About the Book
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This original debut novel, written in Dracula’s own voice as Vlad Tepes, is set in the treacherous 15th century Transylvania where the Prince was born and ruled without mercy. Blending accurate historical details with the emotional truths of the vampire’s heart-breaking confession, this unusual book is forcing the reader to reconsider their vision of Dracula. In a fresh and provocative way, the author explores the value of blood for people and societies, challenging everything we thought we knew about vampires’ insatiable desire for the liquid of life.
A gripping gothic tale of war and destruction, passionate love and desperate betrayal, magical creatures and the alchemy of blood, I, Dracula is recreating history and the Vampire’s place in it.
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Reviews
A visceral, gripping tale of life, blood, loss, and painful self-discovery, I, Dracula reclaims the vampire’s narrative, giving him his own voice and fleshing out his riveting story in Transylvania. D.S. Crowe’s supple, mesmerising prose is historically lucid and culturally-aware, deeply steeped in Romania’s history and traditions, and moving the Gothic beyond its exoticising tropes. But it’s also poetic, sensuous, and raw – and, with clever and subtle nods to Bram Stoker’s original, it paints Dracula as a tragic figure, as cruel as he is tender, forever wavering between the human and the monstrous. Dr. Madeline Potter – Dracula scholar
An emotionally resonant and deeply immersive portrait of a being searching for its place in the world. Atmospheric, wonderfully detailed and beautifully written. Jason Figgis – Film Director
Rich in details of the treacherous fifteenth century Transylvania, this is a powerful reimagining of Dracula as a tragic character looking for a meaning in his cursed life. D.S. Crowe’s prose, atmospheric and evocative, keeps the reader entangled in the vampire’s heart-breaking story, constantly torn between compassion and repulsion. Conor Kostick – best-selling author of Epic.
What intrigued me in Crowe’s original writing was the modernity of the psychology embedded in the character of Dracula. It is a beautifully written, informative novel, which when viewed with the added lens of 21st century psychological tussles and war, brings the much-maligned, undocumented character of Vlad Dracul to life. Fidelma Kelly – author of Sweet Lemons
A fresh and intriguing take on Dracula that cleverly portrays him as both a brutal monster and a relatable damaged being; Crowe has us continuously torn between hating him and wanting to offer him the love he so deeply desires. This conflict of emotions keeps the reader captivated through the many great scenes of dark horror and brutality intermingled with insights into the vampire’s vulnerability. It is a great story well told; a good deep yarn for those of us who have no huge former knowledge of Dracula and also for those who do. Vanessa Pearse – author of Beneath the Image
Dark, atmospheric and visceral, I, Dracula offers an unexpected insight into a character the whole world thinks they know and own. A beautifully woven gothic tale about a tumultuous life lived in pursuit of love and acceptance. Ulrike Ascher – author of Magic of the Elements
Note from the Author
I always thought it fascinating that Dracula emerged as the primordial vampire and captivated the imagination of so many generations with only a scarce presence throughout Bram Stoker’s novel.
It is sad that this lack of self-affirmation in the original novel allowed for a gap that has been filled by many followers with ridiculous sketches of a personality that lacks motivation and consistency.
At this time when the world’s fascination with vampires and their Transylvanian cradle is as intense as ever, I felt compelled to investigate, restore and enrich Dracula’s image, to give him depth, background and purpose, to give him a voice.
So, drawing on Stoker, I welcome you to my book. Come freely. Read happily. And hold on to something of the consuming passion it holds.
D.S. Crowe