Review: Vlad - the last confession - C.C.Humphreys

Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 384
Published: May 1st Sourcebooks (re-print)

Dracula. A name of horror, depravity and the darkest sensuality. Yet the real Dracula was just as alluring, just as terrifying, his tale not one of a monster but of a man... and a contradiction.

His tale is told by those who knew him best. The only woman he ever loved...and whom he had to sacrifice. His closest comrade...and traitor. And his priest, betraying the secrets of the confessional to reveal the mind of the man history would forever remember as The Impaler. This is the story of the man behind the legend...as it has never been told before.

My thoughts:

This is the story of Vlad Dracul, prince of Wallachia, known as Vlad Tepes (the impaler), or Dracula (Dracul-a) son of the dragon/devil. And it has nothing to do with vampires.

I must say that he was a fascinating man, and a crazy bastard. The author has taken liberties since while Vlad lived and afterwards rumours were spread by his enemies. So Humphreys tried to look at the facts that were known and build his story. The book does not try to make Vlad a hero, but not a madman either. It is his last confession told by those who knew him.

When he was young he was sent to the Turks as a hostage, and there he suffered. So no wonder he started to do crazy things later in life. Back home again he did everything to clean up Wallachia so that people to travel and live in peace. And he also went on crusades to push back the Turks. It's not a pretty story. He and his people could not hold the land alone, so he built his might on fear. And yes he sure liked to impale people. It was to fear or be feared.

It did take me some time to get into the book. I do not know what it was. I just did not connect, but it was when he started to do more crazy things that my interest grew. He was just such a fascinating man, a warrior of Christ, impaler, lawgiver. It was the last half of the book that won me over.

Conclusion:

Poor Vlad, Bram Stokers sure did a number on his reputation. Vlad was not the first man to use different methods and there have been far worse people around. It was a fascinating tale about who the real Dracula was. Rich in historical drama and bloody madness.

Rating:

If you wanna see madness, here it is

Cover:

Nope not for me


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The Second Duchess by Elizabeth Loupas