Book Review: Dark Lost

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Dark Lost     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Mick Farren
Class/Genre:   Fantasy   Mystery   Vampire   Supernatural
Tor, Mar 2000, $24.95, 412 pp.

Fear of being unmasked and grieving the loss of his significant other leads vampire (call me nosferatu) master Victor Renquist to relocate his brood in Los Angeles. In spite of its heavenly name, Victor finds his new city easier to hide in than New York because so many of humanity’s lost boys and girls live here.

However, a new trend begins to grow amidst the rich and famous. Hollywood wants immortality, but not just on the silver screen. Led by the charismatic Marcus De Reske, the Council of Nine believes that bringing the demon Cthulhu to earth will cause destruction and lead to their immortal life. Victor has ignored the increasing efforts to bring back the most evil of the ancient gods because he must deal with his own tribe and tribulations. However, Victor finally realizes he must act even if it costs him his immortal life before the evil one eradicates all life forms including vampires.

DARK LOST, the sequel to the TIME OF THE FEASTING, is a chilling supernatural tale that pays homage to some of the masters of horror fiction such as Lovecraft and Stoker. The numerous subplots tie together while bringing to life the dangerous streets of LA and the overall acceptance of vampires in our midst. Although the belief in nosferatu and other supernatural beings as a whole feels genuine, the individual major otherworldly players fail to come across as real. Still, fans of vampire tales or supernatural stories in general will fully enjoy Mick Farren’s look at the lost dark side of Los Angeles.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner