Covenant With the Vampire (The Diaries of the Family Dracul #1) by Jeanne Kalogridis
Publication Date: September 1st 1994
Details: Hardcover, 324 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 9780385313131
Source: I bought it at Goodwill
Jeanne Kalogridis:
Website | Goodreads
Buy Covenant With the Vampire:
Amazon | Book Depository
Summary
A sensual, terrifying, incredibly accomplished first novel, this fascinating prequel to the classic and most popular horror novel of all time, Dracula, focuses on Dracula’s great-nephew, who inherits the job of managing his great-uncle’s estate…and his appetite. Written in diary form asDracula is, this compulsively readable book has revelations that will shock and delight readers of the original. More erotic than Anne Rice, Kalogridis is a major new voice in vampire fiction. The first chilling tale in an exciting new trilogy is a rich and terrifying historical novel set fifty years before the opening of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. At the castle of Prince Vlad Tsepesh, also known as Dracula, Vald’s great-nephew Arkady is honored to care for his beloved though strange great-uncle…until he beings to realize what is expected of him in his new role. It seems that either he provides his great-uncle with unsuspecting victims to satisfy his needs, or Vlad will kill those Arkady loves. He is trapped into becoming party to murder and sadistic torture. And it is in his blood. When Arkady learns that his newborn son is being groomed one day to follow in his footsteps, he knows that he must fight Dracula, even if it means death.
Review
I found out about Covenant with the Vampire years ago and knew as soon as I read the synopsis that I had to read this book. I honestly have no idea why it took me so long to get to it, and you know what the sad thing is? If I hadn’t found it at Goodwill, I still probably wouldn’t have read it. I am so happy that the whole trilogy was there and that I bought it because I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It unfortunately took me an entire week to read this book. It had nothing to do with the book or anything. I wanted to read it, I was just having trouble at that time with concentrating. I just couldn’t stay focused of anything. However, I have no doubt that if I wasn’t having that problem, I would have read it in a day. I don’t normally read a lot of books in a single day, but I’m sure this would have been one that I would have flown through. It was just so good.
I think the only problem I had with it, and the reason I had to give it four stars instead of five, was the fact that Arkady drove me insane. There were so many times that I wanted to reach into the book and shake him. I’m pretty sure that at one point I even told my dad that I wanted to smack Arkady because he was being such an idiot.
Other than that small problem, I thought it was an amazing read. It was well written, I absolutely loved the atmosphere, and even though I kept getting distracted, I didn’t want to put the book down. Whenever I wasn’t reading, I wanted to be. I wanted to know what the characters were up to and how it would all end.
Again, I am so glad that I bought the whole trilogy, and I can’t wait to read the next book, Children of the Vampire. If you are into vampires, and you haven’t already read this book, please pick it up and give it a read. I would honestly be surprised it you didn’t enjoy. It was incredible, and I will now read anything and everything from this author.
Raye of the Dead 