Bloodtide

by Melvin Burgess

Book Overview

PART I London is in ruins, a once highly advanced city now a gated wasteland. Within its walls, a bloody war rages between two clans. Hope is sparse, but the people believe the gods have risen from... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0765300486
• ISBN13: 9780765300485
• Release Date: November 2001
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Length: 371 Pages
• Weight: 1.22 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.8" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 13 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Bloodtide review

Bloodtide is a novel that will horrify ordinary readers, and make them feel quite disgust. However, the appalling plot of the novel is what made it so intriguing. The novel is unlike any other published works ever on Earth. I think the purpose of the novel is to portrait most of the human being¡¯s evil side of nature, and the unthinkable achievements. Throughout the novel, many morbid human nature are shown, such as hatred, vengeance, greed, and selfishnessThe entire novel is about future London and the most important conflict between the two gangs that took over control of London. The two gangs have been fighting each other for many years over this parsimonious city with no real successes. Just when the leader of Volson (one of the groups) tried to appease the conflict and to unite London by betrothing his own daughter to his enemy¡¯s son; a dramatic twist occurred. One thing the Volson did not notice is that his nemesis is actually planning on something far more nefarious as ever¡­

Amazing from the first word to the very last

I have read this book time and time again, and still never grow tired of it. The characters in this novel become real and it's so easy to become attached to them, which makes the ending kind of hard to deal with, in some respects. Everything about this book is honest and straight forward. Somethings were meant to chage, while others weren't, and sometimes life takes the course you least expect, for better or for worse. Melvin Burgess is genius and I hope to read more of his books. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a an incredible and gripping read.

Brutal and Brilliant

I cannot begin to descibe what sort of book Bloodtide is. It is simply genius. How a personal can visualise and dipict a story like this is just mind blowing. I was gripped from the beginning. I new straight away i was gonna like this book. The way the book is layed out and the way in which the language is used is brilliant. This has to be one of the most vivid books I have ever read. Basically, Its about two of the most powerful ganlords in London, Volson and Conor who sign a treaty. Volson Gives Conor his daughter Signy's hand in marriage for peace. The couple fall in love immediatly, but Conor goes back on his word and destroys the Volson family and territory. To Signy, its the highest degree of betrayl and makes it her life long ambition to destroy the whole of Conors empire and him. There aren't really any bad bits to the book, abit predictable here and there but thats is really. This book is utterly brutal, violent and brillant. Don't just take my word for it. Go and read it!!!!!

Truly a piece of art, painfully perfect

Never have I read a more phenomenal book than this one, 'Bloodtide' by Melvin Burgess, a writer who thrilled readers before with the amazing 'Junk'. 'Bloodtide' revolves around two families in the London of the future, the Volsons and the Conors. For generations, the ganglords now ruling the ruined city have been at each other's throat, but with a treaty between the two families peace seems on the horizon. Val Volson gives his daughter Signy to Conor in marriage. However, Conor turns traitor and murders the entire Volson family, while keeping Signy a prisoner in the tower he made her home. But what he doesn't know is that Signy's twin brother, Siggy, has survived the assault...From here on, the story turns bloody, extremely violent at times in fact. The uncompromising characters have to deal with their emotions alone in their devastating isolation. Love, hatred, betrayal, pain, death, hope, destiny... The gods play with them and their fates, like when Odin 'gives' Siggy a knife that can cut through anything. The development of the characters during the years the story takes place is both devastating and compelling. Signy slowly goes insane, as she finds herself at the center of the war, she is pulling all the strings. Conor loves her, and this love will be his ultimate failure, as he finds the destruction of his growing empire in the heart of his being: Signy. Signy on the other hand, both hates and loves her captor, both emotions living side by side inside her weary heart. And slowly, she emerges into madness.Siggy on the other hand, has had his face ruined when escaping from the Pig, a halfman about to eat him when Siggy bit him in the nose and didn't let go until he was free, only one of the many savage displays of violence and horror in the book. He feels no desire to join in the battle against Conor, even though with him as a leader the resistance would certainly be more succesful. He is depressed and only keeps on living because of a depth to a halfwoman who helped him survive, a pig woman he has grown to love.And so the story of the book evolves, and as it grows darker and darker you can slowly feel your heart begin to bleed. For the characters, for the plotline, for every aspect of the story. Melvin Burgess' prose and storytelling is sensational and inspiring, and so grippingly written you won't be able to put down the book even if you wished it so. The ending is so incredible it consumed your whole. Your heart will feel as though it has bled and darkened and burnt for it.I have never had this reaction to any book before. I didn't know what to do with myself: I wanted to cry, if just to pour this multitude of emotion, of sheer darkness in my soul out of me. This book eats its way into your soul and burns a hole into your heart, but enthrallingly so. Powerful in its every word and imaginary, I cannot recommend this book enough. 'Bloodtide' holds a confident spot in my heart for most impressive, compelling, gripping tales I have ever had th

Truly a piece of art, painfully perfect

Never have I read a more phenomenal book than this one, 'Bloodtide' by Melvin Burgess, a writer who thrilled readers before with the amazing 'Junk'. 'Bloodtide' revolves around two families in the London of the future, the Volsons and the Conors. For generations, the ganglords now ruling the ruined city have been at each other's throat, but with a treaty between the two families peace seems on the horizon. Val Volson gives his daughter Signy to Conor in marriage. However, Conor turns traitor and murders the entire Volson family, while keeping Signy a prisoner in the tower he made her home. But what he doesn't know is that Signy's twin brother, Siggy, has survived the assault...From here on, the story turns bloody, extremely violent at times in fact. The uncompromising characters have to deal with their emotions alone in their devastating isolation. Love, hatred, betrayal, pain, death, hope, destiny... The gods play with them and their fates, like when Odin 'gives' Siggy a knife that can cut through anything. The development of the characters during the years the story takes place is both devastating and compelling. Signy slowly goes insane, as she finds herself at the center of the war, she is pulling all the strings. Conor loves her, and this love will be his ultimate failure, as he finds the destruction of his growing empire in the heart of his being: Signy. Signy on the other hand, both hates and loves her captor, both emotions living side by side inside her weary heart. And slowly, she emerges into madness.Siggy on the other hand, has had his face ruined when escaping from the Pig, a halfman about to eat him when Siggy bit him in the nose and didn't let go until he was free, only one of the many savage displays of violence and horror in the book. He feels no desire to join in the battle against Conor, even though with him as a leader the resistance would certainly be more succesful. He is depressed and only keeps on living because of a depth to a halfwoman who helped him survive, a pig woman he has grown to love.And so the story of the book evolves, and as it grows darker and darker you can slowly feel your heart begin to bleed. For the characters, for the plotline, for every aspect of the story. Melvin Burgess' proze and storytelling is sensational and inspiring, and so grippingly written you won't be able to put down the book even if you wished it so. The ending is so incredible it consumed your whole. Your heart will feel as though it has bled and darkened and burnt for it.I have never had this reaction to any book before. I didn't know what to do with myself: I wanted to cry, if just to pour this multitude of emotion, of sheer darkness in my soul out of me. This book eats its way into your soul and burns a hole into your heart, but enthrallingly so. Powerful in its every word and imaginary, I cannot recommend this book enough. 'Bloodtide' holds a confident spot in my heart for most impressive, compelling, gripping tales I have ever had th