Blood Maidens - Barbara Hambly - now cheaper in paperback

[Montero]

Loved Barbara Hambly's books for years. A while back a sequel to the James Asher books (her historical vampire fantasy series) came out. Blood Maidens. But it was firstly in hardback, then in a rather expensive paperback.

Now it is out as an ordinary paperback for £5.07 on Amazon.

Yeehah. Thought I'd let any other Hambly fans know.

 

[Riddick]

Thanks for sharing this. That's a pretty good price. Worth a read at that price haha

 

[Montero]

Its book 3 in the series. Each one is a stand-alone story, but builds on the previous. I'd recommend starting with the first book.

James Asher is a Victorian secret agent and linguistic specialist, who has retired from field work to be a University don. His wife is doctor, and a researcher. (Rare for a Victorian woman.)

The vampires are very much people, and people of their own periods, as well as being vampires.

The first book - Those Who Hunt the Night /Immortal Blood (came out under two titles can't remember if it was a re-print thing or a UK/US variant) - something is killing the vampires of London and they can't work out what. So "hire" James Asher. In late Victorian London and elsewhere in UK.

There is a lovely scene where James Asher is fascinated to hear Elizabethan English being spoken by an Elizabethan era vampire.

Book 2 is largely set in Vienna, Constantinople and Paris.

Still waiting to get my hands on Blood Maidens - ordered, waiting for it to come.

 

[Montero]

Further to previous.

This is not a raunchy vampire series. (Not saying all vampire series are raunchy btw. )

As well as vampire series readers, might also appeal to someone who doesn't often read vampire books.

Has a very atmospheric period setting as well as appealing characters and an interesting underlying look at the possible science of vampirism and the impact of being a vampire on the people who have become one. (For different reasons.) With adventure/mystery to be solved as the main plot.

Book 4, Magistrates of Hell is out in hard back btw.

 

[Riddick]

Thanks for the advice about the series. I'll look into the previous books, no point starting in the middle of the series

 

[Montero]

I've just read Blood Maidens and it was good. So, what can one say without it being a spoiler for earlier books.

Very atmospheric (again). Gripping. Historical setting handled superbly. New interesting characters, both dangerous ones and helpful. In places can set the hair standing up on the back of your neck.

Set mostly in Czarist Russia - with a passing visit to Germany and Poland. Very different society to Edwardian England. Never knew how different it was (well at least for the upper classes).

Nice details on Edwardian period spycraft and politics.