August 20, 2010

The Immortal Memoirs by Belladonna Drakul Review



by BellaDonna Drakul
Publish America
ISBN:978-1-4512-3153-3
Review done by Rob Walter
Review Posted: 8/20/2010

BellaDonna Drakul is back with a new collection of her decidedly non-mainstream vampire/ horror called The Immortal Memoirs. The collection is published by Publish America and is made up of 8 in this collection ranging from stone statues made by vampires in The Petrified Sister to an unlikely pair of werewolves in a future world fighting vampires in Blood Moon of the Damned.

In The Petrified Sister, a vampire and his minions have taken control of a Catholic school over hundreds of years. The difference is that the vampire has an additional curse called oestrus-roue petrification where the victims will turn to stone just before their death and if the vampire drinks to the last drop of blood is drained from them then he too may change into stone. I won’t give any more of the story away, but it is a unique premise and makes for an interesting twist.

Succubus Dream is a cautionary tale warning us to be careful what we wish for as we may get it. A widower in his grief wishes for love and a succubus comes to him and the resulting story is definitely a different read.

Blood Moon of the Damned is a tale of the apocalypse with some hints of sci-fi where vampires and werewolves fight over the Earth. The difference is in how they came to be, how the war transpires and eventually ends.

While there is some repetitious use of cackling in the stories and occasionally the dialogue/ language seems strained and/ or unlikely, it isn’t enough to disturb enjoying the story.

Overall the stories are different from anything else I have read with some interesting twists and turns that make them worth the time.

The Immortal Memoirs

August 15, 2010

Annie and the Ripper by Tim Champlin Review




by Tim Champlin
Pill Hill Press
ISBN:978-1617060373
Review Posted: 8/15/2010

Inspector Frederick George Abberline is thrown into a series of ghastly murders in Whitechapel known as the 'Ripper murders.' The investigation goes dark, sometimes besides himself, Abberline notices an advertisement for an American type entertainment 'Wild West' type show. He at first is a bit disturbed at their antics to take money from the people for their strange shows.Later he comes in contact with a sharp-shooter who is part of this show named Annie Oakley. He enlists her help in the pursuit of this 'Ripper Killer.'

Tim Champlin produces a fine book about the 'Ripper' Killings that any Ripperologist would be interested in reading. His research was well thought out, his play on the actual murders and the inspector that has a few twists and turns is just frankly amazing.

What brings this story to be so different from the others is the introduction of Annie Oakley. In bringing the 'wild west' to the 'ripper murders' in that time period adds flare to Jack the Ripper history and lore. Readers will be pleased to see this new take on what could possibly be one of the best Ripper stories told.