Integral is the first book in the Visceral series. I jumped at the chance to read this book as it featured two of my favourite things, vampires and magic.  Corruption, murder, blackmail and revenge were the featured themes of this installment.

Set in the year 2029, the author introduced readers to a country recovering from economic depression. A country divided into territories by powerful corporations, enabling them to have control for their own selfish purposes. Vampires, after living in the shadows for 1000 years wanted their share and so they formed Noxcorp, a corporation run and operated solely by these nocturnal creatures.

The story which started out with details of what transpired prior to the current events, took a while for me to get into it. However, when it picked up, it took on a wild, imaginative, unique and intriguing ride. The story introduces Frank and Matthias, who are employed to Noxcorp as agents. Their paths first crossed when they had to investigate a murder where a vampire was considered the main suspect. This investigation opened a can of worms and what looked like an open and shut case on the surface, morphed into a situation riddled with danger and intrigue. The introduction of mages in the mix added to the appeal factor of the story.

Frank and Matthias were different as night from day. Frank was the emotional type while Matthias was detached, which at times left him lost and confused. Their motivations for solving cases may differ but they made a great team. Their partnership had a rocky start, but by the end of the story, a bond of friendship developed between them. Of the two characters, I had difficulty connecting with Matthias. This was due to the lack of background information regarding his past as a human and the point at which he became a vampire.  I do not believe the author intended for there to be a lack of connection as the character in question had gaps in his memory.

I found the author’s views of vampires interesting. One aspect that stood out for me was the drinking the blood of a murdered victim to view their memories. It is not a great experience, but it helps in their investigations. There were a few twists I never expected, especially as it relates to the villains, but if fit perfectly into the scheme of things.  Well-written action scenes, added to the intrigue.

There were aspects of the story the author failed to develop. It would have been great to know the outcome of the events. However, it did not prevent from enjoying the story on a whole.

Conclusion/Recommendation

I enjoyed Integral.  The world the author created was not only unique it was imaginative, addictive and features characters I wanted to learn more about. The case wraps up nicely which left me satisfied. However, it is evident there is more to come and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.