The Bloodbaths
Steve Libbey is back, this time with The Bloodbaths:
The Bloodbaths is the first book of Steve Libbey’s new Aqua Pura Trilogy, a sword and sandal fantasy featuring a plumber on an epic quest to win back his beloved. Mercedes Lackey says: “Steve Libbey gives the ’sword-and-sandal’ epic a kick in the tunic and propels it into the gestalt of the 21st century, with an everyman hero whose brains triumph over brawn.”
Crixus Oraan is a water artesan, an engineer who builds aqueducts and piping for bathhouses and mansions in the empire of Rond (which bears a resemblance to our own Roman Empire). His guild has entrusted him with a large sum of gold to establish a branch in the up-and-coming coastal town of Restia. In a misguided effort to win enough gold to buy a lavish house for his new fiancé Kharrina, he loses the guild’s gold in a card game.
A shady sea captain present at the game—and possibly responsible for fleecing him—offers to sneak him off to the wild and mysterious continent of Minq. Afraid to lose his status in society for his crime, he agrees, hoping to gain back the gold he lost and compensate the guild back in Rond.
In this first volume in the bold new Aqua Pura Trilogy, Crixus finds employment with the Lamiae of Nistru, a cruel society where those at the top bathe in the lifeblood of those on the bottom. Will his conscience allow him to finish the job?
By turns dark, comedic, erotic and thrilling, The Bloodbaths is a book that transcends genre to stand on its own.
This podcast is read by SWC’s own Veronica Giguere.
November 11th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
I am a big fan of books set in this era and so far I am not disappointed. Libbey is one talented guy.
November 12th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Chapter 13 and 14 are the same
November 15th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Chapter 13: The chapter so nice I uploaded it twice!
And then fixed it!
Sorry for the confusion. I think I had one too many Bloodbath Red Ales (brewed with authentic Nistruvan peasant blood!).
December 2nd, 2007 at 3:17 am
Can’t wait to hear more from this series. I love vampires in all their incantations and this one is pretty unique.
December 20th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
I greatly enjoyed listening to this book. My only gripe is that the ending is a little abrupt. However, since the book is part of a trilogy, I will accept that the next book will begin where this one left off and be satisfied. Cannot wait to hear more.
January 2nd, 2008 at 8:44 pm
This book is spectacular! Its going to be a PodioBooks top 5 once a few more people listen to it. Top Notch!!
January 16th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Keep up the great work Steve Libbey! I’m an avid, critical reader and loved the book. You’re a very talented writer and a great story teller. I am looking forward to your next book. Veronica Giguere has a wonderful voice and did a superb job as narrator too, but I think changing voice a bit more for each character would make everything even more perfect.
Thanks for sharing !
January 28th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Thanks everyone, for your kind words. I had a lot of fun writing The Bloodbaths and beginning to discover the world of Rond and Minq. Book Two, The Quartz Odalisque, is well underway, though it competes for time with The Secret World Chronicle series I write with Mercedes Lackey. And with the post-apocalypse book in progress. And with the bands. And the social life. And work. Sigh.
Dianne: I too am a sucker for “Romanesque” stories. I consumed the Rome miniseries like it was ice cream.
Chris: In fact, I have a love/hate attitude about vampires, so I wanted to have a crack at my own, twisted, deconstructed approach. In my mind, vampires are just, well, jerks (or other impolite terms) with predatory habits, and they don’t need to literally suck blood to be bloodsuckers. Does that sound political? It is!
Ross: Book Two starts off literally hours after Book One ends. And there are cannibals!
Brian: Thank you! I appear to have good ratings, which can’t hurt, right?
Jeanne: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Aside from the ongoing Secret World Podcast, you can find a short story/novelette of mine in the upcoming Subatomic Anthology: One Step Beyond, Rocking Tales of the Fantastical. It’s set in mod London 1968!
Steve: Good eye!
March 6th, 2008 at 10:18 am
After the SWC I decided to check out this book and now Im hooked. I am looking forward to the next book. Outstanding work on this and the SWC. Thanks
March 27th, 2008 at 6:58 am
I’m really enjoying this book (haven’t finished listening to it yet). It’s a great setting, rich characters, and makes me want to take the dog on longer walks, just to hear the next chapter
I really like Steve’s portrayal of the Lamiae vampires. They’re a good twist on the Anne Rice “romantic” vampires.
Veronica Giguere does a wonderful job reading the book, and is a fine example of how one good reader can really make a book come alive.
I can’t wait for the next book!
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:02 pm
There’s a minor error (a repeated line) at about 7:30 in the last chapter.
June 11th, 2008 at 6:21 am
please put e-book of this podcast on your website since I cannot understand most dialogues.
July 10th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
It was a little slow getting into it, but about halfway in, I finally really connected with the story. I was about ready to give up on it, but I decided to really give it a try. I’m glad I did,