Rating: Summary: Best so far, but may be the last in this series. Review: One of the first recommendations I received from Amazon.com was "Anno Dracula." I had barely even heard of the book, but my wife had bought a copy, so I decided to read it. "The Bloody Red Baron" quickly followed, then this latest book. I don't want to give away too much, but it does appear that "Judgment of Tears" may be the last in the series. I hope not, because I feel the series is getting better with each book. Many people felt that book three would be set in World War II, and that might've been good, but it might also have been a bit of "been there, done that." By setting this one in 1959, with frequent references to what did happen in WWII, Newman kept continuity while breaking new ground. The setting in Rome really added to the flavor of the book. This is a serious book, but there is also a lot of humor and satire. Newman probably better hope that Ian Fleming wasn't a vampire, or he might rise from the grave to seek revenge for the send-up of James Bond. Vampires seem to be a popular theme nowadays, but Newman seems to have staked (sorry) out his own territory. Regardless of whether or not he continues this series, I am eagerly awaiting his next novel. Meanwhile, I plan to get his other novels and read them. If you haven't read this series, you do need to start at the beginning. If you have already read the first two, but haven't read this one yet, what are you waiting for?
Rating: Summary: In the post-war Italy of La Dolce Vita, Dracula weds! Review: Things have moved along since _The Bloody Red Baron,_ with World War One long in the past. Dracula now lives in Italy, and is about to marry another elder vampire. Kate, whom we first met in _Anno Dracula,_ is covering the wedding.There are a lot of references to Fellini movies, Patricia Highsmith's novels of Ripley, and Ian Fleming's works---as usual with Kim Newman, playing "spot-the-reference" is half the fun. The funeral that ends the book is unexpectedly poignant.
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