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Necroscope #1
Necroscope
From the undead vampire in the Romanian mausoleum, Boris Dragosani tries to draw an evil force so powerful he will gain supremacy in the ultra-secret paranormal agency he works for in Russia. His official job is as a Necroscope—his speciality is tearing secrets from the souls of newly-dead traitors.
And England too has her own Necroscope—her communicator with the dead. When Harry Keogh is recruited by the British Secret Service to take on the paranormal menace from behind the Iron Curtain, the stage is set for the most horrifying, violent supernatural confrontation ever...
Necroscope is a brilliantly inventive horror novel from the author of the Psychomech trilogy: topical, unpredictable, shocking and completely impossible to put down.
And England too has her own Necroscope—her communicator with the dead. When Harry Keogh is recruited by the British Secret Service to take on the paranormal menace from behind the Iron Curtain, the stage is set for the most horrifying, violent supernatural confrontation ever...
Necroscope is a brilliantly inventive horror novel from the author of the Psychomech trilogy: topical, unpredictable, shocking and completely impossible to put down.
395 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 26, 1986
1035 people are currently reading
23369 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 1,149 reviews
November 24, 2019
Gosh, what an exciting read. Set in the times of cold war (1976) you see the development of two different characters, Harry Keogh (west) and Boris Dragosani (east) with all the ingredients of a spectacular spy story. Keogh has the talent of speaking with the dead (necroscope) and Dragosani is a necromancer. Who will win at the end? Dragosani often travels to Romania to meet a long buried evil there. It is the real myth behind Dracula (incredibly compelling background story) he encounters. Dragosani changes in the course of events (very eerie description). Will this uncanny man turn into a vampire? At the end there is a nailbiting showdown between Keogh and Dragosani (absolutely loved the Mobius continuum and the Mobius doors mentioned). This is the very first part of a long series and it absolutely got me hooked from the first chapter on. It isn't an easy read, oh no. But if you overcome the first chapter (or the first 10%) you will be richly rewarded with one of the most interesting, innovative and spellbinding vampire stories I ever came across. This book is cult and justifiably so. Highly recommended! It brought back many memories to the 70s and 80s where I grew up!
October 9, 2020
”Still holding his victim, now the necromancer crouched down into himself and his jaws opened wide. Needle teeth dripped slime and something moved in his gaping mouth which wasn’t quite a tongue. His nose seemed to flatten to his face and grew ridged, like the convoluted snout of a bat, and one scarlet eye bulged hideously while the other narrowed to a mere slit. Harry stared directly into hell and couldn’t look away.”
Harry Keough can talk to the dead.
He discovers something very fascinating: though our bodies are no more, our minds continue. The interests that people had while living can be expanded on in the afterlife. If a person is an amateur student of Mesopotamian pottery while living, they will become an expert in the afterlife.
So given the fact that I strive to be a renaissance man, an interest in knowing a bit about everything, I would say I will be busy for eternity. The question for all of you is, how busy will you be in the afterlife? I’d say give yourself a good base of interests to work with; after all, eternity goes on and on and on. If you are dull now, you will just get duller. *shudder* That thought is scarier than vampires.
Harry can not only talk to the dead, but he can also take advantage of their gifts. Remember in the movie the Matrix when Neo indicating a helicopter asks Trinity, “Can you fly that thing?” She replies, “Not yet.” Then Tank downloads the knowledge of how to fly that specific helicopter into her brain. It is exactly like that. Harry doesn’t ask the dead questions or listen to them lecture. He skips that process and takes into his brain all that they know. This ability is called...Necroscope.
His mind can fly out across the world until he finds the dead person who has the knowledge he needs. To harness even more power, he reaches out to August Ferdinand Möbius’s moldering corpse and discovers the secrets of the Möbius Continuum, which allows him to transport himself anywhere he wants to be in multidimensional time.
Fortunately, the dead are lonely, so they enjoy their interactions with Harry.
The British E- Branch is trying to recruit Harry to help them in a growing ESP war against other countries. The Soviets have their own equivalent of E-Branch, which is also trying to recruit Harry. If Harry doesn’t join the British and he doesn’t join the Soviets, then one or both are going to kill him anyway. He is too dangerous to be left as a free agent to be potentially exploited by someone.
Boris Dragosani is a necromancer who can also talk to the dead, but in a much different, more brutal way than Harry’s method. He eviscerates the corpse, plunges his hands into the body, and fondles the organs of the deceased until he knows all that they know. He is the bright and shining star of the Soviet program. He makes frequent visits to Romania to attempt to manipulate a chained, long buried vampire into sharing his secrets without giving him too much of what he wants...namely his blood.
”The animal was large and heavy with wool, but even as Dragosani watched so it seemed its bulk shrank down a little, caved in upon itself-diminished! The necromancer sent out a mental probe towards the Thing in the ground, but such was the lusting bestiality it was met with that he at one withdrew it. And still the ewe continued to shrink, shrivel, dwindle away.
And as the ewe was devoured, so the cold ground about began to smoke, a stinking mist rising and rapidly thickening, obscuring the rest of the act. It was as if the earth sweated--or as if something down there breathed which had not breathed for a long, long time.”
Wooly ewes are a fine snack for a vampire (the wool probably cleans away the nasty, centuries old plaque between his teeth), but we know what he really needs.
So Brian Lumley sets up this face off between the necroscope and the necromancer as they battle to see who or what will control the fate of humanity. The novel has a Victorian gothic feel, but mixed with much more modern concepts. It is a bit of a slow burn, but then the later third of the novel explodes into a flurry of action. One of my favorite parts is when *double shudder*
The ending will take your breath away.
I’ve read a few vampire books, though I wouldn’t call myself a reader of vampire novels. I am always interested in finding the more creative interpretations of the vampire myth though, and this was certainly not like anything else I’ve read before. There are now 18 volumes associated with the Necroscope universe, and Lumley certainly provides a good base in this book to build upon. There is much more to understand about this universe, so at some point I might be tempted to venture forth into yet another segment to learn more.
If only I were a necroscope, I could absorb it all in one go from some unfortunate, deceased reader who has read them all, but then what would be the fun in that?
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
Harry Keough can talk to the dead.
He discovers something very fascinating: though our bodies are no more, our minds continue. The interests that people had while living can be expanded on in the afterlife. If a person is an amateur student of Mesopotamian pottery while living, they will become an expert in the afterlife.
So given the fact that I strive to be a renaissance man, an interest in knowing a bit about everything, I would say I will be busy for eternity. The question for all of you is, how busy will you be in the afterlife? I’d say give yourself a good base of interests to work with; after all, eternity goes on and on and on. If you are dull now, you will just get duller. *shudder* That thought is scarier than vampires.
Harry can not only talk to the dead, but he can also take advantage of their gifts. Remember in the movie the Matrix when Neo indicating a helicopter asks Trinity, “Can you fly that thing?” She replies, “Not yet.” Then Tank downloads the knowledge of how to fly that specific helicopter into her brain. It is exactly like that. Harry doesn’t ask the dead questions or listen to them lecture. He skips that process and takes into his brain all that they know. This ability is called...Necroscope.
His mind can fly out across the world until he finds the dead person who has the knowledge he needs. To harness even more power, he reaches out to August Ferdinand Möbius’s moldering corpse and discovers the secrets of the Möbius Continuum, which allows him to transport himself anywhere he wants to be in multidimensional time.
Fortunately, the dead are lonely, so they enjoy their interactions with Harry.
The British E- Branch is trying to recruit Harry to help them in a growing ESP war against other countries. The Soviets have their own equivalent of E-Branch, which is also trying to recruit Harry. If Harry doesn’t join the British and he doesn’t join the Soviets, then one or both are going to kill him anyway. He is too dangerous to be left as a free agent to be potentially exploited by someone.
Boris Dragosani is a necromancer who can also talk to the dead, but in a much different, more brutal way than Harry’s method. He eviscerates the corpse, plunges his hands into the body, and fondles the organs of the deceased until he knows all that they know. He is the bright and shining star of the Soviet program. He makes frequent visits to Romania to attempt to manipulate a chained, long buried vampire into sharing his secrets without giving him too much of what he wants...namely his blood.
”The animal was large and heavy with wool, but even as Dragosani watched so it seemed its bulk shrank down a little, caved in upon itself-diminished! The necromancer sent out a mental probe towards the Thing in the ground, but such was the lusting bestiality it was met with that he at one withdrew it. And still the ewe continued to shrink, shrivel, dwindle away.
And as the ewe was devoured, so the cold ground about began to smoke, a stinking mist rising and rapidly thickening, obscuring the rest of the act. It was as if the earth sweated--or as if something down there breathed which had not breathed for a long, long time.”
Wooly ewes are a fine snack for a vampire (the wool probably cleans away the nasty, centuries old plaque between his teeth), but we know what he really needs.
So Brian Lumley sets up this face off between the necroscope and the necromancer as they battle to see who or what will control the fate of humanity. The novel has a Victorian gothic feel, but mixed with much more modern concepts. It is a bit of a slow burn, but then the later third of the novel explodes into a flurry of action. One of my favorite parts is when *double shudder*
The ending will take your breath away.
I’ve read a few vampire books, though I wouldn’t call myself a reader of vampire novels. I am always interested in finding the more creative interpretations of the vampire myth though, and this was certainly not like anything else I’ve read before. There are now 18 volumes associated with the Necroscope universe, and Lumley certainly provides a good base in this book to build upon. There is much more to understand about this universe, so at some point I might be tempted to venture forth into yet another segment to learn more.
If only I were a necroscope, I could absorb it all in one go from some unfortunate, deceased reader who has read them all, but then what would be the fun in that?
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
January 21, 2019
Necroscope deals with the concept of Paranormal Espionage, which could be seen as a forerunner of at least some of the themes prevalent in Urban Fantasy these days. It is, however, presented in a very different fashion. For one thing, this is first and foremost a Horror novel.
The first half of the novel contains a number of historic sequences filling out the back stories of two key characters and laying the groundwork for the second half. One of these characters is the Necroscope of the title, who can talk to dead people. The other is a Necromancer, who harvests information from the recently deceased via a form of evisceration (which is every bit as gruesome as you would think). What then about Vampires? Isn’t that what this novel is about? Well, it is, but this novel really sets up the whole Necroscope series, so the Whampyri theme isn’t quite as predominant (yet) as some might have hoped. However, it’s certainly present, and all good things come to those who wait. This book is actually chock and block full of the mystic and the macabre, dealing with everything from "the eye of death" to Vampirism by proxy. There's a LOT of stuff in here.
If a phrase like “the Thing in the ground” sends delicious shivers up your spine, you’ll enjoy Necroscope. It has that Eighties thing going, to be sure, just look at the Bob Eggleton cover (which, by the way, is pretty awesome, in my opinion), but it’s really, really good if you give it a chance. There are some disturbing scenes in here, not all of which concern gore and violence. It’s nota splatterpunk an overly gory novel, which means that a lot of the tension and horror is psychological.
The way Lumley approaches the Vampire legend is completely unique, which is saying a lot. The story is really unpredictable too, and I was never quite sure where it was headed, which was great. Just bear in mind that the vampires of these novels aren't sensitive and emotional, they also do not wear designer undies. In the words of F. Paul Wilson: "His Wamphyri are vicious, savage, ruthless, and unrepentantly evil - a feast for the horror fan."
I suspect that this novel was more influential than most would think. For one thing, there are echoes in here of anything from Odd Thomas to Night Watch. It seems that this kind of thing was alive and well in the Eighties. Necroscope is the first in a trilogy (the sequels being Vamphyri! and Necroscope III: The Source) and has spawned a whole series.
The first half of the novel contains a number of historic sequences filling out the back stories of two key characters and laying the groundwork for the second half. One of these characters is the Necroscope of the title, who can talk to dead people. The other is a Necromancer, who harvests information from the recently deceased via a form of evisceration (which is every bit as gruesome as you would think). What then about Vampires? Isn’t that what this novel is about? Well, it is, but this novel really sets up the whole Necroscope series, so the Whampyri theme isn’t quite as predominant (yet) as some might have hoped. However, it’s certainly present, and all good things come to those who wait. This book is actually chock and block full of the mystic and the macabre, dealing with everything from "the eye of death" to Vampirism by proxy. There's a LOT of stuff in here.
If a phrase like “the Thing in the ground” sends delicious shivers up your spine, you’ll enjoy Necroscope. It has that Eighties thing going, to be sure, just look at the Bob Eggleton cover (which, by the way, is pretty awesome, in my opinion), but it’s really, really good if you give it a chance. There are some disturbing scenes in here, not all of which concern gore and violence. It’s not
The way Lumley approaches the Vampire legend is completely unique, which is saying a lot. The story is really unpredictable too, and I was never quite sure where it was headed, which was great. Just bear in mind that the vampires of these novels aren't sensitive and emotional, they also do not wear designer undies. In the words of F. Paul Wilson: "His Wamphyri are vicious, savage, ruthless, and unrepentantly evil - a feast for the horror fan."
I suspect that this novel was more influential than most would think. For one thing, there are echoes in here of anything from Odd Thomas to Night Watch. It seems that this kind of thing was alive and well in the Eighties. Necroscope is the first in a trilogy (the sequels being Vamphyri! and Necroscope III: The Source) and has spawned a whole series.
October 30, 2021
"He had long ago decided that dead (or undead) things which talked in men’s minds might also be masters of deception."
Initial Thoughts
Necroscope by Brian Lumley is a book that's been on my radar for pretty much forever. It's one I picked up in my early twenties, read the first hundred pages, really enjoyed it and for some strange reason gave up on it. Since then it's remained, lodged in my subconscious, festering away for all eternity...until now. Almost twenty years later I revisit Necroscope, having hardened myself as a reader, honed my skills and invigorated a real and long-lasting passion to devour the printed word. Did I finish it this time? Did I love it? Did I have the urge to right a long-winded and boring review? I think you know the answer.
The book itself is billed as a vampire story, but right from the off you get the feeling that it's so much more than that. Beginning in the 1960s, the story starts with an absolutely brutal scene that took me by surprise. Not for the faint of heart. Right from the start, Lumley mixes the paranormal with Cold War espionage to give us a multifaceted and distinctly riveting tale.
"Boris sensed something of the lust, the greed, the eternal endless craving. He understood - or misunderstood - and the darkness behind him seemed to swell, expand, rush upon him like some black poisonous cloud."
The story then develops into a coming of age drama for the two central characters. I quickly got the impression that Mr Lumley was giving me something different and fresh, that didn't lack in terms of quality and depth.
The Story
So the Cold War is definitely heating up as the global powers look to establish dominance and gain the upper hand in the field of psychic espionage (ESPionage). Russia and Britain lead the way with the two main characters representing an agent from each of these sides.
In England we have Harry Keogh, a precocious but quiet and unusual boy with a hidden talent. Harry talks to the dead and the dead answer back. This isn't the sixth sense as he is completely comfortable with his gift and even learns from these spirits who communicate with him. It's a talent that makes him extremely valuable to the British government.
Then there's Boris Dragosani, a Romanian who works for the Russian ESPionage division, who's talents also lie in communicating with the dead. But unlike Keogh, Dragosani employs different methods for extracting information by cutting up the bodies in almost a form of torture and eliciting every last shred that he needs.
The Characters
The story alternates between these two characters and we're given a full back story for each as Lumley invests a lot of pages into developing both. Starting the book as a schoolboy Keogh uses his abilities to absorb the knowledge of the dead that elevates him above his peers. The scenes in which he interacts with the dead are extremely engaging and innovative.
Dragosani however, is the star of the show for me. From humble beginnings, he discovers something out in the woods that will change his life forever and send him down a path of darkness. He develops a sinister obsession as he begins to develop his power as a necromancer and he will stop at nothing to gain total control over the Russian force. It really is a whole lot of fun seeing how twisted and depraved he becomes.
The Author
Brian Lumley is an English author who was born and raised in County Durham, which is a stone throw from where I live in Hartlepool. He actually bases a large portion of the story in Hartlepool, which is a seaside town with some historic significance but is most famous for the time it's inhabitants hung a monkey as a suspected spy during world war two. Honestly, the full story is in the Hartlepool Maritime Museum if you're ever visiting and have some time on your hands.
Lumley started his career as a horror author, after a distinguished career in the Royal Military Police, writing stories in the Cuthulu mythos. He then moved on to Necroscope and the rest is history, a series spanning four decades. It's like the Simpsons of the literary world. This lead to Lumley receiving Lifetime Achievement awards in both horror and fantasy and he was indeed the president of the Horror Writer's Association. Impressive stuff.
The Writing
One of the things that surprised me most about Necroscope was the quality of the writing. I read a lot of horror by Stephen King, Robert McCammon, Dan Simmons and Peter Straub and my word can those guys write. But Lumley's writing wouldn't look amiss amongst that crowd. He hits exactly the right level of description whilst keeping the plot moving and it has that steady flow that's oh so important.
"The feeling crept in that if you listened to that silence long enough, it would become hard to breathe."
Final Thoughts
For the month of October I've read nothing but horror and there's been some good ones. But Necroscope has been the best of the bunch. I can’t remember the last time I wanted to return to a book as much as this one. Thank the lord there's another seventeen in the series. You heard it right! Plus an on-screen adaptation in the pipelines by Morgan Freeman's company. The possibilities are endless. Five bloody stars for this one. Fangtastic!
Brian Lumley
July 7, 2021
My expectations were blown away with this. Can you actually believe I thought this might have been some B-level light horror?
Indeed, it actually pulled off something rather spectacular. Look beyond the vampire mythos for just a moment and see the setup: decades of years in a cold-war spy setup with people using ESP, clairvoyance, and necromancy. Get deep into the Russian camp and feel yourself get sucked down the dark side, step by step seduction to the darkest paths. And get fascinated by his opposite, a person whom the dead love and whom they'd do anything for.
The eighties were a very special time for horror books. They all came in wonderfully large packages, exploring amazing levels of characterization, slow build-ups, and action that turned them into epics in their own right. It's not just King who did it. McCammon and Simmons are a couple more that come to mind.
I don't know why the practice died off. I'd LOVE to see huge horror tomes again.
At least I can still taste those that were already written. Lumley is a great surprise and definitely pleasing. I don't even care that it's cliche stuff. We're given a lot of time to settle into those roles and I cared about the characters.
Ah, the 80's horrors... *sigh*
Indeed, it actually pulled off something rather spectacular. Look beyond the vampire mythos for just a moment and see the setup: decades of years in a cold-war spy setup with people using ESP, clairvoyance, and necromancy. Get deep into the Russian camp and feel yourself get sucked down the dark side, step by step seduction to the darkest paths. And get fascinated by his opposite, a person whom the dead love and whom they'd do anything for.
The eighties were a very special time for horror books. They all came in wonderfully large packages, exploring amazing levels of characterization, slow build-ups, and action that turned them into epics in their own right. It's not just King who did it. McCammon and Simmons are a couple more that come to mind.
I don't know why the practice died off. I'd LOVE to see huge horror tomes again.
At least I can still taste those that were already written. Lumley is a great surprise and definitely pleasing. I don't even care that it's cliche stuff. We're given a lot of time to settle into those roles and I cared about the characters.
Ah, the 80's horrors... *sigh*
February 22, 2021
A glorious mind-fuck of a book! I can see why Necroscope has gotten so many great reviews and ratings. Unlike the pulp urban fantasy literature that sprouts stereotyped vampires right and left, there was some serious rethinking of vampires in the 80s: take Skipp and Spector's The Light at the End, McCammon's They Thirst, and George R.R. Martin's Fevre Dream as examples. Lumley's Necroscope definitely belongs on that list as well! Although to call Necroscope a vampire novel does not really do it justice.
Necroscope takes us down several twisty time-paths that finally bring us to the final denouncement. To set the stage, Necroscope begins in the early 1970s. The USSR has been quietly gathering an array of ESP talent for use in espionage, as have France, the USA, China and other nations. The only real rival to the USSR's 'team', however, is Englands. We are introduced to Boris Dragosani early on in the novel witnessing him utilize his necromancer talent to read the thoughts of a dead man, and it is gruesome to say the least. Dragosani works for the USSR team, but he has a secret motivation just like he has a secret 'pal' in Thibor Ferenczy-- an old, buried vampire he 'met' as a child who taught him the art of necromancy. Thibor wants his freedom once again, but Dragosani just wants to pick his brains to facilitate his own rise to power.
The other main protagonist, Harry Keogh, starts off as a young lad in a coal mining town in England. We follow his early developments in school and his discovery of his own talent-- that of a Necroscope, or one who can talk with the dead. Harry is a lonely boy and seemingly constantly daydreaming. Little does he know that his 'dreams' are the beginnings of his talent awakening. We know Dragosani and Harry will collide at some point, and Lumley switches back and forth between the two as they mature.
The list of novels reimagining vampires mentioned above, and Lumley's addition, means that Lumley does something with vampires here that is new and different, but I am not about to give away what he does. And while obviously a vampire novel, vampires do not play much of a role at all here; instead we follow the two main protagonist's developments and the two parallel ESP organization in England and the USSR.
What amazed me most about this novel is how fresh and new it felt, especially give that Necroscope is over 30 years old now and largely concerns cold-war intrigue. It was written as historical fiction to begin with and that helps; Lumley drops a lot of names that will be familiar to students/scholars of the USSR, and masterfully portrays the 'behind the scene' party infighting. The 'fresh feeling' arises I believe from the treatment of ESP and vampires, which was novel then and definitely novel now. Necroscope is urban fantasy before the genre existed, and a cleaver, intriguing novel packed with lots of new ideas that still shine. Take that, add Lumley's fluid prose and pacing, and we have a book for the ages. I am pretty stingy with 5 star ratings, but this one earns it!
Necroscope takes us down several twisty time-paths that finally bring us to the final denouncement. To set the stage, Necroscope begins in the early 1970s. The USSR has been quietly gathering an array of ESP talent for use in espionage, as have France, the USA, China and other nations. The only real rival to the USSR's 'team', however, is Englands. We are introduced to Boris Dragosani early on in the novel witnessing him utilize his necromancer talent to read the thoughts of a dead man, and it is gruesome to say the least. Dragosani works for the USSR team, but he has a secret motivation just like he has a secret 'pal' in Thibor Ferenczy-- an old, buried vampire he 'met' as a child who taught him the art of necromancy. Thibor wants his freedom once again, but Dragosani just wants to pick his brains to facilitate his own rise to power.
The other main protagonist, Harry Keogh, starts off as a young lad in a coal mining town in England. We follow his early developments in school and his discovery of his own talent-- that of a Necroscope, or one who can talk with the dead. Harry is a lonely boy and seemingly constantly daydreaming. Little does he know that his 'dreams' are the beginnings of his talent awakening. We know Dragosani and Harry will collide at some point, and Lumley switches back and forth between the two as they mature.
The list of novels reimagining vampires mentioned above, and Lumley's addition, means that Lumley does something with vampires here that is new and different, but I am not about to give away what he does. And while obviously a vampire novel, vampires do not play much of a role at all here; instead we follow the two main protagonist's developments and the two parallel ESP organization in England and the USSR.
What amazed me most about this novel is how fresh and new it felt, especially give that Necroscope is over 30 years old now and largely concerns cold-war intrigue. It was written as historical fiction to begin with and that helps; Lumley drops a lot of names that will be familiar to students/scholars of the USSR, and masterfully portrays the 'behind the scene' party infighting. The 'fresh feeling' arises I believe from the treatment of ESP and vampires, which was novel then and definitely novel now. Necroscope is urban fantasy before the genre existed, and a cleaver, intriguing novel packed with lots of new ideas that still shine. Take that, add Lumley's fluid prose and pacing, and we have a book for the ages. I am pretty stingy with 5 star ratings, but this one earns it!
May 18, 2018
I am officially calling it quits on this book. I have been trying to read it for 10 days and barely made it to 35% of a less than 400 page book. No bueno.
I kinda feel guilty about not finishing this, because it was selected for my bookclub, and I hate not finishing bookclub books. BUT, then I remember that life is too fucking short to waste on terrible books, and I have given this one more than enough of my time already. And it's not like I wanted to finish but couldn't... I just couldn't bring myself to want to keep reading.
The writing in this book is... not good. It is a product of the melodramatic 80's, and wears that badge proudly on the pocket-protector of its button down plaid shirt... under the sleeveless denim jacket with all the Misfits patches and studs and spikes on it. Probably. There are exclamation points in exposition, which I HATE. It's so juvenile and every time I see it, I immediately start disliking the book. If it is not INTENTIONALLY written for kids, there shouldn't be exclamatory exposition. Save it for over-dramatic dialogue, not your narrative.
This is slooooow to start, which is somewhat crazy to say since the book actually starts with one of the main characters eviscerating a corpse and learning secret information about an assassination plot from the dead man's flesh, and then immediately helping to thwart said assassination attempt.
And then 100 pages of boring, followed by about 20 pages of Bond villain level melodramatic Evil with a capital E.
The boring was a whole lot of junk about the main character, who at this point, was only 13, being bullied at school for being different, a dreamer... and then suddenly, after sitting on the headstone of a math genius, becoming exceptional at math. Like 100 pages of school stuff, including teacher conferences about the kid, and WTF-I-THOUGHT-THIS-WAS-A-VAMPIRE-NOVEL, math homework problems. Plural. Seriously.
Ugh. ALL of that, just to hammer the point home to the reader that Harry is now a supernatural/paranormal math whiz... by beating around the bush. I know this is a thing, getting the reader to understand what's going on without coming out and saying it directly, but it was not skillfully used in this book. I would like those hours of my life back, please.
(PS, sorry for the awkward pics and fat fingers... I was trying to snap these pics from my cell while waiting for a doctor's appointment.)
Anywho, so that's the boring... but then there's the melodramatic Evil! Dun dun dunnnnnnnnn! Here comes another fat-finger pic, because I just don't care enough to transcribe this awful catastrophe of writing and will cheat and post the image that I snapped of it instead of quoting it. Read on... if you're morbidly curious, or just have a strong desire to see what it feels like for your eyeballs to try to roll themselves right out of your skull.
That's just one page. It didn't take long after that point for me to realize that I couldn't, nay, WOULDN'T make it through 65% more of that. And this is a series. There are MORE WHOLE BOOKS, presumably just like this. WHY??
Well, to be fair, I didn't get to the "cool" stuff, the battle vs good and evil (sorry Evil) stuff. Harry has switched schools, and we're learning about why Dragosaaaannniiii goes home to Romania every chance he gets. (Spoiler: He's being groomed by Evil Vampire Daddy to be Evil, so that he can release EVD from his imprisonment and thus TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!!) So I was still in the story set-up phase... but I just no longer cared. Kill everyone, Evil Vampire guy. Cool. You'll put me out of my misery.
I will say that there were cool drawings in the book... but that's about the only positive I have to say about this. Here are a few examples:
Yeah, so I've returned this back to the library, and I am officially moving on. I'll try not to rant TOO much at my bookclub. Maybe. =\
I kinda feel guilty about not finishing this, because it was selected for my bookclub, and I hate not finishing bookclub books. BUT, then I remember that life is too fucking short to waste on terrible books, and I have given this one more than enough of my time already. And it's not like I wanted to finish but couldn't... I just couldn't bring myself to want to keep reading.
The writing in this book is... not good. It is a product of the melodramatic 80's, and wears that badge proudly on the pocket-protector of its button down plaid shirt... under the sleeveless denim jacket with all the Misfits patches and studs and spikes on it. Probably. There are exclamation points in exposition, which I HATE. It's so juvenile and every time I see it, I immediately start disliking the book. If it is not INTENTIONALLY written for kids, there shouldn't be exclamatory exposition. Save it for over-dramatic dialogue, not your narrative.
This is slooooow to start, which is somewhat crazy to say since the book actually starts with one of the main characters eviscerating a corpse and learning secret information about an assassination plot from the dead man's flesh, and then immediately helping to thwart said assassination attempt.
And then 100 pages of boring, followed by about 20 pages of Bond villain level melodramatic Evil with a capital E.
The boring was a whole lot of junk about the main character, who at this point, was only 13, being bullied at school for being different, a dreamer... and then suddenly, after sitting on the headstone of a math genius, becoming exceptional at math. Like 100 pages of school stuff, including teacher conferences about the kid, and WTF-I-THOUGHT-THIS-WAS-A-VAMPIRE-NOVEL, math homework problems. Plural. Seriously.
Ugh. ALL of that, just to hammer the point home to the reader that Harry is now a supernatural/paranormal math whiz... by beating around the bush. I know this is a thing, getting the reader to understand what's going on without coming out and saying it directly, but it was not skillfully used in this book. I would like those hours of my life back, please.
(PS, sorry for the awkward pics and fat fingers... I was trying to snap these pics from my cell while waiting for a doctor's appointment.)
Anywho, so that's the boring... but then there's the melodramatic Evil! Dun dun dunnnnnnnnn! Here comes another fat-finger pic, because I just don't care enough to transcribe this awful catastrophe of writing and will cheat and post the image that I snapped of it instead of quoting it. Read on... if you're morbidly curious, or just have a strong desire to see what it feels like for your eyeballs to try to roll themselves right out of your skull.
That's just one page. It didn't take long after that point for me to realize that I couldn't, nay, WOULDN'T make it through 65% more of that. And this is a series. There are MORE WHOLE BOOKS, presumably just like this. WHY??
Well, to be fair, I didn't get to the "cool" stuff, the battle vs good and evil (sorry Evil) stuff. Harry has switched schools, and we're learning about why Dragosaaaannniiii goes home to Romania every chance he gets. (Spoiler: He's being groomed by Evil Vampire Daddy to be Evil, so that he can release EVD from his imprisonment and thus TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!!) So I was still in the story set-up phase... but I just no longer cared. Kill everyone, Evil Vampire guy. Cool. You'll put me out of my misery.
I will say that there were cool drawings in the book... but that's about the only positive I have to say about this. Here are a few examples:
Yeah, so I've returned this back to the library, and I am officially moving on. I'll try not to rant TOO much at my bookclub. Maybe. =\
December 27, 2022
Getting through this book took longer than it should have, long chapters are exhausting for me.
This book follows Harry Keogh who is a Necroscope, meaning he can speak to the dead and use their skills from past lives.
However, I feel the villains steal focus in this book. One of which, Dragonsani is a Romanian who works for the KGB. A necromancer and polar opposite to Harry, he is able to steal the secrets and abilities of the dead.
Later another agent is introduced with the power of the evil-eye and a centuries-old vampire.
It was a really good read and the characters were superb, although a bit slow at times and slightly dated.
Nevertheless, I'm excited to continue with this interesting series.
This book follows Harry Keogh who is a Necroscope, meaning he can speak to the dead and use their skills from past lives.
However, I feel the villains steal focus in this book. One of which, Dragonsani is a Romanian who works for the KGB. A necromancer and polar opposite to Harry, he is able to steal the secrets and abilities of the dead.
Later another agent is introduced with the power of the evil-eye and a centuries-old vampire.
It was a really good read and the characters were superb, although a bit slow at times and slightly dated.
Nevertheless, I'm excited to continue with this interesting series.
September 5, 2023
I read these books over 25 years ago, I have literally just re ordered them as I don't no where they have gone.
An amazing series, one of the best I have read.
Re Read page 335.
Sir Keenan Gormley, as just introduce himself to Harry Keogh.
Even better second time round love this series.
An amazing series, one of the best I have read.
Re Read page 335.
Sir Keenan Gormley, as just introduce himself to Harry Keogh.
Even better second time round love this series.
August 2, 2021
Necroscope is a book that has been around since 1986. I've seen this cover a few times as I was growing up. Oddly, even though I am very fond of vampire stories, I just never picked this one up. Thankfully, my GR friend Bradley was good enough to review it and I was hooked.
Well, after purchasing the book, I can say this is a gem. I love a good vampire story. Necroscope is that and much more. It is the story of two people. One is Harry Keogh and the other is Dragosani. Both are gifted, but couldn't be further apart as human beings. Harry is a necroscope, one who speaks to the dead, while Dragosani is a necromancer, one who torments the dead for their own use.
Harry will run the British ESP section, while Dragosani is affiliated with the Russian version. While that is the bare bones basis for this story, there is so much more. It is very entertaining and hard to put down.
It traces the story of Harry and Dragonsani as they come to grips with their powers. But what about vampires? Oh, that's here as well. There is an ancient vampire that is trapped and seeks Dragosani's help, in return for which he will give him knowledge of the undead. But vampires aren't to be trusted. Thus starts this entertaining journey, told through the lives of two different men, that covers a vast array of different supernatural happenings.
While this book is never deep and certainly no Bram Stoker's "Dracula", it is still a great read for any vampire fan. I also see the soil which led to the Del Torro "The Strain" book series. This being decades older certainly is far more original. It is also a better story. The characters are not at all annoying or stupid.
A fun, entertaining, and hard-to-put-down Vampire story. What more could anyone ask for? I am on to book two as soon as I can get my hands on it.
Well, after purchasing the book, I can say this is a gem. I love a good vampire story. Necroscope is that and much more. It is the story of two people. One is Harry Keogh and the other is Dragosani. Both are gifted, but couldn't be further apart as human beings. Harry is a necroscope, one who speaks to the dead, while Dragosani is a necromancer, one who torments the dead for their own use.
Harry will run the British ESP section, while Dragosani is affiliated with the Russian version. While that is the bare bones basis for this story, there is so much more. It is very entertaining and hard to put down.
It traces the story of Harry and Dragonsani as they come to grips with their powers. But what about vampires? Oh, that's here as well. There is an ancient vampire that is trapped and seeks Dragosani's help, in return for which he will give him knowledge of the undead. But vampires aren't to be trusted. Thus starts this entertaining journey, told through the lives of two different men, that covers a vast array of different supernatural happenings.
While this book is never deep and certainly no Bram Stoker's "Dracula", it is still a great read for any vampire fan. I also see the soil which led to the Del Torro "The Strain" book series. This being decades older certainly is far more original. It is also a better story. The characters are not at all annoying or stupid.
A fun, entertaining, and hard-to-put-down Vampire story. What more could anyone ask for? I am on to book two as soon as I can get my hands on it.
September 30, 2023
Un terrible demonio se encuentra en los Balcanes, en Rumania. Enterrado desde hace siglos en suelo consagrado, aprisionado por cadenas de plata y por la tierra, el vampiro urde siniestras conspiraciones. Boris Dragosani es utilizado por los servicios secretos rusos como el humano intermediario del vampiro.
Dragosani está deseoso de explorar la insondable maldad del vampiro, y éste le enseñará las horribles artes de la nigromancia, otorgándole la capacidad de arrancar todos los secretos de la mente y el cuerpo de los muertos.
En su afán por conseguir el dominio del mundo, el nigromante encontrará un único obstáculo: Harry Keogh, el que habla con los muertos, que trabaja para los servicios secretos ingleses y cuyo poder reside en hacer que los difuntos se comuniquen con los vivos..
3,5 ⭐️
No era lo que me esperaba. No es una mala lectura pero ha sido un 50/40. Peca de longitud. Con menos páginas extendiéndose en cosas que sin más, le hubiera dado más nota.
El principio no me enganchó y estando en un mal momento que quiero cosas que enganchen me tuve que aguantar y seguir un poco más.
Toca el concepto de espionaje paranormal, es algo que no me esperaba. Podría verse como un precursor de la fantasía urbana. Con toques de "terror".
A partir de cierto punto la historia comienza con una escena brutal y que no vi ni llegar. No para lectores de corazón esponjoso.
Una mezcla de lo paranormal con el espionaje de la Guerra Fría para darnos una historia que es extensa en su pecado pero fascinante.
Se queda un poco en el limbo pero si os llama osnlo recomiendo. Tener en cuenta que debido al momento buscaba algo corto y de enganche. Os dejo a vosotros que escojáis.
Gracias por la recomendación, estimado Ben, me alegro de haberlo leído, sin ti me hubiera perdido esta lectura..🧐🎩🍺
Dragosani está deseoso de explorar la insondable maldad del vampiro, y éste le enseñará las horribles artes de la nigromancia, otorgándole la capacidad de arrancar todos los secretos de la mente y el cuerpo de los muertos.
En su afán por conseguir el dominio del mundo, el nigromante encontrará un único obstáculo: Harry Keogh, el que habla con los muertos, que trabaja para los servicios secretos ingleses y cuyo poder reside en hacer que los difuntos se comuniquen con los vivos..
3,5 ⭐️
No era lo que me esperaba. No es una mala lectura pero ha sido un 50/40. Peca de longitud. Con menos páginas extendiéndose en cosas que sin más, le hubiera dado más nota.
El principio no me enganchó y estando en un mal momento que quiero cosas que enganchen me tuve que aguantar y seguir un poco más.
Toca el concepto de espionaje paranormal, es algo que no me esperaba. Podría verse como un precursor de la fantasía urbana. Con toques de "terror".
A partir de cierto punto la historia comienza con una escena brutal y que no vi ni llegar. No para lectores de corazón esponjoso.
Una mezcla de lo paranormal con el espionaje de la Guerra Fría para darnos una historia que es extensa en su pecado pero fascinante.
Se queda un poco en el limbo pero si os llama osnlo recomiendo. Tener en cuenta que debido al momento buscaba algo corto y de enganche. Os dejo a vosotros que escojáis.
Gracias por la recomendación, estimado Ben, me alegro de haberlo leído, sin ti me hubiera perdido esta lectura..🧐🎩🍺
February 15, 2023
I don’t write reviews.
I remember this book cover from my childhood as scary, then from my adolescence as a want-to-read, and now here I sit, too many years later, finally having read the legendary Necroscope. And I’m quite satisfied.
Right from the start I knew I was in for a treat of a tale, considering it‘s one told to a secret British government telepath by a mysterious apparition of a naked man from beyond time and space. Plus there is parasitic alien vampire weirdness.
I’m probably in the minority with this one, but I felt the ending a bit rushed and forced considering the more leisurely pace of the book. The sudden introduction and mastery of the Mobius gates. I didn’t clearly understand Harry’s powers or the powers of the dead. Sometimes he had to travel to the grave in order to talk, but other times no. Sometimes the dead can rise to protect him. It’s not a big deal though, since I really was having fun.
Also, I felt bad for Dragosani having to suffer the fate of cycling in a time loop forever. (What a great character!) He was a jerk, yet I can’t wish such hells on anyone. No really, I just tried to think of someone I could wish it on and mean it, and… no bueno.
I noticed something interesting about the naming of characters. (Well, I find it interesting). The British group were letter K names: Keogh, Harry; Kyle, Alec; Sir Keenan Gormley. The Russian e-team were B names:
Borowitz, Gregor; Boris Dragosani; Batu, Max. Then there were Harry’s school teachers’ names and town/school name, which were H letters.
I remember this book cover from my childhood as scary, then from my adolescence as a want-to-read, and now here I sit, too many years later, finally having read the legendary Necroscope. And I’m quite satisfied.
Right from the start I knew I was in for a treat of a tale, considering it‘s one told to a secret British government telepath by a mysterious apparition of a naked man from beyond time and space. Plus there is parasitic alien vampire weirdness.
I’m probably in the minority with this one, but I felt the ending a bit rushed and forced considering the more leisurely pace of the book. The sudden introduction and mastery of the Mobius gates. I didn’t clearly understand Harry’s powers or the powers of the dead. Sometimes he had to travel to the grave in order to talk, but other times no. Sometimes the dead can rise to protect him. It’s not a big deal though, since I really was having fun.
Also, I felt bad for Dragosani having to suffer the fate of cycling in a time loop forever. (What a great character!) He was a jerk, yet I can’t wish such hells on anyone. No really, I just tried to think of someone I could wish it on and mean it, and… no bueno.
I noticed something interesting about the naming of characters. (Well, I find it interesting). The British group were letter K names: Keogh, Harry; Kyle, Alec; Sir Keenan Gormley. The Russian e-team were B names:
Borowitz, Gregor; Boris Dragosani; Batu, Max. Then there were Harry’s school teachers’ names and town/school name, which were H letters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2010
A common criticism of Cold-War era spy novels is that they do not have enough vampires. Brian Lumley addresses that problem in Necroscope, where Harry Keogh saves the world from monsters and Communism.
For those of you who don't know Latin, a Necroscope is someone who can scope the dead, which means Harry can have pleasant chats with the deceased to learn their secrets and even absorb their powers for his own. This ability comes in handy when Harry is enlisted by British Intelligence's ESP branch to fight a KGB vampire named Boris Dragosani.
This plot sounds ridiculous and you're probably wondering if Brian Lumley is a slightly retarded twelve year old, but this book is awesome, largely because the writing is so good. Lumley's prose reminds me of a Savile Row suit. It's crisp, understated, and distinctly British. It has an authority that makes the lunatic plot sound almost plausible.
The book also has one of the greatest cover illustrations I have ever seen. Do you see that freaking vampire skull with a tongue coming out of it that looks like it wants to violate you? How creepy is that?
I feel like I'm not selling this book enough, so I'll just finish by saying that any fan of Dick Francis will like this book. It's British and fun and is more intellectually satisfying than a book with a vampire skull on the cover should be. It's a great read.
For those of you who don't know Latin, a Necroscope is someone who can scope the dead, which means Harry can have pleasant chats with the deceased to learn their secrets and even absorb their powers for his own. This ability comes in handy when Harry is enlisted by British Intelligence's ESP branch to fight a KGB vampire named Boris Dragosani.
This plot sounds ridiculous and you're probably wondering if Brian Lumley is a slightly retarded twelve year old, but this book is awesome, largely because the writing is so good. Lumley's prose reminds me of a Savile Row suit. It's crisp, understated, and distinctly British. It has an authority that makes the lunatic plot sound almost plausible.
The book also has one of the greatest cover illustrations I have ever seen. Do you see that freaking vampire skull with a tongue coming out of it that looks like it wants to violate you? How creepy is that?
I feel like I'm not selling this book enough, so I'll just finish by saying that any fan of Dick Francis will like this book. It's British and fun and is more intellectually satisfying than a book with a vampire skull on the cover should be. It's a great read.
August 10, 2009
4.0 to 4.5 stars. I just finished re-reading this book and had forgotten just how much fun it was. Harry Keogh is an absolutely fantastic character and his powers (i.e., the powers of the Necroscope) are original and very cool. This is a book that I have not heard come up very often in discussions of really great series and I think that is a shame. This is extremely well written and very engaging. Highly recommended.
Most recently read: August 10, 2009.
Most recently read: August 10, 2009.
November 12, 2021
Me ha gustado, pero menos de lo esperado.
Me ha parecido que el ritmo era lento en una gran parte del libro.
Si es cierto que en la primera parte tiene que presentar a los protagonistas pero, se me ha hecho lento.
Hacia el final mejora pero ha habido algunas partes que no me han gustado mucho o cuadrado con lo que esperaba del enfrentamiento final.
6/10
# 16. El libro con la portada más bonita de tu lista de pendientes de goodreads. Reto literario lecturas pendientes 2021
Me ha parecido que el ritmo era lento en una gran parte del libro.
Si es cierto que en la primera parte tiene que presentar a los protagonistas pero, se me ha hecho lento.
Hacia el final mejora pero ha habido algunas partes que no me han gustado mucho o cuadrado con lo que esperaba del enfrentamiento final.
6/10
# 16. El libro con la portada más bonita de tu lista de pendientes de goodreads. Reto literario lecturas pendientes 2021
November 12, 2022
Very compelling blending of the intrigue of cold war era espionage with the mystery and horror of the paranormal and vampirism. Lumley's depiction of the latter as is particularly chilling and wholly unique. I had some issues with the pacing. The first half or more is all background, with the plot not taking shape until well into the second half and the denouement is an utter whirlwind where things quickly go bonkers and the story unexpectedly moves into sci-fi territory. I'm definitely on board for continuing with the series!
February 13, 2022
Re-read, and again really enjoyed this. Proper Vampire. Will now have to dig up book 2 from somewhere.
October 20, 2020
I am glad I discovered this author.This book read a little like a Dario Argento 80s film mixed with early Robert Mcammon (which is a good thing to me). The plot was excellent and the ideas are big. This book bordered a bit on sci-fi even. It mixed together concepts of the afterlife with science, and legends. It's hard to review the book without including spoilers.
Like any good story true to the 80s vibe, it has over the top action that seems go on for even longer than it does, and usually I am not a fan of that, but it works in this case. The build up is so solid, and the ideas so big, that they swallow any of the impurities in the plot and simply drive it forward.
I completely understand why Lumley isn't for everyone. It takes a certain scifi/horror suspension of disbelief to remain even when verisimilitude hangs by the neck. I really needed a read like this in mid -October in the midst of a pandemic. It took my mind away from daily madness into created madness which is always more fun. Oh, and Harry is awesome.
4.5 stars.
Like any good story true to the 80s vibe, it has over the top action that seems go on for even longer than it does, and usually I am not a fan of that, but it works in this case. The build up is so solid, and the ideas so big, that they swallow any of the impurities in the plot and simply drive it forward.
I completely understand why Lumley isn't for everyone. It takes a certain scifi/horror suspension of disbelief to remain even when verisimilitude hangs by the neck. I really needed a read like this in mid -October in the midst of a pandemic. It took my mind away from daily madness into created madness which is always more fun. Oh, and Harry is awesome.
4.5 stars.
April 1, 2022
Yay! A new to me series that's awesome! Loved this, will definitely continue.
September 28, 2022
3.0 stars
I appreciate that this is a beloved modern vampire story, but unfortunately this was not for me. It was refreshing to read such a different kind of vampire fiction, but it still was not to my tastes. I don't read a lot of spy thrillers so I just don't think this one was to my tastes. This one just took a long time to get started and I did not enjoy the slow setup.
While this wasn't for me, I know plenty of other people love this one. So despite my underwhelmed review, you'll likely want to check this one out for yourself. This is just not the kind of story I enjoy.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I appreciate that this is a beloved modern vampire story, but unfortunately this was not for me. It was refreshing to read such a different kind of vampire fiction, but it still was not to my tastes. I don't read a lot of spy thrillers so I just don't think this one was to my tastes. This one just took a long time to get started and I did not enjoy the slow setup.
While this wasn't for me, I know plenty of other people love this one. So despite my underwhelmed review, you'll likely want to check this one out for yourself. This is just not the kind of story I enjoy.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
March 11, 2018
Very cool story that ended up being more mature than I had expected. It starts out with a bang, kind of meanders around for a while in the middle but the last hundred pages brings everything together with a decent amount of action and bloodshed. Totally not a typical vampire story this book really scores high in originality.
January 27, 2016
It seems like I’ve had Necroscope and some of its sequels on my bookshelves forever. I think my early twenties I tried reading one of them and got bored in the first chapter so didn’t get back to it. Thanks for a group read at Horror Aficionados group, I finally dug in, stuck with it, and soon became absorbed.
It still takes a mighty long time to take off, but it’s just a slower style, a long tome that promises interest but divides its action sequences randomly. When fight is present, it stands out and doesn’t hold back punches.
Harry is an outcast child trying to fit in at school, blessed with the powers of speaking to the dead. Some may call that a curse, but for him it works as he keeps the dead company. There’s an especially sad death where he shows later he can learn their skills by allowing them temporary possession and getting out of tough spots. When Harry was on the page, I was riveted to the story, loving to read through his viewpoints and what he went through.
The villains of the story were just as fascinating, if not more so. Dragosani is a demented power-seeker who has uncovered a vampire buried deep in the ground. He himself has learned how to unlock the secrets of the dead, but instead of the subtle dance and conversation Harry uses, he rapes it from their minds when they’ve first fallen and are still fresh. Telepathically the evil vampire Ferenczy communicates with him, bringing him closer with knowledge as the web.
It’s a serious book with little joy, but the evil Ferenczy managed to amuse me, especially when teasing Dragosani about his lack of experience. I can’t help but like the putrid character – he’s diseased in soul and mean as a snake, but he’s entertaining to read about.
Unfortunately the book finds itself spending a ridiculous amount of time in the heads of other characters too – characters in political positions that I care absolutely nothing about. The political angles and subplots mixed with these dry characters made the book duller than it deserved to be.
Overall my rating is strong (4 stars), and I was riveted, but I had to skim sometimes through some dull parts. Politics bore me like nothing else does.
July 21, 2025
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz
October 18, 2025
Necroscope was the first book I selected for my annual 'Month of Horror' books (3rd annual this time around). I had planned to add it to my list the second time around, but kind of ran out of time. King/Straub's The Talisman took a lot longer than I had expected last year. This time I put it first in rotation and even started a few days early (cheating?? It's my tradition... there are no rules 😀)
I didn't know a lot going into the story (I like it that way). I did have the impression that it was primarily involving vampires (not totally correct...) The covers of the books in the series have scary looking skulls on them – with sharp pointy teeth (like Monty Python's Rabbit of Caerbannog , but actually scary). The artwork on the covers is great!
Minor spoilers ahead... I will spoiler-tag actual spoilers.
The book had a fair amount of the supernatural – and had a vampire . What I didn't expect was the cold war espionage aspects of the story. Basically each of the superpowers had their own ESPionage groups – recruiting individuals with 'a particular set of skills'. Those skills vary – in complexity and capabilities, but are all dealing with the supernatural. Some are 'spotters' (reminded me of Mistborn bronze enabled 'Seekers'). Some can predict the future. Some unique ones
The story sets up as East vs. West. The West in this case being Britain and the East being Russia. The timeframe is the early to mid 70s so right in the thick of the Cold War. The story follows two main characters... Harry Keogh on the British side and Dragosani for Russia. (or as it's often spelled in the book... Dragosaaani! - what a GREAT name 😀). The book primarily follows origin stories for each of them and jumps around in a non-linear way to tell their tales.
Harry really doesn't know what to make of his 'special skill' . It starts with him at a young age and shows how he learns to use his abilities in a variety of ways. He has no support network to help him – and is just figuring things out as he goes along. The folks around him – know something is special about him – but he does a relatively good job at not letting on what it is. He has a quite interesting and tragic backstory which is covered in great detail.
Dragosani's story starts at a young age too. He has special abilities too – and … I won't spoiler tag this one – is related to the vampire line of Vamphyri and develops the powers of a Necromancer. He has a... spiritual advisor of sorts... well – not really – a spirit of a vampire that talks to him and teaches him some of the ways of the Vamphyri. Of course, Dragosani wants the power... and the actual vampire – Thibor - wants to double cross him (no surprise there) – and the interplay between the two is pretty well done.
Like a lot of vampire books they have their own spin on 'vampire lore'. Dragosani asks Thibor questions to try to get to the truth of things. Thibor tells him a lot of things, but he lies so much that you can't tell when he's actually debunking a vampire myth vs. just feeding Dragosani b.s. because he really doesn't want to tell him too much (else he loses some of his allure to entice Dragosani to return to him). The one I thought was quite interesting was about vampires assuming the shape of an animal... Thibor tells him that this isn't what happens at all, but is actually the vampire hypnotizing the person into thinking that's what happens.
Unrelated to this book – but more alternate vampire lore... my favorite is Regis in The Witcher series when he explains 'vampire math' to Geralt... and how the spread vampirism doesn't make sense if you think about how quickly it would spread. But I digress... 😀 Lots of alternate 'vampire lore' in The Witcher series too.
The story covers multiple years and there really isn't much direct interaction between the two characters until near the end. It had a great ending . And...
I love this quote…
“The arms had consisted of a shield bearing in bas-relief a dragon, one forepaw raised in threat; and riding upon its back, a bat with triangular eyes of carnelian; and surmounting both of these figures, the leering horned head of the devil himself, forked tongue protruding and dripping gouts of carnelian blood!” 🐉 🦇 😈
Anyway, was there anything I didn't like? I kind of wish there had been more info about the other supernatural supporting characters. They did spend a little more page time with Batu (who was great – even though he was on the side I was 'rooting against'. ) Batu made me want to try some slivovitz - haha). The book was pretty long – they probably couldn't have spun off in directions with too many subplots w/o it easily getting to be over 1000 pages – and that probably would have lost most folks. I kind of felt bad for
Overall this was a great read and I plan to continue with the series. It was a great start to my 'month of horrors' for sure. It was quite an interesting concept and crossed from the horror genre into that of fantasy and even a little sci-fi (). I would recommend to any of my GR friends that like these genres. 🧛🏻♂️
I didn't know a lot going into the story (I like it that way). I did have the impression that it was primarily involving vampires (not totally correct...) The covers of the books in the series have scary looking skulls on them – with sharp pointy teeth (like Monty Python's Rabbit of Caerbannog , but actually scary). The artwork on the covers is great!
Minor spoilers ahead... I will spoiler-tag actual spoilers.
The book had a fair amount of the supernatural – and had a vampire . What I didn't expect was the cold war espionage aspects of the story. Basically each of the superpowers had their own ESPionage groups – recruiting individuals with 'a particular set of skills'. Those skills vary – in complexity and capabilities, but are all dealing with the supernatural. Some are 'spotters' (reminded me of Mistborn bronze enabled 'Seekers'). Some can predict the future. Some unique ones
The story sets up as East vs. West. The West in this case being Britain and the East being Russia. The timeframe is the early to mid 70s so right in the thick of the Cold War. The story follows two main characters... Harry Keogh on the British side and Dragosani for Russia. (or as it's often spelled in the book... Dragosaaani! - what a GREAT name 😀). The book primarily follows origin stories for each of them and jumps around in a non-linear way to tell their tales.
Harry really doesn't know what to make of his 'special skill' . It starts with him at a young age and shows how he learns to use his abilities in a variety of ways. He has no support network to help him – and is just figuring things out as he goes along. The folks around him – know something is special about him – but he does a relatively good job at not letting on what it is. He has a quite interesting and tragic backstory which is covered in great detail.
Dragosani's story starts at a young age too. He has special abilities too – and … I won't spoiler tag this one – is related to the vampire line of Vamphyri and develops the powers of a Necromancer. He has a... spiritual advisor of sorts... well – not really – a spirit of a vampire that talks to him and teaches him some of the ways of the Vamphyri. Of course, Dragosani wants the power... and the actual vampire – Thibor - wants to double cross him (no surprise there) – and the interplay between the two is pretty well done.
Like a lot of vampire books they have their own spin on 'vampire lore'. Dragosani asks Thibor questions to try to get to the truth of things. Thibor tells him a lot of things, but he lies so much that you can't tell when he's actually debunking a vampire myth vs. just feeding Dragosani b.s. because he really doesn't want to tell him too much (else he loses some of his allure to entice Dragosani to return to him). The one I thought was quite interesting was about vampires assuming the shape of an animal... Thibor tells him that this isn't what happens at all, but is actually the vampire hypnotizing the person into thinking that's what happens.
Unrelated to this book – but more alternate vampire lore... my favorite is Regis in The Witcher series when he explains 'vampire math' to Geralt... and how the spread vampirism doesn't make sense if you think about how quickly it would spread. But I digress... 😀 Lots of alternate 'vampire lore' in The Witcher series too.
The story covers multiple years and there really isn't much direct interaction between the two characters until near the end. It had a great ending . And...
I love this quote…
“The arms had consisted of a shield bearing in bas-relief a dragon, one forepaw raised in threat; and riding upon its back, a bat with triangular eyes of carnelian; and surmounting both of these figures, the leering horned head of the devil himself, forked tongue protruding and dripping gouts of carnelian blood!” 🐉 🦇 😈
Anyway, was there anything I didn't like? I kind of wish there had been more info about the other supernatural supporting characters. They did spend a little more page time with Batu (who was great – even though he was on the side I was 'rooting against'. ) Batu made me want to try some slivovitz - haha). The book was pretty long – they probably couldn't have spun off in directions with too many subplots w/o it easily getting to be over 1000 pages – and that probably would have lost most folks. I kind of felt bad for
Overall this was a great read and I plan to continue with the series. It was a great start to my 'month of horrors' for sure. It was quite an interesting concept and crossed from the horror genre into that of fantasy and even a little sci-fi (). I would recommend to any of my GR friends that like these genres. 🧛🏻♂️
August 25, 2017
I truly loved reading this one. Really got into the plot and characters; barely did anything else for most of 2 days. This is an another author new to me that I'm going to have to explore, and deeply. Why if I had next book in the series in hand, I'd be reading it immediately! Great SF adventure. Complete page-turner. I'm definitely a Lumley fan now. The beginning was a bit cool and drowsy but once the leading man was introduced, about 100 pages in, the books plotting got pacey and thrilling. Harry Keogh is a fascinating character. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy of books 2 and 3!
October 5, 2021
My first thought was that this is “a trashy book for intellectuals”, but I think what’s so interesting about it is that it’s an absurd genre mix, a horror spy novel punctuated with scenes of gruesome violence but that it’s also a very serious meditation of the loneliness of the intellect. It’s about a person alienated by his gifts, doomed to only really be able to relate to the dead, but who ultimately transcends these limitations and discovers himself to be capable of things beyond his imagination. It’s a two-sided coin, a good and an evil, seeking teachers for guidance; but about the nurturing force of a real teacher and the destructive force of a being which imparts it’s own wisdom only to further it’s own ego. It’s quite a thoughtful book really. And I even think it’s funny that the book makes a pretense of being homophobic at times but is actually a classical portrayal of masculine love. The book doesn’t quite know what to make of women, almost like they are a different species, but has a regard for them. It’s of a different era certainly as it envisions a man’s mind being uncertain how to accept the gifts of women, and ultimately learning to grow by doing so. It’s a complex portrait of the isolation of intelligence and the complex forces of growth through others, by learning from them, or by taking from them; and the rewards and costs of each. A book both unexpectedly intelligent and cheerfully chaotic when it strikes. I can see how this is regarded as a classic of sorts.
April 27, 2010
2.5
I'm really undecided about this book. It wasn't bad, but it didn't grip me...
Where to start?
It was a bit slow off the bat. I was reading about the Russian ESPers and sort of wondering where everything was going, and when the actual story was going to get set-up. Looking back I suppose it was getting set up at the time, but it didn't feel like it.
Then we got to Harry, and I was much more interested. For awhile, I dreaded the parts where we went back to Dragosani. Ok, not dreaded, but I certainly didn't like them as much as the parts with young Harry. And then it sort of reversed, and Dragosani's story became more interesting, and Harry, after skipping a few years, sort of became stunted. There wasn't really any more development in the character.
I think that's the thing. This book spent a lot of time on what I consider backstory and set-up. And that would be fine, except the characters were sort of thin. I mean, I don't mind things being a bit slow or thin plotwise if we're getting some juicy character stuff, but after the initial set-up and self-discovery of the two's individual powers, it just seemed rather repetitive.
I kept waiting for something to happen... but when things finally happened, it all seemed so, well, predictable, I suppose. It unfolded as we knew it must. The action bit at the end was denoument, the real climax happening when Harry fully realized his powers. But it was just so sudden. I mean, after belaboring the earlier years and development, it all sort of clicked too neatly.
I also was expecting to be, well, horrified, I suppose. I was grossed out a few times at some of the descriptions. (Not to mention conflicted about the whole 'I really did the things they credited to Vlad, because I like Vlad, damnit.) But I was never held in suspense. My heart didn't race, my palms didn't sweat... I was never really caught up in the story enough to get truly involved, and I never really felt any impending terror.
Meh.
I bumped it up a few notches, though, because I did like the very end... the resolution and the revenge. And I was glad that the epilogue explained something I didn't understand from earlier in the story. And I was glad that everything was tied up in this story. It left you with enough of a hook to continue to series, but also wrapped things up nicely if you're not that interested in continuing. And, frankly, I'm undecided. (For a minute or two I was terrified it was going to end in a cliffhanger, so I was extra-relieved with the ending.)
In fairness, horror isn't really my forte, and, perhaps, my expectations were a bit too high since this book came so highly recommended.
I'm really undecided about this book. It wasn't bad, but it didn't grip me...
Where to start?
It was a bit slow off the bat. I was reading about the Russian ESPers and sort of wondering where everything was going, and when the actual story was going to get set-up. Looking back I suppose it was getting set up at the time, but it didn't feel like it.
Then we got to Harry, and I was much more interested. For awhile, I dreaded the parts where we went back to Dragosani. Ok, not dreaded, but I certainly didn't like them as much as the parts with young Harry. And then it sort of reversed, and Dragosani's story became more interesting, and Harry, after skipping a few years, sort of became stunted. There wasn't really any more development in the character.
I think that's the thing. This book spent a lot of time on what I consider backstory and set-up. And that would be fine, except the characters were sort of thin. I mean, I don't mind things being a bit slow or thin plotwise if we're getting some juicy character stuff, but after the initial set-up and self-discovery of the two's individual powers, it just seemed rather repetitive.
I kept waiting for something to happen... but when things finally happened, it all seemed so, well, predictable, I suppose. It unfolded as we knew it must. The action bit at the end was denoument, the real climax happening when Harry fully realized his powers. But it was just so sudden. I mean, after belaboring the earlier years and development, it all sort of clicked too neatly.
I also was expecting to be, well, horrified, I suppose. I was grossed out a few times at some of the descriptions. (Not to mention conflicted about the whole 'I really did the things they credited to Vlad, because I like Vlad, damnit.) But I was never held in suspense. My heart didn't race, my palms didn't sweat... I was never really caught up in the story enough to get truly involved, and I never really felt any impending terror.
Meh.
I bumped it up a few notches, though, because I did like the very end... the resolution and the revenge. And I was glad that the epilogue explained something I didn't understand from earlier in the story. And I was glad that everything was tied up in this story. It left you with enough of a hook to continue to series, but also wrapped things up nicely if you're not that interested in continuing. And, frankly, I'm undecided. (For a minute or two I was terrified it was going to end in a cliffhanger, so I was extra-relieved with the ending.)
In fairness, horror isn't really my forte, and, perhaps, my expectations were a bit too high since this book came so highly recommended.
February 25, 2025
This is such an amazing first book for an incredibles series!
This is where we get to meet here for the first time and about how he history. An interesting thing is we get an equally thorough background on the main villain Boris. Both lines were incredibly captivating, and it really puts a new spin on or despite the fact, this is a rather old book.
There is so much in love with this book with the introduction to E-branch and the twist on vampires and all the metaphysics, this book really did a lot for one installment for a long and rewarding series.
This is where we get to meet here for the first time and about how he history. An interesting thing is we get an equally thorough background on the main villain Boris. Both lines were incredibly captivating, and it really puts a new spin on or despite the fact, this is a rather old book.
There is so much in love with this book with the introduction to E-branch and the twist on vampires and all the metaphysics, this book really did a lot for one installment for a long and rewarding series.
May 26, 2021
Imo this book is movie worthy. It's a mix of X-Files, Fringe, and Supernatural all put in one. It has everything you want in a vampire story.
October 9, 2025
One of the most unique vampire books out there and I loved it so much. It is very slow so I’m sure that a lot of people will get bored but the ending is just worth it.
This book is about a Russian necromancer who comes in touch with a vampire. The Russian wants to use the vampire to take over the world and it’s up to another Necromancer, with the help of the undead, to stop the Russian.
This book is about a Russian necromancer who comes in touch with a vampire. The Russian wants to use the vampire to take over the world and it’s up to another Necromancer, with the help of the undead, to stop the Russian.
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