THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT

by Brent Monahan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 10, 1995

A heaven-sent vampire novel set in Princeton University, sequel to the smartly amusing The Book of Common Dread (1993), which featured a 500-year-old, piano-playing bloodsucker whose great love was Bach. He's dead now, done in by beauteous Frederika Vanderveen and rare-books curator Simon Penn, but the big Bad Guy down in hell still wants the ancient scrolls that Frederika has hidden and that confirm the immediate rise of His vampire legions. Yes, Satan is about to inherit the earth and bring eternal darkness to mankind by way of a glorious curative powder that heals all ills and wounds, grants superhuman strength and eternal youth, but condemns the recipient to life without sunlight. Its sale will dwarf the huge cocaine sales of the Colombian cartel, although these criminals are to be the powder's first salesmen and fathers to the rising legions of darkness. Frederika herself has become addicted to the powder but is set on alerting the world to its tremendous danger. How? By publishing the prophecies in the ancient scrolls, once they've been authoritatively translated. Satan, however, wants the scrolls burned and sets his minions out to get them. Simon and Frederika flee to the Continent in search of a great translator while 2,500-year-old Radu Negru (known also as Pallido Mors, or Pale Death), who taught Vlad Tepes (Dracula) everything about impalement, pursues them. Meanwhile, Father Dante Ferro of the Vatican, a cop turned priest, also pursues the scrolls, while aiding Simon Penn. Then Frederika, now bloodsucking, disappears. Will her addiction part the lovers forever? The answer suggests that a welcome third installment is underway with the vampires arising. Vampire vitamins for the intelligently bloodthirsty.

Pub Date: Oct. 10, 1995

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 336

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1995

Categories: FICTION