[Bea’s Book Reviews] Anno Dracula [by Kim Newman]

First Published: 1992

Publishers: Simon & Schuster

It is 1882 and Her Majesty Queen Victoria has remarried Count Vlad Tepes, Voivode of Wallachia, otherwise known as Count Dracula. While Dracula is propagating his tainted bloodline and his get is expanding across the British Empire, a merciless serial killer has arisen in the slums of Whitechapel, causing havoc among the vampire ranks and Scotland Yard. Among others, Charles Beauregard, intrepid human investigator for the revered in hushed whispers Diogenes Club teams up with ageless vampiress Genevive Dieudonné with the assistance of Doctor John Seward, each party with their own agenda, to track down the faceless killer while attempting to live in King Draculas’ malevolent new world.

Wow.

Anno Dracula holds the distinction to perhaps be the first most cohesive, imaginative and widely diverse expansion and revisiting of the universe originally conceived by Bram Stokers’ seminal novel, Dracula. Not only does it take respectful measures to remain true to Stoker’s vision, but academic-cum-eager student of horrors Kim Newman injects original material of his own creation with other established figures in horror media, some of which will be listed below. On TOP of that, there is a cross-continental flavor of vampires of lore from all over the globe, indulging in the vampires myths of Asia, Indonesia and Europe but to name a few. The detail and thought placed into the text is infectiously meticulous as it is thoroughly entertaining.