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Vampire Hunter D #2
Vampir Avcısı D – Rüzgâr Yükselince
Sınır’daki Tepeş Köyü’nün bir ucunda, özel bir savunma mekanizmasıyla köylülerin oraya gelmesini engelleyen esrarengiz bir tepe vardır. Onun zirvesinde ise bir zamanlar asilzadelere ait olan bir şato ve içinde, onlardan bugünlere kalmış pek çok mekanik cihaz bulunmaktadır. Fakat, orada asilzadelerin ne deneyler yaptıkları ve on yıl önce bu şato harabesinde kaybolan çocukların kaderlerinin ne olduğu birer sır olarak kalmıştır. Ve şimdi köy, gün ışığı altında dolaşan vampirlerin ortaya çıkmasından korkmaktadır.
Usta yazar ve Japon korku edebiyatının öncüsü Hideyuki Kikuçi’nin bu ölümsüz eseri “Sandman: Rüya Avcısı”, “Elric Saga” gibi ödüllü kitaplar ile “Final Fantasy” oyununun illüstrasyonlarını da yapan büyük sanatçı Yoşitaka Amano’nun çizgileriyle birleşiyor ve sizleri bambaşka bir diyarın lanetli topraklarındaki maceraya davet ediyor.
Usta yazar ve Japon korku edebiyatının öncüsü Hideyuki Kikuçi’nin bu ölümsüz eseri “Sandman: Rüya Avcısı”, “Elric Saga” gibi ödüllü kitaplar ile “Final Fantasy” oyununun illüstrasyonlarını da yapan büyük sanatçı Yoşitaka Amano’nun çizgileriyle birleşiyor ve sizleri bambaşka bir diyarın lanetli topraklarındaki maceraya davet ediyor.
208 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1984
160 people are currently reading
1066 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
June 27, 2022
This series is more intriguing than I thought it would be. Been more of a vampire mood recently than I've been in years
May 13, 2015
The second book in this series continues its wacky blend of improbable sci-fi and fantasty with the same style and vigor as the first one. The ideas are fresh and alarming, and different enough from the preceding book to feel like this one stands on its own. Still, it is hard to compete with the first time experiencing this series, so I have fonder memories of the first book despite being impressed with this one.
This one explores D's history to some extent, which is exciting given how mysterious he is in general. And it seems to spend some time consciously ratcheting up the emotional investment a bit, which was a surprise, but done with humor. My only problem is that, again, the women are barely noticed in this world, except as victims, often of sexual assault, or love interests, or both. (Trigger warning spoiler: ). In one part it mentions that women do know how to use blades and guns, though they don't need to know as much artillery as the men. Really? From all the roving male gangs of sexual predators, I would think it would be more important for women to learn weaponry. At the very least, this book takes such pains to set up a frontier dystopia where humans are pitted against all manner of supernatural fiends; it seems improbable that the towns would not make use of every man, woman, and child in the defense of their villages.
But this series sits squarely in the alpha-man-with-no-name genre, so strong female characters are not at the top of the author's priority list. If you can stomach his fascination with equating women with victims, there are definitely some interesting ideas in this series: a dizzying array of creepy crawlies, brooding philosophy, and hilarious over-the-top fight scenes, which do succeed in entertainment value.
Edit: Having now read three of these books, I'm pulling the rating down to three stars for this one because the author seems to be treating sexual assault as a part of the descriptive adjectives for his female characters. Did I describe their hair color? Check. Did I mention who they are in love with? Check. Did I incorporate sexual assault into their current or past history? Check. The repetition is demeaning, and I can't act like it doesn't tarnish the overall tone of these books.
This one explores D's history to some extent, which is exciting given how mysterious he is in general. And it seems to spend some time consciously ratcheting up the emotional investment a bit, which was a surprise, but done with humor. My only problem is that, again, the women are barely noticed in this world, except as victims, often of sexual assault, or love interests, or both. (Trigger warning spoiler: ). In one part it mentions that women do know how to use blades and guns, though they don't need to know as much artillery as the men. Really? From all the roving male gangs of sexual predators, I would think it would be more important for women to learn weaponry. At the very least, this book takes such pains to set up a frontier dystopia where humans are pitted against all manner of supernatural fiends; it seems improbable that the towns would not make use of every man, woman, and child in the defense of their villages.
But this series sits squarely in the alpha-man-with-no-name genre, so strong female characters are not at the top of the author's priority list. If you can stomach his fascination with equating women with victims, there are definitely some interesting ideas in this series: a dizzying array of creepy crawlies, brooding philosophy, and hilarious over-the-top fight scenes, which do succeed in entertainment value.
Edit: Having now read three of these books, I'm pulling the rating down to three stars for this one because the author seems to be treating sexual assault as a part of the descriptive adjectives for his female characters. Did I describe their hair color? Check. Did I mention who they are in love with? Check. Did I incorporate sexual assault into their current or past history? Check. The repetition is demeaning, and I can't act like it doesn't tarnish the overall tone of these books.
September 18, 2022
After his climactic battle with Count Magnus Lee, D travels to the snow-shrouded village of Tepes where vampires that can walk in broad daylight have begun to prowl the perimeters. Turns out a certain lord of vampires has been performing some incredibly dark experiments in a mountain-based secret laboratory, fusing human genes with the vampire nobles in an attempt to eradicate the genetic flaws and weaknesses of his species. Is this because he wishes to enslave humanity once more, or does he wish to bridge the gap between humans and vampires to end all conflict once and for all? Accompanied by the feisty honor student Lina, D seeks to solve the twisted mystery that links the experiments with a group of missing orphans that returned to Tepes exhibiting odd behaviors.
Dark, cold, brutal and mysterious. The action continues to be absurdly over-the-top but highly entertaining. The protagonist and the vampires are much more emotionally fleshed out here than they were in the first book. Lina, the new female protagonist was brave in the face of constant tragedy. I wasn't expecting the ending of this book to be a tearjerker given the overall pulpy tone the series has displayed so far.
The sci-fi elements were dialed up quite a few notches as well. In spite of its simplistic narration style, this series has some of the most vivid, creative and fascinating world-building of any series I've ever read.
Dark, cold, brutal and mysterious. The action continues to be absurdly over-the-top but highly entertaining. The protagonist and the vampires are much more emotionally fleshed out here than they were in the first book. Lina, the new female protagonist was brave in the face of constant tragedy. I wasn't expecting the ending of this book to be a tearjerker given the overall pulpy tone the series has displayed so far.
The sci-fi elements were dialed up quite a few notches as well. In spite of its simplistic narration style, this series has some of the most vivid, creative and fascinating world-building of any series I've ever read.
December 31, 2007
I adore the character of D. He's cheesy, over the top, and essentially perfect. Which is why I read these books, despite the fact that perfect characters make for ridiculous, low-tension stories. It's cheese. It's pure cheese. Out of a can.
I also found the way the author switches point of view, from objective camera to internal, and from one character to another in the same scene, to be awkward and off-putting. I don't generally read manga, so maybe it's a genre or cultural difference, or perhaps a translation issue.
I also found the way the author switches point of view, from objective camera to internal, and from one character to another in the same scene, to be awkward and off-putting. I don't generally read manga, so maybe it's a genre or cultural difference, or perhaps a translation issue.
May 7, 2024
Enjoyably weird and messy
March 28, 2014
Raiser of Gales just doesn't hold up to the first book of the series. While darker and more complex, the story is full of confusing passages that will most likely force you to reread what you just read. I'm not sure if Kikuchi did this on purpose since a continuous conflict in the book is that the characters must overcome attacks directly penetrating their psyche. So I say this problem is kind of up in the air.
Like the first book, Kikuchi has a horrible habit of overly emphasizing how beautiful the attractive characters are and failing to describe everyone who frankly isn't. I mentally begged the book to go into greater descriptive detail about this "ashen-gray" figure that serves as the central protagonist of the book. Literally we barely get any description of just what this figure is dressed in, and I was kind of surprised to find out he's wearing a mask since I never got the impression he does until it's explicitly stated so. Kikuchi just describes him as either ashen-gray or a shadow, so it's kind of hard to visualize such an important character to the story.
The horror parts are gruesome and detailed enough to make you visualize a clear image, something I thoroughly liked. There is a lot of nudity and implied rape throughout the story which could easily make some readers uncomfortable.
D is much more human in this story than he is in the previous installment. I really enjoy the parts in the story that show his friendship with Lina, the heroine. There's also this cute sub-plot involving white blossoms that Lina receives from an unknown admirer. The reveal in the end is surprising, but there just isn't enough build-up with the character who's reveal to be the admirer since Kikuchi doesn't actually describe him enough. Maybe he should have stopped spending so much time talking about how pretty D is and actually thought about building character on the secret admirer?
The story is also cleverly woven in a way that reveals a lot more about the world of the Nobility and their history. I can easily say I am eager to learn more about the lore in the next installments.
Like the first book, Kikuchi has a horrible habit of overly emphasizing how beautiful the attractive characters are and failing to describe everyone who frankly isn't. I mentally begged the book to go into greater descriptive detail about this "ashen-gray" figure that serves as the central protagonist of the book. Literally we barely get any description of just what this figure is dressed in, and I was kind of surprised to find out he's wearing a mask since I never got the impression he does until it's explicitly stated so. Kikuchi just describes him as either ashen-gray or a shadow, so it's kind of hard to visualize such an important character to the story.
The horror parts are gruesome and detailed enough to make you visualize a clear image, something I thoroughly liked. There is a lot of nudity and implied rape throughout the story which could easily make some readers uncomfortable.
D is much more human in this story than he is in the previous installment. I really enjoy the parts in the story that show his friendship with Lina, the heroine. There's also this cute sub-plot involving white blossoms that Lina receives from an unknown admirer. The reveal in the end is surprising, but there just isn't enough build-up with the character who's reveal to be the admirer since Kikuchi doesn't actually describe him enough. Maybe he should have stopped spending so much time talking about how pretty D is and actually thought about building character on the secret admirer?
The story is also cleverly woven in a way that reveals a lot more about the world of the Nobility and their history. I can easily say I am eager to learn more about the lore in the next installments.
June 24, 2021
Volume 2 was certainly much different then the first. We get to see the softer side of D’s cold hearted intrigue. More of a mystery to solve than a vampire hunt, he encounters many different adversary’s of the physical and metaphysical. You do get to learn a little more history about the series and a tiny bit more of D’s mysterious background and heritage. He seems to have an unusual response to the “girl” this time, as he is forced to act as her main safety proprietor, whether he likes it or not. Furthermore, you get to learn a few more interesting dialogues between the countenanced carbuncle and D, the mysterious powers it possesses and how at some points, ultimately gets D out of trouble like it has in the past. Just what is the bond source between this phenomenon and the half vampire Hunter? I shall continue to read the series, hopefully it will be discovered in the coming countless volumes that have been written.
4 out of 5 stars for originality and the occasional confusing translations. No worries. It’s still good!
4 out of 5 stars for originality and the occasional confusing translations. No worries. It’s still good!
October 16, 2025
🧚🏼♀️Review: Vampire Hunter Dud
I know I've read this one before and couldn't remember it. I, in my infinite idiocy, decided to reread the Vampire Hunter D books in order even though you don't really have to. I remember back in the day when I read the series as a kid, I thought this one was a stinker. I thought, 'well hey, maybe as an adult it won't be so bad.'
Nope. It's bad.
I started this with the audiobook, got halfway through and was so confused about what's happening, I blamed it on ADHD and not paying attention to the book. So I started over on the kindle edition. It wasn't me afterall! The plot here is just...goo. It doesn't come together and make any sense til the 80% mark.
It took me two weeks to read this TWO WEEKS. I read the entire Lord of the Rings in one week. This is barely 200 pages (about 70 of it is previews for other books), while LOTR is 1000!!!
It was just...god it was boring. I'm not sure how the first one was a 5/5 and this one is a 2, at best. What happened?
If you're trying to read the VHD books, let me spoil the character development details so you can skip this one and go to the third book.
🧚🏼♀️☆ Fun Factor 1/5 (a slog that put me into a reading slump)
🧚🏼♀️☆ Writing Style 3/5
🧚🏼♀️☆ Characters 3/5
🧚🏼♀️☆ Plot 1/5 (I started this one over twice to try to understand it and still am fuzzy)
🧚🏼♀️☆ Setting 3/5
🧚🏼♀️☆ Feels 2/5
🧚🏼♀️☆ Spiciness --/5 (I GUESS? There's a lot of sex scenes but they're not consensual)
🧚🏼♀️☆ Gore 5/5 (people die and get hurt constantly in horrible ways)
🧚🏼♀️If this were a movie it'd be rated: R for frequent deaths, murders, blood, gore, intense violence, terrifying imagery, frequent depictions sexual assault, evil fairies
🧚🏼♀️☆FOR FANS OF: Just don't, actually. Skip this one and read one of the other books in the series.
🧚🏼♀️Ultimate verdict: ☆☆/5
🧚🏼♀️☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ D...I guess? Nobody in this one was particularly likeable.
Other books in the series I've read so far:
🍷Vampire Hunter D 4 Stars ☆☆☆☆
🍷Vampire Hunter D Volume 2: Raiser of Gales ☆☆
🍷Vampire Hunter D Volume 3: Demon Deathchase ☆☆☆☆
🍷Vampire Hunter D Volume 4: Tale of the Dead Town ☆☆☆☆
I know I've read this one before and couldn't remember it. I, in my infinite idiocy, decided to reread the Vampire Hunter D books in order even though you don't really have to. I remember back in the day when I read the series as a kid, I thought this one was a stinker. I thought, 'well hey, maybe as an adult it won't be so bad.'
Nope. It's bad.
I started this with the audiobook, got halfway through and was so confused about what's happening, I blamed it on ADHD and not paying attention to the book. So I started over on the kindle edition. It wasn't me afterall! The plot here is just...goo. It doesn't come together and make any sense til the 80% mark.
It took me two weeks to read this TWO WEEKS. I read the entire Lord of the Rings in one week. This is barely 200 pages (about 70 of it is previews for other books), while LOTR is 1000!!!
It was just...god it was boring. I'm not sure how the first one was a 5/5 and this one is a 2, at best. What happened?
If you're trying to read the VHD books, let me spoil the character development details so you can skip this one and go to the third book.
🧚🏼♀️☆ Fun Factor 1/5 (a slog that put me into a reading slump)
🧚🏼♀️☆ Writing Style 3/5
🧚🏼♀️☆ Characters 3/5
🧚🏼♀️☆ Plot 1/5 (I started this one over twice to try to understand it and still am fuzzy)
🧚🏼♀️☆ Setting 3/5
🧚🏼♀️☆ Feels 2/5
🧚🏼♀️☆ Spiciness --/5 (I GUESS? There's a lot of sex scenes but they're not consensual)
🧚🏼♀️☆ Gore 5/5 (people die and get hurt constantly in horrible ways)
🧚🏼♀️If this were a movie it'd be rated: R for frequent deaths, murders, blood, gore, intense violence, terrifying imagery, frequent depictions sexual assault, evil fairies
🧚🏼♀️☆FOR FANS OF: Just don't, actually. Skip this one and read one of the other books in the series.
🧚🏼♀️Ultimate verdict: ☆☆/5
🧚🏼♀️☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ D...I guess? Nobody in this one was particularly likeable.
Other books in the series I've read so far:
🍷Vampire Hunter D 4 Stars ☆☆☆☆
🍷Vampire Hunter D Volume 2: Raiser of Gales ☆☆
🍷Vampire Hunter D Volume 3: Demon Deathchase ☆☆☆☆
🍷Vampire Hunter D Volume 4: Tale of the Dead Town ☆☆☆☆
May 14, 2018
DNF at pg.170
Like where do I even begin to express how upset I am at this book? I've read the first book and I LOVED the movie, but this made me stop dead and question 'what is this?'.
To be frank most of the book was boring scene to boring scene with some great combat in the middle. Lina was a very annoying sidekick for the run and anytime she came on I felt the quality of the scene plummet. Also I'm so disgusted that Kikuchi, paragraph after paragraph had to state how curvatious or beautiful Lina a fresh 17 year old was. Also Kikuchi always had to stress her age or youth whenever he could, but that was also before stating how a character would leer at her or have her in a situation where she was in danger of getting sexual assulted. Then the incident with the Mayor.....I'm just done.
Hearing how hot D was page after page also grew old really fast. I honestly think all the different words for beautiful were used in a paragraph about D.
I will say this about the book. It played up the mystery of the Nobility really creepily and the action bits were the best part of the book overall, I just wish it wasn't such a chore to get through the rest of the book.
I really wanted to like this series, and this is coming from a recommendation from my friend who LOVES the series, but I don't see myself continuing on with D and his awesome cyborg horse.
Like where do I even begin to express how upset I am at this book? I've read the first book and I LOVED the movie, but this made me stop dead and question 'what is this?'.
To be frank most of the book was boring scene to boring scene with some great combat in the middle. Lina was a very annoying sidekick for the run and anytime she came on I felt the quality of the scene plummet. Also I'm so disgusted that Kikuchi, paragraph after paragraph had to state how curvatious or beautiful Lina a fresh 17 year old was. Also Kikuchi always had to stress her age or youth whenever he could, but that was also before stating how a character would leer at her or have her in a situation where she was in danger of getting sexual assulted. Then the incident with the Mayor.....I'm just done.
Hearing how hot D was page after page also grew old really fast. I honestly think all the different words for beautiful were used in a paragraph about D.
I will say this about the book. It played up the mystery of the Nobility really creepily and the action bits were the best part of the book overall, I just wish it wasn't such a chore to get through the rest of the book.
I really wanted to like this series, and this is coming from a recommendation from my friend who LOVES the series, but I don't see myself continuing on with D and his awesome cyborg horse.
August 18, 2012
Much more complex and dark than the first book, this is the 4th time I've read the book cover to cover. After reading a few different reviews that really blasted the book, I agree with them somewhat. The book didn't really focus on D the 'badass' as much as D the extraordinarily complex dhampir. In this book he portrays portions of his personality RARELY ever seen, like smiling and actually talking about his past. The book speculates on the past, present, and future of the nobility with very in depth descriptions about what really makes them a vampire. Although there were some really good battle scenes, the most intriguing portion by the far is the mystery of the 4 children.
Although as stated in some other reviews, the structure of the language used is not simple and sometimes you fail to grasp a sentence here and there. Try reading Frank Herbert. Its WAY worse. Overall, not my favorite in the series but still a fantastic read. Only read if you've read the first, though.
Although as stated in some other reviews, the structure of the language used is not simple and sometimes you fail to grasp a sentence here and there. Try reading Frank Herbert. Its WAY worse. Overall, not my favorite in the series but still a fantastic read. Only read if you've read the first, though.
May 21, 2010
I highly recommend this to anyone that likes horror mixed with an action packed book. This is also a great read for people that are new to anime or Manga books.
July 16, 2022
This one was pretty good. It has an interesting mystery. It gives a deeper look at the world and its history. It shows more of how Vampires have treated humans during that history. And it gives a few more tidbits about D's past and true identity (as if it's hard to guess who he really is). One thing I have to say about this series so far is that I'm surprised at how detailed and interesting the world in which it takes place is. There are a whole lot of weird, cool, genre-bending ideas tossed into a blender, and somehow they all work
March 8, 2017
The first Vampire Hunter D book was a pleasant read but pretty formulaic. It was clearly a riff on Hammer Horror films and didn't take any real liberties within that structure other than setting it in the far future after the civilization of the Nobility had passed. Raiser of Gales isn't bound to stick to that formula because it's already been established, and while a lot of the hallmarks of the first book are still here, I found the plot to be much more engaging.
Like the capsule description says, the village of Tepes has vampires that walk in the daylight. Since the weaknesses of vampires--sunlight, stakes, running water, and all the rest--are basically the only reason that humans are able to fight back against them, this is obviously a concern. As such, the village hires two vampire hunters, one of which is D. I'm a bit surprised that these small villages can keep coming up with the money necessary to hire a vampire hunter, considering how expensive and specialized Vampire Hunter D implied that those services were. And two at the same time? Well, whatever it takes to get D into the story, I guess.
The same kind of flowery language is in use here, and D is just as ridiculous as he was in the previous book. He's more beautiful than anyone else, he can beat anyone in battle, he can survive surprise attacks, explosions, psychic assault, physical deprivation, immersion in water, and basically anything anyone throws at him without showing that it harms him in the least. That's pretty much his character, though, and if that sounds ridiculous to you I'm pretty sure you didn't even get through the first book.
What stuck in my mind for Raiser of Gales was the plot. The part about Noble civilization is a bit simplistic. It speaks of beautiful paintings showing Nobles strolling through moonlit gardens, playing instruments, traveling to the stars, and one painted-over artwork depicting Nobles strolling in the sun, contrasted with Tepes where basically everyone except Lina is terrible. But of course, the Nobility literally need to drink human blood to survive, so of course they'd try to show how sophisticated they were as a contrast to that. And the actions of the Nobility in the book belie that initial impression, since the Sacred Ancestor is conducting experiments that lead to the deaths of hundreds without showing any remorse.
That does lead to why I liked the book, though. It was a tragedy: Despite millennia of trying, there was no way for the Nobility to avert their decline and fall. "Transient guests are we" indeed. I'm a sucker for that kind of doomed struggle against fate, and here it's a struggle involving super science, which is objectively the best kind of struggle. Super-scientifically proven.
Raiser of Gales is not high literature, but it is a really fun read and better than the first book in basically every way.
Previous Review: Vampire Hunter D.
Next Review: Demon Deathchase.
Like the capsule description says, the village of Tepes has vampires that walk in the daylight. Since the weaknesses of vampires--sunlight, stakes, running water, and all the rest--are basically the only reason that humans are able to fight back against them, this is obviously a concern. As such, the village hires two vampire hunters, one of which is D. I'm a bit surprised that these small villages can keep coming up with the money necessary to hire a vampire hunter, considering how expensive and specialized Vampire Hunter D implied that those services were. And two at the same time? Well, whatever it takes to get D into the story, I guess.
The same kind of flowery language is in use here, and D is just as ridiculous as he was in the previous book. He's more beautiful than anyone else, he can beat anyone in battle, he can survive surprise attacks, explosions, psychic assault, physical deprivation, immersion in water, and basically anything anyone throws at him without showing that it harms him in the least. That's pretty much his character, though, and if that sounds ridiculous to you I'm pretty sure you didn't even get through the first book.
What stuck in my mind for Raiser of Gales was the plot. The part about Noble civilization is a bit simplistic. It speaks of beautiful paintings showing Nobles strolling through moonlit gardens, playing instruments, traveling to the stars, and one painted-over artwork depicting Nobles strolling in the sun, contrasted with Tepes where basically everyone except Lina is terrible. But of course, the Nobility literally need to drink human blood to survive, so of course they'd try to show how sophisticated they were as a contrast to that. And the actions of the Nobility in the book belie that initial impression, since the Sacred Ancestor is conducting experiments that lead to the deaths of hundreds without showing any remorse.
That does lead to why I liked the book, though. It was a tragedy: Despite millennia of trying, there was no way for the Nobility to avert their decline and fall. "Transient guests are we" indeed. I'm a sucker for that kind of doomed struggle against fate, and here it's a struggle involving super science, which is objectively the best kind of struggle. Super-scientifically proven.
Raiser of Gales is not high literature, but it is a really fun read and better than the first book in basically every way.
Previous Review: Vampire Hunter D.
Next Review: Demon Deathchase.
February 3, 2018
"The people who uncovered this potential, the beings who guided the human race to a higher level-were they really so cursed?"
The girl suddenly pressed a hand to her chest. The time had come. If nothing else, her voice was proud.
"I believe I'd like to learn about the history of the Nobility."
There is a town, and in that town stands a hill, and on that hill, ruins of an old castle could be found. Four kids disappeared into it and only three returned. Ten years pass and now vampires that walk in the light seem to be tormenting this town. Does it have anything to do with the children who returned?
This book continues the story of the uber-sexy-according-to-every-single-person-who-has-met-him, so-talented-he-makes-all-the-girls-and-boys-want-him, Vampire Hunter D. The author makes sure you and your mother knows this. Don't get me wrong - I absolutely love Mr. D, but there are times when I, too, tire of the constant oh-my-what-a-hottie phrases bestowed on the stoic youth.
Having said that, D is actually a lot better in this book than in the first one - in that he actually shows more emotion. He chuckles! He has feelings! I love that. Give me more of that.
What I do not want more of though are the creepy forced sexual scenes that is found in this book. This is definitely not a book for casual readers because it's a little too dark for comfort. Lina is the only character that I cared for, other than D, and it just not fun seeing her being abused like she was here.
I demand a re-imagining of this book where Lina kicks everyone's ass before she flies off into space and become a space pirate for the stars.
The girl suddenly pressed a hand to her chest. The time had come. If nothing else, her voice was proud.
"I believe I'd like to learn about the history of the Nobility."
There is a town, and in that town stands a hill, and on that hill, ruins of an old castle could be found. Four kids disappeared into it and only three returned. Ten years pass and now vampires that walk in the light seem to be tormenting this town. Does it have anything to do with the children who returned?
This book continues the story of the uber-sexy-according-to-every-single-person-who-has-met-him, so-talented-he-makes-all-the-girls-and-boys-want-him, Vampire Hunter D. The author makes sure you and your mother knows this. Don't get me wrong - I absolutely love Mr. D, but there are times when I, too, tire of the constant oh-my-what-a-hottie phrases bestowed on the stoic youth.
Having said that, D is actually a lot better in this book than in the first one - in that he actually shows more emotion. He chuckles! He has feelings! I love that. Give me more of that.
What I do not want more of though are the creepy forced sexual scenes that is found in this book. This is definitely not a book for casual readers because it's a little too dark for comfort. Lina is the only character that I cared for, other than D, and it just not fun seeing her being abused like she was here.
I demand a re-imagining of this book where Lina kicks everyone's ass before she flies off into space and become a space pirate for the stars.
September 14, 2015
The story was good, and it was entertaining enough that I would give it five stars.
However, one thing I've come to notice in the writing of Hideyuki Kikuchi, is that he's a really creepy pervert. I mean, it's so noticeable it's kind of funny. Often does he write about rape, and sometimes he even describes it in lurid detail to the point of completion...
Thankfully this does not happen in this book, and nothing ever got to full on forced sex, but it was still a common enough theme that it made me super uncomfortable, and for this reason I can not give it five stars.
But D talks more than in the last one and you can get a better read on who he is as a character, he's not SO devoid of emotion as I previously thought, and the other characters (that didn't do horrible, horrible things, basically saying Lina, and only Lina) were memorable to a point.
And the story actually kept me wanting to know what the heck was going on. Which is always nice while it lasts. Certainly, the word count being as it is helps immensely in how much enjoyment this book gives out. being only 213 pages exactly (the rest being a preview for the third book, that I plan on reading soon), it's a pretty light read in comparison to most books.
But getting right down to it, I enjoyed the book and that's always enough to warrant a four star rating for me.
However, one thing I've come to notice in the writing of Hideyuki Kikuchi, is that he's a really creepy pervert. I mean, it's so noticeable it's kind of funny. Often does he write about rape, and sometimes he even describes it in lurid detail to the point of completion...
Thankfully this does not happen in this book, and nothing ever got to full on forced sex, but it was still a common enough theme that it made me super uncomfortable, and for this reason I can not give it five stars.
But D talks more than in the last one and you can get a better read on who he is as a character, he's not SO devoid of emotion as I previously thought, and the other characters (that didn't do horrible, horrible things, basically saying Lina, and only Lina) were memorable to a point.
And the story actually kept me wanting to know what the heck was going on. Which is always nice while it lasts. Certainly, the word count being as it is helps immensely in how much enjoyment this book gives out. being only 213 pages exactly (the rest being a preview for the third book, that I plan on reading soon), it's a pretty light read in comparison to most books.
But getting right down to it, I enjoyed the book and that's always enough to warrant a four star rating for me.
November 9, 2023
I have a strange relationship with this novel series.
I was exposed to the Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust film during a formative time and I’ve been endlessly fascinated by D as a character since. Like, irrationally so. I’m attached to this character and I’m dedicated to reading the subtext and subtleties of these books to understand him better and to understand the details of the world building especially. So welcome to a series of reviews where I think way too much about each of these novels. Let me be the first to say: it’s not that deep.
These are pulp novels. They’re ridiculous at times, insanely over the top, they’re overall very misogynistic, and while the actual actions and plot points are interesting enough for a light fantasy read, the writing and narration are atrocious. The prose is full of just plain bad writing and it all seems so amateur, it’s a wonder these were written by an adult. But I’ve heard that the writing improves and that the plots rely on more interesting ways to explore grief as they go on, so fingers crossed for that.
I do plan on reading as much of his series as I can get my hands on despite everything that I’ve just mentioned. There’s something compelling about this world and about D as a character for me, so I’m going to hold on for the ride and take it all with a grain of salt. I also plan on going back and re-reading the first volume, which I read three years ago but don’t remember all the specifics of.
Now for specifics about this volume, D gets another contract and meets another village full of uneducated and violent people. We know there are bad people in this town because they’re all rapists; yes, every single bad guy is bad and a rapist.
D begrudgingly gets another female sidekick who insists on breaking through his reserved exterior despite him showing no reciprocity, and the narration insists repeatedly that it’s because he’s simply so unbelievably good looking, that people just swoon at the sight of him (men and women alike). This woman’s (or girl’s, as she’s typically 17) life sucks and she suffers immensely, which is demonstrated by how much the evil men in the town want to (and do) assault her. She has no reason to believe in anything because she has nothing and no one, except a distant dream of escaping this town, and yet she’s oddly chipper and vivacious all the time.
So far, the formula is respected. But upon closer examination I found that D actually does form a friendship with his formulaic female sidekick, and that this character somehow represents the hopeful and possibly naive innocence of humanity; the naive hope of survival in a world where everything wants humans dead. The dichotomy of light and darkness and human and vampire is exemplified by this girl who was taken by vampires, experimented on, and became her village’s hope for a better future while simultaneously being treated as an outcast. Her persistent humanity is enough to get D to act more human just to meet her expectations at times.
Her friendship with D reaches its peak at the end when she finally presents herself in front of important officials for the Capital who are there to judge whether or not she should be allowed to study at a university. The exact process is skipped over, but it’s implied that D might have helped her give the presentation the way she wanted it, or that he stayed to witness it despite his job as a Hunter being long done. Instead of presenting what she knew the officials wanted to hear, she knew she would die soon so she presented what she actually wished she could say if it wouldn’t have meant ruining her chance of ever being allowed at the university. D honours her dying wish and protects her and she passes, and even offers her some reassurance in a way that no doubt feels foreign to him.
This death scene is strangely a little touching just because of how they interact with one another. D is hardly involved in human lives as someone who is immortal and very, very old, and while death must be somewhat unhappy for him, the scale by which he measures the rise and fall of human lives probably just makes the experience of death a little bitter and melancholy at most. But it seems that in this moment, he empathized with what it means to the person who was dying, and he acted as a mentor into her death, almost.
This pairs well with the segments earlier in the book about D’s origins. It’s implied that he was created intentionally in a laboratory experiment by his father, this universe’s take on Dracula. It’s one of the only moments where he feels a strong emotion, and it’s rage. So he does feel something, likely bitterness or guilt, in regards to his own existence and towards his own father. And it seems that he brings an undercurrent of self-punishment to his interactions with humans when they are open to him, as much as he tries to get by in life by simply remaining stoic and detached while just doing his job. (Side note, despite D possibly being an expriment, it’s also implied that he was born of a human mother, so was he ever a child at one point? What life did he have then, and does he remember?)
If you’ve read this novel and somehow have made it to the end of this review, know that I think that most readers wouldn’t have the will that I have to ignore the narrator’s annoying, cheesy, and repetitive praise of D in order to search for morsels of characterization deeper than “immortal beautiful man is stoic but secretly sorrowful and has a soft spot for pretty girls.” Because that does seem to be what it boils down to, and it does seem to be the author’s intention when writing this overpowered perfect hero. But there’s a surprising humanity that sneaks in between the lines, and surprising humour as well. All of this to say, no, I don’t think that these novels have very good writing, yes, I’m obsessed with them. Any questions?
I was exposed to the Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust film during a formative time and I’ve been endlessly fascinated by D as a character since. Like, irrationally so. I’m attached to this character and I’m dedicated to reading the subtext and subtleties of these books to understand him better and to understand the details of the world building especially. So welcome to a series of reviews where I think way too much about each of these novels. Let me be the first to say: it’s not that deep.
These are pulp novels. They’re ridiculous at times, insanely over the top, they’re overall very misogynistic, and while the actual actions and plot points are interesting enough for a light fantasy read, the writing and narration are atrocious. The prose is full of just plain bad writing and it all seems so amateur, it’s a wonder these were written by an adult. But I’ve heard that the writing improves and that the plots rely on more interesting ways to explore grief as they go on, so fingers crossed for that.
I do plan on reading as much of his series as I can get my hands on despite everything that I’ve just mentioned. There’s something compelling about this world and about D as a character for me, so I’m going to hold on for the ride and take it all with a grain of salt. I also plan on going back and re-reading the first volume, which I read three years ago but don’t remember all the specifics of.
Now for specifics about this volume, D gets another contract and meets another village full of uneducated and violent people. We know there are bad people in this town because they’re all rapists; yes, every single bad guy is bad and a rapist.
D begrudgingly gets another female sidekick who insists on breaking through his reserved exterior despite him showing no reciprocity, and the narration insists repeatedly that it’s because he’s simply so unbelievably good looking, that people just swoon at the sight of him (men and women alike). This woman’s (or girl’s, as she’s typically 17) life sucks and she suffers immensely, which is demonstrated by how much the evil men in the town want to (and do) assault her. She has no reason to believe in anything because she has nothing and no one, except a distant dream of escaping this town, and yet she’s oddly chipper and vivacious all the time.
So far, the formula is respected. But upon closer examination I found that D actually does form a friendship with his formulaic female sidekick, and that this character somehow represents the hopeful and possibly naive innocence of humanity; the naive hope of survival in a world where everything wants humans dead. The dichotomy of light and darkness and human and vampire is exemplified by this girl who was taken by vampires, experimented on, and became her village’s hope for a better future while simultaneously being treated as an outcast. Her persistent humanity is enough to get D to act more human just to meet her expectations at times.
Her friendship with D reaches its peak at the end when she finally presents herself in front of important officials for the Capital who are there to judge whether or not she should be allowed to study at a university. The exact process is skipped over, but it’s implied that D might have helped her give the presentation the way she wanted it, or that he stayed to witness it despite his job as a Hunter being long done. Instead of presenting what she knew the officials wanted to hear, she knew she would die soon so she presented what she actually wished she could say if it wouldn’t have meant ruining her chance of ever being allowed at the university. D honours her dying wish and protects her and she passes, and even offers her some reassurance in a way that no doubt feels foreign to him.
This death scene is strangely a little touching just because of how they interact with one another. D is hardly involved in human lives as someone who is immortal and very, very old, and while death must be somewhat unhappy for him, the scale by which he measures the rise and fall of human lives probably just makes the experience of death a little bitter and melancholy at most. But it seems that in this moment, he empathized with what it means to the person who was dying, and he acted as a mentor into her death, almost.
This pairs well with the segments earlier in the book about D’s origins. It’s implied that he was created intentionally in a laboratory experiment by his father, this universe’s take on Dracula. It’s one of the only moments where he feels a strong emotion, and it’s rage. So he does feel something, likely bitterness or guilt, in regards to his own existence and towards his own father. And it seems that he brings an undercurrent of self-punishment to his interactions with humans when they are open to him, as much as he tries to get by in life by simply remaining stoic and detached while just doing his job. (Side note, despite D possibly being an expriment, it’s also implied that he was born of a human mother, so was he ever a child at one point? What life did he have then, and does he remember?)
If you’ve read this novel and somehow have made it to the end of this review, know that I think that most readers wouldn’t have the will that I have to ignore the narrator’s annoying, cheesy, and repetitive praise of D in order to search for morsels of characterization deeper than “immortal beautiful man is stoic but secretly sorrowful and has a soft spot for pretty girls.” Because that does seem to be what it boils down to, and it does seem to be the author’s intention when writing this overpowered perfect hero. But there’s a surprising humanity that sneaks in between the lines, and surprising humour as well. All of this to say, no, I don’t think that these novels have very good writing, yes, I’m obsessed with them. Any questions?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2017
Compared to the first book, in this one the author is a bit sloppy when describing some scenes, which may leave you confused and force you to reread a whole page or to wonder about something until he goes back to a certain character or event.
Maybe this is why it is heavily under the shadow of the first novel, plus somehow seems to repeat the 17yo young girl who is more capable than others but at the same time falls way too hard for the main character.
Still, I totally recommend to read it since the story so far makes you want to learn more about D and about what happened to the disappearing Nobility.
Maybe this is why it is heavily under the shadow of the first novel, plus somehow seems to repeat the 17yo young girl who is more capable than others but at the same time falls way too hard for the main character.
Still, I totally recommend to read it since the story so far makes you want to learn more about D and about what happened to the disappearing Nobility.
December 29, 2022
I thoroughly enjoy the suspense, unsaid and implied themes, the mystery of D and his ongoing battle with his inner self. I love the modern and sarcastic sense of humour that all the characters aside from D operate (which I am completely surprised at seeing how old the series is) and the pseudescientific talk, which makes each battle more exciting than it really is.
June 25, 2020
Not as good as the first volume, but still entertaining. The world building is fantastic and probably the strongest point of the series. I do get a little tired of hearing how gorgeous D is, it seems like we're being told that every chapter. Still a cool series with cool monster. I will be continuing.
February 19, 2008
It was okay, kinda confusing, and if the author mentioned how beautiful D was/is one more time, I think I would've screamed my bloody head off.
I know he's all super-uber-ultra hot an'all, I got that in the first 100 pages, no need to keep on reminding me. GOSH!
I know he's all super-uber-ultra hot an'all, I got that in the first 100 pages, no need to keep on reminding me. GOSH!
October 1, 2016
Better than the first volume.
December 29, 2022
Content warnings: Blood, kidnapping, incest, rape (fades to black, but unequivocal), dismemberment, nonconsensual medical experimentation
The mystery in this one is so engaging. We start off finding a young girl who has been selected by her town to go off into the capital as part of a special program that gets her a higher status in human society while the village of Tepes gets more resources. But there’s more to the precocious young woman than meets the eye, and gnarly is just one word for it.
What really shines here is how monstrous the humans are especially juxtaposed to the Nobles. I won’t spoil the mystery, but there is a horrific arc in which we learn more about Lina and the mayor who took her in. Please heed the content warnings for that portion of the story.
The action is incredible, and I really liked how less animalistic the vampires were in this one. The conspiracy is a years’ long literal medical experiment in eugenics. It’s very horror, and highlights Kikuchi’s ability to blend genres and use tropes to great effect. I can’t say too much without spoiling the entire story arc.
The mystery in this one is so engaging. We start off finding a young girl who has been selected by her town to go off into the capital as part of a special program that gets her a higher status in human society while the village of Tepes gets more resources. But there’s more to the precocious young woman than meets the eye, and gnarly is just one word for it.
What really shines here is how monstrous the humans are especially juxtaposed to the Nobles. I won’t spoil the mystery, but there is a horrific arc in which we learn more about Lina and the mayor who took her in. Please heed the content warnings for that portion of the story.
The action is incredible, and I really liked how less animalistic the vampires were in this one. The conspiracy is a years’ long literal medical experiment in eugenics. It’s very horror, and highlights Kikuchi’s ability to blend genres and use tropes to great effect. I can’t say too much without spoiling the entire story arc.
July 19, 2024
A change of pace and scenery from the first volume.
The change of scenery was a nice contrast, although, I cannot say the same for the pace. Without revealing too much, the first half of this volume seemed a bit slower than the first one. Though I must say that the second half had much better pacing for my taste and I reclaimed the same “can’t put down this book” feeling from the first volume. The adventure is creative and mysterious, and the character building is positively reminiscent of the style in the first volume.
If you are a fan of the first, definitely give this one a chance as it has a lot of world building elements for the “Vampire Hunter D” universe!
Even though the first half is paced a bit slower compared to the first volume, the storyline is as unique and fascinating as ever!
The change of scenery was a nice contrast, although, I cannot say the same for the pace. Without revealing too much, the first half of this volume seemed a bit slower than the first one. Though I must say that the second half had much better pacing for my taste and I reclaimed the same “can’t put down this book” feeling from the first volume. The adventure is creative and mysterious, and the character building is positively reminiscent of the style in the first volume.
If you are a fan of the first, definitely give this one a chance as it has a lot of world building elements for the “Vampire Hunter D” universe!
Even though the first half is paced a bit slower compared to the first volume, the storyline is as unique and fascinating as ever!
December 1, 2023
I thought that this was going to be just another version of the first story, just repeating the same pattern, but nooooooo...
I was sooo devastated when the story came to the conclusion and seems like I'm gonna go through it to the end.
42 more to go :)))
I was sooo devastated when the story came to the conclusion and seems like I'm gonna go through it to the end.
42 more to go :)))
August 25, 2024
It dawned on me while reading this book, these are basically the Japanese vampire equivalent of American noir detective pulp. But these are very inventive and enjoyable even if all the characters are pretty two dimensional.
April 24, 2024
Another incredible book. Already prepared to start the 3rd book in this series. Positively madness.
5/5. Nuff said.
5/5. Nuff said.
January 15, 2025
This was great!! So dark and I loved the reveals that took place. D is a very fascinating character and I chuckle every time he meets a new character because the lust is on sight. 4.5 stars for this one! The plot with Lina made me a bit uncomfy due to her being underage, but overall, really good!! 🖤🩸
November 2, 2024
It became clearer why the artist was asked to illustrate covers for Moorcock novels.
D could well be an incarnation of the championship eternal. I enjoyed it, albeit unnecessarily graphical at times in allusions to sexual assault
D could well be an incarnation of the championship eternal. I enjoyed it, albeit unnecessarily graphical at times in allusions to sexual assault
June 2, 2022
Una historia mas compleja y con un final "bittersweet", sinceramente D es un personaje intrigante y ha tenido unas cuantas complicaciones en este libro, sigo queriendo saber más.
May 30, 2015
I feel the need to begin this review by stating I started reading this series both out of curiosity and out of the will to find something light but entertaining to read. The first volume gave me just that. It was campy, so campy in fact that it was as if I was injecting liquid cheese straight into my bloodstream. I absolutely loved it.
And, despite the two star rating here, I did find myself quite enjoying the next adventure of D, the Vampire Hunter. Unfortunately, I also very much came to the conclusion the second volume simply doesn't hold up to the expectations left by the first one. As many have stated already, the story here is more complex than the last, but lacks in execution. I do not know if it is a translation issue, but the story unraveled itself, at times, in a rather confusing fashion. (In general however, I find myself very much enjoying the extravagant writing style used by the translator, Kevin Leahy - it has that gothic bravado that fits right into the setting.)
Not to mention, the story didn't seem to get anywhere for quite a while after starting. The premise goes by fast, introducing us to the situation - and then the story progression pummels down remarkably. Vampire Hunter D books are seemingly fast read, so one might think the slow progression wouldn't become an issue since one can just rush right past the plot's mark time. Perhaps it wouldn't - if not for the fact these stories are very low-suspense. You can pretty much call out almost everything. And even if you can't, you can be damn sure you foresee the conclusion to whatever's going down. The characters are very static, in terms of character progression. They are what they are, and the only thing that can essentially change them one way or another is if they turn into vampires. It makes whatever happens very easy to predict.
Suffice to say, the second volume lacked that punch present in the first volume of Vampire Hunter D. At least the writing style (elements such as the tendency of the storyteller to constantly assume what sort of questions might be going on in the reader's head, and then to ask those questions in the prose) didn't feel alien any longer. Either way, I will look forward to reading the next installment to the series. Every series is bound to have its highs and lows, and oftentimes the low comes right after the first volume that set the mood, the expectations, and the tone to the remaining series.
A couple of other things I'd like to note:
- First of all, Kikuchi definitely upped his "D is gorgeous" game in this volume. I'm not sure you can get past a single page without being reminded of how infatuating the Vampire Hunter looks. I don't mind being repeatedly reminded of this, as it just is part of the books, but I must admit that in this volume it was way excessive.
- Secondly, there is really, really really much, an absolute cr**ton of, rape and threats of rape towards the main female character of the book. And the worst part is, it is apparently there only to establish the character as a tragic figure in the story, while making every other human character a disgusting di**wad (for plot convenience, no less). It's very excessive, so consider yourself warned.
And, despite the two star rating here, I did find myself quite enjoying the next adventure of D, the Vampire Hunter. Unfortunately, I also very much came to the conclusion the second volume simply doesn't hold up to the expectations left by the first one. As many have stated already, the story here is more complex than the last, but lacks in execution. I do not know if it is a translation issue, but the story unraveled itself, at times, in a rather confusing fashion. (In general however, I find myself very much enjoying the extravagant writing style used by the translator, Kevin Leahy - it has that gothic bravado that fits right into the setting.)
Not to mention, the story didn't seem to get anywhere for quite a while after starting. The premise goes by fast, introducing us to the situation - and then the story progression pummels down remarkably. Vampire Hunter D books are seemingly fast read, so one might think the slow progression wouldn't become an issue since one can just rush right past the plot's mark time. Perhaps it wouldn't - if not for the fact these stories are very low-suspense. You can pretty much call out almost everything. And even if you can't, you can be damn sure you foresee the conclusion to whatever's going down. The characters are very static, in terms of character progression. They are what they are, and the only thing that can essentially change them one way or another is if they turn into vampires. It makes whatever happens very easy to predict.
Suffice to say, the second volume lacked that punch present in the first volume of Vampire Hunter D. At least the writing style (elements such as the tendency of the storyteller to constantly assume what sort of questions might be going on in the reader's head, and then to ask those questions in the prose) didn't feel alien any longer. Either way, I will look forward to reading the next installment to the series. Every series is bound to have its highs and lows, and oftentimes the low comes right after the first volume that set the mood, the expectations, and the tone to the remaining series.
A couple of other things I'd like to note:
- First of all, Kikuchi definitely upped his "D is gorgeous" game in this volume. I'm not sure you can get past a single page without being reminded of how infatuating the Vampire Hunter looks. I don't mind being repeatedly reminded of this, as it just is part of the books, but I must admit that in this volume it was way excessive.
- Secondly, there is really, really really much, an absolute cr**ton of, rape and threats of rape towards the main female character of the book. And the worst part is, it is apparently there only to establish the character as a tragic figure in the story, while making every other human character a disgusting di**wad (for plot convenience, no less). It's very excessive, so consider yourself warned.
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