Review
"A ripping adventure, a thrilling chase, not too much blood and gore, and well-realized characters make for an impressive first novel." --Booklist
"4 1/2 stars. It's easy to get sucked into this rich and complex tale with its believable alternate history and its dynamic vampire society. This dark, intriguing story casts a new light on a dark time in history." --Romantic Times
"In a world overcrowded with vampires, Sarah Jane Stratford has created something unique: the millennial named Brigit, She's everything you'd want in a vampire, and more. Vampires! Nazis! And blood galore! Heaven. A smart, well-imagined, thrilling debut."--Eric Van Lustbader, bestselling author of First Daughter and The Bourne Deception
"An impressive debut novel. Sarah Jane Stratford has created a spell-binding world that's full of classic vampire thrills, yet feels textured and original. With its tautly drawn characters, The Midnight Guardian announces her as a new and welcome voice in genre storytelling." --Alex Kurtzman, coscreenwriter of Star Trek, Transformers and Fringe
“A wickedly clever work of historical fiction. Putting vampires in Nazi Germany is a great idea, obviously, and the writing is every bit as good as the hook.” --Ben H. Winters, coauthor of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
"Inside a richly detailed world, set in one of history's most inhuman times, The Midnight Guardian asks readers to question what truly makes us human. Coupled with a powerful, and emotionally charged, love story, this is a compelling introduction to the mind of Sarah Jane Stratford." --Marti Noxon, Writer and Executive Producer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer
"Millennium old vampires... Nazi vampire hunters... eternal love... THE MIDNIGHT GUARDIAN is an intriguing take on what is evil as Sarah Jane Stratford makes the case that deeds not species defines malevolency." --Harriet Klausner, GenreGoRoundReview.blogspot.com
"Wildly inventive…transporting us back to the ominous early months of World War II, when the fate of civilization hung in the balance. Filled with marvelously evocative period detail and atmosphere, 'The Midnight Guardian' is lush, dark and very sexy -- an addictive blend of history and horror." -- Tony Perrottet, author of
Pagan Holiday and
Napoleon's Privates
“What an auspicious debut novel for Sarah Jane Stratford. She has a deep well of talent that grips you from page one and doesn't let go. The Midnight Guardian is a vampire story for grown-ups that explores the universal themes of love and loss, good and evil, joy and despair. Stratford has written a beautifully crafted, compelling work.” --Jacquelin Cangro, editor of The Subway Chronicles: Scenes from Life in New York
Product Description
It’s 1938, and the tentacles of Hitler’s terrifying Third Reich have commenced their stranglehold on Europe. The Nazi empire will soon be clean of all bloodlines deemed tainted or undesirable…including vampires. London’s ancient tribunal of vampires is aghast at the destruction taking place on the Continent. Though vampires try not to interfere with human politics, Hitler’s terrible plans force them into action. They resolve to send five of their most formidable vampires to Berlin— millennials that have lived over 1000 years and whose age and wisdom make them close to invulnerable— to infiltrate, disrupt, and destroy the growing Nazi war machine.The brilliant and beautiful millennial Brigit is loath to go, but her powers are needed if the mission is to have any chance of success. She must summon all her strength to endure the separation from her lover Eamon, whom she made almost eight centuries ago, but whose lack of millennial status makes him an unacceptable choice for this operation. Though he longs to join her, his duty to Brigit is best served from afar, by nurturing their deep psychic connection and reinforcing her spirit with his fierce devotion and memories of his tender embrace.But as the millennials attempt to penetrate and sabotage Hitler’s armies, they discover that the Nazis are more capable than any human force they’ve yet encountered and more monstrous than they'd ever imagined. Forced to take bolder, more dangerous steps, they soon attract the attention of specially trained vampire hunters loyal to Hitler and his vision of a vampire-free Europe. Exposed, deep inside enemy territory, with vicious Nazi officers and hunters at her heels, Brigit must attempt a daring escape from the Continent, guarding precious cargo that marks the only hope of salvaging their mission.
