Customer Reviews

Judgment of Tears:: Anno Dracula 1959

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'll admit it. I was drawn to this book by its cover, which, after dragging thru the first few pages, I sorely regretted. Being somewhat of a vampire purist, I couldn't reconcile Newman's <at times> irreverent handling of one of my favorite subject matters. So, slightly disgusted, I put the book aside. Several weeks later however, I caught the thing winking laconically at me, as it waited, patiently, comfortably nestled between Rice and Yarbro. So I gave it another go and, to my pleasant surprise, found myself acquiring a taste for Mr. Newman's rather unorthodox style. The complex dynamics between the three main female characters, old grudges which forced them apart, and even older obligations which drew them together, were, for me, the cornerstone of the book's appeal. And, being a James Bond fan from way back, his appearance was an interesting and cleverly wrought addition to the story line. The major flaw of this otherwise enjoyable read was its hastily concocted ending. I felt as if I were watching a cleverly directed big budget film, which falls a little flat at the ending, its financing cut short by a disgruntled investor. Don't let this little glitch deter you however. Mr. Newman spins a pretty good yarn.

Ciao Bella!

Ye Gods! Newman is a fiendishly clever polymathic (sic?) confabulatory yarn spinner. Do ya like Alternate History? Do Ya like Vampires? Do Ya like Fellini, Il Maestro? If the answer is yes or even 'well maybe' to any of the above questions, then check out Newman's Anno Dracula stuff. Prior installments not neccassary, but recommended. Never have Vespa Scooters, sunglasses and blood drinking been so amusing, sexy, fun and witty. If you love playing 'spot the reference', you'll have a ball (Clark from Kansas and Gomez Addams, anyone?) Also features an exteneded cameo, nay a supporting role even, by a character stand in for the late great MARCELLO MASTROIANI, for my money to coolest thespian even to commit his immortal soul to celluliod, although I'm not sure I've spelled his name correctly (!). Also, Velvet Undergrounf fans are in for a small treat too...

Newman's third book in the ANNO DRACULA series is arefreshingly light look at post-WWII Italy in his alternate universewhere Dracula (after having ruled England as Queen Victoria's PrinceConsort from 1885-88, then acted as Kaiser Wilhelm's chief militarystrategist during WWI) has retired in semi-exile to a large castlejust outside of Rome. Having recently announced his engagement to thevampiress Princess Asa Vajda of Moldavia, vampire elders aredescending upon Rome. This has upset the natural order of things, andvampire elders are being slaughtered by a mortal known as the CrimsonExecutioner. Also in Rome are the dying Charles Beauregard and hislover, 500+ year-old vampire Genevieve Dieudonne. Charles is beingquestioned by England's top spy, a vampire with a license to kill,about Dracula's possible motives for this wedding. Things soon take anasty turn, and vampire journalist Kate is soon in the thick of thehunt for the Crimson Executioner, too. The story takes great delightin lifting elements from Felini, Italian giallo horror movies, andeven THE EXORCIST! A great, fun read, not terribly scary but stillquite exciting as a vampire story where the bloodsuckers are bothheroes and villains. Can't wait for Newman's next, JOHNNY ALUCARD.

Things have moved along since _The Bloody Red Baron,_ with World War One long in the past. Dracula now lives in Italy, and is about to marry another elder vampire. Kate, whom we first met in _Anno Dracula,_ is covering the wedding.

There are a lot of references to Fellini movies, Patricia Highsmith's novels of Ripley, and Ian Fleming's works---as usual with Kim Newman, playing "spot-the-reference" is half the fun. The funeral that ends the book is unexpectedly poignant.

One of the first recommendations I received from Amazon.com was "Anno Dracula." I had barely even heard of the book, but my wife had bought a copy, so I decided to read it. "The Bloody Red Baron" quickly followed, then this latest book. I don't want to give away too much, but it does appear that "Judgment of Tears" may be the last in the series. I hope not, because I feel the series is getting better with each book. Many people felt that book three would be set in World War II, and that might've been good, but it might also have been a bit of "been there, done that." By setting this one in 1959, with frequent references to what did happen in WWII, Newman kept continuity while breaking new ground. The setting in Rome really added to the flavor of the book. This is a serious book, but there is also a lot of humor and satire. Newman probably better hope that Ian Fleming wasn't a vampire, or he might rise from the grave to seek revenge for the send-up of James Bond. Vampires seem to be a popular theme nowadays, but Newman seems to have staked (sorry) out his own territory. Regardless of whether or not he continues this series, I am eagerly awaiting his next novel. Meanwhile, I plan to get his other novels and read them. If you haven't read this series, you do need to start at the beginning. If you have already read the first two, but haven't read this one yet, what are you waiting for?

In ANNO DRACULA, Kim Newman posited a world where Count Dracula triumphs over Abraham Van Helsing, marries Queen Victoria, and becomes England's Prince Consort. Newman followed this triumph with THE BLOODY RED BARON, chronicling the events of the First World War as it took place in this alternative history. JUDGMENT OF TEARS, the third novel in this consistently inventive series, takes place in post World War Two Europe, circa 1959. In Rome to cover Dracula's royal wedding to undead Moldavian Princess Asa Vajda, journalist Kate Reed, a vampire herself, witnesses the brutal public slayings of two elder (long-"lived") vampires by the flamboyant Crimson Executioner. These killings, it seems, are only the latest in a series of murders--all the authorities can be sure of is that someone has declared open season on vampire elders. Her journalist's instincts aroused, Kate investigates, and is drawn into a web of intrigue involving, among others, Dracula, undead British secret service agent Hamish Bond, and Italy's own Mater Lachrymarum (The Mother of Tears), a mythic figure who may be the force behind The Executioner's bloody exploits.

As in previous works, Newman rewrites history, providing readers with an addictive mix of the familiar and the new, skillfully manipulating a huge cast of fictional (such as Iowan Clark Kent, and Drs. Pretorious and Herbert West) and historical (like Orson Welles and Anita Ekberg) characters. A la Tom Wolfe, Newman renders the political, social and cultural scene with great panache, providing generous helpings of action and humor along the way. The book can be read as an entertainment, or taken as a challenge, to see how many references readers note--Newman helpfully appends a key of sorts to the novel, so readers can gauge how well they do. Either way, the novel is consistently entertaining. You finish this book almost out of breath with the nonstop quality of the action, and with a new appreciation for Newman's considerable talents.

As an avid fan of Kim Newman I was thrilled to see this book come out. I never fail to recommend Kim Newman's books to everyone I meet, especially Anno Dracula, which I have read and re-read joyfully. I read Judgment of Tears and was not surpised to find that, as with all of Newman's works, I couldn't put it down. This is an excellent read and I recommend it highly!

Kim Newman should be shot for doing the same thing in this novel that he did in its 2 predecessors - give it a lame ending. The fact that I still gave it a 4 star rating, and read the book after seeing what the author did to the 2 prior books in the series gives you an idea how much I like his stories.

The problem is that Kim Newman can't write a decent ending to save his life. The 3 books I've read in this series are all the same - great story, interesting characters, fascinating alternate history. Then, for the last 50 or so pages, the story sputters and peters out in a bit of introspective hogwash. Newman is like a pilot who can take off and do incredible aerobatics, but just can't land the damn plane.