No handsome vampires, or extended prelude exists in this vampire thriller. “DRACULAS (A Novel of Terror)” starts at a run and never stops.
I am by no means a fan of horror or gore, and honestly did not find DRACULAS overly frightening. What I found appealing is the humanistic attitude of these dracs running feverishly around the halls. Like a pack of wild animals, starving, and unfulfilled, yet frustrated as to why these bags of “red candy” won’t share. (survival instinct?) I laughed at Benny the clown and cried at the death of one of the characters at the end. I wanted him to survive, but found passion in his heroic effort to stave off the dracs from the remaining survivors, even as he fights the drac urge himself. DRACULAS is more of a BruceWillis/Die Hard meets Bella Lagois/Robin Williams.
From the opening scene, Blake Crouch, Jack Kilborn (aka J.A. Konrath), Jeff Strand and F. Paul Wilson successfully weave a new and frightening twist to Bram Stoker’s original creature. Forget crosses, sunlight and garlic. This is the 21st century, and these monsters encompass a new breed of terror.
It all starts with the dying, eccentric millionaire, Mortimer Moorecook, purchasing an anatomically impossible archeological find dubbed the ‘Dracula Skull’. While details of the connection between Vlad the Impaler and the ‘Dracula Skull’ surface mid-way through the novel, it is enough for the reader to realize the implications of this mutant monstrosity.
In a chain-reaction, this rural hospital explodes with packs of blood-sucking creatures whose sole drive is to drink BLOODBLOODBLOOD. Purely animalistic, these creatures easily turn on each other, as well as themselves, cannibalizing fingers and faces in order to placate their all-consuming hunger.
Graphic depictions of mutilations are frighteningly gory. Yet, several cleverly placed tongue-in-cheek moments break the strain, as with Benny the Clown happily creating balloon animals out of a dead woman’s’ intestines.
In this fast-paced thriller, pairs of heroic characters emerge, taking you through the halls of chaos. From the towering lumberjack in butt-exposed hospital garb, to the gun-loving Deputy Sheriff, to the arrogant, self-serving Dr. Lanz turned sadistic monster, the novel generates an array of emotions from fear to laughter to anger to sadness. As death rages all around, you start to wonder if anyone will escape.
You get much more than the novel upon purchase. The book is packed with interviews, the behind-the-scenes development of DRACULAS, and hints at potential sequels. It also includes sections that were removed from the final draft (and why).
Brilliantly written and executed, I give “DRACULAS” two thumbs up. This is a book I could not put down – and highly recommend.
DISCALIMER: I was pleased to be offered the opportunity to pre-review the novel of “DRACULAS“, written by Blake Crouch, Jack Kilborn (aka J.A. Konrath), Jeff Strand and F. Paul Wilson. I received the manuscript 2 weeks before the intended release date (October 19), and was asked to make an honest review of the novel. Not normally a horror reader/fan, I found their approach to the old theme brilliant. I was captivated from the first page and the ride never let up.
You can read the first few chapters or Pre-order “DRACULAS” on Amazon for Kindle — $2.99. Release Date: October 19, 2010
