Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter [Paperback]

A. E. Moorat (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 26, 2010

There were many staff at Kensington Palace, fulfilling many roles; a man who was employed to catch rats, another whose job it was to sweep the chimneys. That there was someone expected to hunt demons did not shock the new Queen; that it was to be her was something of a surprise.

London, 1838. Queen Victoria is crowned; she receives the orb, the scepter, and an arsenal of bloodstained weaponry. If Britain is about to become the greatest power of the age, there’s the small matter of the undead to take care of first. Demons stalk the crown, and political ambitions have unleashed ravening hordes of zombies even within the nobility itself.

But rather than dreams of demon hunting, Queen Victoria’s thoughts are occupied by Prince Albert. Can she dedicate her life to saving her country when her heart belongs elsewhere? With lashings of glistening entrails, decapitations, zombies, and foul demons, this masterly new portrait will give a fresh understanding of a remarkable woman, a legendary monarch, and quite possibly the best demon hunter the world has ever seen.

In another incarnation as a more serious (though still satirical) author, A. E. MOORAT has won critical acclaim and been shortlisted for awards. Here, however, he was chained in the dungeon, fed tea and ghost stories, and kept busy writing the adventures of Queen Victoria, Demon Hunter.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Add Queen Victoria to the rapidly growing coterie of classic and historical characters forced to battle supernatural evil (see Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Zombie Jim, etc.), as pseudonymous author Moorat combines Victorian manners, gallows humor and grindhouse gore into a satisfying historical adventure. After ascending to the throne, 18-year-old Victoria has her hands full with matters of state and the heart; when she learns of a clandestine war between humans and demons, however, Victoria's responsibility to protect the Empire takes on violent, visceral dimensions. With help from a Scooby Gang of rough-and-tumble warriors known as the Protektorate, the self-possessed young monarch must battle demons (a catch-all category including werewolves, zombies and many others), quell a brewing insurrection and protect her beloved Prince Albert, all while maintaining her royal decorum and a stiff upper lip. Moorat infuses his tale with enough bravura and over-the-top action to lift it above a horde of similar projects; readers able to stomach the deliriously bloody goings-on will find plenty to enjoy. END

Review

“Moorat infuses his tale with enough bravura and over-the-top action to lift it above a horde of similar projects; readers able to stomach the deliriously bloody goings-on will find plenty to enjoy.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )

“Wildly entertaining . . . Moorat’s story rises above mere gimmick.” (Los Angeles Times )

“[T]he effect is that of a lost Gilbert and Sullivan operetta written under the influence of opium, absinthe and black pudding.” (Washington Post )

Product Details

• Paperback: 374 pages
• Publisher: Eos; 1 edition (January 26, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061976016
• ISBN-13: 978-0061976018
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #670,192 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lots of fun, because it knows what it is...*slight spoilers* EDITED TO ADD, January 3, 2010

By 

Xina143 (VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter (Paperback)

(What's this?)

This book doesn't set out to educate us on Queen Victoria, though from what little research I did, some of this book is indeed historically accurate, no this book has one purpose...to entertain. And if I am being honest, I was thoroughly entertained!

At almost 400 pages, I didn't find the book overly long, and truth be told I wouldn't have minded another 50-100 pages. From the beginning we are told that demons exist among us, some pass as humans and even develop human emotions, some are more forthcoming with who and what they are. And some demons are actually humans, but then if you live in the real world you already know that. We are told that Queen Victoria and her beloved Prince Albert are to sire an heir to the throne, a descendant of the demon Baal, but we know that there is more to the royal couple than meets the eye. Along the way, we meet the Queen's loyal Prime Minister Lord Melbourne, and we can see the fatherly feelings he has towards the queen. We meet Maggie Brown the Royal "protector" and her soldiers-Hudson, HIcks and Vasquez (yes, if you are a fan of Aliens like I am this will give you pause and a bit of a laugh), but it is the Queen that takes center stage as she should.

I can only assume that the author, A.E.Moorat is an Alien fan. Aside from the names of the 'grunts' charged with protecting the queen, Moorat's Victoria bears more than a passing resemblance to Weaver's Ellen Ripley. If this was deliberate, I enjoyed the 'joke' as it were, if not...well, I won't speculate that and will assume the author knew what he was doing. (though I did look at the author's website and no mention of Aliens...sooo...) The author did a good job writing of a strong, determined woman. One that realizes her destiny isn't necessarily carved in stone. I believed in the love of Victoria and Albert, and though it was 'mushy' at times, I never found myself turned off by the detour from the violence that is central to the story.

This book was fun, it didn't try to be something it wasn't, and I appreciate that in a book like this. I wouldn't classify it as horror though, more of a satire, though a very well written one. I will certainly seek out the author's next book!

After reading this book, I went online and did a search of the author, as i mentioned above. I was so surprised at the homages to Aliens, that I actually sent a quick email to the author asking if he was a fan and if the similarities were intentional. Not only did the author email me back, but he took the time to read my review here and even thanked me for it! I really enjoyed the book, and would have sought out the author's other books as they were published, but him taking the time to respond and answer my questions sealed the deal for me. I thought that was a really cool thing to do, and wanted to share with you guys how humble and nice this guy was.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Blood-soaked demon tale brings the gore, but not much Victoria, January 25, 2010

By 

Scott Schiefelbein (Portland, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter (Paperback)

(What's this?)

Count me as one of the many readers who recently devoured the guilty pleasure that is "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies." And so while I know very little about England's Queen Victoria, I could not resist diving into "Queen Victoria: Demon Killer." I must conclude that while "QVDK" splashes considerably more blood on the stage than "PPZ," ultimately Victoria does not emerge as the book's most intriguing character.

More on that in a moment. The background for this story is simple: the book opens with Victoria about to become queen, but queen of an England full of zombies, demons, and other dark magic. Certain real historical figures are in actuality demons, working to bring about their own form of hereditary rule over Britain. All that seems to stand in their way is Victoria and her team, including the exquisite assassin and Protektor, Maggie Brown. Along the way, we see that Victoria is no slouch with a blade and keeps her own dark secrets, which may in fact be unknown even to her.

What ensues is a fairly conventional tale of the supernatural, although chock full with entertainingly gory scenes. Rats are used to great effect, and zombies get to wreak delightful havoc in Parliament.

But the most enjoyable character, by far, is the "noble" Quimby. We first meet this nasty piece of business as he is hosting a party, only to learn to his chagrin that "the zombies are eating the prostitutes." Quimby is the kind of guy who will use his manservant Perkins as a human shield against the zombies, only to re-press Perkins into service when the poor sap reanimates. Quimby's perpetual need to angle for his own benefit in the face of zombies, demons, and darker beings is a delight, as he must also maintain the typical aristocratic arrogance that makes Victorian England such a ripe target for satire.

There are intrigues, plots, and double-crosses galore in this book, but ultimately the failure of Queen Victoria to emerge as the most interesting character in her own tale is a disappointment. It's still a good fun read, but it could have been so much more.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best adventure book I've read in ages, January 12, 2010

By 

J. Roberts "RP madman" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter (Paperback)

(What's this?)

This book couldn't have been published without Pride and Prejudice and Zombies seeing print, but the books are really quite different. While PPZ is a spit-take on a classic, Queen Vic is . . . well, alternative history comes close, but alternative universe history is probably better.

There are demons, werewolves, Lovecraftian horrors, hedonistic nobles, the wretched poor and a clockwork chainsaw wielded against a horde of zombies.

It's awesome, rollicking fun, establishing just enough tension to keep you interested, but not so much that you become deeply invested in the book, become too interested and cause the book's credulity to evaporate.