Anno Dracula

A novel based on an alternative history usually make for a peculiar and enticing read and this series by Kim Newman is no exception. The Anno Dracula series, inspired by, you guessed it, Stoker's Dracula, is peppered with a number of well-known historical figures such as Queen Victoria and Jack the Ripper, making it a far more realistic and believable narrative than most vampire fiction. Newman's story is truly panoramic, including an alternative ending to Stoker's Dracula that is layered with politics, mystery, love and most importantly horror. Newman, a self-proclaimed horror enthusiast, does not hold back in his fantastical tale, shoving the brutal, horrific side of the Victorian age in the face of his readers. One of the book's strongpoints is the way Newman cleverly utilizes real events to enhance the novel's main narrative, a compelling and inventive history of the blood curdling legend of mass murderer, Jack the RipperThrough every chapter, an aura of oppressive fear and suspense keeps readers hooked on a series that will continue to excite vampire enthusiasts for decades to come.