NECROSCOPE: AVENGERS

Thirteenth gigavolume in Lumley’s megaloid vampire epic, and the last of a trilogy (Necroscope: Invaders, 1999; Necroscope: Defilers, 2000).

Lumley’s series swells past mere human ability to keep its metamorphic storywarp on the mindscreen. Nor will a crossdimensional multimap, however wide-angled to include however many astral planes touched on by Lumley, bring sense to the abstract hopscotch of the epic’s general plan. But . . . to sum up: The original Necroscope and top vampire killer, Harry Keogh, dies (no big deal) and splits into several beings, including bits of the evil Lord Malinari (who has his own independent counterpart as well). Harry’s spot in Britain’s top-secret E-Branch (“E” for ESP) has been taken over by young new Necroscope Jake Cutter, who traces Malinari to Australia and destroys his fungi garden (which was spawning spores to enslave all humanity), although The Mind escapes. Lord Malinari and Lady Vavara (that beautiful hag with jewel-green eyes who loves wild honey and wolf hearts) now take up plans to bring humanity into lasting bloodlust and darkness forever, enjoining it to the predawn Vampire World of Starside/Sunside and using Manhattan’s greatest building as its aerie, after lacquering it black inside and out to block out sunlight. (Let us skip over the important Möbius Continuum as a means of metaphysical teleportation.) And we learn Jake’s secret: his mind bears vampire intelligence. Now on the run, Malinari and Vavara take over a gigantic ultramodern pleasure cruiser and soon infect its entire population with fear of sunlight. Should E-Branch sink this ship? Its very lifeboats are worth millions. Later, mentalist Ben Trask takes over much of the novel and, with a task force of E-Branch avengers, pursues Malinari, Vavara, and a host of girls from the vampirized cruise ship. Will Jake’s secret vampire intelligence become a power against Malinari? The climax feels more Schwarzeneggerian than occult.

Only those fully empowered with eidetic recall need apply.