Solomon Dark – Blood and Bourbon by Erick S. Gray
Publisher: Black Odyssey Media
Genre: Paranormal, Historical, Action/Adventure
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Blood and Bourbon is a gritty supernatural noir set during the Harlem Renaissance—a tale of vengeance, forbidden love, and the fight to protect a city caught between jazz and justice, bullets and blood.

Harlem, 1927. The jazz is hot, the liquor is illegal, and the shadows are deeper than they seem. Solomon Graves is a Black vampire and former slave turned underground king, running a speakeasy empire in the heart of the Harlem Renaissance. After decades of drifting through a world that treated his kind—both vampire and Black—as expendable, Solomon has carved out his own piece of the night.

But peace never lasts.

When Nyah, an ancient African vampire queen, arrives in Harlem seeking revenge for the husband Solomon killed back in 1850, the city becomes a battleground. Nyah doesn’t want justice—she wants to destroy everything Solomon has built, and the woman he’s come to love, a jazz singer named Eve Moreau.

As Nyah’s war escalates, Solomon must confront the sins of his past, the weight of centuries of trauma, and the darkness within himself. Torn between the man he wants to be and the monster he was made to become, Solomon has one choice: fight for Harlem—or let it all burn.

Caught between a brutal turf war with the mob and a supernatural vendetta centuries in the making, Solomon must confront the monster within and reckon with the sins of his past.

Erick S. Gray’s Solomon Dark presents a unique historical-supernatural premise, but while it had moments I enjoyed, the execution left me with mixed feelings. The novel introduces Solomon, a warrior who refuses to be emotionally and mentally bound by the chains of slavery, and Kaiser Adelberg, a German vampire hunter and member of a brotherhood pledged to protect humanity.

The part of the story I enjoyed the most was the exploration of what freedom means and the various paths people took to achieve it. This clash between the characters was a compelling theme that kept me reading. The book felt inconsistent due to a lack of detailed character development. For example, the character Akasha seemed driven by anger and vengeance, which was understandable; however, his actions came across as reckless and unplanned. This made it hard to connect with him. Although he had the means and ability, he lacked the skills to plan more successful attacks, resulting in animalistic behavior. I liked that Solomon wasn’t afraid to stand up to Akasha, and his character was strong in both mind and body, showing true leadership.

Overall, the narrative favored fast-paced action and focused heavily on scenes of slavery, while neglecting to provide enough depth for the characters. As a result, the story felt somewhat flat. I would have liked to read more about the enslaved individuals and their thoughts on being vampires versus being slaves. Additionally, I was interested in learning more about how Kaiser began his role in fighting evil.

While the book concludes in a way that suggests a continuation, I was hoping for a more memorable experience. As a fan of history and suspense, I felt the book had great potential, but it was just an “okay” read for me.

Note: The book contains explicit language and descriptions of violent sexual acts that may be triggering for some readers.