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Vampire Hunter D #9
Vampire Hunter D Volume 9: The Rose Princess
In Sakuri, a young woman is about to be sacrificed to the vampiric Noblewoman who reigns over the village. But before the princess can drain the life from the woman, a young man tries to slay the vampire. He fails and manages to escape, but in doing so incurs the wrath of the entire town. The citizens of Sakuri have entered into a pact with the Undead princess and her monstrous bodyguards. With the ritual offering disrupted, the vampire's armored bodyguards vow to murder the villagers one by one until the would-be hero is captured.
When Vampire Hunter D learns of the villagers' bargain he knows he faces several almost impossible challenges-can he rid the town of the parasitic demons that plague it? What if Sakuri's inhabitants don't want to be rescued? And can he uncover the secret that even the vampire Noble is afraid to speak?
* The lead character has also been the basis of a best-selling PlayStation console game.
When Vampire Hunter D learns of the villagers' bargain he knows he faces several almost impossible challenges-can he rid the town of the parasitic demons that plague it? What if Sakuri's inhabitants don't want to be rescued? And can he uncover the secret that even the vampire Noble is afraid to speak?
* The lead character has also been the basis of a best-selling PlayStation console game.
229 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 31, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
March 3, 2023
This is one of the better books in the series up to this point, I think. D is an extremely overpowered character done well. The story isn't usually about how he dominates all of his enemies with ease. It's usually about him trying to figure out a mystery while dangerous people test him in ways he doesn't expect, and sometimes get the better of him through unusual means that he's not prepared for. He's often placed in situations where his overwhelming power is useless, and the only thing that can get him out of trouble is using his brain and finding another way. He can absolutely destroy people in battle, but the stories he finds himself in don't often require it of him. It's very easy for a character as powerful and skilled as he is to come off as a Mary Sue, but he doesn't, because even with all of his power, he still has to struggle through finding the answers to the mystery before it's too late, all while grappling with the vampiric side of his nature. So, while he is extremely overpowered, he's still interesting to read about.
February 2, 2012
This point I think is where the VHD series is starting to pick up. The narrator finally gave us a break from describing D's attractiveness every other paragraph and got cracking at more of the interesting story setting. Though D still is amazing as ever (his sword can cut holograms apparently).
There are still the usual stock characters as to be expected. But in this case they work fairly well and the dilemma in the book is genuinely interesting. There isn't just a Vampire that needs to be destroyed, there are her four servants. But the main conflict in the story isn't with the monsters, it is in fact D versus the town, who feel nothing needs to be changed in their life. I'm trying not to spoil but seriously for me that was when the book stood out from the usual installments of the series.
The token girl side kick in this story I genuinely liked, she had a bit more character going on than the usual girl of the week. And her character arc I really enjoyed and felt that Kikuchi did some interesting things with her.
All in all - if you like D but were getting sick of them - I'd give this one a shot. If you don't like Vampire Hunter D this will not change your mind - it's still over the top cheese.
There are still the usual stock characters as to be expected. But in this case they work fairly well and the dilemma in the book is genuinely interesting. There isn't just a Vampire that needs to be destroyed, there are her four servants. But the main conflict in the story isn't with the monsters, it is in fact D versus the town, who feel nothing needs to be changed in their life. I'm trying not to spoil but seriously for me that was when the book stood out from the usual installments of the series.
The token girl side kick in this story I genuinely liked, she had a bit more character going on than the usual girl of the week. And her character arc I really enjoyed and felt that Kikuchi did some interesting things with her.
All in all - if you like D but were getting sick of them - I'd give this one a shot. If you don't like Vampire Hunter D this will not change your mind - it's still over the top cheese.
August 5, 2019
The beauty of the night.
Book after book, D runs into humans who want to become members of the Nobility, generally for venal reasons. The Rose Princess is the first book that really made me feel why someone would want to shun the sun and be forced to slumber the day away in a coffin, and have to drink the blood of the living to survive. There's a brief scene from the point of view of someone transformed into a servant of the Nobility, and it describes how the night air is full of enchanting scents and the moon and stars are both dazzling in their radiance. What's more, they're stronger than any human, able to take a gun butt to the face without flinching and send a man flying thirty feet with a casual blow. For someone on the fringes of their village, who feels like an outcast already, that kind of power must be impossible to resist, even if the cost is their humanity.
There's also a bit about the benefits of Noble rule. Sure, the people of Sacri have to go around with scarves on their necks, and sometimes their husbands or wives or children go missing, or come back and need to have a stake driven through their heart, but the village has plenty of food, right? It's protected from other threats. Other villages on the Frontier have to work twice as hard for a quarter as secure an existence, and anyway, wouldn't they lose enough people to monster attacks, or sickness, or bandits, or famine? They're fed, and safe. Mostly safe. Some sacrifices must be made.
No wonder it took ten thousand years to overthrow the Nobility.
The plot and action are pretty standard. D is superhuman and so are his enemies, they still die in one or two blows and sometimes gasp at the revelation that he's descended from the Sacred Ancestor, none of that has changed. I'm used to that by now. It's background. The best part of The Rose Princess is the mood, the feeling of an enchanting life of the night.
The days of the Nobility are fading. The princess's manor has fallen into ruin. But her roses are as beautiful as they have always been.
I started reading this before I moved to Japan, and I left it behind in America and never finished it. I didn't have any memory of it at all and it seems that's because I stopped before I got to the good part. The part with the knights and the village is prologue. It's the arc for the non-D characters that matters.
Previous Review: Mysterious Journey to the North Sea - Part Two.
Next Review: Dark Nocturne.
Book after book, D runs into humans who want to become members of the Nobility, generally for venal reasons. The Rose Princess is the first book that really made me feel why someone would want to shun the sun and be forced to slumber the day away in a coffin, and have to drink the blood of the living to survive. There's a brief scene from the point of view of someone transformed into a servant of the Nobility, and it describes how the night air is full of enchanting scents and the moon and stars are both dazzling in their radiance. What's more, they're stronger than any human, able to take a gun butt to the face without flinching and send a man flying thirty feet with a casual blow. For someone on the fringes of their village, who feels like an outcast already, that kind of power must be impossible to resist, even if the cost is their humanity.
There's also a bit about the benefits of Noble rule. Sure, the people of Sacri have to go around with scarves on their necks, and sometimes their husbands or wives or children go missing, or come back and need to have a stake driven through their heart, but the village has plenty of food, right? It's protected from other threats. Other villages on the Frontier have to work twice as hard for a quarter as secure an existence, and anyway, wouldn't they lose enough people to monster attacks, or sickness, or bandits, or famine? They're fed, and safe. Mostly safe. Some sacrifices must be made.
No wonder it took ten thousand years to overthrow the Nobility.
The plot and action are pretty standard. D is superhuman and so are his enemies, they still die in one or two blows and sometimes gasp at the revelation that he's descended from the Sacred Ancestor, none of that has changed. I'm used to that by now. It's background. The best part of The Rose Princess is the mood, the feeling of an enchanting life of the night.
The days of the Nobility are fading. The princess's manor has fallen into ruin. But her roses are as beautiful as they have always been.
I started reading this before I moved to Japan, and I left it behind in America and never finished it. I didn't have any memory of it at all and it seems that's because I stopped before I got to the good part. The part with the knights and the village is prologue. It's the arc for the non-D characters that matters.
Previous Review: Mysterious Journey to the North Sea - Part Two.
Next Review: Dark Nocturne.
April 13, 2023
all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: In a remote village the unthinkable is still happening, despite the time and age – member of Nobility, a vampire, known as Rose Princess, rules over humans. For the price of a hunt and blood, she makes them flourish, harvests always bountiful, unmatched. So, when D comes along, a question arises: is the price fair enough?…
My Opinion: A brat of a princess, and her four immortal, loyal to a fault knights against D, who just wanted to explore some ruins in peace. This book is absolutely packed with twisting action, where you can never know who’s foe, and who’s friend. Additionally, the plot twist was superb, unexpected, but well served. My only complaints would be that despite how well the side characters were constructed – passing with logic is never an acceptable propeller for the story. But, other than that, smooth reading.
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: In a remote village the unthinkable is still happening, despite the time and age – member of Nobility, a vampire, known as Rose Princess, rules over humans. For the price of a hunt and blood, she makes them flourish, harvests always bountiful, unmatched. So, when D comes along, a question arises: is the price fair enough?…
My Opinion: A brat of a princess, and her four immortal, loyal to a fault knights against D, who just wanted to explore some ruins in peace. This book is absolutely packed with twisting action, where you can never know who’s foe, and who’s friend. Additionally, the plot twist was superb, unexpected, but well served. My only complaints would be that despite how well the side characters were constructed – passing with logic is never an acceptable propeller for the story. But, other than that, smooth reading.
August 1, 2023
This is the ninth book that I've read featuring our favourite dhampir; D.
In this tale he goes to a frontier town (as usual) called Sakuri to help the villagers. Whom contract him? We don't know. And neither is important since this is the plot of the vast majorities of vampire hunter d novels. So if you've read one, you read almost all (so far). Although in this one you had interesting opponents (the knights and vampire) and you had to think how D was going to set things right. One of my complains is the battle scenes which I think is Kikuchi weakest writing... 8/10
So some spoilers...
Vampire Hunter D is contracted to kill a noble, there is a teen, usually 17 or so who has ample breasts and is enamoured with D. D does not care about her and only with Killing. There is some tribulations, usually barely an inconvenience and in the end all is solved.
There is some changes on all stories but that's it. Who is D? Why his left hand talks and where does it come from? These questions and not asked or solved and no info is given. Vampire Hunter D is a boy-Mary Sue. He doesn't have problems, he is way above everybody else and nobody can "touch" him, he is never wrong and can never be at fault. Who and he is almost never defeated and if he is; he will come back even more powerful.
This tale has some divergences from what I mentioned. In this he almost finds his match, his sword breaks and he has to speed up his solving capabilities. It was a good book, one of the bests for Vampire Hunter D that most of the times come a bit generic. Good lady protagonist. She is young as expected but she is owner of herself not a push over or damsel in distress (although she is)
The main plot the book synopsis hints is a bit misleading. There is an agreement yes, not written and a bit of stockholm sydrome (probably there's another word for it) It's like in a ww2 where people were killed in a village, the villagers decide well nazis weren't that bad.... at least we have no more crime and they built stuff, true people die and disappear but it's a price we are willing to make.
In this tale he goes to a frontier town (as usual) called Sakuri to help the villagers. Whom contract him? We don't know. And neither is important since this is the plot of the vast majorities of vampire hunter d novels. So if you've read one, you read almost all (so far). Although in this one you had interesting opponents (the knights and vampire) and you had to think how D was going to set things right. One of my complains is the battle scenes which I think is Kikuchi weakest writing... 8/10
So some spoilers...
Vampire Hunter D is contracted to kill a noble, there is a teen, usually 17 or so who has ample breasts and is enamoured with D. D does not care about her and only with Killing. There is some tribulations, usually barely an inconvenience and in the end all is solved.
There is some changes on all stories but that's it. Who is D? Why his left hand talks and where does it come from? These questions and not asked or solved and no info is given. Vampire Hunter D is a boy-Mary Sue. He doesn't have problems, he is way above everybody else and nobody can "touch" him, he is never wrong and can never be at fault. Who and he is almost never defeated and if he is; he will come back even more powerful.
This tale has some divergences from what I mentioned. In this he almost finds his match, his sword breaks and he has to speed up his solving capabilities. It was a good book, one of the bests for Vampire Hunter D that most of the times come a bit generic. Good lady protagonist. She is young as expected but she is owner of herself not a push over or damsel in distress (although she is)
The main plot the book synopsis hints is a bit misleading. There is an agreement yes, not written and a bit of stockholm sydrome (probably there's another word for it) It's like in a ww2 where people were killed in a village, the villagers decide well nazis weren't that bad.... at least we have no more crime and they built stuff, true people die and disappear but it's a price we are willing to make.
September 23, 2013
This book's status as being the 9th book of a terrible series has caused me to give it such a low rating. I've already ranted about what is wrong with this series. I don't know if it's the translation, but I really don't want to give it that much credit.
I've had it. No more. I'm tired of reading about the infallible D who is never in danger, who is always perfect, beautiful, mesmerizing, and mysterious, and who never talks. I didn't give a rat's ass about any of the characters in this story; I couldn't connect with any of them. In fact, the entire plot line could've fit into a short 20 page story, and yet it stretched out into a god-awful 200 page book. Every single scene was longer than necessary and most of the time, I stopped trying to figure out what was actually happening in the scene because things jumped around so often and didn't make a lot of coherent sense or went off on unrelated tangents. The weird deal with the roses sounded just as stupid as sparkling vampires from "Twilight," and their origin/purpose was never explained anyway. I finished this book still not really following the point of it. I still didn't figure out what the knights were (not like I really cared) and it bothered me that the somewhat sympathetic heroine was killed by the end. And honestly, couldn't D have just stabbed the princess in the beginning instead of the end? Jesus, even the resolution after that (when it is revealed how D knew so much about the town) was lacking.
This book was bad enough that I would actually prefer picking up "Eclipse" than the next installment. Yeah, it was that bad.
I've had it. No more. I'm tired of reading about the infallible D who is never in danger, who is always perfect, beautiful, mesmerizing, and mysterious, and who never talks. I didn't give a rat's ass about any of the characters in this story; I couldn't connect with any of them. In fact, the entire plot line could've fit into a short 20 page story, and yet it stretched out into a god-awful 200 page book. Every single scene was longer than necessary and most of the time, I stopped trying to figure out what was actually happening in the scene because things jumped around so often and didn't make a lot of coherent sense or went off on unrelated tangents. The weird deal with the roses sounded just as stupid as sparkling vampires from "Twilight," and their origin/purpose was never explained anyway. I finished this book still not really following the point of it. I still didn't figure out what the knights were (not like I really cared) and it bothered me that the somewhat sympathetic heroine was killed by the end. And honestly, couldn't D have just stabbed the princess in the beginning instead of the end? Jesus, even the resolution after that (when it is revealed how D knew so much about the town) was lacking.
This book was bad enough that I would actually prefer picking up "Eclipse" than the next installment. Yeah, it was that bad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2009
meh...had trouble finishing, though eventually I made it. Basically the luster of VampyD has worn itself away...The plots are usually the same, very formulaic with D appearing mysteriously to help vampire-plagued person/people, spunky girl who is a decent fighter, and a host of crazy monster fighters who are out of this world. There are sooo many out-of-this-world fighters that it's just not interesting anymore to see them one-up each other. Character-building is as flat as ever, and in a long-running series like this where the plot is recycled, characters are very very important. There was some promise, as a couple of the antagonists had murky motivations and interesting shades of honor, but in the end, it was all stamped flat and not explored.
June 27, 2018
As far as Vampire Hunter D stories go, this was one of the best. The ending was REALLY satisfying in a weird way. In terms of overall progress of the overall story, D is still D, villains are considerably better than in other books and his hand is still his hand. Author continues to leave weird stuff open to interpretation, which feels like lazy writing and not planning the story ahead. However there were a couple of details that I want to see expanded in the next book!
Really liked it!
Really liked it!
June 30, 2023
The Vampire Hunter D series has always been a pulpy good time but this entry nudged into trashy territory. Elena is a terribly obnoxious character and I disliked reading her scenes which sucked because she was a large part of the overall plot. This story still managed to entertain me but this novel ended up being the weakest in the series thus far.
January 14, 2024
4.5 ✧
This is pleasantly unbelievable.
At long last, I can say that I'm finally wholly satisfied with one book of this series.
Some were terrible, so bad that I couldn't bring myself to push through. Some were... Decent, but had so many flaws, and repetitive ones at that, which also were so hard to overlook while gliding through the pages. Some were overall good enough, but those just mentioned flaws persisted, or the plot was very long and hard to push through.
This one, this one is good (taking into account and according to the standards I've mentally set for this series, that is. Nevertheless,) in lieu of the usual disappointment, or the book which left me basically empty handed, this book unexpectedly gifted me with a pleasant read.
Is it that I'm just speaking out of the usual overwhelming sensations which pervade me whenever I finish a book, making every emotion stir more strongly than normal (or, dumbing it out, am I just making a big deal out of nothing simply due to the temporary post-read excitement)?
Perhaps. Could be. Just as it happened with every review I've ever written.
Why not 5✧?
In spite of what I've said, the predictable, customary "Kikuchi-ian" (haha) flaws undeniably persist in this book, as well - although, remarkably and shockingly less.
What I've never really understood of this series (this one might simply be due to my own lack of brainpower) is the way we're so often put to read so much about the human characters, rather than the Nobles/vampires; wasn't this a vampire novel?
Well, in this book there's actually more vampire content than usual, which gladdens me.
The human characters are always so dull... Plain... Flat... I've regrettably been able to enjoy only Su-In's personality (from the *Mysterious journey to the north sea* duology) and Granny Viper as a whole character (from Pilgrimage of the sacred and the profane), out of all the books of this series I've read.
In this book, particularly, Elena (the heroine) almost felt... Unnecessary, to me.
However, luckily not so much narrative space was dedicated to the humans, as previously mentioned.
The Knights truly carried this one.
Ah, Black Knight deserved so much better.
In addition, there goes another flaw: WHY SO LITTLE PAPER-TIME TO THE WHITE KNIGHT??? I constantly believed that the author was building up hype for his glorious, epic and destructive arrival, AND THEN???
IT LASTED ONE PAGE, AT MOST
I was bewildered
Another one was the ending... I liked it but, as much as it was predictable to some extent, it was way too rushed; there was a sort of plot twist too, which didn't really make any sense but the author basically "explained" through the postscript.
But alright. I like it when these shitty heroines suffer, so hehe.
Lastly, I feel like some things could've been entirely skipped (the part regarding Elena in the forest) while others should've been explored further into details (the whole ass ruins affair??? Wasn't that left completely untold? Or did I miss something)
Nonetheless, at the same time, I'm also glad this was kept short. I finished this book in basically a day, and it went by smoothly. The previous one(s) were truly a burden to finish as books, and this one was a sort of relief. If the author made this longer, it would've ruined the whole thing, without much doubt - still, I feel like some things were prioritized and others weren't without much criteria.
I would've liked to know more about the villains, too. They often have potential, but it's NEVER explored and exploited to its full extent. Sigh!
Ah that's it. I'm pleased with the story setting, and all the rest, blah blah. I'm quite tired of writing as you can probably tell, haha.
Happy I've read this!
Ps: I fucking love it when D is UTTERLY APATHETICAL and absolutely ignores people. I crave more of it; like when people beg for him and he acts aloof as if he's clueless, or simply walks away. Awesome.
This is pleasantly unbelievable.
At long last, I can say that I'm finally wholly satisfied with one book of this series.
Some were terrible, so bad that I couldn't bring myself to push through. Some were... Decent, but had so many flaws, and repetitive ones at that, which also were so hard to overlook while gliding through the pages. Some were overall good enough, but those just mentioned flaws persisted, or the plot was very long and hard to push through.
This one, this one is good (taking into account and according to the standards I've mentally set for this series, that is. Nevertheless,) in lieu of the usual disappointment, or the book which left me basically empty handed, this book unexpectedly gifted me with a pleasant read.
Is it that I'm just speaking out of the usual overwhelming sensations which pervade me whenever I finish a book, making every emotion stir more strongly than normal (or, dumbing it out, am I just making a big deal out of nothing simply due to the temporary post-read excitement)?
Perhaps. Could be. Just as it happened with every review I've ever written.
Why not 5✧?
In spite of what I've said, the predictable, customary "Kikuchi-ian" (haha) flaws undeniably persist in this book, as well - although, remarkably and shockingly less.
What I've never really understood of this series (this one might simply be due to my own lack of brainpower) is the way we're so often put to read so much about the human characters, rather than the Nobles/vampires; wasn't this a vampire novel?
Well, in this book there's actually more vampire content than usual, which gladdens me.
The human characters are always so dull... Plain... Flat... I've regrettably been able to enjoy only Su-In's personality (from the *Mysterious journey to the north sea* duology) and Granny Viper as a whole character (from Pilgrimage of the sacred and the profane), out of all the books of this series I've read.
In this book, particularly, Elena (the heroine) almost felt... Unnecessary, to me.
However, luckily not so much narrative space was dedicated to the humans, as previously mentioned.
The Knights truly carried this one.
Ah, Black Knight deserved so much better.
In addition, there goes another flaw: WHY SO LITTLE PAPER-TIME TO THE WHITE KNIGHT??? I constantly believed that the author was building up hype for his glorious, epic and destructive arrival, AND THEN???
IT LASTED ONE PAGE, AT MOST
I was bewildered
Another one was the ending... I liked it but, as much as it was predictable to some extent, it was way too rushed; there was a sort of plot twist too, which didn't really make any sense but the author basically "explained" through the postscript.
But alright. I like it when these shitty heroines suffer, so hehe.
Lastly, I feel like some things could've been entirely skipped (the part regarding Elena in the forest) while others should've been explored further into details (the whole ass ruins affair??? Wasn't that left completely untold? Or did I miss something)
Nonetheless, at the same time, I'm also glad this was kept short. I finished this book in basically a day, and it went by smoothly. The previous one(s) were truly a burden to finish as books, and this one was a sort of relief. If the author made this longer, it would've ruined the whole thing, without much doubt - still, I feel like some things were prioritized and others weren't without much criteria.
I would've liked to know more about the villains, too. They often have potential, but it's NEVER explored and exploited to its full extent. Sigh!
Ah that's it. I'm pleased with the story setting, and all the rest, blah blah. I'm quite tired of writing as you can probably tell, haha.
Happy I've read this!
Ps: I fucking love it when D is UTTERLY APATHETICAL and absolutely ignores people. I crave more of it; like when people beg for him and he acts aloof as if he's clueless, or simply walks away. Awesome.
November 20, 2023
For being a 'shorter' book, this one took me a little while to read and to get into. The beginning was weird, and until the end, didn't really tie to the story. At times, the story seemed disjointed, several ideas, that loosely tied together, but didn't really relate... all said, though, Kikuchi continues creating a vast and creative world surrounding D. So much to unpack, so much creativity, and some really neat ideas.
This was the first Dramatized Audiobook version from this series I listened to, and was not a huge fan of it, but got used to it after a bit. The main 'narrator' was slow, and a little bland, but the 'voice' actors were good. I was used to the 'regular' audiobook narration, so hearing D and the carbuncle in different voices took some getting used to.
I enjoyed it, and will continue the series as I am able to.
This was the first Dramatized Audiobook version from this series I listened to, and was not a huge fan of it, but got used to it after a bit. The main 'narrator' was slow, and a little bland, but the 'voice' actors were good. I was used to the 'regular' audiobook narration, so hearing D and the carbuncle in different voices took some getting used to.
I enjoyed it, and will continue the series as I am able to.
December 11, 2024
A ‘noble’ princess requires the local people to feed her sacrifices or … ***checks notes***
…die.
She has fancy coloured knights, red, blue, black and white. And she’d like D to kill them for her… she’s bored, and they are effectively keeping her trapped in this castle and this region - which is good and bad for the local people. Acceptable losses? those kind of arguments are made.
I love the way in these novels, none of the ‘usual’ story rules seem to apply to these books. First POV is the victim who dies in like, eight pages…
bit of a twist at the end of this one. Flawed heroine?
4 stars
…die.
She has fancy coloured knights, red, blue, black and white. And she’d like D to kill them for her… she’s bored, and they are effectively keeping her trapped in this castle and this region - which is good and bad for the local people. Acceptable losses? those kind of arguments are made.
I love the way in these novels, none of the ‘usual’ story rules seem to apply to these books. First POV is the victim who dies in like, eight pages…
bit of a twist at the end of this one. Flawed heroine?
4 stars
February 25, 2017
Not sure what to make of this story. Yes I am a fan of D since I saw the first movie, but since then 9 books into the series, I still do not know any much more about D then I did by the end of that first movie. D is more talkative in this book then the others, but I think there was a lot of the book that was unnecessary then the final battle was very rushed. What I mean is a lot of the book is postering around between D, the Knights and the Princess, then all the real fighting went down in the last 30 pages. Then by the end of the book I still had no idea what the roses were about.
November 15, 2023
A return to form. Using all the classic elements of the series to his advantage, Kikuchi has successfully reclaimed my intense interest in this series by creating a short story about a princess in a castle, noble knights saving her, and a sinister assassin - reversed and subverted, building on the established lore brick by further brick, and all without the bloat of the last entry.
A focus on a smaller, consistent cast of characters worked very well in its favour. And what a twist ending. So far this is absolutely within my top 3 VHD so far!
A focus on a smaller, consistent cast of characters worked very well in its favour. And what a twist ending. So far this is absolutely within my top 3 VHD so far!
August 27, 2025
This only stood out to me because the atmosphere felt vibrant and different, with the plot being a refreshing change compared to D's usual "kill X to save Y". Granted, enemies still die swiftly (and that probably won't change with this series, seeing how Kikuchi wrote D to be essentially invincible) but some of the later villains were interesting enough to bump this up to 5 stars, despite the expected cheese of VHD
June 20, 2021
Another good addition to the Vampire Hunter D series. D's interactions with the four rose knights were cool. Story felt a bit confusing just for confusion sake at times and, like other novels in the series. Some of the passages have to be reread because they just don't make sense. Think that's more of a translation issue as this is Japanese to English. Anyways, a fun, quick action packed story.
October 14, 2018
Easily the worst in the series so far, if taken chronologically. Was going to give it two stars for poor story, flat characters, and terrible pacing. But the heavy handed resolutions in the last chapter left it it with no redemptive potential.
March 26, 2020
I found several vampire hunter d books at my local dollar tree, and was really excited! Easy, fun read that holds true to the idea of D (from the anime at least) This is the first one I've read, and I really liked it.
April 1, 2022
Another good volume. In this one D meets a vampire princess protected by four powerful knights. He has been tasked with ending the princess, but must go through the knights in order to do so.
Pretty typical Vampire Hunter D adventure, but's a good thing.
Pretty typical Vampire Hunter D adventure, but's a good thing.
June 18, 2025
A good entry in the Vampire Hunter D series, Has a very weak first half with only 1 or 2 boring fights, but the 2nd half steps things up. Wouldn't say it's an iconic book in the series like the first book or Demon Deathchase, but still enjoyable with a good dark ending.
October 10, 2023
Probably one of the better VHD books. The writing is pretty poorly done (or maybe it just doesn't translate well), but I always find these books campy and nostalgic.
November 3, 2023
As always, a disturbing delight to read.
February 11, 2025
less of D, which was actually nice. A lot of other characters with tragic and betrayed loyalties. More cool creatures as well.
August 5, 2024
I was really enjoying this one. It focuses on a solid set of characters, though the village is somewhat underdeveloped. The villains are cool, especially the head taker and wraith knights. My big issue is with the ending. D makes a really callous decision, and Kikuchi tries to contrast it with a character that the reader barely knows. It's a shame because I really enjoyed it, and with some stronger choices, this could easily have been a four or five star story.
September 22, 2016
This is the fourth book in the series I read, after Vampire Hunter D Volume 06: Pilgrimage of the Sacred and the ProfanePilgrimage of the Sacred and the Profane and <Vampire Hunter D Volume 07: Mysterious Journey to the North Sea - Part OneMysterious Journey to the North Sea Parts I and II.
So, I'm two novels (technically) and both movies in. I gotta say, this book isn't what I was expecting. The titular character of the Rose Princess is interesting primarily for the bizarre, childish way she speaks. For much of the novel, her presence is only a hologram, and she keeps her coffin hidden from D, who only wants to slay her and move on. The dame of the hour here is... uh, hang on, I have to look up her name... Elena, a biker and leader of a local gang who has a brutal streak. Elena is just not very interesting compared to other heroines in previous books.
What really is of interest are the knights who guard the Rose Princess. They are humans modified to live for hundreds of years. Depending on how long they have been in service, their personalities differ. The Blue Knight is reckless; the Red Knight wants to be honorable; the Black Knight is torn between loyalty to the Princess and the knowledge that she doesn't truly care about them. The White Knight, oldest of them all, is consumed by bloodlust and completely insane. He dwells in the catacombs beneath the castle, fighting enemies the Princess conjures up each day, until she trots him out to wreak havoc on the village. The Black Knight is obviously the most interesting; he even shows hints of humanity. I was almost sad to see them go.
Since the translation is vastly improving as the books progress, I must say it was a much more enjoyable experience to read this than it was with Raiser of Gales. I am excited to continue.
So, I'm two novels (technically) and both movies in. I gotta say, this book isn't what I was expecting. The titular character of the Rose Princess is interesting primarily for the bizarre, childish way she speaks. For much of the novel, her presence is only a hologram, and she keeps her coffin hidden from D, who only wants to slay her and move on. The dame of the hour here is... uh, hang on, I have to look up her name... Elena, a biker and leader of a local gang who has a brutal streak. Elena is just not very interesting compared to other heroines in previous books.
What really is of interest are the knights who guard the Rose Princess. They are humans modified to live for hundreds of years. Depending on how long they have been in service, their personalities differ. The Blue Knight is reckless; the Red Knight wants to be honorable; the Black Knight is torn between loyalty to the Princess and the knowledge that she doesn't truly care about them. The White Knight, oldest of them all, is consumed by bloodlust and completely insane. He dwells in the catacombs beneath the castle, fighting enemies the Princess conjures up each day, until she trots him out to wreak havoc on the village. The Black Knight is obviously the most interesting; he even shows hints of humanity. I was almost sad to see them go.
Since the translation is vastly improving as the books progress, I must say it was a much more enjoyable experience to read this than it was with Raiser of Gales. I am excited to continue.
November 11, 2020
The Rose Princess (Vampire Hunter D Vol. 9). By Hideo Kikuchi, English translation by Kevin Leahy, Illustrator: Yoshitaka Amano. 2007. Dark Horse Press/Digital Manga Publishing. ISBN 1595821090 (paperback).
Generations ago, the world ended; ravaged by man’s madness. But from the ashes, the surviving humans were privileged to witness the dawn of a new race...a Noble race...Vampires. Very few heroes remain to protect mortals from the Nobility. Hideo Kikuchi’s series chronicles the adventures of possibly the greatest of these heroes; a vampire hunter named D.
Not everything is coming up roses for D as his latest hunt takes him to a village on the far reaches of the Northern Frontier. D’s intent is to rid the village of a vampiric Noblewoman who resides in the nearby ruins and calls herself a princess. The problem is, he’ll first have to defeat her four bodyguards known as the Knights of the Diane Rose, and...the villagers don’t seem too keen on being free from the princess’s ‘protection.’
While the approach of D taking on one opponent at a time is becoming lackluster, Kikuchi’s signature blend of horror and apocalyptic science fiction still delivers another enjoyable addition to the series. Initially published in Japan in 1994, this translated work contains the original illustrations by Amano, a 2007 postscript by the author, and a preview of the next translated book.
Generations ago, the world ended; ravaged by man’s madness. But from the ashes, the surviving humans were privileged to witness the dawn of a new race...a Noble race...Vampires. Very few heroes remain to protect mortals from the Nobility. Hideo Kikuchi’s series chronicles the adventures of possibly the greatest of these heroes; a vampire hunter named D.
Not everything is coming up roses for D as his latest hunt takes him to a village on the far reaches of the Northern Frontier. D’s intent is to rid the village of a vampiric Noblewoman who resides in the nearby ruins and calls herself a princess. The problem is, he’ll first have to defeat her four bodyguards known as the Knights of the Diane Rose, and...the villagers don’t seem too keen on being free from the princess’s ‘protection.’
While the approach of D taking on one opponent at a time is becoming lackluster, Kikuchi’s signature blend of horror and apocalyptic science fiction still delivers another enjoyable addition to the series. Initially published in Japan in 1994, this translated work contains the original illustrations by Amano, a 2007 postscript by the author, and a preview of the next translated book.
February 26, 2008
This VHD book is interesting. Kikuchi sort of abandons his normal method of introducing guys with sweet abilities in favor of setting up a scenario for D to overcome against a Noble princess who is oppressing a town and her four bodyguards, knights each of a different color. The knights still have abilities, but they are only mentioned in passing, if at all. The book is more about the relationships between the knights, the princess, D, and the town.
D does come the closest to being defeated in this book of any that I have read, but still manages to win in the end, of course. There are some interesting twists to this story that go outside of the normal realm of a D book and help explore his character in a more indepth way than Kikuchi usually allows.
I will also note that either the writing or the translation of these books continues to get better as they go along, so nice work Mr. Kikuchi or Mr. Leahy, whichever it is.
D does come the closest to being defeated in this book of any that I have read, but still manages to win in the end, of course. There are some interesting twists to this story that go outside of the normal realm of a D book and help explore his character in a more indepth way than Kikuchi usually allows.
I will also note that either the writing or the translation of these books continues to get better as they go along, so nice work Mr. Kikuchi or Mr. Leahy, whichever it is.
November 27, 2013
This IS a book for the fans of the series who do not mind how repetitive it is; once you get past that point, it is one of the better ones.
I enjoyed it, but purely because I do not mind the use of the same devices that the author uses in each book- the plot that is made of the same parts (a town in distress, D comes along, D struggles, etc etc); but I do like the world building and the range of monsters and creatures. I think in a way there is a lot of creativity involved here, although the style of writing is a bit stiff and there is a lot of repetition (which you notice the more the more books from the series you have read). I would definitely say, if you like the series, you might enjoy it, if you are not a fan of D and his handsomeness and awesomeness, then you will probably find it boring.
March 8, 2011
Well, like most Vampire Hunter D books this one suffers from too many purple prose, and the unwavering perfection of the main character. I'm referring to the constant reminders of D's beauty and infallible skill at killing things stronger than he is. It gets old after a while. These novels read like just passable fanfiction, and I'm not sure it it's actually because of the author, or the translation, or a combination of both.
Now despite all that the Rose princess is an interesting story. It doesn't actually focus on D as much as other novels. This volume even manages to have a female heroine that kicks a lot of ass. Even the villian is interesting.
This light novel makes for good brain candy and is a quick read.
Now despite all that the Rose princess is an interesting story. It doesn't actually focus on D as much as other novels. This volume even manages to have a female heroine that kicks a lot of ass. Even the villian is interesting.
This light novel makes for good brain candy and is a quick read.
April 2, 2012
Probably my favorite of the Vampire D books, but I've always been a sucker for takes on the "knight in shining armor" trope, and this books does a few nice spins on it that please me. It's got a nice take on the whole "D fights vampires" concept as well, with things becoming a bit more complicated that usual.
The mesh of apocalyptic fantasy and sci-fi that D's world is filled with is an enjoyable one. characters are unique and the monsters absolutely bonkers as usual. But like all D books, don't expect a happy ending with this one.
The problem with this, and well, ALL Vampire Hunter D books is that YES, we KNOW D is orgasmically attractive please stop reminding us of how beautiful he is okay?
The mesh of apocalyptic fantasy and sci-fi that D's world is filled with is an enjoyable one. characters are unique and the monsters absolutely bonkers as usual. But like all D books, don't expect a happy ending with this one.
The problem with this, and well, ALL Vampire Hunter D books is that YES, we KNOW D is orgasmically attractive please stop reminding us of how beautiful he is okay?
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