Customer Reviews

Vampire of the Mists: Ravenloft: The Covenant (The Ravenloft Covenant)

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is the first Ravenloft novel I've read and so is my first encounter with Jander Sunstar and Strahd. I must say that I'm impressed by the novel that Christie Golden has written. Jander is an extremely well-developed character that I was able to sympathize with. I could feel his anguish as being a Gold Elf that could never feel the kiss of golden sunlight and must feed himself on the lifeblood of others. The conflict between his elven nature and vampire existence made for a great character.

The one thing that hampered this book for me was the feeling that the Ravenloft world was too confined. I realize that this is the first novel in the series, but the land just seemed too small. Castle Ravenloft, two towns, and the land between seemed to be all there was. Somehow this setting just left me wanting more.

Overall this is a great first work for Christie Golden and a great start to the Ravenloft series. I would recommend this book to any fan of fantasy, vampires, or adventure fiction.

Vampire of the Mist by Christie Golden is the re-release of the first book that launched the Ravenloft world. This book was first released by TSR in September of 1991. It seems Wizards of the Coast may be trying to revive the Ravenloft world as they are starting to re-release some novels that have been out of print for a long time. I will say this, if you are a fan of fantasy vampire novels this is a must read.

The plot of this book is a very well thought-out plot. It is deep and has several layers to it that the reader is always left wondering what the next page will bring. The basic plot is that of a elven vampire who is trying to seek revenge for the death of someone he loved. The journey and self-discovery that this elf (Jander) partakes in is a fantastic ride. Along the way there are various small sub-plots, but they by no means hinder the overall plot, quite the opposite they add considerable depth to the story and allow the reader to `feel' the story as Ms. Golden intended it. Being that this was the first book in the Ravenloft world Ms. Golden also does a phenomenal job at describing all the things that make Ravenloft unique and interesting. Things such as the fog, the gypsies, Castle Ravenloft, history and countless other things. This truly is a gem of a book.

The characters in this book add so much to the overall story. They are extremely well fleshed out and the development of the characters rivals that of any fantasy book I can think of. Characters such as Jander, Strahd, Sasha, etc develop so much it's amazing that this was only a 300 page book. If you are wanting to read more about Jander there is an additional short strory in the Wizards of the Coast Anthology titled Best of the Realms and the short story title is called `Blood Sport'. The depth that Ms. Golden gives Jander just makes the character so much more real and fun to read about.

Overall, this is one of the best single novels I have read in quite a long time. Everything about this novel `works'. There is just enough of things to alow the reader to form a mental picture, without over burdening the reader with unnecessary facts that slow the story. As I said before, if you are a fan of vampire novels you must read this. If you are a fantasy fan I am almost certain you will enjoy this as well. If you are a fan of reading and are looking at a fantasy book, I would without a doubt recommend this one. I truly can't say enough about this wonderful book. I highly recommend this to everyone.

This was my first Ravenloft book and not having read much fantasy mixed with horror in the past few years this was a delectable plunge into a world I couldn't even begin to describe. Vampire of the Mists is an exquisite tale of darkness, lost love and a quest for vengeance through the eyes of Jandar Sunstar, a gold haired elf from gentle hills of Evermeet. Ever since he was made into a vampire, he has roamed the night alone for five hundred years, filling his dead body with blood, living on the lives of others he was an undead creature who sadly looked forward to eternal lonely existence until one day, while out feeding he met Anna. She lived in a mental asylum but captured his heart that was still full of hope and goodness despite his curse only to slip away, leaving him a clue as to her painful past and the reason why she went mad.

I absolutely loved the writing of Christine Golden, her descriptive, rich and fluid language seeped of the pages like honey, and filled my head with images and treasures, of wolves, vampires, gypsies and villagers of Barovia. The fantasy world or darkness and light, the story lines and the characters married into the tale of Jandar and his promise to Anna for avenging her death. He was mystically transported to Barovia's Castle Ravenloft, where he befriended, or so he thought, Count Strahd Von Zarovich. His name alone gave me Goosebumps as he welcomed the elf to his home, wanting to learn form his wisdom and slowly trying to corrupt whatever good was left in Jandar. Strahd was one sneaky bastard, cruel and evil yet captivating, he used magic and commanded wolves to do his bidding, he turned beautiful women into vampires and drained the villagers of their happiness and resources. He played mind games with everyone and had many secrets as to how he came to power. Jandar starved for truth as he spend years trying to decipher the castle and its mysteries only to find out a secret so shocking and brutal that it opened up like a can of warms, searing him in hot anger and destined to set things straight.The book was a non stop rollercoaster of action and was so rich and well detailed that I could see the stars in the sky, the silver gleam of the moon falling on the running wolves, their strong paws hitting the bud, their warm breath curling for taste of human blood. The Vampires turned to dark bats or into a mist traveling through the dark hills and roamed for unsuspecting victims to feed on.

Jandar was a great soul, sad, at times savage when angered but he cared for beauty and he longed to have the sun hit his face, but he was on a quest to dig up the dark buried secrets that Strahd guarded in the Ravenloft Castle with his hordes of wolves and vampire slaves. I can't wait to read the rest of the Ravenloft series, for this was a magical and satisfying read, and warmly recommended to everyone who loves good book. After all this is what reading is about, the love and enjoyment of a good story that leaps of the pages.

- Kasia

I suspect that this book's detractors were either (a) looking for something else entirely or (b) smoking large amounts of crack. This book is a gem, something I ran into at a used book-shop, something more a rarity these days than it was eight years ago, what with the advent of online purchasing. It was tucked away in a dark corner with a glut of other vampire literature, and as I sat perusing these books and their contents, I came to know Jander Sunstar. Jander, next to Louis in Rice's "Interview With the Vampire" (and ONLY this book), really struck me as a powerful metaphor on so many levels. The metaphor of a self-loathing vampire has only been explored successfully in these two books and in the Batman graphic novel trilogy (Red Rain, Bloodstorm, and Crimson Mist).

We have a metaphor here for depression: vampirism. They wander alone, they hate themselves for their needs, yet cannot escape them. I have lived a very similar life, though nothing nearly so fantastical. Jander really broke my heart, the way he spoke with one girl that Strahd had left for him: "You know that I will hurt you as little as possible, and take only the minimal amount I need, right?" And even after calming her, he hates himself for taking what he needs. Jander and Batman were taken by treachery amidst noble deeds, Louis seduced at his point of greatest sorrow: the point is, they hate what they are, yet see no way out. They do what good they can amidst evil they know they will have to pay for.

Whenever I get good and depressed, not leaving my room for days at a time or speaking to another living soul, I find myself thinking of Louis, the transformed Batman ...and of Jander Sunstar. Jander, who loved music and light, and all growing things. Jander, who haunted the night and the ruined castle like a sorrowful ghost given substance. Jander, who loved deeply, who felt deeply, yet could only be harmed by this conscience he took with him everywhere. Yet, perhaps his sorrow could be his penance for the horror that he had become...

Like "Interview," this book shows what time means to a vampire, how swiftly it can pass. Yet it also shows how a single day can decide the tempo and color of decades to come, as well. I prefer Golden's depiction of Strahd, feeling that later books seek to make him less of a monster, but at least in my opinion, failing miserably. No amount of explanation can make Strahd even an anti-hero, let alone account for the horrors he has perpetrated. And I am not entirely certain that the personal hell he lives in is sufficient to make up for the things he has done....

Jander Sunstar is a unique Vampire. Not only is he a gold elf, he is also a vampire the reader can get emotionaly envolved with. He has a love of beauty, music, nature, and has feelings for others. His numerous adventures will keep you turning pages. There are many twist and turns in the story as well as a few surprises. I enjoyed the book very much and found it hard to put down. I like Jander so much that I hope to see him in another novel soon.

This is one of my most favorite books I've ever read. I enjoy every part of this book, especially the plot. The characters are colorful, the setting is dark and haunting, and the story is entertaining. On top of all that, it has a good length, not too long, yet not too short. It kept me reading it, and was very hard to put down. For examply, when I began it I found myself reading 20-30 pages a day, but as I went on, they increased to 50, 70, and even up to 100 pages! By then, the book was over, leaving me fully satisfied.

I must say that my favorite part about the plot is Jander's view on being a vampire. Most books might portray it as being some sort of cool gift, but this one describes it as a lonely and terrible existence, and the writing shows it. Throughout the book, many years pass; you see boys grow into men, people dying, having children. It's a great experience, to say the least, when you look back and see how different characters were as children. There's a real sense of character development in that, I believe.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a great read, doesn't mind a little darkness in their tales, and loves character development. Beware, however, this is not your average vampire book!

I have simply lost count of how many times I have read this book. As an introduction to the world of Ravenloft, this book was perfect, and in my opinion very hard to follow. Jander Sunstar is by far my favorite character, in all the hundred's of books that I have read. He is the perfect example of a lost soul in search of redemption and salvation. I wish that he had been carried on into other books, but I have yet to find one that he is in. This is a story for those who love vampires as there is no lack of the `evil vampires', but also just a very well written book and one that flows so smoothly even though it covers such a long span of time. If you come across this book, buy it. Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I have.

It's a great book to learn of Barovia, how Strahd is viewed by the public, & how the cult of 'The Morning Lord' started. For Christie Golden's 1st Ravenloft novel, I praise her. I always had a soft spot for elven characters & to hear one turned into an abomination; well... it's unheard of & unique. A good book filled with the drama/struggle of Jander dealing with his curse & him opposing Strahd. It has a good plot, characters, atmosphere, & a few twists. This book is a good suggestion for those who enjoy vampire characters who loath their kind & existance.

This was the first Ravenloft book I read and I absolutely loved it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy reading and especially if you enjoy reading about Vampires. The main character is extremely entertaining and the "bad guy" (Strahd) is equally interesting. This book set the "bar" very high for all the Ravenloft books that were to follow. Buy it if you can find it. I've read it 3 times.

After reading the two "I, Strahd" books I came to almost like Strahd and think he was a decent guy. But after reading this book, I relearned just how evil Strahd truly is.

From the beginning one would think that the book is about Jandar Sunstar's search for vengeance, and the plot may dictate this a lot, but in the end it is simply Jandar coming to realize his true enemy...I will stop there so I don't give it away.

Unlike the other Ravenloft novels I have read, this one leave the end open, so that you can come up with your own interpretation as to what really happened.

While I was reading the book I thought there was more character development (on Jandar Sunstar), but at the very end it turns out to be just the right amount.

The book starts off a little slow, and has some action towards the middle, but the plot does not really pick up until the last couple chapters.