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Title:
Thorn
Series: The Dracula Files #4
Author:
Fred Saberhagen
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre:
Fantasy
Pages: 254
Words:
97K
Publish: 1980
This dual storyline is about
Dracula before he became Dracula and about him today. It is a loose
sequel to Friend of the Family in
that a character or two from Friend are
tangentially involved, but that is as far as that goes. Basically the
early storyline is him chasing down a princess gone wild named Helen
and how he marries her and finds a painting done of her by Da Vinci.
The second, modern, storyline is about him chasing down the painting
and finding out Helen has gone nosferatu (second tier vampire I
guess?) and when she dies, he goes crazy and kills people. There’s
other stuff going on, but it is just adding flesh to the story and
not changing it in any significant way.
If I had been more cognizant of the overall storyline, I might have picked up on the fact that the Helen in the modern story was the Helen from the past. But even with the reveal, there is nothing said about HOW she became what she was. It really felt deus ex machina, so I don’t feel bad about not picking up on it earlier. It also didn’t really add anything to the story except to link the history part with the modern part. Since the history part was half the book, I did expect a stronger link.
Oh well, that is why these Dracula Files books are only getting 3stars. They’re decent reads but nothing great or something I ever plan on re-reading. And we all know how much I like to re-read the Good Books :-D
★★★☆☆
From Fandom.com
Jonathan Thorn, a vampire, tries to recover an unknown painting by Leonardo da Vinci from Ellison Seabright, who is suspected of murdering his half brother to acquire the priceless work
A Love Affair for the Ages. Five hundred years ago their paths first crossed. He possessed her totally, not quite against her will. Until she fled. And was captured. And was punished. And fled. And is fleeing still…
Dracula tells the story of his life and his great love before he became undead. The portrait of his beloved from those precious living days is in the hands of villains. The Prince must pursue and possess this link with his breathing life. The Southerlands, particularly Judy, are ready to assist an old friend of the family.
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