Tor, Aug 2001, 25.95, 383 pp.
ISBN: 0312879016
Nosferatu Victor Renquist struggles to rebuild his American based vampire colony when he receives the summons from three females of his species, including a former love. Knowing this is not a friendly visit between old friends, Victor drops everything to go to Ravenskeep Priory, England where he learns that Homo Sapiens archeologists disturbed the gravesite of Taliesin, better known as Merlin. The return of Merlin to the world means the belief that the Urshu species is extinct is no longer true.
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The question facing Victor and his vampire allies is whether to kill Taliesin before he becomes a powerful wizard that could destroy the current balance of power. As the brooding Nosferatu debate what to do, power struggles and duels from within leave the group somewhat disabled as no can take charge to make the final decisions on the emergence of an Urshu.
Based on his previous novels in this series, this reviewer expected to spend time on a Nosferatu feast, but instead felt lost in the dark of an anemic plot. The background of MORE THAN MORTAL is deep so that readers understand the difference between the species and somewhat how they were “planted” on the planet. The concept of this Merlin is intriguing and the insight into the Nosferatu is quite illuminating. With all that going for it, this novel could have been the horror-fantasy tale of the year, but instead Mick Farren gives fans a tale that feels more like an in betweener novel.
Harriet Klausner
The review of this Book prepared by Harriet Klausner
