Customer Reviews

Vlad Dracula: The Dragon Prince

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

 

 

The author did a very good job of taking the bare historic facts that are available regarding the life of Vlad "Dracula" of Wallachia, from sources both favorable and unfavorable, and turned them into an appealing novel which gives the reader a real sense of what the man must have been like. The reader gets a picture of who "Dracula" was and why he committed acts which have made him a legend to the people of modern Romania, and an infamous monster in the eyes of much of the globe. Having read accounts of the historic Vlad Tepes previously, I was surprised to find myself somewhat in awe of the man. In this novel we see "Dracula" in the context of his times and not just as some "monster" who committed atrocities against his enemies, as well as his own people. I found the book difficult to put down and read it cover to cover over the course of a few evenings. It truly gives one a much more balanced perspective on this infamous historical figure and the violent and dangerous times he lived through. I highly recommend it.

To be honest I was a bit worried when I first received the book. Usually books will have little complimentary blurbs in them from established reviewers and publishers, like the New York Times or something. "Vlad Dracula" seemed to include all these five-star ratings from right here off Amazon.com! I mean, honestly, anybody could be writing these 5 star reviews here, like the author's grand niece or his next door neighbor.

I breathed a sigh of relief once I started reading. It really is a good book. Well written, well paced. You come to care about Vlad Dracula, despite all those impalements. He was a man under extreme pressure from all around as well as within his country. Besides, it's not like the rulers of the other areas were squeaky clean examples. They were just as barbaric.

However, the ending of the book was totally, totally unnecessary. I do wish author Michael Augustyn hadn't gone the way he chose to go. I doubt he'll be reading this review, but if he did I would strongly urge him, if he has any more editions published, to change the ending or leave it out entirely. If you're thinking of reading this book, and I do recommend it, when you get to the section titled "Legend" I advise you to just stop right there. You'll be disappointed if you go on.

Vlad Dracula is a very misunderstood character. At a time when Islam was threatening all of Europe, Vlad, was one of a few who dared to stand up to the evil threat. Was he a tyrant or National hero? That will be decided by each individual who studies the facts. This historical novel is a good way for those who want to learn more about the real Dracula to begin.

I had to read this novel for a class, and compare it to actual history as well as other historical fictions on dracula's life. I have to say, while Augustyn follows the real Dracula's life much more closely than something like the movie "Dark Prince: the true story of dracula," it has the same overarching problems. Namely, the painfully awkward love story constructed around his first wife, who we have little to no historical information on, the repeated emphasis on Dracula's brother Radu having a homosexual affair with the Ottoman sultan, and the incredibly fanciful ending which is just a direct insult to anybody looking for historical accuracy. I can accept that in writing a novel using a subject with many missing details, it is only natural to let one's imagination run free, but unfortunately Augustyn does not seem to have the writing chops to back it up. Augustyn's writing style itself is unimaginative and bland, with poor characterization, preferring to describe physical quirks and action-hero style snideness instead of believable emotions.

I would only suggest this novel to somebody who does not yet know the historical accounts on Vlad Tepes, and is also a fan of high or dark fantasy, such as depicted in dungeons and dragons novels.

The writer proves that the true story of Vlad Tepes is far more interesting than Stoker's fictional character. The book is historically accurate with enough fictional "filler" to make it an excellent read. Even the fiction weaved in and around the fact is more than plausible. Well written and researched. Recommended for anyone old or mature enough to deal with the brutality of 15th century warfare and one of history's most famous sons.

This is a terrific read, well written and meticulously researched. When I finished, I felt as if I understood Vlad the man, the prince and defender of his country. The historical man is certainly more fascinating than the lore his legend spawned. This is a work of fiction, and should be considered as such, despite the amount of research and 'historical' inserts along the way. However, the book paints an accurate portrait of the tumultuous times of the 15th century in Central Europe, and Dracula the man was a product of those times, and thus he must be viewed through that lens. While today we consider his methods horrific, they accomplished what he needed--spark terror in his enemies. Highly recommend this book.

When I bought this, I didn't see anything that indicated it was self-published. And as a devoted reader of historical fiction by the likes of Cormac McCarthy, Umberto Eco, John Fowles, etc., I found the writing in this book to be weak, amateurish, and disappointing. Shame on Amazon for not making it clear to buyers that this is a vanity publication.

This fantastic book will draw you in and hold you enraptured until the last page. I wanted to know more about the real Vlad Dracula, and I couldn't have picked a better resource. This is history presented in an exciting fictional format, but which maintains the truth of the story. I have read it probably 9 times already (I'm reading it now, in fact!). My wife and I are actually going to Romania next month to take a week long tour of Dracula's land, thanks in no small part to this wonderful book. If you have even the slightest interest in Dracula, or if you just want to read a terrific book filled with action, intrigue, romance, humor, and history - buy this one.

Dracula is one of my favorites and this book is outstanding. Very readable and helps fill in the history. The book arrived in perfect shape.

If you know the history, just by reading the synopsis this book is discredited as a source of History:

"..Wallachia was caught between two voracious predators: the kingdom of Hungary and the Ottoman empire."

It is a SUBTLE LIE, but really important. It was not the Hungarian Empire the voracious predator, but the Ottoman Empire. It was the Ottoman empire the one who wanted to conquer the heart of Europe. Years later, ottomans reached even Vienna, but fortunately they couldn't seize the city.