Book reviews

One Foot in the Grave
William Mark Simmons Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
William Mark Simmons Books
New book search
William Mark Simmons Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of One Foot in the Grave
"Christopher Csejthe's life is over. He lost his beloved wife and daughter in an automobile accident and now he has some weird disease that no one has ever seen before. He can't eat, he can't sleep, he had to quit his job as a teacher because he can't stand the sunlight so now he spends his nights as a disc jockey for a small local radio station waiting to die at any moment. When two strange women show up and try to convince him to travel with them to Seattle, Christopher is having none of it - until some strange monster tries to attack him at work. Suddenly, Christopher doesn't find himself so ready to die.

What he discovers in Seattle is that he is a vampire, well, sort of. Christopher has the reflexes and instincts of a young vampire, but has not yet transformed completely. He is an anomaly and there are those who want him dead and there are those who want him studied. Christopher himself just wants to get away from all of these freaky people who believe in crap like vampires and werewolves and stuff. With careful plotting and a random break in at the compound, Christopher is able to escape, but he doesn't get far. It turns out that there are many other vampires looking for him. Vampires who believe that Christopher can lead them to THE vampire - Count Dracula himself...

One Foot in the Grave was a very unusual vampire book that I greatly enjoyed. I loved Christopher as a character, he was witty, sarcastic, and completely unwilling to believe that he was now one of the powerful undead. It was also endearing to see him make so many mistakes and to know that he had weaknesses and could be manipulated, but he was still trying to be "the good guy." The plot had many unexpected twists and turns and the author really keeps you guessing until the last page of the book. The only complaint I had was that Christopher changed pretty abruptly (and not for the better in my opinion) near the end of the book and suddenly there are all of these other characters that play important roles. This was kind of weird, but I still really enjoyed the book. If you have the good fortune to come across a copy of this book at a reasonable price snatch it up - you will enjoy yourself!
"

Debbie, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of One Foot in the Grave
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 30%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%




Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy story on current Earth
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Horror story? Yes
Horror plotlets - vampires taking a quick bite

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - teacher
Age: - 20's-30's
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - super strength - is very quick - healing
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - can change shapes - super strength - is very quick
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount

Setting
Earth setting: - 20th century
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - explicit references to deaths
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to One Foot in the Grave
It's a Vampire Thing by Dakota Cassidy
Angel Redemption - Angel 3 by Mel Odom
Before Night Falls by Jeya Jenson
Midnight Mass by F. Paul Wilson
Midnight Predator by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes


Click here for more information about this book


William Mark Simmons Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Debbie  

SCHOLARS:


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Science Fiction books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal Story

Clones

Coming of age

Cultural problems, alien culture

Explore/1st contact/ enviro story

Family relations

GIANT monster(s)

Horror story?

Inner Struggle

Lifeform altered?

Mental/magical powers focus

Parody

Political power play

Religious overtones?

Repressive society story

Robots, Computers, VR

Romance

Spying & Investigations

Tech./$$$/Info hunt

Time Travel story?

Training/Apprent.

War or Invasion



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Suzanne Weyn 10:35:23 PM
George W. Bush 5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Anonymous 12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino 10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer 10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield 10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls 10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan 9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi 9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine 9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington 9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody 9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden 9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn 9:55:48 PM
Iris Johansen 9:55:24 PM
Marlo Morgan 9:54:58 PM

More message boards