Blood Slaves was an interesting concept and I was intrigued by the idea of of enslaved people getting revenge and what comes with it. However, this book was difficult to stomach. Yes, I expected violence but I did not expect the violence to be so gratuitous that if fell into the category of trauma porn. In addition to the extreme violence, the vampire lore was lacking, we get told but not shown. The main characters were lacking main character energy. It was not developed as it should have been and it felt like a missed opportunity.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I love this book!! I think it's such an original take on a horrific period of history that we as a society are still seeing the implications of in this century. I can only hope as time goes on we see more stories like this by Markus Redmond and other authors of colour.

DNF. I admit that I didn’t love the prose – it often felt too simple and plain for my taste (but then, I like my prose very purple, so ymmv) – and although everyone else’s speech was fine, the vampire character’s dialogue didn’t sound like a real person to me. Even after spending the prologue in his head, he didn’t feel as three-dimensional as the rest of the cast.

But the main issue is that I’m just too much of a wimp for this book.

Redmond doesn’t hold back on either gore or nauseating, but unfortunately believable, levels of human evil. This is a book about slavery. It’s horrific. It SHOULD be! I made it to 22%, and everything the slave owners in the story did are in the historical record as things real human beings did to other real human beings. Redmond’s not exagerating any of it. I’m not sure if it’s even possible to be gratuitous on this topic, considering just how bad the reality of it was.

I massively overestimated my ability to read this, basically. Not the book’s fault. As best I can judge, Blood Slaves is and is accomplishing what Redmond wants it to, which is my definition of a successful book, hence the rating. I’ll only say that prospective readers should probably brace themselves!

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into “Blood Slaves”, but wow—this book blew me away. Redmond masterfully blends horror, suspense, and deeply human drama into a story that is as haunting as it is addicting. The pacing is tight, the dialogue sharp, and the themes—of control, survival, and freedom—hit hard. If you’re a fan of dark, intelligent storytelling with a supernatural edge, this book is a must-read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC!

A harrowing look at the world that once was, and what could've been. While at points I felt it bordered on trauma porn, all in all a strong story. A very, very heavy story that will be sitting with me for a long time.

A Tale of Rage-Filled, Ravenous, RETRIBUTION!!

Blood Slaves is a Brutal but deliciously beautiful force of storytelling. Fueled by rage and a burning need for revenge, this book delivers a ferocious narrative where vampires aren’t just Monsters—they’re symbols of Power,Freedom from Oppression, and ultimately, Resistance.
The main character’s journey is Raw and Relentless, driven by a hunger for justice in a world soaked in blood.

What sets Blood Slaves apart is how it tackles horrific historical Hatred head-on,while blending supernatural horror with real-world pain in a way that feels both enraging and empowering. The writing is unapologetically intense, and every page drips with emotion, vengeance, and the will to survive—and conquer.

If you’re looking for a vampire story that bites back and breaks boundaries, Blood Slaves is a must-read.

It was good. I love me a good vampire story. I really liked getting to know all the characters (besides slave owners) Seeing the characters seek their own justice, seeing them come together to defend each other was relieving. I definitely will be looking for more in book 2. So many character development and promising future for a lot of the characters

In 1710 America, Willie is enslaved by “Big Jim” Barrow, a ruthless plantation owner with no regard for human life, when Willie meets Rafazi. Rafazi, a member of the African vampire tribe called the Ramanga, turns Willie into a vampire and along with others seek revenge on “Big Jim”, his family, and workers who have tortured the enslaved people. A violent alternative history read, with world building and well-developed characters including the moral character of Gertie, this book will appeal to horror readers.

Ｅｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (5/5)
Blood Slaves by Markus Redmond is a thought-provoking, gut-wrenching story about early American slavery, supernatural horrors, and the origin of a vampire from an ancient African tribe. If you are a fan of the hit motion picture *Sinners*, I would highly recommend this book.

Please check the trigger warnings for this story.

Blood Slaves is an extremely heavy book in terms of the topics it handles and the language. Honestly, I am speechless! Read this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Kensington Publishing for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

If you enjoyed Sinners (and I know you did) this is the book to read!
Rafazi is subjected to a life of enslavement because he's afraid the plague that wiped out his kind still exists. Until he meets Willie. Willie is tired of a life in bondage and is searching for a way to be free but feels there's no hope until he meets Rafazi. Together they wonder if they can restore the powerful Ramanga tribe and seek retribution.
A war will surely ensue; Human monsters vs Inhuman monsters. But who will win?
This is a fast paced and well developed story with engaging characters. There were times when I was a little irritated with Gertie but her perspective was pivotal to the story. Irene was my girl! Her emotions were so palpable. Rafazi and Willie's dynamic was intriguing. I loved how Rafazi was self aware and in turn selflessly emboldened Willie to believe in himself. The author @markusredmond did a great job in displaying the characters emotional decisions making them relatable. I really enjoyed this story and could have finished it in one day but I got to the climax right before bedtime and was like nope I need to read something light before I close my eyes lol
Oh and the ending gave
me Jason, eighties horror movie ending vibes so l'm hoping there's another book?
Definitely add this book to your must read list and either preorder or purchase on release day!
Thank you @netgalley for my digital arc and a chance to read and review

trigger warnings are listed at the beginning of the book but HEAVY trigger warnings for sexual abuse on women and children, graphic mutilation and physical abuse of slaves, racist slurs, and more. it’s a vampire story with slaves in the 1700s so i knew what i was getting into in terms of hard to digest content. however, it was mostly trauma porn and not enough vampiric revenge.

i got this arc after watching sinners so i was very excited to read this thinking it would be similar. im not gonna make comparisons to sinners bc they are two very different stories and i think it would be irresponsible for me to recommend this to sinners enjoyers without providing necessary warnings and context.

blood slaves follows willie, a slave on the barrow plantation, who craves freedom for himself, his lover gertie, and their unborn child. he finds an opportunity in an ancient ramangan vampire named rafazi: become ramanga and you will find freedom and seek revenge against your oppressors. i understand a book that takes place on a plantation will have racial abuse all throughout, however, for a vampire story based on revenge, i felt there was too much torture and not enough revenge. the first time we meet willie, he is escaping the plantation and watches one of his comrades get torn apart by dogs. we are a witness to his brutal whippings and beatings. we are a witness to the horrors of the breeding rooms, including a violent description of a woman and a child being raped. i don’t believe we needed that much description for their revenge to be justified. it felt exploitative in a way, especially knowing the author wrote this following the murders of george floyd and breonna taylor. with stories of police brutality and racism-fueled (?) murders flooding the news and social media every day, why must we read yet another story of black men, women, and children being horribly abused and killed indiscriminately?

aside from the above, i had two other minor issues with this book:
1) when willie was turned ramanga, his speech patterns changed. as in, he stopped speaking slave english and spoke the white man’s english. it felt odd to read this switch and have it be presented like willie’s way of speaking english before turning was improper. it’s thinly veiled racism. i liked the aspect of his vampirism allowing him to speak other languages but was his english not a “proper” language too?
2) blood slaves did the same thing as sinners, as in, they introduced native americans as allies and then forgot about them throughout the narrative. i loved the inclusion of the natives in this story to show that the liberation of the slaves also meant the liberation of the natives who fell victim to colonization. but it just felt oddly inserted? idk i really wanted more from that angle.

my favorite part, for some positivity, SPOILERS AHEAD:

when fanna got her revenge against amos, i could have jumped for joy. fanna was my favorite character out of this ensemble and my heart ached for her every time i thought or read about her. saying she experienced horrors is putting it lightly and i really loved reading about how the other slaves rallied around her to protect her against the overseers. to see her liberate herself against her abuser really was the highlight of the book for me.

i don’t know if i can recommend this in all honesty. it has a lot of 5 star ratings which i can understand in a way but they mostly seem to be from non-black readers. it’s not a bad book by any means but it’s definitely one to be cautious reading. it will probably take a long time to get through it with how heavy the material is.

DNF @40%

I was expecting this to be more about revenge and less about all the trauma that slaves had to go through. I know that it's important to acknowledge what was happening to them, but I don't want to read about graphic rape. I want to read about slaves getting their revenge.

It's hard to pinpoint what specifically I loved about Blood Slaves, but it's not lost on me that I read it nearly a month after seeing Ryan Coogler's SINNERS in theaters. Both are historical fiction set in the South, and both focus on the horrors of racism, with vampires being the least of nearly anyone's worries. And that's where the similarities end. Blood Slaves is set about hundred years earlier than the events in SINNERS, and portrays vampires, or the Ramangan tribe, much differently. It heavily incorporates African spirituality that has long been lost the to descendants of American slaves by design, and revives a cultural connection that has been lost to bondage, racism, and time.

I finished Blood Slaves in two days, as putting it down and tending to other things (e.g. work, side hustle, social life, etc.) was quite difficult. All I wanted to do was read this gem of a book. People keep saying that they don't know what Ryan Coogler "put" in SINNERS, and similarly, I don't know what Markus Redmond put in Blood Slaves. It is an addictive and at times very emotional rollercoaster ride that comes in swinging from the outset, and never really lets up. It's for that reason that I caution anyone interested reading Blood Slaves that is heavy on disturbing imagery, sexual violence, racism, and human exploitation. If you're sensitive those those themes, then Blood Slaves might not be for you.

Blood Slaves follows Rafazi,, a Ramangan who, following a plague that eliminated all other members of the Ramangan tribe, is the last of his kind. Worse yet. a weakened Rafazi finds himself captured by slave traders and living on a plantation in the Province of Carolina. It's here that he meets a slave named WIllie, and together, they put together a plan to free themselves and other slaves on the plantation by creating a new Ramangan tribe. Think of it as the literary version of Django Unchained, but with vampires.

Again, I don't know what it was specifically about Blood Slaves that drew me in, but I can hazard a few guesses. It reignited an interest in Black vampires in media that I thought had long been vanquished. Aside from A Vampire In Brooklyn, I can't think of many stories that feature them, and subconsciously, I gave up on seeing myself reflected in the books, movies, TV, etc. that I consume. It contains history lessons that I never would have learned had I not read the book. I went in thinking that Blood Slaves was about vampires and slaves sacrificing everything to be free, and walked away having received a masterclass in African tradition. It doesn't hurt that Blood Slaves is a historical fiction that is heavy on historical context. I learned things about slavery and the antebellum South that I never knew, and quite frankly, never wanted to know. However, I think I'm better for having learned this, and for having read this book. It's a dark story, to be sure, but it's an important one in a genre that still has yet to scratch the surface of Black horror.

I can't recommend it enough.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ½

Before reading this story, I recommend reading the foreword and warnings. It’s not an easy read, the dehumanization within the pages is brutal and graphic. The initial motivation for writing this story itself is brutal and graphic. Gorey fights and sexual assaults repeatedly occur. I couldn’t read this story all in one sitting. But, like real testimonies, this story is worthy of being out there. I knew I had to continue reading after reading Redmond’s forward.

The multiple POVS offer different arcs, backgrounds, and motives that mirror our world. Nobody is exempt from criticism or relatability. The depiction of the events is incredibly raw and uncomfortable in both the emotional and graphic sense. At times it’s excessive that’s why I can’t give it five stars. I’m such a fan of monsters as metaphors. Here, the real monsters aren’t the ones who drink blood to free themselves. Redmond emphasizes that it’s those who strip away humanity, quite literally sometimes. Often enough the division among our own groups deflects our attention away from those people.

Still, it’s community and love that keep the characters resilient in building a future of life rather than just survival. There’s more I would love to discuss and share but these are my final thoughts. I can’t wait to see where this story and writer goes. Also, that epilogue? What has Redmond written, I’m going to need a minute before the next one.

***CHECK YOUR TRIGGERS

When I finished this book I saw so many people say they were mad/upset about the very serious circumstances we find our characters enduring(fair, I get it), but I’ve already read reviews where people almost blamed the author for it. There is a list of triggers for a reason and I appreciate that the author included them.

All that being said in this book we have multiple POV following several different individuals. Our main characters are two Black men who have been enslaved. One of the men is a vampire and the other is not. There are of course so many horrendous and despicable things happening. They decide that they have had enough and that is what sets off the main plot in this story. Gaining freedom + getting revenge.


Irene is my FAV. I love her so much and her vengeance.

The author was very specific/left no details out on the horrendous ways Black people were spoken to, treated, tortured etc. so please take care of yourself if this is something that brings too much pain. The white people were depicted in what I perceive as accurate. Redmond did not sugar coat anything and I think more people should be reading this for that alone.

When it comes to vampire lore, there wasn’t anything too new. The prologue held the history and we went from there. Which I didn’t mind because we were able to focus on other parts of the story. I will say that whenever a person transitioned to a vampire their language became “better”. That didn’t really sit right with me because it’s insinuating that something was wrong with how they spoke before && I don’t agree with that.

I do think the pacing was off a bit and it felt like in some places we focused too much on things that weren’t pushing the story forward. There is a ton of trauma, a lot and I know that is hard to read. I would have loved to see more character development. I also think that when the author introduced the Native characters that it was not flushed out well. That really needed some work.

I loved the ending and I am so so excited for what will come from Redmond!

Thank you NetGalley && Kensington Publishing for the ARC.

Thank You Netgalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader's copy of The Blood Slaves.

Unfortunately, the formatting of my ARC ebook was so off it made this almost impossible to read. Love the concept!

First, thank you so much Kensington Publishing for this ARC! It was highly anticipated and gave everything it needed to give. And for this to be a debut?? Blood Slaves was so well written, and blooming with the grief, love, courage, and necessity of our ancestors and our people in general. This reimagined history of vampirism x slave revolution hit really hard for me. Reading this within the same few weeks after watching Ryan Coogler's Sinners (3x) and amidst the current state of the United States re. this administration just showcased how important it is for these stories to be told--fiction or otherwise.

This first installment showcases the first stage in the slave revolt inspired and partially led and by the last know Ramangan/vampire in the world. We follow Rafazi and Willie as they navigate their once separate but obviously intertwined journey to freedom with newfound power and their community at their back. In the beginning, the tense and perspective change was confusing, but once I got used to Redmond's writing style, it was a breeze. The alternate history was intriguing and has me itching for the rest of the Sage already!

This book was a heavy and detailed as you can imagine. Redmond wrote in vivid detail about what it would've been like to live as a Black person on a plantation. If this detailed history is something that provides discomfort, I would not recommend this book (though some of y'all probably need it *cough cough*). If you're okay with reading grotesque details of all of the facets of slavery, enjoy historic fiction, and of course, vampires, DEFINITELY pick this up. I can't wait for the next installment.

Rafazi is the sole survivor of the Ramanga tribe . After resurfacing after his centuries long hiding to survey a plaque that has wiped out all vampires, he is now an endangered captive slave. He befriends Willie and teaches him about the power of the blood . And the power of love and hate within the blood . The two team up to survey their own fates for one reason or another. This book is filled with hate, determination, and love. Which one will succeed in the end? A story about willpower, self determination and friendship.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the eARC.

This was bloody fucking fantastic. I just finished so I don't even know if all my thoughts are aligned, but the writing was outstanding. The characters were so deeply developed and despite not liking 3rd person POV, I actually think it worked well here.

The story illicts so many emotions from the reader: pain, anguish, betrayal, anger, elation. At times I felt sick to my stomach knowing that while the book may be fiction, the overarching pain and terror was what enslaved people faced. I couldn't wait to get to the revenge part and it didn't disappoint. All of this was just incredible.

While Kwadzo was easily my favorite character, I felt the most connected to Gertie. While she was frustrating at times, I felt her the easiest to understand. I loved her character ARC and the ending just made me so happy.

Definitely check trigger warnings on this and protect your peace if need be, but this story was incredible.

when I first read the synopsis of this book I knew I was going to love it. slaves turned blood thirsty vampires who seek freedom & revenge, count me in! except, little did I know how much this book was going to trigger me. it was so emotional!

the story starts slow but around 40% it picks up & it doesn't let up or disappoint so please just stick with it! the writing is so vivid, I could literally visualize what was happening throughout the book

the author does not sugarcoat or shy away from the day to day horrors of slavery...it does get graphic & hard to read at times but it's necessary to truly grasp the things they experienced & by the time the fight came along I was hooting & hollering reading the chaos unfold!

I loved all the characters but especially Willie, he was going to be free or die trying & his determination to free himself & his people really pulled at my heart strings. I'm conflicted on Gertie, at one point she was really getting on my nerves but in her own way she was also determined & stayed hopeful until the end.

I also loved how the author weaved the real African folklore of the Ramanda into the story to create an alternative history.