Dracula's Child

December 23, 2019
Barnes (Cannonbridge) styles a fitting tribute to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, matching the original’s tone and epistolary form with this choice sequel set slightly over a decade after the original’s conclusion. The Crew of Light reunites for the birthday of Jonathan and Mina Harker’s school-aged son, Quincey. At their gathering, Professor Van Helsing falls critically ill after intoning a warning to “Beware... Strigoi... the White Tower... and the one-eyed man” and advising Quincey to fight for his soul. Each of the original cast members take their own paths to the realization that Van Helsing’s warning portends Dracula’s vengeful return. Meanwhile, a pair of travelers on a tour of the continent follows a mysterious guide named Ileana to Castle Dracula. Journal entries from Jonathan, Mina, and Dr. Seward alternate with the writings of the travelers as they’re pulled into Dracula’s service. Quincey, the eye of the storm, remains opaque until nearly the end, when he gets his own chance at narration, heightening the sense of mystery. Though fastidious fans of the original will notice moments when Barnes’s modern sensibilities shine through, the action and intrigue delight. This adventurous and dread-inducing tale will have readers hooked.

April 1, 2020

What happened after Jonathan and Mina Harker defeated Dracula in Bram Stoker's seminal vampire novel? Barnes (The Somnambulist, The Domino Men) ponders this question within an intriguing narrative framework: papers released by the Harker's son, Quincey, on the eve of World War I. Following the epistolary format of the original, this novel is told through "found" journals, clippings, and letters written by the parties involved when a dark and troubling series of events unfold during Quincey's 13th year. It becomes clear that the vampire everyone thought was killed was merely held at bay. His return comes at a steep price for the Harker family and the world. Fans of vampire fiction will enjoy the compelling, fast-paced plot, and atmosphere of increasing dread. VERDICT This novel is nestled perfectly within the popular pantheon of stories that use the frame and style of Stoker's classic to create original and entertaining stories that add to the lure and enjoyment of the source material. Hand to readers who liked Steven Hopstaken and Melissa Prusi's Stoker's Wilde or Lauren Owen's The Quick.

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2020
Two decades after the ending of Bram Stoker's Dracula, Lt. Quincy Harker recounts events from his own youth, beginning with the reunion of his parents, Mina and Jonathan Harker, and the other members of their Crew of Light who defeated Count Dracula in Transylvania. The happy occasion is marred when Professor Van Helsing is stricken ill and utters a chilling warning. Elsewhere on the continent, two English gentlemen find more adventure than they were seeking in the company of a mysterious woman. A darkness grows in Europe, and old comrades are forced to confront growing political unease at home. In the vein of the original, the tale is told through Harker's journal entries, news clippings, and the correspondence of his parents, their old comrades Lord Godalming and Dr. Seward, their newly hired nurse, Miss Sarah Ann Powell, and others as they seek to overcome a familiar darkness in a new form. This epic tale of madness, temptation, and political scandal set in early-twentieth-century England strikes a resonant chord with today's political climate.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)