Genre: Historical, Western, Paranormal, Weird West
LGBTQ+ Category: Bisexual
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Thinking they have put their monster-hunting days behind them, Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker return to their normal lives.
But when their old ally Robert Roosevelt and his nephew Teddy find a new nest of vampires, they are once again pulled into the world of the supernatural, this time in the American West.
A train robbery by a band of vampire gunslingers sets off a series of events that puts Bram on the run, Oscar leading a rescue party and our heroes being pursued by an unstoppable vampire bounty hunter who rides a dead, reanimated horse.
The Review
After the battle with the Order of the Golden Dawn and the Black Bishop and his vampire followers, life has changed for our heroes. Bram Stoker has tried to put his gift/curse and the incidents in Greystones behind him. He’s striving to be a loving husband to Florence, and a good father to Noel. He’s still doing a fine job for Henry Irving, managing and directing at the Lyceum Theatre.
As for Oscar Wilde, he has made the trip to America to lecture there. But upon his return to London, he’s in a panic and seeks out Stoker to help with Willie Wilde. Willie is Oscar’s older brother and a friend to Bram. As usual, Oscar and Bram are always at odds with each other until they are forced to face the unfathomable. The lure of Willie’s dilemma and a chance for Stoker to use his gift again have him joining Oscar on the hunt for the werewolf – Willie.
When things settle down once again, Bram, Florence and Noel are getting ready to travel to America. Florence will be acting along side Ellen Terry, and she’s trying to avoid any conflicts. At the last minute, the nanny informs Florence she will not be traveling with them. Florence interviews for the position, and unwittingly brings danger into her home. Even though Captain Burton had said that all of the vampires were gone, some still remain. Once again Stoker and Wilde have to team up.
Henry Irving and Bram end up traveling out west into a new and strange territory. But once again, they are faced with vampires – John Fisher King aka the Pale Horseman and Thomas Drumpf, son to William Drumpf a wealthy mining baron, who has control over many people. Once Bram and Henry wrap up another battle, they plan to return to Salt Lake City. But the train breaks down in Carson City and Bram and Henry find themselves on wanted posters.
As Bram and Henry have not been heard from in some time, Florence becomes worried and telegrams Oscar to come and help find Bram. Florence and Wilde are joined by the Roosevelts, Calamity Jane, US Marshall Bass Reeves, and Shada, who will lead them to the Yahi tribe. Of course, the White Worm Society and agent Cora Chase will be aiding or interfering in all that goes on.
Who will survive this new and horrific adventure into the (Wilde) west? And what will become of Henry Irving as he searches for the Realm with the Vellum Manuscript?
Stoker’s Wilde West is the second epic novel from Hopstaken and Prusi that mixes historical facts and figures of that era with paranormal fiction. The amount of research that must have gone into each novel is staggering.
It contains a blend of journals, diaries, letters and White Worm Society reports on the views of Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, Florence Stoker, Bass Reeves, Calamity Jane, Agent Cora Chase, Sammuel Clemens and Walt Whitman, Robert and his nephew Theodore Roosevelt, as well as and Alejo “Lobo” Lopez and Luz Lopez, Yahi tribe and Chief Ishi and Shaman Dacala and many more.
As I became immersed in this twisted, suspenseful, action filled, gothic horror novel, I found it very hard to put the book down. The characters, real or fictional all spring to life on the page. The writing feels so authentic that you can’t help wondering if these incidents really happened.
Oscar Wilde is someone I’ve become very interested in, and there are others throughout the novel that are speculated to have the same “proclivities” as he did. I also loved Bram Stoker, and I was glad to see the recognition given to one of the first black US Marshalls, Bass Reeves.
There is so much more to this novel than what I have mentioned. I was thoroughly entertained with the western history – this book is just as fantastic as the first novel, Stoker’s Wilde. If you love twisted paranormal horror or 19th century Victorian age tales, you won’t be disappointed in either one.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.