book review | December with Dracula 5 | The Cambion Cycle by John G. Hartness | Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter 5-8

Author: John G. Hartness
Title: The Cambion Cycle
Series: Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter 5-8
Genre: Urban Fantasy; Vampires
Pages: 394
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

I couldn’t resist. Instantly grabbed The Cambion Cycle: Year Two by John G. Hartness, second book in Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter series. Other series will just have to wait. And no, I regret nothing either.

About the Book: Someone is hunting down people with supernatural blood in their veins, specifically those whose one parent was either an angel, or a demon. They brutally kill them, and leave Harker a message. A message out of blood, guts, and remnants of soul. And, worst of all is that Harker has already seen all this before. Back then having stopped it through sheer luck…

My Opinion: Author has a great, smooth writing style where between high-strung action there’s moments of respite and planning. Characters don’t loiter about, taking more time talking than doing things. Everything’s in very, very good balance, I just can’t stress that enough. Additionally I noticed there’s these… Little repeated things, sentences, jokes. Not repeated per page, but from another book, another story told before. This created a lovely little dynamic, where it almost feels like the reader and the author have inside jokes now. Again, takes balance to get there. Lots of humor, unbelievably colorful epithets and insults, well written action and protagonists. The only thing I had a small issue with were side characters who were not so small as to warrant such template-writing.

A firm 4 out of 5. And how do I resist taking third one right now…

book review | December with Dracula 4 | Quincy Harker: Year One by John G. Hartness | Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter 1-4

Author: John G. Hartness
Title: Quincy Harker: Year One
Series: Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter 1-4
Genre: Urban Fantasy; Vampires
Pages: 384
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter series, written by John G. Hartness, is best read in these omnibuses. Then you’ll be absolutely certain you’re reading them in appropriate, chronological order. Don’t ask why I mention this now, now that I’ve read Quincy Harker: Year One, a 1-4 books omnibus.

About the Book: Quincy’s parents were Mina and Jonathan Harkers who, one way or another, were affected by Vlad Dracula himself. This means that Quincy, while not a vampire, now lives in the age of cell phones and security cameras, and calls Dracula his uncle. He works as a demon hunter, one way or another banishing the things that go bump in the night, bumping them back, as he puts it. But whether it’s because being an anomaly that he is – he attracted attention of said beings, or because they just pissed him off – remains unknown. After all, living this long means he saw the worst humanity has to dish out. And the darkness those acts pull into the world.

In this book Quincy starts officially working with officially nonexistent paranormal activity division. And while at first that sounds like great fun – finally someone to clean the records, the blood, and the bodies – it turns out they’re lacking in the supernatural department. So there he is, as before, against a few of Apocalypse Horsemen, Death itself, Hell’s Lieutenants, and all kinds of other crap. Must be Tuesday.

My Opinion: Great humor, colorful epithets and unmatched vocabulary, incredible fights with creatures from the depths of hell, whose sharp tongues are only matched by their damned swords, Vlad the Impaler himself going medieval or, worse, getting all parental, a guardian angel who can barely keep up with this bad influence of a protagonist, and many other absolutely glorious things. Well written, easy to absorb, and even easier to read. The only minus is that some prominent characters follow a very clear pattern that makes their acts, events around them, answers, and dialogues – overly predictable. Occasional curveball would’ve made this beyond perfect.

A very fine read, solid 4 out of 5.

book review | Vampire Hunter D by Hideyuki Kikuchi | Vampire Hunter D 1

Author: Hideyuki Kikuchi
Title: Vampire Hunter D
Series: Vampire Hunter D 1
Genre: Horror Literature; Science Fiction
Pages: 268
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

Vampire Hunter D is among my favorite vampire myths, so I’m very happy to have finally found and read the first book in the series of same title by Hideyuki Kikuchi. For common knowledge: it all began with the novels, later released as several manga volumes. Manga got discontinued due to illustrator’s injury. There are also two anime movies, and the older one is based on this novel.

About the Book: Humanity’s future, having underwent a cataclysm, is dire, as they live harassed by monsters of magic, created by vampires also known as nobility. Due to this a new profession came to be, one of monster hunters, among whom those who specialize in vampires are of legendary status. Such is D, hailed down by a young woman, who needs to hire him for the vampire problem she’s having. A powerful old noble with a family of monsters…

My Opinion: Amazing world lore. Future is like a more modern, and much darker version of Castlevania. People huddle together, and survive as they can. From mechanical horses, to fog ghosts killed by laser beams. From vampires, to extremely genetically modified food. D’s history is barely touched upon, likely on purpose, as every crumb only served to peak the curiosity. It’s a very unique and beautiful creation, that might be interesting to all those who are into Castlevania and Warhammer 40k type of sci-fi.

A strong 4 out of 5 from me.

book review | Bridge of Souls by V.E. Schwab | Cassidy Blake 3

Author: V.E. Schwab
Title: Bridge of Souls
Series: Cassidy Blake
Genre: Urban Fantasy; Paranormal
Pages: 304
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

It’s almost October, the only month in Autumn that I do enjoy. When every corner of the internet floods with reviews of all things spooky, pumpkin, horror, and gloom. And since the vibe’s already there, I think I’ll call the start of it today, with Bridge of Souls by V.E. Schwab, third book in Cassidy Blake series.

About the Book: Cassidy’s family takes their show on paranormal activities to New Orleans, where they’ll seek supernatural. Sadly for Cassidy, she doesn’t need to seek them. They find her. Sometimes they need her help. Other times they just want to do their things, and she’s the one who gets in the way, with the unasked for, but definitely needed help. But this time one found her to exert a punishment for something the girl stole from beyond…

My Opinion: It took two books and half a world for some dark spirit to figure out Cassidy owes them one. Accountants in the beyond aren’t great, I guess. Additionally, upon finding her, they lose her to a point where girl and her friend had to try pretty hard to get their attention on themselves again. Felt a bit like an accidental plot hole, or not a fully thought through idea. I would’ve rather read New Orleans related lore, a place famous for Voodoo magic, vampires, and other things. 

So far this is the weakest in the series, gets a 3 out of 5 from me.

book review | Clan Novel: Gangrel by Gherbod Fleming | Vampire The Masquerade: Clan Novel 3

Author: Gherbod Fleming
Title: Clan Novel: Gangrel
Series: Vampire the Masquerade: Clan Novel 3
Genre: Urban Fantasy; Vampires
Pages: 270
Rate: 2/5 | Goodreads

Finished Clan Novel: Gangrel by Gherbod Fleming, third book in Vampire the Masquerade: Clan Novel series, and the last one I own in a physical copy. Gangrels aren’t my favorite clan, but they aren’t my least favorite either. For better or worse, this book didn’t change my opinion either way.

About the Book: Ramona and her two friends barely escape with their unlives, just to end up in a city thriving with life, where death yet again breathes down their necks. From their own kind, to even worse of their kind, the Sabbat. Not least of their problems is Ramona herself, as she soon finds herself obsessing over a mortal teenage girl that is like a highway to absolute hell, and she’s taking more than just herself for a ride on it.

My Opinion: Saying someone needs to earn your respect implies your respect is worth earning. I, personally, believe one can only ever lose respect. And so, Ramona’s arrogance rubbed me the wrong way from the start. Slight to mediocre spoilers ahead, no major plot twists, even though I feel like there weren’t any to begin with: She, and sometimes the other clan-kin of hers, treated one another, friends, acquaintances, like trash, acting respectfully to a degree only towards those whom they deemed in a position to help, and quickly turned their attitude if that proved to be wrong. She’d ask a question, and tell you to shup up before you finished answering, all while not only contributing nothing useful to the overall topic, but additionally misleading her kin with, yet again, arrogant assumption she knew what she was saying, despite having evidence to the contrary, or omitting the truth outright, which likely was the main contributor to majority of deaths. All due to obsession over a mortal teenage girl she and another vampire vied over to a point where they broke her family and her too, for no apparent reason at all. No, really, at the end it was stated the girl really didn’t mean anything.

This plot hole that drove majority of the plot isn’t the only one. Writing, in general, was poor, with a lot of empty descriptors that added nothing to otherwise action-based story-telling. My favorite of this action, though, was the villain’s, just sitting for two or three nights in an empty cave, doing absolutely nothing until they all prepared for a visitation.

So, all in all, a 2 out of 5, for both the writing, and level of story. Strange are the people who think their way of life is the correct one.

book review | A Matter of Taste by Fred Saberhagen | Dracula 6

Author: Fred Saberhagen
Title: A Matter of Taste
Series: Dracula 6
Genre: Vampires; Dracula
Pages: 288
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

The last book of Dracember, and this year. “A Matter of Taste” by Fred Saberhagen, sixth in his Dracula series. Decent, as series went, so far.

About the Book: Vengeance driven past darkens Vlad Dracula’s door, in a form of a once slighted Borgias, and their poisons. He has survived them once. Will he be able to survive them again, all while protecting his guests, and neighbors?…

My Opinion: Okay, so at least the story wasn’t a complete random mix of events. We got some more of Vlad Dracula’s past, specifically how he died, what he did after, and how he ended up before the Borgias. It’s not the best, so the greatest praise I can give it – not as bad as the previous two or three books in the series. Some motives keep maddeningly repeating, other times it’s so dull it gets hard to read.

Well, ending a year with a mediocre note is better than a low one anyway, right? A 3 out of 5.

book review | Dominion by Fred Saberhagen | Dracula 5

Author: Fred Saberhagen
Title: Dominion
Series: Dracula 5
Genre: Vampires; Dracula
Pages: 320
Rate: 2/5 | Goodreads

Finished “Dominion” by Fred Saberhagen, fifth book in the Dracula series. So far these books seem to be the most random, dull events, with Dracula solving issues in the sidelines.

About the Book: There was once a powerful sword, one we might know best as the Excalibur. But it was hidden away. And now it’s the time to find it, now there’s power enough, there’s knowledge enough… A whole horde of supernaturals scurry in attempts to find it, Vlad Dracula among them.

My Opinion: Time traveling Dracula who works with a cop, and searches for the Arthurian Legend, all while some wicked woman breeds humans together to create a more powerful being. Or at least have victims at hand. Every more interesting topic was dropped, instead you get to read about some perverts with their cousins or sisters. There’s nothing to even say about character writing.

I really hope I can suffer through whole series if it continues like this. A 2 out of 5.

book review | The Holmes-Dracula File by Fred Saberhagen | 2

Author: Fred Saberhagen
Title: The Holmes-Dracula File
Series: Dracula 2
Genre: Vampires; Fiction
Pages: 249
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

I don’t really like the Dracula and Sherlock pairing, so, I was a little reluctant when picking up “The Holmes-Dracula File” by Fred Saberhagen, second book in the Dracula series.

About the Book: Vlad Dracula wakes a hostage in a very strange place, held captive by strange people, and, seemingly, yes, seemingly being tortured in some strange ways. His captives don’t seem to know who they’re dealing with, but… Without a chance to rest on his native soil, Prince of the Darkness doesn’t fully know who they’re dealing with either.

Meantime, led by a few cases that likely connect in his mind, Sherlock Holmes prowls the streets. The main motive being a missing man…

My Opinion: As I suspected, the combo of Dracula and Sherlock wasn’t as good as their separate tales tend to be. A curse of some kind. But it’s an easy to read book, entertaining as fiction like this often is, so I can’t really complain all that much.

A 4 out of 5, no more, no less.

book review | A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson | 1

Author: S.T. Gibson
Title: A Dowry of Blood
Series: A Dowry of Blood 1
Genre: Dracula; LGBT book
Pages: 248
Rate: 5/5 | Goodreads

Second book in dracember, “A Dowry of Blood” by S.T. Gibson. A unique tale of Dracula and his brides. Or, rather, his spouses, yes.

About the Book: Dracula, with his maelstrom of a personality, hunger for knowledge, is pulling in starry-eyed people who are just as hungry for life, and living. But the shine of a faerie tale soon starts dripping with blood when it comes to life with a thousands of years old vampire. Constanta digs for truth, where are the others, the old lovers, the old loves, and finds that even those turned to vampires by their lord and master have all, eventually, disappeared. And she is determined not to end up in that same mass grave.

My Opinion: A very unique book on Dracula and his spouses. In this story Dracula’s myth is that of a thousands-of-years-old vampire, where he simply changes identities, and could be anyone from Dragon/Devil, to Judas. The book isn’t the easiest or smoothest to read, but I’m genuinely very impressed by the fresh breath of air it has brought to the tales of Dracula. It’s almost Anne Rice like, the vampire chronicles, where vampires try and fail to navigate polyamory due to approaching it wrong or having a wrong idea about it, or simply due to their changed nature.

A fine book. 5 out of 5, and I’ll gladly read more when there’s more.

book review | The Dracula Tape by Fred Saberhagen | Dracula 1

Author: Fred Saberhagen
Title: The Dracula Tape
Series: Dracula 1
Genre: Dracula; Vampires
Pages: 288
Rate: 5/5 | Goodreads

What a fun little book! I’m starting Dracember (Dracula + December) with “The Dracula Tape” by Fred Saberhagen, Stoker’s Dracula retold from Dracula’s perspective.

About the Book: Not all that was told in “Dracula“, given to us through letters, journals, and diaries, has happened the way people there have claimed it to happen. So, Dracula’s here to sling some dirt back, after he has been wrongfully painted as women-stalking monster, and tell his side of the tale.

My Opinion: It’s a very amusing book. Dracula is clearly very annoyed by the false story, and I can almost imagine him rolling his eyes at Harker, live or on the pages, reading the story of a bunch of righteous men chasing down a vampire. It’s well written, easy to read, and at times even historically accurate.

A good start. Solid 5 out of 5.