Anno Dracula: Dracula Cha Cha Cha

4/5DRACULA CHA CHA CHA is the third volume of the Anno Dracula series and moves our story up to the late 1950s. It is an homage to the European romance movies of the period like Roman Holiday as well as Italian giallo (proto slasher films). It is certainly a far cry from the original steampunk Anno Dracula novel but it is still an impressive mixture of historical as well as fictional characters from the time period. It also has Commander Hamish Bond, barely disguised from his Sean Connery incarnation.The premise is that Dracula is getting married. The old war criminal managed to avoid prosecution for his terrorist activities during the Victorian Era and World War 1 by being against Hitler during World War 2. Now living in a palace in Italy, he is going to marry Princess Asa Vajda (Black Sunday's villain) and every major vampire in the world is invited. This includes Genevieve, Kate Reid, and Charles Beauregard despite their lifelong opposition to the Impaler as well as everything he stands for.Unfortunately, for vampires at least, there's a masked wrestler murdering ancient vampires coming to visit the wedding. Kate Reid watches some fellow undead tourists horribly killed and investigates what is generally regarded as a set of murders no one actually cares to solve. Because while Genevieve and Kate are wonderful people, almost all older vampires are some variety of scum or another. Also, there's just not enough time to investigate vampire murders when there's weddings to plan and romance to experience!The primary focus of the book isn't on the murders but the final days of Charles Beauregard and how his decision to remain human has impacted the vampire women who love him. Kate is learning to deal with immortality and also use/abuse her boyfriends to distract her from the pangs of time. Genevieve is dealing with how this is something she should be used to but isn't. Penelope is wondering why they just don't turn Charles and apologize later. There's also lengthy subplots involving a vampire James Bond and a very human Talented Mr. Ripley.Part of the book's quirk is the fact that it has the view that Dracula has been outlived by time. Despite being a terrifying monster and supervillain, the Earth's peoples can get used to anything. As such, Dracula is just considered a quirky celebrity and has been that ultimately no longer matters in the larger world stage. His fade to irrelevance in the plot is something that all of the characters are affected by even as they struggle to deal with a post-Dracula world (despite Dracula being still in it).As an end to the Anno Dracula series, which it's not, I think it's pretty good but I feel the series has suffered the more it goes from the Victorian Era into the future. Making a bunch of 1950s and European vampire cinema references will never be as entertaining as the joys of all the various ones in the 19th century. Also, as much as I love how blatant James Bond's inclusion is, having him chase after a vampire cat mastermind is just plain silly.One plotline I did like was the fact that Genevieve and Kate insist on trying to deny vampires are supernatural (opening up all manner of questions regarding God, sin, death, and damnation). They want to believe vampires are just people, no more or less. This book completely blows that to hell and makes it clear the supernatural is real. Neither woman really is capable of fully embracing that, though, and I was rather disappointed with that as it would have been an excellent change to their characters.The pace of Dracula Cha Cha Cha is kind of languid and flowing with nothing really of consequence happening until the very end. In the original book, the murder of a half-dozen vampire women shook the world to the core. Here, killing a bunch of elders is treated as boring and distracting from our heroes' vacation. I liked the book but am kind of sad that it ends with not a bang but a "and life went on because that's what life does."

This whole series is brilliant. I ordered the first book on a whim and found it so engrossing that I went on to order all the books. Kim Newman is a terrific writer. I have a pretty good vocabulary, so it's rare that I need to look up a word, but Mr. Newman's made me do exactly that quite a few times. I really like the challenge and since I am reading these books on a Kindle it's pretty easy to do. Above all these books are fun to read and contain so many references to other works and cultural landmarks ( the Dude from "The Big Lebowski " for one) that the reader needs to pay close attention and even then will probably miss some witty nuggets; that's no problem since rereaiding is nearly as enjoyable as the first time through. I really can't recommend this book too highly.

The third installment of Kim Newman's Anno Dracula series! (Yes, the THIRD! And this is the original title--for some reason the idiot publishers made Newman retitle it for the original US release) I really enjoyed this, for the most part. Still not as good as the first, original entry in the series, but at the same time it was better than the second book which I thought fell a little flat. Newman once again populates his world with a host of borrowed literary, film and historical characters, this time drawing heavily from Itallian horror and crime films in addition to the Bond franchise. (That's right--Bond! With that cover, are you actually surprised? But I'll get to that....)The year is 1959. World War II is over and behind us, and Dracula has settled his exiled house in a Roman castle given him by the Allies in recognition for his aid in defeating the Nazis. But now it seems Dracula is no longer content with his exile as his marriage to the undead princess Asa Vadja is announced. This is obviously viewed with concern by Charles Beauregard, now over a hundred years old and nearing his end, also in Rome where he can keep an eye on his old enemy. Genvieve and Kate are also concerned, but their main focus is Charles' failing health as he refuses to turn and join them in undeath. Charles' old firm, the Diogenes Club, has sent one of their top operatives to Rome to investigate the proceedings--"Bond, Hamish Bond." (Yes, Hamish is the Scots form of James....) Many 007-related references ensue, from other literary characters descibed as Bond's classic villains (Frankenstein's Monster is both Jaws and Oddjob, for example) to phrases and titles being worked in ("You only live twice," says Bond on his experience turning vampire). And against all this, someone is flamboyantly killing vampire Elders.....

"Anno Dracula: Dracula Cha Cha Cha" is the 3rd of 4 novels in the Anno Dracula Series by Kim Newman, set in 1959 Rome. Dracula is still attempting the subjugation of the world and preparing nuptials with his 6th wife, there is a mysterious murderer of vampires and Kate, Charles & Genevieve are all in the city trying to stop the madness Dracula seems to engender whenever he thinks ultimate power within his reach.

Kim Newman is one of my favourite authors ever. Anno Dracula is one of the books I'd take with me to a desert island, I love it that much. This book, the third in this "world" is just as amazing as the first two. It's a whirlwind ride through the 50's films, music, culture, life, plus vampires. And no, vampires do not sparkle here. If they did, Kate and Genevieve would probably turn vampire slayers very quickly.The new edition contains all of the novel, which I bought when it first came out. But it also has an additional novella, set in the 60's, which is just as marvelous as the main book.If you like literature, and films, you should love what Kim Newman writes. He brings you into an alternate reality, and makes it truly real.

Third book in the Anno Dracula series, and this time Newman takes his vampire heroines to Rome, 1959, to attend the wedding of the greatest vampire. Newman practically invented metatextual fiction, in which characters and images from other things are woven through new novels (Alan Moore gets the credit for League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but Anno Dracula was there first). Here he pushes that almost to the point of exhaustion, with a myriad cameo appearances infecting the plot. Some are delightful and others meaningless. While James Bond, Orson Welles, and Tom Ripley each find places in the action, there are a lot of superfluous faces coming and going. I enjoyed it, but it was almost too much. The plot itself blends genres, wrapping a giallo murder mystery around the tent poles of Dracula's marriage and the death of one of the mainstay characters of the series so far, and a very entertaining romp it is too. As an extravagant bonus, the book contains a second shorter novel - Aquarius - set in London a decade later, as revolution infects the populous. This piece is a little more restrained with its name-dropping, and is perhaps the more tightly orchestrated of the two stories. I had no idea it was included, so it came as a splendid surprise.

Oh dear. While I loved the first of Kim Newmans Anno Dracula books. I feel we have gone steadily downhill and are not caught in a mishmash of ideas and unfinished plots. The start is excellent, set in Rome, well described and Dracula is once again set to marry. Poor Charles is terminally ill and will not 'turn'. Then Dracula and several elders are murdered and it all gets a tad ridiculous. We have the usual cast of fictional and real characters and a bizarre showdown in the colosseum. Then off to London and apparently a totally different book with Kate Reed hunting vampire killers. Where has Genivieve and Oenelipe gone and why are we suddenly in what feelsclikecan abandoned script for the Sweeney. Quite bizarre. I doubt I will bother with the next book

Of the four Anno Dracula books, this is the weakest. But Newman on poor form is better than many authors bringing their A Game. Still worth a read, especially for the homage/piss take of a certain British secret agent.I'm also annoyed that Newman skipped WWII after the events of Bloody Red Baron and went straight to this.

If you want a romp thru late 50's pop culture and high society - mythical, legendary and fictional, then this thoughtful non sparkly vampire tale is for you. Newman always manages to give depth to his protagonists, and 3 female characters dominate the plot,to its benefit. We find out more of the drive and motivation of Genevieve Dieudonne, Penelope Churchward and Kate Reed. A sad goodbye to Charles Beauregarde. Fast paced and fresh, you will finish the book wishing you'd got the fourth in the series as well.

Maybe the weakest of the series, but no less enjoyable. It feels like a middle act, falling in between two story arcs. But, as usual, Newman's delightful writing and the wonderful setting still warrants five stars.