The Tome of Bill Book 1: ‘Bill The Vampire’ by Rick Gualtieri – Book Review

I’ve been on a major reading kick lately, with most of my choices being urban fantasy. For awhile now, the book Bill The Vampire has been popping up in my Amazon recommendations but until now, I haven’t paid it any mind, mainly because I prefer series with female protagonists. I finally read the synopsis and thought it might be worth a read, so I purchased the entire series on Kindle. Here’s my thoughts on The Tome of Bill book 1, Bill The Vampire.

Bill The Vampire is the first book in The Tome of Bill series by Rick Gualtieri. The series consists of 8 novels as well as 3 companion pieces.

There Are Reasons We Fear The Night. He’s Not One Of Them.
Bill Ryder was a dateless geek, but then he met a girl to die for. So he did. Unfortunately for him, that was just the beginning of his troubles. He awoke as a vampire, one of the legendary predators of the night. Sadly, fangs or not, he was still at the bottom of the food chain.

Now he finds himself surrounded by creatures stronger, deadlier, and a lot cooler than he is … and they all want to kick his teeth in.

Bill isn’t exactly average, though. A vampire like him hasn’t been seen in centuries. He’s got a few tricks up his sleeve, unlikely allies, and an attitude that makes him too damn obnoxious to quit.

Join him in this hilarious tale of immortal monsters and the unlikely hero who’s not afraid to tell them off, even if it gets him killed – permanently this time.

———-

Bill The Vampire is book one in the bestselling Tome of Bill urban fantasy series, a foul-mouthed misadventure through the realm of the paranormal.

If you’re a fan of Jim Butcher or Kevin Hearne, then you’re likely in for a bloody good time. Read the complete series today!

When I first picked up this series, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I can honestly say I didn’t expect it to be absolutely hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud several times throughout the course of the book. Most of the humor stems from a few different things.

1. Bill’s interaction with those around him and his thought process. You see, not only is Bill a geek but he’s also got a perverted mind, and his narration doesn’t have much of a filter, so we are treated to his uninhibited thoughts on everyone around him: How he thinks Night Razor, his coven leader, is a grade A douche. How he lusts after Sally, the femme fatale who turned him, while simultaneously thinking she is kind of a cunt. He also has a bad habit of mouthing off without thinking, which usually gets him in awkward situations.
2. Rick Gualtieri and his subversion of horror genre tropes. Just when you think you know what’s about to happen, his pulls the rug out from under you and does something else.

I really loved the characters in Bill the Vampire. Bill is a lovable loser whose heart is in the right place. He cares about his friends and family. Even after becoming a vampire, he tries to do right by those around him. As previously mentioned, he’s got a wicked and politically incorrect sense of humor. Sally comes off as a cold-hearted bitch, but at the same time, you can’t help but love her. You never quite know where her loyalties lie. Is she only out for herself, helping Bill when it benefits her, or does she genuinely care about him? I’m curious to see how the character develops over the course the series and I can’t wait to see what her endgame is. The villains are suitably douchey and unlikable, but then what exactly do you expect from characters with names like Night Razor and Dusk Reaper? I also have to give props to Bill’s roommates, Tom and Ed, for supporting their friend, even though it could get them killed. Friendship like that is rare.

The story is fun and it develops at a breezy pace, with the humor and likable characters keeping you invested as the story develops. Not only is the story humorous, but there is a nice sense of mystery and some pretty satisfying action sequences, especially near the end of the book. The ending is flat out jaw droppingly awesome! I’m definitely looking forward to book 2.

Final Thoughts

Bill The Vampire is an excellent start to The Tome of Bill series. Its wickedly funny, has excellent characters and a great story. What more can you really ask for from an ongoing series? If you like urban fantasy and enjoy Kevin Smith-esque humor, check out Bill The Vampire. You can pick up the series here.