Did
you ever wonder what your neighbors thought of you? Author Alexander
Claybourne found out one evening when 9 year old Gail knocks at his door
one evening “looking for the vampire” to cure her sister. Touched
and intrigued, Alex visits Kara in the hospital. On an impulse, he
gives her an injection of his blood, but he has no idea what chain of events
he has triggered. He wasn’t even sure if it would cure her or harm
her.
Kara’s
recovery was miraculous and the doctor amazed. Even more amazing
was the blood test he had taken just before she left the hospital.
He needed to examine her more thoroughly and do more tests on her to isolate
that unique change in her blood that cured her. Although she was
unwilling to have further tests, Dr. Peterson forces her. Dr. Peterson’s
unscrupulous purpose is to have a source of this life saving blood factory
and become rich and so Alex must rescue her.
Alex
never realized his alien blood would cause such a stir. Having been
banished to this primitive planet years ago, he recognized the need to
hide his differences. Now he must use his powers and knowledge to
save himself and the woman he has grown to love. He has occasion
to use his powers and tell her about his heritage as part of the tale.
Many of his powers and problems are similar to a vampire of legend.
The fact that his pen name is A. Lucard (Dracula spelled backward) is his
recognition of the irony. You will have to read to get the full pleasure
of learning about him! I won't spoil it. He is a "man" worth
meeting.
I
enjoyed this story, have it on my keeper shelf and am looking for the sequel.
There is a time or two in the story, though, where I say “why doesn’t he
just….”. I realize it is necessary for part of the plot, but it is
still a frustration point that this smart guy is missing an obvious answer.
(But just like in the movies, it is necessary for the story… just like
they don’t shoot the horses in westerns because the hero needs to chase
the bad guy.) I’ll leave it at that so I don’t disclose too much
of the plot. Read the book, you will enjoy it.
Cy Korte /
August, 1999
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© 1999 for Book
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