Verland: The Transformation

by B.E. Scully

True crime writer Elle Bramasol is drawn into a macabre mystery when incarcerated Hollywood producer Eliot Kingman asks her to write a book about his case. As she delves deeper into Kingman's murder conviction, she discovers that he possesses a centuries old diary written by an elusive vampire named Verland. Uncovering the transformative secrets held within the diary's pages, Elle is drawn deeper into both Kingman's deadly schemes and Verland's dark world of shadows. When the two finally collide, the stage is set for a climactic battle over mankind's ultimate prize: eternal triumph over death. But will the Holy Grail of immortality turn out to be the cruelest curse of all?

Exploring the allure of the shadowy places between life and death, between fantasy and reality, and the ultimate power of belief, Verland: The Transformation is a gothic-inspired tour de force, a brooding return to the roots of the vampire genre that goes for the throat from page one until the final, bone-chilling climax.

Genres: Horror, Vampires, Gothic, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Mystery

360 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 2011

About the author

B.E. Scully lives in a haunted red house that lacks a foundation in the misty woods of Oregon with a variety of human and animal companions. Scully is the author of the critically acclaimed gothic thriller Verland: the Transformation, the short story collection The Knife and the Wound It Deals, and numerous short stories, poems, and articles. Her latest novella, The Eye That Blinds, with be released by DarkFuse Publishing in 2015. In addition, her young adult novel The Tower of Together will also be released in 2015 by Eldritch Press. Published work, interviews, and odd scribblings can be found at bescully.com.

Reviews

[Robert Dunbar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The vampire subgenre has always been prone to blockbusters: Dracula, Interview with the Vampire, ‘Salem’s Lot, the Twilight chronicles. But there are other works, obscure some of them, perhaps, but hallowed by discriminating readers. Novels like The Vampire Tapestry and Fevre Dream or They Thirst – all titles to conjure with. The true aficionado of the genre will speak of them with a catch in the voice and an uncanny glow in the eye. B. E. Scully’s “VERLAND: The Transformation” has unquestionably stormed their ranks and in record time. A subtle book, full of quietly tense moments and deeply philosophical themes, all couched in a deceptively simple noir detective format, it has already inspired ardent admiration among its numerous fans. (There’s even a Blair Witch aspect. Is it fiction? Is it?) This is a rich novel and – though thoroughly satisfying – full of unresolved plot points enough for a dozen sequels. I can’t wait. Do yourself a favor and grab this one immediately.

[Brett Talley · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the notable exception of 30 Days of Night, the vampire sub-genre has been stuck in a “sexy-vampire” groove for the last three decades. Of course, what verged on revolutionary when Anne Rice did it has now become cliché, with Twilight threatening to slay the vampire as a serious horror figure for all time. Unfortunately, Verland: The Transformation will do little to change that. But while that may disappoint some of us who crave a return to the demonic death dealers of old, Verland is nevertheless a fantastic novel and a marvelous debut by the author, B.E. Scully.

Verland: The Transformation successfully pulls off one of the more difficult literary feats—the story within a story. The present day story revolves around Elle Bramasol, a true-crime writer hired to write a book about Eliot Kingman. Kingman is in prison for a murder that he claims he did not commit. Prior to his incarceration, Kingman was one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, a director who just happened to have recently filmed a movie about vampires. Elle suspects that Kingman has more on his mind than simply telling the story of the murder, a suspicion that is confirmed when Kingman reveals that he possesses a book of inestimable value—the diary (h/t to Bram Stoker) of a man who claims to be a real, undead, vampire. But as Elle learns more about Kingman and the mysterious Verland, a once in a lifetime opportunity threatens to become her undoing.

Verland: The Transformation is, in many ways, an excellent book. It’s a remarkably quick read (I finished it in a single day of travel), and Scully’s talent for immediately hooking the reader well no doubt serve her well in her future books. Scully has an eye for detail, perfectly describing her settings without drowning the reader in the sort of overindulgent excess that plagues so many books. Scully’s characters are as deeply fleshed out as her scenery. These are people with flaws and strengths that the reader will believe in. There’s also little of the convenient stupidity that is a staple of horror—no one runs up the stairs when they should run out the front door.

The only thing that keeps me from loving Verland is the plot itself. The title is accurate; this is really the story of Verland’s change from human to vampire. And while that is enjoyable in of itself, it leaves the reader wanting. Verland suffers from the same problem as most origin stories. It focuses so heavily on how the “hero” came to be that it forgets to invest the present day story with the same level of drama. Nothing much that happens to Elle is that surprising or that exciting. The diary story starts and ends strong, but the middle bit meanders. In the end, a surprising number of questions go unanswered, from the identity of Verland’s creator to the fate of the chief villain. I suppose that this might be the first part in a series of sorts, but it doesn’t really seem that way.

Moreover, we never really fear for Elle’s life. And we don’t fear for Verland’s either. There’s simply too little in the way of conflict. Verland is never in danger. All the vampires we learn of—even the one that is the most blood-thirsty—come off as noble figures. In fact, we completely lose track of the fact that these vampires are murderers. The world Scully creates does not allow for subsistence from animals or blood banks. In order to live, the vampires must kill. I was simply unable to reconcile that fact with the way in which Verland and his comrades were portrayed.

In the end, Verland: The Transformation is a fine debut effort from a writer to watch. If you are a fan of vampires and don’t mind if they are more enigmatic than terrifying, you should check this book out. By the end, you will believe.

Brett J. Talley, author of the Bram Stoker Award nominated That Which Should Not Be.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A vampire story wrapped within a murder mystery novel. I thought the vampire's diary was the strongest part of the book. The mystery and the characters involved with it were kind of underdeveloped. The story was fast-paced and pretty entertaining, but it doesn't really add anything new to the vampire horror genre. Good, but not great.

[Steven Montano · Rating 4 out of 5]

With so much of our modern take on vampires being in the "paranormal romance" vein, it's nice to see current authors who make it a point to present vampires in a different light. In the case of B.E. Scully's "Verland: The Transformation", "different" is back to basics, and in a good way.

This is very much a traditionalist take on the vampire saga; indeed, this is a work Bram Stoker would be proud of. There are shades of Stoker here, as well as J. Sheridan LeFanu and Anne Rice. Fans of old school vampire tales are going to enjoy what they read here.

First, the good. Scully's writing style is crisp, clear and direct, and her sense of pacing and narrative flow are top-notch. It's very easy to get sucked into "Verland" from the first page, and it can be just as difficult to put it down. Scully's characters are for the most part also very nicely developed, especially our heroine, Ellie, who is as close to a flesh and blood invididual as I've read in a work of fiction in a long time. The dialogue and first-person narrative provided in Verland's diary are also exceptionally well written.

Keeping in mind that reading and reviewing are always subjective, my only issue with "Verland" was that, after Ellie begins to actually read the diary, very little of what transpired from that point took my by surprise. I may be jaded, I may read too many books, or B.E. and I may simply have the same thought patterns, but after a point most everything that took place in the novel transpired as I guessed it would, which took a bit of the suspense out the novel for me. Luckily, the strength of the overall writing was more than enough to allow me to enjoy the rest of B.E.'s work even when I had a good idea of where everything was going.

In spite of my (largely personal) issues with the plot, "Verland: The Transformation" will satisfy fans of the horror and vampire genres, particularly those who are tired of sparkles and want to get back to the core of our favorite fanged creatures of the night. Definitely recommended.

[Lisa Reads & Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Verland is a Gothic-type vampire story. I hadn't read any vampires books except Anne Rice's vampire series and Nosferatu by G. Fleming. I've seen Twilight and True Blood on video. So, I thought the concepts pertaining to vampire immortality, loneliness and angst had pretty well been explored. Given that, Verland is in much the same vein, true to the genre -- with an added twist or two, the choice of its heroine, and the villain.

Elle B. is smart, focused and doesn't get carried away. She keeps her integrity during the novel, which is rare when woman meets vampire. The villain is a rich egomaniac who wants immortality and uses people like pawns to have his way. The vampire, Verland is the key to the villain's grandiose plan. There is a cerebral bend of the novel, rather than an over-reliance on gore in most current vampire novels.

I gave the novel three stars because the character and subplots were a bit flat. Lovely touches were added, around hawks for example, which makes the novel good for a debut. There wasn't enough real tension or inner conflict to give the characters depth or any richness of flesh and blood. However, the writing is clear, edited, and didn't get in the way of the story. That said, I think the basic elements are there for development. The story is certainly complete as written, but E.B, er, I mean B.E. left room for a sequel.

[Rob Allens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this even before I finished Scully's short story collection The Knife and the Wound It Deals. I started it immediately after. Stunning. I'm not sure how to describe this book. Part vampire, part meditation on death, part horror, part evil, part redemption-- all darn brilliant. Having lost my mother a year ago, the philosophical examination of death and the validity of life in spite of its pain was so moving. If you don't like vampires, read this. If you like vampires, read this. If you love literature you MUST read this!

[Robin Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better vampire novels I've read. The author combines two story-lines - one in the present, one starting in the past and marching forward to the present - in a way that also combines two genres - crime mystery and vampire. Highly readable.

[Dave Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are times when a story speaks to me from the first paragraph, calls out in the middle of the night, demanding to be peeled open and heard. VERLAND is one of those. It's also further proof that the horror subgenre of vampiricism is not dead (undead?), it's only lacking in original ideas, unique frameworks, and deft narratives, overshadowed by lackluster Hollywood scripts, low-budget special effects, and beautiful fanged creatures that go glitter in the night.

Make no mistake, this is NOT a vampire novel per se--it's much more. The means by which Scully reveals the eponymous protagonist and his transformation is juxtaposed seemlessly with the present-day fear of death, bound together by the noir detective story of a midlist nonfiction author and her fascination (obsession?) with the hereafter. It's as much a philosophical treatise on the meaning of life and love as it is a suspenseful and emotional tale of what it means to be human and how far we're willing to go to live forever...if that's a proposition many of us would even want to endure.

VERLAND is multilayered and meticulous, but it's never tedious or overwhelming, it merely crescendos at a perfect pace, revealing the characters in a natural fluidity, until it comes to a satisfying conclusion that left me wanting more.

B.E. Scully has crafted a modern classic of dark fiction.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall this book had a good premise, but it didn't grab me or really engage me the way that I hoped.

I found Elle somewhat annoying and her DogFish Head Pale Ale obsession was just ridiculous. Unless DogFish Head gave the author money for product placement, she could mention it once and then just call it beer. (Besides, DogFish Head is usually available in the grocery store and Midas Touch is the superior brew).

There was a brief mention of absinthe addicts. As an absinthe drinker, I felt that this was just uninformed.

I think this was a first book from the author, and that the author has done some vampire research, which was nice to see. I think for a first book, it has a lot of good qualities, and also some more to work on. I would not recommend this book to friends, but I would maybe read another book by B.E. Scully in the future. I think that the author should focus on crime fiction and leave the supernatural out of it.

*** = glad I read it.

ARC provided by GoodReads First Reads Program.

[Barbrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent non-romantic vampire tale

This was an average vampire tale with very little suspense to speed it along. Better than most of the pot boilers out there, with a bit of philosophy, but not much soul. The framing plot was nothing earth shattering, and the embedded vampire tale had no stakes to speak of. Solidly written and a decent read, it still failed to intrigue me. When is someone going to write a scary vampire book again?

[Jessica Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the reviews were lavish, I didn't really enjoy this book a whole lot. Verland's journal was pretty interesting, but the story as a whole was kind of dry.

[Spinachez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a very solid book with consistent if a little heavy-handed approach to the Gothic themes it invokes.

I did not expect the books main feature and structural element from the synopsis. It makes it clear that Elle, a crime fiction writer, is the main character and as suggested she is tasked to requested to write book based on a recent crime carried out by a famous director. What was less clear is that the journal she reads makes up at least a third of the book possibly half. The narrative therefore alternates between the memoir of the titular 'Verland' and Elle's efforts to make sense of how the memoirs relate to the crime she is writing about.

The story was decently paced if somewhat predictable at times, though a few moments towards the end were pleasingly surprising. The characters, with the exception of Elle and Verland, tended to be relatively thinly written but this isn't much of an issue as the book is relatively short. This is probably its largest shortcoming as although the two narratives are linked through common gothic themes, it never goes beyond that. There is little real connection between the narratives beyond the influence and Elle's character arc.

I would have liked this book to be significantly longer to really give a chance for the atmosphere to develop and for the side characters to be more engaged with Elle and the narrative. The motivation for the villain is also very strange and in some ways comes out of nowhere, or at least develops very quickly towards the end of the story.

Overall if you want another light gothic vampire story with some fun structural ideas when it comes to narrative Verland is a good choice.

[Horror DNA · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's getting harder for writers to create original vampire novels these days. I would hate to bring the "T" word into this review, but since Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series saw the light of day there have been numerous attempts by new authors to jump on the vampire bandwagon. Sadly, most of these efforts are as clichéd and as tired as the last. So it is with great relief that I can say Verland: The Transformation is an original, gripping tale of a vampire that really had me hooked until the last page.

You can read Charlotte's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[Book Lovers Never Go to Bed Alone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vampires in Battle: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and Verland: The Transformation by B.E. Scully

I’ve been reading a great deal on vampires lately. Fiction and non-fiction have crossed my desk, including a debut novel from B.E. Scully called Verland: The Transformation. I received a review copy and as I began reading, it reminded me of another recent entry into the vampire lore. In 2005, Elizabeth Kostova released her debut novel called The Historian. As I read Scully’s work, the similarities immediately jumped out. Both novels are a new take on the vampire legend. They avoid the Twilight romance, the Vampire Diaries silliness (voting rights?), and the endless supply of repetitious serial novels filling the ebook shelves. Both are debut works, richly detailed in historical fact, and feature female protagonists. I decided to read Kostova’s work again to compare the two.

The first time I read The Historian I truly enjoyed it. I did the second time, but perhaps it was the contrast to such a similar novel that make the differences stand out in stark relief this time around. Kostova’s work is replete with historical fact, rich descriptions, and minute details. It is this attention to detail however, that bogs the work down. It’s a dense tome and much of the material felt superfluous the second time through. Being familiar with the story, I wasn’t as enthralled by the narrative. Instead I found myself glazing over at the intricate descriptions of Istambul, vampire legends, and maps. There was just too much here without the suspense of the narrative. The second time through, I found myself more interested in the characters and they all felt too much the same. I also noticed the formatting of the novel changes throughout. What begins as a present day, first person contrasted with letters becomes something of a confusing mess. As a new section began, I had to pause because the narrative transition was so awkward. The letters began to read like just another first person narrative. The novel’s central story about Vlad the Impaler and the vampires is excellent. The mysteries are intriguing and for first-time readers, it’s a fantastic book. But when compared to another novel in the same vein, its weaknesses stand out.

Both The Historian and Scully’s Verland: The Transformation are rich historical novels. Like Kostova, instead of a single narrative, he chooses to shift back and forth through time in order to slowly reveal the vampire’s secrets. The format is unique as we have Elle, a true crime writer, wrapped up in a mystery with a movie producer. As she digs into Kingman’s story, a diary appears. Elle’s “real life” story is then juxtaposed with entries from this mysterious diary, culminating in a dramatic and rather unexpected conclusion. Scully’s writing is crisp and I never felt the historical, philosophical, or geographical details slowed the narrative. There is just enough to create a certain tone, atmosphere, or mood, but he never writes simply to fill the page with facts. He is quite skilled at giving the reader just enough tantalizing history, but then pulling back into the narrative to keep the story flowing. The novel is rich in theme and reminded me of great classics such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in the complex and difficult questions raised within the pages.

Both novels are great books. The Historian is a compelling story of Vlad the Impaler and well worth reading. Verland: The Transformation is, however, just a cut above. Kostova’s novel is reading for today. Had I not wanted to do a comparison, it would still be on my shelf. Verland: The Transformation is a novel that will be retrieved many times over the years. Like Stoker’s Dracula, it is a novel for the ages.

[Cranky Commentary (Melinda) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horror. What is it to you? For me, an author has my attention when I find myself casually thinking like and agreeing with the point of view, when that POV is a cold-blooded monster. Case-in-point: Stephen King's The Shining (wonderful book with waaay more than one example of how to horrify a reader) when Jack begins to mentally "slip over the edge", I found myself slipping with him. When Jack was thinking it was logical and necessary to kill his wife, I could totally see the sense in it and upon closing the book realized that for a few seconds, I was as insane as he was. Scary stories are fine, but I have been reading horror since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, and I'm not exactly a horror-snob, but I do have a high tolerance. Many of the popular books and movies today leave me rolling my eyes, saying, "oh please." (Don't even get me started on slasher movies with lots of cheap scares).

This book laid on the bottom of my "to-read" pile for a very long time- and I kept moving it down. I don't get much time to read, so when I do, I really hate to waste time on a mediocre read. If you look at some of my angry reviews, you can see what that does to me!

I have just finished Verland, and I really owe the author of this book a great big fat apology for thinking that just because it's (another) vampire book that I would find it boring. No way! THIS, people, is what a vampire book should be like! This is a REAL vampire! I was totally caught up in Verland's mindset, and this book is wonderful at making the reader question what is good and what is evil. It has a wonderful lesson, yet enough darkness to satisfy any horror aficionado.

[Staticblaq · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn by reviews citing "no sparkly vampires". Which is true - no teen romance dressed up as Dark Fantasy. However, there was a pretty shaky Mills & Boon romantic element early on that did test my patience (just think of all those covers! *shiver* ). Thankful it recedes into the background fairly quickly.
Verland might not be sparkly, but he's a sympathetic noble character that falls very much into the Anne Rice model. Those looking for something more primal or beastly should check out The Lesser Dead.

A great portion of the book is comprised of Verland's diary entries that span two centuries - itself a common trope of vampire fiction. I felt the heavy reliance on diary entries added to the milieu but didn't add much to the narrative. I was three quarters into the book before it felt like the story actually started.

Overall, the writing is solid, but the story for me lacked spark or a distinctive tweak and thus came off rather bland. I found the ending rather soft, particularly when the cringe-worthy romance re-entered the scene.

[Oktaryna · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone already mentioned, I loved the vampire diary but Kingman was a dull and schematic character. His story was flat and uninspired.

On the whole, I am thoroughly impressed by this portrait of vampire. Although this has been done so many times, Verland is a fresh and inspiring character. It is an insightful look into vampirical world seen through human perspective. In the end, the very human problems and emotions are the real characters of the story. I really take my hat off to the author for capturing so much unconventional wisdom in a crime/horror story.

To sum up, the crime story is definitely the weaker and less relevant part of the book. The main hero is the human being as reflected in a vampire's eyes. The immortal being can observe and describe our flows most accurately and this is captured perfectly in "Verland".

[Pisces19 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book. Part mystery thriller, part gothic vampire story. It had lots of lofty themes and was pretty well written. With a split storyline including a modern day almost noir-like murder mystery, and the tale of a vampire that spread over decades of history, it was interesting how the two stories finally came together and resolved themselves. The only negative I can say about the book is that sometimes I wished I had a greater sense of the characters which felt a bit two dimensional. They occasionally felt lost to me in describing the scenes or in expanding upon their philosophies. In general, I wanted to know more depth and dimension, I wanted to know MORE about the characters, but this was clearly a product of the author's sparse style of writing. Overall an excellent book and well recommended.

[*Kashi* · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. B.E. Scully just delivers a very very well written book, Good plot and a real page turner. very seductive writing. one of the Best books of the year.
I Love books with intellectual & philosophical value, Scully gives us Fun and something to think about. Great Read!


Excelente lectura en el Genero de Mysterio, intriga, Gotico. Muy bien Elaborado, uno de los mejores que eh leido este año.Realmente te pone a pensar en el punto de vista de el vampiro, muy filosofico y didactico sin ser pesado. Muy Recomendado.

[Jennagirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are so ready to move out of Twilight this book is it! A friend said this was the best book he's ever read and told me to read it. I ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ it! Elle is just so incredible and Verland's story will break your heart. He's so sad and alone, but no one can fix that and the writer does a great job saying why. I always wanted to be swept away by Edward until I read this book. Being immortal looks TOTALLY different now!

[Debra Dufrene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed beginning this book but somewhere around the first third it slowed down and now after finishing it I feel like it was a bore. The idea was a good one and one that excited me and sounded different from the rest of the vampire stories that seem to be everywhere today. But in the end it was just an ordinary LA private investigator story with all the regular angles you'd expect to find in one of those with a vampire twist. Disappointed.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beautifully written and it kept me up reading until the early hours. It's been awhile since I've given a book five stars and it's been awhile since I've read a story that captivated me like this one. There are few books that I choose to go back and revisit ... this just might be one of them.

[Spiral-python Schnzrpunk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it! Whilst not as grippingly gruesome as I'd been prepared for, it is well written, self reflexive (which I always like), the characters are completely astereotypical, and the combo of vampire, horror, crime and a touch of romance really appealed. It was absolutely worth the trouble it took to find a copy in rural Australia!

[Grumblebuffin · Rating 3 out of 5]

At some points, especially the beginning, the writing seems quite amateurish. The plot is not complex, and somewhat unsatisfying. Anne Rice does it better. Still, it held my interest and I did not regret having read it. Recommended for lovers of the genre.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't expect this book to be philosophical or moving, but it was both. On a more shallow note I really wish Verland had taken out Kingman.

[Jessica Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't put it down, I read it in one day. It was fast paced, easy to read, and had great characters. I hope there a second part to to it!!

[Kathi Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a GREAT book.

[Midnightangel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a GREAT book!!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindle for iPhone

Liked it more than I thought I might - great back story and while it wasn't a unique take on the vampire mythos, I enjoyed the way it was blended with modern sensibilities.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this vampire story. I liked the perspective on life, death and immortality and the way the characters related to these topics.