‘If’n it’s ‘tween death by my own hand or death fightin’ with a monster on my side, I choose fightin’.’

With a story that doesn’t shy away from the horrors of slavery, this book is a visceral read from the start. We follow an enslaved man named Willie as he wants to do anything to save his people - and especially his beloved Gertie - from the horrors of their daily life. When conventional means of escape fail, he discovers a much bloodier solution to his problem - and yet, as we read we can clearly see who is a monster and who is not. A novel about freedom, revenge, and using whatever means necessary to save yourself.

This book captured my attention from the start, and I spent a great deal of the book waiting for the well-deserved revenge to occur. Every character has a distinct voice, and we see the many faceted sides of the abuse those who are enslaved are forced to endure - and how each of them decides to survive living it.

The biggest issue I believe I had with this book is that once the knowledge of the “vampires” was discovered, the story still lingered on for a long while before anything significant was done using their abilities. As well as the fact that much of this book, especially near the end, felt like it was written more as a movie description as opposed to a novel. (The very last scene comes to mind as being a bit extremely cliche.) Where - if how the ending is intended to leave room for a sequel, where our main characters then rescue the rest of their people from the plantations they are enslaved, I would be less critical. However, if this was intended to be a one-off novel, then the open-endedness of the ending, and especially of the very last scene, feels a bit too “movie-made” for me, as opposed to how reading a book is supposed to feel.

A huge trigger warning for: explicit descriptions of SA, SA of a child, extreme violence (for instance, someone being torn apart by dogs), racial slurs/racism, sexual abuse

A huge thank you to the author, Netgalley, and Kensington Publishing for providing me this e-ARC.

Thank you so much Markus Redmond and Kensington Publishing for the ARC!

This book was SPECTACULAR! The vampire renaissance is here I seriously LOVED it. I was on the edge of my seat, and read the entire second half in a day because I couldn’t put it down. The ending is SO good and definitely sets up the potential for more books in the future.

This has such an amazing look at when and if violence is a necessity and the nature of good and bad that I’ve only ever seen at the same level in one other book (Babel). The beginning has such an unflinching depiction of the violence and depravity of the institution of slavery and evils of hatred, I was often sick to my stomach reading it, but it’s necessary to truly lay the message out, even if it’s uncomfortable. This was really truly well done.

Redmond also writes excellent dialogue, he really has a gift for making it come to life on the page and I can’t say that’s something that sticks out to me often, so this was really and truly special.

It’s so immersive, has such a powerful message, and vampires with extremely cool powers; honestly what more could you want?

From the very first page, this book draws you into its world with engaging prose, well-developed characters, and a compelling narrative. The author's storytelling is confident and immersive, weaving together themes that resonate long after the final chapter.

OMG!!!! This book was everything. There was moments in this book where I either was extremely pissed, upset, worried, and happy at the same time. This is something that I have not read before and I loved every single moment of it. But please keep in mind that there are trigger/content warnings within this book such as: violence, blood/gore, murder, abuse, sexual abuse, child abuse, racism, hate speech, racial slurs, and systemic racism. But I will also inform you that this story is not about slavery but a story about a slave. The story takes place during the year of 1710 in the province of Carolina. There many characters in this book that I began to fall in love with. Though there were times where one character named Gertie annoyed the crap out of me (but you will understand why once you read it). The first character that we’re introduced is Willie is enslaved on the Barrow plantation along with Gertie and Rafazi. One thing leads to another where Willie just could not take the foul treatment and the treatment that his love Gertie has been receiving. Once they messed with Gertie that was it for Willie and so he was ready to stand up and fight. This fight let to an uprising where African Vampires do exist. And yes I said it AFRICAN VAMPIRES! Need I say more??? This is a historical black horror story that had me in a chokehold because I had no idea how it was going to end. Truly I loved this book! At times it was hard to read due to how the enslaved were being treated and what was taken place. But as I was reading this I had to also remind myself that these are things that actually happened during the time of Slavery in America and that history should never be sugar coated or watered down. Honestly I recommend that you read this book because you will not be disappointed!

This was good! I enjoy historical fiction style books especially relating to slavery. This was a story of vengeance, of freedom. This felt like an action movie and I enjoyed every second of it. It is a slow read in a way and it takes its time setting the scene. So if you want to get into big action from the beginning just hold on, there will be little moments to hold you over until the big showdown. Hang on, It’s worth it.

Blood Slaves enters the vampyre genre with a premise rooted in subjugation, desire, and the eroticization of power—common themes in post-Anne Rice vampire literature. However, when viewed through a critical vampyre lens, which seeks to untangle the nuanced mythic, psychological, and sociopolitical threads of vampyre lore, the book offers both provocations and pitfalls.

Power Dynamics & Consent:
The concept of “blood slavery” immediately raises complex questions about consent and agency—central themes in vampyric mythology. The vampyre, traditionally a symbol of seductive domination, is here literalized as a master with human thralls. In Blood Slaves, these dynamics are rarely subverted or interrogated; instead, they often lean into the trope of erotic subservience without exploring the emotional or existential toll on either party. A critical vampyre analysis would demand more: what does it mean to surrender your blood, your essence, in a world where the vampyre’s hunger is not metaphor but law?

The Myth of the Eternal Predator:
Classical vampyres are reflective creatures—metaphorically and literally. They embody the burdens of immortality, the loneliness of power, and the horror of eternal memory. Blood Slaves tends to flatten this depth, focusing instead on dominance fantasies dressed in fangs. The vampyres here rarely contemplate the ethical or metaphysical implications of their feeding and control. They are apex predators, untroubled by the weight of their roles—an approach that, while entertaining, eschews the critical melancholia that defines truly enduring vampyre literature.

Eroticism vs. Exploitation:
Eroticism is a potent tool in vampyre storytelling, but in Blood Slaves, it often feels one-note. While it delivers in heat and tension, it fails to explore the darker alchemy of desire, death, and transformation that lies at the heart of vampyre erotics. What Blood Slaves offers is titillation, but a critical vampyre lens would seek something richer: the way blood-sharing mimics communion, how pleasure and death entwine in the kiss of the undead.

Sociopolitical Undercurrents:
The vampyre is a historically charged figure—a metaphor for aristocracy, queerness, disease, or colonialism depending on the era. Blood Slaves gestures at class divides but lacks a cohesive critique of the systems it mirrors. The “slaves” often come from marginalized or desperate circumstances, yet the narrative rarely acknowledges the power imbalance with nuance. A critical vampyre reading would ask: is this a cautionary tale or an indulgence in domination?

Final Thoughts:
Blood Slaves is a vivid, fast-paced entry in the erotic vampyre subgenre, but through a critical lens, it reads more as spectacle than study. The work indulges in vampyric aesthetics—blood, control, seduction—without interrogating the deeper meanings behind them. For readers seeking to be consumed, it offers ample fantasy. For those looking to explore the vampyre as a symbol of transformation, estrangement, and existential hunger, Blood Slaves is only a first bite.

1.5 ⭐

Oof. The more I think about this book the more I dislike it.

Let me preface this by saying:
- I read a lot of horror
- Vampires are my fave supernatural creature (especially vampires from different cultures)
- I am not typically very sensitive to trigger warnings in books (ex: tender is the flesh is one of my faves lol)

HOWEVER, as a Black woman, this was PAINFUL to read. I am SHOCKED more of the early reviews do not begin with glaring warnings about the abuse of the enslaved people and the many exhaustive scenes of sexual abuse against men, women, and minors.

Of course this is a story set on a plantation about enslaved people getting their revenge, so I expected violence to be done against them and was prepared for it. However, 90% of this was trauma porn, 5% was revenge, and maybe like 5% was about the vampire lore. The author spent SO MUCH TIME on violent scenes of the masters treating the Black characters poorly. The majority of these scenes truly added nothing character development or plot development wise, and I'm sitting here wondering why so much of it was needed.

I would have LOVED it if more care had been given to exploring the history of the Ramangan people and their vampire lore. The beginning of the book opens with one of our main characters, Rafazi, and an info-dump of his vampirism. Why couldn't we spend more time here?!! Showing the Ramangan vampires skills, relationships, etc. instead of having one character just telling another a few quick facts would have been a great way to enrich this story.

There is one main couple in the story and the woman has perfectly reasonable concerns(!!) throughout, but the male MC who is supposed to be the hero never really takes them seriously and it's obvious her mind needs to be changed for the story to round out, which I hated.

ALSO - there is a scene that infers that the enslaved people and the language they used was inferior, but once they were enlightened they started talking like the white people. WHAT! I thought we were past this! "A stronger mind speaks strongly and clearly in any language." I'M SORRY NO. This is the type of rhetoric that has people thinking anyone that speaks using AAVE is inferior and dumb.

The author throws in a couple scenes with native people showing that the enslaved people would unite with them. I liked the intent here but it felt lazy and wasn't explored enough to be meaningful.

The ending went against everything I feel like the book was supposed to be about.

Unfortunately would not recommend.

*Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review

I thought this was very well written and I think the theming and the story are very compelling. It is a lot more graphic than I was anticipating which did make it quite hard to read, especially as some of the most graphic and difficult scenes were sadly based on actual treatment of slaves. I would absolutely recommend this if you’re already used to more graphic horror stories, especially if you enjoy horror with racial elements like Ring Shout for example.

DNF at 58%

I want to start by saying that this is no fault of the author entirely. I knew I wasn’t a big fan of slave books and still decided to give it a chance because I wanted to see slaves getting their revenge. Now the first 42%, I FLEW THROUGH IT! I felt that this could have been a five star for me. What threw me was the multiple SA scenes. I’m not a squeamish person and have little to no triggers. However, I think one I’m discovering is any type of physical abuse towards a child. The fact that it was part of the story took me completely out of the story. And not to mention the abuse towards the women felt almost back to back. And then for the story to slow down and try to info dump about vampirism was just jarring. I feel a slump coming on and don’t see myself continuing this story. I do still think this author is a good writer but I just wish that abuse wasn’t so descriptive in the story, it could have just alluded to the abuse. I don’t want to deter anyone from reading this and if you aren’t squeamish about slavery abuse then you might enjoy this. Other than that it was a very interesting story and I was really enjoying it. Sorry to the author that I wasn’t able to finish it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Please note this is a 4.5.

Often, when reading any kind of historical fiction (vampires or no vampires), one is often struck with the sense that it’s not quite realistic. It’s often a sugarcoated version of the past with no realistic depictions of how hard or awful things were, and it makes it all a bit saccharine.

Not so with Blood Slaves.

This book pulls no punches. From the beginning, it is very clear that this story will tell every last part of the reality that feeds into the ‘historical’ component of the book, and it goes hard on the fantasy/horror side as well.

The building of the Ramanga plotline is threaded really well throughout the book, with the folklore laid out beautifully. I do think it could have been a little more detailed in some places, but that is not to say it wasn’t good. There is such a strong element of reclamation in this book, and it really does make a strong statement with the way that it approaches the subject matter.

The characters are quite well written too, with distinct personalities and clear motivations. You know what everyone wants and why they want it, and parts of the story had me knowing exactly what would come next but dreading it.

I think, more than anything, this book successfully dances on the razor edge of making a statement about the world that we live in as well as the world of the past, balanced with the telling of a punchy vampire story.

Looking forward to seeing what the author puts out next!

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the electronic advanced reader copy (ARC) of Blood Slaves.

Blood Slaves is a gripping, historical speculative fiction, vampire story of revenge. Set in North Carolina over a hundred years before the Civil War, surprisingly, the shock and brutal violence of vampires feeding on the blood of humans is not the most horrific part of the story. This book explores the concept of survival, being pushed to the limit, the monstrosity of slavery, race, religion, power, and much more. Make sure to carefully review the trigger warnings provided.

What worked well for me:
The writing is both thought-provoking and jarringly sharp. The book is plot-driven however, the character development is done well given the historical context. I was definitely invested in each character's story and outcome. The pacing also works for me. I appreciated the strategically placed calmer moments that provided me the opportunity to recover from the highly intense moments.

Opportunities:
This may be a personal preference, but there are some structural opportunities for improvement. There are times when the character's response or action did not make sense to me because the backstory or motivation is not explained until much later. In other words, I would have liked to see a few pieces moved around.

Overall, this is a great debut horror fiction novel for the author. I believe this would make a wonderful Tarantino-style movie. You do not want to miss out on reading this.

From its opening pages, Markus Redmond's *Blood Slaves* establishes an irresistible grip that commands attention throughout. Redmond crafts a hauntingly beautiful story that progresses with remarkable fluidity and purpose. His prose demonstrates exceptional narrative control—simultaneously accessible, immersive, and emotionally resonant in its most powerful (and occasionally devastating) moments.
.
For readers who appreciate sophisticated character development, the redemption arcs in this work are particularly noteworthy. Redmond demonstrates exceptional skill in creating unexpected emotional investments, as characters initially presented with significant flaws evolve in ways that feel both authentic and deeply satisfying.
This novel comes with my highest recommendation for readers prepared to engage with challenging themes, who will find themselves rewarded with exceptional storytelling and multidimensional characterization that resonates long after the final page.

I am grateful to NetGalley for providing access to this advanced reader copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.75/5)

Blood Slaves completely hooked me from the very first page, I could not put this book down! Markus Redmond delivers a haunting yet captivating story that flows effortlessly from start to finish. His storytelling is smooth, immersive, and deeply emotional in all the best (and sometimes painful) ways.

This is definitely a darker read, the trigger warnings are intense and not for the faint of heart, which is ultimately why I rated it 4.75 stars instead of a full 5. But despite the harsh content, Redmond handles the subject matter with care, never losing sight of the humanity at the core of his characters.

And if you love a good redemption arc? This book delivers. I found myself rooting for characters I didn’t expect to, and watching them evolve made the journey even more rewarding.

Highly, highly recommend this book for readers who can handle difficult themes but appreciate powerful storytelling and layered characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this incredible ARC!

‘Blood Slaves’ was fantastic!

A brilliant gory vampire horror but it is SO much more!

The theme of slavery was central to this story and it was a brutal, uncomfortable read - the horror of actual history completely outweighed any of the horror of blood sucking vampires.

The love story between two of the main characters, as well as the love between found family was beautiful and the resilience and determination of them all was overwhelming.

The prose is wonderful- every character was well fleshed out, the sense of time and place was tangible. The words flowed and I was gripped from the beginning.

My physical pre-order is in and I urge everybody to order - I can’t wait for everyone to be able to grab this and read it!

Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC

Blood Slaves follows two Black Vampires who team up to fight for the freedom of the slaves on a plantation in the 1700s.

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this but I'm glad it exceeded every expectation I had. It's a fast-paced story with well-written and flawed characters who feel real.

The plot was engaging from start to finish and hooked me in from the first chapter. It's also pretty graphic and doesn't shy away from a lot of difficult topics.

I enjoyed Willie's character arc and watching him grow as a person, take leadership and fight for the people he loves was the highlight of this book for me. I loved how the theme of identity was explored when it came to him as a character.

I also adored his and Gertie's relationship. Their love story added more depth to the story and was very realistic.

I would love to read more from this author.

A wonderful read. A perspective I hadn’t considered before, this book was thought-provoking. The writing was captivating and creative. I really enjoyed this read, thank you for the advanced copy!

Thank you to Netgally for a copy of this book. I think one thing that is important to note about this book is that it is so very heavy. Also please please read those trigger warnings and know, they are so necessary for this book. The plot of this book was really well put together, the story line was interesting. I can not say I “enjoyed” this book, it was not something you can sit down and read in a couple sittings. As I said the content is heavy and so so heavy to stomach at times. I needed breaks, I needed time. This book was not meant to be enjoyable, this book was meant to reflect on terrible terrible things that have happened and continue to happen to marginalized communities. And it really did. I am glad I picked this book up, I will be thinking about it for some time, but I definitely require a pallet cleanser for the hurt and pain of this read.

“ It was the start of a bloody revolution.”

This book is probably the best book I have read all year!! The story grabs you by the front of your shirt and doesn’t let you go til the very end. It is horrific story two fold-1) real human events which are far more disgusting and disturbing than any fictional and 2) the delightful carnage that comes with a vampire tale.

“You ask me ain’t no sense in somethin so foolhardy as sayin’ one skin is good and one
is bad when ev’rything else is the same”

This book is so well written and creative. Alternate history at its best! This story combines my love of history and my obsession with all things vampire. This book gives us a look at 1700’s plantation life, particularly in the context of slaves point of view and there decision to fight back. It is time for revenge!

This book will bring on string emotions and it is graphic at times, but all necessary to deliver the story successfully. The character development is wonderful! I found myself rooting for Willie, my heart breaking for Gerti and so much hatred and distain for Big Jim. I will be purchasing this one when it releases!

Markus Redmond’s Blood Slaves is an electrifying and thought-provoking novel that masterfully blends horror, suspense, and deep social commentary. As an early reader thanks to NetGalley, I had the privilege of diving into this hauntingly gripping story before its official release—and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

From the first page, Blood Slaves pulls you into a dark and immersive world where the lines between predator and prey blur in ways that feel eerily relevant. Redmond’s writing is sharp and cinematic, creating a vivid atmosphere that lingers long after the final chapter. His ability to craft tension is impeccable, making every scene feel urgent and unsettling in the best way possible.

The characters are richly developed, each carrying layers of complexity that make them both compelling and unpredictable. Without delving into spoilers, the protagonist’s journey is one of survival, defiance, and moral reckoning, set against a backdrop that is as terrifying as it is thought-provoking. The themes of power, control, and the commodification of humanity are woven seamlessly into the narrative, elevating Blood Slaves beyond a simple horror story into something far more profound.

One of the aspects I enjoyed most about this book was its ability to keep me on edge. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, Redmond would throw in a twist that left me breathless. The pacing is relentless, yet never overwhelming, making it impossible to put the book down.

Overall, Blood Slaves is a must-read for fans of horror and thrillers, especially those who appreciate stories that push boundaries and challenge perspectives. Markus Redmond has crafted a novel that is as intelligent as it is terrifying, and I highly recommend picking it up when it hits shelves.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐