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The Night Man Cometh
In 1249, Damien La Croix willingly choses Undeath rather than perish of the Plague. Once risen as a vampire, he takes his betrothed into the dark with him, but something goes wrong and Antoinette perishes. Thus, Damien begins a solitary walk down the corridors of time in search of Antoinette’s replacement.Beginning with Konstancza in 15th century Romania where Damien and his garde de nuit serve Voivoide Vlad Drakula, his search extends into the far future to a fateful meeting in a snow-filled Chicago. Until then, Damien meets, loves, and loses each person he thinks may be the one to replace his Antoinette—Kate in Colonial America, who avenges herself against her rapist but prefers to hang rather than become an Undead; Bess, a 21st century Goth, wanting both an Undead lover and a living one and dying for the wrong choice; Michel, a concentration camp guard where Damien and his kind are imprisoned in the human answer to the Vampire Problem; Alyss – descendant of his beloved Konstancza –lost to a rival vampire’s seduction.All could be his but all perish, for when the Night Man Cometh, can Death be behind…?
ebook
First published January 1, 2011
22 people want to read
About the author
Tony-Paul de Vissage
65 books22 followersA writer of French Huguenot extraction, Tony-Paul de Vissage saw his first vampire movie on television at age 6--the old Universal horror flick, Dracula's Daughter--and was scared sleepless. He’s now paying his very permissive parents back by writing about the Undead.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 15, 2015
NOTE: If you want this in ebook format you need to search for the author on Amazon, for some reason most links take you to a $17 paperback page with no ebook link. You might try this link and see if it works for you
http://www.amazon.com/Night-Man-Comet...
Summary:
In 1249, Damien La Croix willingly choses Undeath rather than perish of the Plague. Once risen as a vampire, he takes his betrothed into the dark with him, but something goes wrong and Antoinette perishes. Thus, Damien begins a solitary walk down the corridors of time in search of Antoinette’s replacement.
Beginning with Konstancza in 15th century Romania where Damien and his garde de nuit serve Voivoide Vlad Drakula, his search extends into the far future to a fateful meeting in a snow-filled Chicago. Until then, Damien meets, loves, and loses each person he thinks may be the one to replace his Antoinette—Kate in Colonial America, who avenges herself against her rapist but prefers to hang rather than become an Undead; Bess, a 21st century Goth, wanting both an Undead lover and a living one and dying for the wrong choice; Michel, a concentration camp guard where Damien and his kind are imprisoned in the human answer to the Vampire Problem; Alyss – descendant of his beloved Konstancza –lost to a rival vampire’s seduction.
All could be his but all perish, for when the Night Man Cometh, can Death be far behind…?
Review:
This novel was pretty much a gift from someone who suggested I read it, as with a lot of literary gifts I put it in my “To Be Read” stack and moved on until about 45 days later I pulled it out in my version of Kindle roulette.
It took me several chapters before I realized I had cheated myself out of one of the better literary treats of the last several months, possibly longer. This novel covers such a huge scope of around 3500 years that it boggles the mind. It is a changing genre novel of historical, horror, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and ending with a bit of science fiction. Never read anything like it unless you want to count HG Wells masterpiece The Time Machine.
It starts out with a young man who only wants 2 things from his existence, he wants to live (this is during the Black Plague) and he wants to be with his love Antoinette. He will get his wish and lose much more in the process. Damien became a vampire by choice, making some terrible and soul killing decisions when he did and now he must live with himself. There are some terrible things in this book but it is a more dark look at vampires.
This is not a short vampire romance novel with a great “happy ever after” this is a masterpiece of work that covers some horrible things concerning our hero Damien and tragic periods of history. Life is not all roses and happiness, far, far from it. Damien tries to retain a bit of humanity from time to time which serves to frustrate him as much as it helps him at times.
What he really wants is to find “the one”, that woman who will make him feel complete, the true love he has always wanted but seems to lose each time he comes close.
This is not a singular romance, this is a story of a vampire cut from the Dracula mold of Bram Stoker (garlic, crosses, holy relics, all hurt him) and his search through centuries for the woman he feels sure is out there if he can find her. He is at times heroic, other times tragic and many times, just the vampire he has become.
A large part of the action takes place prior to the 20 century since that is the time that shapes his persona but we are taken on a ride through history and into the yet imagined future with this novel and all of it captures the imagination.
I give this 5 Stars because I cannot think of anything to compare it to and the scope combined with the highs and lows of Damien’s life is exceptional. It felt like the author may have rushed the ending a bit but then again it was almost to the point of “you gotta stop somewhere” and the ending was very fulfilling and satisfying to me. Highly recommended but this is NOT a novel you will read in one session, it may take days to soak it in, but I loved it.
http://www.amazon.com/Night-Man-Comet...
Summary:
In 1249, Damien La Croix willingly choses Undeath rather than perish of the Plague. Once risen as a vampire, he takes his betrothed into the dark with him, but something goes wrong and Antoinette perishes. Thus, Damien begins a solitary walk down the corridors of time in search of Antoinette’s replacement.
Beginning with Konstancza in 15th century Romania where Damien and his garde de nuit serve Voivoide Vlad Drakula, his search extends into the far future to a fateful meeting in a snow-filled Chicago. Until then, Damien meets, loves, and loses each person he thinks may be the one to replace his Antoinette—Kate in Colonial America, who avenges herself against her rapist but prefers to hang rather than become an Undead; Bess, a 21st century Goth, wanting both an Undead lover and a living one and dying for the wrong choice; Michel, a concentration camp guard where Damien and his kind are imprisoned in the human answer to the Vampire Problem; Alyss – descendant of his beloved Konstancza –lost to a rival vampire’s seduction.
All could be his but all perish, for when the Night Man Cometh, can Death be far behind…?
Review:
This novel was pretty much a gift from someone who suggested I read it, as with a lot of literary gifts I put it in my “To Be Read” stack and moved on until about 45 days later I pulled it out in my version of Kindle roulette.
It took me several chapters before I realized I had cheated myself out of one of the better literary treats of the last several months, possibly longer. This novel covers such a huge scope of around 3500 years that it boggles the mind. It is a changing genre novel of historical, horror, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and ending with a bit of science fiction. Never read anything like it unless you want to count HG Wells masterpiece The Time Machine.
It starts out with a young man who only wants 2 things from his existence, he wants to live (this is during the Black Plague) and he wants to be with his love Antoinette. He will get his wish and lose much more in the process. Damien became a vampire by choice, making some terrible and soul killing decisions when he did and now he must live with himself. There are some terrible things in this book but it is a more dark look at vampires.
This is not a short vampire romance novel with a great “happy ever after” this is a masterpiece of work that covers some horrible things concerning our hero Damien and tragic periods of history. Life is not all roses and happiness, far, far from it. Damien tries to retain a bit of humanity from time to time which serves to frustrate him as much as it helps him at times.
What he really wants is to find “the one”, that woman who will make him feel complete, the true love he has always wanted but seems to lose each time he comes close.
This is not a singular romance, this is a story of a vampire cut from the Dracula mold of Bram Stoker (garlic, crosses, holy relics, all hurt him) and his search through centuries for the woman he feels sure is out there if he can find her. He is at times heroic, other times tragic and many times, just the vampire he has become.
A large part of the action takes place prior to the 20 century since that is the time that shapes his persona but we are taken on a ride through history and into the yet imagined future with this novel and all of it captures the imagination.
I give this 5 Stars because I cannot think of anything to compare it to and the scope combined with the highs and lows of Damien’s life is exceptional. It felt like the author may have rushed the ending a bit but then again it was almost to the point of “you gotta stop somewhere” and the ending was very fulfilling and satisfying to me. Highly recommended but this is NOT a novel you will read in one session, it may take days to soak it in, but I loved it.
November 1, 2012
The Night Man Cometh follows Damien La Croix from the time he was turned vampire in plague-ridden France and follows his journey through a millennia.
I have read Tony-Paul de Vissage before, and I really enjoyed his style of writing. This book blew me away. This novel reminded me of the classic vampire novels; it showed the ruthlessness and violence of vampire nature as well as the eroticism.
In the beginning of the novel Damien is everything you would expect a fledgling to be, taken by the bloodlust and enthralled with the power. As we follow him through the centuries, he becomes more refined in some ways, he changes with the times, but he never turns his back on his true nature.
I was taken with de Vissage’s descriptiveness especially in the beginning of the book, when the village was hit with the plague. The imagery provided was so vivid I felt like I was following Damien through the streets of France. It was such an emotional journey following Damien through time, seeing love won ned and lost, as well as enemies made and conquered.
Technically, the book was really well written. The story spans continents and vast periods of time, but the book is written in a way that the transitions are smooth and easy to follow. Although the story wasn’t always fast paced, I never lost interest.
There is a little something for everyone in this book. Any fan of classic vampire novels will love this book, and if you are a fan of romance, you will find that here too. After reading The Night Man Cometh, it only cemented me as fan of Tony de Vissage.
**Reviewed by Teresa D. for VampireRomanceBooks.com**
I have read Tony-Paul de Vissage before, and I really enjoyed his style of writing. This book blew me away. This novel reminded me of the classic vampire novels; it showed the ruthlessness and violence of vampire nature as well as the eroticism.
In the beginning of the novel Damien is everything you would expect a fledgling to be, taken by the bloodlust and enthralled with the power. As we follow him through the centuries, he becomes more refined in some ways, he changes with the times, but he never turns his back on his true nature.
I was taken with de Vissage’s descriptiveness especially in the beginning of the book, when the village was hit with the plague. The imagery provided was so vivid I felt like I was following Damien through the streets of France. It was such an emotional journey following Damien through time, seeing love won ned and lost, as well as enemies made and conquered.
Technically, the book was really well written. The story spans continents and vast periods of time, but the book is written in a way that the transitions are smooth and easy to follow. Although the story wasn’t always fast paced, I never lost interest.
There is a little something for everyone in this book. Any fan of classic vampire novels will love this book, and if you are a fan of romance, you will find that here too. After reading The Night Man Cometh, it only cemented me as fan of Tony de Vissage.
**Reviewed by Teresa D. for VampireRomanceBooks.com**
June 8, 2015
The first half of “Night-Man” is a vampire novel spanning the centuries. Beginning during the Plague the book then jumps to the reign of Vlad the Impaler, then the French Revolution, and Charleston in the days before the Civil War. Then comes a bit set in the present day. But it doesn't stop there.
Overall this is a very enjoyable and innovative book, chronicling the “life” of the vampire Damian La Croix. It does have a few technical problems, however.
Two thoughts come to mind when reading this book. They frequently come to mind, when reading the works of new authors. The first is Show them, don’t tell them.
Instead of having the character thinking, “All accepted it as something deserved...” show other characters expressing this sentiment, and have the hero express his disagreement. First, it sounds more believable and second, it's far more interesting for the reader. People talking with each other make it a scene. Scenes consisting of people thinking means the reader is thrust in the role of a mind-reader. Some of us are not comfortable with that.
Now that's not to say that the writing is bad. In fact, once we get to the first exchange of dialog, the story has a definite life to it. Lopping off the first few pages would have made a better start.
The other classic (and sadly ignored) rule is, Write what you know about. But de Vissage has done his homework. He knows medieval France and the customs and he understands the stranglehold that the Church had on people in those days.
And yet, in describing the all-consuming plague that he strikes Limousin in 1249, he seems to be describing the Black Death of the next century. Yes, there were outbreaks before, but even those ended by AD 750, and none was as pervasive as the one described in this book until the bubonic bacteria re-entered Europe in 1347-48.
De Vissage refers to Vlad the Impaler as a Transylvanian, but in fact he was a Wallach and invaded Transylvania in a campaign of ethnic cleansing to eradicate the Saxon population. The term Romanian would be anachronistic.
Later, a chapter is labeled 1789, but in the text Damian refers to the year as 1792. Then the following chapter begins in 1790. A little proofreading goes a long way. It might also help avoid sentences like “They wasn’t affected by holy water or garlic.”
I don't like the modern word cock to refer to the penis. In the Middle Ages, they called it a wick or a member or even manhood. 'Jail' was commonly spelled 'gaol'. And the word 'vampire' was unknown in the English language until about 1800. But for the most part, de Vissage has a very good command of medieval words and sentence structure.
The reciprocal is also true. Stories set in the future, while no one can say how that future will turn out, should be no more like the present than stories set in the past. Without giving away too much of the plot, de Vissage shows Damian walking through all time periods, including those yet to come.
In the far off future we see Damian walking down Park Avenue and going into a Starbucks and ordering a coffee. But this occurs some 1300 years in the future! Wouldn't all that change? How many company names today have been around even a hundred years? If people still imbibe coffee in the future, might they not inject it? Eventually in the book, civilization is wiped out by an asteroid. Won't we have lasers to demolish wayward asteroids?? And shouldn't butlers be robots or holograms? To me, the parts of the book set in the future come across as unimaginative. Whatever else the future will be, it will be different.
I'm reminded of recent episodes of Doctor Who, in which the Doctor travels ten billion years into the future and humans are still using AK-47s. Have we already achieved the height of technology? In the far future, people would be as likely to carry an AK-47 as a flintlock musket.
However, there are some imaginative bits here, such as vampires being stuck outside buildings because the access programming that opens doors can not register their undead presence. And if de Vissage loses points on the un-futuristic future he describes, he gains them on story.
I love that a bloodline is shown and followed. Geraint infects Damian, who infects Armand and Antoinette. And Domingo de Leyanda, a Jewish vampire, has no fear of the Cross—only the Star of David and the Seal of Solomon.
As the author of a trilogy about Vlad Dracula, naturally I wanted to see how Tony de Vissage's portrayal of him compared to mine. Overall, our interpretations are quite similar. We both show the Impaler as cold and cruel and making bargains with supernatural forces. I have Dracula dealing with those forces from an earlier date, but the image of a mortal Vlad the Impaler hiring Damian and his marauding legion of darkness is very cool.
I also love the scene where a Walachian soldier, fearing Vlad's ire, suddenly feels his butt puckering in fear of impalement. Despite the portrayal in so many books, movies, and artwork, Vlad never impaled anyone through the stomach or chest—instead he used the anus. Gravity did the work from then on. De Vissage realizes this and describes the act in loving detail.
Our visions of the Undead bear more differences. His vampires do not become bats but simply sprout bat wings when the need arises. As such, they can wear armor in battle. My vampires (of Dracula's line) transform fully and as such can not wear armor. However, they can carry weapons in their claws and use them upon reverting to their natural form. Most modern vampire tales and movies are squeamish about showing this ability. Fortunately, we both show vampires as supernatural beings, fearing the sign of the Cross and wincing at the sound of prayers.
Like Anne Rice, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, and Jane J. Oliver, de Vissage emphasizes and peoples his book with mostly male vampires. I, however, always thought the female to be the deadlier of the species. So, although I wrote a trilogy about a King Vampire, my Dracula is surrounded by queens—just as Bram Stoker indicated.
I definitely recommend “The Night-Man Cometh”. I just wish de Vissage had watched a few more episodes of Star Trek.
Overall this is a very enjoyable and innovative book, chronicling the “life” of the vampire Damian La Croix. It does have a few technical problems, however.
Two thoughts come to mind when reading this book. They frequently come to mind, when reading the works of new authors. The first is Show them, don’t tell them.
Instead of having the character thinking, “All accepted it as something deserved...” show other characters expressing this sentiment, and have the hero express his disagreement. First, it sounds more believable and second, it's far more interesting for the reader. People talking with each other make it a scene. Scenes consisting of people thinking means the reader is thrust in the role of a mind-reader. Some of us are not comfortable with that.
Now that's not to say that the writing is bad. In fact, once we get to the first exchange of dialog, the story has a definite life to it. Lopping off the first few pages would have made a better start.
The other classic (and sadly ignored) rule is, Write what you know about. But de Vissage has done his homework. He knows medieval France and the customs and he understands the stranglehold that the Church had on people in those days.
And yet, in describing the all-consuming plague that he strikes Limousin in 1249, he seems to be describing the Black Death of the next century. Yes, there were outbreaks before, but even those ended by AD 750, and none was as pervasive as the one described in this book until the bubonic bacteria re-entered Europe in 1347-48.
De Vissage refers to Vlad the Impaler as a Transylvanian, but in fact he was a Wallach and invaded Transylvania in a campaign of ethnic cleansing to eradicate the Saxon population. The term Romanian would be anachronistic.
Later, a chapter is labeled 1789, but in the text Damian refers to the year as 1792. Then the following chapter begins in 1790. A little proofreading goes a long way. It might also help avoid sentences like “They wasn’t affected by holy water or garlic.”
I don't like the modern word cock to refer to the penis. In the Middle Ages, they called it a wick or a member or even manhood. 'Jail' was commonly spelled 'gaol'. And the word 'vampire' was unknown in the English language until about 1800. But for the most part, de Vissage has a very good command of medieval words and sentence structure.
The reciprocal is also true. Stories set in the future, while no one can say how that future will turn out, should be no more like the present than stories set in the past. Without giving away too much of the plot, de Vissage shows Damian walking through all time periods, including those yet to come.
In the far off future we see Damian walking down Park Avenue and going into a Starbucks and ordering a coffee. But this occurs some 1300 years in the future! Wouldn't all that change? How many company names today have been around even a hundred years? If people still imbibe coffee in the future, might they not inject it? Eventually in the book, civilization is wiped out by an asteroid. Won't we have lasers to demolish wayward asteroids?? And shouldn't butlers be robots or holograms? To me, the parts of the book set in the future come across as unimaginative. Whatever else the future will be, it will be different.
I'm reminded of recent episodes of Doctor Who, in which the Doctor travels ten billion years into the future and humans are still using AK-47s. Have we already achieved the height of technology? In the far future, people would be as likely to carry an AK-47 as a flintlock musket.
However, there are some imaginative bits here, such as vampires being stuck outside buildings because the access programming that opens doors can not register their undead presence. And if de Vissage loses points on the un-futuristic future he describes, he gains them on story.
I love that a bloodline is shown and followed. Geraint infects Damian, who infects Armand and Antoinette. And Domingo de Leyanda, a Jewish vampire, has no fear of the Cross—only the Star of David and the Seal of Solomon.
As the author of a trilogy about Vlad Dracula, naturally I wanted to see how Tony de Vissage's portrayal of him compared to mine. Overall, our interpretations are quite similar. We both show the Impaler as cold and cruel and making bargains with supernatural forces. I have Dracula dealing with those forces from an earlier date, but the image of a mortal Vlad the Impaler hiring Damian and his marauding legion of darkness is very cool.
I also love the scene where a Walachian soldier, fearing Vlad's ire, suddenly feels his butt puckering in fear of impalement. Despite the portrayal in so many books, movies, and artwork, Vlad never impaled anyone through the stomach or chest—instead he used the anus. Gravity did the work from then on. De Vissage realizes this and describes the act in loving detail.
Our visions of the Undead bear more differences. His vampires do not become bats but simply sprout bat wings when the need arises. As such, they can wear armor in battle. My vampires (of Dracula's line) transform fully and as such can not wear armor. However, they can carry weapons in their claws and use them upon reverting to their natural form. Most modern vampire tales and movies are squeamish about showing this ability. Fortunately, we both show vampires as supernatural beings, fearing the sign of the Cross and wincing at the sound of prayers.
Like Anne Rice, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, and Jane J. Oliver, de Vissage emphasizes and peoples his book with mostly male vampires. I, however, always thought the female to be the deadlier of the species. So, although I wrote a trilogy about a King Vampire, my Dracula is surrounded by queens—just as Bram Stoker indicated.
I definitely recommend “The Night-Man Cometh”. I just wish de Vissage had watched a few more episodes of Star Trek.
July 25, 2014
The Night Man Cometh is an intriguing overview of the vampire world, chronicling the life of the French Marquis Damian La Croix from 1249 through 3500 A.D. 1249 is the year that, upon hearing that his betrothed Antoinette is dying of the Plague, Damian chooses to become a vampire not only to flee the near-certainty of his own death from the unstoppable disease, but also to turn Antoinette to the Undeath as well, thus ensuring their immortal love. But the circumstances under which vampires must operate through the ensuing centuries conspire to deny him the romantic companionship which figured so centrally into his desire to choose Undeath.
Becoming a vampire has rendered Damian more or less a wild animal who must hunt human blood to survive, but his deep urge for immortal, romantic love has given him an appreciation of human ethics. Time and again he refrains from killing or from turning others into vampires, even at the cost of his own health or mental stability, as he considers the moral implications of how his acts may affect his quest for transcendent love. Though impelled to survive as a vampire, and guilty of dozens of atrocities against humans over the centuries, at critical moments he chooses cooperation and empathy over raw hunger and lust.
The Night Man Cometh can also be read as a future history of the different ways vampires, as a small subset of the world’s population, could coexist within human society and outside it. Upon becoming a vampire one may be instantly endowed with near-invincible powers, not the least of which is the charisma or glamour which is often all that’s needed to paralyze a victim, but a vampire must also contend with numerous drawbacks including the hunter’s uncertain quest for the proper food, the quick extermination brought by exposure to sunlight, the necessity of relying upon enthralled humans to take care of one during daylight hours, the possibility of being attacked by vengeful humans during those vulnerable hours, and, oddly, the fact that buried aspects of one’s human personality may come to the fore to create fresh conflict and instability.
The vampires become what they must to survive: sometimes they are mercenary soldiers, sometimes they are prisoners, and often they must fake their deaths to start new lives as existing human generations vanish beneath them. The book posits different kinds of vampires: the Vampyre from England who converts a victim via a method more akin to infection, and the winged Sansmort from France, who employs a more psychological method of “turning” the victim.
What I drew from this book was the sense of a tragic choice of a rather unsatisfactory immortality in order to flee the terror of personal extinction. But cheating death only brings Undeath, not true eternal life. And the same hungers Damian had while human are magnified in this new state and uncomfortably accompany him through the centuries. Yet his still intact deep human nature offers a possibility of breaking out of that endless cycle of disappointment.
review by Michael D. Smith
Becoming a vampire has rendered Damian more or less a wild animal who must hunt human blood to survive, but his deep urge for immortal, romantic love has given him an appreciation of human ethics. Time and again he refrains from killing or from turning others into vampires, even at the cost of his own health or mental stability, as he considers the moral implications of how his acts may affect his quest for transcendent love. Though impelled to survive as a vampire, and guilty of dozens of atrocities against humans over the centuries, at critical moments he chooses cooperation and empathy over raw hunger and lust.
The Night Man Cometh can also be read as a future history of the different ways vampires, as a small subset of the world’s population, could coexist within human society and outside it. Upon becoming a vampire one may be instantly endowed with near-invincible powers, not the least of which is the charisma or glamour which is often all that’s needed to paralyze a victim, but a vampire must also contend with numerous drawbacks including the hunter’s uncertain quest for the proper food, the quick extermination brought by exposure to sunlight, the necessity of relying upon enthralled humans to take care of one during daylight hours, the possibility of being attacked by vengeful humans during those vulnerable hours, and, oddly, the fact that buried aspects of one’s human personality may come to the fore to create fresh conflict and instability.
The vampires become what they must to survive: sometimes they are mercenary soldiers, sometimes they are prisoners, and often they must fake their deaths to start new lives as existing human generations vanish beneath them. The book posits different kinds of vampires: the Vampyre from England who converts a victim via a method more akin to infection, and the winged Sansmort from France, who employs a more psychological method of “turning” the victim.
What I drew from this book was the sense of a tragic choice of a rather unsatisfactory immortality in order to flee the terror of personal extinction. But cheating death only brings Undeath, not true eternal life. And the same hungers Damian had while human are magnified in this new state and uncomfortably accompany him through the centuries. Yet his still intact deep human nature offers a possibility of breaking out of that endless cycle of disappointment.
review by Michael D. Smith
April 16, 2014
Two questions have been on Damian’s mind since his transformation: will I ever find a second soulmate, and is it really possible to change? Only time will tell if he figures out the answer to either of them.
Damian wasn’t exactly a saint during his short first life, and his thirst for violence only becomes more unquenchable once he begins his Undead one. His severe lack of empathy and self-awareness brings depth to his personality even if certain horrid choices make it difficult to find many positive things to say about him early on. What I found most interesting about Damian’s character development, though, was how slowly it takes place. Centuries can pass between the first glimmer of change and the next step in Damian’s evolution, but because those moments are given so much time to take hold in his mind they always felt genuine to this reader.
I would have liked to see more time spent exploring the personalities and interests of Damian’s potential life partners. Some of them are developed well enough for me to understand his attraction to them, but others were given very little time to express their unique qualities. Even love at first sight eventually needs something to back up that first flush of emotion, and this novel would have easily earned a much higher rating had I better understood why he chose some of his paramours.
From the opening scene Mr. de Vissage kept my interest piqued with strong, even pacing. By covering Damian’s journey through such an incredibly long period of time the author is able to slowly build a complex supernatural society that would have been hard to flesh out in such detail in a shorter story. I found certain subplots even more captivating than the focus of Damian’s mission because of how expertly the author weaves everything together from one millennia to the next.
As someone who has never had any exposure to the French language, it was sometimes difficult for me to determine the meanings of French words and phrases that show up routinely in the first few sections of this novel. Some of them were easy to figure out because their English equivalents were so similar to them, but certain words remained a mystery to me until the end. While I understand why the author wanted Damian to retain this part of his heritage, it would have been helpful to either have had a glossary of the terms at the beginning of the book or more context clues about their meanings embedded in the text near them.
By far my favourite part of this book involves how effortlessly the author brings back the traditional approach to vampire mythology. Damian and his associates are sexually alluring to humans, but they are also extremely dangerous, unpredictable creatures. The horror elements of this tale are ubiquitous and include the darkest themes of that genre.
I would especially recommend The Night Man Cometh to anyone who is a fan of Dracula. Even with its flaws, this is a noteworthy example of what vampire fiction can be.
Damian wasn’t exactly a saint during his short first life, and his thirst for violence only becomes more unquenchable once he begins his Undead one. His severe lack of empathy and self-awareness brings depth to his personality even if certain horrid choices make it difficult to find many positive things to say about him early on. What I found most interesting about Damian’s character development, though, was how slowly it takes place. Centuries can pass between the first glimmer of change and the next step in Damian’s evolution, but because those moments are given so much time to take hold in his mind they always felt genuine to this reader.
I would have liked to see more time spent exploring the personalities and interests of Damian’s potential life partners. Some of them are developed well enough for me to understand his attraction to them, but others were given very little time to express their unique qualities. Even love at first sight eventually needs something to back up that first flush of emotion, and this novel would have easily earned a much higher rating had I better understood why he chose some of his paramours.
From the opening scene Mr. de Vissage kept my interest piqued with strong, even pacing. By covering Damian’s journey through such an incredibly long period of time the author is able to slowly build a complex supernatural society that would have been hard to flesh out in such detail in a shorter story. I found certain subplots even more captivating than the focus of Damian’s mission because of how expertly the author weaves everything together from one millennia to the next.
As someone who has never had any exposure to the French language, it was sometimes difficult for me to determine the meanings of French words and phrases that show up routinely in the first few sections of this novel. Some of them were easy to figure out because their English equivalents were so similar to them, but certain words remained a mystery to me until the end. While I understand why the author wanted Damian to retain this part of his heritage, it would have been helpful to either have had a glossary of the terms at the beginning of the book or more context clues about their meanings embedded in the text near them.
By far my favourite part of this book involves how effortlessly the author brings back the traditional approach to vampire mythology. Damian and his associates are sexually alluring to humans, but they are also extremely dangerous, unpredictable creatures. The horror elements of this tale are ubiquitous and include the darkest themes of that genre.
I would especially recommend The Night Man Cometh to anyone who is a fan of Dracula. Even with its flaws, this is a noteworthy example of what vampire fiction can be.
October 12, 2013
Night Man Cometh is first book that I've read by Tony Paul Vissage. Based off of the story, it won't be my last. As the book's blurb summarizes, this is a book set in the future, past, and present. Vissage sets up the story in France during the Black Plague. The protagonist of the story, Damian de la Croix, saves himself from disease by volunteering to be changed into a vampire. His uninfected blood is too much of a temptation for the vampire to resist. Damian wants the love of his life, Antoinette, to change with him. She is dying from the Plague.
Before Damian gets to her deathbed, he gets a quick blow job from a maid servant. This scene forced me to question Damian's altruism and revealed his selfish side. He is a vampire and anything romantic and sappy would be unbelievable.
Despite his human flaws, Damian is very entertaining-the main reason why I liked the book. He eventually arrives at Antoinette's deathbed and plans on sucking her dry. While he bites her, he deflowers her-sexually unnerving to me, almost like necrophilia.
Damian's rescue doesn't turn out, but he finds many other conquests over the centuries. Kate from the United States during colonial era is an interesting character. She carries the emotional baggage of a victim of molestation. Her backstory explains how her uncle raped/molested her in somewhat graphic detail. She seeks revenge against her uncle for rape and aunt for siding against her. Damian advises her to leave it alone, but she can't.
The story moves centuries later into the present time when women are no longer submissive towards their men. His modern-day conquest, Bess, has another guy on the side. Damian's not used to the 21st century culture.
By the end of the book, somewhere around 3500 A.D., Vissage creates futuristic solutions to vampire problems such as concentration camps. He even throws in Starbucks as a thriving business relic. Friends who Damian meets throughout the story keep a tribal/secret society-esque companionship. I won't say anymore-NO SPOILERS!
I enjoyed the story and the writing. I found many similarities with Rice's Interview of a Vampire. However, unlike Rice, Vissage throws in an edgy sci-fi twist towards the end. I loved how he researched the different time eras and inserted several historical references and backgrounds. I also liked how it began in France. Vissage paints a picture of what France was like back centuries ago. He continues reminding the reader of Damian's origin by interjecting French words throughout the story. This is a real treat for this time of year! 4.5/5 Fangs! Review published on http://dinaraeswritestuff.blogspot.com/
Before Damian gets to her deathbed, he gets a quick blow job from a maid servant. This scene forced me to question Damian's altruism and revealed his selfish side. He is a vampire and anything romantic and sappy would be unbelievable.
Despite his human flaws, Damian is very entertaining-the main reason why I liked the book. He eventually arrives at Antoinette's deathbed and plans on sucking her dry. While he bites her, he deflowers her-sexually unnerving to me, almost like necrophilia.
Damian's rescue doesn't turn out, but he finds many other conquests over the centuries. Kate from the United States during colonial era is an interesting character. She carries the emotional baggage of a victim of molestation. Her backstory explains how her uncle raped/molested her in somewhat graphic detail. She seeks revenge against her uncle for rape and aunt for siding against her. Damian advises her to leave it alone, but she can't.
The story moves centuries later into the present time when women are no longer submissive towards their men. His modern-day conquest, Bess, has another guy on the side. Damian's not used to the 21st century culture.
By the end of the book, somewhere around 3500 A.D., Vissage creates futuristic solutions to vampire problems such as concentration camps. He even throws in Starbucks as a thriving business relic. Friends who Damian meets throughout the story keep a tribal/secret society-esque companionship. I won't say anymore-NO SPOILERS!
I enjoyed the story and the writing. I found many similarities with Rice's Interview of a Vampire. However, unlike Rice, Vissage throws in an edgy sci-fi twist towards the end. I loved how he researched the different time eras and inserted several historical references and backgrounds. I also liked how it began in France. Vissage paints a picture of what France was like back centuries ago. He continues reminding the reader of Damian's origin by interjecting French words throughout the story. This is a real treat for this time of year! 4.5/5 Fangs! Review published on http://dinaraeswritestuff.blogspot.com/
December 22, 2011
This review was written by margaret Marr, of Nights and Weekends.
http://www.nightsandweekends.com/arti...
It’s 1249 in Limousin, France—a time when Europe suffered from a plague that wiped out most of the population. Weary of praying to God to spare those he loves, Damian la Croix renounces a faith that he never really believed in and crosses paths with a ghoul named Geraint LeMaitre, who turns Damian into a sansmort—an immortal. He then proceeds to feed on his family and servants before moving on to destroy the village he grew up in.
When his betrothed, Antoinette, is struck by the plague, she joins him in immortality, but her undead life gets cut short, causing Damian to roam the centuries looking for the one woman that he’s meant to be with. Just when he thinks he’s found her, she’s snatched away, leaving Damian to grief and destruction.
As his story unfolds, Damian and his followers join Vlad Drakula’s army, fighting with unholy brutality. It’s then that he becomes known as the Night Man, striking fear in the hearts of every human. Yet Damian still searches for the one and only woman who can accept him for what he is—a search that spans thirteen centuries.
With the story of Vlad Drakula woven into the plot for a short while—and bits and pieces from real history thrown in—The Night Man Cometh is a clever and refreshingly unique vampire tale that will keep you captivated from beginning to end. You’ll even get to experience some little-known history as the decades unfold throughout Damian’s life.
Damian is not your typical hero—in fact, sometimes he’s not even likeable—but you’ll be pulled into his world anyway, unable to escape until the tale is finished. He seems to have some kind of a moral code, which often makes him an honorable character. But he’s far from perfect—and that’s what makes him seem so real.
The Night Man Cometh goes back to the roots of what a vampire tale is supposed to be—like Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire. It’s a pleasant change from all of the vampire romances that keep flooding the market these days. You certainly don’t want to pass this one up—or you’ll be missing another classic in the making.
http://www.nightsandweekends.com/arti...
It’s 1249 in Limousin, France—a time when Europe suffered from a plague that wiped out most of the population. Weary of praying to God to spare those he loves, Damian la Croix renounces a faith that he never really believed in and crosses paths with a ghoul named Geraint LeMaitre, who turns Damian into a sansmort—an immortal. He then proceeds to feed on his family and servants before moving on to destroy the village he grew up in.
When his betrothed, Antoinette, is struck by the plague, she joins him in immortality, but her undead life gets cut short, causing Damian to roam the centuries looking for the one woman that he’s meant to be with. Just when he thinks he’s found her, she’s snatched away, leaving Damian to grief and destruction.
As his story unfolds, Damian and his followers join Vlad Drakula’s army, fighting with unholy brutality. It’s then that he becomes known as the Night Man, striking fear in the hearts of every human. Yet Damian still searches for the one and only woman who can accept him for what he is—a search that spans thirteen centuries.
With the story of Vlad Drakula woven into the plot for a short while—and bits and pieces from real history thrown in—The Night Man Cometh is a clever and refreshingly unique vampire tale that will keep you captivated from beginning to end. You’ll even get to experience some little-known history as the decades unfold throughout Damian’s life.
Damian is not your typical hero—in fact, sometimes he’s not even likeable—but you’ll be pulled into his world anyway, unable to escape until the tale is finished. He seems to have some kind of a moral code, which often makes him an honorable character. But he’s far from perfect—and that’s what makes him seem so real.
The Night Man Cometh goes back to the roots of what a vampire tale is supposed to be—like Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire. It’s a pleasant change from all of the vampire romances that keep flooding the market these days. You certainly don’t want to pass this one up—or you’ll be missing another classic in the making.
June 5, 2012
The Night Man Cometh by Tony-Paul de Vissage is a fabulous paranormal romance that will take the readers back to the old fashion vampire tales from Bram Stoker and Anne Rice. I knew I had to read the book when I read the book description. I’m a huge fan of all vampire stories, but I love the old fashion ones and I have to say this book didn’t disappoint me.
We meet Damian La Croix when he is young, mortal and in love with his betrothed Antoinette, but disaster strikes when the plague hit their village. Antoinette gets ill and Damian is desperate to save his love and makes a deal with a sansmort who turns Damian into one himself – an immortal. In order to survive he needs to fee on his servants and his family. When he turns his betrothed Antoinette and his best friend Armand, he couldn’t imagine the grief when his Antoinette is completely gone.
During his journey to find the one woman who completes him, whom he wants to spend his immortal life with, you see Damian and his followers join Vlad Dracula’s army and fighting their very bloody battles. Damian is one of those vampires who fight like vampires need to fight to survive. But we also see a side of Damian where he is caring for the women he meets during his immortal life.
I loved the fact that Damian isn’t the typical vampire, there were definitely times where I believed he’s hard and not very likeable, but it totally fits the story and his character. He had to be the scary immortal in order to survive that long. When you get further to the end Damian definitely grew on me and finally won over my heart. I was glad to see how he grew into the vampire he is at the end, strong powerful and righteous.
Tony-Paul de Vissage has written a great novel with some interesting characters and a fabulous world I loved reading about. I definitely recommend this book to all the Bram Stoker and Anne Rice fans out there, you won’t be disappointed.
We meet Damian La Croix when he is young, mortal and in love with his betrothed Antoinette, but disaster strikes when the plague hit their village. Antoinette gets ill and Damian is desperate to save his love and makes a deal with a sansmort who turns Damian into one himself – an immortal. In order to survive he needs to fee on his servants and his family. When he turns his betrothed Antoinette and his best friend Armand, he couldn’t imagine the grief when his Antoinette is completely gone.
During his journey to find the one woman who completes him, whom he wants to spend his immortal life with, you see Damian and his followers join Vlad Dracula’s army and fighting their very bloody battles. Damian is one of those vampires who fight like vampires need to fight to survive. But we also see a side of Damian where he is caring for the women he meets during his immortal life.
I loved the fact that Damian isn’t the typical vampire, there were definitely times where I believed he’s hard and not very likeable, but it totally fits the story and his character. He had to be the scary immortal in order to survive that long. When you get further to the end Damian definitely grew on me and finally won over my heart. I was glad to see how he grew into the vampire he is at the end, strong powerful and righteous.
Tony-Paul de Vissage has written a great novel with some interesting characters and a fabulous world I loved reading about. I definitely recommend this book to all the Bram Stoker and Anne Rice fans out there, you won’t be disappointed.
January 18, 2016
Tony-Paul de Vissage is a gifted wordsmith, and that is apparent from the prologue in The Night Man Cometh. I was immediately taken back in memory to ready Bram Stoker. Some other classic literature authors, especially Alexandre Dumas, also came to mind when I thought about comparing his writing style to someone that was familiar to me.
In The Night Man Cometh, the main character, Damian, is compelled by what he believes to be his strong survival instinct and will to survive. Over the course of the story though, it becomes clear that he is searching for something different altogether. He wants someone to love that can love him in return. It seems a simple thing, but it is something that all of us can relate to. It’s a very human desire, the hope of which lives and dies within him several times over the course of this novel.
Because of how classically dark the tone was throughout, I was a little worried that the ending would be in suit. I was pleasantly surprised that we were given a happy one. Something unique about the pace of the book was that it spans many centuries. In that sense, it is sort of like reading Interview With the Vampire. Instead of beginning with Damian’s chronological birth and rearing, it begins with his preverbal birth to darkness.
A few of the characters are used with permission from Linda Nightingale. I hadn’t read either her, or Tony-Paul de Vissage’s work before this book. Her characters are Damian’s long time friends, and are vital to understanding his character. After reading The Night Man Cometh, I’d be interested in reading more from both Tony-Paul de Vissage and Linda Nightingale.
I would recommend this book to vampire fans, anyone who likes classic horror, and even a general paranormal romance fan like myself. 5 out of 5 stars for me! This is a must read for vampire fiction fans.
In The Night Man Cometh, the main character, Damian, is compelled by what he believes to be his strong survival instinct and will to survive. Over the course of the story though, it becomes clear that he is searching for something different altogether. He wants someone to love that can love him in return. It seems a simple thing, but it is something that all of us can relate to. It’s a very human desire, the hope of which lives and dies within him several times over the course of this novel.
Because of how classically dark the tone was throughout, I was a little worried that the ending would be in suit. I was pleasantly surprised that we were given a happy one. Something unique about the pace of the book was that it spans many centuries. In that sense, it is sort of like reading Interview With the Vampire. Instead of beginning with Damian’s chronological birth and rearing, it begins with his preverbal birth to darkness.
A few of the characters are used with permission from Linda Nightingale. I hadn’t read either her, or Tony-Paul de Vissage’s work before this book. Her characters are Damian’s long time friends, and are vital to understanding his character. After reading The Night Man Cometh, I’d be interested in reading more from both Tony-Paul de Vissage and Linda Nightingale.
I would recommend this book to vampire fans, anyone who likes classic horror, and even a general paranormal romance fan like myself. 5 out of 5 stars for me! This is a must read for vampire fiction fans.
May 31, 2012
The Nightman Cometh is a book filled with passions that make it a thrill to read; anger, rage, love, lust and fear. Every paragraph presented a picture for me filled with emotion.
Damian was a vampire unlike most written about in today's fiction. He was entirely comfortable being a vampire, able to adapt to the changes of the world through the ages, even terrible ones that lost him love and freedom. Most important, he was believable.
There is something of Anne' Rice's Lestat in Damian, as he also proceeds in his existence without thinking things through, and oftimes shows no remorse for bad decisions, such as sacrificing his entire family to the vampire that turns him, including his parents and favorite servants. But this adds to the enjoyment, as it is realistically vampiric, to my way of thinking. Yet this is a dark book drenched in blood, make no mistake.
I've read many, many vampire books, and I enjoyed this author's take on the traditional strengths and weaknesses. I loved the concept of the folded wings. Who could not love a creature of the night smelling of Sandalwood who knows how to treat a woman, both in and out of bed?
I was surprised half way through the work, when Damian's tale continued through present day and into the future. That set it apart for me from other vampire works, which usually only continue to present day. I liked the ending very much, but hesitate to say anything more and give away spoilers.
Damian was a vampire unlike most written about in today's fiction. He was entirely comfortable being a vampire, able to adapt to the changes of the world through the ages, even terrible ones that lost him love and freedom. Most important, he was believable.
There is something of Anne' Rice's Lestat in Damian, as he also proceeds in his existence without thinking things through, and oftimes shows no remorse for bad decisions, such as sacrificing his entire family to the vampire that turns him, including his parents and favorite servants. But this adds to the enjoyment, as it is realistically vampiric, to my way of thinking. Yet this is a dark book drenched in blood, make no mistake.
I've read many, many vampire books, and I enjoyed this author's take on the traditional strengths and weaknesses. I loved the concept of the folded wings. Who could not love a creature of the night smelling of Sandalwood who knows how to treat a woman, both in and out of bed?
I was surprised half way through the work, when Damian's tale continued through present day and into the future. That set it apart for me from other vampire works, which usually only continue to present day. I liked the ending very much, but hesitate to say anything more and give away spoilers.
January 1, 2012
This review was posted Saturday, December 31, 2011 by "BJ" at
http://hippiechicksreviews.blogspot.c...
THE NIGHT MAN COMETH is written in the vein of your grandmother's vampire novels. This book gave me shudders as I read the vivid tale of Damian la Croix and watched in dread as he feasted on his family and servants. This is a 'real' vampire novel, not some glamorized work of fiction where the vampire creates synthetic blood in a hidden lab somewhere and becomes humanized.
This book will mesmerize and fill you with anticipation that Damian will find a life mate, but repeatedly, his unbeating heart loses woman after woman through the centuries. He strikes out in bloodthirsty revenge at each loss.
I highly recommend THE NIGHT MAN COMETH by Tony-Paul de Vissage. I am buying this book for my keeper collection!
BJ
http://hippiechicksreviews.blogspot.c...
THE NIGHT MAN COMETH is written in the vein of your grandmother's vampire novels. This book gave me shudders as I read the vivid tale of Damian la Croix and watched in dread as he feasted on his family and servants. This is a 'real' vampire novel, not some glamorized work of fiction where the vampire creates synthetic blood in a hidden lab somewhere and becomes humanized.
This book will mesmerize and fill you with anticipation that Damian will find a life mate, but repeatedly, his unbeating heart loses woman after woman through the centuries. He strikes out in bloodthirsty revenge at each loss.
I highly recommend THE NIGHT MAN COMETH by Tony-Paul de Vissage. I am buying this book for my keeper collection!
BJ
September 29, 2016
Uncaged Book Reviews:
This book is not a vampire romance, nor is it a nosferatu, with the vampire only a monster. It lies somewhere in the middle, as it chronicles this very long unlife of Damian. This book has a very dark tone, but the ending surprised me. Well worth the read for vampire fiction, and highly recommended, although not for the faint of heart.
This book is not a vampire romance, nor is it a nosferatu, with the vampire only a monster. It lies somewhere in the middle, as it chronicles this very long unlife of Damian. This book has a very dark tone, but the ending surprised me. Well worth the read for vampire fiction, and highly recommended, although not for the faint of heart.
August 21, 2013
I loved this book. Tony-Paul's fresh imagination and dynamic characters made this a got-to-read again.
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