Customer Reviews

Anno Dracula

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At the moment I write this, Kim Newman's "Anno Dracula" is out of print. (Hopefully, by the time you read this, it will be available again.) It baffles me that such a wonderful recent novel (1992) could easily slip out of publication, especially when it is still very popular: apparently used bookstores can't keep this one their shelves for more then a day. With the huge success of Alan Moore's graphic novel "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" you would think this similar blending of Victorian personages, both historical and fictional, would widely available. This is really the dark fantasy version of Moore's heroic graphic novel, and anyone who enjoys either 1) alternative history, 2) vampire novels, or 3) dark fantasy will adore this book and never let their copy out of their greedy reading hands.

Mr. Newman imagines Victorian England if the bloodsucking count had been the victor in Dracula. The Count marries Queen Victoria and becomes ruler of an England rapidly becoming the territory of `new-born' vampires, who seek to be `turned' so they can rise in rank. Dracula opens up a reign of terror reminiscent of a medieval monarchy, yet still filled with traditional British Vicotrian attitudes. It's a delightful mixed brew of history and gothic darkness.

Into this thrilling setting slinks Jack the Ripper (also known as `Silver Knife'), slashing vampire girls in Whitechapel. Charles Beauregard, a human (or a 'warm' in vampire terms) who works for a secret society, and Genevieve, a vampire of an ancient boodline who has great distate for Dracula's reign both search for the murderer. Coming from two different angles, they join forces to try to fathom the mystery of the killings. Their invesitgation will lead to repercussions for all of this topsy-turvy, nightmare version of England.

"Anno Dracula" is an extraordinary feat of imagination: bloody, violent, erotic, and chock-full of historical and fictional guest stars: Oscar Wilde, Arthur Holmwood, Henry Jekyll, Jack the Ripper, Dr. Moreau, Danny Dravot (from Kipling's "The Man Who Would be King"), Professor Moriarty, George Bernard Shaw, etc. Even a quick mention of Lewis Carroll and Allan Quartermain! It's a Victorian literature lover`s dream come true -- and one for any fan of dark, exciting, BLOODY good fantasy and horror. Look for a copy, and let's hope it will be back in print soon!

There are books one simply shouldn't attempt to describe to the casual reader; regardless of merit, they sound not just uninteresting, but deeply silly. In eighth grade I was reading Harry Turtledove's Worldwar tetralogy, and a well-meaning classmate mentioned to our history teacher that I was reading a book about World War II. I was left to explain, "Yes, it's an alternate history where World War II is underway... and then aliens invade." Mercifully, I've forgotten what Mr. Dennett's reaction was.

The other day I was in the car, reading the new edition of Kim Newman's landmark vampire alternate history Anno Dracula, and I happened to read a passage out to my mother. (For readers familiar with the book, it was the exchange of insults in the pub.) She asked what the book's premise was, and I dutifully replied: "Well, it's like Dracula, except Dracula wins and he marries Queen Victoria." Mother was not amused.

I suppose it does sound ridiculous, but it isn't really. Dracula was a prince, and his ambitions were not small; had he not been defeated by Van Helsing's merry band, he might well have ingratiated himself with the British royal family, and the consequence would have been the world Newman portrays: a country where vampires have emerged into everyday life, where the best way to advance in high society is to "turn" and vampire-resisters are dragged off to concentration camps, where the prostitutes of the East End are as likely to offer blood as sex. Unless they're vampires themselves.

The story around which Newman's evocation of this alternate England is woven is the author's second quirky stroke of genius: Jack the Ripper is active in this world as well, but all his victims are vampires. The police, urged on by the government, are desperate to find this madman and potential folk hero, and so is the Diogenes Club, a secretive organization devoted to the national interest. The Club's agent, Charles Beauregard, finds himself working alongside the centuries old vampire Geneviève to find the Ripper. But their investigation is complicated by the sheer range of suspects, not to mention a vendetta against Geneviève and an increasingly repressive palace regime.

As one might expect, the characters of the novel include several from Dracula-- those, at least, who have survived, including Dr. Seward and Arthur Holmwood. But other Victorian and Edwardian literature is amply represented. One of the police detectives is Inspector Lestrade, while two doctors consulted about the murderer's knowledge and motivations are named Jekyll and Moreau. Vampires from other fiction have flocked to England for safety and freedom. Readers who don't like this sort of cameo appearance are advised not to read Anno Dracula, which is littered with them. For those who enjoy the game of tracking down references, there are plenty of semi-obscure names to identify. Historical figures, from Oscar Wilde to Sir Charles Warren, also appear.

But the novel is much more than a complicated game of Where's Waldo. Its world-building, in which real-world issues like sodomy raids and child prostitution are given a vampire twist, is ingenious enough, but it also includes vivid action sequences, intricate political intrigue, and a well-thought-out investigation. The Ripper's identity (itself a brilliant notion) is revealed to the reader early on, turning the book into a howcatchem rather than a whodunit, but allowing a powerful, disturbing insight into the killer's motivations. Anno Dracula is a fast-paced, delightful entertainment, a marvel of storytelling for those who like this sort of thing.

The book, first published in the 1990s, has long been out of print, but was recently released in a new edition by Titan Books. In addition to the original text, the new edition includes a number of bonus features: annotations by the author, identifying some of the more obscure references; an afterword on the novel's genesis; an excerpt from the novella "Red Reign," which preceded the novel and has a slightly different ending; extracts from Newman's unproduced screenplay for a film version, which includes a few new sequences and some altered characters; "Drac the Ripper," an essay on other Ripper/Dracula stories; and "Dead Travel Fast," a short story featuring Dracula that, while not formally part of the Anno Dracula universe, could fit into it, and is in any case a sharp, nasty piece dealing with a less-appreciated trait of the vampire.

I mention the Anno Dracula universe. Newman followed the original novel with two sequels: The Bloody Red Baron, set during World War I, and Dracula Cha Cha Cha (released in the US under the dull title Judgment of Tears), set in the 1950s. A fourth novel, Johnny Alucard, bringing the series into the present day, has long been in the works. Titan Books now plans to publish the entire series. Anno Dracula came out this month; The Bloody Red Baron (containing a never-before-published novella) will follow in October 2011, while Dracula Cha Cha Cha (with another new novella) will appear in April 2012 and Johnny Alucard in October 2012. Fans of Wold Newton-esque vampire fiction have much to look forward to.

Kim Newman's "Anno Dracula" has one of the most audacious plots imaginable -- let's assume that Bram Stoker's "Dracula" was non-fiction, and that Dracula defeated his nemesis, Van Helsing. Then, let's assume that Dracula "seduced" Queen Victoria and is now the Prince Consort, effectively ruling Great Britain. Throw in Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Jekyll, John Merrick (the Elephant Man), Jack the Ripper, and even a brief reference to the Lone Ranger(!), and you've got one heck of an amazing world to spin a yarn.

Newman's Victorian England is populated by vampires and "warm" humans, and there is little shame in being a vampire. But not every vampire becomes a "lord of darkness" -- Newman shows many vampires scraping by, selling themselves just like the "warm" cheap harlots of London's lower neighborhoods.

In that murky world, Jack the Ripper is butchering vampire prostitutes, using vicious silver blades. Two kindred spirits, the "warm" adventurer Charles Beauregard and the ancient vampiress Genevieve, pursue Jack and seek to put a stop to his diabolical ends. Beauregard works at the behest of the mysterious cabal known as the Diogenes Club, a group dedicated to the removal of Dracula's power, while Genevieve chases Jack out of mercy, trying to save the vampire-girls Jack seems hell-bent on savaging.

Newman packs "Anno Dracula" with action, unlike other "alternate vampire histories" (granted, a limited genre) like Brian Stableford's "Empire of Fear." Beauregard's prowess with a sword is easy to grasp, but Genevieve, an "elder" vampire even more ancient and powerful than Dracula, has powers far beyond the grasp of even other vampires. And even Genevieve meets a vampire that she cannot fend off for long, a Chinese horror sure to give more than a few readers nightmares.

A detective story that takes place in a London ready to explode in civil war where the "warm" take on the vampires and the vampires fight among themselves, "Anno Dracula" is a lark. Packed with enough gore and gothic eroticism to satisfy the vampire afficionado, "Anno Dracula" rarely goes over the top and manages to stay fairly grounded. A terrifying climactic stand-off between Beauregard, Genevieve, and Dracula ends ominously - Dracula is still out there, and he's not going to take his lumps lying down. Here's looking forward to the next in the series!

Kim Newman's gothic horror novel, "Anno Dracula" is a fine riff of Bram Stoker's original masterpiece. Newman asks the reader a simple question: What if Dracula had won in his confrontation with van Helsing and the other protagonists from Stoker's novel? His ultimate objective, it appears, was to marry Queen Victoria and claim the British throne for himself. To cement his rule, the vampire spreads his curse to create a whole new class of subject, the undead. Within this mess Dr. Seward finds himself cast in the role of Jack the Ripper as he seeks to destroy the undead in his quest for vengeance. With a fine eye for literary satire Newman throws in plenty of Victorian characters from other great works just for kicks. If you liked Dracula and don't mind the occasional "What If" scenario then you might want grab a copy of this hard to find gem.

Count Dracula has married Queen Victoria, and vampirism is the hip new trend for anyone who wants to be anyone. A mysterious killer is cutting down young vampire prostitutes in the streets, and the police have received a letter claiming credit from someone who calls himself Jack the Ripper. If you enjoy classic vampire stories, mysteries, Victorian London, or just a really good story, it's worth taking a look.

My only complaint is that the tangled threads of multiple viewpoint characters get confusing. There are quite a few characters to keep track of, each with their own agendas. Most of them are familiar from other works (the good Dr. Jekyll inspects a recent murder victim; when he is visited for further questioning, he's consulting with his friend Dr. Moreau), and there's a healthy appendix at the end that lists historical and fictional references by chapter, but it's still a lot to keep track of.

I'm very glad to have discovered this original, complicated but enthralling book by Kim Newman. In this take-off of Bram Stokers Dracula, the Count survived execution and went on to become the consort of Queen Victoria in 1888. England is made up of the "un-dead" and the "warm," and when a killer 'Silver Knife' begins murdering vampire prostitutes, they must work together to track him down. Many names from the original Dracula, as well as other literary works find this way into the story, which is fun.

I had a little trouble sticking with this book at first--it is quite complex and with many characters--but once I got pulled in, I could not put the book down. I highly recommend this for fans of the original Dracula.

I bought Kim Newman's book 'Dracula Cha Cha Cha' a couple of years ago, and enjoyed it so much I resolved to buy the other books in the series. However, they appear to be out of print, and 'Anno Dracula' was only available through Amazon's (excellent) second hand book sales facility.
I was delighted when the book arrived, and the book itself lived up to my anticipation. There are so many literary and historical allusions to the era (1880s / 1890s )and part of the fun is seeing how many you know or can understand. They add to rather than detract from the excellent story telling.
This book should really be reissued.

Kim Newman acknowledges Howard Waldop (among many others) in the back of this book, with the note, "I'm not worthy." I disagree. Newman has his own take on alternate history, and there's room enough for him, even around the legendary Waldrop. In all actuality, Anno Dracula isn't alternate history--it's alternate fiction, because Newman's stepping off point from the norm isn't in any history book, but Bram Stoker's Dracula (in fact, on page 249 of Leonard Wolf's annotated edition, recently updated as The Essential Dracula). To compare Newman with another author, you might say that Anno Dracula is the horror novel that Philip Jose Farmer would have written if he still did that sort of thing (instead of collaborating with that ... Piers Anthony), for Anno Dracula also pulls in Inspector Lestrade, Dr. Jekyll, Dr. Moreau, Mycroft Holmes, among others. In fact, after awhile, I started wondering if my pulp education had missed something in that I did not recognize where the protagonist, Charles Beauregard, came from (although I did finally recognize the origin of Genevieve from the references to Camilla). There's one page that reads as an homage to all the vampires in fiction, and any vampire trivia fan's nightmare. But Anno Dracula is more than a mere bundle of literary in-jokes. It's also a well-written adventure novel, in the vein (pun intended) of Tim Powers, to mention yet another author. While it is marketed as a horror novel, and has a requisite amount of gore and teeth, I felt that the noveau term "dark fantasy" fits it better, or even steampunk, to once again compare it to Powers and books like The Anubis Gates and Jeter's Infernal Devices. I used to read Interzone fairly regularly, and Newman was quite a staple of that magazine in recent years. I was never overly impressed by his writing there, although I recognized that he had talent. Given Anno Dracula, however, I'd be willing to give Newman several other chances.

One of the best vampires books ever written. It combines the suspense of a mystery novel with the mysteries of the vampire. Dracula has defeated Van Helsing, and become Queen Victoria's advisor. Now it's 'in' to be a vampire, and vampires are appearing in all walks of life, but someone in Whitechapel is killing off the vampire whores. We are re-introduced to the characters from the original Bram Stoker novel, but as an added bonus to history and literature fans, there are cameo appearances from some of the greatest characters from the literature and history of the Victorian era, from Jack the Ripper to Sherlock Holmes, and even a friendly jab at Anne Rice. A definite MUST read for any vampire/history/literature fan.

This is a truly unique novel. Newman presents us with a London virtually taken over by the undead. Vampires have come out of hiding and are now fully "out". Living people (referred to as "warm") flock to be turned, and vampires are now found in every walk of life from government to shop keeper to prostitute. Newman is extremely detailed, and he introduces numerous characters while weaving in actual historical occurrences into the story. We get a glimpse of this London at the time of the Whitechapel murders; only this time, the Ripper preys on vamp prostitutes, and his identity harkens back to Stoker's DRACULA.
All in all, this is a delightful and creative novel. It is a breath of fresh air amidst the Lestat wannabes. Keeping up with all the different characters can be a task, but if you give this novel a chance, you most definitely won't be disappointed. This is the first novel of a trilogy, and I'm rushing to read the next in the series (BLOODY RED BARON).