The Unwilling

The Children of Lilith #1

by C. David Belt

In all the 6,000 years that the Children of Lilith have walked among us, there has never been an UNWILLING vampire... until now.

Carl Morgan has lost everything. His wife and children were killed in a senseless accident. Then he witnessed the murder of his sister at the hands of a beautiful and mysterious woman named Rebecca. When the police cannot locate the killer, Carl takes matters into his own hands. But his search for justice costs him everything he holds dear.

Carl is unknowingly transformed into the world's first and only unwilling vampire. He is cut off from the light, damned to an eternity of darkness, barred from Heaven and any hope of a reunion with his family.

Moira MacDonald, a repentant vampire, has roamed the earth alone for centuries seeking redemption. The very existence of an unwilling vampire, something she thought impossible, changes everything. Has she finally found a path to redemption... and an end to her loneliness?

Carl and Moira discover that Rebecca's Master, Michael, plans to unleash a plague of vampires on the city. Can Carl and Moira stop the slaughter of countless innocents?

Genres: Paranormal, Vampires

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 19, 2011

About the author

C. David Belt was born in the wilds of Evanston, WY. As a child, he lived and traveled extensively around the Far East. In Thailand, he once fed so many bananas to a monkey, the poor monkey swore off bananas for life. He served as an Latter-day Saint missionary in South Korea and southern California (Korean-speaking), and yes, he loves kimchi. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a BS in Computer Science and a minor in Aerospace Studies, but he managed to bypass all English or writing classes. He served as a B-52 pilot in the US Air Force and as an Air Weapons Controller in the Washington Air National Guard and was deployed to locations so secret, his family still does not know where he risked life and limb (other than in an 192' wingspan aircraft flying 200' off the ground in mountainous terrain). When he is not writing, he sings in the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and works as a software engineer. He collects swords, spears, and axes (oh, my!), and other medieval weapons and armor. He and his wife have six children and live in Utah with an eclectus parrot named Mork (who likes to jump on the keyboard when David is writing). There is also a cat, but she can't be bothered to take notice of the parrot, and so that is all the mention we shall make of her.

Reviews

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, let me say that I actually have the Kindle edition, not the paperback, and I would give this book 3.5 stars if the rating system allowed.

The book begins with a depressed Carl Morgan getting a phone call from his delinquent sister Juliet claiming that someone is going to kill her. Carl goes to pick her up from a bar and witnesses her murder at the hands of a mysterious, compelling woman named Rebecca. Carl of course can't let his sister's killer go unpunished and infiltrates her cult to try to gather enough evidence against them to go to the police. Most of Carl's experiences infiltrating the cult are either mentioned in conversation or shown in flashbacks, which I think might have been better if they had been told as part of the main story. Lots of times the flashbacks interrupt conversations, which I found a little disconcerting.

Anyway, in the process of discovering the cult's secrets, thinking the members are all insane, Carl is unwillingly converted into a vampire. He wakes up in a strange house and is given the tutorial about vampires by Moira MacDonald, a centuries-old penitent vampire who has given up killing.

Moira takes Carl under her wing, and they quickly fall in love. Like, really quickly. The romance felt a little rushed to me. When Carl proposes to Moira, she doesn't think they can have a temple marriage, being that they are supposedly unholy creatures and thus unable to enter into such a holy place, but it works out in the end. :)

I enjoyed learning about the vampire lore of Mr. Belt's universe, particularly the way that vampires were drawn to kill evildoers for the purpose of denying them the opportunity to repent. It was a breath of fresh air to read about the kind of restraint Moira and Carl exercized in not killing criminals instead of the typical vigilante justice that is popular in movies, TV, and books nowadays. I also loved Carl's discovery of his "tactile telekinesis." It made me realize that a lot of extraordinary situations with superheroes and their superstrength in the media are actually defying the laws of physics, and I liked seeing that Mr. Belt had really thought out his explanation of the vampires' abilities.

I think it takes a special kind of author to write a book about an LDS church member who becomes a vampire. I know I was surprised when I read the plot summary. I think this book would also be best enjoyed by people like me--Mormons who are also interested in vampires--because there were a lot of references to church culture that probably would go right over the heads of non-members. One thing that surprised me a little for a book by an LDS author was the...kinkiness, for lack of a better word...of the cult members' activities--specifically Michael's abuse of Benjamin--though there was nothing explicit. I can see that it was probably necessary to mention in order to illustrate the evil of the cult and Michael in particular, but it made me a little uncomfortable.

Overall it was definitely worth the read, and I will certainly pick up the sequel in the near future. (Gotta love the Kindle; books are so cheap!)

[Gregg Lines]

I actually met David in a mall in Provo once during college. I can’t remember if he was wearing the kilt or something more Renaissance-esque. He told my friend and I about his book. As a broke college kids we listened but didn’t buy it at the time.

Randomly a few days ago I remembered that encounter. I found the kindle version for 99¢ so I said, what the heck, why not?” I’ve not read any horror novels except Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and parts of Stoker’s Dracula. Corona virus has me at home more with time so I read it.

I will say, The Unwilling was very creative and I felt like every few pages I was like, “wow...did not see that coming.” I mean everything from references to temples, Scottish history, aviation, slavery, street gangs, you name it. Seeing how he handled Latter-day Saint theology and world views was entertaining. Liked the Utah specific humor (parking in SLC) etc. Quite the imagination.

It can be a bit hokey at times. While perhaps true to the characters he imagined, the dialogue was a bit simple. Also “crap” was used as both a noun and adjective quite a bit. But, again made the character more relatable as an everyday person.

My dislikes mostly consist of the treatment of minorities. Tongan thugs. Japanese assassin. References to absolute submission to”Middle East Sultans,” etc. People who were minorities were largely bad guys.

I really disliked the use of the character Benjamin. While ultimately the story ended in his rescue and adoption into a loving family I felt it a bit over the top. The child sexual abuse was a real dark place to go and I felt like it was very quickly glossed over when first introduced. Towards the end his victimization was addressed more, but for a lot of the story he’s portrayed in a way that doesn’t comport with how one should speak of victims of this kind of abuse. Also using “black” and other dark color adjectives (like black night) felt a bit distasteful to me. Also, while I can see why using the N word went to historical elements of Michael and Benjamin it too could have been omitted without damaging the narrative. In a similar vein, references to gay and lesbian people were unnecessary at best and hurtful at worst.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reviewing a copy I received from the publisher. Good story, I liked the ending and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. I would have liked to give it 3 1/2 stars because I'm a little ambivalent about it. I liked it, but I'm not crazy about it.

The police are unable to bring the murderer of Carl's sister to justice so Carl infiltrates the vampire cult himself seeking justice. He doesn't believe in vampires and believes it is all part of a Goth fantasy, until he finds himself changed. But a very important step has been skipped, Carl did not willingly become a vampire.

Horrified and unwilling to kill to survive, Carl flees the cult and is found by Moira, a repentant vampire who teaches Carl what he needs to survive. But there is an interesting twist, Carl is a practicing member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- a Mormon. Can God forgive him for becoming a vampire? Is his soul lost forever? And can Carl and Moira destroy the vampire cult?

It is a story of choices and redemption and my favorite character is actually a very minor character -- Ben. Ben is a slave boy who's been turned by his Master and is trapped in slavery as a vampire forever.

So again, some really great moments in the story, but there was too much repetition which keeps me from really liking the book. Moira and Carl discuss something, and then Carl meets with his Bishop and has to explain it again. In most stories we'd see, "And Carl laid the plan out for the Bishop." In this book, Carl repeats everything he and Moira discussed. While it was slightly annoying, it didn't make me want to quit reading.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. The twisted world of the vampire cult Carl (the main character) infiltrates to find his sister’s killer is openly dark and honestly horrifying. The story follows strong themes of agency, power, temptation, love, and redemption. It made for deep thinking about evils that plague our real world and how one goes about restoring hope, security, and goodness where it is seemingly bereft in the lives of truly tortured and potentially dangerous individuals.

Carl’s LDS background and convictions to stay true to his faith despite his unwilling damnation (when he becomes a vampire) was a dynamic I really enjoyed. Carl and Moira are both strong characters, battling darkness within and without on a journey full of twists and turns, both bitter and sweet. I was swept away on this dark, suspenseful adventure to save Salt Lake City from the nefarious Children of Lilith. This is a gem of LDS horror fiction. I found it both entertaining and deep.

Highly recommended reading, and I’ll be looking forward to the rest in the series!

[Mr. Hanky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a MUST READ kind of book. Though at first glance this appears to be yet another entry in the "sparkling vampires are the good guys" kind of book, this is NOTHING of the sort.

In this story vampires are shown as wholly depraved creatures that can show themselves to others as beings of light to deceive and corrupt. This conception of vampires was brilliantly wrought with fidelity with Mormon theology. Don't get me wrong, however, you don't have to be Mormon to appreciate this story.

What I really enjoy about this story, however, is the characters. This is the story of a man and a woman who, through some unwise decisions, have found themselves condemned to undeath. As they struggle with their unholy urges, they are brought into a plot, that, if successful, would mean the deaths of countless innocents. They need to find a way to stop it from within. Anyway, if I go on too much more, I'll spoil a lot. You just need to try it out for yourself!

[Treg Julander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not an ordinary vampire story, and these are not your ordinary vampires based on the same tired tropes. Sure they drink blood, can’t take the sunlight, and have superhuman abilities, but that’s where the similarities end. The main characters are “moral” vampires who resist their curse and quench their thirst for blood by siphoning from criminals as midnight vigilantes (mistaken for angels). I was a little dubious at first about the Mormon vampire angle. But the tension from the main characters’ desires to obtain the blessings of the gospel despite their belief that they were damned for eternity sucked me in immediately. My favorite character was an eight-year-old African American boy who was turned into a vampire as a child and remained at that age and maturity for decades. I found it remarkable that, by the end of the story, I could feel sympathy for characters with superpowers and eternal youth.

[Olya · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, a refreshing view on vampires!
They're evil, like in the good ol' times(not as creepy in a classic way, like Dracula, but still evil). And they chose to be that way. Most of them, anyway. Not to give too much away, - choices and agency are critical elements in any situation and it doesn't matter where you are in life, whether you're a bad guy or a good guy. What you choose to do about it is what you will be in the end, and this book shows that perfectly.
Everybody knows that being true to yourself and fighting for the right thing is not always easy, but that's what the main characters need to do and it's enthralling to read about their battle with evil.
It's a great story about moral values, consequences, strong characters, real love, devotion and courage. I loved reading it. Once the chapter was over, I just wanted to keep reading.

[Alycia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book! It was an impulse buy when I ran into the author in the mall around 1 AM on Black Friday, and that was a decision I will never forget or regret!
My favorite thing about this book is how true to character it stays. Vampire and LDS are not two cultures I ever expected to be combined in a story, but the actions and reactions play out so beautifully, it feels like how things would ACTUALLY happen if the circumstances were to arise.

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that was really easy to get into. I liked the last half better than the first half, I think everything in the first half just moved to quickly. I wish there would have been more information and description on how changing to a vampire changed the person's appearance if any. I thought it was really fun to read a Mormon vampire book though. I will for sure look into reading the rest of this series.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It has the traditional vampire with a little different spin on it that makes sense and it goes into more detail about what a vampire is and how they really become a vampire. It has great detail.
It's a great story of self-mastery, agency and living with the choices that are made, and true, unconditional love. What an incredible battle of good vs. evil!

[Monte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting way to tell a story about choice and accountability from a religious perspective. Loved how the whole “unwilling” vampire contributes to the story line as well as to the conclusion.

Will be looking for the sequels to see the entire idea play out.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good ideas here, but the writing needs some work. A lot of repetition and redundancies. They took up space that could have been better used for further story and character development.

[Candice · Rating 2 out of 5]

By the end of the book, I decided it was a decent read, but boy, it was a rough start. I almost put the book down for good on page 10, and again every 10-15 page until around page 90. Why? First of all, the writing itself was . . . not good. I can't put my finger on precisely why, but it had a rough, amateur feel that kept me from getting into the story instead of skimming the surface. Fortunately, the writing got better farther down the road. While I hesitate to call it good, it at least was no longer distracting. Second, the author has an obsession with italics for emphasis. There's probably an average of ten per page, and the italics are often so prevalent that it makes the entire book seem overdramatic. This does NOT improve throughout the book. Third, until the aforementioned page 90 (or roundabouts), there wasn't really a plot. There was an introductory chapter or two, then a whole lot of exposition. He did good by breaking up the info-dump with flashbacks, but it was too much, given mostly in boring, somewhat repetitive conversation between two characters I hadn't had time to care about.

After I dragged myself past all that, I found a decent three-part plot and started to get into it more. Part A: an uneasy alliance with an evil vampire to stop an even more evil vampire. Part B: stopping criminals from doing evil, and trying not to draw police attention at the same time. Part C: Carl's relationship with Moira. But while I found all three parts entertaining in different ways, lots of little details would trip things up. Moira turned out to be a Mary Sue (a character who is absolutely perfect in every possible way, especially as a romantic interest to the main character). I know, I know. She has a "dark past" and wasn't always a good vampire. But by the time Carl meets her she's an absolute saint who just happens to drink blood. The detective plot was too implausible (he stumbles onto the existence of vampires much too easily, with too little evidence, and - unlike in CSI - it takes several weeks to get back DNA evidence results, not one day), and the stuff with Rebecca was often head-slappingly stupid. The need for battle plans seems ridiculous when Rebecca could simply wait for a day when she's on guard duty then walk in and kill Michael while he's sleeping. On top of that, in the beginning Rebecca is smooth and dangerous. Before long she's just impotent in every way and prone to throwing tantrums - complete with foot-stamping. There a dozen other details I could nitpick, but those are the main issues I had.

As for the ending, I won't spoil it, but there were some high points, some low points, and some just plain "why?" moments, among them the most pointless death I've seen since Hedwig in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Oh, yeah. And flying vampires are only slightly less cheesy than sparkling ones.

[Amber]

Review to come