Vampires have taken over. Blood suckers are so common and pervasive in pop culture they’ve lost much of their charm. Its hard to find much good vampire fiction amongst the scores of melodramatic romances. Recently I came across Anno Dracula, Kim Newman’s alternate history epic. Without a doubt Dracula is my favorite book. Anno Dracula had high expectations to live up to, so when I say it was phenomenal, its no small order of compliment.
In ‘our’ history Dracula met his death when Van Helsing and Mina Harker lead Bram Stoker’s heroes back to Transylvania to end the undead counts reign of terror. In Anno Dracula our heroes were not so successful. Vlad Tepes has risen to the position of Prince Consort and Lord Protector of Great Britain by marrying Queen Victoria. This is a darker world where vampirism is common, mortal humans or ‘the warm’ are becoming second class citizens, and under Vlad’s rule England is becoming despotic. Van Helsing’s skull adorns a spike outside of Buckingham palace. This is a world where evil won.
The main plot revolves around the investigation and socio-political fallout of a series of grizzly murders of prostitutes in the Whitechaple region. Sound familiar? Instead of Jack the Ripper we are dealing with the murderous Silver Knife revealed in the first chapter to be none other than Dr. Jack Seward. Stoker’s hero was driven to madness by Dracula. Yet that’s only the tip of the iceberg for characters re-imagined in this world ruled by vampires. The sheer number of references and shout outs are dizzying. Historical and fictional character all get a moment to shine whether they are vampires or warm. Some are obvious like Doctors Jekyll, and Moruroe. Others are more strained, Fu Manchu is ‘The Celestial’, and Professor Moriarty is only referenced as Mycroft’s brother’s enemy. The version I read even had an index at the end to highlight the references. Newman creates a deep vibrant word tainted by Dracula’s corruption. I appreciate how Anno Dracula explores of the alternate Victorian Era. The complex plot branches though every strata of English society. We see a how vampirism has effected everyone from the common pauper to the ruling classes. Though the title character only makes a brief appearance, his presence is felt on every page.
A novel with as many moving parts as Anno Dracula runs the danger of losing the reader, however Newman manages to ground the novel with his protaganists, Charles Beauregard, and Geneviève Dieudonné. Bearegard is a spy, and agent of the British secret service. Tasked to investigate the murders, he comes to know Geneviève Dieudonné. Genevieve fills the roll of noble vampire well. She is a 400 plus year old elder who has currently taken a job currently caring for the sick newborn vampires. As some of the murder victims are women she’s cared for she assists Beauregard. Their investigation and romance forms the heart of Anno Dracula. The investigation in engrossing, as duo explores the seedier parts of London and gets cause in political intrigue of day. The love story feels very natural, and is in no way forced. So often in pop culture a male and female lead are shoved together to as part of a the requisite B plot. In Anno Dracula both Genevieve and Charles are highly skilled adventurers, and likable protagonists. If they had never fallen for each other, both characters would have remained fully actualized heroes. Though there are melodramatic moments between them, their relationship is based more on their similarities, and their mutual attraction to each other’s skills.
When I finished reading Anno Dracula I was a little upset. The ending was great and giving closure to the story, but this vibrant world wasn’t done for me. There were so many stories left to be told. I would strongly suggest this book. Its sequels The Bloody Red Baron, and Dracula Cha Cha Cha are next on my list.
On a Scale of 1 to Epic (Epic= 10) Anno Dracula gets 9.3