Vampire Elite #1 by Irina Argo-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 7, 2013

A millennia-long war between two immortal races is about to come to an end. Long ago, the Vampire Elite began capturing the immortals called the Amiti, attracted by their unique blood properties. Now most Amiti live in underground cells, forced to serve as vampires’ bloodstock. The few surviving free Amiti, preparing a final strike, have declared their Queen a traitor. Her execution makes possible the rise of a new Queen, her young daughter Arianna, who will inherit her mother’s mystical powers. Working with the Keepers of the Key, Arianna may be able to eliminate the vampires, once and for all, from the face of the earth.

The new Queen is the last hope to save her dying race and she’s ready to fight to the last drop of her blood. But the King of the Vampires has other plans. What neither expects is the passion that erupts between them.

Vampire Elite is an epic story of a bitter conflict between two immortal races, and the effect of that conflict on everyone living in its grip. The characters are driven to love and betrayal, vengeance and sacrifice in a world without easy black-and-white answers.

Based on an ancient Egyptian legend, packed with action and intrigue, Vampire Elite will pull you into the entrancing world of immortals and open new portals into their hidden universe.

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REVIEW: VAMPIRE ELITE (Prophecy) is the first storyline in the Vampire Elite series co-authored by the writing team of Irina Argo. The series premise is based on Egyptian legends, gods and their descendants and is packed with world building, character development and, enough betrayal and heartbreak for a lifetime let alone centuries of pain and sorrow.

The legend states that vampires were created when a goddess became enraged and the blood she trailed created a new species dependent on blood to survive. When the vampires all but annihilated the human population another species of immortals was formed –the Amiti-as a source of blood for the vampires. But over time the Amiti became like cattle (bloodstock) to the vampires and the two species remained distinct and separate and, have been at war with each other for centuries. PROPHECY: VAMPIRE ELITE is a contemporary paranormal storyline of racism, segregation, abuse and sacrifice between the species. There are flashbacks as well as several parallel storylines that will all coalesce in the final scenes of book one.

There is plenty of background information on which the storyline premise has been built and the bigger problem between the species is the blood bonding between vampire and Amiti- that in many cases leads to a physical and emotional relationship of love and hate-and under these circumstances it is akin to a mortal sin and blasphemy against their own kind. In this, we have several scenarios that push the storyline forward when the King of the Vampires falls in love with the Queen of the Amiti. What ensues is the utmost betrayal between lovers and a declaration of war between the species.

VAMPIRE ELITE is a well written, explicitly detailed and fascinating dark story of two species who have become master and slave. The storyline is fraught with betrayal and heartbreaking sorrow as lovers becomes enemies-at some point all blood bonded lovers will know the loss of a mate; torture; destruction of a relationship and the tearing of a soul shared through the blood bond between the species. There was not one relationship or couple unaffected by the end of book one.

Irina Argo has taken a vampire tale and placed a spin all their own. This is a dark tale of racism and specieism– that excludes rights to one group (Amiti) over another (vampires): whereby one becomes the cattle to be used and abused; where membership in one species definitely has its’ privileges; and death is a blessing for many. At times the altruistic nature of the relationships is painful and hard. PROPHECY: Vampire Elite is NOT your sparkly vampire series.

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Sandy