Gothic Romance/ Paranormal
Title: Unholy Testament – The Beginnings
Author: Carole Gill
published by Tudor Rose Press
Date Published: November 4, 2012
Synopsis:
The day Eco first laid eyes on Rose Baines was the day she discovered (The House on
Blackstone Moor) her family’s savage butchery at the hands of her mad, incestuous father.
“I saw you leave the house that day, Rose, that terrible day you discovered your family
butchered. I saw you…”
Eco realizing he has fallen in love with her pens a confession documenting all of his sins
committed in the course of his immortal existence. The one request is that Rose reads his
confession.
Rose, having become his captive, is forced to read this unholy testament of his.
From Ancient Egyptian vampire cults to Roman vampire brothels to The Dark Ages, The
Crusades, The Black Death of 1348 to his meeting with child murderer and Satanist, Gilles de
Rais, concluding with his wicked affair with the Blood Countess herself, Erzebat Bathory.
Eco is, if nothing else, frankly and brutally honest. The pages are filled with debauchery and
vice and murder--yet, there is also love or what Eco swears is love.
The story is continued in Unholy Testament – Full Circle, to be released in early 2013.
My Thoughts:
So I do have to admit that I was a bit lost in the beginning of this, since it IS part of
a series I do think it's most likely best to start from the beginning..as per the title. I did enjoy this story though. I am a big fan of vampires and horror and as soon as said confusion evaporated..I was nose deep in this book, like literally my nose was pressed against my nook I probably left a dent in the screen!
It's a quick read, with tons to keep your attention. Eco is quite a devious character. I like my vampires nice and well ...evil. YET this book does what most other books try and fail to do successfully...makes a vampire both menacing AND vulnerable and sympathy worthy. I really appreciated that.
The only other con I found, other than needing to read the first book in order for the beginning make sense, you have the cover. To me (and I did love the book so don't take it the wrong way Mrs. Gill) the cover looks like a gothic metal band's first album cover.
The old adage "never judge a book by it's cover" applies here very well. What might be passed off as a cheesy vampire novel by someone basing their opinion SOLELY on the cover, would be missing out on a very well written story.
Carole Gill
Author Bio
a series I do think it's most likely best to start from the beginning..as per the title. I did enjoy this story though. I am a big fan of vampires and horror and as soon as said confusion evaporated..I was nose deep in this book, like literally my nose was pressed against my nook I probably left a dent in the screen!
It's a quick read, with tons to keep your attention. Eco is quite a devious character. I like my vampires nice and well ...evil. YET this book does what most other books try and fail to do successfully...makes a vampire both menacing AND vulnerable and sympathy worthy. I really appreciated that.
The only other con I found, other than needing to read the first book in order for the beginning make sense, you have the cover. To me (and I did love the book so don't take it the wrong way Mrs. Gill) the cover looks like a gothic metal band's first album cover.
The old adage "never judge a book by it's cover" applies here very well. What might be passed off as a cheesy vampire novel by someone basing their opinion SOLELY on the cover, would be missing out on a very well written story.
Carole Gill
I wrote my first story at age 8. It was sci-fi but as both my parents were sci-fi fanatics it
wasn’t a surprise.
I continued to write however life got in the way as it often does, and it wasn’t until 2000 that
I turned back to writing. I joined a local writer’s workshop and was greatly encouraged to
keep up with my writing and to send things out.
Shortly afterwards, I was selected by Northwest Playwrights of England for further
development but found I preferred fiction writing.
Widely published in horror and sci-fi anthologies, The House on Blackstone Moor is my first
novel. It is a tale of vampirism, madness, obsession and devil worship.
Set in 19th Century Yorkshire, its locales include Victorian madhouses as well as barren,
wind-swept Yorkshire moors. The story is a marriage of horror and gothic romance. I think it
can best be described as being gothic paranormal romantic horror.
I suppose you could say I want to put the Goth back into Gothic.
Living in the area the novel is set in, was very beneficial. Also, as a great admirer of the
Brontes and frequent visitor to the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth, I found myself nearly
obsessed with recreating the gothic romantic narrative.
Having been employed in a hospital which had been historically a workhouse and
asylum in Victorian times, I was able to add great realism to the depiction of the asylums
as described in my novel.
The next in the series, Unholy Testament – Full Circle is the continuation of Eco’s
confession. It will be released in 2013.
Book 4 in the series follows that.
wasn’t a surprise.
I continued to write however life got in the way as it often does, and it wasn’t until 2000 that
I turned back to writing. I joined a local writer’s workshop and was greatly encouraged to
keep up with my writing and to send things out.
Shortly afterwards, I was selected by Northwest Playwrights of England for further
development but found I preferred fiction writing.
Widely published in horror and sci-fi anthologies, The House on Blackstone Moor is my first
novel. It is a tale of vampirism, madness, obsession and devil worship.
Set in 19th Century Yorkshire, its locales include Victorian madhouses as well as barren,
wind-swept Yorkshire moors. The story is a marriage of horror and gothic romance. I think it
can best be described as being gothic paranormal romantic horror.
I suppose you could say I want to put the Goth back into Gothic.
Living in the area the novel is set in, was very beneficial. Also, as a great admirer of the
Brontes and frequent visitor to the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth, I found myself nearly
obsessed with recreating the gothic romantic narrative.
Having been employed in a hospital which had been historically a workhouse and
asylum in Victorian times, I was able to add great realism to the depiction of the asylums
as described in my novel.
The next in the series, Unholy Testament – Full Circle is the continuation of Eco’s
confession. It will be released in 2013.
Book 4 in the series follows that.
just saw that about the Gothic metal band!
ReplyDeletethat is so funny! omg!
xx
thanks so much for hosting my tour stop and the review!
ReplyDeletethe first book in the series is FREE (permanently) on Amazon
The House on Blackstone Moor.
thanks again!