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Try to run away from Don Ecker’s pulse pounding new novel PAST SINS and it will rip your throat out. Submit! Read it! And you might survive! There are horror novels and then there is PAST SINS.  Ecker has obviously been in the middle of a moment so horrific that one’s senses cease to operate, and the dance of death begins. You can thank him or curse him, but he has now decided to personally share that moment with you in his epic PAST SINS. Drink or feed at your own risk!

                                                 Dwight Schultz -  Star of Stage and Screen

Past Sins … It's deliciously terrifying …. 

 Don Ecker's Past Sins makes a frightening and timely point that has nothing to do with the paranormal. When something really bad happens, it is the cops, soldiers and ordinary citizens who can be counted on to do their best while the bureaucrats rush to cover their butts, if they do anything at all.

 The something really bad in this case involves a series of vampire attacks in Los Angeles The attacks are an enlistment drive, first salvos in a  war waged by government-issue vampires and their recruits. The back story begins in the early days of the cold war when the CIA lucks into possession of an Eastern European refugee who happens to be a vampire and seizes the opportunity to weaponize the undead.  Like so many government projects this one gets shelved when a trial run during the Vietnam War takes an unexpectedly ugly turn.  Turns out, vampires don't respond well to authority. The book begins when one of the project subjects escapes with his own plans for how the world should be run.

 The book is fast moving, compelling and frightening on many levels. Apart from the first order fear that a vampire war suggests, there's the underlying discomfort of knowing this is exactly something that a government would do if it could, and this is likely how it world turn out. A charming feature of the book is that the only belief the reader is asked to suspend involves the possibility of vampires. That done, everyone behaves reasonably given the circumstances, bad guys and good guys are equally likely to have horrific things happen to them, and no one can count on safety. Just like real life. The characters are well developed and there's a notable shortage of stereotypes even among the undead. It's deliciously terrifying and will take you to a place that's hard to get back from, even during daylight.

 Dr. Frances Anne Olson, DDS

This is one novel that begs for, if not needs, a sequel! -- Vampress

We've all heard the adage, don't judge a book by it's cover, and it has never rung more true than in the case of Don Ecker's debut novel Past Sins. It's tagline reads "A novel of supernatural horror" and the cover art insights images of Transylvanian Counts and the same tired old vampire cliche retold again and again. But don't judge a book by it's cover, tired Counts it thankfully lacks. While there are certainly acts of unspeakable horror depicted in this novel, it doesn't fall neatly into the horror genre. Past Sins is certainly more of an epic action thriller laced with sweat-soaked gun-wielding law enforcement and top secret government...vampires!

We follow a group of characters through the present day battle with the undead and witness the true story unfold through vivid flashbacks to the 60's. It is here we learn of the CIA's top secret special weapon, a Hungarian vampire. But when the project goes awry and vampire converts escape their ultra guarded CIA housings, Hell comes to America as local and national law enforcement embark on the enormous and maybe impossible task of controlling the spread.

This is one novel that begs for, if not needs, a sequel. It's apparent the events in this novel are only the tip of the iceberg. Ecker breaks many barriers in Past Sins. He focused on the magnitude of the situation and not the life histories of every character introduced. He didn't shy away from shifting points of view, allowing the events to be seen through the eyes of several characters almost seamlessly and in turn further amplifying the danger present. And he certainly wasn't afraid to kill off a likable character. Sorry folks, but this is reality, no happy endings here.

But overall, Ecker has produced an original vampire story and twist on the Lilith myth. You won't find any latex clad half-vampire superheroes here, just real people in ultra realistic combat with a supernatural entity brought to life. Remove the vampire and the story still has immeasureable impact on a world where government conspiracy and the fear of terrorism are our reality. It's a gritty epic fueled by the scent of fear, testosterone, blood, sweat and the tears for the fallen.

If you're a vampire enthusiast or just an action junky, you'll enjoy the new life breathed on both genres. Don, bring on the sequel!

Webmistress Vampress of Vampress.Net

***** Past Sins : "A superb scary tale of black ops, tough cops, and vampires..."

Past Sins is a superb scary tale of black ops, tough cops, and vampires, but is also much more than that. Past Sins is a scary book that gave me nightmares galore as I plowed through it compulsively. It is a page-turner, but for me one I could not read at night, and I don’t even believe in vampires! It delves deeply into the folklore and history surrounding vampirism, and blends this seamlessly in the story line, but it is also a portrait of good and evil, evil of the vilest kind, and this is found not only in the undead. In this novel it is debatable who was more evil and ruthless, the vampires, or those who tried to wield them as a weapon.

 Past Sins is an allegory in addition to being a horrifying page-turner: it is fable for our time, because the title refers not to the sins of the undead but those of our own government. The premise, that the US government, in absolute secrecy, discovered and employed a vampire during the Cold War, is chillingly reminiscent of the historical record, were the US intelligence community showed itself willing to employ former nazis, Mafiosi, assorted homicidal despots, Usama Bin Laden , reportedly  little gray aliens , and finally even the French. The noble end of defeating Communism supposedly justified all of these "means." But as the US has learned painfully, the devils you support and employ you ultimately cannot control. In Past Sins , all hell literally breaks loose.

However, Past Sins functions not just as a horrifying tale, and not just as an allegory, but also as a vivid story with engaging characters. Don Ecker’s fertile imagination has produced a wide cast of veteran soldiers, nervous Intel operatives, and hard-boiled cops all woven together in the cosmos that is LA. I was especially smitten by his portrait of the LA police, who deal with such horror and danger daily that even the appearance of vampirism barely provokes raised eyebrows among them. As one reads the book , one is soon involved with the characters and swept up in the wild train ride that finally ends with a shattering conclusion. For the US government, once fully aware that its horrid secret weapon has escaped, pulls out all stops to try to contain the evil is has unwittingly unleashed. "Old Vic" Norgarde says: read this book!

"Write what you know," is the mantra of countless creative writing instructors.  Don Ecker has taken this advice to heart.  Mr. Ecker’s background as a cop, special ops member in Viet Nam and researcher of all things strange for UFO Magazine, one of the top publications of its kind, has well prepared him for his debut novel. 

Past Sins is a multi-layered pager turner for several reasons. Mr. Ecker’s portrayal of elite soldiers and weary cops has the authenticity that comes from someone who understands both the hardware and the unique cultures, the way only an insider could.  There are no cardboard super sleuths or indestructible Rambos to be found.  Set in contemporary Los Angeles, the story is populated by characters the reader comes to care about, people that doubt, bleed and sometimes die.
 
What Past Sins shares with many classic stories we remember long after the last page has been turned is an underlying allegory.  This story suggests the sins of an individual or a government may return to haunt the sinner.   Mr. Ecker has chosen a timely theme indeed.  Our government’s marriage of convenience to flesh and blood monsters, from Nazis to dictators to drug lords and terrorists is a matter of historical record.  The results of some of those unholy couplings are painfully obvious to even the most casual observer of current events.

This bitter little pill is wrapped in a sweet, action-rich vampire vs. cop/soldier thriller that leaves you unsure of the outcome until the last page. 

I can hardly wait to see what Mr. Ecker comes up with next. 

...PAST SINS is a must read for every true fan of vampire fiction. Don Ecker has truly added to the genre. He has taken the subject into the present day with haunting realism. What if vampires were real? What if they were truly a threat to our way of life, to our national security? What would the police do? What would our government do? What would we do? As a retired policeman, Don Ecker’s answers are thought provoking and the story’s ending disturbing. This is not a story for those who are looking for a romance or a light tale, but it is definitely worth reading.

Linda Suzane noted Vampire Author with Suite 101

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/10636/110778

If Bram Stoker and Tom Clancy were to collaborate on a book, they might produce one like this. A combination of the genres of vampire horror and military adventure, this unique book is truly a must read.

 Hal Siemer Editor Quest Magazine