Thursday, November 29, 2012

Immortal Burden-Paul Lewis

Immortal Burden


Paul Lewis

BlackWyrm, Oct 31 2011, $11.95

www.blackwyrm.com

ISBN: 9781613181157



Late in the eleventh century Darien the Viking met Rachel when she was a passenger on his ship. They fell in love, but she was already sold to Julian the vampire in exchange for the undead granting immortality to Rachel’s sire Stephen. Julian captured the pair, but Sophia freed them. Darien became a monster to save Rachel, but buried her and his reason for living, a depressing state for an immortal (see Immortal Betrayal).



In 1492 Joshua the first vampire tells Darien he needs his help to kill his father Torin the first werewolf. He tells his tale of nine millennia as one of drinking magical water and slaughtering countless innocents for pleasure and some sustenance until ten thousand years ago Tobias the angel cursed him and his sire. Whereas Joshua heeded the warning, Torin did not. Over the millennia father and son unsuccessfully tried to kill one another. Now the first vampire believes that Darien enhanced by Joshua’s blood can do the deed. In exchange Joshua will bring back to life Rachel whose body he has preserved for centuries with his blood.



This is an exhilarating historical romantic fantasy that expands on the Lewis Immortal mythos. The exciting storyline feels a bit disjoined at first when Joshua tells his autobiography to Darien and his companion Krista. I would have preferred a short opening novella in which readers learn how he became the first vampire followed up by Darien’s adventures to bring his beloved back to him. Still readers will relish Immortal Burden as love never dies even when ultimate evil tries to destroy it. This reviewer additionally suggests Paul Lewis consider an anthology starring the fascinating father and son pair.



Harriet Klausner

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