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The Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer
Sovereign Power. Eternal Pleasure.
Revealed at last in this new vampire saga for the ages: the true, untold story of the “Virgin Queen” and her secret war against the Vampire King of England. . . .
On the eve of her coronation, Elizabeth Tudor is summoned to the tomb of her mother, Anne Boleyn, to learn the truth about her bloodline—and her destiny as a Slayer. Born to battle the bloodsucking fiends who ravage the night, and sworn to defend her beloved realm against all enemies, Elizabeth soon finds herself stalked by the most dangerous and seductive vampire of all.
He is Mordred, bastard son of King Arthur, who sold his soul to destroy his father. After centuries in hiding, he has arisen determined to claim the young Elizabeth as his Queen. Luring her into his world of eternal night, Mordred tempts Elizabeth with the promise of everlasting youth and beauty, and vows to protect her from all enemies. Together, they will rule over a golden age for vampires in which humans will exist only to be fed upon. Horrified by his intentions, Elizabeth embraces her powers as a Slayer even as she realizes that the greatest danger comes from her own secret desire to yield to Mordred . . . to bare her throat in ecstasy and allow the vampire king to drink deeply of her royal blood.
As told by Lucy Weston, the vampire prey immortalized in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, this spellbinding account will capture your heart and soul—forever.
Revealed at last in this new vampire saga for the ages: the true, untold story of the “Virgin Queen” and her secret war against the Vampire King of England. . . .
On the eve of her coronation, Elizabeth Tudor is summoned to the tomb of her mother, Anne Boleyn, to learn the truth about her bloodline—and her destiny as a Slayer. Born to battle the bloodsucking fiends who ravage the night, and sworn to defend her beloved realm against all enemies, Elizabeth soon finds herself stalked by the most dangerous and seductive vampire of all.
He is Mordred, bastard son of King Arthur, who sold his soul to destroy his father. After centuries in hiding, he has arisen determined to claim the young Elizabeth as his Queen. Luring her into his world of eternal night, Mordred tempts Elizabeth with the promise of everlasting youth and beauty, and vows to protect her from all enemies. Together, they will rule over a golden age for vampires in which humans will exist only to be fed upon. Horrified by his intentions, Elizabeth embraces her powers as a Slayer even as she realizes that the greatest danger comes from her own secret desire to yield to Mordred . . . to bare her throat in ecstasy and allow the vampire king to drink deeply of her royal blood.
As told by Lucy Weston, the vampire prey immortalized in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, this spellbinding account will capture your heart and soul—forever.
303 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
April 24, 2011
WARNING: THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD.
THE SECRET HISTORY OF ELIZABETH TUDOR VAMPIRE SLAYER
ACT I
SCENE I. London. An ante-chamber in the palace.
The newly crowned QUEEN sits in her private chamber, still in her coronation regalia.
ELIZABETH
Now I sit on the throne of England, the sceptr’d isle,
Cloak’d in ermine, my sire’s crown on my fiery head.
The sire who killed my mother for the sin of being a woman;
He whose beard was red as fire, and whose terrible temper
Sent too many worthy men and women to the scaffold.
But never mind --- I am Queen Regnant.
England shall be strong and proud;
Free of the Spaniards, the Pope or other menaces foreign and domestic,
And true religion shall hold sway over its abbeys and churches,
Driving away papist superstitions that flourish’d during my sister’s reign.
Enters the POPE.
POPE
I will smash the BITCH!
Exits the POPE.
ELIZABETH
WTF!?
Here come my advisors, wise and noble men I esteem above all others.
Enter DOCTOR JOHN DEE, WILLIAM CECIL, SIR FRANCIS WALSINGHAM and LORD ROBERT DUDLEY, who all curtsy to the QUEEN.
ELIZABETH
Doctor Dee the Magus who foretold the day of my sister’s death
Thus saving my life;
William Cecil my most trusted aide, the one I call my Spirit;
Sir Francis the schoolmaster cloak’d in black, the wiliest of spies; and
Lord Robert, my Robin, him of beauteous countenance,
Tall and limber with the grace of a natural horseman,
Clad in burgundy velvet, his mustache and beard finely oiled.
His legs, which are uniformly acknowledged to be excellent
Well turn’d in black hose, his hot mouth ---
DOCTOR DEE
Majesty!
ELIZABETH
flustered
My good doctor --- ‘tis dead of the night.
What is it that you wish to speak to me about?
DOCTOR DEE
We come on a matter touching on the security of the realm,
A threat so strange and sinister, so defying of all mortal reason
That must now be reveal’d to you.
Now that the conjunction of the planet is favorable,
You must come with us to the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula at the Tower.
Trust us and do not tarry,
Time is fleeting and there is much to accomplish!
Exeunt.
SCENE II. Tower of London. Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula.
ELIZABETH and the GENTLEMEN ADVISORS enter the CHAPEL, and stand before a flagstone slab --- the grave of ANNE BOLEYN.
ELIZABETH
‘Tis my mother’s grave! What is happening?
MIST rises from the GRAVE, and a GHOSTLY VOICE is heard to speak.
THE GHOST OF ANNE BOLEYN
My daughter,
Accept this power and do not fear your duty.
Embrace it that this realm
May be preserved against the scourge of evil that has come upon it!
ELIZABETH shimmers with otherworldly light and then slumps unconscious to the CHAPEL’s floor. DOCTOR DEE and CECIL catch her.
ELIZABETH
Slowly regainining consciousness
What is happening to me?
What magic do you conjure? You know I forbid sorcery in my realm!
DOCTOR DEE
It worked! Her Majesty has awaken’d!
Your Majesty, you are experiencing
The result of a confluence of heavenly alignments,
Occurring only once in each millennium,
That in combination with the unique qualities of your own nature,
And in the presence of your late mother’s mortal remains,
From whose bloodline your calling comes,
Has awakened in you certain hitherto latent powers.
ELIZABETH
HUH?!
WILLIAM CECIL
Your Majesty, you are the one whose coming had been long predicted.
Our realm is under threat from a dread enemy,
More terrible than any you can imagine.
It can only be defeated by the most extraordinary powers, which
Grace to God, we believe you now possess.
ELIZABETH
Of what enemy do you speak?
The Pope, who threatens to excommunicate me?
The Spaniards, who unless I agree to marry their king,
Will turn all their might to my destruction?
The French…the Irish…the Scots…the Welsh?
WILLIAM CECIL
An ancient foe
Come to this kingdom in the time of Arthur.
They go by several names,
But they are known to us as VAMPIRES.
Arthur fell to his son Mordred,
Who chose the path of darkness,
Becoming a vampire to gain the power
To defeat his royal father.
He sought to rule this realm for eternity,
But was stopped by the first of the great vampire slayers
From whom you descend directly.
Morgaine La Fey, who defeated Mordred
Leaving him with only a withered remnant of his revenant kingdom.
Now it falls to you to complete her work
ELIZABETH TUDOR THE VAMPIRE SLAYER!
Exeunt.
ACT II
SCENE I. London. The great hall at Southwark Manor.
Enter MORDRED and his followers.
MORDRED
Here I am, king of the undead
Sulking in my palace, where I was born to my sire a thousand years ago
Amidst spirited dancing, dice playing and blood sucking
Alone I sit, pining for Elizabeth the Queen Regnant.
She who I sought to be my consort.
Together we shall rule over Arthur’s kingdom, the living and the undead,
And drive away all foreign invaders from England’s white cliff’d shores.
Alas, she is unwilling
And with her awesome powers slays my revenant troop.
But I shall subdue and have her
Win her away from that treacherous pretty boy Dudley
My beautiful, stubborn, pale skinned, fiery haired Elizabeth!
Exeunt.
SCENE II. London. The Palace.
Enter ELIZABETH, SIR FRANCIS and LORD ROBERT.
ELIZABETH
Sir Francis! Pray tell us now
Of your discovery
Of our dreadful enemy’s secret!
SIR FRANCIS
The hard-earn’d fruit of many a day skulking around
The vile, monstrous vampire king and his loathsome ilk,
At a great cost to body and soul
I have discovered that they slumber in daylight
A slumber that is like death.
When they lie on their bier in the Manor’s ancient crypt,
Slay them while they sleep their sweet dreamless slumber!
Exits.
LORD ROBERT
Absolutely not!
You shall not go to him
The danger is too great.
As your lover and protector, though not, alas
Your lawfully wedded husband
I shall never allow you to endanger yourself!
ELIZABETH
I am Queen! I will not be controlled
By anyone ---
Man or vampire!
And I shall not suffer a man
To hold the power of a husband over my head
Neither you nor any crown’d prince!
LORD ROBERT
Bows, and then valiantly draws his sword.
Very well, Your Majesty,
But nothing shall keep me from your side.
Exeunt.
SCENE III. The crypt of Soutwark Manor.
Enter ELIZABETH, LORD ROBERT, SIR FRANCIS and DOCTOR DEE.
ELIZABETH
There he is!
The king of vampires that I must slay,
Arthur’s son turned evil
Slumbering on his bier.
Cloak’d entirely in black, not quite unfetching
Quite handsome in his own way.
No --- quite simply the most beautiful being that I have ever seen
He smells of the wind and night…
But no one shall threaten my realm
Queen I am, and I shall rid England of this dangerous fiend!
With all her might, ELIZABETH sends a bolt of lightning toward the sleeping MORDRED. MORDRED abruptly awakens and swiftly leaps away before it hits him.
MORDRED
Elizabeth!
You cannot destroy me!
Join your power to mine instead, and together we shall live eternal
Ruling over England, keeping her safe.
I know that you and I are destined to be together!
They fight. MORDRED suddenly swoops on LORD ROBERT and flies away with him.
ELIZABETH
No! Let go of my Robin , you foul fiend!
I shall find you wherever you hide your sorry vampire behind!
Exeunt.
ACT III.
Scene I. London. An abandoned warehouse by the docks.
Enters ELIZABETH, swooping down into the warehouse.
ELIZABETH
This must be it!
My heightened senses, greater than any hound's
perceived your whereabouts
Guided by the scent of your imported laudanum.
Kicks bolted door open.
Robin! Is that you, my love?
LORD ROBERT
Slowly rises.
Elizabeth --- My God, is it really you?
Enters MORDRED, lifting LORD ROBERT by his throat and dangling him from the roof of the warehouse.
MORDRED
Just when it seemed that you and I are making genuine progress.
ELIZABETH
Only I --- Queen and Slayer both --- can protect this realm from you!
MORDRED
Very well, Your Majesty
You have made your choice.
Drops LORD ROBERT into the THAMES.
ELIZABETH
Nooo!
TO BE CONTINUED IN THE SECRET HISTORY OF ELIZABETH TUDOR VAMPIRE SLAYER PART II.
THE SECRET HISTORY OF ELIZABETH TUDOR VAMPIRE SLAYER
ACT I
SCENE I. London. An ante-chamber in the palace.
The newly crowned QUEEN sits in her private chamber, still in her coronation regalia.
ELIZABETH
Now I sit on the throne of England, the sceptr’d isle,
Cloak’d in ermine, my sire’s crown on my fiery head.
The sire who killed my mother for the sin of being a woman;
He whose beard was red as fire, and whose terrible temper
Sent too many worthy men and women to the scaffold.
But never mind --- I am Queen Regnant.
England shall be strong and proud;
Free of the Spaniards, the Pope or other menaces foreign and domestic,
And true religion shall hold sway over its abbeys and churches,
Driving away papist superstitions that flourish’d during my sister’s reign.
Enters the POPE.
POPE
I will smash the BITCH!
Exits the POPE.
ELIZABETH
WTF!?
Here come my advisors, wise and noble men I esteem above all others.
Enter DOCTOR JOHN DEE, WILLIAM CECIL, SIR FRANCIS WALSINGHAM and LORD ROBERT DUDLEY, who all curtsy to the QUEEN.
ELIZABETH
Doctor Dee the Magus who foretold the day of my sister’s death
Thus saving my life;
William Cecil my most trusted aide, the one I call my Spirit;
Sir Francis the schoolmaster cloak’d in black, the wiliest of spies; and
Lord Robert, my Robin, him of beauteous countenance,
Tall and limber with the grace of a natural horseman,
Clad in burgundy velvet, his mustache and beard finely oiled.
His legs, which are uniformly acknowledged to be excellent
Well turn’d in black hose, his hot mouth ---
DOCTOR DEE
Majesty!
ELIZABETH
flustered
My good doctor --- ‘tis dead of the night.
What is it that you wish to speak to me about?
DOCTOR DEE
We come on a matter touching on the security of the realm,
A threat so strange and sinister, so defying of all mortal reason
That must now be reveal’d to you.
Now that the conjunction of the planet is favorable,
You must come with us to the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula at the Tower.
Trust us and do not tarry,
Time is fleeting and there is much to accomplish!
Exeunt.
SCENE II. Tower of London. Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula.
ELIZABETH and the GENTLEMEN ADVISORS enter the CHAPEL, and stand before a flagstone slab --- the grave of ANNE BOLEYN.
ELIZABETH
‘Tis my mother’s grave! What is happening?
MIST rises from the GRAVE, and a GHOSTLY VOICE is heard to speak.
THE GHOST OF ANNE BOLEYN
My daughter,
Accept this power and do not fear your duty.
Embrace it that this realm
May be preserved against the scourge of evil that has come upon it!
ELIZABETH shimmers with otherworldly light and then slumps unconscious to the CHAPEL’s floor. DOCTOR DEE and CECIL catch her.
ELIZABETH
Slowly regainining consciousness
What is happening to me?
What magic do you conjure? You know I forbid sorcery in my realm!
DOCTOR DEE
It worked! Her Majesty has awaken’d!
Your Majesty, you are experiencing
The result of a confluence of heavenly alignments,
Occurring only once in each millennium,
That in combination with the unique qualities of your own nature,
And in the presence of your late mother’s mortal remains,
From whose bloodline your calling comes,
Has awakened in you certain hitherto latent powers.
ELIZABETH
HUH?!
WILLIAM CECIL
Your Majesty, you are the one whose coming had been long predicted.
Our realm is under threat from a dread enemy,
More terrible than any you can imagine.
It can only be defeated by the most extraordinary powers, which
Grace to God, we believe you now possess.
ELIZABETH
Of what enemy do you speak?
The Pope, who threatens to excommunicate me?
The Spaniards, who unless I agree to marry their king,
Will turn all their might to my destruction?
The French…the Irish…the Scots…the Welsh?
WILLIAM CECIL
An ancient foe
Come to this kingdom in the time of Arthur.
They go by several names,
But they are known to us as VAMPIRES.
Arthur fell to his son Mordred,
Who chose the path of darkness,
Becoming a vampire to gain the power
To defeat his royal father.
He sought to rule this realm for eternity,
But was stopped by the first of the great vampire slayers
From whom you descend directly.
Morgaine La Fey, who defeated Mordred
Leaving him with only a withered remnant of his revenant kingdom.
Now it falls to you to complete her work
ELIZABETH TUDOR THE VAMPIRE SLAYER!
Exeunt.
ACT II
SCENE I. London. The great hall at Southwark Manor.
Enter MORDRED and his followers.
MORDRED
Here I am, king of the undead
Sulking in my palace, where I was born to my sire a thousand years ago
Amidst spirited dancing, dice playing and blood sucking
Alone I sit, pining for Elizabeth the Queen Regnant.
She who I sought to be my consort.
Together we shall rule over Arthur’s kingdom, the living and the undead,
And drive away all foreign invaders from England’s white cliff’d shores.
Alas, she is unwilling
And with her awesome powers slays my revenant troop.
But I shall subdue and have her
Win her away from that treacherous pretty boy Dudley
My beautiful, stubborn, pale skinned, fiery haired Elizabeth!
Exeunt.
SCENE II. London. The Palace.
Enter ELIZABETH, SIR FRANCIS and LORD ROBERT.
ELIZABETH
Sir Francis! Pray tell us now
Of your discovery
Of our dreadful enemy’s secret!
SIR FRANCIS
The hard-earn’d fruit of many a day skulking around
The vile, monstrous vampire king and his loathsome ilk,
At a great cost to body and soul
I have discovered that they slumber in daylight
A slumber that is like death.
When they lie on their bier in the Manor’s ancient crypt,
Slay them while they sleep their sweet dreamless slumber!
Exits.
LORD ROBERT
Absolutely not!
You shall not go to him
The danger is too great.
As your lover and protector, though not, alas
Your lawfully wedded husband
I shall never allow you to endanger yourself!
ELIZABETH
I am Queen! I will not be controlled
By anyone ---
Man or vampire!
And I shall not suffer a man
To hold the power of a husband over my head
Neither you nor any crown’d prince!
LORD ROBERT
Bows, and then valiantly draws his sword.
Very well, Your Majesty,
But nothing shall keep me from your side.
Exeunt.
SCENE III. The crypt of Soutwark Manor.
Enter ELIZABETH, LORD ROBERT, SIR FRANCIS and DOCTOR DEE.
ELIZABETH
There he is!
The king of vampires that I must slay,
Arthur’s son turned evil
Slumbering on his bier.
Cloak’d entirely in black, not quite unfetching
Quite handsome in his own way.
No --- quite simply the most beautiful being that I have ever seen
He smells of the wind and night…
But no one shall threaten my realm
Queen I am, and I shall rid England of this dangerous fiend!
With all her might, ELIZABETH sends a bolt of lightning toward the sleeping MORDRED. MORDRED abruptly awakens and swiftly leaps away before it hits him.
MORDRED
Elizabeth!
You cannot destroy me!
Join your power to mine instead, and together we shall live eternal
Ruling over England, keeping her safe.
I know that you and I are destined to be together!
They fight. MORDRED suddenly swoops on LORD ROBERT and flies away with him.
ELIZABETH
No! Let go of my Robin , you foul fiend!
I shall find you wherever you hide your sorry vampire behind!
Exeunt.
ACT III.
Scene I. London. An abandoned warehouse by the docks.
Enters ELIZABETH, swooping down into the warehouse.
ELIZABETH
This must be it!
My heightened senses, greater than any hound's
perceived your whereabouts
Guided by the scent of your imported laudanum.
Kicks bolted door open.
Robin! Is that you, my love?
LORD ROBERT
Slowly rises.
Elizabeth --- My God, is it really you?
Enters MORDRED, lifting LORD ROBERT by his throat and dangling him from the roof of the warehouse.
MORDRED
Just when it seemed that you and I are making genuine progress.
ELIZABETH
Only I --- Queen and Slayer both --- can protect this realm from you!
MORDRED
Very well, Your Majesty
You have made your choice.
Drops LORD ROBERT into the THAMES.
ELIZABETH
Nooo!
TO BE CONTINUED IN THE SECRET HISTORY OF ELIZABETH TUDOR VAMPIRE SLAYER PART II.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2010
Right. It's kinda bad. I'm only a few chapters in and I just can't go any further. Problems thus far:
1. Complete lack of originality. Aside from the recent plethora of the "real" stories of historical figures fighting demons or vampires, this author is regurgitating both the Elizabethian history and the Arthurian mythos. Significant lack of creativity on both fronts.
2. This author doesn't know how to smoothly incorporate the actual historical events so it's a lot of exposition rather than moving the story along.
3. The author is unable to properly deal with two points of view. Instead of using language or place to establish a different speaker, the Mordred parts are all italicized. This gets old very quickly, particularly when it goes on for
pages.
4. I've saved the best (or worst) for last. Overblown language abounds! The last paragraph on page 22: "When my fangs pierced her throat, she moaned faintly. The fire leapt higher, burning hotter. Tomorrow crept toward us, eclipsing all the yesterdays." Um. Blah.
1. Complete lack of originality. Aside from the recent plethora of the "real" stories of historical figures fighting demons or vampires, this author is regurgitating both the Elizabethian history and the Arthurian mythos. Significant lack of creativity on both fronts.
2. This author doesn't know how to smoothly incorporate the actual historical events so it's a lot of exposition rather than moving the story along.
3. The author is unable to properly deal with two points of view. Instead of using language or place to establish a different speaker, the Mordred parts are all italicized. This gets old very quickly, particularly when it goes on for
pages.
4. I've saved the best (or worst) for last. Overblown language abounds! The last paragraph on page 22: "When my fangs pierced her throat, she moaned faintly. The fire leapt higher, burning hotter. Tomorrow crept toward us, eclipsing all the yesterdays." Um. Blah.
December 26, 2020
The premise sounded great and had potential to be great but overall the story was pretty meh.
July 29, 2011
I was hoping that this book would be like "Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter". In that book, you "almost" believed that you were reading a non-fiction story. This book tries so hard to pose itself as a true historical account, that it comes off as over the top.
Lucy Weston "supposedly" brought the secret diaries of Elizabeth Tudor to the public to warn us of the threat of vampires to our world. The interview with the author (at the back of the book) concludes suddenly when she flees for safety after receiving a text. Yeah, ok, whatever. I actually rolled my eyes after reading that!
Don't get me wrong, I knew that I was buying a fiction book when I picked it up, I'm not naive enough to believe that these were actually Elizabeth's private journals. I was just expecting more of a historical fiction than a fantasy fiction.
Last, but not least, the fact that the main character was unrelatable made it even harder to finish the book. Historically, I find Queen Elizabeth I to be a fascinating woman. Unfortunately, this novel makes her not only unlikeable, but she is portrayed as power hungry and cruel. Her only concern in what is supposed to be her most secret thoughts is for the throne and her rule over England. I did not believe she ever had a struggle between love and power. The only reason I believe she was tempted by Mordred's request was to increase her power and not because of the passion that we are asked to believe she feels towards the vampire king. Even though, it would seem admirable for a Queen to only concern herself with her land and people, it would be inhuman to not feel love and passion.
I have read that this is to be the first of a series of books. I can guarantee that there will be no temptation in reading the rest of the stories when they are released. I won't waste my time reading more into this tale! Don't waste your time reading this novel, "The Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer". It is not an entertaining read.
Lucy Weston "supposedly" brought the secret diaries of Elizabeth Tudor to the public to warn us of the threat of vampires to our world. The interview with the author (at the back of the book) concludes suddenly when she flees for safety after receiving a text. Yeah, ok, whatever. I actually rolled my eyes after reading that!
Don't get me wrong, I knew that I was buying a fiction book when I picked it up, I'm not naive enough to believe that these were actually Elizabeth's private journals. I was just expecting more of a historical fiction than a fantasy fiction.
Last, but not least, the fact that the main character was unrelatable made it even harder to finish the book. Historically, I find Queen Elizabeth I to be a fascinating woman. Unfortunately, this novel makes her not only unlikeable, but she is portrayed as power hungry and cruel. Her only concern in what is supposed to be her most secret thoughts is for the throne and her rule over England. I did not believe she ever had a struggle between love and power. The only reason I believe she was tempted by Mordred's request was to increase her power and not because of the passion that we are asked to believe she feels towards the vampire king. Even though, it would seem admirable for a Queen to only concern herself with her land and people, it would be inhuman to not feel love and passion.
I have read that this is to be the first of a series of books. I can guarantee that there will be no temptation in reading the rest of the stories when they are released. I won't waste my time reading more into this tale! Don't waste your time reading this novel, "The Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer". It is not an entertaining read.
December 16, 2010
Full disclosure: I only read up to page 134 before deciding there was absolutely no point to finishing this.
I didn't have high expectations of a pseudonymous vampire novel - but I did expect better than this. I expected some trashy fun costume drama, but this was simply a slog.
It's very poorly written, in an annoying first-person present tense, with an awkward mix of faux "old-style" language and contemporary phrasing. The main character, ostensibly Elizabeth Tudor, is not believable as a powerful woman or as a person of her era. None of the characters or settings come to life. The author (who knows who really wrote this thing?) has trouble with the definitions of words (Hint: 'querulous' means 'whiny and complaining', NOT 'questioning and demanding'.)
I guess I was supposed to care whether Elizabeth will succumb to the seductive vampire king, who just happens to be Mordred, son of King Arthur(! - why?), but I didn't. And by page 134, there still hadn't been any explicit sex (though there was a bit of swooning and spooning).
I was willing to read this for any of the following: historical drama, fun bloody vampire story, or racy scenes. I found none of those.
I'll give it this: it has a nice cover. Kudos to the graphic designer.
I didn't have high expectations of a pseudonymous vampire novel - but I did expect better than this. I expected some trashy fun costume drama, but this was simply a slog.
It's very poorly written, in an annoying first-person present tense, with an awkward mix of faux "old-style" language and contemporary phrasing. The main character, ostensibly Elizabeth Tudor, is not believable as a powerful woman or as a person of her era. None of the characters or settings come to life. The author (who knows who really wrote this thing?) has trouble with the definitions of words (Hint: 'querulous' means 'whiny and complaining', NOT 'questioning and demanding'.)
I guess I was supposed to care whether Elizabeth will succumb to the seductive vampire king, who just happens to be Mordred, son of King Arthur(! - why?), but I didn't. And by page 134, there still hadn't been any explicit sex (though there was a bit of swooning and spooning).
I was willing to read this for any of the following: historical drama, fun bloody vampire story, or racy scenes. I found none of those.
I'll give it this: it has a nice cover. Kudos to the graphic designer.
January 21, 2011
This vampire romance is written in flowery, Victorian language that really gives you a feel for the era and the gothic style of the story. This book will definitely appeal to fans of Victorian vampire stories, the original Dracula story, and mash ups in general.
For someone who loves romance as much as I do, I'm just not a fan of literally dropping things because you're so mesmerized at first sight by someone. I think this style of 'love' will really appeal to die hard Edward and Bella fans. Unfortunately, it's an all-consuming, creepy kind of love to me.
I might have liked this one more if I had read the original "Dracula" and could identify more with Lucy Weston. Overall, this one just wasn't my style.
book sent by publisher in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
For someone who loves romance as much as I do, I'm just not a fan of literally dropping things because you're so mesmerized at first sight by someone. I think this style of 'love' will really appeal to die hard Edward and Bella fans. Unfortunately, it's an all-consuming, creepy kind of love to me.
I might have liked this one more if I had read the original "Dracula" and could identify more with Lucy Weston. Overall, this one just wasn't my style.
book sent by publisher in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
Want to read
December 6, 2018I loved Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter (the book, not the movie), and the much derided Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, so please believe me when I say this book was a waste of money. It's a boring mish-mash of historical fiction and every book I've read with a douche male lead I'm supposed to love but actually hate. Strictly speaking, I know I bought this for no more than $4 from the Books-A-Million bargain section, but darn, I "only" spend $4 -$8 dollars on like 85% of the books I buy! I don't have time for this. Bye!
December 20, 2010
I have passed down the length of my life across chasms that threatened one after another to entomb me—the child of tragedy, the target of conspiracy, the queen called bastard and witch borne---all come to this moment.
The ribbon has run out and time is gone with it.
…I ride certain of my purpose and accepting whatever my fate may be.
I am the Slayer and I have come to kill.
Meet Elizabeth Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Queen of England. And killer of vampires.
The Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer as told to Lucy Weston is a story within a story. “Lucy Weston,” otherwise known as Lucy Westenra of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, has come forth with previously unpublished journals of Queen Elizabeth detailing her secret life. More on this literary device later. The meat of the book is Elizabeth’s narrative.
The night before she is about to be crowned as Queen of all England, Elizabeth finds out that she has inherited a shocking legacy from her late mother. It seems that they are descended from Morgaine Le Fay and Elizabeth, like Morgaine, has been given unearthly powers to defeat demons that have threatened England since the days of King Arthur – vampires. Just as in history, when the real Elizabeth was pressured to take a king for the good of her country, so is the Elizabeth in this novel now courted by the king of the vampires, none other than Mordred, King Arthur’s 1,000-year-old bastard son. Seductive, beautiful, and powerful, Mordred gives Elizabeth a choice – either be his bride so that they can rule England together or die by his hand.
First, who better than the cunning and fiery Elizabeth to cast as a plausible vampire killer? She is the novel's strongest element. This Elizabeth is convincingly portrayed as a complex woman, with the specter of her mother’s death haunting her and strained by the precarious nature of her position. We are already familiar with her as the Virgin Queen, wedded to her realm first and foremost, so it is an easy leap to see her as being its true defender from unholy enemies. The notion that she vowed never to take any man as a husband and therefore give him power to rule her is taken a step further when she struggles not to succumb to her attraction to Mordred.
In this novel, Mordred is remade; rather than being completely evil, he has surprising depth and intellect, making him a foe worthy of Elizabeth.
Not only is Mordred re-invented, but so are Anne Boleyn and Morgaine Le Fay. No longer evil seductresses, as history and legend have made them out to be, they are now secret vampire slayers who died trying to fight off the vampires’ attacks on England.
On the whole, I was delighted with the originality of weaving Arthurian legends with alternative paranormal history. The Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer is a marvelous addition to the literary vampire canon.
However, I question the gimmick of having the fictional character of “Lucy Weston” stand in for the author. I hope it leads to something that relates more deeply with Elizabeth’s story in the coming books because it seemed unnecessary in this one.
I also thought that interweaving Mordred’s first person narrative didn’t flow well with what was supposed to be Elizabeth’s diary entries. “Lucy Weston” explains in the end that in the present day, she had witnessed Mordred telling his version of events in a bar and faithfully recorded his remarks. Sooo, I guess that kind of gives away the fact that Elizabeth ultimately fails in slaying Mordred as she vowed to. I ended up being more curious about who the real author of the book is rather than what’s going to happen in the sequel.
The ribbon has run out and time is gone with it.
…I ride certain of my purpose and accepting whatever my fate may be.
I am the Slayer and I have come to kill.
Meet Elizabeth Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Queen of England. And killer of vampires.
The Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer as told to Lucy Weston is a story within a story. “Lucy Weston,” otherwise known as Lucy Westenra of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, has come forth with previously unpublished journals of Queen Elizabeth detailing her secret life. More on this literary device later. The meat of the book is Elizabeth’s narrative.
The night before she is about to be crowned as Queen of all England, Elizabeth finds out that she has inherited a shocking legacy from her late mother. It seems that they are descended from Morgaine Le Fay and Elizabeth, like Morgaine, has been given unearthly powers to defeat demons that have threatened England since the days of King Arthur – vampires. Just as in history, when the real Elizabeth was pressured to take a king for the good of her country, so is the Elizabeth in this novel now courted by the king of the vampires, none other than Mordred, King Arthur’s 1,000-year-old bastard son. Seductive, beautiful, and powerful, Mordred gives Elizabeth a choice – either be his bride so that they can rule England together or die by his hand.
First, who better than the cunning and fiery Elizabeth to cast as a plausible vampire killer? She is the novel's strongest element. This Elizabeth is convincingly portrayed as a complex woman, with the specter of her mother’s death haunting her and strained by the precarious nature of her position. We are already familiar with her as the Virgin Queen, wedded to her realm first and foremost, so it is an easy leap to see her as being its true defender from unholy enemies. The notion that she vowed never to take any man as a husband and therefore give him power to rule her is taken a step further when she struggles not to succumb to her attraction to Mordred.
In this novel, Mordred is remade; rather than being completely evil, he has surprising depth and intellect, making him a foe worthy of Elizabeth.
Not only is Mordred re-invented, but so are Anne Boleyn and Morgaine Le Fay. No longer evil seductresses, as history and legend have made them out to be, they are now secret vampire slayers who died trying to fight off the vampires’ attacks on England.
On the whole, I was delighted with the originality of weaving Arthurian legends with alternative paranormal history. The Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer is a marvelous addition to the literary vampire canon.
However, I question the gimmick of having the fictional character of “Lucy Weston” stand in for the author. I hope it leads to something that relates more deeply with Elizabeth’s story in the coming books because it seemed unnecessary in this one.
I also thought that interweaving Mordred’s first person narrative didn’t flow well with what was supposed to be Elizabeth’s diary entries. “Lucy Weston” explains in the end that in the present day, she had witnessed Mordred telling his version of events in a bar and faithfully recorded his remarks. Sooo, I guess that kind of gives away the fact that Elizabeth ultimately fails in slaying Mordred as she vowed to. I ended up being more curious about who the real author of the book is rather than what’s going to happen in the sequel.
March 20, 2011
On the eve of her coronation, Elizabeth Tudor is preparing to officially take the throne of a country she has been ruling for the past few months. England is recovering from the loss of both of her siblings shortly after the death of her father. The country is surrounded by those who would like to see Elizabeth fail, from the Pope to the leaders of France, Scotland, and Spain. Elizabeth feels like she is up to the challenge.
Her closest advisors, Dr. John Dee and Lord Cecil, meet with her to let her know that there is an even bigger challenge. There is an ancient evil that has bedeviled England for hundreds of years, and it will now fall to her to protect England not only from its exterior enemies, but also the hidden one from within.
The trouble all started during the time of Camelot. The tales that we heard of Arthur, Mordred and the rest are not as reliable as everyone had assumed. It seems that Mordred, the bastard son of Arthur, had wanted to defend against the invading Saxons, and he was willing to do whatever it took, including allying himself with the vampires that had settled on the island. In doing so, Mordred sacrificed his humanity to become one of the vampires in order to bring about what he thought was needed to defend England. It ended up costing him everything, including his love.
Morgaine, a Slayer from his time, was the one thing that stood between the vampires and the human residents of England. While she did not quite succeed in defeating Mordred, her line continued and Elizabeth is of that line. Dee and Cecil believe that she is destined to be the next Slayer to take on Mordred. They prove to not be far off the mark. In fact, Mordred not only arrives, but he appeals to Elizabeth to join him by becoming his queen. Together, they can defend against all of England's enemies.
Doing so goes against everything in Elizabeth's nature. She knows that she must defend against the core vampiric evil that is Mordred in order to protect her country from it. And she has additional supernatural powers as well as the support of Dee, Cecil, her beloved Robin Dudley, and a few other trusted court servants to take on the evil.
The tale is presented in the form of a diary kept by Elizabeth about the events that has been obtained by Lucy Weston, who many may remember as being one of Dracula's victims in the classic tale written by Bram Stoker. Periodically, Mordred's perspective is presented with what appears to be excerpts from interviews. The result is a very comfortable narrative that brings the characters to life.
The author is surprisingly reliable with the way that historical figures are presented as the supernatural elements are embedded into the story. The pace of the novel is quite quick. In fact, the events all occur in about a week's period. Elizabeth quickly gains comfort with the secret history of her country and her own developing powers as she takes on the evil plans of vampires who are far older than her.
My one complaint is that the resulting story proves to be the first in what will clearly be a series of stories. While I know that I will look forward to future installments, it would be nice to have a chance to read a book that can tell a complete story in a single volume rather than being drawn into more and more stories. With that said, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read that I finished in just over a day! Of course, I probably shouldn't be surprised since it merges two of my favorite genres: Tudor England and vampires.
Her closest advisors, Dr. John Dee and Lord Cecil, meet with her to let her know that there is an even bigger challenge. There is an ancient evil that has bedeviled England for hundreds of years, and it will now fall to her to protect England not only from its exterior enemies, but also the hidden one from within.
The trouble all started during the time of Camelot. The tales that we heard of Arthur, Mordred and the rest are not as reliable as everyone had assumed. It seems that Mordred, the bastard son of Arthur, had wanted to defend against the invading Saxons, and he was willing to do whatever it took, including allying himself with the vampires that had settled on the island. In doing so, Mordred sacrificed his humanity to become one of the vampires in order to bring about what he thought was needed to defend England. It ended up costing him everything, including his love.
Morgaine, a Slayer from his time, was the one thing that stood between the vampires and the human residents of England. While she did not quite succeed in defeating Mordred, her line continued and Elizabeth is of that line. Dee and Cecil believe that she is destined to be the next Slayer to take on Mordred. They prove to not be far off the mark. In fact, Mordred not only arrives, but he appeals to Elizabeth to join him by becoming his queen. Together, they can defend against all of England's enemies.
Doing so goes against everything in Elizabeth's nature. She knows that she must defend against the core vampiric evil that is Mordred in order to protect her country from it. And she has additional supernatural powers as well as the support of Dee, Cecil, her beloved Robin Dudley, and a few other trusted court servants to take on the evil.
The tale is presented in the form of a diary kept by Elizabeth about the events that has been obtained by Lucy Weston, who many may remember as being one of Dracula's victims in the classic tale written by Bram Stoker. Periodically, Mordred's perspective is presented with what appears to be excerpts from interviews. The result is a very comfortable narrative that brings the characters to life.
The author is surprisingly reliable with the way that historical figures are presented as the supernatural elements are embedded into the story. The pace of the novel is quite quick. In fact, the events all occur in about a week's period. Elizabeth quickly gains comfort with the secret history of her country and her own developing powers as she takes on the evil plans of vampires who are far older than her.
My one complaint is that the resulting story proves to be the first in what will clearly be a series of stories. While I know that I will look forward to future installments, it would be nice to have a chance to read a book that can tell a complete story in a single volume rather than being drawn into more and more stories. With that said, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read that I finished in just over a day! Of course, I probably shouldn't be surprised since it merges two of my favorite genres: Tudor England and vampires.
March 9, 2011
Set in the court of Elizabeth I of England, this reads very much like a historical document. Within are all the intrigues that Elizabeth faced from the beheading of her mother Anne, to the perfidy of her sister Mary, to the difficulties of being a single woman in a world where men controlled everything. In addition to this, there is one big difference. Elizabeth just happens to be a vampire slayer.
On the eve of her coronation, Elizabeth learns of a secret that has been held by her family for a thousand years. She is a direct descendent of Morgaine, a witch in the time of Arthur. Lover of Mordred, she knew that when he became a vampire, his quest for power would know no bounds, not even those of mortal men so she tried to slay him. When that failed, she willed her spirit to continue until the day when one strong enough to face him could. That person is Elizabeth.
The book reads as though it is written in Elizabeth’s own hand with a flourish and courtier language that flows. Interspersed with the queen’s chapters are those of Mordred as he attempts to control Elizabeth and convince her to join him in unholy immortality. The characters are true to history and the scene and settings appropriate for the story. At times, the story was a little too detailed as it got bogged down. Even at its most adventurous, it was not a fast, exciting read. Even with the paranormal element, it is still a historical novel and as such, does move slowly. Still, it was a book that once picked, was difficult to put down as I wanted to find out how Elizabeth overcame Mordred.
Unfortunately, the ending I expected was not the ending that occurred and I was left most disappointed. Elizabeth does not defeat Mordred. She doesn’t join him, either, but I was still frustrated. Throughout the book, the author leads us on expecting her to slay Mordred and win the day. When this doesn’t happen, I was left with a feeling that reading the story had been a waste of my time. It was a good, if somewhat slow, read right up to the last pages, then the bomb is dropped.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical, especially Elizabethan, novels with a paranormal twist. It is a well written book with rich language, accurate settings, and vivid characters. Just be forewarned about an ending that may leave you less than satisfied.
On the eve of her coronation, Elizabeth learns of a secret that has been held by her family for a thousand years. She is a direct descendent of Morgaine, a witch in the time of Arthur. Lover of Mordred, she knew that when he became a vampire, his quest for power would know no bounds, not even those of mortal men so she tried to slay him. When that failed, she willed her spirit to continue until the day when one strong enough to face him could. That person is Elizabeth.
The book reads as though it is written in Elizabeth’s own hand with a flourish and courtier language that flows. Interspersed with the queen’s chapters are those of Mordred as he attempts to control Elizabeth and convince her to join him in unholy immortality. The characters are true to history and the scene and settings appropriate for the story. At times, the story was a little too detailed as it got bogged down. Even at its most adventurous, it was not a fast, exciting read. Even with the paranormal element, it is still a historical novel and as such, does move slowly. Still, it was a book that once picked, was difficult to put down as I wanted to find out how Elizabeth overcame Mordred.
Unfortunately, the ending I expected was not the ending that occurred and I was left most disappointed. Elizabeth does not defeat Mordred. She doesn’t join him, either, but I was still frustrated. Throughout the book, the author leads us on expecting her to slay Mordred and win the day. When this doesn’t happen, I was left with a feeling that reading the story had been a waste of my time. It was a good, if somewhat slow, read right up to the last pages, then the bomb is dropped.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical, especially Elizabethan, novels with a paranormal twist. It is a well written book with rich language, accurate settings, and vivid characters. Just be forewarned about an ending that may leave you less than satisfied.
September 12, 2017
See my other reviews at Never Enough Books
On the eve of her coronation, Elizabeth Tudor is summoned to the grave of her mother – Anne Boleyn. That night she has a vision and learns the truth of her great bloodline; she is a Slayer. Born to battle those who walk in darkness and ravage the night, to protect the people of her beloved realm from those who would destroy it either from within or without.
Too soon Elizabeth discovers that she is not just a hunter, but prey herself when the vampire Mordred comes to call. King Arthur’s bastard son, he sold his soul to defeat his father and now he wants what he believes is rightfully his; the throne. Tempted by his promises of everlasting beauty and life, Elizabeth is torn between duty and her own heart.
If the basic premise of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer sounds familiar dear reader, you are not alone. Upon reading the book I found the back story quite similar to the movie and TV series Buffy The Vampire Slayer. The basic plot is the same: young woman is born and lives her early life not knowing of her great destiny. At a certain point she learns of her powers and what she is expected to do with them. She vacillates between wanting to right the wrongs around her and wanting to have a “normal” life.
In this sense, both book and show are much the same. The difference though is while Buffy was good, Elizabeth Tudor is more ‘meh’.
That isn’t to say that the author, Lucy Weston, doesn’t try to make the book interesting and good. She does and at times she seems to try a little too hard. Trying to combine truth and fantasy can be tricky and while I have seen books where it worked well, it can also fall flat.
The language is sometimes overly flowery and certain scenes just plod along. It certainly wasn’t the worst book I’ve ever read but neither was it the best.
Readers who enjoyed the Buffy series might want to give this one a try. There are quite a few parallels readers will likely enjoy. Gothic romance fans also might want to read this one as it has several of the hallmarks. Personally, I don’t think I’ll be looking for anything else from this author.
On the eve of her coronation, Elizabeth Tudor is summoned to the grave of her mother – Anne Boleyn. That night she has a vision and learns the truth of her great bloodline; she is a Slayer. Born to battle those who walk in darkness and ravage the night, to protect the people of her beloved realm from those who would destroy it either from within or without.
Too soon Elizabeth discovers that she is not just a hunter, but prey herself when the vampire Mordred comes to call. King Arthur’s bastard son, he sold his soul to defeat his father and now he wants what he believes is rightfully his; the throne. Tempted by his promises of everlasting beauty and life, Elizabeth is torn between duty and her own heart.
If the basic premise of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer sounds familiar dear reader, you are not alone. Upon reading the book I found the back story quite similar to the movie and TV series Buffy The Vampire Slayer. The basic plot is the same: young woman is born and lives her early life not knowing of her great destiny. At a certain point she learns of her powers and what she is expected to do with them. She vacillates between wanting to right the wrongs around her and wanting to have a “normal” life.
In this sense, both book and show are much the same. The difference though is while Buffy was good, Elizabeth Tudor is more ‘meh’.
That isn’t to say that the author, Lucy Weston, doesn’t try to make the book interesting and good. She does and at times she seems to try a little too hard. Trying to combine truth and fantasy can be tricky and while I have seen books where it worked well, it can also fall flat.
The language is sometimes overly flowery and certain scenes just plod along. It certainly wasn’t the worst book I’ve ever read but neither was it the best.
Readers who enjoyed the Buffy series might want to give this one a try. There are quite a few parallels readers will likely enjoy. Gothic romance fans also might want to read this one as it has several of the hallmarks. Personally, I don’t think I’ll be looking for anything else from this author.
May 29, 2011
2 1/2
Not a bad story, but not what I was expecting. I had anticipated something a bit more silly - a fun Elizabethan romp. Instead I got something more serious and, for all that, rather on the melodramatic side. Perhaps if I had read it in a different mood or with different expectations I would've rated it higher.
That said, I liked some of the twists presented in the familiar history, and I particularly liked seeing Anne portrayed in a positive light - something of a rarity.
On the cons were the repetitive nature of the thoughts and feelings explored in the 'diary' as well as the fact that Mordred is rather gullible and dimwitted for being so old and experienced.
Oh, and the abrupt sort of non-ending was kind of off-putting as well.
Not a bad story, but not what I was expecting. I had anticipated something a bit more silly - a fun Elizabethan romp. Instead I got something more serious and, for all that, rather on the melodramatic side. Perhaps if I had read it in a different mood or with different expectations I would've rated it higher.
That said, I liked some of the twists presented in the familiar history, and I particularly liked seeing Anne portrayed in a positive light - something of a rarity.
On the cons were the repetitive nature of the thoughts and feelings explored in the 'diary' as well as the fact that Mordred is rather gullible and dimwitted for being so old and experienced.
Oh, and the abrupt sort of non-ending was kind of off-putting as well.
June 2, 2014
I rate this book a 3.5. I love that it's about Queen Elizabeth and includes Dee, Walsingham, Cecil and Kat! oh, and Robin! I also liked the plot. But...there was too much introspection from Elizabeth - and much of it was repetitive!!! The story needs action and dialogue to show the reader what she's thinking.
December 31, 2010
I was interested with this book because the vampire slayer plot and alas not that good. I should've listen to my friend advice not to buy book too hasty. The queen wasn't striking me and others too. Interesting plot, in the end the story wasn't that good
May 9, 2018
Being a student of Tudor history I have a hard time turning down any form of Tudor fiction… but vampires? Really? Did you have to go there? But then I hit a lull in book acquisition & ran out of viable options. There was NOTHING TO READ. Or at least nothing that drew me more than this book.
It was not that bad. I can deal with this vampire series. Elizabeth turns out to be the Slayer that England has been waiting for over 1000 years. Her direct ancestoress was Morgaine, the famed vampire slayer of yore. (what? you didn’t know that?) Morgaine failed to slay Mordred (the Vampire King. He became a vampire to defeat his father Arthur) 1000 years ago after the battle where Arthur died (several other slight detail changes in that story) & ended up dying herself while only gravely wounding him. Though apparently she killed off all the other vampires. Mordred has spent the past 1000 years rebuilding his vampire kingdom & waiting for the new Slayer, who he plans to seduce to his side & make his queen. Elizabeth has other ideas. Yeah, it’s a vampire book, no I don’t like vampire books, but I kind of like this one. Vampires are clearly the bad guys, they don’t hog the narrative, Elizabeth is still Elizabeth but with something extra. I can deal with this.
It was not that bad. I can deal with this vampire series. Elizabeth turns out to be the Slayer that England has been waiting for over 1000 years. Her direct ancestoress was Morgaine, the famed vampire slayer of yore. (what? you didn’t know that?) Morgaine failed to slay Mordred (the Vampire King. He became a vampire to defeat his father Arthur) 1000 years ago after the battle where Arthur died (several other slight detail changes in that story) & ended up dying herself while only gravely wounding him. Though apparently she killed off all the other vampires. Mordred has spent the past 1000 years rebuilding his vampire kingdom & waiting for the new Slayer, who he plans to seduce to his side & make his queen. Elizabeth has other ideas. Yeah, it’s a vampire book, no I don’t like vampire books, but I kind of like this one. Vampires are clearly the bad guys, they don’t hog the narrative, Elizabeth is still Elizabeth but with something extra. I can deal with this.
December 4, 2017
So take my two stars with a LARGE grain of salt...I am not the right audience for this book. I love historical fiction, the more accurate the better. I really had no business picking this one up except that I figured it would be a good way to see if I liked this whole genre (I chuckle over titles like "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" but never tried any). I suspect that this is actually a good example and a fine place to start - I really did enjoy the writing itself. My issues were the historical inaccuracies (though what did I expect given all the details about vampires!) which annoyed me more and more as the story went on and also the sudden ending: the situation felt too unresolved (though again, this I suspect this is a standard convention in this genre that I simply don't know about...)
December 27, 2018
This is a darkly fun book -- Wonder if the son of King Author - Modred -- is the vampire King of England. And wonder if Anne Boleyn is a direct descendent of Morgan la Fey - half-sister of King Author. This would of course, make Elizabeth Tudor also a direct descendent of Morgan la Fey. And wonder if - instead of being half fairy, Morgan la Fey is a Vampire Slayer who had to kill Modred, not because he killed his father, but because he was a vampire and she, The Slayer. Only Modred won that battle and now, 300 years later, the young Elizabeth Tudor must battle Modred, Vampire King, to decide who will rule England.
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October 25, 2020Lucy Weston brings the Elizabethan era back to life - with a delicious twist! The Virgin Queen and her famous advisers - Sir Francis Walsingham, William Cecil, and her great love - the Earl of Leicester, Robert Dudley, and Court Astronomer, John Dee, all join forces to save England and the World from vampires. The King of the Vampires - Mordred (King Arthur's illegitimate son) has returned to tempt Elizabeth into joining him as an Immortal to vanquish Elizabeth's enemies - The Pope and The Spanish - and rule England together. If you enjoy History and Vampires - this book is not to be missed!
November 2, 2019
On the eve of her coronation, Elizabeth I learns of a greater evil threatening England than the leaders of the France, Spain, etc. At first she doesn’t believe her advisors, but reality sets in very quickly.
During the time of Authur, his bastard son Mordred sacrificed his humanity to save England. However in doing so, it cost him everything, including his greatest love.
Morgaine, a vampire slayer from her time, did not succeed in slaying Mordred. However, Elizabeth is a descendant of her line. Her advisors believe she is to become the next slayer.
The story is told mostly from Elizabeth’s point of view, with Mordred’s periodically thrown in. It was easy to follow the train of thought. However, the story itself (even through scifi) was quite unbelievable. I definitely won’t pick it back up.
During the time of Authur, his bastard son Mordred sacrificed his humanity to save England. However in doing so, it cost him everything, including his greatest love.
Morgaine, a vampire slayer from her time, did not succeed in slaying Mordred. However, Elizabeth is a descendant of her line. Her advisors believe she is to become the next slayer.
The story is told mostly from Elizabeth’s point of view, with Mordred’s periodically thrown in. It was easy to follow the train of thought. However, the story itself (even through scifi) was quite unbelievable. I definitely won’t pick it back up.
October 5, 2019
Weston writes a story of Queen Elizabeth I being coronated and finding out that she is a Slayer of vampires. Specifically, there is a vampire she is up against called Mordred, the bastard son of King Arthur. It was decent, but it didn't end on a note that I liked.
October 16, 2019
This book started out strong and finished flat for me. I loved the King Arthur and Queen Elizabeth time periods being tied together. I was giddy as to the setup of the story but the ending was just meh.
July 30, 2020
So i was a little disappointed. At first I was like okei not another 17yo angsty girl with a sick crush on a guy that is a couple of hounded yo her senior....but then I realized its exactly that with the "twist" that she is not a 17yo angsty girl but a 25yo angsty British Queen.
August 30, 2022
Not high quality writing (and some phrases so atrociously flowery or "try hard" that I literally laughed out loud), but a fun, silly little romp.for anyone into historical fiction and vampire myths. Would make a good beach read.
January 17, 2018
was a decent read. liked that there was not a ton of violence and more focus on the story. seems to be set for a sequel but I don't see one. that's ok want so great that a sequel was needed
July 2, 2019
Not impressed, took me half the hook before something got good:(
December 1, 2019
Just nope. DNF.
April 11, 2020
WTF did I just read? A lot of the other reviews can sum up why this book is sub-par. I will add that Mordred's backstory was a lot more interesting and I wish that had been the book written instead.
July 7, 2020
I just can't. I finally got a chance to read this advance copy. The conversations are filler and the characters are wooden. I couldn't read the rest of the book.
May 9, 2021
This was an interesting take on vampires and Elizabeth I. I quite enjoyed the read.
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