View source for Savage Blood by Alex Chance

{{infobox
|title=Savage Blood
|sort=Savage Blood
|author=Alex Chance
|reviewer=Louise Laurie
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=This is a complex and at times, complicated storyline taking in Atlanta, Vienna and Dubai and associated medical doctors, anthropologists and zoologists.  And the common factor linking them all together - cannibalism in a remote island.
|rating=4
|buy=Maybe
|borrow=Maybe
|paperback=0434019364
|hardback=
|audiobook=
|ebook=
|pages=368
|publisher=William Heinemann
|date=September 2010
|isbn=978-0434019366
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0434019364</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0434019364</amazonus>
}}

The book's cover is a very good clue as to its content:  weapons dripping in blood and decapitated heads.  The novel starts with Professor Edward Quinn on a rather unusual journey.  It seems to end abruptly and in plenty of spilled blood, gore and horrendous scenes of carnage.    Meanwhile, in Atlanta, USA, Dr Cortez has been cheating on his wife.  His one-night stand proves satisfactory and interesting in all sorts of ways.   Suddenly, he's involved in an extremely worrying medical situation.  It needs to be sorted - and quickly.  Cortez is a young, modern professional but he's human also, so not without his hang-ups.  The conversations between himself and his even more successful wife, are bang on.  They hit the right note.  Many will identify with the couple.  At times you can almost hear the friction between them.  And the man-to-man conversations between Charlie Cortez and his buddy Dan are terrific.  Trying hard to be big shots in a social situation when really they are out of their depth.  A great introduction to this part of the story, I thought.
 
In turn, Chance introduces us to the characters located in Vienna and Dubai.  In Vienna, anthropologist Reeta Kapoor loves her work.  You can just tell.  But when something happens to a close member of her family she's forced to act.  And this action involves travelling to Savage Island.  It's remote and inhabited by primitive tribes and is strictly off-limits to tourists.  Pity.  Apparently there are wonderful beaches and jaw-dropping scenery and nowadays the 21st century traveller wants more exotic all the time.  But is there anywhere left to explore?  And in comparative safety? 
 
Chance has a nice line in describing modern-day Dubai where money grows on palm trees.  Where anything involving handfuls of dosh is possible, at the drop of a hat.  The latest project everyone is talking about is a newly completed night safari with imported animals.  Food for thought right there.
 
I found that this book was really in two halves.  The first introduced, at length, all of the main characters and there are quite a few to get to grips with.  Chance describes them well.  The second part of the book is action-packed, it's like a completely different book.  I much preferred the first half.  And for the second half, well, in parts if was a little James Bond-ish but with lots more blood.
 
The plot is intricate.  And the whole cannibal issue does, by its nature, bring in lots of violence and blood.  To ramp up all this action even further, there's lots of important people with lots of letters after their names, rushing around trying to sort out important situations.  At times, a bit fantasy-like.  I wondered if Chance had a message here somewhere concerning tourism - but perhaps I'm just reading between the lines.
 
This is a thriller-type read with masses of action later on in the book.  All loose ends appear to be nicely tied up.  A satisfying read for those who enjoy thrillers.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.
 
If this book appeals try [[Another One Bites The Dust by Jennifer Rardin]].

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