moody's books is like eating hot, buttered toast. You know it's crap, and contains no nourishment whatsoever, but you just can't stop. He builds a coherent world with well-defined characters and paces the story so as to keep you on the edge of your seat. Reading this series reminds me of Dexter - you find yourself rooting for the bad guy, and that makes you feel simultaneously excited, uncomfortable and rather ashamed of yourself. Yep, like with the toast.
Recommended for fans of the post-apocalyptic genre, especially the more gritty and realistic stories set in the UK.
Now please let me get back to book 3, Them or Us.
ollie_lee's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoyed this story more than "Hater," the first book in the series. "Dog Blood" follows Danny after he has embraced becoming one of them and he is now searching for his five year old daughter who is also become a hater.
My reason for loving this book may not be for everyone. OVER THE TOP VIOLENCE! I really think this may be the most brutal story I have ever read.
My reason for loving this book may not be for everyone. OVER THE TOP VIOLENCE! I really think this may be the most brutal story I have ever read.
groovyjar88's review against another edition
1.0
About 80 pages in I realized I just don't care about anything in this story.
typicalbooks's review
4.0
I liked the first installment much a lot. Dog Blood was a great read too and far more violent. For some reason I could relate to Danny better as an Unchanged and felt his personality as a Hater fell a little flat. Odd though, because he was built up very well and his voice persisted. A great take on the rageocalypse that makes me pretty excited to see how it translates to film.
I review this at http://youtu.be/5b9R4FXWNWQ
I review this at http://youtu.be/5b9R4FXWNWQ
acknud's review
4.0
If you like angry, hater style zombies then this may work for you. They are not really zombies but a new breed of humans. This seems to be a genetic shift that occurred spontaneously and left 1/3 of the population with a very bad attitude the need to kick ass. The ending of the 2nd book deals with an epic battle but no clear answers. maybe the 3rd book will sum it up.