Covenant with the Vampire (Diaries of the Family Dracul) [Mass Market Paperback]

Jeanne Kalogridis (Author)

Book Description

Series: Diaries of the Family Dracul | Publication Date: September 1, 1995

A sensual, terrifying, incredibly accomplished first novel, this fascinating prequel to the classic and most popular horror novel of all time, Dracula, focuses on Dracula's great-nephew, who inherits the job of managing his great-uncle's estate...and his appetite. Written in diary form as Dracula is, this compulsively readable book has revelations that will shock and delight readers of the original. More erotic than Anne Rice, Kalogridis is a major new voice in vampire fiction. The first chilling tale in an exciting new trilogy is a rich and terrifying historical novel set fifty years before the opening of Bram Stoker's Dracula. At the castle of Prince Vlad Tsepesh, also known as Dracula, Vald's great-nephew Arkady is honored to care for his beloved though strange great-uncle...until he beings to realize what is expected of him in his new role. It seems that either he provides his great-uncle with unsuspecting victims to satisfy his needs, or Vlad will kill those Arkady loves. He is trapped into becoming party to murder and sadistic torture. And it is in his blood. When Arkady learns that his newborn son is being groomed one day to follow in his footsteps, he knows that he must fight Dracula, even if it means death.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in Transylvania, Kalogridis's smooth first novel launches a projected vampire trilogy that begins some 50 years before the action of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Like that classic work, this story is told through the diary entries of its major players. Upon the death of his father, Arkady Tsepesh is recalled from London with his pregnant wife to take over the family estate and care for his great-great-uncle-who happens to be the original Vlad the Impaler, now nearly 400 years old. As Vlad's power waned, he made a covenant with the villagers near his castle that he would spare their lives provided that they serve him faithfully. Arkady's father found himself bound to this service, as were all first males descended from Vlad. And now Arkady, too, must see that Vlad is well supplied with nourishing visitors lured from abroad. Kalogridis works hard to tighten suspense, dreams up new lore and here and there, especially in erotic passages, strives for fine writing of the sort that set apart Interview with the Vampire in the purple days of Anne Rice. But though the novel has many original touches, the diary format impedes the narrative momentum. Literary Guild; Doubleday Book Club; Science Fiction Book Club selections.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

In 1845, Arkady Tsepesh and his pregnant wife, Mary, travel from England to his ancestral home in Transylvania on the occasion of his father's death. It is destined that Arkady, as eldest son, will assume his father's duties as aide to his great-uncle, Vlad Dracula. The family's blood ties dictate that Arkady must do his uncle's bidding, but it soon becomes apparent that Arkady's allegiance could destroy his wife and unborn child. Written as a prequel to Bram Stoker's Dracula, this is the first title of a promised trilogy that will continue Vlad's story and ultimately mesh with the classic novel. This debut is a real chiller, erotic and gory enough for any vampire fan, and essential for all admirers of the original. For most public libraries.
Rebecca House Stankowski, Purdue Univ. Calumet Lib., Hammond, Ind.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Dell (September 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440215439
• ISBN-13: 978-0440215431
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #152,521 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Vampire Saga, July 1, 2003

By 

Jon Weber (IL, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Covenant with the Vampire (Diaries of the Family Dracul) (Mass Market Paperback)

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.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!, June 23, 2008

By 

Matthew Schiariti (new jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Covenant with the Vampire (Diaries of the Family Dracul) (Mass Market Paperback)

I'm not normally a fan of horror. Not that I don't like the genre, but I just never really found an author or horror novel that really made me want to find more books in the same genre.

Then I read The Historian and found that horror can be about more than just shock moments and blood. That book melded historical fiction (one of my favorite types of fiction) with vampire lore and myths about Dracula and yeilded a book that's one of my favorite reads to date.

Amazon recommended the Family Dracul books after I rated the Historian highly and reviewed it. And I'm glad I came across this book!

Similar to the Historian in a way (which is primarily told through a bunch of letters that is found by the story's main character over the course of time), Covenant With The Vampire is told as a series of diary entries written by decendants of Vlad Dracula.

Most everybody that's even remotely familiar with the Dracula legend knows some of his true history as well as the folklore: How he sold his soul in order to live beyond the grave, using the blood of the living to grant himself immortality and power. This book expands on an already rich and interesting subject. It delves deeper into that pact and how it would affect generations of Draculs for centuries. As it happens chronologically, this book takes place BEFORE Bram Stoker's Dracula

The book is quite addicting. Reading the characters' experiences and horrors in the first person via a series of diary entries really sucks you in as a reader and makes the horrors, loss and experiences all the more powerful. I really couldn't put this book down after I started it. Definetly what I'd call a pleasant surprise and highly recommended.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece in mythological Vampiric Literature, May 17, 2004

By 

Draconis Blackthorne (The Haunted Noctuary) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Covenant with the Vampire (Diaries of the Family Dracul) (Mass Market Paperback)

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...