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Stoker's Dracula #1
Dracul
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2018)The prequel to Dracula, inspired by notes and texts left behind by the author of the classic novel, Dracul is a supernatural thriller that reveals not only Dracula's true origins but Bram Stoker's--and the tale of the enigmatic woman who connects them.
It is 1868, and a twenty-one-year-old Bram Stoker waits in a desolate tower to face an indescribable evil. Armed only with crucifixes, holy water, and a rifle, he prays to survive a single night, the longest of his life. Desperate to record what he has witnessed, Bram scribbles down the events that led him here...
A sickly child, Bram spent his early days bedridden in his parents' Dublin home, tended to by his caretaker, a young woman named Ellen Crone. When a string of strange deaths occur in a nearby town, Bram and his sister Matilda detect a pattern of bizarre behavior by Ellen--a mystery that deepens chillingly until Ellen vanishes suddenly from their lives. Years later, Matilda returns from studying in Paris to tell Bram the news that she has seen Ellen--and that the nightmare they've thought long ended is only beginning.
It is 1868, and a twenty-one-year-old Bram Stoker waits in a desolate tower to face an indescribable evil. Armed only with crucifixes, holy water, and a rifle, he prays to survive a single night, the longest of his life. Desperate to record what he has witnessed, Bram scribbles down the events that led him here...
A sickly child, Bram spent his early days bedridden in his parents' Dublin home, tended to by his caretaker, a young woman named Ellen Crone. When a string of strange deaths occur in a nearby town, Bram and his sister Matilda detect a pattern of bizarre behavior by Ellen--a mystery that deepens chillingly until Ellen vanishes suddenly from their lives. Years later, Matilda returns from studying in Paris to tell Bram the news that she has seen Ellen--and that the nightmare they've thought long ended is only beginning.
497 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2018
About the author
Dacre Stoker
38 books619 followersDacre Stoker, a Canadian citizen and resident of the U.S., is the great-grandnephew of Bram Stoker. He is also the godson of H.G. Dacre Stoker, the commander of the AE2 submarine, whose tactics were instrumental in Gallipoli in World War I.
Dacre, who now calls Aiken, South Carolina home, was a member of the Canadian Men's Modern Pentathlon Team, Senior World Championships in 1979 and coach of the Canadian Men's Modern Pentathlon Olympic Team, Seoul, South Korea in 1988. Dacre is married to Jenne Stoker and is the father of two children. He is the Executive Director of the Aiken Land Conservancy.
Dracula: The Un-Dead is Dacre's first novel.
Dacre, who now calls Aiken, South Carolina home, was a member of the Canadian Men's Modern Pentathlon Team, Senior World Championships in 1979 and coach of the Canadian Men's Modern Pentathlon Olympic Team, Seoul, South Korea in 1988. Dacre is married to Jenne Stoker and is the father of two children. He is the Executive Director of the Aiken Land Conservancy.
Dracula: The Un-Dead is Dacre's first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,026 reviews
October 19, 2023
Move over, Dracula! There is a new vampire classic in town, and it is creepy, compelling, and utterly memorable!
Dracul starts off in Bram Stoker's childhood years. He was a sick boy confined mostly to his room, until one night on the cusp of death, he somehow makes a miraculous recovery at the hands of his beloved nanny Ellen. Thereafter, his illness completely disappears. After this unexplainable event and a series of strange deaths in town, Bram and his sister Matilda starts digging around to find out what is really going on with their nanny. But Ellen vanishes without a trace, and the years go by. Until one day, Matilda sees Ellen on the streets of Paris, and the siblings are immediately pulled back into this mystery.
Dracul is the prequel to the classic vampire novel Dracula. I found it completely fascinating that it's presented as a true story, one detailing Bram Stoker's early dealings with the evil that eventually led him to write Dracula. Dracul is written by his great-grandnephew Dacre Stoker, who claims he put the story together after meticulous research from Bram's personal notes and Stoker family journals.
This book hits all the right notes. It's creepy and atmospheric, taking place in old villages and castle ruins, in gloomy daylight and dark nights. It's exhilarating and thrilling, full of unexplained events and horrifying happenings. It gives off the impression that this world of vampires and evil beings could really exist, and there's something so deliciously fun about that.
The only minor complaint I have is that the narrative switches between Bram in the present and his story leading up to that moment, until they finally converge into the climax. Usually authors employ this technique when what's happening now is more exciting than what's happening in the past, and so this switcheroo keeps the readers engaged with the backstory until it catches up to the current narrative. But in this case, the backstory is just as exciting, so the narrative would've lost nothing by sticking to telling it in chronological order. But that's only a few pages here and there, so it's a small quibble.
I picked up this book on a whim. I was browsing the latest paperbacks and happened across it. I'm usually a little leery of prequels, especially when it's written by someone other than the original author. And having never read Dracula, I wasn't sure what to expect. But I didn't need to worry. This book is a chilling and completely riveting vampire tale, and it wouldn't surprise me if one day it reached classic status in its own right. Now after all this, I'm curious how Dracula stacks up.
Dracul starts off in Bram Stoker's childhood years. He was a sick boy confined mostly to his room, until one night on the cusp of death, he somehow makes a miraculous recovery at the hands of his beloved nanny Ellen. Thereafter, his illness completely disappears. After this unexplainable event and a series of strange deaths in town, Bram and his sister Matilda starts digging around to find out what is really going on with their nanny. But Ellen vanishes without a trace, and the years go by. Until one day, Matilda sees Ellen on the streets of Paris, and the siblings are immediately pulled back into this mystery.
Dracul is the prequel to the classic vampire novel Dracula. I found it completely fascinating that it's presented as a true story, one detailing Bram Stoker's early dealings with the evil that eventually led him to write Dracula. Dracul is written by his great-grandnephew Dacre Stoker, who claims he put the story together after meticulous research from Bram's personal notes and Stoker family journals.
This book hits all the right notes. It's creepy and atmospheric, taking place in old villages and castle ruins, in gloomy daylight and dark nights. It's exhilarating and thrilling, full of unexplained events and horrifying happenings. It gives off the impression that this world of vampires and evil beings could really exist, and there's something so deliciously fun about that.
The only minor complaint I have is that the narrative switches between Bram in the present and his story leading up to that moment, until they finally converge into the climax. Usually authors employ this technique when what's happening now is more exciting than what's happening in the past, and so this switcheroo keeps the readers engaged with the backstory until it catches up to the current narrative. But in this case, the backstory is just as exciting, so the narrative would've lost nothing by sticking to telling it in chronological order. But that's only a few pages here and there, so it's a small quibble.
I picked up this book on a whim. I was browsing the latest paperbacks and happened across it. I'm usually a little leery of prequels, especially when it's written by someone other than the original author. And having never read Dracula, I wasn't sure what to expect. But I didn't need to worry. This book is a chilling and completely riveting vampire tale, and it wouldn't surprise me if one day it reached classic status in its own right. Now after all this, I'm curious how Dracula stacks up.
January 15, 2020
Cinco estrellas por todas las pesadillas que me provocó, por las ganas de saber más sobre Dr��cula y el autor, por plantear la remota (eso espero) posibilidad de que los vampiros existan y por la historia que no puedes dejar de leer.
Si fueron fans de Drácula este libro es básico!
Si fueron fans de Drácula este libro es básico!
October 31, 2023
“It is believed that the strongest of them can assume any form, be it bat, wolf, swirling mist, even human. They can appear young, old, or any age between. Some can manipulate the elements, producing fog, storms, crashing thunder. Their motives remain unknown, but one thing is clear: they leave a trail of death in their wake, thinking no more of a human life than we would the life of a fly.”Dacre Stoker knows a thing or two about vampires, Dracula in particular, given that his great-grand-uncle was none other than Bram Stoker. Dacre has had non-literary careers of his own, but for a while now has picked up the family business and been writing, not only about his illustrious ancestor, but (with some assistance from writing partners) fiction relating to you know who. He wrote a sequel to Dracula a few years back, incorporating Bram as a character. This time he has written a prequel.
Bram - image from GotIreland.com
We spend time with Bram Stoker at age seven, a sickly child since birth. (as was the real Bram), but with a particularly interesting nanny, one Ellen Crone. (the actual name of the Stoker nanny) She does not eat with the family, preferring to dine alone. But she is very caring toward the Stoker children, most particularly Bram. The family summons a medical relation when Bram seems to be getting worse. But the application of leeches is not what Bram needs. Ellen has a better idea, and takes care of him. Soon after, he begins a true recovery, bounding from sickly child to a very active one. Shame about that scabby itch on his arm though. Young Bram and his sister, Matilda, sink their teeth into this mystery and engage in a bit of field research.
Dacre Stoker and friends - Image from ValeOfGlamorgan.com
Part of the fun of this book is seeing the usually pretty clear lines between the real Bram’s novel and Dacre’s prequel. Where did the notion of Dracula originate? How about Van Helsing? Damsels in distress? (or were they maybe enjoying themselves a bit too much for Victorian mores?)
Dacre has a lot of original material from which to draw, Bram’s, at least what has not been lost to the sands of time (or maybe preserved in a coffin somewhere for safe keeping). Dacre has also written non-fiction books about his esteemed ancestor, and had a bit of a road-show, Stoker on Stoker, in which he lectured about Bram and his book.
Another fun element, for me anyway, was the opportunity looking into this book offered to dig up some dirt on the real Bram. The one piece of intel that I found most amazing was that when Bram first submitted his manuscript, it was as a work of non-fiction. Because of tender sensibilities at the time about a relatively recent bout of wide scale mortality, it was thought better to present it as fiction. In doing that, the first 101 pages of Bram’s manuscript vanished like a sated bloodsucker on a foggy night. I have put some fun materials in EXTRA STUFF if you are irresistibly drawn to diving down those rabbit holes.
The 1922 German Nosferatu – image from Smithsonian Magazine
So, the story of Dracul, sick boy and sis try to find out what the real deal is with the beloved, if decidedly odd, nanny. (Fortune may have blown her into the Stoker family’s life, but no, she did not arrive on the East Wind) There are times when she looks quite young. Others when she seems rather aged. Dacre brings in an old Irish (Stoker was born and raised in Ireland) legend, about a failed love that turns gruesome. The tale of the Dearg-Due is used to wonderful, and meaningful effect.
There are two timelines. We open with adult Bram in a castle-like place trying to keep a monster of a certain sort locked in a room. Problem is that the various substances he is using to keep the thing from escaping are running out, and there is a real question of whether the aid he is expecting will arrive in time. This contemporary (1868) piece includes the tale of Bram, his family, and others, (including a pre-Van Helsing) trying to track down people, follow clues, and do justice against dark foes. The other line is Bram and his sister, Matilda, as young sibs, with scant understanding of what they have seen, attempting to figure it out. Both lines were fun, although I am not sure there would be many children of the ages portrayed who would be quite so resourceful, even in the mid-19th century. Feel free to suspend your disbelief and let it hang by its toes from the ceiling, as it stares at you with red, hungry eyes.
Bela Lugosi defined Dracula for a generation - Image from Smithsonian Magazine
In keeping with great-grand-uncle’s form, Dacre tells the story through several sources. The Journal of Bram Stoker, Letters from Matilda to Ellen Crone, and The Diary of Thornley Stoker are the primary views. There is also The Notes of Arminius Vambéry, a patient case record, and a few sections that are pure omniscient narrator. All of it made me bare my teeth, in a good way.
Dacre adds some nice interpretations of the rules of vampirism, what works, what doesn’t, what their limitations might be. They can change into what? And eye-color shifting, some telepathy, an interesting item on the separated parts of the undead. There are plenty of classic vampire tropes, and for the big guy himself, a reminder of his Carpathian rep for how he disposed of his enemies. Dacre tosses in a few refs to relevant lit of the era, a bit of E.A.Poe, The Woman in White, one or two more. The book closes with a lovely reference, a name that will be familiar. There were also some pretty nifty plot twists, that worked well.
Gripes? Well, I mentioned the age-vs-competence thing. No big whoop, really. I confess to occasionally getting an image in my tiny mind of Velma, Daphne, Fred, Shaggy, and a certain pooch, when the adult crew was deciding on a dime to dash to this or that place to pursue the latest clue. I am not saying that I minded this. In fact, it contributed to the fun aspect of the book. But some might not enjoy what seems a bit of lightness in what is supposed to be a horror story. A horror story is supposed to be scary, right? Measured in hours of sleep lost, perhaps, or alarming dreams that jolt one awake. But no, not for me. Take that with a grain of garlic salt, though. I tend to be a fair bit less sensitive to horror than many readers. So it is entirely possible that this is a fairly scary book and I just didn’t notice.
But really, this is such an enjoyable read. And that is the bottom line here. It was truly fun reading Dracul. I enjoyed as much the learning it sparked, about Bram in particular. Whether you are type O, A, B, or AB, whether you are positive, negative, or undecided, I strongly urge you to swoop in and see what you can dig up, as you flap along with this fast-paced, engaging and very entertaining book.
Review first posted – 9/17/18
Publication date – 10/2/18
Paramount Pictures has acquired screen rights to Dracul, but it may be a few years before anything is done with it.
I received the e-book from Penguin-Random House’s First to Read program. I did not have to consume or surrender any bodily fluids to get it.
PS - It was my intention to have a particular bit of fun with this review. Losing time this week to an out-of-town trip and some other non-review-related activities made incorporating that on time for the usual deadline, or undeadline in this case, more than I could manage. If I can, I will try to get that completed by Halloween. None of this STUFF alters my core review of the book, which is what you see above. - 10/30/18 - So sorry, it was not meant to be. If I find myself with some extra days at some point I might have a go at this, in time for Halloween sometime in the future.
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s personal, Twitter and FB pages
The author’s site link is actually to Bram Stoker – Official Website for the Bram Stoker Estate. Definitely check this one out. There are a lot of fascinating material and useful links.
Items of Interest
-----Northern Life MagazineDacre Stoker on the mysteries behind the writing of Dracula - by Mark Davis – 18 July 2017
----- Dacre Stoker, author of "Dracula: The Un-Dead" - Interview with Don Smith – definitely worthwhile
-----Irish Faerie Folk of Yore and Yesterday: The Dearg-Due
- by Kim
-----The Guardian - The Icelandic Dracula: Bram Stoker's vampire takes a second bite - by Colin Fleming – April 19, 2017
-----Smithsonian - Why Does Dracula Wear a Tuxedo? The Origins of Bram Stoker’s Timeless Vampire - by Jimmy Stamp. October 31, 2012
-----Lithub - Gothic Themes Bring Us Together - by Catherine Cavendish - A fun piece for fans of gothic literature, with excellent recommendations
July 8, 2020
"...not all monsters go away with time. In fact, some don't leave you at all - they wait. They're a patient lot. And no matter what it takes, you have to keep ahead of them, an inch outside their grasp will do."
It sucked me in! (pun intended!). I was lost in the pages of this book. LOVED it. This prequel to Dracula was Amazing. I could not put this book down. Nor should you! If you are one of the few people who have not read this book yet, I highly recommend you pick up a copy today! Now on to the gushing.......
Bram Stoker was a sickly child. He spent a lot of his childhood indoors, bedridden and weak. His nanny, Nanna Ellen, tended to him and only she had the ability to provide him with relief and save him when he appeared to be near death. Soon Bram and his sister, Matilda noticed strange things about their caretaker. Things they could not explain, and then suddenly one day she was gone from their lives.
1868, Bram Stoker is sitting in a tower armed with holy water, crucifixes, and a Bible. He hopes to survive the night and while he awaits the horrors which will visit him, he begins to write.... What took him from being a sick child to a young man armed in a dark tower? What or who? One only need read the book to find out!
Written by Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker, Dracula is a Masterpiece. I LOVED J.D. Barker's books The Fourth Monkey and The Fifth To Die and when I saw that he had co-written this book, I HAD to read it. I have not read Dacre Stoker before now, but will be checking out his book Dracula: The Undead.
I loved this contemporary Gothic tale. Wait, what did I just say? The book has a very Gothic and atmospheric feel to it but at the same time uses contemporary language and at times I felt it was on the verge of using modern sayings. Heck, at one point I thought Emily was going to say, "red rover red rover send Matilda over" She didn't, but you get the picture. I am not critiquing the language at all. I loved the writing. I found it made for a very fast and enjoyable read.
This brilliant collaboration was a pleasure from beginning to end. The pages were full of dread, suspense, mystery, creepiness, and of course, blood. I loved how the story was told through letters (Matilda Stoker to Ellen Crone), journal entries (Bram Stoker, Thornley Stoker, Arminius Vambery), and texts (no, not the modern-day smart phone ones). I found this book to be a real page turner and for me, there was never a dull moment. I was glued to my seat, riveted to the pages, and transported back in time to the beginning of Bram Stoker and Dracula.
A horror masterpiece, Dracul has teeth! It can and will stand on its own merit. A love letter to the original Dracula but again, a masterpiece on its own. It's a big book which doesn't feel big. The prose flows and for me, the plot unfolded at the right pace. This is a well thought out and executed book. In short - this is horror done right!
In case you couldn't tell, I loved it. I highly recommend it! I also highly recommend avoiding creepy dark towers, crumbling unconsecrated cemeteries, strange boxes which smell like dirt, things that go bump in the night, and anyone with fangs and/or puncture marks on their skin!
It sucked me in! (pun intended!). I was lost in the pages of this book. LOVED it. This prequel to Dracula was Amazing. I could not put this book down. Nor should you! If you are one of the few people who have not read this book yet, I highly recommend you pick up a copy today! Now on to the gushing.......
Bram Stoker was a sickly child. He spent a lot of his childhood indoors, bedridden and weak. His nanny, Nanna Ellen, tended to him and only she had the ability to provide him with relief and save him when he appeared to be near death. Soon Bram and his sister, Matilda noticed strange things about their caretaker. Things they could not explain, and then suddenly one day she was gone from their lives.
1868, Bram Stoker is sitting in a tower armed with holy water, crucifixes, and a Bible. He hopes to survive the night and while he awaits the horrors which will visit him, he begins to write.... What took him from being a sick child to a young man armed in a dark tower? What or who? One only need read the book to find out!
Written by Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker, Dracula is a Masterpiece. I LOVED J.D. Barker's books The Fourth Monkey and The Fifth To Die and when I saw that he had co-written this book, I HAD to read it. I have not read Dacre Stoker before now, but will be checking out his book Dracula: The Undead.
I loved this contemporary Gothic tale. Wait, what did I just say? The book has a very Gothic and atmospheric feel to it but at the same time uses contemporary language and at times I felt it was on the verge of using modern sayings. Heck, at one point I thought Emily was going to say, "red rover red rover send Matilda over" She didn't, but you get the picture. I am not critiquing the language at all. I loved the writing. I found it made for a very fast and enjoyable read.
This brilliant collaboration was a pleasure from beginning to end. The pages were full of dread, suspense, mystery, creepiness, and of course, blood. I loved how the story was told through letters (Matilda Stoker to Ellen Crone), journal entries (Bram Stoker, Thornley Stoker, Arminius Vambery), and texts (no, not the modern-day smart phone ones). I found this book to be a real page turner and for me, there was never a dull moment. I was glued to my seat, riveted to the pages, and transported back in time to the beginning of Bram Stoker and Dracula.
A horror masterpiece, Dracul has teeth! It can and will stand on its own merit. A love letter to the original Dracula but again, a masterpiece on its own. It's a big book which doesn't feel big. The prose flows and for me, the plot unfolded at the right pace. This is a well thought out and executed book. In short - this is horror done right!
In case you couldn't tell, I loved it. I highly recommend it! I also highly recommend avoiding creepy dark towers, crumbling unconsecrated cemeteries, strange boxes which smell like dirt, things that go bump in the night, and anyone with fangs and/or puncture marks on their skin!
April 18, 2019
Dracul is a dark gothic horror novel. It is the prequel to Dracula. I never was a fan of Dracula and I usually don't read books about vampires, but this one is so different. The book mainly is about the life of Bram Stoker, his childhood and adulthood.
Bram was a very sick child. He lived with his parents and his nanny, Ellen Crone in Dublin. He gets very sick and a doctor comes to his house to see why he is so sick
and his nanny watches over him while the doctor is there and he suddenly recovers.
There then is a lot of strange deaths that happen in a town very close to them. Bra m and his sister find a pattern of strange behavior of Ellen. Ellen then suddenly disappears and is not the person that she seems to be. She does appear years later while Matilda is studying in Paris and Matilda then returns to let Bram know that the nightmare that they thought no longer existed is just beginning and she has seen Ellen.
I just loved this book. I still was reading this on Halloween night. It was the perfect Halloween book. I never paid attention to this book, since I didn't like Dracula. I then saw a lot of five star reviews and one of them was from one of my friends. I then commented on her review that I didn't care for Dracula and if it was different. I received a comment back that the author was Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker. I loved J.D. Barker's books, The Fourth Monkey and The Fifth To Die. So I just had to read this. I am so happy that I did. This book just thrilled me. It is a creepy scary read and just Wowed me. It is one of my favorites for this year. I loved the Gothic gothic atmosphere and thought the characters were done so well. The writing style was amazing.
This one made my Favorite top 10 list for 2018!
I want to thank the publisher, G.P. Putnam & Sons for contacting me to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.
Bram was a very sick child. He lived with his parents and his nanny, Ellen Crone in Dublin. He gets very sick and a doctor comes to his house to see why he is so sick
and his nanny watches over him while the doctor is there and he suddenly recovers.
There then is a lot of strange deaths that happen in a town very close to them. Bra m and his sister find a pattern of strange behavior of Ellen. Ellen then suddenly disappears and is not the person that she seems to be. She does appear years later while Matilda is studying in Paris and Matilda then returns to let Bram know that the nightmare that they thought no longer existed is just beginning and she has seen Ellen.
I just loved this book. I still was reading this on Halloween night. It was the perfect Halloween book. I never paid attention to this book, since I didn't like Dracula. I then saw a lot of five star reviews and one of them was from one of my friends. I then commented on her review that I didn't care for Dracula and if it was different. I received a comment back that the author was Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker. I loved J.D. Barker's books, The Fourth Monkey and The Fifth To Die. So I just had to read this. I am so happy that I did. This book just thrilled me. It is a creepy scary read and just Wowed me. It is one of my favorites for this year. I loved the Gothic gothic atmosphere and thought the characters were done so well. The writing style was amazing.
This one made my Favorite top 10 list for 2018!
I want to thank the publisher, G.P. Putnam & Sons for contacting me to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2021
Malignant
The comparisons and connections between Dracul and Bram Stoker’s Dracula are inevitable. After all, this is the story of Bram Stoker’s early life, his family and what may have been the catalyst for his classic vampire story. Dracula has become the most famous monster figure ever, spawning a ubiquitous vampire theme across multiple genres. In Bram’s life, vampires were seen as pure monsters in the second half of the 19th century. In contrast, nowadays, we have them appearing as charismatic, powerful, intelligent, loyal and talented exemplars of human desire. Not to be fooled, we also portray them as ruthless and pure destructive evil.
Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker treat us to a wonderful dramatic spine-chilling account of Bram Stoker’s early life, which is packed full of suspense and horror to rival the Dracula story itself and positioned as a prequel. The story structure is very similar to Dracula, using an epistolary form, but over two time periods, the now of Bram at 21 years of age, and the past accounts of the Stoker siblings laid out in letters and journals from Bram and others, including his sister Matilda and brother Thornley. The story combines factual details with fictional creativity seamlessly such that we cannot tell the moments apart. It all blends to accomplish a plot that adds unique elements and has us living a nightmare where our imagination challenges our fundamental beliefs. Our frail grip on reality slips as the unimaginable seems possible. The control in the writing to hold together the various threads and narrative elements is very well delivered. Sometimes the pace slacks, and this is frustrating following the transition from one journal account to another.
The Bram of, now, sits in a room with a Bowie knife and Enfield rifle, where we can feel the palpable fear and fatigue as he struggles to get through a night without sleeping, keeping a powerful monster that has multiple nefarious tricks and deceptions, locked behind a reinforced door. A door reinforced with locks, bolts, holy water, roses, and Holy Communion wafer paste.
Reconstructing Bram’s history from his journals and letters from Matilda tells of Ellen Crone, the nanny. A mysterious and miraculous saviour of Bram on several occasions.
The birth and sickly youth of Bram, an early precarious climb up a castle tower, several isolated engagements, and the monster behind the door convey an ever-present atmosphere of impending trauma. The prevailing theme throughout the story is the sense of a precipice and is used masterfully to maintain chilling suspense. The tone gets darker and more frightening in the second half of the book when more is revealed.
This is a standalone book made all the more captivating with its connections to the author of Dracula. It does not feel like Dacre took advantage of his ancestral connection but rather added authenticity to a story that expertly weaves fact with fiction to create a thoroughly engaging novel full of horror, evil, fear, and trepidation. How secure will you feel walking alone at night after reading this?
I would highly recommend this book, and I would like to thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC version of the book in return for an honest review.
The comparisons and connections between Dracul and Bram Stoker’s Dracula are inevitable. After all, this is the story of Bram Stoker’s early life, his family and what may have been the catalyst for his classic vampire story. Dracula has become the most famous monster figure ever, spawning a ubiquitous vampire theme across multiple genres. In Bram’s life, vampires were seen as pure monsters in the second half of the 19th century. In contrast, nowadays, we have them appearing as charismatic, powerful, intelligent, loyal and talented exemplars of human desire. Not to be fooled, we also portray them as ruthless and pure destructive evil.
Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker treat us to a wonderful dramatic spine-chilling account of Bram Stoker’s early life, which is packed full of suspense and horror to rival the Dracula story itself and positioned as a prequel. The story structure is very similar to Dracula, using an epistolary form, but over two time periods, the now of Bram at 21 years of age, and the past accounts of the Stoker siblings laid out in letters and journals from Bram and others, including his sister Matilda and brother Thornley. The story combines factual details with fictional creativity seamlessly such that we cannot tell the moments apart. It all blends to accomplish a plot that adds unique elements and has us living a nightmare where our imagination challenges our fundamental beliefs. Our frail grip on reality slips as the unimaginable seems possible. The control in the writing to hold together the various threads and narrative elements is very well delivered. Sometimes the pace slacks, and this is frustrating following the transition from one journal account to another.
The Bram of, now, sits in a room with a Bowie knife and Enfield rifle, where we can feel the palpable fear and fatigue as he struggles to get through a night without sleeping, keeping a powerful monster that has multiple nefarious tricks and deceptions, locked behind a reinforced door. A door reinforced with locks, bolts, holy water, roses, and Holy Communion wafer paste.
Reconstructing Bram’s history from his journals and letters from Matilda tells of Ellen Crone, the nanny. A mysterious and miraculous saviour of Bram on several occasions.
“It is clear he was meant to die as a child, yet his alliance with this unholy creature has garnered him more years; a deal with the Devil, possibly worse, if such a thing is imaginable..”When Bram and Matilda investigate Nanna Ellen’s room and follow her into the countryside, they confirm her to be a preternatural being . Even with the supernatural threat she carries, they have developed a caring relationship with her, especially Bram, who has a deep extrasensory connection. The authors have decidedly followed the modern acceptance that not all monsters should be evil, and perhaps there is a watchful, even protective, connection with her.
The birth and sickly youth of Bram, an early precarious climb up a castle tower, several isolated engagements, and the monster behind the door convey an ever-present atmosphere of impending trauma. The prevailing theme throughout the story is the sense of a precipice and is used masterfully to maintain chilling suspense. The tone gets darker and more frightening in the second half of the book when more is revealed.
This is a standalone book made all the more captivating with its connections to the author of Dracula. It does not feel like Dacre took advantage of his ancestral connection but rather added authenticity to a story that expertly weaves fact with fiction to create a thoroughly engaging novel full of horror, evil, fear, and trepidation. How secure will you feel walking alone at night after reading this?
I would highly recommend this book, and I would like to thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC version of the book in return for an honest review.
December 9, 2018
Dracul by Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker is a 2018 Putman publication.
When the very first early reviews for this book started popping up on Goodreads and other book sites, I scrolled right on past it, not even giving it a cursory glance. Of all the genres to choose from, horror is at the bottom of my list, and has been for several decades, with the exceptions of ghost stories or the classics, like Dracula- an all -time favorite, and like many other people, I do have a weakness for Stephen King- although I rarely succumb to temptation.
The title of the book, however, did make me curious. Because if it’s not a ghost story, then I might consider a vampire novel- if the vampire doesn’t sparkle. However, I still wasn’t tempted enough to click on the title for more information. In the meantime, I discovered J.D. Barker and was very impressed by his writing. I mean really, really impressed.
After Dracul was officially published I noticed the book was generating a little buzz. It was nearing Halloween and I was on the hunt for a good creepy tale, so I after months of avoiding the book, I clicked on the title for more information. I could have kicked myself for letting it slip by me.
I only recently realized Dacre Stocker had written a sequel to Dracula. I have not read that one, but will have to check it out someday. If someone is going to write prequels or sequels to such an enduring classic, it is only fitting that the honor should go to a descendant of the author. I also felt relieved by that idea, since I felt that surely Dacre would do it more justice. But it was the second author’s name that popped out at me. J.D. Barker!! THE J.D. Barker? Yes, the author I had raved and ranted about to everyone who would listen, co-authored this book!!
But, still… A Prequel to one of the best horror novels ever? Well, the ratings very favorable, so I decided to throw caution to wind and take the plunge. Besides, who could resist buying a ticket for a J.D. Barker show?
However, because I didn’t bother with it sooner, I had to get into a long, long, long, long line at the library, and it was well past Halloween before I finally got my greedy little hands on a copy.
Was it worth the wait?
REVIEW:
So, there are no vampires in Transylvania? No Count Dracula?
Fictions, my friend. The vulgar fictions of a demented Irishman. – Daniel Malloy and Louis- Interview with the Vampire- by Anne Rice
Well, I wouldn’t be so sure of that, Louis-
Bram Stoker is the main protagonist in this story. It is really his tale to tell, but his siblings are also very involved and are an intricate part of the story. In Bram’s early life, he is confined to his room, weak and sickly and occasionally near death. He is administered to and care for by his beloved Nanna, who keeps him alive through questionable and unusual means. As Bram matures and grows out of his childhood maladies, he and his siblings begin to piece together a terribly troubling and sinister mystery, involving the puzzling deaths of people in a neighboring town, and the possibility they are more involved than they would like to admit. Their own family, perhaps grateful, but also complicit, lived with a certain amount of denial for a long time.
The siblings unravel a lurid and chilling tale, one that pits good against evil, with all those psychological shades of gray, that occasionally leaves the reader with a feeling of understanding in some places, and occasionally, sympathy, even where none should seep through. Yet, the reader is not the only one tempted in this way. The Stoker’s are also accepting of certain truths and make their own compromises.
However, there is still a force out there- a formidable opponent – one Bram must eventually face-
And so, it begins…
Wow, the eerie suggestion that Bram’s masterpiece was not all the ‘vulgar fictions of a demented Irishman’ is enough to leave one sleeping with a cross under your pillow, and maybe a little garlic over your door for good measure.
Just in case…
This book is very creepy and atmospheric. However, it is mostly a historical mystery, albeit a paranormal one. It is the solving of a series of crimes, and the personal ramifications the truth reveals. It does lose much of its initial momentum, however, settling down into a seemingly less eventful, and much slower rhythm. But, upon reflection, this was most likely by design, and was perhaps necessary.
But overall, this is a fascinating piece of fiction. The authors did a very good job with the material they were given exclusive access to, and in weaving such a believable, and quite unsettling, precursor to ‘Dracula’.
The book was worth the wait- most definitely. Although, I didn’t get to read it during October, it is a perfect book to read on any long, dark winter night.
Sweet dreams…
4 stars
When the very first early reviews for this book started popping up on Goodreads and other book sites, I scrolled right on past it, not even giving it a cursory glance. Of all the genres to choose from, horror is at the bottom of my list, and has been for several decades, with the exceptions of ghost stories or the classics, like Dracula- an all -time favorite, and like many other people, I do have a weakness for Stephen King- although I rarely succumb to temptation.
The title of the book, however, did make me curious. Because if it’s not a ghost story, then I might consider a vampire novel- if the vampire doesn’t sparkle. However, I still wasn’t tempted enough to click on the title for more information. In the meantime, I discovered J.D. Barker and was very impressed by his writing. I mean really, really impressed.
After Dracul was officially published I noticed the book was generating a little buzz. It was nearing Halloween and I was on the hunt for a good creepy tale, so I after months of avoiding the book, I clicked on the title for more information. I could have kicked myself for letting it slip by me.
I only recently realized Dacre Stocker had written a sequel to Dracula. I have not read that one, but will have to check it out someday. If someone is going to write prequels or sequels to such an enduring classic, it is only fitting that the honor should go to a descendant of the author. I also felt relieved by that idea, since I felt that surely Dacre would do it more justice. But it was the second author’s name that popped out at me. J.D. Barker!! THE J.D. Barker? Yes, the author I had raved and ranted about to everyone who would listen, co-authored this book!!
But, still… A Prequel to one of the best horror novels ever? Well, the ratings very favorable, so I decided to throw caution to wind and take the plunge. Besides, who could resist buying a ticket for a J.D. Barker show?
However, because I didn’t bother with it sooner, I had to get into a long, long, long, long line at the library, and it was well past Halloween before I finally got my greedy little hands on a copy.
Was it worth the wait?
REVIEW:
So, there are no vampires in Transylvania? No Count Dracula?
Fictions, my friend. The vulgar fictions of a demented Irishman. – Daniel Malloy and Louis- Interview with the Vampire- by Anne Rice
Well, I wouldn’t be so sure of that, Louis-
Bram Stoker is the main protagonist in this story. It is really his tale to tell, but his siblings are also very involved and are an intricate part of the story. In Bram’s early life, he is confined to his room, weak and sickly and occasionally near death. He is administered to and care for by his beloved Nanna, who keeps him alive through questionable and unusual means. As Bram matures and grows out of his childhood maladies, he and his siblings begin to piece together a terribly troubling and sinister mystery, involving the puzzling deaths of people in a neighboring town, and the possibility they are more involved than they would like to admit. Their own family, perhaps grateful, but also complicit, lived with a certain amount of denial for a long time.
The siblings unravel a lurid and chilling tale, one that pits good against evil, with all those psychological shades of gray, that occasionally leaves the reader with a feeling of understanding in some places, and occasionally, sympathy, even where none should seep through. Yet, the reader is not the only one tempted in this way. The Stoker’s are also accepting of certain truths and make their own compromises.
However, there is still a force out there- a formidable opponent – one Bram must eventually face-
And so, it begins…
Wow, the eerie suggestion that Bram’s masterpiece was not all the ‘vulgar fictions of a demented Irishman’ is enough to leave one sleeping with a cross under your pillow, and maybe a little garlic over your door for good measure.
Just in case…
This book is very creepy and atmospheric. However, it is mostly a historical mystery, albeit a paranormal one. It is the solving of a series of crimes, and the personal ramifications the truth reveals. It does lose much of its initial momentum, however, settling down into a seemingly less eventful, and much slower rhythm. But, upon reflection, this was most likely by design, and was perhaps necessary.
But overall, this is a fascinating piece of fiction. The authors did a very good job with the material they were given exclusive access to, and in weaving such a believable, and quite unsettling, precursor to ‘Dracula’.
The book was worth the wait- most definitely. Although, I didn’t get to read it during October, it is a perfect book to read on any long, dark winter night.
Sweet dreams…
4 stars
December 30, 2018
It was good and that’s all that matters! Read all the long reviews because I’m not doing them any more!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
December 19, 2019
I'm too lazy to write a really compelling disavowal of Dracul. I wanted to compare Dracula with Dracul. Dracula is masterful while Dracul is bloated - and not with blood.
Dracul is not a worthy prequel. If one compares text from both books, Dracula is incisive, unrepetitive, purposeful, efficient, and successful.
I know that Dracul will survive the test of time, and that galls me. But it should not. The masterpiece that is Dracula remains unsullied. I can enjoy the latter in all of its purity. Amen.
Dracul is not a worthy prequel. If one compares text from both books, Dracula is incisive, unrepetitive, purposeful, efficient, and successful.
I know that Dracul will survive the test of time, and that galls me. But it should not. The masterpiece that is Dracula remains unsullied. I can enjoy the latter in all of its purity. Amen.
July 27, 2022
A spook-tacular read for Halloween month, but a masterpiece for any time.
As Dracul's sinister grin and evil piercing eyes focus on Bram, his words will echo for generations to come “With the final beat of your heart you will take your place at my side”.
Dracul is the most haunting story narrated through the journals and letters of Bram, his brother and sister. As a prequel to the legend that is Dracula it doesn’t disappoint in creating a story of love, loss, pain, sacrifice, and horror.
Bram was a child of poor constitution and from the age of seven is isolated from living the life of a normal boy because of his prevailing health. Devoted to his sister, but cared for by Nanny Ellen Crone, Bram makes the most unexpected and miraculous recovery from his longstanding illness, after treatment from Nanny Ellen. The only ailment is an ever-present itch on his wrist and two small pinpricks an inch apart just below the wrist bone over the vein. His fate is sealed.
After several mysterious deaths and the disappearance of Nanny Ellen, we find Bram at 21 locked inside a tower with his holy water, mirrors and crucifixes as the only means of protection and his journal to keep him sane. The force of evil was closing in, darkness loomed while the sounds of evil that engulfed him could be heard night after night,
“I felt the forces of nature in the night air, the delicate balance of life and death.” He says
There was an ever present sense of evil that came through on every page, and an endless expectation that something is about to happen, and it does. The drama was intense, the writing dark, lingering, and haunting. I think Dacre Stoker did an amazing job (in conjunction with the co author J.D Barker) of picking up this golden thread from his great uncle Bram Stoker and spun it into the black, haunting and ghoulish tale that is Dracul and the birth of Dracula.
It is believed that Bram Stoker, told some publishers that the book was not a work of fiction, to stoke up interest, which generated a cult following that lasts to this day and piqued the interest of many people then and over the years. Because the tale of Dracula has been around for so many years, so many have come to believe it to be true but it was only a work of fiction wasn’t it?
“Some would say it was chance she found me now, as I am about to take my leave and begin work on a new novel a new novel about something very old – an evil amongst us, a truth of the most incomprehensible sort. Coincidence others would say.
I would disagree with both, for I believe in neither”.
Ah honest tip of this one. I know a lot about Dracula, as my favourite horror character I have read the books and watched every film I think available. I believe this enhanced my overall reading experience here, and when some of the chapters lingered I was able to conjure up images that helped when the content was lacking. I would suggest maybe watch a film so you know what the book is creating - a monster, with or without a soul?
A fantastic and timeless book just like the sequel.
As Dracul's sinister grin and evil piercing eyes focus on Bram, his words will echo for generations to come “With the final beat of your heart you will take your place at my side”.
Dracul is the most haunting story narrated through the journals and letters of Bram, his brother and sister. As a prequel to the legend that is Dracula it doesn’t disappoint in creating a story of love, loss, pain, sacrifice, and horror.
Bram was a child of poor constitution and from the age of seven is isolated from living the life of a normal boy because of his prevailing health. Devoted to his sister, but cared for by Nanny Ellen Crone, Bram makes the most unexpected and miraculous recovery from his longstanding illness, after treatment from Nanny Ellen. The only ailment is an ever-present itch on his wrist and two small pinpricks an inch apart just below the wrist bone over the vein. His fate is sealed.
After several mysterious deaths and the disappearance of Nanny Ellen, we find Bram at 21 locked inside a tower with his holy water, mirrors and crucifixes as the only means of protection and his journal to keep him sane. The force of evil was closing in, darkness loomed while the sounds of evil that engulfed him could be heard night after night,
“I felt the forces of nature in the night air, the delicate balance of life and death.” He says
There was an ever present sense of evil that came through on every page, and an endless expectation that something is about to happen, and it does. The drama was intense, the writing dark, lingering, and haunting. I think Dacre Stoker did an amazing job (in conjunction with the co author J.D Barker) of picking up this golden thread from his great uncle Bram Stoker and spun it into the black, haunting and ghoulish tale that is Dracul and the birth of Dracula.
It is believed that Bram Stoker, told some publishers that the book was not a work of fiction, to stoke up interest, which generated a cult following that lasts to this day and piqued the interest of many people then and over the years. Because the tale of Dracula has been around for so many years, so many have come to believe it to be true but it was only a work of fiction wasn’t it?
“Some would say it was chance she found me now, as I am about to take my leave and begin work on a new novel a new novel about something very old – an evil amongst us, a truth of the most incomprehensible sort. Coincidence others would say.
I would disagree with both, for I believe in neither”.
Ah honest tip of this one. I know a lot about Dracula, as my favourite horror character I have read the books and watched every film I think available. I believe this enhanced my overall reading experience here, and when some of the chapters lingered I was able to conjure up images that helped when the content was lacking. I would suggest maybe watch a film so you know what the book is creating - a monster, with or without a soul?
A fantastic and timeless book just like the sequel.
October 28, 2018
This is a prequel, if you will, to the timeless novel Dracula with none other than Bram Stoker himself as the protagonist. Thankfully, these are not sparkly, shiny vampires. What we have here is a blood curdling tale that would make the Count proud. Elegantly written and atmospheric this novel drips with malevolence and oozes with the sinister.
August 20, 2021
I’m always thirsty for a book with a classic feel that captures the tension and atmosphere of DRACULA.
Co-authored by Dacre Stoker and J. D. Barker, DRACUL deliciously quenched my palate! One of its authors is even Bram Stoker’s great grandnephew. How cool is that?
The story serves as a prequel to DRACULA and bloody hell, it delivers! This book earned five oozing, crimson stars from me.
MY TEASE...
Young Bram shouldn’t be alive. He’s a sickly child who can barely leave his bed in the attic, overlooking a foggy harbor. That is, until their family’s nanny (Nanna Ellen) takes Bram under her wing and miraculously nurses him back to health.
Nanna Ellen is elusive and mysterious. Bram and his sister Matilda are obsessed with learning her secrets.
While sneaking into their nanny’s bedroom and digging around, the siblings find a full-length wooden box tucked under her bed, filled with dirt and maggots. Also intriguing, the sheets on the mattress look like they’ve never been slept in.
One chilly, moonlit night, the pair notices Nanna Ellen is making her way to the ruins of Artane Castle. And they follow her.
As Bram and Matilda close-in on who or what their caregiver is, Nanna Ellen disappears. But she’s not gone altogether. Bram itches when she’s near, especially the puncture wounds on his wrist.
And so begins the adventure of finding Nanna Ellen and learning how she connects to a nearby horrific-murder of a family: The O’Cuiv’s.
THOUGHTS...
Similar to DRACULA, DRACUL toggles between journal entries, letters, and the present. I love when authors use different communication tools to move a story forward.
The writing carries the same level of tension that made me love Bram Stoker’s classic. From character Bram's perspective…
QUICKFIRE RATINGS from 1 (ugh) to 5 (woo-hoo)…
Plot (the story): 5
Main character’s likability: 5
Development of supporting character(s): 5
Settings/Atmosphere: 5
Pacing (how fast did I turn the pages): 5
Believability (in the context of the story): 5
Satisfying ending: 5
Tension of the story: 5
Stirs the heart (romantic elements): N/A
Cover: 5
OVERALL:
This book satisfied my craving for a classic-styled read :) I highly recommend DRACUL and have added it to my favorites!!!
Co-authored by Dacre Stoker and J. D. Barker, DRACUL deliciously quenched my palate! One of its authors is even Bram Stoker’s great grandnephew. How cool is that?
The story serves as a prequel to DRACULA and bloody hell, it delivers! This book earned five oozing, crimson stars from me.
MY TEASE...
Young Bram shouldn’t be alive. He’s a sickly child who can barely leave his bed in the attic, overlooking a foggy harbor. That is, until their family’s nanny (Nanna Ellen) takes Bram under her wing and miraculously nurses him back to health.
Nanna Ellen is elusive and mysterious. Bram and his sister Matilda are obsessed with learning her secrets.
While sneaking into their nanny’s bedroom and digging around, the siblings find a full-length wooden box tucked under her bed, filled with dirt and maggots. Also intriguing, the sheets on the mattress look like they’ve never been slept in.
One chilly, moonlit night, the pair notices Nanna Ellen is making her way to the ruins of Artane Castle. And they follow her.
As Bram and Matilda close-in on who or what their caregiver is, Nanna Ellen disappears. But she’s not gone altogether. Bram itches when she’s near, especially the puncture wounds on his wrist.
And so begins the adventure of finding Nanna Ellen and learning how she connects to a nearby horrific-murder of a family: The O’Cuiv’s.
THOUGHTS...
Similar to DRACULA, DRACUL toggles between journal entries, letters, and the present. I love when authors use different communication tools to move a story forward.
The writing carries the same level of tension that made me love Bram Stoker’s classic. From character Bram's perspective…
“I fell still and peered up at the forbidding castle. The weathered stones dripped with ivy and moss. As I focused my eyes, I spotted tiny ants crawling over the surface, skittering this way and that, unnaturally active considering the frosty air, with a purpose known only to them. There were spiders, too, hundreds of them, spinning their wicked webs amongst the leaves of ivy in hopes of snaring flies.”
QUICKFIRE RATINGS from 1 (ugh) to 5 (woo-hoo)…
Plot (the story): 5
Main character’s likability: 5
Development of supporting character(s): 5
Settings/Atmosphere: 5
Pacing (how fast did I turn the pages): 5
Believability (in the context of the story): 5
Satisfying ending: 5
Tension of the story: 5
Stirs the heart (romantic elements): N/A
Cover: 5
OVERALL:
This book satisfied my craving for a classic-styled read :) I highly recommend DRACUL and have added it to my favorites!!!
August 27, 2019
An intriguing gothic horror book, told from the point of view of several members of the Stoker family, including Bram, as well as his sister and brother. It tells the tale of Bram's childhood, where he was very sickly, on the verge of death, through to his adulthood. Bram had a nanny named Ellen when he was a boy, she seemed a bit of a creepy character, disappearing for days at a time, and sleeping in a box of dirt. Yet she seems to have healed Bram's ailments when the doctors of the time couldn't. Bram and his sister followed Ellen at one stage, just after he got well again, just to find a box in a tower of a ruined castle, containing a severed arm, among other things. They then watch Ellen disappear into a bog!
Ellen then disappears from the children's lives, just to re-appear years later to them, however, she doesn't seemed to have aged a day!
I found this book to hold much interest. It didn't go too hard core into the horror, concentrating more on the psychological aspect, but it hooks you in. It slowly reveals the story of Bram and how he comes across the famous Dracul, or Dracula. It is fiction, but told in biographical style, through journals and letters. The author, Dacre Stoker, is the great-grandnephew of Bram.This chilling tale has much to recommend it.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ellen then disappears from the children's lives, just to re-appear years later to them, however, she doesn't seemed to have aged a day!
I found this book to hold much interest. It didn't go too hard core into the horror, concentrating more on the psychological aspect, but it hooks you in. It slowly reveals the story of Bram and how he comes across the famous Dracul, or Dracula. It is fiction, but told in biographical style, through journals and letters. The author, Dacre Stoker, is the great-grandnephew of Bram.This chilling tale has much to recommend it.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 27, 2024
There are surely many who have wondered where Bram Stoker got his idea for Dracula . After creating an interesting sequel to his ancestor’s popular book, Dacre Stoker decided to team up with J.D. Barker to pen this prequel of sorts, though its exploration is less of Prince/Count Dracula than of a younger Bram Stoker. It is here that the seeds of all things ghoulish germinated, or so the reader is led to believe.
Bram Stoker was quite a sickly child, being bedridden for the first number of years of his life. The family’s nanny, Nanna Ellen, did all that she could to help, though caring for many children kept her occupied. It was only when Bram’s uncle came to bleed him with leeches that things took an interesting turn. At that time, Nanna Ellen also visited her young charge and, by all of Bram’s accounts, undertook a unique form of medicinal care through a small bite along his arm.
Soon thereafter, Bram was healed, though to everyone it was thought that the leeches did the job. Upwardly mobile, Bram and his sister, Matilda, begin exploring their environs in the Irish countryside, which includes a closer examination of Nanna Ellen. What they discover serves to shock and concern them, for she acts in such a unique manner. When she disappears one day, Bram and Matilda can only surmise that something extremely mysterious is going on and they might have witnessed a key that relates to her disappearance.
Moving forward more than a dozen years, Bram and Matilda are again witnesses to some odd happenings, both related to their nanny and some other folks from the town. Could the mysteries they uncovered as children be back again, in new and curious forms? As they press to understand what is going on, they discover the world of vampires and the un-dead, a realm that is highly dangerous for adults and children alike. However, nothing has prepared them for what is to come, or the residue it will have on their lives.
Contrasted nicely with a more ‘modern’ Bram Stoker, who struggles with some additional demons, Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker instil a significant chill into the narrative that is perfect for fans of the Dracula novel. Highly recommended, especially during the haunting month of October, when ghosts and ghouls begin to emerge!
I have some experience with Barker’s work and have come to admire Dacre Stoker, as he penned that aforementioned sequel to the extremely popular Dracula . Now, it’s time to look back and allow these two authors to paint some interesting pictures for the reader, taking their own liberties with Bram Stoker and his life, though they make clear that some of their story is based on his writings and early journals.
The authors handle Bram Stoker in a very interesting light here, even more interestingly than Dacre did his ancestor in the Dracula sequel. Bram is seen not only as a precocious boy, but one who is driven to understanding the mysteries of the world, particularly when oddities pop up around him. The reader will see his progression throughout the story, both in the ‘journal format’ and in his elder form, where he surely undergoes many events that shaped him before writing his novel about the prince from Transylvania. The attentive reader will see this progression and the crumbs of information in this text that relate to the best known work, utilizing many interesting themes and ideas.
Many of the other characters, who play strong roles as well as minor narrative flavouring, must also receive great recognition, as their presence keeps the reader enthralled until the final pages.
The narrative is wonderfully strong and filled with nuggets of wonderful speculation which, through to the authors’ note at the end, can be left to hang in the air, wondering how much was real. Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker dispel much of the fiction versus fact in their note at the end, as well as exploring how much of Dracula itself was based on real happenings, as opposed to a fictional account of a monster from history. While the use of journals and clippings may not be to everyone’s liking, it serves a wonderful purpose and is a true adage to Bram’s original work, deserving praise for that writing format. At this time of ghouls and monsters, this story hit the spot and will surely make it onto my annual reading list.
Kudos, Messrs. Stoker and Barker, for such an intense story. I am eager to see if you two will work together again, as this was surely a strong collaborative effort.
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Bram Stoker was quite a sickly child, being bedridden for the first number of years of his life. The family’s nanny, Nanna Ellen, did all that she could to help, though caring for many children kept her occupied. It was only when Bram’s uncle came to bleed him with leeches that things took an interesting turn. At that time, Nanna Ellen also visited her young charge and, by all of Bram’s accounts, undertook a unique form of medicinal care through a small bite along his arm.
Soon thereafter, Bram was healed, though to everyone it was thought that the leeches did the job. Upwardly mobile, Bram and his sister, Matilda, begin exploring their environs in the Irish countryside, which includes a closer examination of Nanna Ellen. What they discover serves to shock and concern them, for she acts in such a unique manner. When she disappears one day, Bram and Matilda can only surmise that something extremely mysterious is going on and they might have witnessed a key that relates to her disappearance.
Moving forward more than a dozen years, Bram and Matilda are again witnesses to some odd happenings, both related to their nanny and some other folks from the town. Could the mysteries they uncovered as children be back again, in new and curious forms? As they press to understand what is going on, they discover the world of vampires and the un-dead, a realm that is highly dangerous for adults and children alike. However, nothing has prepared them for what is to come, or the residue it will have on their lives.
Contrasted nicely with a more ‘modern’ Bram Stoker, who struggles with some additional demons, Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker instil a significant chill into the narrative that is perfect for fans of the Dracula novel. Highly recommended, especially during the haunting month of October, when ghosts and ghouls begin to emerge!
I have some experience with Barker’s work and have come to admire Dacre Stoker, as he penned that aforementioned sequel to the extremely popular Dracula . Now, it’s time to look back and allow these two authors to paint some interesting pictures for the reader, taking their own liberties with Bram Stoker and his life, though they make clear that some of their story is based on his writings and early journals.
The authors handle Bram Stoker in a very interesting light here, even more interestingly than Dacre did his ancestor in the Dracula sequel. Bram is seen not only as a precocious boy, but one who is driven to understanding the mysteries of the world, particularly when oddities pop up around him. The reader will see his progression throughout the story, both in the ‘journal format’ and in his elder form, where he surely undergoes many events that shaped him before writing his novel about the prince from Transylvania. The attentive reader will see this progression and the crumbs of information in this text that relate to the best known work, utilizing many interesting themes and ideas.
Many of the other characters, who play strong roles as well as minor narrative flavouring, must also receive great recognition, as their presence keeps the reader enthralled until the final pages.
The narrative is wonderfully strong and filled with nuggets of wonderful speculation which, through to the authors’ note at the end, can be left to hang in the air, wondering how much was real. Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker dispel much of the fiction versus fact in their note at the end, as well as exploring how much of Dracula itself was based on real happenings, as opposed to a fictional account of a monster from history. While the use of journals and clippings may not be to everyone’s liking, it serves a wonderful purpose and is a true adage to Bram’s original work, deserving praise for that writing format. At this time of ghouls and monsters, this story hit the spot and will surely make it onto my annual reading list.
Kudos, Messrs. Stoker and Barker, for such an intense story. I am eager to see if you two will work together again, as this was surely a strong collaborative effort.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
February 4, 2019
In what will come as the most surprising revelation since scientists determined that the sun is kind of hot, I was an unusual 8-year-old. While most kids were getting their Roald Dahl or Beverly Cleary on (or maybe just gorging themselves on Fruit by the Foot), I was reading Dracula (which, as I describe more fulsomely here, is my favorite book, single-volume division). Scored at a school book fair, the dog-eared edition that I read and reread throughout my childhood years, which featured a cover illustration of the titular (heh…titular) Count that looked distressingly like a dude I would later play basketball with in high school, influenced me to such a degree that I ended up concentrating on Victorian literature as an English Lit major in college (yes, others—notably Dickens, Conan Doyle, Hardy, and Eliot—played a role in that decision as well, but Stoker was the earliest and most formative influence).
(As for that dude in high school? Totally possible he was a vampire. At the very least, he was an asshole.)
Suffice it to say, then, I picked up Dracul with equal parts trepidation and anticipation. Co-written by Stoker’s great-grand nephew, the book, like an earlier Dracula sequel co-written by Dacre Stoker, purports to leverage Bram Stoker’s notes and unpublished sections of the original novel to tell a different origin story of both the Count and Bram Stoker himself.
Would this book have kept 8-year-old Sean, as weird as the sun is hot, up all night reading and influenced the later decision he would make to get a degree of questionable practical value? No. Is it a decent read, Victorian-flavored if not entirely stylistically Victorian, with some exciting parts and interesting spins on the Dracula mythos? Yeah, for the most part, despite a slow start (and I say this as the king of slow starts…I’m talking about my books; jeez…get your mind out of the gutter).
I wouldn’t bump it up to the very top of your queue, but if you love Dracula, it’s worth checking out.
(As for that dude in high school? Totally possible he was a vampire. At the very least, he was an asshole.)
Suffice it to say, then, I picked up Dracul with equal parts trepidation and anticipation. Co-written by Stoker’s great-grand nephew, the book, like an earlier Dracula sequel co-written by Dacre Stoker, purports to leverage Bram Stoker’s notes and unpublished sections of the original novel to tell a different origin story of both the Count and Bram Stoker himself.
Would this book have kept 8-year-old Sean, as weird as the sun is hot, up all night reading and influenced the later decision he would make to get a degree of questionable practical value? No. Is it a decent read, Victorian-flavored if not entirely stylistically Victorian, with some exciting parts and interesting spins on the Dracula mythos? Yeah, for the most part, despite a slow start (and I say this as the king of slow starts…I’m talking about my books; jeez…get your mind out of the gutter).
I wouldn’t bump it up to the very top of your queue, but if you love Dracula, it’s worth checking out.
August 31, 2019
This is a prequel to Bram Stoker's legendary Dracula, written by Dacre Stoker, related to Bram, with his original Stoker documents and JD Barker, the author of the Fourth Monkey trilogy. They write a seamless blend of fact and fiction with Irish folklore in this confection of historical horror. It's a gripping gothic supernatural thriller and chiller, that has the 21 year old Bram Stoker in 1868 in a dark and spooky tower, facing the longest night of his life with a strange collection of items that include holy water, a rifle and crucifixes. He is terrified out of his wits and desperately praying that he will live to see through the night as he recalls just how he came to be in his current predicament. It all begins with his sickly bedridden childhood at his family home in Dublin, Ireland.
As a child, Bram comes close to death with the medical profession little able to help him. It is their beloved nanny, Ellen Crone, who saves him and is later to depart rather abruptly from their lives. There are a number of deaths in a nearby town, Bram and his sister, Matilda become rather curious about Ellen's strange and bizarre behaviour and her odd absences. Years later, Matilda is studying in Paris, when she spots Ellen and goes on to inform Bram as their nightmare begins to unfold in this tale of blood, graveyards, the undead and vampires. This is a grisly and riveting read, well plotted with a tense and highly suspenseful narrative, with oodles of atmosphere and creepiness and it's echoes of Stoker's original Dracula. I recommend this highly to all those readers who have yet to read it, after all Halloween is not so far away, and this is ideal reading matter for that time of the year! Many thanks to Random House Transworld for a copy of the book.
As a child, Bram comes close to death with the medical profession little able to help him. It is their beloved nanny, Ellen Crone, who saves him and is later to depart rather abruptly from their lives. There are a number of deaths in a nearby town, Bram and his sister, Matilda become rather curious about Ellen's strange and bizarre behaviour and her odd absences. Years later, Matilda is studying in Paris, when she spots Ellen and goes on to inform Bram as their nightmare begins to unfold in this tale of blood, graveyards, the undead and vampires. This is a grisly and riveting read, well plotted with a tense and highly suspenseful narrative, with oodles of atmosphere and creepiness and it's echoes of Stoker's original Dracula. I recommend this highly to all those readers who have yet to read it, after all Halloween is not so far away, and this is ideal reading matter for that time of the year! Many thanks to Random House Transworld for a copy of the book.
October 30, 2021
What an excellent pre Halloween read - thank you Margaret for your review that lead me to this! The story of Bram Stoker is told principally through his journals from his sickly childhood where he owes much to Ellen Crone who nurses him through his illnesses to the encounters as an adult with Dracul amongst others.
Right from the start you don’t know what to make of Ellen - she asks Bram ‘Do you trust me?’, You shouldn’t’. I love the way the story is written, it feels like a very authentic, atmospheric Gothic tale which is so well told. There’s enigmatic puzzles, some strange, threatening and inexplicable occurrences narrated with outstanding imagery so that sights and sounds are felt vividly. Some of the imagery is very scary, they make you shudder and you feel the torment. Some scenes are visceral, you know things strike off notes but you don’t entirely understand why, yet. It’s spooky, menacing and the malevolence bounces off the pages. The ending is really surprising and is not what I expect at all.
Overall, an extremely well written novel which I’m so glad I read.
Right from the start you don’t know what to make of Ellen - she asks Bram ‘Do you trust me?’, You shouldn’t’. I love the way the story is written, it feels like a very authentic, atmospheric Gothic tale which is so well told. There’s enigmatic puzzles, some strange, threatening and inexplicable occurrences narrated with outstanding imagery so that sights and sounds are felt vividly. Some of the imagery is very scary, they make you shudder and you feel the torment. Some scenes are visceral, you know things strike off notes but you don’t entirely understand why, yet. It’s spooky, menacing and the malevolence bounces off the pages. The ending is really surprising and is not what I expect at all.
Overall, an extremely well written novel which I’m so glad I read.
October 1, 2018
It's Horror Week here at Goodreads, and what better way to start it off than by reading a seriously chilling tale? Dracul will have you hiding under the covers and wishing for morning light!
I practically learned to read by devouring horror books and there simply was no better horror story than Dracula. For decades writers have attempted to recreate the image of Dracula or to write "sequels" about the Count. All fell miserably short of success - until now. Dracul, written in tandem by Drace Stoker, the great-grandnephew of Bram Stoker, and J.D. Barker, a master storyteller, is based on Stoker's original papers kept within the family until now. When Dracula was first published, the first 100 or so pages were cut from the printing. The foundation of Dracul lies within those pages and in the notes made by Stoker. For those of us who are huge fans of Bram Stoker, this work is a dream come true!
The story is set in Ireland and features a young Bram Stoker as the primary character. As a child he was sickly and often bedridden. The family had a beloved Nanny, Ellen Crone, who was able to care for young Stoker and bring him back, literally, from the brink of death. Suspicious deaths in the village, however, are eerily linked to Nanny Crone and suddenly she vanishes without a word or a trace. Years later, Bram and his siblings, rediscover their nanny but she brings with her a horror they never imagined. It turns out that Nanny Crone is a Dearg-Due, a bloodsucking being of Irish folklore. Be still my Celtic heart! As if tower crawling snakes was not enough, we have Celtic tales of fright as well!
To say that I adore Barker and his writing is understatement. He can captivate the reader like no other and Dracul, clearly, is no exception. The gothic feel of the prose resonates throughout the book and the suspense builds to the point of sheer terror that will have you shivering with trepidation and dread! And no, don't even reach for that light, because Dearg-Dues can walk in the sun! Oh yeah! It is a superbly told tale of fright! I truly did not believe it was possible for any book to come close the brilliance of Dracula but these two men have proven me wrong. Dracul is a classic in the making and one that you will not want to miss reading - not on your life.
There was no other book that I wanted to review more in 2018 than Dracul and I am forever grateful to Drace Stoker, J.D. Barker, @Edelweiss and G.P Putnam's Sons for making it possible.
I practically learned to read by devouring horror books and there simply was no better horror story than Dracula. For decades writers have attempted to recreate the image of Dracula or to write "sequels" about the Count. All fell miserably short of success - until now. Dracul, written in tandem by Drace Stoker, the great-grandnephew of Bram Stoker, and J.D. Barker, a master storyteller, is based on Stoker's original papers kept within the family until now. When Dracula was first published, the first 100 or so pages were cut from the printing. The foundation of Dracul lies within those pages and in the notes made by Stoker. For those of us who are huge fans of Bram Stoker, this work is a dream come true!
The story is set in Ireland and features a young Bram Stoker as the primary character. As a child he was sickly and often bedridden. The family had a beloved Nanny, Ellen Crone, who was able to care for young Stoker and bring him back, literally, from the brink of death. Suspicious deaths in the village, however, are eerily linked to Nanny Crone and suddenly she vanishes without a word or a trace. Years later, Bram and his siblings, rediscover their nanny but she brings with her a horror they never imagined. It turns out that Nanny Crone is a Dearg-Due, a bloodsucking being of Irish folklore. Be still my Celtic heart! As if tower crawling snakes was not enough, we have Celtic tales of fright as well!
To say that I adore Barker and his writing is understatement. He can captivate the reader like no other and Dracul, clearly, is no exception. The gothic feel of the prose resonates throughout the book and the suspense builds to the point of sheer terror that will have you shivering with trepidation and dread! And no, don't even reach for that light, because Dearg-Dues can walk in the sun! Oh yeah! It is a superbly told tale of fright! I truly did not believe it was possible for any book to come close the brilliance of Dracula but these two men have proven me wrong. Dracul is a classic in the making and one that you will not want to miss reading - not on your life.
There was no other book that I wanted to review more in 2018 than Dracul and I am forever grateful to Drace Stoker, J.D. Barker, @Edelweiss and G.P Putnam's Sons for making it possible.
September 20, 2020
Meandering tale of Bram Stoker's connection to Dracula
This started out so scary and atmospheric with Bram Stoker as a sickly child and his weird, overly attentive nanny. Bram and his sister Matilda were very close in real life and the story when it involved the children and their bizarre caretaker was involving and creepy.
The problems started when they became adults. Here the story starts to unravel a bit, as they bring in the older brother who has a lunatic wife and some other people who have no connection to the story, but are thrown in. Bram is locked in a tower in an ongoing aside that doesn't get explained until I didn't care anymore. Snakes on a plane! How about snakes in a tower? This has such promise, but unfortunately it didn't live up to it for me.
This started out so scary and atmospheric with Bram Stoker as a sickly child and his weird, overly attentive nanny. Bram and his sister Matilda were very close in real life and the story when it involved the children and their bizarre caretaker was involving and creepy.
The problems started when they became adults. Here the story starts to unravel a bit, as they bring in the older brother who has a lunatic wife and some other people who have no connection to the story, but are thrown in. Bram is locked in a tower in an ongoing aside that doesn't get explained until I didn't care anymore. Snakes on a plane! How about snakes in a tower? This has such promise, but unfortunately it didn't live up to it for me.
November 19, 2018
3.5*.
Loved the first part with the nanny which I found to be chilling, creepy, and scary. It was the second part which in my opinion was slow and a little too long for my liking.
Loved the first part with the nanny which I found to be chilling, creepy, and scary. It was the second part which in my opinion was slow and a little too long for my liking.
November 23, 2019
Dracul is brilliant, terrifying, blood-chilling fun entertainment and I loved every minute of it.
Great grandnephew of Bram Stoker, Dacre Stoker and Co-writer JD Barker write a prequel here to Dracula. The focus here is on Bram Stoker, his family and the creatures he created.
There is a lot of old fashioned horror and creep to this fresh and modern horror that had me wanting to hide and read this one with one eye on the pages and the other on my surroundings. I was not reading this one behind any closed doors other than the front door I was too scared to go near while reading this one. I don't think I have every experience such fun while being so creepily scared about the creatures in the night than I have been with this one. I highly recommend.
I received a copy from EW quite a while ago and wondering why it took me so long to read it.
Great grandnephew of Bram Stoker, Dacre Stoker and Co-writer JD Barker write a prequel here to Dracula. The focus here is on Bram Stoker, his family and the creatures he created.
There is a lot of old fashioned horror and creep to this fresh and modern horror that had me wanting to hide and read this one with one eye on the pages and the other on my surroundings. I was not reading this one behind any closed doors other than the front door I was too scared to go near while reading this one. I don't think I have every experience such fun while being so creepily scared about the creatures in the night than I have been with this one. I highly recommend.
I received a copy from EW quite a while ago and wondering why it took me so long to read it.
December 28, 2018
Stoker is back y'all!!!
Bram Stoker is transformed into a fictional character and beamed right into a novel of his own creation. Together with his brother and sister and a few others, they battle the ultimate force of darkness... Dracul.
okay so first off I have done a lot of research on this book and the behind-the-scenes of the creation and writing of this book. Let me start off by assuring you that Decre Stoker is in fact a real relative of Bram Stoker. He is his great-grand nephew. With that in mind let me also point out that together with his co-writer JD Barker, they got to view an original manuscript of the first edition of Dracula. That paired with the fact that Bram Stoker left a lot of notes behind and a lot of the original novel was cut out, is the essence of how this book came to be. This book is indeed written with intent on telling of the original 101 pages that were lost during the publication process of the novel Dracula.
Stoker and Barker have become masters of interweaving not only their writing styles but fact along with fiction. The lines bleed together so well that you can hardly tell one from the other. To say that this book is very well written would be an understatement. Bravo to the authors as I can proudly tip my hat to this undoubtedly soon-to-be classic prequel to the original novel of Dracula.
I really really enjoyed this book! so much so that I would like to reread the original novel and I would like to read Dracula's Guest as well as Decre's other novel Dracula the Undead, which is a sequel to the original novel. The original novel was so inspiring to generation upon generation and I feel that this novel is a perfect complement to it.
Also I would like to say that in reading this book I definitely learned a lot about Bram Stoker and how and why he wrote the original novel that he did. a lot of what he wrote and indeed a lot of what is in this novel is true (or true folklore). In fact when Bram Stoker went to originally published his novel he wanted to have it published as non-fiction! 😳 He felt that Dracula and his legions of the undead were something evil that people needed to be warned about. And when you take into account all of the Irish folklore that he included and was inspired by in his tale, who can tell for sure? The Dark Prince might truley be out there... lurking in the shadows just beyond our reach.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good horror novel, REAL vampires or is a fan of Dracula lore in any way.
Or you can watch my review on YouTube here:
https://youtu.be/3TJPJE1b3ig
Bram Stoker is transformed into a fictional character and beamed right into a novel of his own creation. Together with his brother and sister and a few others, they battle the ultimate force of darkness... Dracul.
okay so first off I have done a lot of research on this book and the behind-the-scenes of the creation and writing of this book. Let me start off by assuring you that Decre Stoker is in fact a real relative of Bram Stoker. He is his great-grand nephew. With that in mind let me also point out that together with his co-writer JD Barker, they got to view an original manuscript of the first edition of Dracula. That paired with the fact that Bram Stoker left a lot of notes behind and a lot of the original novel was cut out, is the essence of how this book came to be. This book is indeed written with intent on telling of the original 101 pages that were lost during the publication process of the novel Dracula.
Stoker and Barker have become masters of interweaving not only their writing styles but fact along with fiction. The lines bleed together so well that you can hardly tell one from the other. To say that this book is very well written would be an understatement. Bravo to the authors as I can proudly tip my hat to this undoubtedly soon-to-be classic prequel to the original novel of Dracula.
I really really enjoyed this book! so much so that I would like to reread the original novel and I would like to read Dracula's Guest as well as Decre's other novel Dracula the Undead, which is a sequel to the original novel. The original novel was so inspiring to generation upon generation and I feel that this novel is a perfect complement to it.
Also I would like to say that in reading this book I definitely learned a lot about Bram Stoker and how and why he wrote the original novel that he did. a lot of what he wrote and indeed a lot of what is in this novel is true (or true folklore). In fact when Bram Stoker went to originally published his novel he wanted to have it published as non-fiction! 😳 He felt that Dracula and his legions of the undead were something evil that people needed to be warned about. And when you take into account all of the Irish folklore that he included and was inspired by in his tale, who can tell for sure? The Dark Prince might truley be out there... lurking in the shadows just beyond our reach.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good horror novel, REAL vampires or is a fan of Dracula lore in any way.
Or you can watch my review on YouTube here:
https://youtu.be/3TJPJE1b3ig
January 12, 2022
1 "what a bloody trainwreck" star !!
2021 Read I was Most Afraid to Hate Award (Winner)
First of all a warm thank you to Peter whose stellar review led me to this book which is my Halloween read of 2021. So my reading experience of this was very different than Peter's and it appears all my GR friends when I perused their ratings. Once again I am an outlier ! Oh well !
Did I want to stop reading this book ? Many times ! I was morbidly curious though as to how it would all end and how this prequel to Dracula would pan out. I will also be presenting this book in February to my writing circle as why this book did not work for me and how I will use this to improve on my own creative writing. This is all good stuff !
I want to start off by saying that I appreciated the vision of the two authors to (attempt to) present to the reading public what Mr. Stoker wanted to present to the general reader (a work of supernatural true crime as opposed to a monster horror). I also felt that in different hands that this would have worked as I really liked the plot arc and how the pieces of the puzzle fit together. These factors led me to award the book one star (as opposed to half or zero).
In a nutshell I found the book to pretty darn awful on many levels and in point form here are the things I (greatly) disliked (okay hated is much more honest!)
-this book is primarily labeled as journal entries yet is written in novel form
-the children were present with the intellect and emotional reasoning of adults at least 75 percent of the time
-the overall tone was maudlin interspersed with histrionic hysteria and slapstick maneuvers
-the action was so fast paced that the character's emotional reactions were either over the top or under-reactive -think of a remedial drama class doing a rendition of Michael Jackson's thriller
-the dialogue ranged from somewhat anachronistic to ridiculous
-plot devices were often convenient and just thrown in to move the story along
-the characters' psychologies were often internally inconsistent and very superficially drawn
I could go on and on....but I won't...
Count Dracul says at one point : "He is no more your true love than beefsteak is to a sailor returning from a year at sea"
What the fuck do you think Elvira ?
2021 Read I was Most Afraid to Hate Award (Winner)
First of all a warm thank you to Peter whose stellar review led me to this book which is my Halloween read of 2021. So my reading experience of this was very different than Peter's and it appears all my GR friends when I perused their ratings. Once again I am an outlier ! Oh well !
Did I want to stop reading this book ? Many times ! I was morbidly curious though as to how it would all end and how this prequel to Dracula would pan out. I will also be presenting this book in February to my writing circle as why this book did not work for me and how I will use this to improve on my own creative writing. This is all good stuff !
I want to start off by saying that I appreciated the vision of the two authors to (attempt to) present to the reading public what Mr. Stoker wanted to present to the general reader (a work of supernatural true crime as opposed to a monster horror). I also felt that in different hands that this would have worked as I really liked the plot arc and how the pieces of the puzzle fit together. These factors led me to award the book one star (as opposed to half or zero).
In a nutshell I found the book to pretty darn awful on many levels and in point form here are the things I (greatly) disliked (okay hated is much more honest!)
-this book is primarily labeled as journal entries yet is written in novel form
-the children were present with the intellect and emotional reasoning of adults at least 75 percent of the time
-the overall tone was maudlin interspersed with histrionic hysteria and slapstick maneuvers
-the action was so fast paced that the character's emotional reactions were either over the top or under-reactive -think of a remedial drama class doing a rendition of Michael Jackson's thriller
-the dialogue ranged from somewhat anachronistic to ridiculous
-plot devices were often convenient and just thrown in to move the story along
-the characters' psychologies were often internally inconsistent and very superficially drawn
I could go on and on....but I won't...
Count Dracul says at one point : "He is no more your true love than beefsteak is to a sailor returning from a year at sea"
What the fuck do you think Elvira ?
November 1, 2018
What a perfect choice this book was to read on Halloween! Delightfully spooky, frequently gruesome and in parts really scary!
Amazingly Dracul is a prequel to the famous Dracula and as such it is perfect. It tells of the young Bram Stoker and his siblings growing up and the impact that their rather unusual nanny has on their young lives. Bram in particular has a very close relationship with her and this leads to events which culminate in their meeting with Dracula. Along the way there are deaths, graveyard scenes, amputated limbs and people consuming live mice among other gory details. As I said , perfect reading for Halloween.
I found this book to be well written and intriguing in its ideas. It was well paced and sometimes very tense. Who would not be a little nervous when there is a vampire outside causing deadly snakes to multiply and crawl in through your windows. Very enjoyable indeed and highly recommended:)
Amazingly Dracul is a prequel to the famous Dracula and as such it is perfect. It tells of the young Bram Stoker and his siblings growing up and the impact that their rather unusual nanny has on their young lives. Bram in particular has a very close relationship with her and this leads to events which culminate in their meeting with Dracula. Along the way there are deaths, graveyard scenes, amputated limbs and people consuming live mice among other gory details. As I said , perfect reading for Halloween.
I found this book to be well written and intriguing in its ideas. It was well paced and sometimes very tense. Who would not be a little nervous when there is a vampire outside causing deadly snakes to multiply and crawl in through your windows. Very enjoyable indeed and highly recommended:)
March 13, 2019
Miedo!!! Y, aun así, no he podido dejar de leerlo. Realmente me ha recordado mucho a Drácula de Bram Stoker y, aunque, me hubiera gustado que tuviera otro final, me alegro de haberlo leído.
April 28, 2019
4.5/5 stars!
I'm keeping this one short and sweet! I loved it!
If you enjoyed Dracula, then you most likely will enjoy Dracul as well. I loved the premise of it and the execution. My only issue, and it's a small one, is that it took me a little longer than usual to get into it, but then the prose and my dark imagination kicked into gear and I was mesmerized.
Highly recommended!
I'm keeping this one short and sweet! I loved it!
If you enjoyed Dracula, then you most likely will enjoy Dracul as well. I loved the premise of it and the execution. My only issue, and it's a small one, is that it took me a little longer than usual to get into it, but then the prose and my dark imagination kicked into gear and I was mesmerized.
Highly recommended!
August 21, 2020
Since finishing (and loving ) J.D. Barker’s “She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be”, I have been dying to request a copy of “The Coast To Coast Murders” though NetGalley or Edelweiss to no avail!
So, I decided, although never a fan of Dracula, to download and listen to the audible of J.D. Barker’s Dracul, while I wait..and I am THRILLED that I did..
This is the PREQUEL to Dracula, co-authored with Dacre Stoker, the great grandnephew of Bram Stoker-who is also the co author of Dracula:The Un-Dead, the official Stoker family endorsed SEQUEL to Dracula.
Through notes and journals, diaries and letters, this book pieces together the story that was shared in the first 101 pages that were CUT from the original draft of Bram Stoker’s novel.
Because although the original Gothic novel, inspired the Count Dracula fantasies you may have known a a child, you DID KNOW that Dracul is based on TRUTH, right?
I listened to the audible, about 10% each night, with flickering candles lit, and became ENGROSSED by the VOICES of the wonderful cast, which lent to the feel of authenticity..
I learned, of the sickly, bedridden Bram, and his loyal (and very courageous) sister Matilda, and how they began to realize that there was something “off” about their beloved caretaker, Nana Ellen (Nanny Ellen Crone), who vanishes one night without a trace..
And, of their investigation, years later, when Matilda, now studying Art in Paris, spots Ellen, who appears to have aged not a single day...
There is something about the way that J.D Barker writes that draws you in.
His words are so descriptive, and EACH ONE, seems carefully chosen to paint a vivid picture for the reader, from icy rain to crumbling stone steps.
All of the requisite features of the classic Gothic HORROR genre are here:
A Castle, Death and Decay, a Curse, Transformation, Unrequited Love and of course GOOD vs. Evil.
Highly recommended AUDIBLE and book.
So, I decided, although never a fan of Dracula, to download and listen to the audible of J.D. Barker’s Dracul, while I wait..and I am THRILLED that I did..
This is the PREQUEL to Dracula, co-authored with Dacre Stoker, the great grandnephew of Bram Stoker-who is also the co author of Dracula:The Un-Dead, the official Stoker family endorsed SEQUEL to Dracula.
Through notes and journals, diaries and letters, this book pieces together the story that was shared in the first 101 pages that were CUT from the original draft of Bram Stoker’s novel.
Because although the original Gothic novel, inspired the Count Dracula fantasies you may have known a a child, you DID KNOW that Dracul is based on TRUTH, right?
I listened to the audible, about 10% each night, with flickering candles lit, and became ENGROSSED by the VOICES of the wonderful cast, which lent to the feel of authenticity..
I learned, of the sickly, bedridden Bram, and his loyal (and very courageous) sister Matilda, and how they began to realize that there was something “off” about their beloved caretaker, Nana Ellen (Nanny Ellen Crone), who vanishes one night without a trace..
And, of their investigation, years later, when Matilda, now studying Art in Paris, spots Ellen, who appears to have aged not a single day...
There is something about the way that J.D Barker writes that draws you in.
His words are so descriptive, and EACH ONE, seems carefully chosen to paint a vivid picture for the reader, from icy rain to crumbling stone steps.
All of the requisite features of the classic Gothic HORROR genre are here:
A Castle, Death and Decay, a Curse, Transformation, Unrequited Love and of course GOOD vs. Evil.
Highly recommended AUDIBLE and book.
November 26, 2018
What a prequel. Who is Ellen Crone, the nanny of the Stoker siblings and where is she gone after she hurriedly left the family? The book is told from different perspectives, in journals like Bram's or that of his brother Thornley or his sister Mathilda. The story is extremely eerie and the character of Dracul is presented as a real merciless and evil monster you would like to hunt down by yourself. I had to smile when Mina Harker appeared at the end of the book. Also the epilogue has many revealing details how Bram composed his Dracula. Also the romantic story around Ellen and her lover who was cruelly punished by Dracul in an extremely cruel way is quite enjoyable. The only thing I was a bit irritated about was the fact that Dracul already has left his home and obviously was in Britain and Ireland. I would have expected he's come in later, with Bram Stoker's next book Dracula. That Dracul also led to Munich was quite an interesting twist. Fantastic vampire story and a must read for every fan of Dracula. It doesn't surpass the classic but is vital reading for every Bram Stoker fan. Highly recommended!
December 21, 2019
3***
Loved the gothic themes and descriptions as it really gave the atmosphere for this novel. I loved the exploration of vampires in this and the mysteriousness surrounding them and the events in this book. Learning more about Bram Stoker, as this was based on some truth, was also great and the added fictional elements meant that I did enjoy the book overall.
I just wasn’t 100% invested in this book and I found that it was longer than it necessarily needed to be.
Loved the gothic themes and descriptions as it really gave the atmosphere for this novel. I loved the exploration of vampires in this and the mysteriousness surrounding them and the events in this book. Learning more about Bram Stoker, as this was based on some truth, was also great and the added fictional elements meant that I did enjoy the book overall.
I just wasn’t 100% invested in this book and I found that it was longer than it necessarily needed to be.
February 6, 2023
vintage vampyre story
It works because it emulates the original: it uses journals and notes to tell the tale, it is Gothic, it is Victorian, it is shadowed with dark rooms and dark buildings and dark souls, it retains the good vs evil motif, it retains the concept of holy vs unholy, the dread is as much in what is unseen or never seen as in the terror of what is revealed, both prime ingredients in horror fiction.
I felt the surge of darkness was potent until one of the most powerful vampires chose to help those combating Dracula. They had foreshadowed this, it was plausible, but somehow this made the denouement less dangerous, less deadly, less frightening. You know - The Good Vampire. I don’t think they should have done it. They should have kept her alluring and ethereally beautiful, but let her remain a force for evil. There would have been other ways to bring resolution to the novel. Nevertheless it remains a horrific experience because you don’t know if it’s a trick of the devil - is it?
Very well written and plotted overall. Darkness layered in darkness, layered in mysteries, and puzzles, and dead ends and death.
It works because it emulates the original: it uses journals and notes to tell the tale, it is Gothic, it is Victorian, it is shadowed with dark rooms and dark buildings and dark souls, it retains the good vs evil motif, it retains the concept of holy vs unholy, the dread is as much in what is unseen or never seen as in the terror of what is revealed, both prime ingredients in horror fiction.
I felt the surge of darkness was potent until one of the most powerful vampires chose to help those combating Dracula. They had foreshadowed this, it was plausible, but somehow this made the denouement less dangerous, less deadly, less frightening. You know - The Good Vampire. I don’t think they should have done it. They should have kept her alluring and ethereally beautiful, but let her remain a force for evil. There would have been other ways to bring resolution to the novel. Nevertheless it remains a horrific experience because you don’t know if it’s a trick of the devil - is it?
Very well written and plotted overall. Darkness layered in darkness, layered in mysteries, and puzzles, and dead ends and death.
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