The Longer the Fall: The Vampires of New England Series

by Inanna Arthen

It's 1952, a time of upheavals and social tension as America rockets through the years between world war and domestic revolution. Diana Chilton, raised within a secretive magical organization, the Order of the Silver Light, has reached a crossroads in her life. Over 30, her marriage ended, burned out on political activism and frustrated by the restrictions of the male-dominated Order, she leaves Boston for a tiny town in Maine. There she tracks down Thomas Morgan, a member of the Order who she believes may be immortal. She hopes he can help her find, or create, a more dynamic and worldly organization that will use magic to catalyze social and political change.Thomas Morgan is indeed immortal, but Diana never expected that he would also be a vampire, transformed by the faery folk two centuries earlier when he made a rash bargain to cure a disfiguring illness. Now he enlists Diana to assist him in his struggle against the power that he feels enslaves and controls him. Together, Thomas and Diana dedicate themselves to the most ambitious and dangerous magical working either of them has ever attempted. Their plan spans two years and draws several other people into its vortex.Both Thomas and Diana have hidden motives behind their decision, and neither of them is fully aware of who else knows about their plan and is subtly influencing it. Their refusal to be fully honest with themselves and each other leads to a disaster beyond their worst nightmares. They are forced to confront the deadly consequences of their fully developed spell turning against them and those who helped them. Ultimately, they learn that the only way to get what they each wanted is to accept the very things they wished most desperately to avoid.

272 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2010

About the author

Inanna Arthen has been a scholar and researcher of vampire fiction, folklore and phenomena for thirty-five years. A New England native and a life-long student of the paranormal, she holds a graduate degree from Harvard University. She currently lives in Massachusetts in a house full of books, computer equipment and cats."

Reviews

[Bitten_by_Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

The old adage "be careful what you ask for" is especially true when dealing with the Fair Folk because there is always a price to pay. Thomas Morgan learned the hard way when in the 1700's he asked for a cure of a skin cancer that was eating away his face. He was cured of the cancer, but after enduring agony, woke up as a Vampire carrying an entity he called a "dragon." He has spent the following 250 years trying to rid himself of the dragon - to no avail. There is one last hope and it involves undertaking a "Great Work" of magic, but for that he needs someone adept in magic and by coincidence (if there is such a thing), he has been contacted by the perfect person.

Diana Chilton is an Adeptus in the Order of the Silver Light. Raised in the Order, she has reached the highest level a woman can reach and it grates on her. Why should a woman be limited from reaching higher and further? Strong-willed, intelligent and magically-skilled, she sets out to uncover what she believes might be the Order's greatest mystery - its purpose. In doing so, she uncovers evidence of immortals and tracks Thomas down.

Finding Thomas only raises more questions and ends Diana's quest, only to begin a new one. Thomas asks for her help in undertaking the magical Great Work to free himself, and Diana agrees. It will require almost two years of concentrated hard work and push her skills and knowledge to the limits - just the kind of challenge she thrives on. "Intent" is all in such a working and their intentions are muddled, even to themselves. The consequences are devastating. The Great Work is a failure, or is it? Be careful what you ask for....

The Longer the Fall is the second book in the Vampires of New England series. It is meticulously and exquisitely written, as much psychological thriller as horror story. The author carefully peels away the layers of each character, revealing hidden depths and glaring shortcomings. The main characters are certainly not likeable, but they are absolutely fascinating.

The setting is an accurate portrayal of the 1950's in cultural attitudes and atmosphere, and New England is vividly brought to life. The reader is transported to a time and place that feels familiar and then jarred out of it by circumstances one cannot imagine in that time and place. It is an enthralling and unsettling read.

Originally reviewed by Storm at Bitten by Books
Original review can be found here:
http://bittenbybooks.com/41460/the-lo...Inanna Arthen

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading this novel and I'm not sure I can write a review at this time. A little distance is needed and some time to ponder this story over. I may very well end up bumping it up another star.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

when it started it was interesting, but then it just got weird, and not in a good way...it totally lost me, and although the ending leads up to the next book in the series, i was left with absolutely no desire to read it...