Dracula’s Revenge
Charles R. Rutledge
ebook $2.99
Here’s a seasonal little book you’ll want to read if you like well-written vampire stories.
Charles Rutledge has been writing dark fantasy set in Georgia for a few years now, and he’s got a set of recurring characters that are loving homages to writers of by-gone days. While this story isn’t set in the fictional town of Wellman, it does feature the occult detective Carter de Camp.
Jennifer Grail is a detective who gets called in on a strange murder. The victim is found in his home, his throat slashed open but with no blood. The reader knows this isn’t an ordinary murder.
She soon is teaming up with Carter de Camp, a retired literature professor who is an expert on the occult. He has an idea what’s going on, but even he is in for a few surprises.
It turns out that Bram Stoker’s novel was based on real events happening to real people. Stoker changed some of the names, just not that of the principal character. Somehow Dracula has returned, and he wants revenge on what was done to him. Since all of the people the novel was based on have died, he’s tracking down their descendants.
Grail and de Camp set out to stop him. I’ll not give any more details because I don’t want to spoil your fun when you get to the surprises.
This is an extremely well-written book. The pace moves quickly, and goes in some unexpected directions. Rutledge has an obvious love of classic horror movies, but he makes it clear that what happens in the movies is nothing compared to the real thing. Rutledge’s vampires are evil, pure and simple, and his Dracula is patterned on Stoker’s count, not the romantic vampire he’s portrayed to be in some films. No sparkles here, no-siree-bob.
If you haven’t read Charles R. Rutledge yet, you should. He’s good. He loves and respects the source material he draws on and isn’t interested in “deconstructing” the genre. Highly recommended.
Made me curious enough to buy a copy. Thanks.
You’re welcome. I think you will like it.
It’s a good romp!
It is indeed.
Wellman, Carter, De Camp? How many other fantasy authors are hiding in the woodwork? Given a Dracula novel, I should expect a Saberhagen somewhere.
Nope, but then Rutledge’s Dracula is very different from Saberhagen’s Dracula. I haven’t noticed any others, but I still have some Rutledge to read.
Those names probably don’t stand out so much to the readers who weren’t around when those authors were still alive and producing. Still, one wonders of this wasn’t some in-joke that escaped into the wild.
Rutledge isn’t any particular fan of Saberhagen (that I know of, and I see his FB posts every day). Those names are homages.
Believe me, virtually nobody but “mature” guys like us have a clue about the “in-joke”. Rutledge was born before 1970.
I figured they were homages. I’m not on Facebook, but I do follow Charles on Twitter. He has a great respect for the older works.
And there is nothing wrong with being “mature”. Now get off my lawn. I need to take my Geritol. *Walks off muttering something about disrespectful young whippersnappers.* 🙂