Author: Kim Newman
Publisher: Titan Books
Synopsis: In an alternate history that has been reshaped by the survival and political mechanization of Count Dracula, the powerful and famous faces of vampire society descend upon Rome in 1959 for the marriage of Dracula to a Moldavian Princess. With Dracula’s long term rival Charles Beauregard dying of old age and a mysterious assassin destroying elder vampires, three vampire women linked by their relationships to Beauregard set out to investigate.
Review: Newman’s Anno Dracula series, of which Dracula Cha Cha Cha is the third, demonstrates a remarkable level of historical and cultural detail in its pages. The author has done far more than use the concept of a public vampire society as a basis for storytelling but provided an in-depth examination of how the world could be reshaped by the role of supernatural and immortal creatures participating in politics and the entertainment industry. Plus he spins a good yarn.
The way this careful redrawing of history is brought to the page is with the involvement of many, many characters from history and fiction. Sometimes appearing just as a background characters during a party sequence like the Addams’, but also as major players like British spy Commander Bond. None of them ever feel like they’ve been inserted simply for the sake of having them there but part of a tapestry that forms a colorful backdrop to a rich fictional world. Even more fascinating is the role of real people and media outlets. How the political spectrum has been shifted and the role of paparazzi is well detailed and is packed with imaginative ideas. Little tidbits like ‘Life’ magazine being named in such a way to present an anti-vampire attitude is the kind of sly detail that makes it such a fun read. References come thick and fast and a good, solid set of annotations would be a plus.
Kim Newman, pictured being boss.
Story wise we focus on three women. The powerful elder vampire Genevieve Dieudonne is comforting Charles Beauregard in his final days, journalist Kate Reed has arrived to cover the wedding and gets caught up in the celebrities of Rome and Penelope manages Dracula’s household. The three come from different walks of life (and death) and are tied together by their past romantic involvements with still-alive Beauregard. They find themselves at the center of a mystery involving the ‘Crimson Executioner’, a human whose been attacking powerful vampires. The world of celebrities, espionage and the supernatural clash together in the ancient city with plenty of gore and romance to mix things up. Although all the talk of politics may sound a tad dry it’s only a few pages in before people are being impaled in the Trevi Fountain.
Whilst there is plenty of action, mystery and horror (the death of one of the most famous vampires stands out as one of the best deaths ever written – no spoilers) readers looking for more in the vein (boom tish) of the Sookie Stackhouse novels are likely to be disappointed. This is written for geeks of all types. Whether your poison is history, literature or pop-culture you’ll find something to enjoy in this wonderful mish-mash of themes. History buffs would likely enjoy the previous entry, The Bloody Red Baron, more but pop-culture types would find more familiar faces in this outing.
As to the title, American’s will need to look for the generic Judgement of Tears instead of the original and more unique Dracula Cha Cha Cha. The title comes from a real song and forms a thematic trail through the story, describing how Dracula has changed the beat of the world. Enjoy this rendition while reading the book:
