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Blood Colony: A Novel By Tananarive Due ( Atria )
Release Date: 2008-06-03
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Product Description
Acclaimed for seven novels, ranging from supernatural thrillers to historical fiction, which have garnered her a multitude of fans and awards, Tananarive Due now imagines the story of an ancient group of immortals -- a hidden African clan that has survived for more than a thousand years -- facing one of the most challenging issues of our time: the AIDS/HIV pandemic.There's a new drug on the street: Glow. Said to heal almost any illness, it is distributed by an Underground Railroad of drug peddlers. But what gives Glow its power? Its main ingredient is blood -- the blood of immortals. A small but powerful colony of immortals is distributing the blood, slowly wiping out the AIDS epidemic and other diseases around the world. Meet Fana Wolde, seventeen years old, the only immortal born with the Living Blood. She can read minds, and her injuries heal immediately. When her best friend, a mortal, is imprisoned by Fana's family, Fana helps her escape -- and together they run away from Fana's protected home in Washington State to join the Underground Railroad. But Fana has more than her parents to worry about: Glow peddlers are being murdered by a violent, hundred-year-old sect with ties to the Vatican. Now, when Fana is most vulnerable, she is being hunted to fulfill an ancient blood prophecy that could lead to countless deaths. While her people search for Fana and race to unravel the unknown sect's mysterious origins, Fana must learn to confront the deadly forces -- or she and everyone she loves will die.
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 Good storytelling, but...
Okay. I have a lot of respect for Due and have had for a long time. She's one of the better speculative fiction writers out there. I've always enjoyed this series and admired her ability to balance thoughtful, well-developed characters with the rigors of the pop fiction thriller genre. Unfortunately, this installment really fell short for me. I really thought she sacrificed one of the strengths of this series--the relationship between the Woldes--for the sake of "the message." Ms Due clearly has very definite political and social POVs, which I admire,but there are far too many places in the Blood Colony narrative where this POV supplants the story and the characters. Some of the dialog--internal and external--is downright corny;characters and dialog often have to "try too hard" to support both the message and the story. A pity, because at its core the story is terrific. It deserved better.
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 Good if you are familiar with the series ( qsuzz )
I am a fan of Due and I have read the first 2 books in this series as well as other titles by her. This 3rd installment started out good but seemed to drag on. I quickly read 3/4 of the book but the ending was slow paced.
I would have liked to see a more exciting ending but I understand she leaves room for another novel in the series.
I hope she does not take as much time to produce the next one.
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 Par Excellence! ( jamesabutler )
Tananarive Due's continuation of the Immortal story "Blood Colony" is an excellent read. I get really annoyed at people that want a sequel to be a rehash of the previous stories with only the title changing. One reviwer wants to know why Dawit wasn't featured more. Excuse me? It's not supposed to be about Dawit! Picking up with Fana and how the Blood is used in a clandestine underground effort to rid the world of diseases like AIDS is fascinating. This plot device can be mined for another sequel, and a prequel as well! Due's characters fit comfortably like a pair of old slippers. The tension is palpable, and you will find yourself breezing easily through the chapters eagerly awaiting what is to follow. I highly recommend this book.
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Utterly unique and compelling ( bsmith376 )
How can a group of African Immortals keep house, and protect a young woman with extraordinary powers? Fana is viewed as a near-goddess, but she often longs for an ordinary life. Her grandmother keeps her grounded by recommending dating, socializing and lipstick--things that most teenage girls enjoy. But Fana knows that she and her unique "family" are too different for her to merely blend in, and she knows that she has already placed people close to her in danger. Without any plot spoilers, I recommend this book for dedicated fans of edgy urban fantasy unlike any other.
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Blood Colony
What can I possibly say! Blood Colony did not disappoint except that it was not long enough! It was so nice to see Fana metamorphose into such a mature young woman by the end of the story. It was also nice to see Dawit and Jessica at least try to make amends. I hated to see their love cool so much in The Living Blood. Please don't let so many years pass before the 4th novel is written. I can hardly wait to see what Fana and her clan does in the next installment!
Thanks for the many hours of adventure!
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