Musings of a Bookish Kitty

The Spanish Inquisition was a dark time in Spain’s history. Religious persecution for those who were not Catholic was common practice during that time and the monarchy and Church leadership were intolerant of any deviation from their strictures. Originally written in 1983 under the title, The Godforsaken, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro’s tale of the Lost Prince is completely fictional, however, there are threads of truth that run through the novel that are more horrific than the horror story she sets out to tell.

Don Rolon carries the burden of his father’s curse, a curse that was laid upon El Rey Alonzo, the king of Espana, by a woman burned at the stake for being a heretic. The king ostracized his son, fearing the curse and feeling repulsed by it. Don Rolon spent his life living in the shadow of his bastard half brother, Gil, who was highly favored by the king. It is no wonder then that Don Rolon has a sadness about him. He wants nothing more than to please his father and earn his love and approval, and yet his father wants little to do with him.

Realizing, however, that his son is the only rightful heir to the throne, El Rey arranges for Don Rolon’s marriage to a noble woman from Venezia. The marriage will create a welcome alliance and strengthen both countries’ positions in the world. It is with great reluctance that Don Rolon agrees to his fate, knowing he has little choice in the matter.

His reluctance to marry comes from the weight of the curse. He worries about fate of any children he might father as well as a certain madness that seems to befall him each time the moon is full. Although he does not fully understand what is happening to him at first, he does know that a change overcomes him on those nights, one that transforms him into a beast that wrecks destruction and creates fear in its wake.

Don Rolon is limited in who he can trust and so his friends are few. The friends he does have are devoted to him and will do what they can to protect and keep their prince safe from those who wish him harm. Those who are greedy and power hungry are the greatest external threat to Don Rolon and they will stop at nothing to bring him down.

Don Rolon is a sympathetic character; a lost soul who has taken many licks throughout his brief lifetime. There is a wary intelligence about him. He is resigned to his life and his fate, struggling to come to terms with what is going on around him. It is his friends who truly move the story forward as they do what they can to protect their friend and future king. The court jester, Lugantes, is one such friend, a dwarf who knows what it is like not to be taken seriously. He is both clever and tough.

The religious tenor in Spain at the time was oppressive and strict. The church leadership in the novel used their position to gain power, claiming righteousness where there really was only ambition and greed. The real horrors were in the actions of the Church and the abuse of that power. Lest it be thought that this book disparages the Catholic Church in general, that is not so. There were Catholic monks and priests in the novel who were not caught up in the power struggle and who did not abuse their power.

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro is careful to keep most of the violence and destruction off of the page, while at the same time alluding to it in such a way that it cannot be overlooked. Perhaps though the greatest horrors in the novel are not what may happen when Don Rolon is no longer himself, but the ease in which accusations and condemnations of those in power are used against those without it and in what becomes of those accused.

It is a shame this book was so wrought with typographical errors and the like. The story itself is quite intriguing. The author is formal in her writing, but it serves the tone and setting of the book well. Lost Prince is a haunting and dark tale, one that kept me entranced even beyond the last page. Originally published at Front Street Reviews.

First Sentence:
To Whom It May Concern:
First, as happy prelude to an otherwise grim prospect, thanks are in order.

Reason for Reading: I was quite enamored with Bram Stoker's Dracula when I read it, and after reading the description of this book, I just had to give it a try. This is a Curled Up With A Good Book selection.

Comments: Newly engaged and with wedding plans dancing in her head, the last thing Evangeline Harker wants to do is travel on assignment to Romania where she will be meeting with a man believed to be a major player in Eastern Europe's organized crime organization. After checking into her hotel in Bucharest, Evangeline makes the acquaintance of a fellow American, Clementine Spence, who describes herself as more of a change agent than a missionary. The two strike up a tentative friendship and become travel companions for the trip to Brasov, where Evangeline will be meeting her contact.

The road is not an easy one as the pair drives through Romania and into Transylvania. Weary and tired, they arrive at the hotel where they are met by an odd and rather unattractive looking man. Evangeline is sure this must be the contact who will introduce her to the infamous Ion Torgu. Clemmie senses something is wrong, but her warning falls on deaf ears. Evangeline should have listened to Clemmie, however, she instead goes off with the man, sealing her fate.

Ion Torgu is ugly and despicable, and yet there is something alluring about him just the same. Evangeline and the reader cannot help but be taken in. He plays the role of weak well, wanting to be liked and in need of constant reassurance. Underneath that, however, lies dark power and strength unmatched by anyone. He wants something from Evangeline, and he is determined to take it if she will not give it to him willingly.

Meanwhile, back in New York things are not going as smoothly as usual. Evangeline's disappearance and lack of contact with anyone, including her family, have put everyone on edge. Tapes arrive in the mail from Romania only nothing of import appears to be on them, only an empty wooden chair. Whispers float in the air of the news offices on the 20th floor. A strange illness seems to have infected the news staff; death and evil hang in the air.

Long time correspondent Austen Trotta is at first oblivious to what is going on around him in the newsroom, although he is greatly concerned about the safety of his associate producer, Evangeline. It is not until much later that he realizes he should have listened to the warnings of editor, Julia Barnes, a competent and clear-headed woman who picks up on the wrongness in the office early on. And then there is Stimson Beevers, the young production associate who takes Evangeline's disappearance the hardest outside of her own family.

Evangeline, believed to be dead, is discovered in a Transylvanian monastery where she had been living for the past several months. Evangeline is no longer the naive and sweet natured woman she once was. A darkness hangs over her now. Hope is ignited on the 20th floor at the news of her return, and yet the nightmare is not yet over.

Author John Marks uses his knowledge of working in a newsroom to set the stage for his terrifying tale, describing the inner workings of what it takes to put a successful news program together and the direction, for better or worse, similar news shows have taken today. Each character and their role within the production of the news show play integral parts in the story as it is told. The cast of characters is well drawn; many of who are more than what they first appear. They each have their own histories, their own stories, some of which plays into the events that will come as the novel progresses.

The author draws from Bram Stoker's famous Dracula novel, piecing his story together in a similar fashion. The story is told through a compilation of journal entries and e-mail correspondence of varying characters, offering a more full picture of events as they unfold. Some of the milestones in Fangland are echoes of its predecessor, Dracula. Likewise, the roles of some of the characters may seem familiar to those who have read both; and yet the story is very different. John Marks has written a different sort of vampire tale.

Fangland is an entertaining and well-crafted horror novel. John Marks is a gifted writer who takes a classic story, turns in on its ear and makes it all his own. The author lays the groundwork, slowly building in intensity, but never lacking in suspense. Fangland is both seductive and horrifying with a climax that must not be missed. Originally published on Curled Up With A Good Book at www.curledup.com. © Wendy Runyon, 2008.

Be sure and visit the the author's website for information about his other books.