Rating: 
Summary: A Book to Sink Your Fangs In to
Review: "Vespers" recalls many of the great fifties films of mutated insects like "Them," "Tarantula," "The Deadly Mantis", etc. Set in the thriving metropolis of Manhattan, the onslaught of killer bats is a thrilling horror mechanism. The addition of the giant bat, in spite of what other reviewers say, is a great twist. As in any book of this type, the characterizations are secondary to the monster and the attacks. I found the characters very interesting, and Rovin's pace is tight and enjoyable. I anxiously awaited the movie version of this book, and have yet to see it materialize. I hope the dreadful "Bats" with Lou Diamond Phillips doesn't discourage the ultimate filming of "Vespers." It would be a great fun flick!
Rating: 
Summary: An okay read but somewhat predictable and lacking suspense.
Review: A combination of "The Relic", "Ben", "Godzilla", and "Ghostbusters" but lacking in true terror, suspense, or interest. The author has taken tried and true plot lines and replaced the protagonists with bats. There is some chemistry between the two main characters but, other than this, much of the action is predictable and the writing wooden and simplistic. Some good information about how bats live, mate, and feed was provided but if you are looking for a good horror or suspense story, this is not it.
Rating:
Summary: A tense, believable horror-thriller
Review: A wonderful combination of chills, science, fast but not hurried plotting, and believable, sympathetic characters with some of the best action, especially the finale, I've read in a long, long while. Looking forward to more from this author.
Rating:
Summary: Rovin strikes again
Review: After reading Return of the wolfman I could hardly wait to read Jeff's next book and it was definitly worth the the wait. Rovin brings classic horror into the 90s reminesent of the old black and white giant man eating critter movies of so long ago. Giant man eating bats is an awesome concept reading this book late at night gave me the creeps just wondering what might be crawling under my bed. Jeff Rovin has probably become my favorite author now I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
Rating: 
Summary: This novel *could* end up as a great movie.
Review: After reading Rovin's excellent Return of the Wolfman novel, I picked up Vespers. While not quite as great as the Wolfman book, Vespers provides the reader with some genuine chills. That is, of course, if you are not fond of bats. I really enjoyed how the characters were believeable- with flaws. Mistakes are made by characters throughout the book, but that just makes them more credible to me. I also liked the portrayal of women in the book. My only small complaint about the book was that at times Rovin's research found its way into the storyline in a forced fashion. Since Vespers is destined to become a movie, I would suggest the filmmakers to screen 'The Birds' and 'The Relic' before going to work. Use 'The Birds' as an example of what to do, and use 'The Relic' as a guide at what *not* to do. I'll be first in line to grab a ticket.
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: All these sci-fi fans are dissing this book, but this book isn't suppose to be sci-fi... it's supposed to be fictional horror, and Jeff Rovin does a great job with it! I can't wait to see the movie!
Rating:
Summary: Great cover art
Review: Anyone who reads horror, fantasy, sci fi, etc. understands that disbelief has to be suspended to a point in order to truly enjoy the story. I picked up VESPERS for a few reasons: 1) the summary made it seem like a fun, light read; 2)I like bats; 3) I like the idea of Manhattan being under attack from anything at all. The novel does a great job of providing some education about bat evolution, biology and behavior. The cover art on this hardcover edition is some of the finest I've ever seen.
With that said....This story is VERY light. I started out suspending disbelief and ended up watching my disbelief swinging from the gallows. The plot is rather thin, but I suppose that is to be expected from what is essentially a movie script. Detective Gentry and "bat lady" Dr. Nancy Joyce end up investigating the sudden appearance of and attacks by what are normally docile brown bats. They end up uncovering an ecological disaster that spawned a hellish form of bat. The next step is to figure out how to save Manhattan from becoming the nesting and feeding ground for these predators. Miraculously, Dr. Joyce and Det. Gentry feel that tug of attraction for each other and spend much of the novel gushing about their feelings of newfound love. Hmmmm...
If you want a light, quick read that doesn't require you to think too much, this is a great book. I've recommended it to some (much) younger readers who truly enjoyed the novel. However, if you're just curious about the contents, you might want to borrow a copy or find it at the library rather than investing the dollars to buy your very own. MIMIC and RELIC might be wiser choices if you want to read about scary, bizarre attacking creatures.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent summer reading; Rovin is BACK!
Review: As a fan of Rovin's non-fiction books about science-fiction (and the excellent Return of the Wolfman novel) I couldn't wait to read Vespers. I actually bumped into Mr. Rovin on line, and we chatted briefly. He was very gracious, and this book is GREAT! Take a 1950s monster movie (a la THEM) and throw in some 90s sensibility, and you have a new classic! Scary, fun and you cna already smell the popcorn for the movie version!
Rating: 
Summary: What a disappointment!
Review: As I get older I've come to resent anything that is a waste of time. This book falls in that category. It was poorly written, uninformed, unbelievable and generally dull. The high point of the book was in the first few pages when a 600-plus pound deer is found dead up in a tree. As a devoted white-tailed deer watcher I can only imagine what a magnificent specimen this was. Truly a North American record-sized animal. Unfortunately the author would have us believe that 600 pounds is the average size of a full-grown deer. It went downhill from there.
Rating: 
Summary: A word for the Anonymous "Long Island bat expert"
Review: Critiquing fiction is a matter of personal taste. Misstating fact is not. First, the adrenalized power of "ordinary" bats is not fiction. Second, the NYPD Emergency Service response to bats comes from the police source credited in the novel. She showed me the manual. Third, my bat consultant wished to remain anonymous because he did not approve of bats being presented as malevolent, though he enjoyed the concept overall. Finally, as for the 1950s monster-on-the-loose nature o f the novel -- exactly. At least you got that right.
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