Customer Reviews

Baltimore,: Or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Baltimore's" size caught my attention before I ever heard a word about the novel. On most library shelves, it'd be tucked in the oversize volumes.

The book itself is brilliant--good quality paper with illustrations rendered in black and white almost every page. More than anything, "Baltimore" reminds me of an illustrated library bound series I had growing up. If you love books and their construction, "Baltimore" is a joy to hold in your hands.

Reading the story is like picking up a Poe. Elements in the narrative are so very familiar with just the subtle twists that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.

"Baltimore" opens with Captain Henry Baltimore musing on the difference between toy soldiers and the real ones as he is set to cross No Man's Land with his men (World War I) to fight the Hessians. He is wounded and comes in and out of consciousness literally buried in a trench of his dead men. While fighting what he believes to be a carrion bird, he inadvertently injures the Red King, a vampire who was only at that time feasting on the dead. This act unleashes a plague--which we know of as the influenza epidemic of 1919.

The book continues with similar tales told by Baltimore's three friends who have each had their own encounters with supernatural beings in various guises. Then Baltimore's diary arrives with the former soldier's recollections.

"Baltimore" is a bleak read, but a fascinating one. The allegory of war at the beginning brought tears to my eyes. I definitely recommend you set aside whatever time you'd need to consume a 284 page novel when you start this book. If you're like me, you won't want to stop.

Things haven't looked too good lately in the vampire genre. Thankfully Lord Baltimore came along. It's the best piece of fiction I've read this year. Lord Baltimore isn't half in love with vampires. He's sworn to wipe the menance off the face of the earth. His friends aren't loveable goof balls or denizens of the night themselves; they're men: strong, loyal to the death and pretty quickwitted in their own right. The vampires in this novel are not sexy. They are vicious, foul, unmistakeably dangerous and and possessed of ratlike cunning. When Lady Elowen becomes one it's a horrible, unforgettable scene.

There is nothing pretty in this novel. It's an old fashioned tribute to Dracula and in some ways to Salem's Lot. Baltimore is a steadfast man. He's suffered beyong most human endurance and is set to kill the vampire or die trying. And the in the end, when you find out what happened to his beloved wife's wedding ring I dare you not to wink back tears. Bravo. This makes up for the whole revolting pile of chick lit vamps that have been foisted on the bookbuying public.

Before reviewing this book, I have to say that many of the editorial comments I've read under "plot synopsis" are understimations - and then some. They try to capture something and put it in a little box when it has a much more intoxicating allure than that, and it underestimates the read. It does have the vampire portion, the Hans C. Anderson appeal, WWI, the fiends, and so on. Still, one comes to expect more from an idea from Mike Mignola and, in Baltimore, the reader gets it.

As far as the book goes, it is an utterly grand rad. While there have been a lot of Hellboy tales done by Mignola/Golden, I've never really seen anything the two created that I was overly impressed with (and I am writing about novelizations coupling the efforts of the two just for clarity's sake because Golden does god work and Mignola does fabulous work). I had heard a lot about Baltimore when it was in its initial phases, however, and reading a few introductory paragraphs made me think that it might be good.
It was sooo much better than that.
For one thing, the plotline being followed is complex and gives the reader something to enjoy. It moves back and forth in a syllabic dance as it introduces various themes, and the way this is done is really rewarding. The metaphors utilized in the book, the ideas given life; everything kept me pressing on toward the end. You could see the influence of both Mignola and Golden in the story, too, an the pictures that Mignola includes here and there bring that much more depth to the read.
It was one of the best things I've read in quite some time.

If you accustomed to what Mignola can do and you like the almost fairytale allure he presents in so much of his work, then you will enjoy this. It isn't really like the oddities he does or his more mainstream work, instead standing alone and making it that much better for doing so. Even people who do not like Mignola, dark tales, or most of the keywords that come up when looking for this book would probably find it a great read.
I recommend it highly.

One of the best horror works I've ever read. This book is full of an eerie brooding atmosphere, enhanced by the illustrations of Mike Mignola. Truely a great vampire yarn, it strips away the usual glamor that the undead have accumulated in modern times... leaving them a terrifying foe.

But this is more then a vampire tale. Contained within are three tales of supernatural horror that rival the works of any of the old masters (such as Poe).

I've read my fair share of different authors and writings styles, now while I can't say that I am a hundred percent familiar with Mike's work, I can say that his style alone is noteworthy . . . look at the Hellboy films, which I believe Guillermo del Toro seamlessly brought to life; but this is not about Guillermo's interpretation of Mike's Hellboy, nor Mike as an author himself (because like I said, I'm not entirely familiar - and most of his stuff is too expensive for me to spend my money on), but rather (and this is quite obvious, since I'm writing a review about this title) Baltimore,: Or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire.

The funny thing is, in high school I wanted to be a writer but I hated reading (I know, an oxymoron), but boy oh boy a couple times in my life I asserted myself desperately to finding a book I wanted to read at the book store. I saw Baltimore at Schuller's Books and I thought that looked pretty dang good (talk about basing a book by its cover). So I asked my mom if she could buy it for me; she said "no."

So I went to the library and I ordered it. Not including the books I read in school (which I never actually read), this was the first novel I've ever read. The fact that a non-reader got through this with enjoyment says a lot about this story. I was amazed and shocked and pleasantly surprised when I actually saw these characters and settings come to life in a dark and depressingly gray world. Yes, there were pictures, but I didn't need them. This is one of the best paced, elegantly written shorter novels that I've ever read. I feel that Mike tapped into Stoker as well as Stoker himself tapped into himself, if that makes sense.

Now, after reading books from Stephen King, Cormac McCarthy, J.K. Rowling, Robert McCammon, Clive Barker and so on, this little novel still has a place in my heart for the kindle of my reading (and writing - though, at this point in time in my career, I say this rather loosely) life.

Firstly I recommend this novel to fans of horror. I can't quite compare this novel to King or Barker or Stoker, but I can say I got a similar vibe from reading this novel as I did reading Stephen King The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (there's really no similarities, it's just an undefinable vibe that I got which is what makes books so good). Mike, as a writer, is Guillermo del Toro as a film director - and I think that's why they've collaborated creatively in the Hellboy series. So, in other words, if you like Guillermo, you'll like this novel.

Secondly I recommend this book to perhaps a younger (or older) sibling or cousin or friend that is not quite into reading because they feel it's all boring like Copperfield and To Kill a Mockingbird; in other words: people who just can't stand school cirriculum, like I was as a high schooler. This book is a gateway drug into other great works and authors.

I am a fan of Mike Mignola. I have been following his works since before Hellboy. One of the greatest things about this book is its complex simplicity. It doesn't tell you everything. It gives you enough information to set the scene, then allows your own imagination to take over and fully create the environment. I felt that I was thoroughly immersed in this book, and could not wait to see what happened next. I felt the somewhat elusive nature of Lord Baltimore added greatly to the story. The tragedy that is Baltimore's life is compounded by the chapter comparisons to The Steadfast Tin Soldier.

The artwork is simply sublime. I love Mignola's simple style in this book. It is enough to spark a little thought, and perhaps set your imagination in the right direction according to the story. Any more detail in the artwork would have been a distraction.

Overall, if you are looking for a book that takes you by the hand and walks you through a story piece by piece, then pass on this one. If you have an active imagination and enjoy letting it run wild with a little help fom a talented author and artist, then by all means, read and enjoy.

Three men gather at a dingy inn on a grim night, awaiting the arrival of a third. To pass the time and to make sense of their presence, they take turns telling their tales and their relationship to the mysterious Lord Baltimore.

Taking Hans Christian Andersen's The Steadfast Tin Soldier as both a framing device and as a literary allusion, "Baltimore" is a gothic horror in the classic style. It is full of dank atmosphere and lugubrious woes, with supernatural beasts beating at the edge of reality and only a few brave stalwarts to stand against them. Purposely old-fashioned in style, it re-creates the old style of illustrated novelettes of the pulp era. I don't know who did most of the writing chores, but Mignola's style comes through clearly especially in the treatment of vampires and some of the imagery.

Much like Scott's Rob Roy, the title character does not even show up until near the end of the story. It is not actually Baltimore's tale, but more of a collection of linked short stories, each a tale of one of his companions; how they met Baltimore and how they came to understand the darker side of the world. This might disappoint some readers, but I was fully involved in the stories and loved the "gathering around the fire" feel of the book.

Strangely enough, if there is a weak point to "Baltimore", it is Mignola's illustrations. There are simply not enough of them, and they are all small and stark pictures that peak out like little windows in the text. The cover is the only fully colored illustration, which isn't bad in and of itself, but it would have been nice to seem some more fully rendered work.

Those of you who are familiar with Mike Mignola know what to expect from his latest collaboration with novelist Christopher Golden, a great read with colorfull characters and an excellent plot.
The story, which concerns a WWI soldier's quest to face and defeat a vampire that has unleashed a plague upon the world, is in itself quite straight-forward and easy to follow. It is however written using a lot of flash backs and starts off "in medias res", which really benefits the story. The way that Golden and Mignola elaborate och flesh out the story from that point on is both simple and elegant and contains a lot of memorable scenes and characters. As Mignola previously has done in his Hellboy-series the novel is filled to the brim with interesting side-stories based on myths and folklore, which seamlessly blend with the main plot.
Concerning the main characters I have to say that the eponymous hero, Baltimore, is a pure Mignola character. Both complicated, haunted, tragic, heroic and full of piss and vinegar. The secondary characters get their full treatment as well, especially the three companions of Baltimore, although I would have liked some more insight into The Red King and Baltimore's wife Elowen.
I also have to mention Mingolas artwork (since this is an illustrated novel) which is great as usual. The artwork helps to set the tone and does not distract from the read itself.
I seriously recommend this novel to anyone who likes stories filled with gothic horror, despair, adventure, myths & folklore, tragedy and a real hero's journey. The book itself is in my mind dirt-cheap when you ponder the fact that it is an illustrated hard-cover novel with a proper dust-jacket. Don't think just buy it!

As someone who indulges in the vampire genre quite often, I get tired of the usual vampire (sexy, brooding, well-educated guy with a heart of gold deep down and a healthy amount of angst). What a pleasant surprise to read about a whole new type of vampire, and that's what makes Baltimore stand out. Every page explodes with vivid imagery, most of it terrifying. I finished this book in one day and with the possibility of a continuation, I'm all set for these two brilliant writers to tell me the rest of Baltimore, Childress, Rose, and Demetrius' stories.

"Baltimore" is hauntingly macabre storytelling from Christopher Golden and Mike Mignola. Any fan of vampire fiction, especially drawn against an historical backdrop (here the waning days of World War I in Europe), will undoubtedly find a lot to like here. Golden's deft assembly of protagonist narratives blend very nicely with Mignola's stark illustrations (which compliment every few pages of the book). Prior to reading this book, I was only casually familiar with Mignola (via his Hellboy character's live-action and animated movie adventures). I hope Mignola and Golden collaborate more in the future. This is clearly a partnership that works!