After reading Dracula, I had an urge to read books based off of it. I wanted to see where else people's minds had taken them. So I picked up this series in the library.

Covenant with the Vampire is interesting. It's a lot more romance and erotica than I originally expected, but that could be a fault of not reading the back cover close enough. It follows Arkady Tsepesh and his wife, Mary, returning to Transylvania because Arkady's father has died. And what he founds out while he's there is that he has to stay and get his Uncle Vlad's affairs in order.

Of course, since this is a Dracula spin off and the uncle's name is Vlad, we know where that goes. Arkady is trying to get things straight but starts to realize that something seems off.

On the other hand, we follow his crippled sister Zsuzanna, who has an almost childish idolization of her uncle. This can not end well, of course. I won't spoil it, of course.

Written in diary entry, just like the original novel Dracula, it was a very entertaining read. Perhaps not the best, but a good start to a series I think. 4/5. ( )

Arkady Tsepesh is returning home to Romania with his pregnant wife, Mary, for the burial of his father. Having lived in London for many years, he is both excited and saddened by the trip. On one hand, he wants to share his life with Mary and introduce her to his sister and uncle, and on the other, he is heartbroken over the loss of his father whom he has not seen for many years.

Mary takes an immediate liking to Arkady's sister, Zsuzsanna, who is sickly and crippled but a very kind soul. When Zsuzsanna becomes increasingly ill, Mary worries for her. When she finds out the cause of her sickness, she is disturbed in ways she never imagined. Worried for her husband, and with grave doubts about a member of his family, Mary finds her marriage strained. With the pending delivery of their child, she also fears for their lives. Arkady spends much time in denial, until the final moments when he comes face to face with the reality that is his family and what is to become of his life.

Told through diary entries as Bram Stoker's Dracula, you get to experience the emotions of several characters at once and see the story told from different points of view. While I don't think that anything new is added to the telling her, it is an interesting take on the Dracul family dynamics. The diary entries are interesting for their revelations but they feel very familiar. I don't consider that bad, but if you've read any number of vampire books with the original Dracula character, I think in many ways they all begin to feel the same. It was still an interesting read and Kalogridis's style brings a fresh voice to the story.

Well, I spent my October looking for a new vampire book and while this one came along in November, I still found it a good read. I enjoy Kalogridis's writing style and I liked the new additions to the family she added which gave an often-told tale an interesting twist. ( )

In 1845, Arkady Tsepesh and his pregnant wife, Mary, travel from England to his ancestral home in Transylvania on the occasion of his father's death. It is destined that Arkady, as eldest son, will assume his father's duties as aide to his great-uncle, Vlad Dracula. The family's blood ties dictate that Arkady must do his uncle's bidding, but it soon becomes apparent that Arkady's allegiance could destroy his wife and unborn child.

As Vlad's power waned, he made a covenant with the villagers near his castle that he would spare their lives provided that they serve him faithfully. Arkady's father found himself bound to this service, as were all first males descended from Vlad. And now Arkady, too, must see that Vlad is well supplied with nourishing visitors lured from abroad.

Written as a prequel to Bram Stoker's "Dracula", this is the first title of a promised trilogy that will continue Vlad's story and ultimately mesh with the classic novel.

Like that classic work, this story is told through the diary entries of its major players. Kalogridis works hard to tighten suspense, dreams up new lore and here and there, especially in erotic passages.

Book Details:

Title Covenant with the Vampire (Diaries of the Family Dracul)
Author Jeanne Kalogridis
Reviewed By Purplycookie ( )

Fiction-Own, Horror ( )

I discovered this book nearly 10 years ago when my mind was fresh and a sponge for all things vampiric.

I loved the characterization in this book. Each character became alive in my mind. Each had their own nuances, morals, and flaws.

The only thing that hurt this book was the writing style. The "journal entry" format, I think has been beaten to death in the subject matter of vampires.

Other than that, it is a great book - great for a late night read. ( )