Fantasy Fiction, Horror, Teen Fiction - Horror & Suspense

Traveling with the Dead

Name: Traveling with the Dead
Author: Barbara Hambly
ISBN: 9780517198438

by Barbara Hambly

Write a review

Overview

Down through the deathless centuries, the vampires had drunk human blood for sustenance and for sport. They preyed where they willed, for no mortal humans could resist their unclean powers. But now came the ultimate perversion, the unthinkable: someone was conscripting the vampires into the secret service of a foreign power. No government agency or bureaucrat could control the Undead. The idea was absurd, as Dr. James Asher knew all too well. Years in His Majesty's service had taught Asher the finer points of espionage. And he knew the secrets of the vampires - a familiarity hard-won in unwilling service to Don Simon Ysidro, oldest and most subtle of the hunters of the London night. What Asher didn't know was why one of England's established vampires would risk everything to travel across the European continent at the behest of a ruthless spymaster. But he could see the terrifying potential of such an unholy alliance...

Now, after six years, this book plunges readers back into the intrigue-filled, eerie exploits of James Asher, former spy in His Majesty's Secret Service, and Don Simon Ysidro, oldest and most cunning of London's vampires. A dark veil of international espionage, binding foreign powers and vampire forces together, cast Asher as bait in a game he cannot expect to survive.

About the Author, Barbara Hambly

At various times in her life, Barbara Hambly has been a high-school teacher, a model, a waitress, a technical editor, a professional graduate student, an all-night clerk at a liquor store, and a karate instructor. Born in San Diego, she grew up in southern California, with the exception of one high-school semester spent in New South Wales, Australia. Her interest in fantasy began with reading THE WIZARD OF OZ at an early age and has continued ever since.

She attended the University of California, Riverside, specializing in medieval history. In connection with this, she spent a year at the University of Bordeaux in the south of France and worked as a teaching and research assistant at UC Riverside, eventually earning a Master's Degree in the subject. At the universtiy, she also became involved in karate, making Black Belt in 1978 and competing in several national-level tournaments. She now lives in Los Angeles, California.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet. Log in to write one.

Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

The vampire subculture of 19th-century Europe serves as a vehicle for ruminations on love and honor in Hambly's follow-up to Those Who Hunt the Night. The time is 1908, and biologist Lydia Asher is hot on the trail of her husband, James, a former spy and Oxford don who in turn is shadowing Charles Farren, the vampire Earl of Ernchester, and Farren's mortal traveling companion, the nefarious mercenary Ignace Karolyi. Lydia's pursuit of James parallels a similar trek made by Farren's wife, Anthea, who travels in James's company and is as passionately concerned about Farren's welfare as Lydia is about James's. International adventures take these characters from London to Vienna and ultimately to Constantinople, where they become enmeshed in the byzantine political power struggle that has lured Farren there against his will. Although Hambly invests these vampire and mortal personages with the traditional values being threatened by an evolving modern Europe, her vivid portraits allow them to emerge as memorable personalities distinct from the viewpoints they represent. Believable and sympathetic, pursuer and pursued carry the story over its occasional plot muddles and gothic contrivances to a spectacular finale. Hambly covers no ground that hasn't been explored in the historical vampire sagas of Anne Rice and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, but once again she uses familiar elements skillfully to tell an engrossing tale. 50,000 first printing; author tour. (Oct.)

Library Journal

Former British espionage agent James Asher is one of the few mortals aware of the existence of vampires. After he stumbles upon a meeting between an Austrian spy and the long-dead Earl of Ernchester, he embarks upon a dangerous journey across Europe to prevent a catastrophic alliance between human governments and the inhumane society of the undead. Hambly's sequel to Those Who Hunt the Night (Ballantine, 1990) captures both the subtle ambiance of turn-of-the-century political intrigue and the even more baroque pathways of the human and the inhuman heart. With its rich atmosphere and vibrant characters, this dark fantasy belongs in most libraries.

School Library Journal

YAVampire fans looking for a fast-moving, well-plotted tale need look no further. Soon after his cousin's death, James Asher catches a glimpse of Ignace Karolyi quietly exchanging newspapers with an almost-ordinary looking figure. Years in the secret service make Asher aware of what average citizens might missKarolyi is in the company of a vampire, and they are headed for Paris. Asher follows them. When his wife receives the message of his whereabouts, she entreats an acquaintance vampire to assist her in tracking her husband, knowing that his life is in danger. Details of Europe at the turn of the century, including politics, manners of the wealthy, and vampire lore, are woven seamlessly into this tale. Well-developed characters, both mortal and immortal, span the range of human behavior. Some are mainly noble; some are definitely nasty. Good entertainment for teens ready to move on to literate, light adult fiction.Barbara Hawkins, Oakton High School, Fairfax, VA

Roland Green

The sequel to Hambly's "Those Who Hunt the Night" (1990), one of the best vampire novels of the decade, meets the standards of its predecessor. John Asher, retired British intelligence officer turned Oxford don, sights an Austrian spy in dubious company. Investigating, he discovers an Austrian spymaster who can command the services of the undead as well as the living, which constitutes a threat to Britain he cannot ignore. Fighting the threat, Asher, energetically aided by his doctor wife, Lydia, takes a perilous journey all the way to the Balkans. From beginning to end, the book succeeds as both a classic vampire tale and a specimen of the relatively new genre, the historical thriller. Add it with the highest recommendation to the dark fantasy and historical fiction collections.