VWars is a thrill ride with twists and turns that the reader doesn’t see coming. Full of amazing illustrations, VWars has some confusing parts due to all that goes on and with the changing of characters yet is hard to put down and leave the reader wanting more. ( )

After reading the premise of Jonathan Maberry's series I decided to give the graphic novel a try. To be honest it wasn't terrible, and it proved a quick read. But the further I read it the more I questioned the hype declaring it a "fresh take" on the genre, when all Maberry did was take some elements that have been in circulation for the past few years (a little from Daybreakers, a chunk from [b:The Passage|6690798|The Passage (The Passage, #1)|Justin Cronin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327874267l/6690798._SY75_.jpg|2802546], some elements from Kim Newman's [b:Anno Dracula|8970727|Anno Dracula (Anno Dracula, #1)|Kim Newman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1434496594l/8970727._SY75_.jpg|1731834] series, etc.) and mix them together in different proportions. It took all of the "high-thinking" of a Hollywood executive who thinks "fresh" is defined doing the same thing in only a cosmetically different way.

Perhaps I wouldn't have reacted as negatively as I did if it wasn't for the recycling of so many tropes and stereotypes. Bleeding-heart liberal who tries to hold onto his humanity in inhumane times? Check. Close-knit squad of soldiers who shoot first and ask questions later? Check. Deep state conspiracy pursuing a different agenda? Check. And so on. As I said it's not terrible, but it certainly doesn't justify the praise it's received.

Perhaps I'm being too critical, but it's frustrating to see how so much horror out is celebrated for its originality when all it's doing is following the dominant paradigm. A couple of decades ago, the idea of a world in which vampires were omnipresent would have been innovative. Now I read something like this and it just has a "been there-done that" feel to it. It's an insult to truly imaginative work to peddle something like this as it, no matter how many authors you can find to provide positive jacket quotes. ( )