Customer Reviews

I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"We are born with the dead : See, they return and bring us with them." (T.S. Eliot, Little Gidding)

Another marvelous edition to the practically perfect Ravenloft series! This exciting novel (and second to the last in the series) chronicles the developing animosity between the powerful vampire and inadvertent creator of the demi-plane, Strahd, and the undead necromancer, Azalin. This novel begins with Strahd's heartrending loss of another of Tatyana's reincarnations and his subsequent "introduction" to Azalin. Despite their extreme abhorrence of one another they decide to join magical forces in an attempt to escape the melancholy plane of their imprisonment. For many decades they attempt to escape Ravenloft while slyly trying to discover each other's weaknesses. After numerous failures and the mysterious addition of other realms to Ravenloft Azalin, now the tyrannical dictator of Darkon, declares open warfare on Strahd. Actually, despite the title and the summary on the back of the novel a war never transpires due to Strahd's clever plan of espionage. While I found the scheming and edge-of-the-seat intrigue to be very well written and absorbing, I was slightly disentranced that a war between Ravenloft's most powerful lords never actually materialized.

Most of the novel is narrated by Strahd, however, there are a few segments written by my personal favorite, Azalin. The author, P.N. Elrod, did a magnificent job of presenting the characters' thoughts in such a way that I felt I had entered their minds. I particularly enjoyed this aspect of the novel.

Also, although it is not absolutely essential to the comprehension of this novel I recommend reading I Strahd, King of the Dead, and its sequel Lord of the Necropolis first since this novel retells many events and adds information to the novels previously mentioned. Also, the aforesaid novels give more background information about Strahd and Azalin and help to explain their motives and life stories.

For those of you who are new to the Ravenloft series, I would like to stress that it is not essential to have played the Ravenloft games to understand and enjoy the novels. I, myself, have very little knowledge of them and have never played them. Understanding how they work is not essential to the novels.

In summarization, this is another quintessential edition to the Ravenloft series and a must read for all Ravenloft fans or fans of classic literature fraught with high drama and horror.

"But at my back in a cold blast I hear

The rattle of the bones, and chuckle spread from ear to ear."

(T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land.)

War against azalin is worthy book, Elrod's Narrating really awesome , In my opinion if there was some action more it could be excellent work, but its still very good and must read. I like faster-movin acts so gave it 4 stars but i impressed....

There is somthing about the appeal to this novel I cannot put into words. I really can't say what it is. I found myself so enthralled in the text it felt like I wasn't reading a book, but rather Strahd was standing over my shoulder reading his thoughts out loud. Creepy. Surreal. Those two words come to mind.

Strahd is an evil worth rooting for. But Azalin the lich is worse. The author invariable gives us the lesser of two evils to choose from. While Strahd seems only to be striving to protect his own, one can't help but wonder the real meaning to his actions. Everyone colors their own stories. Strahd's viewpoint must indeed conflict with Azalin's, and we catch a glimpse of it through a few biting commentaries by the master wizard himself. It would be very interesting to read the title, "I, Azalin: The War Against Strahd".

When I started reading the book I had no idea as to what Azalin was. When Strahd found out it was almost as much of a surprise to me as it was to him. Both of the characters are well portrayed, and the plot is well developed. This makes an excellent sequel to "I Strahd: The Memories of a Vampire."

The first part of the book had a good plot that continually increased the tension, and even had me on the edge of my seat, even in the last couple of chapters the action was superb. But after finishing the novel I was a little disappointed, there had a been "A war unlike any you have ever known" promised (and I can imagine Strahd has seen some nasty wars), but it just turned out to be a kidnapping and an assignation on 6 people. It was a nice ending, but I was expecting a grand war to take place.

All in all, it was a really good book for the Strahd fans out there.

I've read about a dozen D&D based novels (Realms and Dragonlance stuff too). This book is only hampered by the inherent constraints of any D&D author, and a bit of excessity in describing magical devices and effects. Otherwise, it is an intelligent novel, very intriguing, and well written. We all know Azalin is a lich, but Strahd doesn't! I was very interested at how he would react to gaining the knowledge. The rythmn and flow is beautiful. See for yourself. Elrod outshines even the Dragonlance saga's, I believe, but I always had a soft spot for vampires...

Of course, this is coming from a 25 year old woman with a poster of Strahd hanging in her living room! I read "I Strahd" and closed the book with tears in my eyes, never before have I read a book that moved me like that one. So when I picked up "the war against Azalin" I tried not to get my hopes up, I know how sequels can be. BOY WAS I WRONG! This book kept me on the edge of my seat and screaming for more when it was done!

Tatyana would be proud!

Well, this book really put some of my faith back in the series of Ravenloft. Sometimes the series is hopeless and doesn't really captivate you; that's not the case here. The book goes back and forth between the minds of both competitors (although I freaking swear the author is baised to Strahd). What's even great about it s that the book leaves you craving for more. The author did a great job, I read it at the same time I read The Spectre of the Black Rose and to be honest I feel it was even better than it.

P.N.Elrod returns with "I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin." To begin, the book is supurbly written. Ms. Elrod has a wonderful grasp of language, and a great sence to her craft as a writer. She also has a wonderful grasp of the characters, both Strahd, and Azalin. Despite being undead, she fills them with the tribulations of the living, only she marvelously stretches them over the course of years, even decades! The manipulations, and the power games which ultimately escalate into a war are wonderfully developed. The entire arrival of Azalin, the powerful, and evil lich; and further, his struggle with his sudden prison and the yoke he finds himself bound under are grand. The continuing struggle for Strahd, to search out Tatyana only to lose her time and time again is heart wrenching (allowing for a macabre irony of course). Despite the fact you have to loath both of the main characters--let's face it, they're abominations!--the author does a wonderful job of pulling you into a position of picking a "worse of two evils." Of course, the novel is written as the journal of Strahd Von Zarovich; so like Dr. Rudolf vanRichten, whether you take it at face value, or ponder whether it's merely Propoganda by the briliant Vampire lord, you have to admit, it's a great read. I recommend this novel to all, especially those who love gothic fantasy/"horror" novels, and more so if you've read either: "I, Strahd: Memoirs of a Vampire"(also by P.N.Elrod) or "Vampire of the Mist"(by Christie Golden).

After reading 'the Lord of Necropolis', where Azalin was presented as 'virtualy omnipotent', I am a bit disappointed with this one. At the beginning of the book he is superior to Strahd and can deal with everything in Barovia; after he teaches Strahd scraps of his magic it seems that not Strahd becomes more powerful, but Azalin loses his power: a band of goblyns can chase him like he was a rabbit, and he actually runs! There are more examples, he doesn't know a simple travel spell and must ride a horse, and so on. The author seems to put too much of her affection to Strahd, and I put mine to Azalin.

the war against azalin is a excellent addition to the strahd collection. i hope TSR turns this series into a franchise.elrod nails the character of strahd better than anyone else. there were moments that i laughed out loud at strahd's comments and inner thoughts,he's the kind of "villian" i love to root for.azalin is the greatest threat strahd has ever seen...you can't help but be scared of a damn lich!elrod delivers again and again script wise. the book is well paced and easy to follow,you can tell she has a passion for the subject matter! the ending was a bit of a let down,i was hoping for some sort of closure. a bit anti-climatic,however,i see why elrod left it alone as she did...sequel!and it leaves strahd the way he should be,always ready for the next adventure.