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Title | Red Death
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Author | P.N. Elrod
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Cover Art | Maren
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Publisher | GuildAmerica - 1996
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First Printing | Ace - 1993
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Title | Death and the Maiden
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Author | P.N. Elrod
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Cover Art | Maren
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Publisher | GuildAmerica - 1996
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First Printing | Ace - 1994
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Title | Death Masque
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Author | P.N. Elrod
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Cover Art | Maren
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Publisher | GuildAmerica - 1996
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First Printing | Ace - 1995
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Title | Dance of Death
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Author | P.N. Elrod
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Cover Art | Maren
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Publisher | GuildAmerica - 1996
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First Printing | Ace - 1996
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Category | Historical
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Warnings | Blood & Sex
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Main Characters | Jonathan Barrett, Nora, Elizabeth, Oliver, Jericho
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Main Elements | Vampires
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Website | ---
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 Red Death
In this introduction to the series, young Jonathan Barrett arrives in London in 1773 to pursue his college education. His fate among the undead is sealed by the unnaturally beautiful Nora Jones, who seduces him and consumes his blood. Unbeknownst to Jonathan, he is no longer the same man, something he soon discovers upon his return to America to join the armed forces and defend his country. Rather than an appetite for traditional fare, he has developed a strange craving for human blood.
Death and the Maiden
Threatened by soldiers on the outside and turmoil on the inside, Jonathan Barrett valiantly fights to protect his family and the peace of the Barrett estate in this thrilling sequel to Red Death. Nearly consumed by his dark desires, Jonathan struggles to control his supernatural powers and his overwhelming thirst for blood while in the company of his immediate family and a scheming young cousin.
Death Masque
With the Revolutionary War making itself felt in his Long Island home, Jonathan Barrett and his sister Elizabeth seek refuge on the distant shore of England. However, Jonathan has yet another reason to make the voyage: he is still searching for Nora, his lost love and the woman responsible for his recently discovered taste for blood. That search takes Jonathan back to the home of his mother’s sister, where he discovers a plot against his family that puts him in danger from the most unlikely of suspects. But his new enemies will soon realize that it is very difficult to kill a Barrett—particularly one that is already dead…
Dance of Death
Seemingly invincible since his transformation into a vampire, Jonathan Barrett must admit his own weakness when he unexpectedly meets a four-year-old boy who strangely resembles him. Armed with a powerful weapon to use against him, his love for his son, Jonathan’s enemies have gained an advantage. The only hope for Jonathan and his child’s survival lies in the return of the mysterious Nora Jones.
I don't get to say this too often, but I loved this series, I loved it a lot. This is exactly my favorite kind of vampire tale. From the first page to the end I enjoyed it...ok do I have one issue with it which I'll bring up later, but otherwise the high expectations I had for it created by the cover of the omnibus I just adore (I do love a man in a frock coat), were more than met, they were exceeded. The covers of the individual novels are terrible though, don't let those turn you off from this amazing series.
First it takes place in the past, in the late 1700's (American Revolution to be exact) so you got the fancy clothes, the horses in the streets and a lot of good vampiric atmosphere. Secondly, the vampires aren't mindless bloodthirsty monsters, sure there is a blood thirst (wouldn't be a good vampire tale without any of that) but vampires here, even with all their restrictions (daylight, running water, mirrors, grave dirt, this one has all the classic vampire traits which are rarely used now, the good ones too like turning to mist, mind control) can pass for eccentric humans. For all intents and purposes they are the same person they were before the change just with some medical oddities. The mind control of course helps to smooth out any suspicions people might get about the vampire's unusual behaviour.
Another thing I loved about this series are the characters. Jonathan Barrett is just a good guy, one you can really like and hope that he figures out how to deal with his change and to live happily forever after. But his family whom he turned to with his secret, were also really nice people you'd love to have as neighbours, his father and sister. Of course Jonathan's world isn't perfect, his mother is an insane matriarch finding fault in absolutely everything everyone does, a nightmare to live with. His valet, a slave named Jericho, however made up for his mother's faults by being loyal and basically a good friend to confide in. Yes, the Barretts are slave owners but this is not a racist book, just the opposite I felt, read and see for yourself.
The time period was a great choice too, amusing to picture Johnathan running around in a white wig and powdered face, one the requirements of being a gentleman of the times he hated.
I could go on and on about the various parts of the books I enjoyed but then I'd be giving away too much, but I will mention the one problem I had with the book, Jonathan "died" more times than there were books. Given all his supposed strenght and night vision, reflexes and speed, various thugs kept managing to sneak up on him and nearly kill him. If he'd been human his life would have been a short one! And each time there is a bit of a long dragged out period where he is very weak, of course in need of blood, but frankly he had harder times dealing with the humans around him than they had in dealing with him...repeatedly. It didn't make much sense really. If you read the Dresden books by Jim Butcher, it's a very similar thing. You can't beat your main character to a pile of pulp that many times and not get rather repetitive and even a bit boring.
If you liked the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice you'll enjoy this series too. This one is not as dark, but just as Lestat had no one to teach him what it meant to be a vampire, neither did Barrett, and of course their experiences were very different and yet a pleasure to see them learn to be that which they have become. It certainly felt like there was room for more books in the series, though the last one does wrap up the main loose ends, but being immortal, there are always so many more stories that could be told! Just like Lestat, I really would have loved to see Barrett seek out other vampires, to learn more about his powers and weaknesses, but I think I would have wanted more no matter how many books had been written!
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