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James Asher #5
The Kindred of Darkness
When James Asher and his wife Lydia's baby daughter Miranda is kidnapped by the Master Vampire of London, the stakes are high: blindly follow the Master Vampire's instructions, keep out of the way of the human networks that serves the vampires, destroy the interloper who seeks to seize control of the London Nest, and find the key to the Nest's tortuous inner workings: The Book of the Kindred of Darkness.
Even with the vampire Don Simon Ysidro on their side, there's no guarantee that anything - or anyone - is who or what they appear to be. Nor is there any certainty that they'll see their child again - or survive the experience themselves.
Even with the vampire Don Simon Ysidro on their side, there's no guarantee that anything - or anyone - is who or what they appear to be. Nor is there any certainty that they'll see their child again - or survive the experience themselves.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published November 28, 2013
44 people are currently reading
510 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Hambly
205 books1,591 followersaka Barbara Hamilton
Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.
"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly
Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.
"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
March 12, 2014
Because it's been a very long time since I'd read the first two books of the series, I'd been meaning to go back and read the entire series for some time. When I found out the release date for Kindred of Darkness, it seemed like a good time to do that.
The odd thing is that, having read all the preceding books in short order, Kindred of Darkness seems kind of the odd man out. A little more on that in a minute.
I was really pleased to have so much Lydia in the first half of the book. As I've gotten older and more interested in stories about women, my already-there interest in Lydia has only increased, while my interest in James has waned a bit. So it was a bit disappointing that, once James returned to England to help pursue the investigation, his narrative seemed to mostly take over. On the one hand, I know that as a white male in this society, and a spy, James is better equipped for derring-do. I also get that James is the nominal hero, as it's called either the James Asher series or Asher & Ysidro. On the other hand, I simply wish there was more Lydia. And a more equitable division of narrative, though I do think Lydia got more to do in this book than in any of the previous volumes.
I was also pleased to see (for a given value) a gay relationship centered in the secondary characters, where Hambly usually has them tertiary at best, and that the relationship was important to the story. However, there were some downsides.
Also--and perhaps because these gay characters are so close to the center of the story--I felt like the relationship with James and Ysidro, in particular, was very different than it had been previously. Again, I can see two sides of it: on the one hand, their predicament can directly be traced to Ysidro bringing them into the circle and attention of vampires, and James'--and Lydia's--fury about that is righteous. On the other hand, in the previous volumes, I felt there was a more subtextual, non-sexual but attractive, connective vibe between James and Ysidro (at one point, James considers Ysidro the person who understands him best in the world outside of Lydia) that seems almost wholly absent here and becomes more about James tolerating the love connection between Ysidro and Lydia. It felt to me as though Hambly has slapped a big "No Homo" across the James-Ysidro relationship and it felt jarring and out of place compared to their previous interaction and the triangular/poly nature of the relationship between the three of them.
Despite this, I can't nitpick Hambly's incredible ability to write a story that sucks me in and doesn't let me go until well after I turned the last page. The Severn House books are pretty much the only books I'll still buy as paper books, because I can't bear to wait the week(s) until the Kindle edition is released. And I eventually buy the Kindle edition, too. I'm interested and fascinated to see where she goes from here, given how Kindred of Darkness ends.
The odd thing is that, having read all the preceding books in short order, Kindred of Darkness seems kind of the odd man out. A little more on that in a minute.
I was really pleased to have so much Lydia in the first half of the book. As I've gotten older and more interested in stories about women, my already-there interest in Lydia has only increased, while my interest in James has waned a bit. So it was a bit disappointing that, once James returned to England to help pursue the investigation, his narrative seemed to mostly take over. On the one hand, I know that as a white male in this society, and a spy, James is better equipped for derring-do. I also get that James is the nominal hero, as it's called either the James Asher series or Asher & Ysidro. On the other hand, I simply wish there was more Lydia. And a more equitable division of narrative, though I do think Lydia got more to do in this book than in any of the previous volumes.
I was also pleased to see (for a given value) a gay relationship centered in the secondary characters, where Hambly usually has them tertiary at best, and that the relationship was important to the story. However, there were some downsides.
Also--and perhaps because these gay characters are so close to the center of the story--I felt like the relationship with James and Ysidro, in particular, was very different than it had been previously. Again, I can see two sides of it: on the one hand, their predicament can directly be traced to Ysidro bringing them into the circle and attention of vampires, and James'--and Lydia's--fury about that is righteous. On the other hand, in the previous volumes, I felt there was a more subtextual, non-sexual but attractive, connective vibe between James and Ysidro (at one point, James considers Ysidro the person who understands him best in the world outside of Lydia) that seems almost wholly absent here and becomes more about James tolerating the love connection between Ysidro and Lydia. It felt to me as though Hambly has slapped a big "No Homo" across the James-Ysidro relationship and it felt jarring and out of place compared to their previous interaction and the triangular/poly nature of the relationship between the three of them.
Despite this, I can't nitpick Hambly's incredible ability to write a story that sucks me in and doesn't let me go until well after I turned the last page. The Severn House books are pretty much the only books I'll still buy as paper books, because I can't bear to wait the week(s) until the Kindle edition is released. And I eventually buy the Kindle edition, too. I'm interested and fascinated to see where she goes from here, given how Kindred of Darkness ends.
April 23, 2015
Not the strongest book in the series. A foreign vampire moves in on the territory of London's master vampire Grippen. Never the most subtle of bloodsuckers Grippen kidnaps the Asher's little girl to force Lydia to locate the interloper. With both her husband and Ysidro out of the country it falls to Lydia alone to track him down and free her daughter. The first hundred pages belong to the studious Lydia and this is the part of the book that works best. James and Ysidro join the fight half way through and some of the plot weaknesses get a bit stretched but the characters are still very good and Hambly handles threat as finely as ever.
August 20, 2015
Another enjoyable entry in this lush historical mystery series, one of the best vampire series for adults.
Lydia moves to the forefront since Asher is out of town when a vampire kidnaps their daughter. The vampire coerces Lydia into using her reputed skills to locate a reckless new vampire who has moved into town, and she is reluctant to reveal that her "skills" involve auditing shipping logs and real estate records and tracing bank accounts.
It seems a bit coincidental that the newcomer is hunting within Lydia's London social circle.
For all her moral qualms about murderous vampires, she calls on Ysidro for help without hesitation, and never doubts he will answer. I really like the Ashers’ conflicted interaction with Ysidro, and every scene with him is utterly absorbing.
I enjoy Lydia’s myopia; the way she moves through an entirely blurry society until something happens of enough significance for her to put on the embarrassing spectacles.
Lydia moves to the forefront since Asher is out of town when a vampire kidnaps their daughter. The vampire coerces Lydia into using her reputed skills to locate a reckless new vampire who has moved into town, and she is reluctant to reveal that her "skills" involve auditing shipping logs and real estate records and tracing bank accounts.
It seems a bit coincidental that the newcomer is hunting within Lydia's London social circle.
For all her moral qualms about murderous vampires, she calls on Ysidro for help without hesitation, and never doubts he will answer. I really like the Ashers’ conflicted interaction with Ysidro, and every scene with him is utterly absorbing.
I enjoy Lydia’s myopia; the way she moves through an entirely blurry society until something happens of enough significance for her to put on the embarrassing spectacles.
February 5, 2019
After the slight disappointment of volume 3 and not having a copy of the fourth in the series, I picked up this one not sure what to expect. It started off very promisingly and different to others: after Miranda, daughter of protagonists James and Lydia Asher is kidnapped by the vampire Master of London to force Lydia to work for him and find for him a vampire rival who has moved onto his patch (James is out of the country), the focus is on Lydia and how she has to manage which includes calling once more upon the services of Don Simon Isidro, a vampire since Elizabethan days. Both she and James are decidedly ambiguous about their relationship with Simon, who has on several occasions put his existence into jeopardy for them and been injured in the process yet whom they can never quite forget depends upon murder for his existence - for in Hambly's take on vampires it is the psychic energy released by the death of the victim which is just as essential for vampires as blood.
Where the story lost momentum for me was after James returned from abroad. There were a lot of characters to juggle - Lydia is having to chaperone a niece who is 'coming out' in society while keeping quiet about her daughter's abduction and how she is spending her time doing research - luckily she is able to hire the services of some private detectives for some of the legwork - and so there is interaction with a whole host of aunts, including the awful Aunt Isobel, a domestic tyrant, plus a Suffragist friend of Lydia's. Add to that the whole circle around an American businessman, his daughter, her suitor, his friend and the complications that stem from them as well as from various groups of vampires, James coming off worst in a couple of encounters with the latter and also from a would-be Van Helsing. It didn't help that some of the names were too similar - Noel and Ned for example.
There was a big plot dependency on a book, the eponymous one of the title, and the various versions of it in existence and which were correct and which written by which historical character. This seems to be the Necronomicon (a key book in H P Lovecraft's fiction) of Hambly's series and if it is such a huge source of vampire mythology and vampire hunting etc it is a bit strange that it first appears so far into the series.
The story started to drag about two thirds of the way through though it did pick up towards the end. However, the motive of one of the characters was rather too similar to the motive of a self-sacrificing character in volume three and so the 'twist' as to why a certain person was recruiting vampires was a bit of a deja vu. Therefore only a 3 star rating and, unlike the first two in this series, not for me a 'keeper'.
Where the story lost momentum for me was after James returned from abroad. There were a lot of characters to juggle - Lydia is having to chaperone a niece who is 'coming out' in society while keeping quiet about her daughter's abduction and how she is spending her time doing research - luckily she is able to hire the services of some private detectives for some of the legwork - and so there is interaction with a whole host of aunts, including the awful Aunt Isobel, a domestic tyrant, plus a Suffragist friend of Lydia's. Add to that the whole circle around an American businessman, his daughter, her suitor, his friend and the complications that stem from them as well as from various groups of vampires, James coming off worst in a couple of encounters with the latter and also from a would-be Van Helsing. It didn't help that some of the names were too similar - Noel and Ned for example.
There was a big plot dependency on a book, the eponymous one of the title, and the various versions of it in existence and which were correct and which written by which historical character. This seems to be the Necronomicon (a key book in H P Lovecraft's fiction) of Hambly's series and if it is such a huge source of vampire mythology and vampire hunting etc it is a bit strange that it first appears so far into the series.
The story started to drag about two thirds of the way through though it did pick up towards the end. However, the motive of one of the characters was rather too similar to the motive of a self-sacrificing character in volume three and so the 'twist' as to why a certain person was recruiting vampires was a bit of a deja vu. Therefore only a 3 star rating and, unlike the first two in this series, not for me a 'keeper'.
July 16, 2019
Another enjoyable and atmospheric entry in the series. This one finds us back in England, where the Master of London has kidnapped the Ashers' daughter, in order to force Lydia to use her skills to track down a rogue vampire who is drawing entirely too much attention. This puts a lot of the focus on Lydia for the book, as she tries to deal with both the vampires and her terror for her daughter on the one hand, and her relatives (and their demands that she chaperone her niece through her first London season) on the other. It is hard to say which group is more monstrous, most of the time. The tension is certainly high throughout, and the knowledge that WWI is about to kick off in the background (which is why James isn't onsite initially) just adds to the dread. There are some good philosophical musings about the morality of dealing with active serial murderers like the vampires, vs. working for governments that may bring about many more deaths through their policies (and dealing with high society members, who underpay their servants and generally ignore the poor around them, leading to yet more desperation and death).
August 6, 2020
This series has always been an odd mixture. I think my first take on the first volume was something like "Dracula in a Reilly, Ace of Spies story," but that was overly simplistic. Edwardian British folks, in this case an intelligent couple made up of a female intellectual and a male spy, interacting with a world in which vampires have existed for centuries. Oddly, one of the vampires is relatively on their side.
In this fifth book, things come to a head because the oldest vampire in London has foolishly tried to force the couple to cooperate by kidnapping their child and her nurse. Few things could more quickly turn what could have been a request into a declaration of war, but this one involves combat in the drawing room as well as involving stakes and silver, for the other part of the story involves high-stakes society interactions and a wedding involving a rich American heiress and her strong-willed father. In the finest traditions of literature, this is all involved with the vampire plot as well.
Was this brilliant and innovative literature? No, and one reason is because it puts Lydia, the wife, into a setting she cares little about, and thus she is distanced from that part of the story. Still, as vampire stories go, this one got inside the minds of the undead, and of what it must be like to continue on for so long after death.
In this fifth book, things come to a head because the oldest vampire in London has foolishly tried to force the couple to cooperate by kidnapping their child and her nurse. Few things could more quickly turn what could have been a request into a declaration of war, but this one involves combat in the drawing room as well as involving stakes and silver, for the other part of the story involves high-stakes society interactions and a wedding involving a rich American heiress and her strong-willed father. In the finest traditions of literature, this is all involved with the vampire plot as well.
Was this brilliant and innovative literature? No, and one reason is because it puts Lydia, the wife, into a setting she cares little about, and thus she is distanced from that part of the story. Still, as vampire stories go, this one got inside the minds of the undead, and of what it must be like to continue on for so long after death.
March 15, 2018
Lydia had expected that the worst part of this Season was that she would have to participate. Her aunt is ill and her niece in the midst of a come out, requiring Lydia to play chaperone. The family is in expectation of a proposal from a proper young man soon, so there is hope the torture will soon be over. However, upon arrival back in Cambridge for a few days rest Lydia learns her daughter has been kidnapped. More, she learns it was by London's master vampire. Seems there is a usurper in London, draining multiple bodies per night. Such activities are slowly drawing the attention of the police and since vampires thrive on their anonymity, this must be put to an end. He has been able to find the villain himself but knows Lydia has a knack for such things. She finds him or her daughter dies.
Immediately, she sends for James and Ysidro but even with their help, locating the dangerous new comer is tricky. It turns out he himself is on a hunt for an artifact which promises increased powers for vampires. Going against the undead is hard enough. Going against one with super powers may just prove impossible.
Interesting and well written, this is a great addition to the James Asher lexicon.
Immediately, she sends for James and Ysidro but even with their help, locating the dangerous new comer is tricky. It turns out he himself is on a hunt for an artifact which promises increased powers for vampires. Going against the undead is hard enough. Going against one with super powers may just prove impossible.
Interesting and well written, this is a great addition to the James Asher lexicon.
October 24, 2018
I'm a little amused that this series is the James Asher series. Lydia, his wife, has always played a significant role in the books and in this one James doesn't actually appear on screen until chapter eleven! High stakes (their daughter Miranda is kidnapped by vampires) give this entry more oomph than the previous two. Strong tension. We're also back in London and although WWI hasn't broken out yet, trouble in the Balkans has brought a new vampire to town. Vampire hunters, a valuable book, and an American heiress round out the plot.
June 10, 2022
I really loved this book in the James Asher series started in Those Who Hunt The Night.
This book showcases Lydia's skills as a detective of sorts, and her terror as a mother. The Master Vampire of London has kidnapped their baby daughter to ensure her help in finding the newly arrived vampire who is over-hunting his territory.
Barbara Hambly does a screenplay worthy job describing the climactic fight for their child and and their lives, describing each detail and the agony of the possible outcomes. I love the language and the pacing.
This book showcases Lydia's skills as a detective of sorts, and her terror as a mother. The Master Vampire of London has kidnapped their baby daughter to ensure her help in finding the newly arrived vampire who is over-hunting his territory.
Barbara Hambly does a screenplay worthy job describing the climactic fight for their child and and their lives, describing each detail and the agony of the possible outcomes. I love the language and the pacing.
June 14, 2023
A little different adventure....instead of being recruited as weapons for high government shenanigans, we find an American millionaire set on "buying " a vampire to deal with the Union mine leaders that are causing trouble in the US. He didnt count on being unable to control the undead. Lydia, James and Simon and compelled to help Grippen when he steals Lydia and James' daughter Miranda to find out who is rampantly illing in London and threatening to expose his nest and topple his leadership.
Another great adventure in the James Asher series!
Another great adventure in the James Asher series!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2025
As much as it pains me to say this, I think I’m ready to let Asher, Lydia, and Simon rest for good. For such a short book, we wasted an awful lot of time on Lydia’s wardrobe and her aversion to wearing her spectacles in public. It just didn’t feel like we were getting anywhere.
I have loved Barbara Hambly’s books for a long time, but I honestly don’t think there’s much else to do with these characters; I’d like to see her re-visit her fantasy days.
I have loved Barbara Hambly’s books for a long time, but I honestly don’t think there’s much else to do with these characters; I’d like to see her re-visit her fantasy days.
March 20, 2018
I have loved Barbara Hambly’s novels since I was a teenager. I like that she writes across all genres. Her take on vampire novels is interesting and extremely researched and detailed.
I enjoyed catching up with James and Lydia Asher and Don Ysidro that vampire. I stayed up late to finish this novel and it was quite satisfactory. Well worth the lack of sleep!
I enjoyed catching up with James and Lydia Asher and Don Ysidro that vampire. I stayed up late to finish this novel and it was quite satisfactory. Well worth the lack of sleep!
November 4, 2022
Grippen breaks his vows and kidnaps Asher's daughter, as leverage to get their help finding a vampire who's come to London and is killing wantonly.
As good as they all been. If you've read the series this far, you won't be disappointed.
As good as they all been. If you've read the series this far, you won't be disappointed.
February 3, 2025
3.5.
Barbara Hambly's writing is always good. The plot here was not as tight and compelling as it could have been. There were some strange oversights and the vampire queen ended up contributing far less than she was set up for.
Barbara Hambly's writing is always good. The plot here was not as tight and compelling as it could have been. There were some strange oversights and the vampire queen ended up contributing far less than she was set up for.
July 8, 2017
Another excellent volume of the James Asher series. Vampires in turn of the century Europe.
May 4, 2018
Reading this author again reminded me of why I wanted to be a writer.
December 27, 2019
A good book in a good series about vampires
July 21, 2021
Disturbingly gripping!
The whole series is intense and terrifying. You can't put the book down until you finish. Fine line between friendship and horror.
The whole series is intense and terrifying. You can't put the book down until you finish. Fine line between friendship and horror.
October 13, 2021
Had a hard time putting this one down. I wish it had a map to go with it, but I've wished that with almost all of her books.
November 17, 2022
I really enjoy the complex relationships between the characters in this series, as well as the ambiguous morality of the main character.
July 13, 2014
I remember Those Who Hunt the Night as one of the few traditional vampire stories I really enjoyed, and the reason was Hambly's solid historical realism and supernatural aspects that are well thought out and more plausible than others of the genre.
The plot was compelling enough while I was reading it, though in the long term less than memorable; same for the sequel, Traveling with the Dead.
Now it looks like I skipped over the next couple in the series to find this book, which certainly fits the pattern. Hambly has become even more accomplished in her confident portrayal of the people and places of 1913. The numerous throwaway references and casual asides show that she's intimately familiar with that world and graciously assumes that the reader is too. This is a fine and admirable style, and mostly makes up for the fact that the story itself was a bit slow to draw me in. On a minor note, I cringed at the reference to James drinking "Indian pale ale" (as opposed to "India...") suggesting that neither Hambly nor her editor is a beer drinker!
The vampire mythology that was fairly original in the first book is reiterated here too often for me. Yes, they have the power to make humans trust them, this is how they hunt, along with their impossibly heightened senses - and since much of the book is told from Lydia's POV we get her extensive thoughts and feelings about this.
Ironically maybe, it's her "normal" life that seems a bit unreal to me - I didn't get her connection to these various society women and family members. I realize she's supposed to be a bit of an outsider by their standards but still she seems too distant when interacting with them. I'm afraid I lost track of the distinctions between Aunt Isobel and Aunt Lavinnia, Valentina, Vorena, and the rest. Even Lydia's constant worry about her daughter comes across like she's an actress reciting her lines.
But for the most part, this was an enjoyable read, especially the ending, with a nice pickup in the action and a couple of twists to keep it interesting. The dream sequences were also particularly well done. All in all a solid effort.
The plot was compelling enough while I was reading it, though in the long term less than memorable; same for the sequel, Traveling with the Dead.
Now it looks like I skipped over the next couple in the series to find this book, which certainly fits the pattern. Hambly has become even more accomplished in her confident portrayal of the people and places of 1913. The numerous throwaway references and casual asides show that she's intimately familiar with that world and graciously assumes that the reader is too. This is a fine and admirable style, and mostly makes up for the fact that the story itself was a bit slow to draw me in. On a minor note, I cringed at the reference to James drinking "Indian pale ale" (as opposed to "India...") suggesting that neither Hambly nor her editor is a beer drinker!
The vampire mythology that was fairly original in the first book is reiterated here too often for me. Yes, they have the power to make humans trust them, this is how they hunt, along with their impossibly heightened senses - and since much of the book is told from Lydia's POV we get her extensive thoughts and feelings about this.
Ironically maybe, it's her "normal" life that seems a bit unreal to me - I didn't get her connection to these various society women and family members. I realize she's supposed to be a bit of an outsider by their standards but still she seems too distant when interacting with them. I'm afraid I lost track of the distinctions between Aunt Isobel and Aunt Lavinnia, Valentina, Vorena, and the rest. Even Lydia's constant worry about her daughter comes across like she's an actress reciting her lines.
But for the most part, this was an enjoyable read, especially the ending, with a nice pickup in the action and a couple of twists to keep it interesting. The dream sequences were also particularly well done. All in all a solid effort.
March 5, 2014
4.5 stars
The Kindred of Darkness is the fifth James Asher novel, scheduled to be published in March, 2014. In this volume, the Ashers finally take a break from their world travels to assist Lionel Grippen, the Master of London, in locating Damien Zahorec, an interloper from the Balkans. As was the case in the first series book, Those Who Hunt the Night, James and Lydia have been blackmailed into helping a vampire; this time, Grippen has kidnapped their daughter Miranda. Having learned about Lydia's miscarriages in the third book, Blood Maidens, and being a mother myself, I was immediately drawn into the tension created by the danger to the Ashers' child, and Hambly maintains that tension until the very end.
In The Kindred of Darkness, Hambly introduces us to a book of the same title, which is said to contain various secrets of the vampire world, including a formula/elixir/ritual which enables fledglings to escape the control of their masters. Several characters are chasing after the book, each with a different motive. We quickly learn that there are multiple versions of the Book, some of which may be forgeries and many of which contradict each other. Hambly has thus set up an ongoing puzzle which I expect to see cropping up in future books.
Hambly continues to explore the inherent conflicts between James and Don Simon; they both love Lydia, yet they also have strong motives to destroy each other. James's discoveries in the Book add a new layer to this dilemma, given the Book's ambiguity:
I particularly enjoyed The Kindred of Darkness because it was a true "vampire" book, rather than the "spy thriller with vampires" characteristic of the previous books. I also liked the introduction of American characters, even though none of them were very sympathetic.
I received a free copy of The Kindred of Darkness through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Kindred of Darkness is the fifth James Asher novel, scheduled to be published in March, 2014. In this volume, the Ashers finally take a break from their world travels to assist Lionel Grippen, the Master of London, in locating Damien Zahorec, an interloper from the Balkans. As was the case in the first series book, Those Who Hunt the Night, James and Lydia have been blackmailed into helping a vampire; this time, Grippen has kidnapped their daughter Miranda. Having learned about Lydia's miscarriages in the third book, Blood Maidens, and being a mother myself, I was immediately drawn into the tension created by the danger to the Ashers' child, and Hambly maintains that tension until the very end.
In The Kindred of Darkness, Hambly introduces us to a book of the same title, which is said to contain various secrets of the vampire world, including a formula/elixir/ritual which enables fledglings to escape the control of their masters. Several characters are chasing after the book, each with a different motive. We quickly learn that there are multiple versions of the Book, some of which may be forgeries and many of which contradict each other. Hambly has thus set up an ongoing puzzle which I expect to see cropping up in future books.
Hambly continues to explore the inherent conflicts between James and Don Simon; they both love Lydia, yet they also have strong motives to destroy each other. James's discoveries in the Book add a new layer to this dilemma, given the Book's ambiguity:
I particularly enjoyed The Kindred of Darkness because it was a true "vampire" book, rather than the "spy thriller with vampires" characteristic of the previous books. I also liked the introduction of American characters, even though none of them were very sympathetic.
I received a free copy of The Kindred of Darkness through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 31, 2014
Here is the fifth book in Barbara Hambly's vampire series. In this one, we return to a plot that parallels the plot of the first book, "Those who Hunt the Night". In this case, James and Lydia Asher's daughter, Miranda, is kidnapped so that they will be forced to hunt down a rogue vampire in London. Many of the same themes of trust and deception are looked at.
Hambly's vampires are predators who use the illusion of romance in order to gain victims and human servants. The "Kindred of Darkness" is a book purported to have been written in the 14th century which details their characteristics and weaknesses, along with potions which can either harm them or enhance their abilities. The book itself is part of the illusion and deception- there's no way to be sure how much is a hoax, how much is true and how much is purposeful misinformation designed to harm any vampires that may find the book.
Hambly manages some fine misdirection herself with the plot. Several characters have motivations quite different than it appears, and the motives the rogue vampire has for moving into London are not what one might expect.
The book is a slim one at less than 250 pages. I love this particular combination of setting and characters and hope that the author continues more in this series. There are so many more stories to tell. We could jump forward to when Miranda is an adult. The backstory of the vampires Ysidro and Grippen has yet to be revealed entirely, and the introduction of the "Kindred of Shadows" brings another possible motivation to light for Ysidro's travel to London before he was turned into a vampire. Ysidro continues to utterly fascinate me. I can't mistrust him or his motives no matter how often the author tells me I should. I suppose her misdirection and illusion of romance have worked on me as well.
Hambly's vampires are predators who use the illusion of romance in order to gain victims and human servants. The "Kindred of Darkness" is a book purported to have been written in the 14th century which details their characteristics and weaknesses, along with potions which can either harm them or enhance their abilities. The book itself is part of the illusion and deception- there's no way to be sure how much is a hoax, how much is true and how much is purposeful misinformation designed to harm any vampires that may find the book.
Hambly manages some fine misdirection herself with the plot. Several characters have motivations quite different than it appears, and the motives the rogue vampire has for moving into London are not what one might expect.
The book is a slim one at less than 250 pages. I love this particular combination of setting and characters and hope that the author continues more in this series. There are so many more stories to tell. We could jump forward to when Miranda is an adult. The backstory of the vampires Ysidro and Grippen has yet to be revealed entirely, and the introduction of the "Kindred of Shadows" brings another possible motivation to light for Ysidro's travel to London before he was turned into a vampire. Ysidro continues to utterly fascinate me. I can't mistrust him or his motives no matter how often the author tells me I should. I suppose her misdirection and illusion of romance have worked on me as well.
December 30, 2013
I have enjoyed all the Asher/Ysidro novels. They are twisty, atmospheric mystery stories, with an undercurrent of melancholy and unrequited passion.
In this story set in 1913, the Master of the London vampires, the fierce and brutish Dr. Grippen, has kidnapped James and Lydia's toddler daughter Miranda.
Grippen needs Lydia to track down the foreign vampire who has just arrived in London and is endangering all of the Undead by killing multiple people every night. Grippen knows that, while the Undead are uncannily powerful, they are few in number, and cannot prevail forever against a human mob bent on destroying them. The stranger must be stopped before he exposes them all to the wrath of an awakened humanity.
But the vampire can't stop the interloper himself. He needs a human accomplice, someone who can walk in daylight -- and he knows Lydia will do anything to save her child.
Lydia sends for her husband James, who is in the Balkans working for the Foreign Service. And she sends for the vampire Don Simon Ysidro, with whom she and James have forged an odd friendship. In the meantime, Lydia must juggle her investigation into recent mysterious killings with her duties as a chaperone for her niece's first London Season.
I love how all the wildly different factors -- Van Helsing-style vampire hunters, American robber barons, socialite debutantes, antiquarian booksellers, spies, vampires, union-busters, dissolute noblemen, and haggard romantic prisoners -- all play together to come to an exciting resolution to the story. Definitely fun!
In this story set in 1913, the Master of the London vampires, the fierce and brutish Dr. Grippen, has kidnapped James and Lydia's toddler daughter Miranda.
Grippen needs Lydia to track down the foreign vampire who has just arrived in London and is endangering all of the Undead by killing multiple people every night. Grippen knows that, while the Undead are uncannily powerful, they are few in number, and cannot prevail forever against a human mob bent on destroying them. The stranger must be stopped before he exposes them all to the wrath of an awakened humanity.
But the vampire can't stop the interloper himself. He needs a human accomplice, someone who can walk in daylight -- and he knows Lydia will do anything to save her child.
Lydia sends for her husband James, who is in the Balkans working for the Foreign Service. And she sends for the vampire Don Simon Ysidro, with whom she and James have forged an odd friendship. In the meantime, Lydia must juggle her investigation into recent mysterious killings with her duties as a chaperone for her niece's first London Season.
I love how all the wildly different factors -- Van Helsing-style vampire hunters, American robber barons, socialite debutantes, antiquarian booksellers, spies, vampires, union-busters, dissolute noblemen, and haggard romantic prisoners -- all play together to come to an exciting resolution to the story. Definitely fun!
February 26, 2014
James and Lydia Asher are among the few people who know that the Undead exist. They have begrudgingly worked for the Undead before, and in return have lived relatively undisturbed by them. When Crippen, London’s Master Vampire, kidnaps their daughter Miranda as an incentive to help him find a usurper into his territory, the uneasy peace is shattered, perhaps irrevocably. When it becomes clear that the newcomer, Zahorec, is searching for a manuscript said to contain the secret for neutralizing a master vampire’s control over his fledglings, everyone sits up and takes notice. It becomes clear that Zahorec is fleeing his own mistress and that he has also plans for Crippen’s fledglings. Can the Ashers stop the interloper from assuming control and save their daughter?
There’s an interesting relationship between Lydia Asher and another vampire, Ysidro. I have not read the previous volumes in this series, so how that all got started is something of a mystery to me. It is quite clear to me, and to James Asher, that Lydia loves Ysidro. I will definitely need to go back and read the previous volumes to gain more insight into that relationship. Other than that, however, I really didn’t feel like I was missing anything by not having read them and was able to enjoy this book without constantly feeling confused.
There’s an interesting relationship between Lydia Asher and another vampire, Ysidro. I have not read the previous volumes in this series, so how that all got started is something of a mystery to me. It is quite clear to me, and to James Asher, that Lydia loves Ysidro. I will definitely need to go back and read the previous volumes to gain more insight into that relationship. Other than that, however, I really didn’t feel like I was missing anything by not having read them and was able to enjoy this book without constantly feeling confused.
November 18, 2013
Lydia and James waited a long time for the arrival of their daughter Miranda. Both parents and servants adore the child.
As everyone knows, the worst thing that can happen to parents is that harm befalls their child/children. When Grippen, the head vampire of London, kidnaps Miranda, Lydia is devastated; she immediately sends for James, who has been attending a conference in Rome. She also sends for Don Simon Ysidro, who manages to arrive before James.
Holding Miranda hostage, Grippen orders Lydia to find who is challenging Grippen's power.
When James returns home and joins Lydia and Don Simon in trying to discover who is killing vampires and to (somehow) determine where Grippen is holding Miranda.
Read as a NetGalley ARC, I immediately ordered the first in the series and reviewed it here.
Then the second in the series, reviewed here. By the time this review is scheduled, I will probably have read the third in the series.
NetGalley/Severn House
Supernatural/Fantasy. March 1, 2014. Print version: 256 pages.
January 4, 2014
When James Asher and his wife Lydia's baby daughter Miranda is kidnapped by the Master Vampire of London, the stakes are high: blindly follow the Master Vampire's instructions, keep out of the way of the human networks that serves the vampires, destroy the interloper who seeks to seize control of the London Nest, and find the key to the Nest's tortuous inner workings: The Book of the Kindred of Darkness.
Even with the vampire Don Simon Ysidro on their side, there's no guarantee that anything - or anyone - is who or what they appear to be. Nor is there any certainty that they'll see their child again - or survive the experience themselves.
The idea of a plot of kidnapping a child was not that appealing to me but I did understand the idea to get maximum motivation from the Ashers and while this was a decent novel it was not really up to the standards of the first 2 novels in this series.
All in all I think this was a more stressful novel and the sometimes tragic figure of Don Simon is what really makes these books for me. This is not quick reading, this is slowly evolving mystery at it's base type reading and although not the best in the series it is indeed highly recommended.
Even with the vampire Don Simon Ysidro on their side, there's no guarantee that anything - or anyone - is who or what they appear to be. Nor is there any certainty that they'll see their child again - or survive the experience themselves.
The idea of a plot of kidnapping a child was not that appealing to me but I did understand the idea to get maximum motivation from the Ashers and while this was a decent novel it was not really up to the standards of the first 2 novels in this series.
All in all I think this was a more stressful novel and the sometimes tragic figure of Don Simon is what really makes these books for me. This is not quick reading, this is slowly evolving mystery at it's base type reading and although not the best in the series it is indeed highly recommended.
April 5, 2014
Oh, how I loved this, especially as Lydia (not James) was the main POV.
The blurb gives a bit of an overview to the plot, but doesn't quite cover it. We learn a good bit about Lydia's backstory (basically, she was abused and bullied by a goodly number of people!) She is the prime driver of the story, as James is out of town when their daughter is kidnapped by Grippen, the vampire Master of London. All Lydia has to do to get her daughter and the daughter's nursemaid returned is locate the properties of a new vampire in town. Under no circumstance is Lydia to enter said buildings--leave that to Grippen and his minions.
So just what is Grippen looking for? That question drives the rest of the story.
Don Simon Isidro comes quickly to Lydia's aid and James soon returns from his foreign mission and the hunt for the strange vampire and Miranda begins in earnest. Along the way we meet an American millionaire(with a collection of very interesting books), his dreamy young daughter, her English fiance, and her(probable)vampire lover.
Marvelous addition to the series. I want more, please.
The blurb gives a bit of an overview to the plot, but doesn't quite cover it. We learn a good bit about Lydia's backstory (basically, she was abused and bullied by a goodly number of people!) She is the prime driver of the story, as James is out of town when their daughter is kidnapped by Grippen, the vampire Master of London. All Lydia has to do to get her daughter and the daughter's nursemaid returned is locate the properties of a new vampire in town. Under no circumstance is Lydia to enter said buildings--leave that to Grippen and his minions.
So just what is Grippen looking for? That question drives the rest of the story.
Don Simon Isidro comes quickly to Lydia's aid and James soon returns from his foreign mission and the hunt for the strange vampire and Miranda begins in earnest. Along the way we meet an American millionaire(with a collection of very interesting books), his dreamy young daughter, her English fiance, and her(probable)vampire lover.
Marvelous addition to the series. I want more, please.
November 6, 2014
In 1913, Lydia Asher's baby daughter is kidnapped by Grippen, the master vampire of London, in order to force Lydia to assist him in tracking down a rogue vampire newly arrived from the Balkans. Both Lydia's husband James and her vampire friend/lover/dude who might secretly be using Don Simon Ysidro her are out of the country, so Lydia tries to simultaneously keep any of her servants or family from realizing what's wrong, track down the Balkan vampire and save his victim (an American heiress who's very into vampire novels), track down her daughter's whereabouts and rescue her, track down Grippen's whereabouts and take bloody revenge, and wait for the guys to get back.
I think this was my favorite of the Asher books since the first one. I loved getting so much of Lydia's POV, and it was nice to have a plot that didn't center on spying and WWI. I've finished this series now (well, until the next book gets published; Hambly has talked some about writing it on her Facebook), and while I didn't like it quite as much as the January books, it was really good. Recommended to anyone who likes vampires!
I think this was my favorite of the Asher books since the first one. I loved getting so much of Lydia's POV, and it was nice to have a plot that didn't center on spying and WWI. I've finished this series now (well, until the next book gets published; Hambly has talked some about writing it on her Facebook), and while I didn't like it quite as much as the January books, it was really good. Recommended to anyone who likes vampires!
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