Customer Reviews

Dark Ages Toreador (DA Clan Novel 9) (Dark Ages (White Wolf Numbered))

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Following in the entourage of Lord Alexander (the ousted Prince of Paris), Rosamund of Islington finally arrives at the court of Jürgen in Magdeburg. Rosamund knows Jürgen from her first diplomatic assignment, when a gift from the Queens of Love went awry. Rosamund was fascinated by Jürgen, and now finds herself torn between him and Alexander.

Alexander has become completely besotted with Rosamund and can't abide anything but complete devotion and obedience. Both of these traits do not come easily to the trained diplomat, and Alexander quickly reveals a petty and vengeful side that frequently takes more of his time than his efforts to get support in retaking Paris. If he cannot control Rosamund he is quite happy ruining everything around her.

Jürgen, who is everything that Alexander is not, is also torn. Not only is he attracted to Rosamund, but he also has been drawn into the Hungarian wars with the pagans. And at home he must defend himself from Alexander's political maneuvering. No matter what he does do, something else suffers.

If this sounds a lot more like a medieval historical romance than a vampire story you would be absolutely right. If it weren't for Alexander's powers as a millennia old vampire, and the presence of a Tremere blood sorcerer, the tale could have been about and court in the dark ages.

I've muttered about this before. Vampires are occult creatures both grim and grisly. There is an upper limit to how much they should imitate the life they have left behind. And they need to do things that make readers think 'Vampire!' on a regular basis. This means more than sipping delicately from a courtier's neck. The decision is yours to make, but there is very little horror or occult in the halls of Magdeburg. The book is well written, it advances the theme of the series, but it's more a tale for vampires, than it is a vampire story.

I'm only about half-way through this smallish novel, but I think it's safe to say that I wish I had read the previous review before purchasing. Until Lord Alexander entered the scene you wouldn't have known the story involved vampires at all. Most of the characters are decidedly human-acting, which is not a problem if you're trying to make a realistic character...but come on, this book is about VAMPIRES - the non-realism is already established with the very genre.
Also, the main character of Rosamund is unfortunately simpering and weepy - not at all what I was hoping for when I think of a seductive Toreador courtier. If I have to read another description of her eyes "filling with blood tears" I think I'll just stop altogether.

After 3 novels set in france i found a change of pace and sceanary rather a releif and there are some interesting things contained within. Lord Jurgens fight with the Tzimisce hordes of Hungury for one and the introduction of one of the most famous Tzimsice in history. Even though the main character, Rossamund is a rather annoying posuer at times and yes is rather a lot about mortal concerns like love and so forth like the other reveiws have stated but what they fail to consider is this. The Toreador are the most human the most humane Clan of all the 13 in the world of darkness. They are the most likely to follow the road of humanity and strive to be closer to it, to be immersed in it. They are the Clan of the Rose. I personally was not looking forward to this novel cuz, like most people, i find that the Toreador are my least faverate clan for all the above reasons. Hard core gamers seem to go for the more dark and monsterous and leave the more human fopps to the girls and the bent wristed. But my own personal veiws aside this is a good read. I was pleastently suprised.