Necroscope: The First Novel in a Chilling Vampire Fiction Series

Necroscope is a vampire-fiction novel created by Brian Lumley. It was published in the United Kingdom. Released in 1986, this novel spawned a series of fourteen books and had several comic book renditions. These horror novels are very enjoyable from start to finish. I am just going to give a brief description of the plot in the first of a captivating series.

The protagonist of the story is Harry Keogh. He is a shy little boy with a unique talent. He is a Necroscope, meaning that he has the ability to communicate with the dead. Harry is not afraid of the "gift' he has. On the contrary, Harry embraces it and enjoys talking to the dead as if they were normal living beings. Harry isn't the brightest kid in his class, but he learns a lot with the help of his "friends." He spends a lot of his childhood and adolescent years at cemetaries. He keeps his talent a secret and doesn't even tell his wife, Brenda, even though they are about to have a child. Harry lost his mother when he was very young. She still communicates with him through his ability. We later find out that she was murdered by his step-father for her inheritance money. Harry learns this and vows to avenge her death. As the story goes on, a secret British organization known as E-Branch notices Harry's unique ability. They try to recruit him, but he is unsure of what he should do and tells them that he will consider the offer. We learn that the person who tried to recruit him, Sir Keenan Gormley, is murdered by Boris Dragosani (the antagonist of the story). From Gormley, Harry learns that he has to visit the grave of the great mathematician, August Ferdinand Mobius. From him he learns how to use the Mobius Continuum, which allows him to travel from one place to the next instantaneously. He needs all of these skills to challenge the vampire and Necromancer, Boris Dragosani.

Dragosani works for the Russian equivalent of E-Branch, known only as The Opposition. He is a Necromancer. Unlike the Necroscope, he forces answers from the dead through torture and mutilation. He did not start off as a vampire. As a young man, he stumbled onto the gravesite of the great vampire Thibor Ferenczy. Thibor managed to telepathically communicate with young Dragosani and over time they formed a "friendship" (Thibor actually wants to use Dragosani as his pawn to help him revive so that he can rule once again as a great vampire lord). During one of their earlier encounters, Thibor gives Dragosani the gift of Necromancy as a sign of trust to ensure that he will visit his gravesite when he needs advice. Dragosani accepts and uses it apparently for the good of Mother Russia. Eventually, Thibor passes on his vampire seed to Dragosani at which point he then kills his partner Max Batu and inherits his unique "killing eye." Afterwards, he kills his superior, Gregor Borowitz and takes command of The Opposition. He believes that he is all-powerful and that no one can stop him. That is until the Necroscope intervenes.

It is a very exciting and highly addictive novel throughout. I strongly recommend that you pick up this book and all of the others in this fantastic horror series. They will leave you breathless everytime you finish reading them.