A Dance in Blood Velvet
Book Two of the Blood Wine Sequence.
Author: Freda Warrington.
Print Edition ISBN: 9781781167069.
E-book Edition ISBN: 9781781167267.
Published by: Titan Books.
First Edition: October 2013.
Originally Published: October 1995 by Tor.
‘For her vampire lover Karl, Charlotte has forsaken her human life. She thought their bond would last for eternity- until Karl’s former flame, the seductively beautiful Katerina, is rescued from the depths of the Weisskalt. Now she wants to reclaim her life … and Karl.
In despair, Charlotte turns to the prima ballerina Violette Lenior, an ice maiden who only thaws when she dances. Charlotte is fascinated as she has been by no other human, but her obsession unleashes a far darker threat than the vampires could ever have imagined…’
This novel was originally published back in 1995, long before Stephanie Meyer and Charlotte Harris made vampires trendy again. However, at the time it was very difficult to get hold of and left many readers desperate to read more about Karl and Charlotte. Well here it is, reissued by Titan Books with a very striking cover. This book is the second in the Blood Wine sequence, a sequel was not originally planned as the first book was complete in itself. However the epilogue did have a bit of a cliff-hanger, as a particular vampire died (no spoilers) his death awoke a number of vampires who had been in a state of hibernation. One of whom being Katerina, who is determined to reclaim her life and her former lover Karl, bad news for Charlotte.
As a major vampire fan I was not keen with the debunking of popular vampire myths such as exposure to sunlight, stakes through the heart, garlic, crosses etc. Though some may find this refreshing, I’m a traditionalist. I would describe this novel more as a tale of lust and passion that survives beyond the grave than as a traditional vampire novel. More an erotic Wuthering Heights than Interview with a Vampire, Karl and Charlotte are a magnificent pairing that deserves a place up there with the very best of genre lovers.
There is nothing simple about this novel; it is a beautifully written tale and compelling. At its centre is a compelling take on religion and the idea of original sin which I found intriguing. The thing is, Freda Warrington plays with these ideas in such an amazing way. Things get so big and so elaborate – dealing with the notion of God and Angels, and whether or not it’s all real – that you almost think that she couldn’t possibly have an answer that would satisfy the questions she asks, but she does. It is very impressive and my favourite thing about this novel.
Not for those who are looking for a traditional Vampire guts and gore novel or a sweet teenage Vampire story like twilight, however if you like your romance novels with a bit of bite you will love this book.
3 out of 5 nerds
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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