| Title | : | Vamphyri! (Necroscope, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 470 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1988 |
Harry Keogh, Necroscope, thought that the war with the vampires had ended with the destruction of Boris Dragasani--and of Harry's body! But the man who talks to the dead lives on, more powerful than ever, able to transport himself instantly to any spot on the globe and to speak mind-to-mind with both the living and the dead.
Are Harry's new powers enough to defeat Yulian Bodescu and his legion of monsters--or will the vampire army overrun the living earth?
Vamphyri! (Necroscope, #2) Reviews
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Wow, what a horrror fest. In this second part of this series we continue where the first volume ended: Chateau Bronnitsy (great description what's left after the battle is finished). Felix Krakovitch is the new man in the Russian e-branch. But what about Dragosani and Keogh? Thanks to the Mobius continuum they are still around together will all their old and new enemies. But my highlights in this book were the stories of Faethor and Thibor Ferency. Those are the best vampire lores I ever came across. In comparison to them Dracula is a harmless vampire for children! Can a vampire really be killed forever? If you read this compelling combination of spy thriller and horror fest you'll soon know more. During the read, a new vampire is intruduced, Yulian Bodescu (the story of Georgina and Ilya was also extremely eerie). Can East and West succeed against the threat of the Wamphyri? This saga is extremely exciting and uncanny. A must read for every fan of horror!
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If you think what you've seen so far is unpleasant, what you're about to see is far worse!
This is a longish review, because, frankly, it can hardly be anything but. As the very title of this novel suggests, this is where the Vampire theme of the Necroscope series starts coming into its own. The first novel dealt with many themes, but not so very prominently with the theme of the Vamphyri (or, rather, Wamphyri).
The old Thing in the ground had lived for five hundred years, and as long again had lain undead in his unhallowed grave.
Vamphyri! is rich with lore and history, and goes a long way in establishing Lumley’s Vampire mythology. Some of the concepts are fairly familiar, while others are certainly pretty out of the box. It’s fascinating all round, though. There is a fairly clear depiction of the various states of Wamphyri-hood, which clears up the water a bit, even if it is grim as hell.
Unable to tear his eyes away, [he] groaned and grew pale at the sight of that which followed.
There is something rather distressing about how ordinary people’s live intertwine and are touched (read devastated) by these despicable creatures, and that’s even before the descriptive paragraphs start. Again, this is a Horror series and not Urban Fantasy. These Vampires are a far, far cry from the twinkling pretty-boy variety, although they are able to seduce and enthrall their victims easily enough.
The man in the cape drew closer and the moon shone fully in his face. It was a man's face after all and not a skull, but there was that which was wolfish about it, an almost freakish longness of jaws and ears.
I would strongly urge that you read this as soon as possible after
Necroscope. It casts some illumination on the events that occur in that novel, some of which I didn’t completely understand. It also revisits the concept of Necromancy, and what exactly happened to Boris Dragosani. Necromancy, by the way, is not something you can discuss around the dinner table.
Another reason for reading this quickly after the first novel: Harry Keogh’s mental link to his infant son and his use of the Mobius Continuum. If it sounds confusing, it’s because it potentially is, and letting a lot of time pass between novels just makes it worse.
The Necroscope series aren’t just novels about Vampires, it deals with the very mythos of the Wamphyri. What are they? Where are they from? These are questions you will find yourself asking, and as the series unfolds, you will find yourself reaching for the next book, because you will want to know the truth, terrifying as it is. This series represents Horror and the Vampire Mythos on an epic level; I’m not sure whether this kind of thing exists anywhere else.
He clung to his loathsome dreams - of madness and mayhem, the hell of living and the horror of dying, and the pleasures of blood, blood, blood - and felt the cold embrace of the clotted earth closing him in, weighing him down, holding him here in his darkling grave.
Yes, despite the grotesquery and ultimately disturbing nature of these books, they make for compelling and (eventually) rewarding reading. That said – they might actually not be suitable for casual Horror readers, as they can be quite harrowing.
Ahhh! said a new voice, a powerful voice. It was black as the night itself and deep as the roots of hell, and it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. -
An excellent follow-up book to Necroscope #1.
It's a slow burner for the first 200 pages, which follows the historical adventures of the Wamphyri introduced in the first book.
It's less focused on Harry Keogh and we explore other characters with Harry in the background with good reason.
This one is so much darker and gorier than the previous book.
The depth of characters and excellent plot sets up for an truly cliffhanging storyline. -
After the stupefying ending on the first book of the series, VII! picks up about a year later. What was left of the Russian ESPionage program is reorganized with the stern directive to find out what happened or else; meanwhile in England, the secret ESPionage team believes that they have located a vampire right in the UK!
Like its predecessor, VII! moves at an almost breathless pace and contains a wealth of characters. Harry is 'around' again, but only when his son is sleeping (as they share the same body now); he is still the main protagonist although his role is not really the main focus. He warns of the new vampire in England and consults his dead sources, in particular, Boris Dragosani and his 'father', as to the nature of vampires. It turns out that vampires can take several forms. First, the 'pure' parasitical form united with a human 'carrier'; these are the most powerful and 'full' vampires. These 'full' vampires can create 'hybrids' if they take the blood of a living human (not all of it!) who are in thrall to the original. Finally, full vampires can, via an injection of tissue, raise the dead, or rather, create undead, but these creatures are basically brainless. So, what exactly has Yulian Bodescu have going on in England? And, what his relation to the vampires of the first book?
VII! fills in a lot of blanks from the first novel, with an amazing retelling of the early lives of Thibor and his 'father'. While less 'mind-blowing' than the first book, VII! takes us on a fun ride and ends without any cliffhangers. Cannot wait to read the sequel. 4.5 stars! -
Good stuff. This is the second book I have read by this author. This was a nice escape from the 2020 election for me. I will probably always remember this as the book I read during this time period which I am sure is historic. I have no intention of becoming political in this short review- this is just an observation. This feels like one of those times I will remember.
The book was a good escape. The big ideas introduced in the first book have become a setting. The author’s ideas continue to develop and nuances of the Moebius Strip, for example, are being explored in what seems like a collective subconscious concept context. There are elements of psychology, science, and good old fashioned occult legends blended together in an action oriented context. It seems to me that the author is rounded in his knowledge of some of these ideas and has spent some time pondering them. It shows in the plot.
If there is a weakness in the book it is the characters that are sometimes introduced late and are important. It’s not that I mind a large cast of characters, it’s just that I feel they need sufficient space to establish themselves, especially if they play important roles in the story.
This is a minor point and assuredly one that won’t stop me from continuing the series. As a matter of fact, I fully intend to read the whole thing. I hear rumor that the later books are even better.
Four stars. -
"Down in the cold earth in the glade of stirless trees, where the stone of his mausoleum lay broken and mattered with lichens, the nightmare Thing dreamed on..."
🌟🌟🌟1/2
Initial Thoughts
Necroscope II:Vamphyri is the second book in Brian Lumley’s Necroscope series. I read the first book last month (November 2021) and absolutely loved it. Merging cold war espionage, psychic abilities and vampires in an action packed and highly entertaining narrative worked fantastically well.
I enjoyed it so much I messaged the author himself to tell him and received a fantastic response from Mr Lumley himself. He’s from the same area as me (Hartlepool, England) and based a large part of the Necroscope series there. He talked about life growing up in the area, his career in the Royal Airforce Police and his hopes for the adaptation of the series, which has been acquired by Morgan Freeman’s company no less. I was absolutely over the moon that a guy who’s eighty four and still writing took the time out to give me such a response.
But the question is did this book live up to the standard set by it’s predecessor?
The Story
Vamphyri picks up exactly where Necroscope left off. Harry Keogh and his nemesis Boris Dragosani (top name for a top villain) are both dead, but the threat of the Russian ESPionage division still looms over the western world. Key players emerge on both sides and the promise of potential peace soon evaporate when nefarious individuals seize power. But both sides have to watch there back as the battle for survival between mankind and the insidious vampires is far from over
But the story really starts to pick up when we delve into the past of Thibor Ferenczy who spent the entire time of the last novel buried deep underground attempting to bring about his resurrection. Lumley takes us back over one thousand years, when Thibor was a human in Romania, waging war and generally being an evil SOB before meeting the vampire who turned him and gave him his name. Through this we get to learn more background of the terrible powers of the Vamphyri and it really is fascinating stuff. Definitely my favourite part of the novel.
Then we have Yulian, a half-vampire, who’s mother was “infected” by Thibor in the last book. He’s the main antagonist in this one and wreaks havoc for the British INTEL as he takes a personal vendetta against them.
That’s as much background as you need to know and I wouldn’t want to spoil what’s in store for you.
The Writing
I was really impressed by Lumley’s style and description in the first book, and we get more of the same in this one with some fascinating explanation of the different types of vampire and the history behind them. As I said before, those were my favourite parts of the story. But there did seem something lacking in this one and it missed the intensity and engagement of the first one. Where before I literally could not put the book down, with this one I was l waiting for the story to get going.
The Characters
The main reason I didn’t enjoy this one as much was one hundred percent down to the characters. Necroscope had Keogh and, in particular, Dragosani driving the story and their rivalry was absolutely captivating. Vamphyri certainly doesn’t have anyone close to those two and the characterisation in general was not as strong. There was one point where there was a group of British INTEL working to stop Yulian and I didn’t have a clue who was who. The depth of character development just was not there.
"However monstrous a man may become in this world, when he dreams of his youth the things which frightened him then frighten him anew."
Yes Harry Keogh is in this one, but his character is significantly changed and as a result he's nowhere near as good. For me anyway. I much preferred him as a precocious young man, finding his way and having to learn about his hidden talents to save the day.
Tibor Ferenczy
Also, the interaction between the Russians and British as they attempted to work together when uncovering the vampire threat came across a little comical at times and not in a good way. It was far better in the first when they were pure enemies and life was simple.
But the shining light in this one, as I’ve already mentioned, is the two main vampires and the events of the past. That was scintillating stuff and I would have happily read more of it. Intense, brutal, engaging and entertaining. If it had just been that, then this book would have been creeping toward the five start territory.
Final Thoughts
"Leaders always climb to the top over the bodies of dead leaders."
I think this book was suffering from second book syndrome, as new characters were introduced and a new direction was established and it just didn't hit the heights of the first. Just goes to show that just because I've interacted with an author doesn't mean I won't criticise when it's due. I felt that Lumley lacked the intense passion that he wrote the first one with. Wether that's right or wrong, I won't be contacting him this time to find out! Still an enjoyable read though and I'll definitely be giving the third a shot. Thanks for reading.
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Vampire stories are some of my favorite kinds of stories. Written in the 1980's Brian Lumley's Necroscope series has been tremendously entertaining. While it never tries to be deep, there are some cool ideas in this story. I found it hard to put down this novel and finished it in a few days.
After the events of the first book, we see the immediate aftermath of the first novel's major events. As both the British and Russian ESPionage units try to recover from the events of the first book, a terrible danger looms.
Harry Keogh, now freely traveling the Möbius Continuum, is anchored to his infant son, spiritually. Harry uses his knowledge to get in touch with the ESPionage branch to let them know the bad news- there is an imminent threat from Vampires and they need to be fought.
What follows will end with the Russians and the British joining forces against a dire threat. The story of both Faethor and Thibor Ferenczy is revealed in this volume and I enjoyed this "historical" part the most. The story then also introduces Yulian Bodescu. Yulian is an interesting character due to him being the offspring of Thibor and he is quite a twisted character. Also there is an interesting explanation between the Wamphyri and the "lesser" vampire.
Lumley's world is deep and the various powers on display, coupled with the cool vampire lore made this an ideal fun novel. I am surprised I'd not gotten into this series before. Anyways, vampire fans? Do yourself a favor and check out Necroscope. Especially considering it was written decades before "The Strain". Need to rush out and buy the third book to find out what's going on. -
I don’t write reviews.
And sometimes I forget things. Did I mention this is the year of the vampire? Look back at my reading for this year and you’ll see.
Lumley is still going strong and this series is keeping me engaged and interested. I was a bit sad thinking Harry Keogh wouldn’t be around, but I shouldn’t have underestimated a necroscope. He delivered of course.
I really liked the history of Thibor and Faethor Ferenczy. It’s a fun side note that once a Wamphyri ages a bit he starts to talk like his ancestor. Thibor ended up a complete copy of Faethor after a few hundred years. And once Yulian vamped out he started vocally ejaculating with “aaaaahhh!” and the like just like his dear old dead dad.
I’ve already jumped into book three and noticed another use of similar letters in names. However I found no such patterns in book two. -
This book, an easy companion to the first, can easily be called an epic horror fest. They're both filled with complex, detailed characters enmeshed in a secretive cold war of esp, TK, necromancy, and truly powerful vampires.
This one, however, doubles down on the vampires, even the ones that have already been killed in the first book. It's not a retcon so much as a loophole filled nicely by some rather mind-blowing necromancy, and the stories the dead tell... well, I won't spoil it, but these little traversals between the living world and the dead are fascinating and provide a very meaty plot.
I also won't get into the nearly godlike powers of either father or son, either, but both are a riot. Add that to the over-the-top gore, nasty Lovecraftian mythos, and the shocking possibilities laid out in either of these books, and I've got a feeling that I'm going to be having a grand ole time from here on out.
Vampire revenge, anyone?
I miss the good old days of epic horror. :) -
What a great , entertaining read. 80s vampire horror at its best ( not to mention great 80s horror novel cover art). Lumley's second book in his necroscope series takes place right after the first novel.
Just like the first book it's the epitome of vampire horror mixed in with ESP and psychic powers and spy thriller.
We get to see more vampire lore with the background of Faeber and Thibor as well as the difference between a true Wamphyri and the lesser vampire.
Easily 4 to 4.5 stars if you are a horror fan. I only have the first 3 in the series but I already decided to order the rest online and re-read the first 3 again until they arrive.
6.17.22- UPDATE. Just finished re-reading this. This was even better than the first book i think. There is a lot of Lore and background in this. We see how Thibor got Wamphyri by Faethor and that whole history. What a great dynamic between "father and son". Some good action and gore horror in this history. We see how Thibor created a Pseudo son in Yulian. The tragic demise of Yulians real father and his birth and Christening were also great Horror. We get even more of INTESP and E-Branch and East and West come together to try to take out Yulian. Harry isnt a BIG part in this one and we get to see alot more of ESP-ionage here as well as ALec Kyle ( cool ending).
On to re-read number 3 and I finally got my hands on 4 and 5 in the series. -
Not a bad vampire romp. Strangely enough it reminded me more of Harry Potter than a vampire book. Harry Keough has a tinge of fantastical powers that allow him to step in and out of the real world and he's the chosen one who can stop a vampire onslaught. This one is far better than the first book of the Necroscope series with a huge portion of it taking place in Medieval times following Thibor the vampire before he becomes the Thing in the Ground. That was the strongest part of the story, oddly enough for a series that has Harry as the main character he is the weakest part of it. He's a plot device that drives the story forward but he's never really a part of the resolution, he just helps them get to it. If it wasn't for our villains these stories wouldn't really have anything to carry them. The vampires are unique in that they're kind of a mix of sea cucumber, sea star, and barnacle. They're nasty and parasitic which is really freaking cool. I'm not sure when this came out but I think after John Carpenter's The Thing and you can see some comparisons there that are really neat. Speaking of neat, the ending of these books have suspiciously neat resolutions. Everything gets tidied up in a nice bow and the villains get to be conquered via quick deaths where they never stood a chance. Annoying, but still enjoyable.
Overall I enjoyed the story, probably wouldn't read it again but it was fun. Will still continue the series so there's that.
There it is and there you have it. -
Harry Keough saved the world with the help of the dead when he destroyed Boris Dragosani. Now the world is free from vampires...or is it? You see, vampires are a cunning lot. They don't survive for over a thousand years by giving up their secrets freely and, even in death, Thibor Ferenczy still has a few tricks up his sleeve. It's up to the British top-secret E-Branch and Necroscope Harry Keough to free the world once again.
Necroscope II: Vamphyri! begins where Necroscope left off and ratchets the tension up along the way. It also delves into the vampire legacy/mythology and explores the history of its vampire characters. While I've read some reviews that lament this or that it's set in the world of Cold War espionage, I relish it. In fact, I give it an emphatic two thumbs up! I love that they explored the vampire history. It sets up Lumley's parameters to his Necroscope mythos and is vital to the rest of the series. As for complaining about it being set in the Cold War world of espionage, did you not read the first Necroscope? That's the setting they used and how someone could be upset that the second book in the series is a continuation of the same is beyond me. In fact, call me crazy, but I'm willing to bet a week's salary that we'll see more of that in the upcoming books in the series. So, if that bothers you, my suggestion is to stop now. For the rest of you, if you liked the first Necroscope, you'll love the second. Great characters, more in depth history to the characters and answers to questions that were left open from the first. Just a great, great book. Can't wait to see what Lumley has in store for me in Part III!
5 out of 5 stars
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TWITTER - @KenMcKinley5 -
I liked this one as much as I did the first one, a solid four stars. It's weird though, I love cold war espionage novels, and I dig supernatural stuff with vampires and shit like that, and these books do both of those things very well, among other things, but they're just missing a certain something that keeps me from LOVING loving them, but I'm not exactly sure what that is. The new vampire and human bad guys were pretty awesome, and while the stuff with Harry and is son was sometimes pretty corny, overall the coolness definitely outweighed any negatives. Good stuff with multiple cliffhanger endings that make me want to read book three at some point.
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3.5 to 4.0 stars. The second book in the Necroscope Trilogy, this is a series that deserves a lot more attention then it gets (probably because they have some of the WORST COVERS I have ever seen). Set during the Cold War and somewhat similar to the "Laundry Series" of Charles Stross as it deals with a secret branch of British Intelligence that recruits and employs people with "paranormal" talents in a battle against Russia's similiarly constituted E-branch. The star of the series is Harry Keogh (the Necroscope) who has the power (among others) to speak to the dead. This gift, which doesn't sound like much at first, allows Harry to "absorb" any talent or skill by interacting with deceased experts (e.g., he learned hand to hand combat from a dead Marine drill Sargent and quantum mechanics from Einstein). He can also learn all about murders by talking to the victims.
The main bad guys (apart from some nasty humans) are Vampires. In many ways, the Vampires are the star of the show as they are incredibly well developed in the first two books. No "Twilight" vamps here, these are nasty, cunning, long lived creatures that have existed for thousands of years no a thing or two about surviving. Recommended!!
A well done spy/vampire/paranormal thriller that is very well written and an excellent read. -
Προσοχή: spoilers για το πρώτο βιβλίο!!
Ο Χάρι Κίο και ο Μπόρις Ντραγκοσάνι είναι νεκροί μετά την εισβολή του πρώτου στη βάση των σοβιετικών μυστικών υπηρεσιών. Όμως ο Χάρι δεν έχει χάσει στο ταλέντο του να μιλάει στους νεκρούς. Παρόλο που βρίσκεται παγιδευμένος στο συνεχές του Μέμπιους σε άυλη μορφή, είναι πολύτιμη πηγή πληροφοριών για το βρετανικό κλάδο των μυστικών υπηρεσιών.
Ο Θιμπόρ Φέρεντσι έχει καταφέρει να αποκτήσει ένα γιο, ο οποίος φιλοδοξεί να συνεχίσει στο αιματηρό έργο του πατέρα του, παρότι δε γνωρίζει ποιος είναι αυτός.
Βρετανοί και Σοβιετικοί θα προσπαθήσουν να συνεργαστούν για να εξοντώσουν το πανίσχυρο βαμπίρ και τους προγόνους του.
Το βιβλίο αυτό αποτελείται σε μεγάλο βαθμό από flashbacks της ζωής του Θιμπόρ Φέρεντσι. Παίρνουμε απαντήσεις για το πως κατέληξε ο ίδιος να γίνει βαμπίρι και γιατί βρίσκεται θαμμένος εδώ και 5 αιώνες. Κι ενώ θα μπορούσε να είναι κουραστικό, η εξιστόρηση γίνεται σε πρώτο πρόσωπο σε καίρια σημεία, δίνοντας του μια απίστευτη ζωντάνια. Όπως είχα πει και για το πρώτο βιβλίο, ο τρόπος που παρουσιάζει ο Lumley τα βαμπίρ είναι ακριβώς αυτό που θέλω να διαβάσω! Αιμοδιψή, σκοτεινά, με σκληρά χαρακτηριστικά, ασύγκριτη δύναμη και απόλυτα εγωκεντρικά. Οι περιγραφές του έρχονται να συμπληρώσουν την ατμόσφαιρα προσφέροντας μόνο τις απαραίτητες πληροφορίες.
Το τέλος του δεύτερου βιβλίου δε διαφέρει ιδιαίτερα από αυτό του πρώτου. Αυτή τη φορά όμ��ς είμαι σίγουρη ότι θέλω να συνεχίσω να διαβάζω τη σειρά. -
An excellent follow-up book to Necroscope #1.
It's a slow burner for the first 200 pages, which follows the historical adventures of the Wamphyri introduced in the first book.
It's less focused on Harry Keogh and we explore other characters with Harry in the background with good reason.
This one is so much darker and gorier than the previous book. -
-A la vez, metafísica y chapoteo en hemoglobina.-
Género. Narrativa fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. El asalto de guerreros tártaros muertos hace mucho tiempo al château Bronnitsy, con Harry Keogh comandándolo, ha dejado muchos cadáveres y la Organización E prácticamente descabezada. El jefe de gobierno de la URSS llama a uno de los supervivientes, Felix Krakovitch, para que comience a reorganizar inmediatamente la organización y busque nuevos miembros. En Gran Bretaña, la INTPES decide proteger al hijo recientemente nacido de Harry Keogh, del que hace tiempo que no saben nada. En un lugar indeterminado, bajo tierra, algo con casi 1.000 años de antigüedad comienza a recordar sus tiempos como guerrero voivoda valaco al servicio del príncipe Vladimir en Kiev y cómo llego a conocer a Faethor Ferenczy. Segundo libro de la serie Crónicas Necrománticas y que necesita de la lectura del primero para tener cierto sentido.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/... -
Vampires, the rising of the dead, espers, the mobius continuum, Yulian Bodescu, Harry Keogh, what more can you ask for in a book?
I really enjoyed this book, much better than the first. Harry Keogh is an awesome character, it is worth the read just to learn more about him.
It took me a while to start reading this book after reading the first, because I wasn't sure if I would like it, as I had a hard time getting into the first one. I am so glad I read it and am sure looking forward to the next one.
4 out of 5 stars.
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I think I've become a huge Brian Lumley fan. Utterly devoured this one. Maybe not as great as the first book but hey, it's a middle book of a trilogy. Plunging right into The Source, book three!
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The second book in the series shows the protagonist in an unusual position and delves deeper into the prehistory of vampires.
Plot. Rating 3
There are several storylines in the book, but they can be grouped according to the time of the events taking place. I liked the historical part of the book more. It contains the elements that attract me to the vampire theme: ancient secrets, hidden castles far in the mountains, various mystical rituals and beliefs, historical figures associated with vampires, etc. Thibor's storyline was the most interesting. The story of the second ancient vampire struck me as somewhat crumpled.
The modern storyline attracted me less. The confrontation with the new antagonist is short and does not stand out as the main storyline. A lot of time is devoted to the work and intrigues of the special services - some of this, in my opinion, was not necessary.
Characters. Rating 3
Harry Keogh, due to his abilities and new original position, plays the role of a coordinator rather than an active hero. British intelligence officers are shown superficially. There are a lot of them, but it turned out to be difficult for me to single out a character for whom I could worry.
I think the new antagonist of the book is inferior in charisma and elaboration to Boris Dragosani, just as the characters in the Russian storyline lose to their predecessors.
In general, the characters in the historical storylines were more attractive to me.
Dialogues. Rating 3
For my taste, the dialogues in the book are verbose, especially in one-on-one conversations. The characters behave too emotionally for me, as evidenced by the large number of exclamation marks. For example, the name-calling and boasting in dialogues between vampires and in dialogues with the dead have significantly worsened my perception of the story.
Writing style. Rating 4
There are enough good scenes in the book that define the horror genre. The historical part in the first half of the book is excellently written - I read it with great interest. All the different components in the book are easy to read.
Worldbuilding. Rating 4
There are quite a few ideas about this race presented here, both new and those that develop on the concepts of the first book. Vamphyri are shown to be complex creatures with many abilities in their arsenal. The historical part of the book informs the reader in detail about the actions of vampires in the past. Horror scenes are varied and described with a lot of imagination.
Conclusion. Overall rating 3
I was hoping for a significant development of the story of the Vamphyri. In my opinion, this happened only in the historical part of the book. However, the annotation of the third book tells what I wanted to get in the second. Therefore, I will read the next book. -
Necroscope II: Vamphyri! (Necroscope #2) by Brian Lumley is such a good sequel. It's so easy to jump back into its world and I didn't want to put it down! I have to admit I really like the style of this series so far. I definitely need to continue it in the future with Necroscope III: The Source.
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As I read this, I wondered why I had waited so long to continue on with this series. I really liked the first book. I remembered just how much as I read this one. The second book picks up right where book one ended. As I read this one, I was already wondering how I would rate it. Very different than the first book. Lots of the history of the past Wamphyris. There are parts of this book that felt very gothic. Other parts felt very spy vs. spy with all of the espionage...I really wasn't sure how I would rate it....I loved the history and the espionage both....I loved the combining of world powers to fight for a common goal....I loved the feeling of being suspect of everyone...was he a good guy...or would he turn traitor....this whole concept of fighting world powers not with physical force, BUT with mental force is terrifying to me! Don't we all have that 6th sense that kicks in from time to time....haven't we all heard of the evil eye? Every feel like something bad is about to happen? Déjà vie? What if there ARE people out there that have powers such as these that we can't even begin to imagine? What if world powers not only hide these people, but they also use them for the *better* of their cause? What happens if you put a mind reader in with one of the most powerful men in he world? What would he learn? What if someone can talk to anyone from the dead? Think of all the great minds of the past! Now...Think of all the evil minds of the past...go back in time...Genghis Khan...Hitler ...now imagine being able to converse with them! Do you see where this can go? Think of the secrets that the dead take to their graves....now imagine that you can bring those secrets forth....how mind blowing is that!
So I was on the fence on how to rate this....4 stars for sure....but was it really worthy of 5? Lumley is a true writer of horror....I mean, there's no way you can read the descriptions of his vampires and not be a little freaked out....he paints a very vivid mind's image....you can almost hear the sounds of limbs being tore apart....he also, in a gothic sick twisted way throws in things meant to be erotic and sick and twisted and exciting all at once....you long to turn away, but can't bear to miss a moment....
Then I hit the last 10% of this book.....all I can say is oh holy hell....I gasped out loud! I actually stood up and paced...I was hopping up and down on one leg to the other....I read it with my mouth hanging open...I had goosebumps running up and down my skin....and that wasn't enough...I then started to shake...physically shake from the stuff going through my mind....he did this NOT ONCE BUT THREE TIMES IN THE LAST PART OF THE BOOK!! Three huge shocks to my system....never, ever, can I ever hope or dream to experience something like that from a book ever again...he flipping blew my mind!!! Lumley, is a fucking master....there is a reason this series has a cult following....brilliant....just brilliant.....ah.maze.ing.....
No, this isn't a book for everyone....Lumley is not for everyone....but this series has now answered the question....if I could only read one series for the rest of my life....well, it's gonna be this one....with dozens of books, I am excited to be breathless again...lost in horrific wonder....bring it....I am wanting to start book 3!!!!!! -
As I said in my review of the first book in the series,
Necroscope, I first read these books in middle and high-school. They are dated, but once you think of them as historical fiction and are able to overlook the politics and technology, they are well worth the read. Lumley had a wonderful story here, and excellent characters, not to mention a mind-blowing plot line.
The books are a bit a slow to read, but only because they make you think and figure out what's going on. Details, intrigue, tensions...this book is just as good as the first. This is a horror book...not the shiny happy vampires of today's kids. Lumley is a devotee of HP Lovecraft and you can tell in his style and his monsters.
Enjoy! -
There was promise in the first book, but this one was bogged down with backstory, slow pace and not a particularly engaging plot. There was very little suspense in the book and the 'horror' effect was mainly a gore effect. This felt like a transition book (Star Wars Episode I & II, anyone?), so perhaps there is still hope in the series.
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What a spectacular read! Lumley took the story in a wholly unexpected direction. Giving the reader the entire history of both Thibor and Faethor was smart. When these creatures have lived for so long, there are nearly unlimited stories to tell.
One thing I wonder is how the ESP organizations of both England and the USSR will evolve as the Soviet Union collapses. Will Lumley bring in the American E-branch? The French? The German? The Chinese? Limitless possibilities.
The highlight of the book was the story of Yulian Bodescu and the Lake family. Lumley created quite the villain with Yulian, a terrifying vampire that appears far stronger and more psychotic that any of Anne Rice's creations. As I was reading the book, I often wondered how Lestat de Lioncourt would deal with the vampires of Lumley's world. Would the likes of Lestat and Louie and Marius be able to conquer these stranger vampires? Tough to say. But Lumley has created a mythos that's far more horrifying than Rice's world of romantic but deadly creatures who debate the devil search for the meaning in their existence.
What Bodescu did to the Lake family was the most disturbing part of the book. The only portion that seemed a little off was the English ESPers and their new roles as vampire hunters. These guys appeared to be desk jockey telepaths and the like, but suddenly had training with crossbows and flame throwers when vampires entered their purview. It didn't detract much from the story, but it was funny at times to read about these guys advancing on Harkley House armed to the teeth when they didn't appear to even be trained for field work or combat of any kind.
One of Lumley's strengths is his willingness to kill off characters at a moment's notice. When he killed of Carl Quint, Krakovitch and Gulharov up at Faether's castle, that just seemed a waste. But it definitely keeps the story interesting because Harry Keogh can speak to these dead men and even have them do his bidding. So even when characters are dead, they can still contribute to the story and move the plot forward.
The last chapter was a thrill to read. Yulian's attack on Brenda and Harry Keogh Jr., and then Harry Keogh's attack on the Chateau Bronnitsy was awesome. It was almost poetic to watch Yulian get utterly destroyed by the dead from the cemetery next to the house in Hartlepool. Yulian's undoing was the one thing Thibor never got the opportunity to teach him - to not let himself be detected or noticed. Yulian didn't care. From the last chapter:
"Yulian Bodescu was Wamphyri, and he made no effort to hide it. That essence of vampire in him had found the perfect receptacle, had worked on him like yeast in a potent brew. He was at the peak of his strength, his power, and he knew it. In everything he had done, no trace had been left which might definitely identify him as the author of the crime. INTESP would know it, of course, but no court could ever be convinced. And INTESP, as Yulian had discovered, was far from omnipotent. Indeed, it was impotent. Its members were merely human, and fearful; he would hunt them down one by one until he'd destroyed the entire organization. He would even set himself a target: say, one month, to be rid of all of them for good."
So with Yulian Bodescu gone, and Ivan Gerenko and Theo Dolgikh dead, I wonder how the story will continue. Can't wait to find out! -
The baddie steals it again. This time we get a blackly comedic family sitcom dynamic as the young vampire Yulian imprisons his own mother, aunt and cousin as his vamp mistresses, also accompanied by his loyal doggo and pet Other -- a giant blob formed from one of his missing teeth. We are also treated to extensive vamp flashbacks to the life of his father: the buried vampire from the previous book. These parts of were the highlights for me. With this series Lumley writes such fun, grotesque vampires that it comes as a disappointment when the heroes overcome them. Such is the general shame with fiction that crosses horror with adventure.
Lacks much of the boring stuff from the first volume (Harry Keogh is barely in this), but I still lose interest when the focus shifts away from the vampires and thought too much was already retreading elements from the original. I'll give one more from the series a go. I'm curious about the vampire planet. -
brilliant.
love how I can follow all the characters and their thoughts. -
I have already reviewed Necroscope #I so I won't repeat what is generic to the series. This second volume is no better or worse than the first but Lumley certainly likes to blow things up (castle, English country house and laboratory, the key locations of classical horror).
A psychologist might have a field day trying to work out the mind of the author but I came to the conclusion that Lumley is really exposing nothing more than his inner adolescent: monsters, a bit of sexual transgression, blondes, spies, adventure, the dead, the gruesome - and big explosions.
However, behind the boy's own transgressive adventure, the Wamphyri are a genuine addition to the vampire mythos, truly evil otherwordly callous self-centred creatures who strike me as progenitors of the creatures of 'The Strain' which now looks derivative in comparison.
Lumley can write when he wants to and there are moments when this book (as with Necroscope) rises above its own norm and shows an imagination that 'opens up new vistas of horror' (in 1988). Above the average for the genre but not quite a true classic. -
4.5 Stars
I think I enjoyed this one more than the first volume. I will say there is a LOT going on here. The main subject is vampires, which seems pretty obvious. But you have ESP, time travel, necromancy, teleportation, espionage (it's set during the cold war), a baby with powers--the list goes on and on. It really seems like too much for one series, but Lumley does an excellent job of weaving it all together. It's far out, even for a vampire novel, but still believable enough to be genuinely scary and suspenseful at times.
If you like vampire novels but want to try something a little different, give this one a shot. It may not be your thing, as it's not your typical vampire tale, but you probably will enjoy more than you think.
Looking forward to reading the next in the series! -
Lumley returns with Harry Keogh and his esper warriors in one of the most terrifying episodes of the Necroscope series. Thick with deaths a plenty, Whamphyri takes you back to where it all began...before Harry, before E-branch, before Boris Dragosani. The brilliance of this book is that it picks up from the last seconds of where Necroscope left off and doesn't fail to please. The horror is twice as gruesome, the double-talk is twice as deceitful, the action is twice as exciting. A sequel that outdoes its predecessor in both hook and intrigue. Don't miss it!
