Mar 072013
 
Death is the third and last installation in Kevin "K J" Wignall's Mercian trilogy, set of vampire books aimed at YA audience. I liked all three of them and I think I can safely say that I'd rather see kids reading these than, say, the Twilight books. I reviewed the two earlier books here and here.

As has happened before, I was a bit lost in the beginning of Death, since I'm not very good with plots and I keep forgetting all kinds of stuff that take place in books and in films - the same here with Blood and Alchemy. But the themes and the atmosphere are more important in any book, not to mention the style, and Wignall has both in abundance. The mystic and sinister character of Lorcain Labraid is given a satisfactory background in chapters that are forceful and well-built. The Mercian trilogy doesn't suffer from genre clichés.

I'll have to read the whole trilogy back to back at some point to really appreciate all the things in it, especially the ending of Death. I'm a bit sad to hear that this probably won't be out in Finnish after all, but here's still hoping.
Mar 042012
 
Paperback 508: Pocket Books 452 (1st ptg, 1947)

Title: Dracula
Author: Bram Stoker
Cover artist: Uncredited

Yours for: $20


PB452.Dracula

Best things about this cover:
  • Here we see Dracula's famous aversion to Victorian table lamps. "Aargh ... so ornate ... so ... floral!"
  • I love how he's enhaloed by some magical unseen light source. Unless he's just standing in front of the TV.
  • His hand! Just stare at that thing for a while. It's grotesque and intoxicating.
  • This is a famous cover. An iconic horror cover. From the font to the deep, regal purple to the brilliant use of light, it really is a winner.


PB452bc.Dracula

Best things about this back cover:
  • Well, we're off to a good start. Nice tagline!
    I forgot about the hypnotists.
    This is a good back cover, in that it's *really* making want to read the book (again).

Page 123~
He has the sugar of his tea spread out on the window-sill, and is reaping quite a harvest of flies. 
~RP

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