Cycle of a Rat — Carl Smith

New York City. Cable TV is a novelty luxury. Hip hop is in its infancy. Reagan is not yet President. Much of the city's marginalized population lives in desperation. Violence is a daily fact of life. And in the subterranean remains of the American Dream sleeps an ancient evil, awaiting the day he is granted freedom to continue his murderous terrorism of the human race. Enter the Spiders - a small street gang from a nondescript neighborhood. Constantly pressed by the ever-growing Pharaohs, the Spiders investigate a hot tip which may lead to a big score, and a chance to level the playing field against their strongarm rivals. The location? A lone, abandoned military warehouse built inexplicably over a condemned subway terminal. The loot? A living weapon that feeds only on chaos and death - which may also be able to be held in check by Dawson, the youngest Spider but one with a special gift he is just discovering. Carl Smith's CYCLE OF THE RAT was an unexpected treat of a vampire tale. A story about growing up and growing old. A story about the terrors of school and the terrors of fitting in. A story of gang feuds and cruel violence. Fertile ground for a vampire's bloody return to the land of the living. From the first few words till the last, this book sank its fangs into me and held on for dear undeath. - Cullen Bunn, author of Harrow County, Bone Parish, and The Sixth Gun.I absolutely recommend Cycle of a Rat to anyone who loves the vampire genre. Smith creates a beautiful tapestry by entwining Old World lore, New York street culture, and a delightfully relatable protagonist. The slow burn horror is full of thrilling plot twists and turns, fun Easter eggs for vampire aficionados, and a nuanced coming of age story. - A.M. Aylward.