Review
The Dracula Chronicles: Bound By Blood - Volume 1 by Shane O'Neill is a magnificent achievement. Shane has expertly combined the classic vampire myth with medieval history in such a way as to entertain with gallons, no lakes of blood.
Immediately, from page 1, the reader is dragged through a battle scene that I can only describe as brutal in the extreme, but tempered by fleshed out character descriptions. During this battle with the Turks, Vlad III Dracula, Voivode of Wallachia is mortally wounded by devious assassins. Close to death, he seeks the comfort of a chapel where Lucifer comes to him and offers the deal of the lifetime. Dracula takes the offer and from there on suffers the loneliness of a vampire demon, only to come to life when feeding from the living. But there is a price to pay - Dracula must do one thing for Lucifer, just one small thing - destroy the Catholic Church and pave the way for his return as the dominant force on earth and in heaven.
Dracula travels far and wide to Italy, London and Germany where he alters history to Lucifer's benefit. Shane deftly uses real life famous historical people to involve Dracula's devious plan and it works wondrously.
So if you fancy an intelligent read of historical fantasy then I highly recommend this FIVE STAR novel to all Dracula fans.
Immediately, from page 1, the reader is dragged through a battle scene that I can only describe as brutal in the extreme, but tempered by fleshed out character descriptions. During this battle with the Turks, Vlad III Dracula, Voivode of Wallachia is mortally wounded by devious assassins. Close to death, he seeks the comfort of a chapel where Lucifer comes to him and offers the deal of the lifetime. Dracula takes the offer and from there on suffers the loneliness of a vampire demon, only to come to life when feeding from the living. But there is a price to pay - Dracula must do one thing for Lucifer, just one small thing - destroy the Catholic Church and pave the way for his return as the dominant force on earth and in heaven.
Dracula travels far and wide to Italy, London and Germany where he alters history to Lucifer's benefit. Shane deftly uses real life famous historical people to involve Dracula's devious plan and it works wondrously.
So if you fancy an intelligent read of historical fantasy then I highly recommend this FIVE STAR novel to all Dracula fans.
0
 - Shane K.P. O'Neill)
