"Don't miss Simon the Reluctant Vampire!"
How many ways can you do a Vampire? Well, one more at
least, because Lucy Blue delivers up an enchanting tale
with a different twist on the Dark One in the cape. When Simon, Knight of Lyan, was a wee lad of six he was a
slave to a very mean Saxon overlord. But then came 1066 and
all that business. The Normans invaded and Simon was freed.
Naturally, he becomes a knight for the Normans and this
leads him to head to the Holy Lands to reclaim it from the
Saracen infidels. Only fate is soon to take a bizarre turn,
yet again, for poor Simon. Caliph Kivar provides a bride called Roxanna to the Simon's
Duke. Seems Roxy babe isn't quite so willing to be the
blushing bride. She pitches a hissy fit; Simon tries to
intercede for her and ends up bitten. Not just a wee bite,
mind you, a big chomp - from nothing less than a vampire.
Simon, being as pious as all Norman knights, is not exactly
thrilled with the new yen to do a little biting himself.
Thanks, but no thanks, he'd like to be just plain old
Simon, Knight of Lyan, not Simon, Vampire of Lyan! This
presents poor Simon with questions - can a knight be a
vampire and still receive communion? And what if he really
likes garlic on his pizza? In short, Simon is not thrilled
about being cousin to Lestat. He learns from a scroll the
devious Kivar possessed that there is a holy chalice hidden
in the Castle of Charmot in England. I guess he never heard
what happened to the Knights of the Round Table looking for
that bloody Holy Grail! Naturally, our Simon is off on a
quest to see if he can find it. Simon return to English
with his companion, a dwarf name Orlando and Roxanna, the
girl he saved back when he was getting turned into a Vamp.
He hopes to find the magic cup and `unturn' himself. The remote Castle Charmot is under the control of a Lady
Isabel - somewhat. Poor Isabel has problems of her own.
With the aid of her faithful servants, Isabel has been
wearying herself finding ways to outsmart the king who
keeps sending suitors to marry her. So she is not
immediately trusting when Simon and his pal shows up on her
castle steps. Thus far the smart Isobel's plots have kept
all the king's swains at bay. Simon and Orlando come under
the guise of simple travelers on a pilgrimage, knowing they
will not be turned away. In a short time, our pious Vamp
and the brilliant beauty are falling in love. But dark
forces are at work, and Simon and Isabel are both in dire
danger. Someone has sinister plans for Isabel, which puts
Simon in the position of having to choose between saving
his curst soul or the lady he loves. It's fast action that draws the reader into the lives of
Simon and Isabel. They are engaging characters, and with a
plot with enough twists to have Chubby Checkers singing. It
clearly leaves readers eager for more tales of Simon the
Reluctant Vampire. So if you love vampire tales, you will definitely not want
to miss Lucy Blues medieval romp. I am eagerly awaiting
more tales in this series from Pocket Books Posted December 31, 2004
Reviewed by Deborah Macgillivray
Posted January 3, 2007
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He was doomed to walk the shadows as a vampire, and she was his only light...
A valiant warrior... Wearied by the violence of the Crusades, Simon, Knight of Lyan, is returning home to Ireland when he is attacked by a vampire and transformed into a creature of the night. His only chance for redemption is to find an ancient treasure of legend -- the power of which can restore his humanity. A brilliant beauty... Young Isabel of the Castle Charmot knows that her freedom and the preservation of her family's estate depend not only on her comeliness, but on an intricate deception of her own design. Thus far, her ruse has kept potential enemies and amorous suitors at bay -- until the mysterious visitor appears at her door, asking to explore the catacombs of her keep. A desperate desire... In each other, Simon and Isabel find the comfort and trust to share their separate secrets -- and a shared passion they never thought possible. But when the sinister creature that cursed Simon to darkness arises once more, the doomed knight must choose between saving his immortal soul and claiming the heart of the only woman he's ever loved....
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