Saturday, May 30, 2009

Liquid Diet-Michael McCarty

Liquid Diet
Michael McCarty
KHP, Apr 2009, $10.99
ISBN: 9780979988172

He has been a vampire for a decade turned at a fan convention at twenty-five years old. Andrew Bloodsworth has abstained from drinking blood for a month as he prepares for an interview on Chicago’s Wolf 99.9 FM where he will discuss his writings and get more sales for his books. The hostess is Goth Queen Bella Donna who is fascinated with this man who seems to ooze out of the shadows. She wants to hear his story of how he became a vampire and what it is like to possesses supernatural powers.

Andrew tells lher how his change came about and Bella’s fans go wild over a live vampire (pardon the oxymoron) except for outraged OTTO fundamentalists (Opposition To The Occult) who believes it is their divine right to cleanse the world of the occult, the paranormal and those connected to the supernatural. After being attacked by the Otto, Andrew and Bella go through a mirror and end up with her soul in his body and his soul in hers. Neither likes the gender change so the The Count helps them return to what they were; which also means another battle with the Otto when the pair appears on Harry Winger’s tabloid TV show.

Michael McCarty describes his thriller as a “vampire satire”, which is somewhat accurate as there is a biting sting to the plot, but is much more as he nukes the mythos and takes jabs at always right tabloid reporting and even more right fundamentalists. Andrew is a fascinating character who can love or hate with passion and can control his appetite; the reaction to him by Bella’s fans is a fabulous lampooning of hero worship. Readers who enjoy a sardonic bloody good vampire thriller will want to go on a LIQUID DIET.

Harriet Klausner

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