Constantly Moving the Bookmark

In 1587 the Colony of Roanoake was established and just as quickly disappeared, seemingly without a trace. To this day no explanations of what happened to those 115 colonists has been uncovered. In the fall of 1888 “Jack the Ripper” terrorized the WhiteChapel district of London with his string of murders. Just as suddenly the murders stopped and no one knows who Saucy Jack might have been or why the murders so suddenly ended. In 1897 Bram Stoker introduced the world to Count Dracula, a vampire. Many have speculated on the inspiration behind his, now classic, story but no one really knows for sure.

Well, let me tell you, since reading Mr. Grahame-Smith’s book I now have all the answers to these mysteries and more. After helping Abraham Lincoln in “Vampire Hunter” Henry Sturges returns offering readers his own story, including his own “making”. Since his making he has been a vampire with a conscience, righting wrongs when he can, feeding only on the dregs of society and believing that humans and vampires can co-exist. Henry is definitely pro-human. But now Henry has a nemesis. Another vampire who believes their species should rule and humans need to be brought to their knees. In his quest to find this vampire he takes the reader traipsing through the pages of history … Henry’s version.

Henry has had centuries to accumulate the wealth required to sustain his mysterious and (of course) never-ending lifestyle. Having been “outed” to American presidents Henry also moves in circles of power. As we follow along on his journey we meet many of the who’s who in Europe, Russia and North America including Rasputin, Tesla, Arthur Conan-Doyle and FDR as well having an up close and personal (Henry style) view of most major historical events from Roanoke, through both World Wars and right up to the assassination of JFK.

All of that seems as though it would be a lot to cover in one book, but it all works in this one. I do not read much in the genre of alternative history because the few I did read have seemed forced in their attempt to make history fit the story. Not so in the case of Mr. Grahame-Smith’s entry. The introduction of his vampires into historical events is seamless. It is so smoothly done that, although I KNOW it’s a work of fiction, I find myself once again as I did in Vampire Hunter, tapping my forefinger onto my chin and thinking, “Hmmm – it’s possible!” The inclusion of footnotes and surprisingly convincing photos only adds to that perception.

The book closes with Henry’s retirement. I hope not!