Tomes of Other Realms: Baroness of Blood

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: Baroness of Blood
Author: Elaine Bergstrom
Publisher: TSR, Inc.
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 1995

Ilsabet Obour's father once ruled Janosk with a harsh but--to her--just hand. To the people of Kislova, however, the baron was a tyrant who deserved his death at the hands of the enemy's leader, Baron Peto Casse of Sundell. Ilsabet will not stand by and let the killer of her beloved father get away with his victory and begins laying the groundwork for her final vengeance. As time goes by, however, her plot takes all sorts of unexpected twists and turns. For Ilsabet has begun experimenting with potions and poisons, and the entire country is feeling the effects of her dark works. What's more, though, she's become a danger to even those she loved best. When the time comes for Ilsabet to make her final move, will anyone in Kislova escape the effects of her final, terrible vengeance?

Baroness of Blood...now here is a story that probably follows Lucrezia Borgia's life rather closely. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the author intended it that way. To be honest, though, I was wondering when it would happen. After seeing takes on Frankenstein and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, it was only a matter of time before another figure from the "real" world--in this case from real history--would find him or herself given knew notoriety through the Ravenloft books.

There are certain parts of this book that are so eerie and unsettling as to give even me pause in the reading. For example, imagine being able to create a variety of vampires through the use of a potion of questionable nature, and imagine that those vampires are able to bear the sunlight and walk abroad during the day. Or imagine that a werewolf can have a ghost, and that the ghost will remain behind to help a troubled spirit right a wrong. Or imagine that there are spiders whose webs can kill with a single slight brush across exposed skin. Like I said: it gave even me pause. But I persevered, and I know you will too.

Baroness of Blood is not a book for someone who fears food-poisoning, or for someone paranoid about poisons and questionable substances in general. But it is most definitely a worthy addition to the Ravenloft series, and if you're a true fan, you won't let the subject matter sidetrack you, right?

Rating: Thumbs up! Potions and poisons, poisons and potions, all for the sake of vengeance!

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