Covenant With the Vampire

Rating:
Summary: A Great Read - You'll Like!
Review: "Covenant With the Vampire" is the first in the trilogy of "The Diaries of the Family Dracul". The second book is "Children of the Vampire" and the third and final book is "Lord of the Vampires" The reason I mentioned the other novels is because they should be read after reading this one to get the whole and entire story. All are highly engrossing and interesting. How Ms Kalogridis thought up all this is beyond me - but she is obviously talented. Although all the books are wonderful reads - be prepared - there are strange situations in the books - among them are incest and homosexuality. The books don't go into to much "intimate" details on these subjects - and they're not something that carries on into the complete story. So the squeamish should tolerate them just fine. Therefore, I would advise anyone who likes vampire novels to purchase all three of them.

Rating:
Summary: Better than Stoker's work...
Review: Having just read "Dracula" by Mr. Stoker, I was left wanting more of Vlad himself and missing the content that was in the movie, the inner workings of the dark prince himself, but this book delivered. At first, I didn't want to buy this book, but I thought hey... why not, so i bought it and read it, and i couldnt put it down! It's easy to read and full of just the right amount of eroticism and love, as well as tastefully done horror/gore. I am attached to Arkady as well as his sister, they are wonderfully portrayed and very believable indeed! If i could, i would give it four and a half stars!

Rating:
Summary: VLAD TEPID
Review: I took the advice of Feydraculette and picked this one up...and now three books later, I cannot express how this book and its two follow ups simply captivate you and MAKE you keep reading. This is hands down one of the best stories of Dracula and his origins that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. As I mentioned above this novel is the begining of a trilogy that goes into great detail of Vlad Tsepish (Dracul) and his legacy of decite, torture, and malice througout the ages, particularly to his own lineage. The novel is based on journals kept by the 3 residence at Castle Dracul. Arkady Tsepish, his wife Mary, and Zsuszana Tsepish. Each entry coinsides with the next and follows a strict timeline to keep the reader informed of whats happening at all times from all points of view...with many plot twists and turns to insure no reader will be disappointed! I will spare any more details because I don't want to give away a single suspenseful moment that this sure to be classic novel withholds. But know this, you will truly feel for each character and the trials that they endure, and by the end you will have felt as though you were an eye witness to these accounts. Jeanne has created a masterpiece with vibrant, hauntingly realistic characters and scenes that will stay with you. All this said, GO BUY THIS NOVEL!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Traditional Vampire Novel
Review: I was surprised when I started to read this novel that the author choose a more traditional and mythological take on vampires. Like vampires are not harmed by sunlight, but are harmed by garlic, and can be shape shifters. I like the eerie and dreadful atmosphere of the novel. This is not an Anne Rice book where the vampire is confused about his identity or mesmerized by a painting. This is a novel about a family who slowly discover the truth about there kind and giving Uncle Vlad. At first I thought "Oh gee another Dracula novel . . .." It is a prequel to Stoker's work that takes place fifty years before the original novel. This novel tells of a pact between Dracula and his descendants. That as long as they obey him, i.e. bring him visitors to eat, he'll keep them from harm and provide them with all their needs. Only the eldest son knows what their "Uncle" is. But when the latest heir to the Covenant arrives from England with his expecting wife, the vampire's pact may end. This novel also gives hints on Dracula's plans on moving to England.

I give it four stars because the middle of the book kind of drags. It is almost a reconstruction of the who Mina and Lucy relationship and the drama they endured during Lucy's illness. If you read the original you'll remember the whole illness that Lucy suffered at the hands of Dracula. We go through it again here with Mary and Zsuzsanna. Zsuzsanna is ill and bedridden. They hang garlic wreaths around the windows, as per peasant servants requests, and she gets better. But when the garlic is removed she gets sick again. So yeah that was boring because it was almost line per line from DRACULA. So the middle of the novel revolves mostly around Zsuzsanna's malady, Mary and her husband Arkady's doubts on there sanity.

All that said I still enjoy the build up and the gloomy atmosphere. It kind of reminded me of Dark Shadows.

Rating:
Summary: Traditional Vampire Novel
Review: I was surprised when I started to read this novel that the author choose a more traditional and mythological take on vampires. Like vampires are not harmed by sunlight, but are harmed by garlic, and can be shape shifters. I like the eerie and dreadful atmosphere of the novel. This is not an Anne Rice book where the vampire is confused about his identity or mesmerized by a painting. This is a novel about a family who slowly discover the truth about there kind and giving Uncle Vlad. At first I thought "Oh gee another Dracula novel . . .." It is a prequel to Stoker's work that takes place fifty years before the original novel. This novel tells of a pact between Dracula and his descendants. That as long as they obey him, i.e. bring him visitors to eat, he'll keep them from harm and provide them with all their needs. Only the eldest son knows what their "Uncle" is. But when the latest heir to the Covenant arrives from England with his expecting wife, the vampire's pact may end. This novel also gives hints on Dracula's plans on moving to England.

I give it four stars because the middle of the book kind of drags. It is almost a reconstruction of the who Mina and Lucy relationship and the drama they endured during Lucy's illness. If you read the original you'll remember the whole illness that Lucy suffered at the hands of Dracula. We go through it again here with Mary and Zsuzsanna. Zsuzsanna is ill and bedridden. They hang garlic wreaths around the windows, as per peasant servants requests, and she gets better. But when the garlic is removed she gets sick again. So yeah that was boring because it was almost line per line from DRACULA. So the middle of the novel revolves mostly around Zsuzsanna's malady, Mary and her husband Arkady's doubts on there sanity.

All that said I still enjoy the build up and the gloomy atmosphere. It kind of reminded me of Dark Shadows.

Rating:
Summary: What can I say besides wow?
Review: I'll admit the story starts a little slow in my opinion. How can I say that when the opening line is a bold statement of a death? Easy. Long-time horror book reader, but I digress. It quickly picks up though, and I found myself emerged in the world of the Dracul family. It's easy to get caught into the story as you progress further. You feel like you're that metaphorical fly on the wall, witnessing things you should not.

The story is told much in the same style of Bram Stoker's Dracula, which is the family's account of the events as told to their journals, but this story takes place 50 years before the events that occurred in Bram's novel. In this Covenant with the Vampire, Arkady Tsepesh has returned to his ancestral home of Transylvania, taking with him his pregnant wife, Mary. His father has died, and now he must continue the family tradition. The family is bound by a covenant to take care of Vlad Dracula, and in return, Dracula protects them.

Arkady doesn't believe the rumors about his dear, eccentric uncle. For years, the villagers have held on to "silly superstitions" about the Tsepesh family, resulting in a hate-hate relationship between the villagers and the family. Strange occurrences begin to take place at the Tsepesh estate. The family scrambles to make sense of the things that are happening around them. They often question their sanity, even in the face of evidence. Education leaves no room for "irrational" beliefs. As they piece together the mystery, Arkady is horrified to find what is expected of him now, and what's even worse, the covenant has been broken.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I think most vampire lovers will. Jeannne Kalogridis has done a wonderful job of spinning a tale that leaves you wanting more. And you can tell that's she's definitely done her research for these book. This book provides chronological history for the vampire that started it all while being historically accurate. It has given us something new to ponder in the world of Dracula. Covenant with the Vampire is chilling and insightful, and from the descriptions she gives, one is able to visual everything with a glaring clarity. The story is laced with intrigue, mystery, and an air of seductive evil.

As you progress through the novel, the urgency of the characters become more and more apparent as they try to discern between what is real and what is fake. The only complaint I had is that she seemed to fall into descriptive overload at some points (usually the dullest points), and you may find yourself skipping a few pages ahead to get to the good stuff. Otherwise, I think it a good book to add to any vampire collection. It draws from a classic.

mortal_belleza

Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece in mythological Vampiric Literature
Review: The Diaries of the Family Dracul. This series is a priceless collection that should grace every Vampire's collection. Ms. Kalogridis seems to attain the sublime gift of literary omniscience. All the journals are masterfully written, full with prismic expression sublime. These books are a gateway to the Gothic World of the strigoi, wherer we become intimately acquainted with the Tsepesh {sic} Family, & all those around them.

The text is highly addictive, for it is the most crystallized Vampire novel I have ever read. It is a masterpiece. There is passion, violence, blood, sensitivity, romance, tragedy, sensuality, cruelty, fear, & debauchery. All emotions are stimulated. The scenery, the sounds, the textures, the tastes, the emotions, are all dramatically tangable. Wolves, superstitious peasants, Vampires, storms, are all present here, all guided by the nefarious hand of Vlad Dracul, who are all powerless in His infernal game of pleasure & pain.

The whole tale is an inspirational opus, depicting the World of Darkness to its most splenderous. This is the stuff beautiful nightmares are made from.

Reading Covenant With The Vampire by candlelight is most appropriate, sipping on a glass of slivovitz to arm the bones on a cold rainy night, for it is always as such within...

In the dark of the night, may the hypnotizing emerald eyes of Vlad watch over you. But whatever you do, do not break the covenant...

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Vampire Saga
Review: The first of the three book series, Covenant With the Vampire, is one of the best Vampire Sagas ever written. From the very start, a dark mood is set and it continues to unfold throughout the rest of the book. The story unfolds as Arkady Tsepesh's father has died and he and his pregnant wife are on route to Transylvania to undertake his late fathers role, that as an aid to a great uncle, Vlad Dracula. Arkady and his wife do their best to remain optimistic, but as the days go by, Vlad's evil begins to encompass every part of their lives.

The book is set as a prelude to Bram Stoker's Dracula and Jeanne Kalogridis does a magnificent job is setting the evil atmosphere you'd expect. The novel is filled with horror, suspense, tragedy, and despair, while always showing a ray of light and of hope that this evil can be overcome. This book is not to be passed up, whether you are a fan of Vampires or horror in general.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad, not Anne Rice, but not bad, a bit overdramatic
Review: This story of the Family Dracul(a), wasn't bad, but was a bit overdramatic in places, especially in the reading some of the actors gave. The main character "Vlad" or "V" was an evil dude, and his relative Arkady was a bit of a sad figure. The women gave better reading. It had a few moments of mild erotic scenes, but these didn't detract from the story. It's not Anne Rice, but it's not bad.
I will be listening to the follow-up Children Of The Vampire".
One thing, if the buyer gets the "UNABRIDGED" version, by Brilliance Audio, an "adapter" is needed for non-stereo players (are there any players like that anymore? I have a couple). Anyway, there are spoken instructions for this. It can, to the unfamilar with these types of books on tape, like I was, be confusing, but they did give instructions for that too. [I presume to give the complete book in audio on a limited # of tapes, but I got it on sale; but next time, I think, I'll try the abridged.] I got the books too; hopefully it reads better, in print, than it is to listen to.

Rating:
Summary: The Positives and The Negatives
Review: With Covenant With The Vampire by Jeanne Kalogridis I will start with the positives of the book and work my way down to the negatives. It starts off a historical fiction piece written as a diary by Vlad The Impalers family. I found that to be a "Novel" ideal. The author lies a good solid foundation with the beginning entries giving us a brief history of who and why they are there about each of the family members other than Vlad in the Dracul family. From there at takes a down hill spiral.


There simply was not enough action in this book to keep my interest. There was very little killing, no fighting, and only two vampires created in the entire book in which that didn't occur until the final chapters. There is also VERY little about or of Vlad Dracula in this book. Which made it even more dissapointing. The main character Arkady is portrayed way too wholesomely and sniveling. Who wants to read about a sniveling belly aching hero? Not I. I have bought the next two installments of this series. Hopefully they will prove to be a bit more entertaining.