Tomes of Other Realms: Vampire of the Mists

Tomes of Other Realms

Welcome to the lands of swords and sorcery, where people live and die by the sword and only the bravest of souls stand between the common folk and the forces of darkness. Join me as I wander different planes and hear the stories of their greatest defenders and the sagas of their worthiest warriors.

W A R N I N G !

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Title: Vampire of the Mists
Author: Christie Golden
Publisher: TSR, Inc.
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 1991

For a gold elf of Toril, named after the sun and a follower of Lathander Morninglord besides, there could be no worse fate than becoming a vampire, forever denied the sunlight. But that is what happens to Jander Sunstar, and he has no choice but to cope with it for fear of becoming something worse if he kills himself. After a time he comes to terms with his new existence...or thinks he does, until a chance encounter at an insane asylum lets him feel joy and happiness once more. That happiness, however, is stolen away from him and he vows revenge upon the one who drove his beloved Anna insane. A simple enough oath but one which drew the dark powers of another realm, powers that reached out into Toril and snared Jander in their malevolent, foul grasp, depositing him in the land of Barovia, where the forces of evil and darkness are strong. Very strong. Anna once spoke of Barovia, and Jander realizes that he may now have a chance to avenge her, but this new land has a master of its own and one in whom the darkness flow strongly. Can Jander realize his quest of vengeance, or will he perish battling the favored one of the dark powers of this new world?

Vampire of the Mists opens TSR, Inc.'s line of Ravenloft books, a series set in a dark and deadly demiplane that in time stretches out to touch many different worlds yet is separate from all. It's entirely different from the worlds of Mystara or Avanil where at least there was a strong balance between good and evil. In the realm of Ravenloft, however, evil is very, very strong and while the people tend towards goodness, the powers of good--wizards, clerics, adventurers, etc.--are few and far between and only occasionally a match for the darker forces that control the lands.

I have this fascination with vampires (as evidenced in the Tomes of Shadowstalking section) which is what originally led me to this book. I'm glad I bought it and read it, because Vampire of the Mists is unlike any vampire novel I've read before. Most of those involved vampires existing in the "real" world, where they had for the most part abilities that paralleled Dracula's. In Ravenloft, I got to see magic used on a fairly noticeable scale, whether it was done by a vampire, a cleric, or a gypsy (that's right, they're here too, under the name "Vistani"). And certainly you wouldn't find an elfin vampire in the "real" world, now would you? And Jander Sunstar is the one who really captivated my interest. Imagine a creature of darkness who once followed the day, and who clings to those things that had made him human...er, elfin...as much as his new state allows him to. A force of good in a potentially evil body. I love it!

Vampire of the Mists is definitely worth reading, especially if you're a fan of either the Dungeons & Dragons phenomena or just vampires in general. It's as unlike the other Tomes of Other Realms books as it is from the other sections. Just give it a chance, though: I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do!

Rating: Thumbs up! Who ever heard of a long-lived elf becoming a potentially eternal vampire?

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