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Vampire Hunter D #10
Vampire Hunter D Volume 10: Dark Nocturne
In the title story, "Dark Nocturne," D is hired to unlock the secret of a siren's song that is drawing men in their twenties to their deaths in the hills outside Anise Village. In "Notes on Imagined Autumn" D finds himself caught between two lovers during a ritualistic sacrifice in the village of Shirley's Door, but if D can't stop the sacrifice will all in the village be doomed? And in "Legend of the War Demons" two living weapons, genetically engineered creatures who are the last remnants of a war waged hundreds of years in the past, find that battle is not so easily forgotten. It's up to D to stop their unending conflict before it consumes the present as it did the past.
231 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 16, 2023
all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: Lured by a song that shouldn’t be travelers find their demise searching for it in one of the remote villages. In another one, villagers sacrifice young ones to the risen member of nobility, hoping to protect the rest. And in another one still, everyone wants to be rid of one young woman who is nothing but kind. And yet, seemingly protected by supernatural guardians, she puts fear into people’s hearts. At this rate, Vampire Hunter D will never be out of work.
My Opinion: Book consists out of three stand-alone stories that are likely only connected by chronology. And while characters are all bland and not memorable, seems to be they’re made so by design, as D doesn’t linger, he has his own problems to solve, and questions to answer. Whether we’ll ever get told directly who his da.. ugh, father is, remains to be seen. Book would be enjoyed by those who liked what Castlevania did.
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: Lured by a song that shouldn’t be travelers find their demise searching for it in one of the remote villages. In another one, villagers sacrifice young ones to the risen member of nobility, hoping to protect the rest. And in another one still, everyone wants to be rid of one young woman who is nothing but kind. And yet, seemingly protected by supernatural guardians, she puts fear into people’s hearts. At this rate, Vampire Hunter D will never be out of work.
My Opinion: Book consists out of three stand-alone stories that are likely only connected by chronology. And while characters are all bland and not memorable, seems to be they’re made so by design, as D doesn’t linger, he has his own problems to solve, and questions to answer. Whether we’ll ever get told directly who his da.. ugh, father is, remains to be seen. Book would be enjoyed by those who liked what Castlevania did.
September 18, 2023
This was a very interesting novel, although not my favourite. The reason was the format (for both reasons). First of all, as you know, if you are reading 10 novel, you know that each story before is individual and no connection between them (very few exceptions). You could read any novel and don't lose anything in terms of character development or story wise because as you all know, there isn't any. D, the main protagonist, exists and is in all the books but the really story and character development is done by characters you will never see again, since they will change with each book. You know as much as in the first book and as this one. OK, probably the first do tell about the world and a bit about D but , apart from the first novel, that's it. Stagnation. What's the purpose of D? Being a vampire hunter killing nobles (vampires). But okay, so what's next? what's the big goal behind? You don't know. Who is he? It's hinted by other characters that he may be the son of D... and every time is cut off. (D being Dracula , the noblest of vampires, the king of vampires. Does he exist at all? We don't know because apart from , what two mentions in the last 10 novels, nothing is know). How is the world? Well , we also don't know. We know that Nobles conquered earth and have been there for 10,000 years and now, or for some time being dwindling. Why? Well, we don't know again. Probably is D since he easily dispatch noble after noble for 10,000 years lol. If killed one noble a year that's 10,000 nobles. OH well, I digress. Yes, my main problem and my love is the world. There is a capital where things are evolved and the rest of the world is called the Frontier (rather strange but whatever) unfortunately, apart from small villages we never saw or understand what the capital is/was.
So, this novels, au contraire of all others, are basically three short stories. A new thing he tried and to me didn't work as much as the novel. Usually the other characters are more developed, there are more battles and worldbuilding kind of exist, here, since it's a short format nothing is really given....
But then why am I reading this? Do I even enjoy it? To be honest I am bit of bored by it. I am feeling a bit bored by everything. Since is translated sometimes it's clunky. This was written almost for doing anime movies, with beautiful backgrounds, beautiful main character, flashy battles and unto the monster of next week. I really hope next novels improved. I Have more 20 to read LOL. I am not going to read one per month liked I wanted... Probably next one in November.
Oh about this novel, three stories one by an ancient monsters that sing people to died.. it was a bit of strange tale, I hoped for more and it was very convoluted. The second one was boring beyond belief - although I Saw something I saw in the second novel. Finally D is killed (I am kidding of course, he can't die. Even with arrow on his heart) and the third was the better one. Two ancient monsters who are destined to be enemies due to their masters (Who have long been dead). One doesn't want to fight but is compelled while the other transforms and forgets what she did in that time. Only D can save the day. 6/10
So, this novels, au contraire of all others, are basically three short stories. A new thing he tried and to me didn't work as much as the novel. Usually the other characters are more developed, there are more battles and worldbuilding kind of exist, here, since it's a short format nothing is really given....
But then why am I reading this? Do I even enjoy it? To be honest I am bit of bored by it. I am feeling a bit bored by everything. Since is translated sometimes it's clunky. This was written almost for doing anime movies, with beautiful backgrounds, beautiful main character, flashy battles and unto the monster of next week. I really hope next novels improved. I Have more 20 to read LOL. I am not going to read one per month liked I wanted... Probably next one in November.
Oh about this novel, three stories one by an ancient monsters that sing people to died.. it was a bit of strange tale, I hoped for more and it was very convoluted. The second one was boring beyond belief - although I Saw something I saw in the second novel. Finally D is killed (I am kidding of course, he can't die. Even with arrow on his heart) and the third was the better one. Two ancient monsters who are destined to be enemies due to their masters (Who have long been dead). One doesn't want to fight but is compelled while the other transforms and forgets what she did in that time. Only D can save the day. 6/10
April 22, 2022
This is the first (and I think only) collection of novellas in the Vampire Hunter D series. While I'm a fan of short stories, these really didn't work so well. Part of it may be that Kikuchi is just better suited to writing novels, as I think the character would work well in any format. Most of the Vampire Hunter D novels are fairly short anyway, so I guess shortening them down further just felt like rushing things. The three stories included here are all decent, but they all felt like something was missing. Rather than feeling like short stories, they felt like novels that had been condensed.
It was still a good read, and what I'd like to see is a collection of Vampire Hunter D short stories by may different authors. I'm sure there are plenty of writers that would love to play in D's world! (I know I would!)
It was still a good read, and what I'd like to see is a collection of Vampire Hunter D short stories by may different authors. I'm sure there are plenty of writers that would love to play in D's world! (I know I would!)
April 16, 2025
As I've mentioned before, Vampire Hunter D books tend to fall into a pattern. The Sacred Ancestor, or sometimes other members of the Nobility, did some experiment long ago. D shows up just as the experiment comes to fruition, as do a few wandering psychopaths with bizarre supernatural powers. They tangle with D, fighting him once and losing, getting away to vow revenge, and then dying unceremoniously the next time they encounter him. D tries his best but the tragedy cannot be averted, and he rides off into the night. People constantly say how beautiful and sad he is. The end.
That's all well and good, but it's more palatable in short story form.
I didn't realize that Dark Nocturne was a set of short stories when I opened it, but as soon as I realized that I was excited. The essential D story without any of the faffing around? I'd prefer something that shakes it up, or an enemy that can actually threaten D realistically, or D to show some emotion--part of the reason I like Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust in retrospect is that D actually shows emotion in the movie--but I recognize these books are gothic horror fluff so I won't complain too much.
"Dark Nocturne," the title piece, involves a young man traveling to a town where his father once heard a song that he could never properly replicate but which has resounded in the man's head for his entire life. He came to the village to hear the song and learns a legend about a strange figure that came there, singing, and led some of the villagers away around the time his father visited the village. Of course it was a Noble experiment, and of course it goes wrong. Though whether there's a tragic ending or not is unclear.
There's another one of those beauty of the night sections, where the young man asks D about the stories of the Nobility, and D says that most of them are horror stories but that there were a few that were wonderful. An ancient Noble machine that cured someone's incurable disease, or tales of the Nobility's travel to the moon and the stars. The music is almost the same, being another Noble experiment designed to remove their dependancy on blood-drinking. But what is a vampire without a lust for blood? And that's why all their experiments fail except one. And that can't be repeated.
"Ode to an Imagined Fall" featured a village, beautiful in the autumn with falling leaves that change to a vibrant and glorious color, so it immediately made me remember Momijidani Park on Miyajima. D is hired by an old woman who suspects that a Noble is lurking around and wants to prevent the village's usual practice of sacrificing someone to prevent the attacks, but the situation is soon confused. Two people are found with their throats torn out, which isn't usually the feeding practice of the Nobility. Soon it becomes obvious that there are multiple assailants, and one of them isn't a Noble.
The tragedy here kind of came out of nowhere and I'm not sure how I could have predicted it from the beginning, but I liked all the fall imagery. Fall is my favorite season and I love-leaf viewing, even in a Frontier village with monsters and Noble attacks. That was the best part of the story for me--it was the weakest of the three.
"Legend of the War Fiends," which should be a metal album but is also acceptable as a story title, starts with a Noble castle with a functioning reactor, the entire output of which has been pouring down into some sealed experiment below. Soon after an accident during an archeological expedition, a ten-foot-tall man shows up in a small town at the same time that D does. He seems willing to help, but there's a sinister connection between him and a local farmer's daughter who is also more than she seems.
The plot here was pretty obvious in exactly the way I described above--Noble experiment ends tragically--but I appreciated the mood here. It's tragedy but in a hopeful way. The giant is made for war, and he goes to his fate stoically even knowing that his doom was ordained millennia ago by warring families that have probably been completely wiped out. I love that kind of drama found in duty and it's a lot more common in Japanese fiction than American fiction. Throw in post-apocalyptic vampires and I'm all for it.
The post-script at the end said that Dark Nocturne is the only Vampire Hunter D short story collection, and I think that's a shame. I've been middling to negative on most of the D books because they're so similar and the plot always works out the same, but when it's a short story rather than a full novel, the length feels natural. I wish that Kikuchi had gone more in this direction rather than publishing more novels and multi-part epics.
Previous Review: The Rose Princess.
Next Review: Pale Fallen Angel, Parts I and II.
That's all well and good, but it's more palatable in short story form.
I didn't realize that Dark Nocturne was a set of short stories when I opened it, but as soon as I realized that I was excited. The essential D story without any of the faffing around? I'd prefer something that shakes it up, or an enemy that can actually threaten D realistically, or D to show some emotion--part of the reason I like Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust in retrospect is that D actually shows emotion in the movie--but I recognize these books are gothic horror fluff so I won't complain too much.
"Dark Nocturne," the title piece, involves a young man traveling to a town where his father once heard a song that he could never properly replicate but which has resounded in the man's head for his entire life. He came to the village to hear the song and learns a legend about a strange figure that came there, singing, and led some of the villagers away around the time his father visited the village. Of course it was a Noble experiment, and of course it goes wrong. Though whether there's a tragic ending or not is unclear.
There's another one of those beauty of the night sections, where the young man asks D about the stories of the Nobility, and D says that most of them are horror stories but that there were a few that were wonderful. An ancient Noble machine that cured someone's incurable disease, or tales of the Nobility's travel to the moon and the stars. The music is almost the same, being another Noble experiment designed to remove their dependancy on blood-drinking. But what is a vampire without a lust for blood? And that's why all their experiments fail except one. And that can't be repeated.
"Ode to an Imagined Fall" featured a village, beautiful in the autumn with falling leaves that change to a vibrant and glorious color, so it immediately made me remember Momijidani Park on Miyajima. D is hired by an old woman who suspects that a Noble is lurking around and wants to prevent the village's usual practice of sacrificing someone to prevent the attacks, but the situation is soon confused. Two people are found with their throats torn out, which isn't usually the feeding practice of the Nobility. Soon it becomes obvious that there are multiple assailants, and one of them isn't a Noble.
The tragedy here kind of came out of nowhere and I'm not sure how I could have predicted it from the beginning, but I liked all the fall imagery. Fall is my favorite season and I love-leaf viewing, even in a Frontier village with monsters and Noble attacks. That was the best part of the story for me--it was the weakest of the three.
"Legend of the War Fiends," which should be a metal album but is also acceptable as a story title, starts with a Noble castle with a functioning reactor, the entire output of which has been pouring down into some sealed experiment below. Soon after an accident during an archeological expedition, a ten-foot-tall man shows up in a small town at the same time that D does. He seems willing to help, but there's a sinister connection between him and a local farmer's daughter who is also more than she seems.
The plot here was pretty obvious in exactly the way I described above--Noble experiment ends tragically--but I appreciated the mood here. It's tragedy but in a hopeful way. The giant is made for war, and he goes to his fate stoically even knowing that his doom was ordained millennia ago by warring families that have probably been completely wiped out. I love that kind of drama found in duty and it's a lot more common in Japanese fiction than American fiction. Throw in post-apocalyptic vampires and I'm all for it.
The post-script at the end said that Dark Nocturne is the only Vampire Hunter D short story collection, and I think that's a shame. I've been middling to negative on most of the D books because they're so similar and the plot always works out the same, but when it's a short story rather than a full novel, the length feels natural. I wish that Kikuchi had gone more in this direction rather than publishing more novels and multi-part epics.
Previous Review: The Rose Princess.
Next Review: Pale Fallen Angel, Parts I and II.
July 1, 2023
Each of the three short stories were a fast paced entertaining read with the second story being my favorite.
April 19, 2018
See my other reviews at Never Enough Books
A siren’s song has been drawing young men to their deaths in the hills outside of Anise Village. No one in the village is able to locate where the song is coming from, so an outsider is hired to unlock the strange secret.
The village of Shirley’s Door has a dark secret. A yearly ritualistic sacrifice meant to protect the town and keep the monsters at bay. When an outsider finds himself caught between the young woman being sacrificed and her beau, the whole village itself might be doomed.
Countless years ago, two sides in a devastating war create their own living weapons. Genetically engineered creatures set to fight to the death; and though the war has been over for centuries, two remaining individuals are still set to battle. And in doing so, they could re-ignite a fight that has been dormant for a very long time.
Readers who have been a part of the graphic novel/manga/anime fandom for some time will immediately recognize the name ‘Vampire Hunter D’. Western audiences were introduced to the character via the first animated movie in the late 80’s, with the novels themselves not coming out in translated form until some years later. Individuals, like myself, were ecstatic with the release of each novel and while some are better than others, we still seek to collect them all.
While Dark Nocturne is labelled as number 10 in the Vampire Hunter series, it could actually fit any where in the early series itself. It is compromised of three short stories that were published independently in magazines before being collected for the novel here.
With all this being said, unfortunately I find Dark Nocturne to be one of the weakest books in the series. The stories themselves do not have to coherency of earlier novels and the characterization is often very weak. They feel as if they were written much earlier than previous novels, when Kikuchi was just beginning to write about D and had yet to get a hold on the character himself.
Compared to other novels in the series with the same protagonist, the D here feels off somehow. He is flippant and at times almost uncaring; and while in other stories D can be off putting, it is not to this degree. It was actually hard to like him, while he is a character I have enjoyed reading about for some time.
Purists like myself will of course want to add this book to their collection so they might have the whole set. Casual readers will want to skip this one as it does not add anything to the series and I think can be ignored as a whole.
Skip Dark Nocturne, dear readers. As much as I love Vampire Hunter D, I cannot in good faith recommend this one.
A siren’s song has been drawing young men to their deaths in the hills outside of Anise Village. No one in the village is able to locate where the song is coming from, so an outsider is hired to unlock the strange secret.
The village of Shirley’s Door has a dark secret. A yearly ritualistic sacrifice meant to protect the town and keep the monsters at bay. When an outsider finds himself caught between the young woman being sacrificed and her beau, the whole village itself might be doomed.
Countless years ago, two sides in a devastating war create their own living weapons. Genetically engineered creatures set to fight to the death; and though the war has been over for centuries, two remaining individuals are still set to battle. And in doing so, they could re-ignite a fight that has been dormant for a very long time.
Readers who have been a part of the graphic novel/manga/anime fandom for some time will immediately recognize the name ‘Vampire Hunter D’. Western audiences were introduced to the character via the first animated movie in the late 80’s, with the novels themselves not coming out in translated form until some years later. Individuals, like myself, were ecstatic with the release of each novel and while some are better than others, we still seek to collect them all.
While Dark Nocturne is labelled as number 10 in the Vampire Hunter series, it could actually fit any where in the early series itself. It is compromised of three short stories that were published independently in magazines before being collected for the novel here.
With all this being said, unfortunately I find Dark Nocturne to be one of the weakest books in the series. The stories themselves do not have to coherency of earlier novels and the characterization is often very weak. They feel as if they were written much earlier than previous novels, when Kikuchi was just beginning to write about D and had yet to get a hold on the character himself.
Compared to other novels in the series with the same protagonist, the D here feels off somehow. He is flippant and at times almost uncaring; and while in other stories D can be off putting, it is not to this degree. It was actually hard to like him, while he is a character I have enjoyed reading about for some time.
Purists like myself will of course want to add this book to their collection so they might have the whole set. Casual readers will want to skip this one as it does not add anything to the series and I think can be ignored as a whole.
Skip Dark Nocturne, dear readers. As much as I love Vampire Hunter D, I cannot in good faith recommend this one.
May 10, 2022
3 stars
Dark Nocturne features Vampire Hunter D's journeys through Spring, Fall, and Winter -- the first volume to feature three short stories instead of one novella. The shorter length of these tales didn't detract from their development; in fact, the details and characters were clearer and developed faster.
The synopsis on the back of the book is somewhat vague and incorrect. The first story, "Dark Nocturne," is about an infamous song that lures villagers to a long-abandoned castle of the Nobility, never to be seen again. D ventures to demystify the song's origins and what happens to villagers enslaved by the notes. The story ends a bit abruptly and could've been clarified and fleshed out more; for example, there's no clear reason why some creepy travelers want to fight D. It's the worst of the three tales.
"An Ode to Imagined Fall" takes D to Shirley's Door where villagers sacrifice a teenage girl every year to keep the Nobility from feeding on the whole town. This year, the scapegoat's boyfriend and a mysterious crone contract D to save her while fighting off angry villagers and attempting to dispatch the Nobility once and for all. This story's a decent read thanks to the twist at the end.
Finally, "Legend of the War Fiends" is the best of the three tales, an emotional story about D helping a giant and a girl overcome their brutal genetic programming. It solidifies the fact that even though the Nobility are on the brink of extinction, their ancient and remorseless history of blood and experimentation have left permanent shadows on the world.
The overall theme of this volume is the vampires of D's world aren't so clear-cut. Due to their vast scientific advancements over millennia of uncontested rule, the Nobility had the capability to adapt to their own mysterious decline, even surviving without blood and organic bodies. They also had the nightmarish knowledge to create demonic behemoths and genetic slaves who would do their bidding even after many of them disappeared.
The writing/translation (still can't really tell which is the problem) keeps getting a little better with every volume, but there's at least one typo which mixes up who's speaking and there's still major room for improvement.
Dark Nocturne features Vampire Hunter D's journeys through Spring, Fall, and Winter -- the first volume to feature three short stories instead of one novella. The shorter length of these tales didn't detract from their development; in fact, the details and characters were clearer and developed faster.
The synopsis on the back of the book is somewhat vague and incorrect. The first story, "Dark Nocturne," is about an infamous song that lures villagers to a long-abandoned castle of the Nobility, never to be seen again. D ventures to demystify the song's origins and what happens to villagers enslaved by the notes. The story ends a bit abruptly and could've been clarified and fleshed out more; for example, there's no clear reason why some creepy travelers want to fight D. It's the worst of the three tales.
"An Ode to Imagined Fall" takes D to Shirley's Door where villagers sacrifice a teenage girl every year to keep the Nobility from feeding on the whole town. This year, the scapegoat's boyfriend and a mysterious crone contract D to save her while fighting off angry villagers and attempting to dispatch the Nobility once and for all. This story's a decent read thanks to the twist at the end.
Finally, "Legend of the War Fiends" is the best of the three tales, an emotional story about D helping a giant and a girl overcome their brutal genetic programming. It solidifies the fact that even though the Nobility are on the brink of extinction, their ancient and remorseless history of blood and experimentation have left permanent shadows on the world.
The overall theme of this volume is the vampires of D's world aren't so clear-cut. Due to their vast scientific advancements over millennia of uncontested rule, the Nobility had the capability to adapt to their own mysterious decline, even surviving without blood and organic bodies. They also had the nightmarish knowledge to create demonic behemoths and genetic slaves who would do their bidding even after many of them disappeared.
The writing/translation (still can't really tell which is the problem) keeps getting a little better with every volume, but there's at least one typo which mixes up who's speaking and there's still major room for improvement.
March 26, 2022
Well, I enjoyed these novellas together much more than the last couple of VHD novels. What does this say about my feelings towards these previous books? I think they might have been too long, and these shorter-form versions are much punchier and satisfying.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to stop reading these VHD books until I'm out of the English translations, but I'm not reading them back-to-back anymore. Gonna leave some time between them, let them breathe, let my brain forget about the little quirks these books have. That should enhance my enjoyment and take the edge off future ratings/reviews, ha.
Anyway. Pick it up, read it through, pass it on. This one is well worth your time.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to stop reading these VHD books until I'm out of the English translations, but I'm not reading them back-to-back anymore. Gonna leave some time between them, let them breathe, let my brain forget about the little quirks these books have. That should enhance my enjoyment and take the edge off future ratings/reviews, ha.
Anyway. Pick it up, read it through, pass it on. This one is well worth your time.
February 24, 2015
This is actual a trio of novellas—yet another surprise from this author. Each story is different and each holds mysteries and challenges for the titular hero. Short stories and novellas are not popular in Japan. There are no magazines that carry the former. The author was stretching his talents to meet the different demands of the novella and mostly succeeded. Each story is different in tone, character and outline. But all feature the enigmatic D and are fully deserving of the supernatural genre.
December 29, 2014
Worst in the series so far.
March 4, 2023
Review in reference to: https://www.graphicaudio.net/vampire-...
So, from what I gathered from this installment, it's the only one where it's mostly a collection of short stories that were previously published in a Japanese magazine called "Shishi-Oh" and then later collected into one volume and from what Kikuchi had said, these short stories didn't fit well if they were made into full-length novels, so the publisher of that magazine allowed him to make these short stories and put them in that magazine. While that is all fine and good, I think he should've put in an effort to expand these short stories into full novellas at least, and maybe give some additional content. Because I agree with a good chunk of the reviewers that these stories felt rushed and gave us readers and listeners very little to work with.
That being said, that's a flaw where I don't fault GraphicAudio for it. Now to give Scott McCormick and GraphicAudio credit, you guys did your best to work with what was given to you and had managed to bring out some good performances. But one thing I find to be frustrating, is that even though you guys broke each story with things like "Part One" "Part Two" "Part Three" for example, I think you guys should've broken those parts down into separate audio files so that way people like me could start a short story without having to run through the timer bar trying to find the right spot.
Like for example, after Dark Nocturne ends at part two, put Notes on Imagined Autumn in parts three and four, then put Legend of the War Demons in parts five and six. That's basically my pragmatic critique on this installment, I hope the fans will enjoy this volume and I'll make room for a second listen in the future.
So, from what I gathered from this installment, it's the only one where it's mostly a collection of short stories that were previously published in a Japanese magazine called "Shishi-Oh" and then later collected into one volume and from what Kikuchi had said, these short stories didn't fit well if they were made into full-length novels, so the publisher of that magazine allowed him to make these short stories and put them in that magazine. While that is all fine and good, I think he should've put in an effort to expand these short stories into full novellas at least, and maybe give some additional content. Because I agree with a good chunk of the reviewers that these stories felt rushed and gave us readers and listeners very little to work with.
That being said, that's a flaw where I don't fault GraphicAudio for it. Now to give Scott McCormick and GraphicAudio credit, you guys did your best to work with what was given to you and had managed to bring out some good performances. But one thing I find to be frustrating, is that even though you guys broke each story with things like "Part One" "Part Two" "Part Three" for example, I think you guys should've broken those parts down into separate audio files so that way people like me could start a short story without having to run through the timer bar trying to find the right spot.
Like for example, after Dark Nocturne ends at part two, put Notes on Imagined Autumn in parts three and four, then put Legend of the War Demons in parts five and six. That's basically my pragmatic critique on this installment, I hope the fans will enjoy this volume and I'll make room for a second listen in the future.
January 11, 2024
I was not sold on this volume until the final act of the third story, Legend of the War Fiends. I wished it was a full-length that further explored those inklings of "why are we designed to fight/is this all there is to us" which transpired between the two warriors. I need more of this, and less ultra-confusing fight sequences, and less side characters who serve no purpose and are too hard to keep up with (especially so when you read three short stories back-to-back). I'm sulking but I really was glued to those final 40 pages. It was beautiful. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dark Nocturne (the first in this trilogy of novellas) gave a nice shake-up; more than ever before D was used as an ominous side character and we saw the world through another character's eyes. It was the weakest story for me by far. ⭐⭐
An Ode to an Imagined Fall (the second story) gave a shocking twist ending - something I did not see coming but that made it all worth it. It also carried memorable imagery (which you can guess from the title).⭐⭐⭐
Dark Nocturne (the first in this trilogy of novellas) gave a nice shake-up; more than ever before D was used as an ominous side character and we saw the world through another character's eyes. It was the weakest story for me by far. ⭐⭐
An Ode to an Imagined Fall (the second story) gave a shocking twist ending - something I did not see coming but that made it all worth it. It also carried memorable imagery (which you can guess from the title).⭐⭐⭐
September 7, 2018
Had low expectations going into this one. My opinion on each of the short stories:
1) this one is a bit poetic, a debate on whether the pursuit of a beautiful song is worth risking everything. Quite liked the ending
2) not sure what was the point of the second one... made very little sense and the twist was just uninteresting
3) 2 warriors genetically engineered to fight each other just want to stay friends... but their programming is getting in the way. This one was probably the best.
In the afterword, the author mentions Ray Bradbury as one of his inspirations when writing short stories. I think he succeeded really well with the 1st and 3rd stories, they had that classic sci-fi "what if" with no concerns about how we got there. Let the reader get in the mood and accept it. I'm pretty ok with that, so all in all, this kind of worked for me.
1) this one is a bit poetic, a debate on whether the pursuit of a beautiful song is worth risking everything. Quite liked the ending
2) not sure what was the point of the second one... made very little sense and the twist was just uninteresting
3) 2 warriors genetically engineered to fight each other just want to stay friends... but their programming is getting in the way. This one was probably the best.
In the afterword, the author mentions Ray Bradbury as one of his inspirations when writing short stories. I think he succeeded really well with the 1st and 3rd stories, they had that classic sci-fi "what if" with no concerns about how we got there. Let the reader get in the mood and accept it. I'm pretty ok with that, so all in all, this kind of worked for me.
July 24, 2025
As I was reading this collection of 3 short stories, the only one in the series, I have been wondering at what time they were written. I have a feeling they were written earlier on in the series when establishing D's character especially since we get more what I can only call the more talkative, "friendly" version of D. My favorite was the 2nd story, the An Ode to Imagined Fall and the twist ending. I do feel like there was a lot more that could have been explored and explained, especially the final third story - why did the Nobility create the things they did? The writing stumbled at times because of the lack of detail, and the who was where in the action sequences.
In the grand scene of this series, especially when many of the novels are standalone, this one is skippable if you want to read only the novels that matter to D's story. But if you're in deep and a fan of the series, go for it.
In the grand scene of this series, especially when many of the novels are standalone, this one is skippable if you want to read only the novels that matter to D's story. But if you're in deep and a fan of the series, go for it.
July 2, 2020
Vampire Hunter D takes a road trip. While the imagery is powerful, the story is on the redundant side, though the side characters are intriguing and garner my attention more than that of D. Thought the book was good, I just couldn't get into it that much.
However, while D comes off nonchalant with low tolerance towards everyone, I rather enjoy him as an anti-hero. Sure, he sacrifices and has little care for those that perish, he does take the quests, such as escorting the Noble Duke here, very serious. It gives him complexity and that's phenomenal.
Full Review:
https://thescarletreaderreviews.wordp...
However, while D comes off nonchalant with low tolerance towards everyone, I rather enjoy him as an anti-hero. Sure, he sacrifices and has little care for those that perish, he does take the quests, such as escorting the Noble Duke here, very serious. It gives him complexity and that's phenomenal.
Full Review:
https://thescarletreaderreviews.wordp...
August 5, 2024
"Dark Nocturne" 2.5 Stars
I liked many of the elements, but this didn't really come together for me. The ending seemed arbitrary.
"An Ode to Imagined Fall" 3.5 Stars
This one is very vibes-based, but it worked for me. It's high-concept action that really worked for this Fall-loving guy.
"Legend of the War Fiends" 3.5 Stars
The wreckage of war extends from the battlefield into the damage felt by its participants, and the damage that bleeds down to their descendants. While this D tale is more literal, I really liked how the characters grappled with legacy and who they were designed to be. Nature vs. Nurture on the battlefield.
I liked many of the elements, but this didn't really come together for me. The ending seemed arbitrary.
"An Ode to Imagined Fall" 3.5 Stars
This one is very vibes-based, but it worked for me. It's high-concept action that really worked for this Fall-loving guy.
"Legend of the War Fiends" 3.5 Stars
The wreckage of war extends from the battlefield into the damage felt by its participants, and the damage that bleeds down to their descendants. While this D tale is more literal, I really liked how the characters grappled with legacy and who they were designed to be. Nature vs. Nurture on the battlefield.
December 14, 2024
vampirism through song?
look, in this series… anything is possible…
A number of people, all young men, who have heard the song [the nocturne] in the past are all in the same place at the same time, and one of them is D.
uh oh.
4 stars
then there are some extra titles:
In "Notes on Imagined Autumn" D finds himself caught between two lovers during a ritualistic sacrifice - which I am sure we have veered close to before…
And in "Legend of the War Demons" two living weapons, genetically engineered creatures who are the last remnants of a war waged hundreds of years in the past, find that battle is not so easily forgotten.
look, in this series… anything is possible…
A number of people, all young men, who have heard the song [the nocturne] in the past are all in the same place at the same time, and one of them is D.
uh oh.
4 stars
then there are some extra titles:
In "Notes on Imagined Autumn" D finds himself caught between two lovers during a ritualistic sacrifice - which I am sure we have veered close to before…
And in "Legend of the War Demons" two living weapons, genetically engineered creatures who are the last remnants of a war waged hundreds of years in the past, find that battle is not so easily forgotten.
September 21, 2017
I purchased this at Ollie's for $2 and honestly, if it weren't several towns away I would have returned this book. I think these were early D stories written by Kikuchi before he established D's character because they suck. They're just boring and dumb. The translation could have been better, too. I think I picked the worst book in the series to begin with Vampire Hunter D. I love the movies, but god this book is not worth it. Skip entirely.
November 18, 2020
The most skippable one so far. Three short stories and only 1 of them was worth reading (and it wasn't even the title-story).
July 27, 2021
D is so cool.
October 12, 2022
Consisted of three unconnected novellas. Stories were okay, but I think I prefer the full novel format for D.
July 27, 2023
Three short stories. They're all right, but not amazing or anything. Worth reading, I guess, but don't expect the best book in the series from it.
October 16, 2024
adorei as curtas desse volume
November 18, 2024
Not the best work. 3 unrelated short stories.
December 15, 2024
I adore the short story of "Dark Nocturne" itself but find the other stories lacking
February 21, 2025
enjoyed the short story at the end more than the main story
August 27, 2025
yeah this 3 short story format aint it.
December 28, 2025
I like this idea but most of the stories abruptly stopped
August 14, 2008
This is an interesting entry in the VHD series. It is actually three short stories, rather than the regular length novels that Kikuchi usually writes.
The first, Dark Nocturne, involves D helping a town that is plagued by a siren that is luring people to their deaths. There are a couple of guys with cool abilities that work into it as a rival group that D sort of joins but ends up, of course, having to kill. This story is sort of confusing and probably is not the best of the three.
The second, An Ode to Imagined Fall, is better than the first. D is helping a young man and woman who are living in a town where the townsfolk have been sacrificing maidens in order to appease the Nobles that prey on them. This story has some really weird twists and strange happenings, including a strange combination of Golem/Clockwork unit that houses the spirit of a Noble.
The third, Legend of the War Fiends, is, in my opinion, the best book of the three. It covers the story of ancient war machines that were created by Nobles long ago. These machines manifest themselves in the form of a simple farm girl, and a giant ogre. D tries to help them find out what exactly is going on and what he can do to stop them from killing each other, as they are simply fighting because they are programmed to, rather than because they actually care. This is one of the few stories of VHD that does not really end in success for D.
The first, Dark Nocturne, involves D helping a town that is plagued by a siren that is luring people to their deaths. There are a couple of guys with cool abilities that work into it as a rival group that D sort of joins but ends up, of course, having to kill. This story is sort of confusing and probably is not the best of the three.
The second, An Ode to Imagined Fall, is better than the first. D is helping a young man and woman who are living in a town where the townsfolk have been sacrificing maidens in order to appease the Nobles that prey on them. This story has some really weird twists and strange happenings, including a strange combination of Golem/Clockwork unit that houses the spirit of a Noble.
The third, Legend of the War Fiends, is, in my opinion, the best book of the three. It covers the story of ancient war machines that were created by Nobles long ago. These machines manifest themselves in the form of a simple farm girl, and a giant ogre. D tries to help them find out what exactly is going on and what he can do to stop them from killing each other, as they are simply fighting because they are programmed to, rather than because they actually care. This is one of the few stories of VHD that does not really end in success for D.
April 12, 2023
The first Novella of Vampire Hunter D
the book tackles three different small stories revolving around D
1. Dark Nocturne
2. An Ode to Imagined Fall
3. Legend of the War Fiends
while each of the stories does have interesting settings for them it's a bit undermined by the fact that the stories feel clipped in some ways given how even normal Vampire Hunter D novels can feel like short reads hence why their "Light Novels" it's not like cracking open an Eragon book the page count often barely touches reaches past 200
with one of the previous VHD stories "Mysterious Journey to the North Sea" it felt like the story was allowed times to breathe with a much more lengthier story split into two parts
This volume feels a bit like a backstep what with shortening what feels sometimes like short stories in general
that being said I did enjoy each of the stories though it was hard to adjust to the short length of each story and in that sense, they leave me a bit wanting more out of them
A ghostly song drafted by the Nobility that draws all those to it and an area with a
radius of 2000 KM left barren by a battle between two vampire clans that
lasted 5000 years
for me the "Pizza and Sex Rule" applies to Vampire Hunter D; ie. just as even bad pizza and/or sex is still pretty good, bad Vampire Hunter D is as well. And while I don't consider Nocturne to be bad I wouldn't put it as any of the premier novels in Vampire Hunter D titles for sure
the book tackles three different small stories revolving around D
1. Dark Nocturne
2. An Ode to Imagined Fall
3. Legend of the War Fiends
while each of the stories does have interesting settings for them it's a bit undermined by the fact that the stories feel clipped in some ways given how even normal Vampire Hunter D novels can feel like short reads hence why their "Light Novels" it's not like cracking open an Eragon book the page count often barely touches reaches past 200
with one of the previous VHD stories "Mysterious Journey to the North Sea" it felt like the story was allowed times to breathe with a much more lengthier story split into two parts
This volume feels a bit like a backstep what with shortening what feels sometimes like short stories in general
that being said I did enjoy each of the stories though it was hard to adjust to the short length of each story and in that sense, they leave me a bit wanting more out of them
A ghostly song drafted by the Nobility that draws all those to it and an area with a
radius of 2000 KM left barren by a battle between two vampire clans that
lasted 5000 years
for me the "Pizza and Sex Rule" applies to Vampire Hunter D; ie. just as even bad pizza and/or sex is still pretty good, bad Vampire Hunter D is as well. And while I don't consider Nocturne to be bad I wouldn't put it as any of the premier novels in Vampire Hunter D titles for sure
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