World Famous Comics: Blood to Blood: The Dracula Story continues
Blood to Blood: The Dracula Story continues
By: Elaine Bergstrom Publisher: Ace Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Ace Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 320 Publication Date: October 01, 2000 Release Date: October 03, 2000
As good as Bergstrom's MINA! Ms. Bergstrom does it again with another exciting vampire novel - this time a continuation of the author's earlier work, "Mina." I wasn't expecting to like "Blood to Blood," as much as Mina, but I did. The author's adept ability to create atmosphere and mood are here, as well as her right-on characterizations of Mina, Jonathan, Arthur, and Van Helsing. Bergstrom stays true to the characters Stoker created, but she lets us get to know them better. On center stage with Mina and her friends is the half-sister of Dracula, Joanna. I don't want to give any of the plot away, so I'll just say that the story is seductive, fast-paced, and suspenseful. Fans of "Mina," "Dracula," and other vampire fiction won't be disappointed.
The Dracula Story Continues--Then Where's DRACULA! Bergstrom's MINA: THE DRACULA STORY CONTINUES was a needless melding of Stoker's brilliant classic with the schmaltz and sub-par eroticism of Anne Rice. With BLOOD TO BLOOD, the author continues Mina's exploration of her libertated sexuality, while trying to decide if she still has a life with her husband. Back at Castle Dracula, the last of the Count's vampire brides, the half-mad Joanna, his own half-sister, ventures out into the world. Grabbing some gold, gems, papers, and a box of grave dirt, she acquires a young, Irish girl as her slave/blood donor/lover. Jonathan Harker starts to dream of her, which Van Helsing takes as a sign she is coming for revenge. Meanwhile, Mina has inherited a small fortune from Dracula's doppelganger, Lord Gance. Independent beyond her wildest dreams, she sets out to start up a charitible organization. Arthur Holmwood, fiance of Dracula's first victim, Lucy Westenra, is still agonizing over having destroyed her. Learning that Joanna has arrived in London, he sets out to learn all about her, eventually falling in love with her. But, Van Helsing has devined Arthur's dangerous scheme, and seeks only to destroy the last of Dracula's hellspawn women. In the end, the whole thing is a mish-mash of soap opera plots, vampire lore, softcore eroticism and lesbian interludes that will certainly please Howard Stern fans. What any of this has to do with DRACULA, though, is beyond me!
Horror at its best The passion that Dracula taught Mina Harker remains deep in her soul although the evil vampire is dead. Once tasting life, Mina needs to escape from her Victorian prison. Her beloved Jonathan fails to emotionally help her because he still broods over Mina having had a lover. Instead, her ex-lover leaves her money so she can explore her new independent spirit. Mina wants reconciliation, but not back to what their relationship once was. As the couple works on their problems, Jonathan begins to have vampiric induced dreams that Van Helsing believes is the calling card of the late Count's sister Joanna Tepes.
With everyone else in the castle dead, the reclusive but lonely Joanna decides to travel to England to settle the score with her brother's killers. Along the way, Joanna picks up a servant girl who becomes more than just a friend. In England, Joanna forgets about her sibling's enemies until a Ripper-like maniac hurts her friend. This provokes a confrontation between the Harkers and Van Helsing on one side and Joanna on the other.
BLOOD TO BLOOD is a fascinating footnote to the Dracula legends. The story occurs six months after the death of Lucy. Elaine Bergstrom turns Victorian England and Transylvania into descriptive images that provide an intriguing look for readers. Ms. Bergstrom centers her tale on prejudicial profiling as not all vampires are alike with individuals needing to use sound judgment to form opinions based on facts not hearsay or stereotyping. Supernatural lovers, especially the vampire crowd, will have a great time reading this fantastic horror novel.
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