Review: Eyes of the Seer by Peter Dawes

“It all started with a murder. Two victims lay dead at the hands of Peter Dawes, but what laid in wait for him was not the sound of sirens or the banging of a gavel. It would turn a doctor into a killer and a man into a monster. Follow Peter as he exchanges his blood-stained clothing for tailored suits, his scalpel for fine-crafted daggers, and is reinvented as the newest vampire-child in a coven of decadent sophisticates. He even takes on the name ‘Flynn’ – a child of red – in honor of his new-found devilish side and to further distance himself from his human past. For four years, Flynn embodies every bit the bloody immortal he was sired to become. Under the reign of his maker, Sabrina, he establishes a reputation as the most feared assassin to ever terrorize the covens of Philadelphia. But the sure footed steps and quick hands that make him a virtuoso when it comes to killing humans and vampires alike are attributes of the mortal destiny which haunts him even beyond death. And despite all efforts, Peter’s humanity is not as dead as some would prefer.”

Life for Peter is about to change. Literally. He’s gone from being a respected doctor to a murderous vampire. And the scariest part about this drastic change is how easily Peter welcomes this new identity he’s been given: the identity of an immortal assassin. Not only does he welcome this new role, he readily embraces it. He revels in each and every kill, delights in the spilling of human blood, and even takes a further step in solidifying this new role of his by changing his name from Peter to Flynn. But he’ll soon find out that this newfound identity is far from permanent. That, in order to fulfill his destiny, Peter will have to become something Flynn never would have expected. Eyes of the Seer is a book that grabs the reader from the very beginning and absolutely refuses to let go until the very end of the story. And even when the reader reaches the end, it isn’t really over.

I rate this book:

I have to say that I absolutely loved this book. It is a book unlike any other vampire story out there. Most books involving vampires nowadays seem to always want to portray the main vampire character as a good and benevolent character who is kind to humans. Eyes of the Seer takes this idea and completely flips it on its head with the character of Flynn and it’s something that I really enjoyed about this book. Flynn is not your typical vampire protagonist, by any means. He is ruthless, bloodthirsty, and rather sadistic in nature. In many other vampire books of today, Flynn would be considered the villain of the story, rather than the main character. But he’s not, and that’s what I love about this story. It’s refreshing - if not a little frightening - to see a vampire character actually act like a vampire. If you’re looking for a refreshing take on the role of the vampire protagonist, then you should definitely pick up Eyes of the Seer. Its gripping detail and surprising plot twists will leave you craving more. I would like to caution readers, however that this book is definitely for mature audiences only, as it contains some content that may not be suitable for younger readers.

Peter Dawes is an author of urban fantasy, native to the Philadelphia, PA area. The stories he writes often focus on the paranormal, with real life people being thrown into extraordinary circumstances. The clash of good vs. evil and hero vs. villain is a staple of his work, though he is never content to leave the hero unscathed by the end of the day. There is always a trial experienced and a lesson learned, even if it's learned the hard way. Far from being an archetypal author, though, Peter Dawes recognizes that what is black and white is often painted with shades of gray and even the heroes fall while the villains rise above. To Peter, the classic struggle epitomizes something within all of us that digs deep for the last mile, doggedly holds on to love, and sometimes ignores the safe path for the road less traveled. He also may or may not be a vampire. He leaves that for the reader to determine.