Chronicles of the Undead [Paperback]

"Chronicles of the Undead" transports the reader into the realm of London vampires between the years of 1793 and 1826. Written in diary format, author A. F. Stewart masterfully reveals the quest of three generations of the Harrington family to record their interactions with the undead.

Samuel Harrington begins the diary entries on April 26, 1793, when new neighbors move in. Upon meeting Henri Forain and his cousin, Eleanor de Burgh, Samuel immediately strikes a friendship with Henri. Their relationship is forged by the number of common interests they share. It begins as an enjoyable encounter, but when Samuel discovers certain truths about his new friend, the situation takes a turn.

Samuel descends into a darker, far more sinister realm than he thought imaginable. Too enthralled by his new knowledge, he discards the things he has held dear throughout his life and begins a new evil existence. It isn't long before Samuel pulls those he formally loved most into his menacing acts as unwilling victims.

Samuel's son, Edmund and later Edmunds' daughter Charlotte take up the quest to stop the evil that has destroyed their family.

Without one line of dialogue and with an exquisite command of the written word, Stewart has created memorable, well-rounded, developed characters and has painted an intriguing and highly entertaining dark tale that kept this reader turning one page after another. "Chronicles of the Undead" is akin to "Interview with a Vampire" in its classy depiction of vampires and the twists and turns that influence the characters' lives.

When the writing shines as is the case of A. F. Stewart, genre is never an issue. Whether you enjoy fantasy or not, "Chronicles of the Undead" is a must read and is guaranteed to hold the reader's attention from the innocent beginning to its deadly end. I definitely look forward to more from author A. F. Stewart.

About the reviewer: Marta Stephens is the author of the Sam Harper Crime Mystery series published by BeWrite Books (UK)
THE DEVIL CAN WAIT - (2008)
SILENCED CRY (2007), Honorable Mention, 2008 New York Book Festival, Top Ten, 2007 Preditors and Editors Reader Poll (mystery)
www.martastephens-author.com
http://samharpercrimescene.blogspot.com

Some books are printed in just the right format, and Chronicles of the Undead, by AF Stewart, is one such book. The slender, over-sized paper-back feels just right doubling as a diary in the reader's hands. And the large type-face fits the sparse journalistic writing perfectly.

I'd read the first chapter online before receiving my own copy of the book. Any doubts I had about how the writing style would work in a complete novel were soon laid to rest (together with various hapless women of the night). But once I had the book in my hands, I couldn't stop reading. Three diaries are included--Samuel Harrington from 1793-95; Edmund Harrington from 1795-97; and Charlotte Harrington from 1825-26. I was surprised how quickly the characters became real. Samuel's banal unkindness inexorably morphs into true evil, Edmund's good intentions turn sour under the weight of revenge, and even Charlotte leaves me wondering how the proximity to evil will harm her.

The author presents the slow dissolution of good intentions against a well-researched historical background. The surrounding world of London society reels and recovers from war; money is invested in wise and foolish things; and stocks rise and fall. Secret societies, intrigue and morbid curiosity add fuel to the fire. And vampires live and die.

A story well-told in a format well-suited to the telling, Chronicles of the Undead is a quick, intriguing read that leaves you wondering... what next? A fine vampire tale.

Review: Chronicles of the Undead
Diaries of the Harrington Family
by A.F. Stewart

Review Written by Kriss Perras Running Waters

"For the bloodsuckers enclave," these are the words that begin a journey told through a series of diary entries of a single family that spans generations. Samuel, the father, Edmund, his son and Charlotte, Samuel's granddaughter and Edmund's daughter, comprise the main Harrington family diary writers. The story begins in London, England in 1793 with a rather normal day in the financial life of Samuel Harrington. The family is well-off, part of the society crowd in the upper class circles of their time. Samuel had just received a visit from the Vicar, who brings news of the new neighbors, Henri Forain and Eleanor de Burgh, a woman the Vicar says is Henri's cousin. And so begins a story of seduction, betrayal and murder.

Family member against family member, lover versus lover, the story is woven with diary entries cutting time concurrently and spanning over twenty-five years between entries. AF Stewart wrote a compelling tale about the seductive powers of the vampire. "I will gamble when I please, drink when I will, and enjoy the delights of the brothel. I may even indulge in some of the more wicked pleasures that Dame Montague provides, just as Henri suggested." This begins the powerful influence of Henri in Samuel's life.

The following Q&A with the author lends some revealing details about what is yet to come for this story:

Q: Given the ending of Chronicles of the Undead, do you plan on a sequel to the book?

A: There is a modern-day sequel in the works, called The Elite of the Blood, that I am writing online at my other website, Pages of Darkness ([...]). Interspersed through the main story of an impending war between vampire factions are flashbacks and references to the characters in Chronicles of the Undead; their fate is intertwined in the events that led to the modern-day conflict. I've only written a few chapters so far but hope to finish it soon.

Q: Why do you choose to publish independently?

A: I started publishing books independently to get a feel for the publishing industry and to see whether anyone would be interested in reading my stories. I originally planned to just publish some collections of short fiction and poetry -- which I did -- but along the way Chronicles of the Undead got written and published as well.

Q: What do you enjoy most about vampire characters?

A: Vampires can be very ambiguous characters; they can be good or bad, have conflicted morals or be the ultimate villain. You can put them in any time period, they can have complicated backgrounds, rich in history and they are fun to write.

Stewart's vampire is at once elusive and persuasive. Here are the beauties that create both day walkers and night-wandering bloodsucking ghosts set in the classic world of London themes. Stewart takes the very definition of vampire and incorporates it into the weave of the story. By the end of the telling, the society burns with the unquenchable thirst for blood.

AF Stewart's Chronicles of the Undead: Diaries of the Harrington Family is available for purchase at her Website [...] ISBN: 978-0-557-02670-8, and at Amazon.com and lulu.com.

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