From Publishers Weekly
Strieber's third, rambunctious novel in the vampire series he began with The Hunger in 1980 and continued in last year's Last Vampire introduces a new female bloodsucker to replace Miriam Blaylock (vanquished in The Last Vampire). She's Lilith-the biblical Lilith, first wife of Adam-and the mother of all vampires, or Keepers, who in turn created humanity, according to Strieber's elaborate vampire mythology. Like Miriam, Lilith is incredibly beautiful, powerful and rapacious. She lacks Miriam's modern sophistication, though, having spent many centuries buried in a cave. The novel begins as she awakens, outside Cairo, and Strieber adds a sprinkling of humor to this dark, emotionally intense series as Lilith fumbles through an array of modern technologies ranging from automobiles to bathtubs to credit cards. Returning in this novel is CIA vampire-hunter Paul Ward, who's part vamp himself and who in The Last Vampire fathered a son, Ian, (now 17) by Miriam. Also playing major roles are Paul's wife and fellow agent, Becky, and Leo Patterson, "blooded" by Miriam years ago and now a global singing star whom Ian worships. Much of the action takes place in Manhattan, where Lilith joins forces with Leo, and then kidnaps Ian, adoring him as a new, superior species, a blend of vampire and human; the novel climaxes back in Egypt, where Lilith, Leo and Ian are on the run from Paul and his cohorts. Strieber remains a superb prose stylist, with a coherent and persuasive vision of vampirism; the entire novel, though, exudes a frantic air, with emotions running at fever pitch and gobs of X-rated sex and violence; it's probably time for Strieber to search for new narrative blood.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
In 1981, Strieber published The Hunger, a well-written tale of horror that featured the seductive vampire Miriam Blaylock. (It later became a cult film starring Catherine Deneuve, Susan Sarandon, and David Bowie.) In 2001, he continued Miriam's story with The Last Vampire, a novel that unfortunately fell far short of its predecessor. Despite that book's title, the plot left no doubt that there would be a sequel. Now comes this story, loosely based on the Hebrew folktale of Adam's first wife, the woman who abandoned him and spawned demons to roam the earth. After a very long sleep, Lilith awakens in a cave somewhere in the Egyptian desert. Upon satisfying her desperate craving for blood, she sets out to discover what has happened to her children, both vampire and human. Meanwhile, Paul Ward, a CIA agent and dedicated vampire slayer, tries to make a normal life for himself; his wife, Becky; and Ian, the son he sired with Miriam Blaylock. Lilith's awakening creates a crisis for Paul, Ian, and a mortal woman named Leo, who has tasted vampire blood. The convoluted plot is by turns interesting and absurd, with an emphasis on the latter. Buy only where vampire tales and Strieber's books are popular.
--Patricia Altner, Information Seekers, Columbia, MDCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
