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Necroscope #3
Necroscope 3: The Source
The third book in the Necroscope series traces the battle between Harry Keogh and the horrifying Vamphyri on their home ground, an alien landscape of looming towers, impossible cliffs, and ravenous vampire-beasts. Russia's Ural Mountains hide a deadly a supernatural portal to the country of the vampires. Soviet scientists and ESP-powered spies, in a secret military base, study the portal--and the powerfully evil creatures that emerge from it, intent on ravaging mankind. When Jazz Simmons, a British agent sent to infiltrate the base, is captured by the KGB espionage squad and forced through the portal, his last message tells Harry Keogh, the Necroscope, that the vampires are preparing for a mass invasion. Harry has only one option--to strike first. He must carry the human-vampire war to the vampire's own lands. But his strongest psychic power will be useless there. What good is the power to summon the dead in a country where nothing ever dies, where every man, woman, and child become half-dead servants of the Vamphyri?
512 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1989
158 people are currently reading
2451 people want to read
About the author
Brian Lumley
444 books1,356 followersBrian Lumley was born near Newcastle. In 22 years as a Military Policeman he served in many of the Cold War hotspots, including Berlin, as well as Cyprus in partition days. He reached the rank of Sergeant-Major before retiring to Devon to write full-time, and his work was first published in 1970. The vampire series, 'Necroscope', has been translated into ten languages and sold over a million copies worldwide.
He was awarded the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award in 2010.
He was awarded the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
August 21, 2011
HEADS UP READERS: For a 3 star rating, this rant review contain's a higher concentration of I'm so pissed than you might expect. The reason: there's a 250 to 300 page 5 star gem in here just begging on its paper knees to sparkle but it’s being rooster-blocked big time by another 250 pages of mind- anesthetizing:
(i) rehash and rehash and rehash of the first two books,
(ii) pace-murdering plot set ups,
(iii) loooooooooooooong-winded expositions leading to cries of “show don’t tell,” and
(iv) clunky, ham-fisted info dumps.
All of the above turn this potential "it's amazing" read into a long game of “Where’s Waldo” that's made all the more frustrating by the fact that the good parts are really spectacular.
Now, because of my respect for this series and Brian Lumley as an author, I am going to put the rage on simmer and begin by focusing on the good aspects of the story as well as provide a brief plot summary.(DID YOU HEAR THAT LUMLEY?…BRIEF SUMMARY…OPPOSITE OF EPOCH-WINDED!!). Sorry, that got away from me, sort of LIKE LUMLEY’S STORY CONTINUALLY GETTING AWAY FROM HIM AND MEANDERING INTO FILLERVILLE).
Okay, I’ll stop for now, but I do have issues to deal with…
PLOT SUMMARY AND THE WALDO
The Source is the 3rd installment of the Necroscope series which is a unique blend of cold war spy thriller with a paranormal component and an excellent take on vampires (of the nasty, nasty "non emo" variety). Taking place in the 1980’s when the U.S. and U.S.S.R. were still playing their global game of “who has the biggest johnson” with one another, you have your typical collection cold war spy characters, except that most of the players belong to a specialized department and possess paranormal skills (telepathy, prognostication, telekinesis, etc.).
Over the course of the first two novels, the main enemy (besides the customary spy vs. spy antics) has been some very nasty fang-bangers. The vampires in this series are basically a large parasite/symbiote that enters into a host and grows until it fuses the two personalities into one nasty MoFo. When the host is a human (which it doesn’t have to be), the result is a Wamphyri.
The main character of the series is the most powerful of the paranormals, Harry Keogh, the titular Necroscope. Harry head's the British “E-branch" and is your basic paranormal Superman, including the unique ability to speak to the dead. By using this ability, Harry can learn and absorb the knowledge of any of the formerly living, thus enhancing his own physical or mental skills (e.g., learning quantum physics from Einstein or martial arts from Bruce Lee). Harry never forgets what he learns and becomes a badder and badder ass as the series progresses.
Anyway, after defeating the bloodoholics in the first two installments, the source of the fang-bangers is finally discovered…another world. Whoa, whoa, whoa…before you go all “jumping the shark” on me, let me say that this plot/series development is not one of my gripes because the basis/science/explanation behind it is well laid out and doesn’t cause unnecessary eye-rolling. I am someone who will let an author take me where he wants as long as he doesn’t insult my intelligence in the process.
I won’t go into details from here other than to say that the “source” world is truly impressive, the societal structure of the vamps and the non-vamps is excellent and well laid out and Lumley gets an "A" for taking the vampire mythos into a unique and well thought out direction.
I told you there was a 5 star read in here.
THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD OF RANT
All the above in 250 to 300 pages and I would have been swaying with a lighter above my head begging Lumley for an encore. But NOOOOOOOOOO, that would be too easy. Instead, Brian decides to write over 500 pages and include the following:
** The first 3 chapters (almost 60 pages) describing the secret Soviet base where the “source” will be discovered and giving background information on the project. All of this, and I mean all of this, could have been condensed (without loss of any pertinent detail) into probably 15 pages. Note to Brian: find your point and get the fuck there. PLEEEEEEAASEE.
** Approximately 50 to 75 pages TOO MANY dealing with useless background and ancillary information about new character, British spy Jazz Simmons. Worst part is, the useless info isn’t even interesting. I just wanted to drop Lumley’s nuts in a blender and chop ice for plodding up the story with this.
** Once on the source world, WAY, WAY too much walking, ass scratching and finger twirling. It was like Lord of the Rings walking and I half expected Gollum to show up looking for his precious. Wake up the editor and tell him to put on some coffee...there's work to do.
** The story of the source world history and society structure is told in a series of conversations between a character named Zek and Jazz Simmons. This covers about 4 chapters (80 to 100 pages). The history is awesome and fascinating and I had no issue with the amount of detail. What I did develop major “hurry the fuckupitis” about was that at least half of those 80 to 100 pages are preambles and segues between the various parts of the history narrative. For example, Zek tells part of her story. It gets late and they go to sleep. Then we have 20 pages of get up, wash, eat, walk, walk, walk before she continues her story. C’mon Brain, let’s move this thing along. This isn’t the 1950’s and I can’t imagine you are being paid by the word.
** MAJOR CRIME ALERT After the slow, plodding pace and extensive set up, the climactic battle takes place over a single 20 page chapter. So we get 60 pages of Soviet base intro and then less than 20 pages of “settle all scores once and for all for the fate of the planet” battle. Lumley’s priorities here made me want to send him out on the lake "fredo style" so I could watch from the window as Rocko put a bullet in the back of his head…HE BROKE MY HEART!!
So cut away all the fat and hose away the chum and you have an intelligent, original, well-imagined story that adds something unique to the crowded vampire genre. Alas, all of the superfluous flotsam left me unable to give the book higher than 3.0 stars despite how tasty the meat was.
P.S. The covers for this series are among the worst ever created in the history of literature. I am convinced they were created without Lumley’s knowledge by someone with a vendetta against him. DO NOT LET THEM KEEP YOU FROM TRYING OUT THE SERIES…at least the first two.
(i) rehash and rehash and rehash of the first two books,
(ii) pace-murdering plot set ups,
(iii) loooooooooooooong-winded expositions leading to cries of “show don’t tell,” and
(iv) clunky, ham-fisted info dumps.
All of the above turn this potential "it's amazing" read into a long game of “Where’s Waldo” that's made all the more frustrating by the fact that the good parts are really spectacular.
Now, because of my respect for this series and Brian Lumley as an author, I am going to put the rage on simmer and begin by focusing on the good aspects of the story as well as provide a brief plot summary.(DID YOU HEAR THAT LUMLEY?…BRIEF SUMMARY…OPPOSITE OF EPOCH-WINDED!!). Sorry, that got away from me, sort of LIKE LUMLEY’S STORY CONTINUALLY GETTING AWAY FROM HIM AND MEANDERING INTO FILLERVILLE).
Okay, I’ll stop for now, but I do have issues to deal with…
PLOT SUMMARY AND THE WALDO
The Source is the 3rd installment of the Necroscope series which is a unique blend of cold war spy thriller with a paranormal component and an excellent take on vampires (of the nasty, nasty "non emo" variety). Taking place in the 1980’s when the U.S. and U.S.S.R. were still playing their global game of “who has the biggest johnson” with one another, you have your typical collection cold war spy characters, except that most of the players belong to a specialized department and possess paranormal skills (telepathy, prognostication, telekinesis, etc.).
Over the course of the first two novels, the main enemy (besides the customary spy vs. spy antics) has been some very nasty fang-bangers. The vampires in this series are basically a large parasite/symbiote that enters into a host and grows until it fuses the two personalities into one nasty MoFo. When the host is a human (which it doesn’t have to be), the result is a Wamphyri.
The main character of the series is the most powerful of the paranormals, Harry Keogh, the titular Necroscope. Harry head's the British “E-branch" and is your basic paranormal Superman, including the unique ability to speak to the dead. By using this ability, Harry can learn and absorb the knowledge of any of the formerly living, thus enhancing his own physical or mental skills (e.g., learning quantum physics from Einstein or martial arts from Bruce Lee). Harry never forgets what he learns and becomes a badder and badder ass as the series progresses.
Anyway, after defeating the bloodoholics in the first two installments, the source of the fang-bangers is finally discovered…another world. Whoa, whoa, whoa…before you go all “jumping the shark” on me, let me say that this plot/series development is not one of my gripes because the basis/science/explanation behind it is well laid out and doesn’t cause unnecessary eye-rolling. I am someone who will let an author take me where he wants as long as he doesn’t insult my intelligence in the process.
I won’t go into details from here other than to say that the “source” world is truly impressive, the societal structure of the vamps and the non-vamps is excellent and well laid out and Lumley gets an "A" for taking the vampire mythos into a unique and well thought out direction.
I told you there was a 5 star read in here.
THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD OF RANT
All the above in 250 to 300 pages and I would have been swaying with a lighter above my head begging Lumley for an encore. But NOOOOOOOOOO, that would be too easy. Instead, Brian decides to write over 500 pages and include the following:
** The first 3 chapters (almost 60 pages) describing the secret Soviet base where the “source” will be discovered and giving background information on the project. All of this, and I mean all of this, could have been condensed (without loss of any pertinent detail) into probably 15 pages. Note to Brian: find your point and get the fuck there. PLEEEEEEAASEE.
** Approximately 50 to 75 pages TOO MANY dealing with useless background and ancillary information about new character, British spy Jazz Simmons. Worst part is, the useless info isn’t even interesting. I just wanted to drop Lumley’s nuts in a blender and chop ice for plodding up the story with this.
** Once on the source world, WAY, WAY too much walking, ass scratching and finger twirling. It was like Lord of the Rings walking and I half expected Gollum to show up looking for his precious. Wake up the editor and tell him to put on some coffee...there's work to do.
** The story of the source world history and society structure is told in a series of conversations between a character named Zek and Jazz Simmons. This covers about 4 chapters (80 to 100 pages). The history is awesome and fascinating and I had no issue with the amount of detail. What I did develop major “hurry the fuckupitis” about was that at least half of those 80 to 100 pages are preambles and segues between the various parts of the history narrative. For example, Zek tells part of her story. It gets late and they go to sleep. Then we have 20 pages of get up, wash, eat, walk, walk, walk before she continues her story. C’mon Brain, let’s move this thing along. This isn’t the 1950’s and I can’t imagine you are being paid by the word.
** MAJOR CRIME ALERT After the slow, plodding pace and extensive set up, the climactic battle takes place over a single 20 page chapter. So we get 60 pages of Soviet base intro and then less than 20 pages of “settle all scores once and for all for the fate of the planet” battle. Lumley’s priorities here made me want to send him out on the lake "fredo style" so I could watch from the window as Rocko put a bullet in the back of his head…HE BROKE MY HEART!!
So cut away all the fat and hose away the chum and you have an intelligent, original, well-imagined story that adds something unique to the crowded vampire genre. Alas, all of the superfluous flotsam left me unable to give the book higher than 3.0 stars despite how tasty the meat was.
P.S. The covers for this series are among the worst ever created in the history of literature. I am convinced they were created without Lumley’s knowledge by someone with a vendetta against him. DO NOT LET THEM KEEP YOU FROM TRYING OUT THE SERIES…at least the first two.
April 27, 2025
I feel like the series really kicked off here. The first two books were good on their own right but this one had set up so much. Things really expanded here in all of it in a very good way. This would be an easy five star rating it’s the first third of the book didn’t drag on so much.
August 7, 2016
THE BEST series of vampire books ever written. Hands down.
August 7, 2022
Let's get this show on the road.
So this is third in The Necroscope series and the best so far. The heckin' BEST. You get the usual flair of Harry Keogh and his jumping through portals like a jack rabbit on crank but you also get something new. It's this something new that is intriguing, a frellin planet of vampires man. In the immortal words of Shaggy Rogers, "Like wow". You get to see some hierarchy and the way these vampires think. Lumley did great work here and the murders, dude, color me giddy. I brought down a star because I am so tired of the Mobius Continuum, I know it's important but it's the same explanation every single time and it's gotta end. Mobius has to stop. Just let the little guy die in peace, please.
Anyway, great stuff, already picked up the next one.
There it is and there you have it.
So this is third in The Necroscope series and the best so far. The heckin' BEST. You get the usual flair of Harry Keogh and his jumping through portals like a jack rabbit on crank but you also get something new. It's this something new that is intriguing, a frellin planet of vampires man. In the immortal words of Shaggy Rogers, "Like wow". You get to see some hierarchy and the way these vampires think. Lumley did great work here and the murders, dude, color me giddy. I brought down a star because I am so tired of the Mobius Continuum, I know it's important but it's the same explanation every single time and it's gotta end. Mobius has to stop. Just let the little guy die in peace, please.
Anyway, great stuff, already picked up the next one.
There it is and there you have it.
December 29, 2024
The story starts at Perchorsk with a secret military project by the Russians. Michael "Jazz" Simmons, a British spy, is caught by the Russians and sent through the gate into another realm. Can he be saved? What about this parallel world? We also meet Harry Keogh who's looking for his son and wife and we also learn were the vampire myth originally comes from. Fantastic book with elements of sci-fi, horror, classic spy novel and a parallel world like in Lord of the Rings. Many things reminded me on Tolkien's fiction. It was by no means an easy read or page turner. But Lumley creates one of the best series on vampires ever. Very convincing and starting in the cold war. This third installment was the best so far. We come to the origins of vampirism and this is something you won't read anywhere... absolute highlight novel I can highly recommend. Horror classic!
August 6, 2021
Just when you think the whole cold-war worldbuilding was just about enough to fill an entire series full of necromancy and vampires that AREN'T UF but epic horror/thriller the way it used to be back in the '80s, Brian Lumley goes ahead and doubles down on the imagination.
Let's not just zip about in the Mobius, talking with the ancient and recently dead, teleporting, body-hopping, or utterly annihilating some of the most bad-ass Lovecraftian vampires in novel form. Let's go ahead and worldbuild ANOTHER dimension, an alternate Earth that had been massively geo-engineered to favor these vampires. Then give our OP MC and son a REAL challenge.
Yeeeeesssssssssssssss.
So, yeah. Epic Horror born from thriller roots and fully explored and expanded upon across dimensions. Yeeesssssssssssssss.
The scale never really gets out of hand here. We're always in the mud when we're not traveling the ether. I totally recommend this for anyone who is sick and tired of the UF trope but hasn't lost their love of vampires or Lovecraft.
WHY DON'T WE HAVE EPIC HORRORS ANYMORE????
Sigh. This stuff rocks!
Let's not just zip about in the Mobius, talking with the ancient and recently dead, teleporting, body-hopping, or utterly annihilating some of the most bad-ass Lovecraftian vampires in novel form. Let's go ahead and worldbuild ANOTHER dimension, an alternate Earth that had been massively geo-engineered to favor these vampires. Then give our OP MC and son a REAL challenge.
Yeeeeesssssssssssssss.
So, yeah. Epic Horror born from thriller roots and fully explored and expanded upon across dimensions. Yeeesssssssssssssss.
The scale never really gets out of hand here. We're always in the mud when we're not traveling the ether. I totally recommend this for anyone who is sick and tired of the UF trope but hasn't lost their love of vampires or Lovecraft.
WHY DON'T WE HAVE EPIC HORRORS ANYMORE????
Sigh. This stuff rocks!
April 29, 2023
I don’t write reviews.
Oh my, oh my, this series is slipping away into the Mobius Continuum. Things are becoming slightly formulaic (I’ll take “raising an army of the undead” for 500, Alex) and there’s a lot of time piddling about and not getting into the story. Regardless, I want to know what happens next. Even after the weird non-ending and the robotic nature of Harry Jr. Let it never be forgotten that I am a glutton for punishment.
The Source is notable for its introduction of another world of wamphyri, travelers and trogs, reminiscent of The Saga of Pliocene Exile by Julian May (The Many-Colored Land, etc.). I enjoyed the characters Michael “Jazz” Simmons (because of his budding romance) and Zekintha “Zek” Foener (because through Zek we learned about how the wamphyri live and create creatures), but I didn’t really like any of the characters in the story. Darcy Clarke of E-Branch, who I liked in the second book, had a small part only to fan-girl over Harry Keogh, who spent most of his time brooding and consulting Mobius.
The wamphyri housing and mutant making is highly creepy. Imagine living in a house whose pipes are the circulatory system of a group of beings integrated into the architecture. Ew. However, I have no idea how the mutants are made. It’s not magic and the cultures of the other world are not scientifically advanced. Is it the vampire creature doing the work? How does it know what to make? Still creepy either way.
Spoiler.
Also I found the Karen wrap-up unsatisfactory. She went into a deep sleep from being locked in a room for a few days? Why? Lack of blood? Harry Jr. never drank blood and he was fine. Then Harry easily lured the vampire out with a blood trail and amazingly remembered an extremely convenient childhood nightmare of someone luring a parasitic creature out of a human. Then finished. No ending for Jazz and Zek, with whom we’ve spent the majority of the story. Alright Mr. Lumley, you want me to read number four. As you wish…
Oh my, oh my, this series is slipping away into the Mobius Continuum. Things are becoming slightly formulaic (I’ll take “raising an army of the undead” for 500, Alex) and there’s a lot of time piddling about and not getting into the story. Regardless, I want to know what happens next. Even after the weird non-ending and the robotic nature of Harry Jr. Let it never be forgotten that I am a glutton for punishment.
The Source is notable for its introduction of another world of wamphyri, travelers and trogs, reminiscent of The Saga of Pliocene Exile by Julian May (The Many-Colored Land, etc.). I enjoyed the characters Michael “Jazz” Simmons (because of his budding romance) and Zekintha “Zek” Foener (because through Zek we learned about how the wamphyri live and create creatures), but I didn’t really like any of the characters in the story. Darcy Clarke of E-Branch, who I liked in the second book, had a small part only to fan-girl over Harry Keogh, who spent most of his time brooding and consulting Mobius.
The wamphyri housing and mutant making is highly creepy. Imagine living in a house whose pipes are the circulatory system of a group of beings integrated into the architecture. Ew. However, I have no idea how the mutants are made. It’s not magic and the cultures of the other world are not scientifically advanced. Is it the vampire creature doing the work? How does it know what to make? Still creepy either way.
Spoiler.
Also I found the Karen wrap-up unsatisfactory. She went into a deep sleep from being locked in a room for a few days? Why? Lack of blood? Harry Jr. never drank blood and he was fine. Then Harry easily lured the vampire out with a blood trail and amazingly remembered an extremely convenient childhood nightmare of someone luring a parasitic creature out of a human. Then finished. No ending for Jazz and Zek, with whom we’ve spent the majority of the story. Alright Mr. Lumley, you want me to read number four. As you wish…
August 31, 2021
The Third book in the Necroscope series was rather interesting. While the simple premise of the story is vampires, Lumley's take on the subject is rather interesting.
Following the destruction of the Soviet E-Branch, the Russians have created another secret project. Projekt Perchorsk seems to be similar to the old project, but there is a dark secret. The British send a MI-6 field agent to check on the project. Jazz Simmons is captured and he finds out a horrible truth- the Russians have found a gateway to the world of the Wamphyri.
Eventually, Harry Keogh gets involved and the entire story shifts to this other world. The world is a strange one, divided between a Starside and Sunside. The Starside is ruled but a cabal of Wamphyri Lords. They routinely hunt the gypsies and fight each other for dominance.
In the midst of all of this, there is a mysterious Dweller who has motived yet to be understood. No more spoilers. This was a unique story. The Wamphyri world and the conjecture that our Earth's vampires and gypsies came from that world is also a different take on the subject.
This series has been a lot of fun. I love a good vampire story and a unique one is rare. Lumley's vision is unique and the story is better for it. I look forward to the next book in this series.
Following the destruction of the Soviet E-Branch, the Russians have created another secret project. Projekt Perchorsk seems to be similar to the old project, but there is a dark secret. The British send a MI-6 field agent to check on the project. Jazz Simmons is captured and he finds out a horrible truth- the Russians have found a gateway to the world of the Wamphyri.
Eventually, Harry Keogh gets involved and the entire story shifts to this other world. The world is a strange one, divided between a Starside and Sunside. The Starside is ruled but a cabal of Wamphyri Lords. They routinely hunt the gypsies and fight each other for dominance.
In the midst of all of this, there is a mysterious Dweller who has motived yet to be understood. No more spoilers. This was a unique story. The Wamphyri world and the conjecture that our Earth's vampires and gypsies came from that world is also a different take on the subject.
This series has been a lot of fun. I love a good vampire story and a unique one is rare. Lumley's vision is unique and the story is better for it. I look forward to the next book in this series.
June 27, 2022
Great entry into the necroscope series. I am so glad I found this series all those years ago in Borders....RIP Borders.
This entry shows Harry traveling to the home world of the Wamphyri, through a portal in....yup...Romania. why else would that area always have Vampire legends in our world.
We meet some awesome vampire warlords including Lady Karen. Harry Jr has his own vampire werewolf issue going on as well.
Just a great series. I said it before, I wish I had all the entries. I will be re-reading the first three again as I await online purchase of entries 4-7
UPDATE 6/27/22- Just finished re-reading this ( the last of the re-reads as I just purchased #4 and 5). this was a great installment. You see the other world ( starside/sunside) and how it bizarro mirrors our world with the Gypsies and Trogs and Vampires starting from there and travelling through "grey holes" to our world. The Dweller is a good character and is bad ass with his "magic" and mirrors LOL. Lady karen shows some human side for Wamphyri and is a very interesting character, more so then the other Vampire Lords. You get to see alot of other vampire lore here for the series. You see there human familiars, see the Mother egg and where they originated from in Starside/Sunside swamps, see their underlings and lieutenants, their Warriors and flyers and how they construct them and their aeries/castles. Just sensation World Building in this one.
This entry shows Harry traveling to the home world of the Wamphyri, through a portal in....yup...Romania. why else would that area always have Vampire legends in our world.
We meet some awesome vampire warlords including Lady Karen. Harry Jr has his own vampire werewolf issue going on as well.
Just a great series. I said it before, I wish I had all the entries. I will be re-reading the first three again as I await online purchase of entries 4-7
UPDATE 6/27/22- Just finished re-reading this ( the last of the re-reads as I just purchased #4 and 5). this was a great installment. You see the other world ( starside/sunside) and how it bizarro mirrors our world with the Gypsies and Trogs and Vampires starting from there and travelling through "grey holes" to our world. The Dweller is a good character and is bad ass with his "magic" and mirrors LOL. Lady karen shows some human side for Wamphyri and is a very interesting character, more so then the other Vampire Lords. You get to see alot of other vampire lore here for the series. You see there human familiars, see the Mother egg and where they originated from in Starside/Sunside swamps, see their underlings and lieutenants, their Warriors and flyers and how they construct them and their aeries/castles. Just sensation World Building in this one.
February 8, 2021
Lumley continues his series with TS and turns out another winner! Eight years have passed since the conclusion of the previous installment. Harry JR and Harry Sr.'s mother have disappeared from Earth, but they are not dead. Harry has been searching for them during all this time. Meanwhile in the USSR, a failed 'force-field' defense has created an anomaly, something like a gate to another universe, but the only things through the gate thusfar have been monsters. The ESPionage branch in England, however, managed to analyze the footage of one of the monsters that escaped from the Russian compound and by golly, it looked to be a vampire of some sort.
Harry is recalled to London to try and find out just what the Russians are up to. A fair amount of this installment concerns the Russian experiment and what exactly it produced. Lumley is in prime form on this and really make the reader feel for the Russians involved. The top KGB man on the scene has a plan to send people though the 'gate' to see what they can find. One of these, Zek, is an East German and becomes a major character in TS.
In each of these volumes of this loose trilogy, Lumley manages to create a new and novel situation as he deepens the understanding of where vampire come from and what they really are. Further, his character Harry is super; now enmeshed in another body, Harry has a physical body again, but he can still talk with the dead and move via 'teleportation' anywhere on Earth. So far, so good, but what if the enemies are not of this earth? 4.5 stars!!
Harry is recalled to London to try and find out just what the Russians are up to. A fair amount of this installment concerns the Russian experiment and what exactly it produced. Lumley is in prime form on this and really make the reader feel for the Russians involved. The top KGB man on the scene has a plan to send people though the 'gate' to see what they can find. One of these, Zek, is an East German and becomes a major character in TS.
In each of these volumes of this loose trilogy, Lumley manages to create a new and novel situation as he deepens the understanding of where vampire come from and what they really are. Further, his character Harry is super; now enmeshed in another body, Harry has a physical body again, but he can still talk with the dead and move via 'teleportation' anywhere on Earth. So far, so good, but what if the enemies are not of this earth? 4.5 stars!!
March 17, 2015
Ah those Cold War Russians. They always seem to be up to no good, especially in a Lumley's Necroscope tale. Mikhail Simonov, aka Michael "Jazz" Simmons, is a British agent that is sent into Russia's Ural mountains to investigate what he thinks is a new Soviet weapon buried underneath the bedrock of the Perchorsk Pass turns out to be a portal into another world. And what a world it turns out to be. It seems that those pesky vampires didn't just suddenly turn up in Transylvania in the middle ages. Oh, no, no, no. They originated elsewhere in another world and found their way here when they were banished from their world and made to enter the mysterious one-way portal.
Lumley's third chapter of the Necroscope saga is chock full of unique and interesting information on the origins of vampires and I'll be a monkey's uncle if it isn't a fascinating AND entirely plausible to the mind. As much as I loved The Source, I will have to admit that from time to time the info dump cumbersome. With that being said, the premise is so unique and I loved the direction that he took the story. Of course, we have Harry Keough involved as he's looking for his wife and son that have been missing for eight years ever since the final battle with Yulian Bodescu. Harry is sucked into the world of the wamphyri as his search and the events at Perchorsk reveal a common denominator. Necroscope III is the best of the three Necroscopes and that's saying a lot. Looking forward to Part IV.
4 1/2 stars out of 5
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Lumley's third chapter of the Necroscope saga is chock full of unique and interesting information on the origins of vampires and I'll be a monkey's uncle if it isn't a fascinating AND entirely plausible to the mind. As much as I loved The Source, I will have to admit that from time to time the info dump cumbersome. With that being said, the premise is so unique and I loved the direction that he took the story. Of course, we have Harry Keough involved as he's looking for his wife and son that have been missing for eight years ever since the final battle with Yulian Bodescu. Harry is sucked into the world of the wamphyri as his search and the events at Perchorsk reveal a common denominator. Necroscope III is the best of the three Necroscopes and that's saying a lot. Looking forward to Part IV.
4 1/2 stars out of 5
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December 2, 2018
Just when you thought the series couldn't get anymore expansive, bam! comes The Source. I have to admit, it took me a few tries to get back into the swing of Brian Lumley's epic detail oriented storytelling--that kind of style of writing just isnt around much anymore, or at least not any that are good. And Lumley is certainly good! The characters in this one are just as vetted and likeable (or dislikeable) as in previous installments. I was thrilled to see Harry once again back in a physical role instead of the metaphysical. There are new characters too, my fav being Jazz Simmons, an unlikely survivor/British spy thrust into the world of monsters and strange alien worlds. While some of the science-meta stuff gets a bit cornballish, it makes enough sense to shrug it off. I def must read for fans of the series and certainly fans of horror and vampires that certainly do not sparkle.
February 18, 2015
5 out of 5 stars for sure. This has to be my favorite in the series so far.
I liked how this one explores the world of the Wamphyri. It was interesting to learn about this world and the history of the vampires. It has a different view of the vampires and how they came to be.
I also liked the fact that Harry Keogh, who has taken over the body of Alex Kyle, really had no reason to go on. He has lost his son and his son's mother. Then he gets some information that brings him out of his funk and a reason to go on. He eventually travels to the land of the Wamphyri looking for his son, having no idea what is in store for him.
The vampires will go to war against the one they call The Dweller. I just knew that was who The Dweller was! Who will win this great battle? Can the people defeat the mighty and strong Wamphyri? Found out in this epic story and the battle that is fought.
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I liked how this one explores the world of the Wamphyri. It was interesting to learn about this world and the history of the vampires. It has a different view of the vampires and how they came to be.
I also liked the fact that Harry Keogh, who has taken over the body of Alex Kyle, really had no reason to go on. He has lost his son and his son's mother. Then he gets some information that brings him out of his funk and a reason to go on. He eventually travels to the land of the Wamphyri looking for his son, having no idea what is in store for him.
The vampires will go to war against the one they call The Dweller. I just knew that was who The Dweller was! Who will win this great battle? Can the people defeat the mighty and strong Wamphyri? Found out in this epic story and the battle that is fought.
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2...
http://lisasandberg88.wordpress.com/
http://thezeroshour.com/
https://m.facebook.com/lisa.sandberg8...
https://m.facebook.com/thezeroshour?r...
http://1988lisa1988.tumblr.com/
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January 1, 2013
While I enjoyed this trilogy greatly, this one plods a bit. Other reviewers have highlighted their concerns, and I tend to agree, so I won't re-hash everything.
The crowning jewl of this book is the setup for the Vampire World trilogy. This little fact is why Brian Lumley will always be my favorite "vampire" author (though I love his other works, too). Why? I read and write fantasy, true, but one of my requirements is that the world is NOT Earth. The setting has to be somewhere else, another planet, another reality...
Vampires are too often treated as humans who have somehow been changed. Not with Lumley. The "egg" which transforms its host is not of this world, but a parallel existence. For me, that sold the show. Entire plausible, if one could actually go through such a hole to the parallel world.
Now, the ESP stuff. That part I have never liked about this series. While Harry's talking to the dead is a cool concept and it makes the Necroscope what he is. This is a little bit of a hard stretch for me, but it is unique and who doesn't like the name Dragosanni? ADHD much? Anyway, all of the other "far-seeing" and mind-reading is all just bollucks. It's not real, and if anyone can provie it's real, go apply for the James Randi $1 million challenge.
OK, off my soap box.
If you don't like sparkly vampires, and want to read about pure evil versus a few guys and gals doing their best to stop them, pick up this series. And I definitely suggest the Vampire World series. This book really sets this up well.
The crowning jewl of this book is the setup for the Vampire World trilogy. This little fact is why Brian Lumley will always be my favorite "vampire" author (though I love his other works, too). Why? I read and write fantasy, true, but one of my requirements is that the world is NOT Earth. The setting has to be somewhere else, another planet, another reality...
Vampires are too often treated as humans who have somehow been changed. Not with Lumley. The "egg" which transforms its host is not of this world, but a parallel existence. For me, that sold the show. Entire plausible, if one could actually go through such a hole to the parallel world.
Now, the ESP stuff. That part I have never liked about this series. While Harry's talking to the dead is a cool concept and it makes the Necroscope what he is. This is a little bit of a hard stretch for me, but it is unique and who doesn't like the name Dragosanni? ADHD much? Anyway, all of the other "far-seeing" and mind-reading is all just bollucks. It's not real, and if anyone can provie it's real, go apply for the James Randi $1 million challenge.
OK, off my soap box.
If you don't like sparkly vampires, and want to read about pure evil versus a few guys and gals doing their best to stop them, pick up this series. And I definitely suggest the Vampire World series. This book really sets this up well.
March 18, 2014
-Arriesgado desarrollo de los rumbos de la serie.-
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. En los Urales, los soviéticos han tardado cinco años en terminar el Perchorsk Projekt. Los satélites espías norteamericanos han detectado el lugar pero no conocen la naturaleza exacta del mismo. Michael J. Simmons, alias Mijaíl Simonov, se ha infiltrado en la zona con labores de reconocimiento de la instalación, y conseguirá entrar en la misma pero no en las condiciones que había imaginado, descubriendo por las malas que la Organización E (ahora conocida como Rama-E) está metida en el asunto y que la instalación no es un arma, sino una puerta. Harry Keogh terminará teniendo noticia del lugar, que llamará su atención. Tercer libro de la serie Crónicas Necrománticas.
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Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. En los Urales, los soviéticos han tardado cinco años en terminar el Perchorsk Projekt. Los satélites espías norteamericanos han detectado el lugar pero no conocen la naturaleza exacta del mismo. Michael J. Simmons, alias Mijaíl Simonov, se ha infiltrado en la zona con labores de reconocimiento de la instalación, y conseguirá entrar en la misma pero no en las condiciones que había imaginado, descubriendo por las malas que la Organización E (ahora conocida como Rama-E) está metida en el asunto y que la instalación no es un arma, sino una puerta. Harry Keogh terminará teniendo noticia del lugar, que llamará su atención. Tercer libro de la serie Crónicas Necrománticas.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
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March 12, 2025
I finally got a new keyboard without a bunch of sticky keys! Now I can finally refer to the villains as vampires and not vamires.
January 23, 2008
Funny thing. My mom bought me this novel many years ago, unaware that it was third in this series. So I put it on the shelf to be ready for me once I had read the first two. The first novel was dynamite. In fact, my original terse review for it deserved a much more emphatic effort, so I have just re-written it. As you can see, after reading the second novel, I had had enough and had actually gotten rid of The Source during one of my book purges. A little while back, I was urged by an online acquaintance (who just happens to go by the alias Ferenczy) to stay with the series.
Upon reflection, I came to realize that Necroscope was one of the best horror reading experiences I had had, and went out and bought yet another copy of The Source. With a renewed excitement for the series, I broke into The Source with great hope and expectation. I was not disappointed.
I can't remember the last time I have not begun to consider my next novel as I'm approaching the end of the one I'm into. No wait, I think it was Necroscope! So after finishing The Source I went shopping that night, trusty reading list in hand (I rarely continue series right away, I like to break it up a bit), picked up and and considered likely candidates. But every novel I picked up I knew would have to fight against the pull back to this series. So in fairness to these challengers I finally relented to the inevitable and almost skipped out of the store with Necroscope IV: Deadspeak under my arm.
This is good stuff, kiddies.
Upon reflection, I came to realize that Necroscope was one of the best horror reading experiences I had had, and went out and bought yet another copy of The Source. With a renewed excitement for the series, I broke into The Source with great hope and expectation. I was not disappointed.
I can't remember the last time I have not begun to consider my next novel as I'm approaching the end of the one I'm into. No wait, I think it was Necroscope! So after finishing The Source I went shopping that night, trusty reading list in hand (I rarely continue series right away, I like to break it up a bit), picked up and and considered likely candidates. But every novel I picked up I knew would have to fight against the pull back to this series. So in fairness to these challengers I finally relented to the inevitable and almost skipped out of the store with Necroscope IV: Deadspeak under my arm.
This is good stuff, kiddies.
October 25, 2025
Harry's been searching now for eight years for Brenda & Harry, Jr. and has still not found them. Meanwhile, in Perchorsk Pass in the Urals, the Russians have a huge secret project going on. They have created a gateway, but they know not where it leads, only that monsters come out of it. When one of the British E-Branch operatives goes missing, Harry is once again enlisted to see if he can find him. I love Lumley's writing, and I love this series. Every book tells me about something or someone I never knew about and it's just interesting and exciting. Plus, I really kind of love Harry. He has a wonderful soul and is such a unique character. I would recommend this series to anyone who loves history, fantasy, horror, scifi. Lumley covers it all, wrapped up together in a wonderful, very readable story. Can't wait to start the next one. (This review originally written in 2014.)
I still love Harry & this series so much! 10/25/25
I still love Harry & this series so much! 10/25/25
May 1, 2012
I ummed and ahhed about what rating to give the third book in the Necroscope series. I prefer books 1,4 & 5 to this, but the thing is that it's different and therefore commands interest in its own right.
Taking a strangely scientific almost alternate reality/sci-fi aspect, the third book goes into some detail of how the vampires came about. To be honest, the first time I read it I didn't like it, but on re-reading, my opinion of it rose considrably.
The book is fascinating on several levels, and sets up a number of future novels, including an entire spin-off series. A solid instalment in the series.
Taking a strangely scientific almost alternate reality/sci-fi aspect, the third book goes into some detail of how the vampires came about. To be honest, the first time I read it I didn't like it, but on re-reading, my opinion of it rose considrably.
The book is fascinating on several levels, and sets up a number of future novels, including an entire spin-off series. A solid instalment in the series.
July 1, 2024
The blackened, smoking flesh of its head split open like an overripe pomegranate. A cobra's head writhed in the mush of boiling, steaming brains! The Vampire! And it too died even as watched.
Don't worry, that doesn't give away the ending. 😀 There's lots of vampires – or Vamphyri – in this third volume of the Necroscope series. That's one of the things that makes it different from the first two. Minor spoilers ahead if you haven't read the first two books – I will spoiler tag anything with a high spoiler value in this review.
The first volume was part horror, part sci-fi, and part Cold War thriller. (review). At the conclusion of the first book I really had no idea where Lumley was planning to take the series.
The second book had a lot of backstory and you learn more about Thibor and Faethor. In this case I definitely did not see the ending coming. It introduced a minor character Zekintha Föener. The end of this one did leave me with a little sense of where the story was going to go – or so I thought
Book 3 begins with a new character... Michael “Jazz “ Simmons. He in undercover investigating the mysterious Perchorsk Incident (called Pi or sometimes PiII or Pill). This opening made me think it was going to be like the first book – with a high dose of East / West tension.
The sci-fi part in the first book mostly centered on the Möbius Continuum. As I was reading this I was like This one really jumps into the multiverse concept. Nowadays the whole multiverse concept is pretty common. In 1989, while it wasn't exactly new... it was a pretty interesting concept for Lumley to introduce to his vampire stories.
The new vampires they introduced were pretty cool. Especially Lesk . I have to say that my favorite is still Dragozani from the first book... if anything for the awesome character name. 😀
If you have read any of these you kind of expect a big flashy ending That's what you got here. It was actually pretty cool – although some if the same ideas were reused.
Overall a very fun read. I still find the first to be the most unique. As with the other two I'm wondering where Lumley is going to take things. There's about 20 books in the series – I'm not sure I will ever get to them all, but I will continue to drop in every so often into my rotation. 🧛♂️🧛♀️🦇
Don't worry, that doesn't give away the ending. 😀 There's lots of vampires – or Vamphyri – in this third volume of the Necroscope series. That's one of the things that makes it different from the first two. Minor spoilers ahead if you haven't read the first two books – I will spoiler tag anything with a high spoiler value in this review.
The first volume was part horror, part sci-fi, and part Cold War thriller. (review). At the conclusion of the first book I really had no idea where Lumley was planning to take the series.
The second book had a lot of backstory and you learn more about Thibor and Faethor. In this case I definitely did not see the ending coming. It introduced a minor character Zekintha Föener. The end of this one did leave me with a little sense of where the story was going to go – or so I thought
Book 3 begins with a new character... Michael “Jazz “ Simmons. He in undercover investigating the mysterious Perchorsk Incident (called Pi or sometimes PiII or Pill). This opening made me think it was going to be like the first book – with a high dose of East / West tension.
The sci-fi part in the first book mostly centered on the Möbius Continuum. As I was reading this I was like This one really jumps into the multiverse concept. Nowadays the whole multiverse concept is pretty common. In 1989, while it wasn't exactly new... it was a pretty interesting concept for Lumley to introduce to his vampire stories.
The new vampires they introduced were pretty cool. Especially Lesk . I have to say that my favorite is still Dragozani from the first book... if anything for the awesome character name. 😀
If you have read any of these you kind of expect a big flashy ending That's what you got here. It was actually pretty cool – although some if the same ideas were reused.
Overall a very fun read. I still find the first to be the most unique. As with the other two I'm wondering where Lumley is going to take things. There's about 20 books in the series – I'm not sure I will ever get to them all, but I will continue to drop in every so often into my rotation. 🧛♂️🧛♀️🦇
July 26, 2018
Uhh.. this is awkward. I don’t know how to review this book. I loved 50-60% of it and the rest just bored me to death. The Source is so slow compared to the first two books, but still you get to learn a lot more about Lumley’s vampires mythos. I still love the series and will continue to read it.
June 19, 2017
Really about a three and half star book, but I rounded up because I liked it better then the second book in the trilogy. I was debating with myself whether I would even bother with this one, and Joe at Nightmare factory recommended I should, because "vampire planet". So I did. The ideas in this book are better than the execution. There are sections which drag, and it could have easily been edited down about 100 pages to make a much better, tighter plot. Lumley loves to use exclamation points! For mundane things! His characters are occasionally cardboard.
All that aside, the vampire planet is pretty awesome in a trashy pulp fiction way. The scenes of characters passing through the gates with the time dilation and various ways to fuck with each other during the transition was creative. The final battle against the vampires was nicely gory and exciting. I wasn't bored, and sometimes that is enough.
All that aside, the vampire planet is pretty awesome in a trashy pulp fiction way. The scenes of characters passing through the gates with the time dilation and various ways to fuck with each other during the transition was creative. The final battle against the vampires was nicely gory and exciting. I wasn't bored, and sometimes that is enough.
June 6, 2020
While the other two books in the series were capable of having weird prose and still being readable, here Lumley's worst authorial traits are in full force. Every single page is thick with overexpression prose and exclamation marks, usually used for things that are important. Here it's used for almost everything, which means the reader is constantly thinking something is more important than it is.
Brian Lumley's tendency towards weird body horror, one I actually like and would probably translate to a great movie series given an unlimited budget is abused here too. Lumley seems convinced he needs to describe everything about the vampire's world in long Lovecraftian prose which just exhausts the reader.
Just read the first two. I'll try the next two and see what happens and if things improve, but I'm not particularly excited to do so.
Brian Lumley's tendency towards weird body horror, one I actually like and would probably translate to a great movie series given an unlimited budget is abused here too. Lumley seems convinced he needs to describe everything about the vampire's world in long Lovecraftian prose which just exhausts the reader.
Just read the first two. I'll try the next two and see what happens and if things improve, but I'm not particularly excited to do so.
January 15, 2012
I loved this incredibly wild, sick and crazy book! My brother recommended it. I have been on a hunt for the rest in the series once I realized it is a series! It is all geeky and high brow while being a great horror piece. I like it when authors talk up to you, rather than talking down!!
January 30, 2016
Now we find out where all the vampires are coming from. More death and mayhem. Very recommended
May 5, 2025
This is good, and I've enjoyed the series. This series is very unique, in that I thought it would be a horror series when I started, and it is, but it's also action, fantasy, and science fiction. I suppose that was the idea. It does all mesh into a great story. Sometimes it does cross the line into what I consider "hard sci fi", which I'm not a fan of. The books also feel longer than they need to be, as I think this could have been edited down and been stronger, but that's just me.
The ending of this volume seemed a bit definitive, but obviously there's more to come. This series probably isn't for everyone, but I'll be continuing, at least for a couple books more.
The ending of this volume seemed a bit definitive, but obviously there's more to come. This series probably isn't for everyone, but I'll be continuing, at least for a couple books more.
September 30, 2018
3.5
will review at www.fantasyliterature.com
will review at www.fantasyliterature.com
June 16, 2012
I read the Necroscope series back when I was a teenager. Even though I enjoyed it then, I enjoyed it somewhat more this time. The reason mainly being that I understand (so I let myself believe) some of the crazy physics that Brian Lumley incorporates here; Parallel universes, time travel etc.
Necroscope III: The Source is where Lumley hooked me with his amazingly original take on the vampire mythos. This is where we find out the origin story which is much more elaborately described in Lumleys later trilogy 'Vampire World'. The symbiosis between an alien vampire an it's human host is purely genius. The later chapters seemed somewhat rushed to finish the book, but a truly enjoyable and frightful experience. If you have the imagination to conjure up the images Lumley describes, you realize this guy is definitively unique.
If you're used to sparkly vampires and sad Gothic portrayals of the classic Dracula prototype,then this book is not for you. The Necroscope series is insanely horrific,ludicrous and ambitious. This is H.P Lovecraft crazy, intertwined with science and Cold War politics. I truly hope it gets a T.V series or film!
Necroscope III: The Source is where Lumley hooked me with his amazingly original take on the vampire mythos. This is where we find out the origin story which is much more elaborately described in Lumleys later trilogy 'Vampire World'. The symbiosis between an alien vampire an it's human host is purely genius. The later chapters seemed somewhat rushed to finish the book, but a truly enjoyable and frightful experience. If you have the imagination to conjure up the images Lumley describes, you realize this guy is definitively unique.
If you're used to sparkly vampires and sad Gothic portrayals of the classic Dracula prototype,then this book is not for you. The Necroscope series is insanely horrific,ludicrous and ambitious. This is H.P Lovecraft crazy, intertwined with science and Cold War politics. I truly hope it gets a T.V series or film!
January 3, 2013
I have now read this novel twice; once many years ago, and of course just finishing the second read now.
I had to down-grade my rating form a 4 to a 3. I felt that the ending seemed to be rushed and a bit lack-luster...and in fact, taken as a whole, it was a bit tame. There was a lot going on in this book, at least 3 different stories woven in together, and while I liked the character Jazz, I felt that Harry Sr.'s role in the story was weak and half-hearted. Given that he as a character is extremely powerful, there was little in the way of any challenge thrown his way.
So while I enjoyed this read, as a whole I felt that the action and prose were weaker as a whole when compaired to the first two books in this series.
I had to down-grade my rating form a 4 to a 3. I felt that the ending seemed to be rushed and a bit lack-luster...and in fact, taken as a whole, it was a bit tame. There was a lot going on in this book, at least 3 different stories woven in together, and while I liked the character Jazz, I felt that Harry Sr.'s role in the story was weak and half-hearted. Given that he as a character is extremely powerful, there was little in the way of any challenge thrown his way.
So while I enjoyed this read, as a whole I felt that the action and prose were weaker as a whole when compaired to the first two books in this series.
August 13, 2013
In my opinion these books just keep getting better. So far, this has been the best of the series, and I'm looking forward to the next one. Lumley has taken his series in a new direction. That is very nice indeed. I don't want to give away any spoilers... But, while some is easy to guess at, it still is a departure from the "traditional" vampire story.
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