Book Review: Field of Blood by Eric Wilson
Author: Eric Wilson
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Copyright: 2008
Pages: 405
ISBN: 978-1-59554-458-2
Genre: Christian suspense
A young man accidentally breaks into an ancient burial site in Israel's Akeldama Field. He sets loose a terror that costs him his life. Meanwhile, a girl in Romania overhears a conversation between her mother and a strange man on the eve of her twelfth birthday. The stranger speaks as if he knows Gina, and he leaves a birthday gift for her. The gift isn't her only surprise that night; she discovers a strange mark on her body. As Gina struggles to understand what the mark means, she hears rumors of terrors that are thirsty for her blood. Horrible truth or silly superstitions?
As a suspense novel, Field of Blood places emphasis on the plot. And it does present a fairly intriguing story. Wilson does a good job with dialogue and pacing, especially for a story that spans different cultures and time periods. By answering the reader's questions as the story unfolds, he demonstrates that he has thought through his world carefully. The details all mesh together.
From a Christian viewpoint, he's picked a great theme, as well. He uses the imagery of thorns in the blood to represent spiritual infection. One of the Collectors (the designation for demons in Field of Blood) explains how the process works: "'If the host has any ailment or weakness, any unchecked susceptibility, the seed will have soil to grow. As it does, the vines will twine through veins and arteries until the thorns latch into place.'" Megiste further explains, "'And, left unchecked, the seed can germinate in others, particularly any sickly family members or friends. Wherever the tiniest of openings presents itself, a thorn is sure to hook in. Sins of the fathers, as they say'" (155-156). Weaknesses that facilitate the infestation include both the obvious and the hidden: alcoholism, self-righteousness, lust, unforgiveness. There's a good lesson for everyone here, as we all have hang-ups.
However, as Field of Blood is the first book of a series, Wilson has perhaps felt the need to set himself up for the following book. He leaves a few key questions unanswered, and unfortunately, his ending doesn't really conclude the story. There's nothing to ruin a decent book like an ending that's not really an ending.
Nevertheless, Wilson provides an interesting twist on the body of vampire myths, while infusing his story with spiritual insight-probably not the easiest task to accomplish. Take a look at Field of Blood and see what you think.
Published by Rachelle Dawson
As a freelance writer and editor, I've published articles, business copy, reviews. I've edited instructional articles and novels. In my spare time, my husband and I camp, pray together, and haggle over the s... View profile
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4 Comments
Post a CommentSounds like a good read, thanks for the review.
I agree with your assessment. It is interesting that this book is much different from Field of Blood which you also reviewed. I would recommend either of these books for those who have considered vampire myths just because these two authors have tapped into a different way of looking at vampires.
This does deal with vampires, but it's not a gruesome Saw-type book, just in case anybody was wondering.
Sounds good. Hope it does well as a crossover book; because of its title and peoples' fascination with shows like "First Blood" and movies like Twilight, or fascination with bloody movies like Saw...maybe they'll be attracted, and find some of Jesus in the process!