Customer Reviews

In the Name of the Vampire (Marquis de Sade)

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

 

 

Mitchelle's series, inspired by a vampire who has donned the legendary name of Marquis De Sade, continues in this sixth installment. This time the reader is introduced to two young lovers, a mortal woman who is admired and sought after for her beauty, and a young man who was born half mortal and half vampire.

The woman, once a lover of Sade before seeing his true self, has suddenly vanished from the apartment of Justin, the half-breed who destroys vampires. Hearing the Sade is back in Paris, he is convinced the diabolical man has captured his former slave. Enlisting in the help of another vampire to locate Sade - and of course, his beloved Madeline, he has to repay for this information by vowing to also try his best to locate the current vampire serial killing traumatizing the streets.

The books plot is no mystery, as much is given away in the beginning. The reader knows who the killer is, the details of Sade's involvements, and everything along the step of the way. While it's not a mind twister and isn't a read that makes one think, it does offer some amusing tension between the old rivals Marie and Sade.

Justin's character is convincing enough but it wouldn't have hurt to know a bit more about him besides his undying devotion to the memory of Madeleine. Pacing is fast enough and I never grew bored, although the midsection and ending of this novel was hurt by its lack of weight.

Before a Sade novel I read went into much more sexual detail, but here it was sadly amiss. Those looking for more of the same will find it a bit dry here, hinting more rather than showing. The compassion of Lilliana was a change, and welcome, but didn't make the most sense. The interesting 'family' was the more entertaining aspect. I couldn't really care about Madeline or Matthew, as they just didn't seem real and sympathetic enough. The ending was an abrupt drop, almost like the writer realized she'd reached her word limit and had to suddenly cease. A more thorough resolution - on the parts of many players - was sorely amiss.

Besides that, this was a fun little book in other ways, I was treated with a few chuckles, and it's hard to put down. Call it a guilty pleasure. Not something that's first star reading that one should actively seek out, but a book that's good enough not to be ignored if you walk by it in the library somewhere.

It's gotten to where I'm almost afraid to pick up a vampire novel anymiore because so many of them are just so bad. This was no exception. I thought the premise of the Maruis de Sade as a vampire might prove interesting but the writer obviously knows very little of the historical character and managed to make him a good deal less interesting in undeath than he was in life. Ditto for the fictional characters that populate the book. They were so painfully boring I kept hoping they'd all die a grisly death. No such luck however. In short, don't waste your money or your time on these books. Anne Rice may have gotten predictible as her books went along but at leat the woman could write! This one can't and it shows. Painfully.

I must honestly say that even though I enjoyed this book...I expected more. It was definitely suspenseful but the suspense was taken away about halfway through the book. Although that part was a little bit of a let down...I did however enjoy the conceited yet devilishly charming Marquise de Sade. Right when I thought this book was going to end with the famous Sade being somewhat of a nice guy towards the main situation of the story...he flips the script and ended it just like his character should. Out of all of the characters...he is definitely my favorite.
I have to say that I was left with a few question marks when I reached the end of this book. I'm curious to know if the artist Jacques continued his insane love affair with the conniving yet sexually-talented Marie or did he flee after his meeting with Justin to confirm that she was indeed a vampire. And what happened to the sweet hearted Lillanna? She made her appearance in the story...determined to help Justin find Madeline and then she just up and disappeared when things started to get good.
Hopefully those questions will be answered in Mary's next book.