rachelp's review against another edition
3.0
While volunteering her time in Romanian hospitals, a hematologist named Kate grows attached to an orphaned baby and decides to adopt him. Back in the States, she discovers that his rare blood disorder is linked to vampirism.
I thought this book was just okay. The beginning had too much medical/scientific terminology. And the end was too unrealistically perfect.
I thought this book was just okay. The beginning had too much medical/scientific terminology. And the end was too unrealistically perfect.
trisha76's review against another edition
3.0
Roemenië, vlak na de revolutie. Een verscheurd land, getekend door eeuwenlange onderdrukking en bijgeloof dat wortelt in een duister, bloedig verleden.
In Boekarest doet de Amerikaanse arts Kate Neumann, gespecialiseerd in bloedziekten, haar uiterste best om Aids-baby's en andere aan hun lot overgelaten kinderen te helpen. Haar hart - en aandacht - gaat uit naar baby Joshua, die aan verschillende ernstige ziekten lijdt. Na een eenvoudige bloedtransfusie knapt hij steeds geweldig op. Kate beseft het wonder: in Joshua's genen zou wel eens de genezing van kanker en Aids besloten kunnen liggen.
Na eindeloze problemen met Roemeense bureaucraten weet Kate, geholpen door Vietnamveteraan pater Michael O'Rourke, de baby te adopteren en mee naar de Verenigde Staten te nemen. Alleen daar kan met geavanceerde medische technologie zijn leven worden gered en zijn wonderbaarlijke afweersysteem worden onderzocht. Maar dan strekt vanuit Transsylvanië een onzegbaar kwaad een lange ijskoude arm uit...
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Waardering:
Het boek is heel lang geleden voor mij om te beoordelen wat ik van het boek vond. Ik weet dat ik verbaast was. Het was mijn eerste kennismaking met Dan Simmons, maar het smaakte naar meer.
Helaas was het volgend boek dat ik van hem las, stukken minder.
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Boekinformatie:
©1993 Luitingh~Sijthoff
ISBN: 9024513758
©1992 Children of the Night
368 pagina's; Paperback
In Boekarest doet de Amerikaanse arts Kate Neumann, gespecialiseerd in bloedziekten, haar uiterste best om Aids-baby's en andere aan hun lot overgelaten kinderen te helpen. Haar hart - en aandacht - gaat uit naar baby Joshua, die aan verschillende ernstige ziekten lijdt. Na een eenvoudige bloedtransfusie knapt hij steeds geweldig op. Kate beseft het wonder: in Joshua's genen zou wel eens de genezing van kanker en Aids besloten kunnen liggen.
Na eindeloze problemen met Roemeense bureaucraten weet Kate, geholpen door Vietnamveteraan pater Michael O'Rourke, de baby te adopteren en mee naar de Verenigde Staten te nemen. Alleen daar kan met geavanceerde medische technologie zijn leven worden gered en zijn wonderbaarlijke afweersysteem worden onderzocht. Maar dan strekt vanuit Transsylvanië een onzegbaar kwaad een lange ijskoude arm uit...
---
Waardering:
Het boek is heel lang geleden voor mij om te beoordelen wat ik van het boek vond. Ik weet dat ik verbaast was. Het was mijn eerste kennismaking met Dan Simmons, maar het smaakte naar meer.
Helaas was het volgend boek dat ik van hem las, stukken minder.
---
Boekinformatie:
©1993 Luitingh~Sijthoff
ISBN: 9024513758
©1992 Children of the Night
368 pagina's; Paperback
sammah's review against another edition
1.0
It's rare that I DNF a book. I mean we're talking one book every couple of years at best. I don't usually outright quit, even if I have to skim to finish it I almost always make it to the end.
Not this time, and it comes with extra disappointment because I've loved all of the other Dan Simmons novels that I've read. This one though... couldn't do it. I got about halfway through and gave it up for dead. It was just...boring. That's the best way I can think of to describe it. There was so much medical and scientific jargon, and not enough of the actual story and characters. It was putting me to sleep, and I had zero motivation whatsoever to continue it.
I feel awful about it too, being a fan of his. I'd just rather not waste anymore of my time trying when it's very obvious this is NOT for me.
Not this time, and it comes with extra disappointment because I've loved all of the other Dan Simmons novels that I've read. This one though... couldn't do it. I got about halfway through and gave it up for dead. It was just...boring. That's the best way I can think of to describe it. There was so much medical and scientific jargon, and not enough of the actual story and characters. It was putting me to sleep, and I had zero motivation whatsoever to continue it.
I feel awful about it too, being a fan of his. I'd just rather not waste anymore of my time trying when it's very obvious this is NOT for me.
samedi's review against another edition
3.0
Loved the story and the idea, but it seemed like they could have cut out 50 pages from the middle and improved the book.
krissynicole1013's review against another edition
3.0
Summer of Night is one of my favorite books. I also really enjoyed A Winter Haunting. Children of the Night is my least favorite of this series. You do not need to have read either of these books to enjoy this one.
Simmons is Simmons. He is very well researched and an excellent writer and these things carried this novel. Like Carrion Comfort, this book straddles a line between horror and spy fiction. There is a little too much globe trotting and a few too many chase scenes for my taste. It left me worn out and happy to reach its conclusion.
Kat was one of the more unbelievable characters I’ve read by Simmons and the infiltration scenes were a bit too fantastical, even for a book about vampires that rule the world. I was a bit baffled that a desperate woman in search of her missing child would be so horny all of the time, but she is attracted to just about every man she meets.
Not my favorite vampire book.
Simmons is Simmons. He is very well researched and an excellent writer and these things carried this novel. Like Carrion Comfort, this book straddles a line between horror and spy fiction. There is a little too much globe trotting and a few too many chase scenes for my taste. It left me worn out and happy to reach its conclusion.
Kat was one of the more unbelievable characters I’ve read by Simmons and the infiltration scenes were a bit too fantastical, even for a book about vampires that rule the world. I was a bit baffled that a desperate woman in search of her missing child would be so horny all of the time, but she is attracted to just about every man she meets.
Not my favorite vampire book.
thosedarkpages's review against another edition
2.0
Yikes. This started out so well with some really dark + grim images/goings-on. BUT, it quickly became overwhelmingly scientific; the medical jargon was just too much. Heck, I don't even know if any of it was ACTUAL facts or just totally imagined.
Conclusion: too much science, not enough...everything else
Conclusion: too much science, not enough...everything else
nearfutures's review against another edition
3.0
Mixed feelings about this one. Super interesting scientific and historical vampire mythology, if a little heavy on the science jargon. If you're looking for plausible vampires, this is your book.
Beyond that: wow, pacing issues. It took over a hundred pages for the book to pick up and then there was a lot of travelling from place to place that could have been condensed. The book also goes full on absurd action sequence at the end, which was kind of campy and fun but not what I expected based on the jump and most of the contents of the book. There were also some frankly weird moments extoling the glories of capitalism and totally unnecessary attempted sexual violence. The characters were enjoyably characterized at the start and then descended into action/romance trope-iness by the end, which I don't know how Simmons managed.
I don't recommend it but I also don't not recommend it?
Beyond that: wow, pacing issues. It took over a hundred pages for the book to pick up and then there was a lot of travelling from place to place that could have been condensed. The book also goes full on absurd action sequence at the end, which was kind of campy and fun but not what I expected based on the jump and most of the contents of the book. There were also some frankly weird moments extoling the glories of capitalism and totally unnecessary attempted sexual violence. The characters were enjoyably characterized at the start and then descended into action/romance trope-iness by the end, which I don't know how Simmons managed.
I don't recommend it but I also don't not recommend it?
seanchai's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed it and it's take on vampirism. It's definitely not any kind of direct sequel to Summer of Night, however.