People ignore or don't know that Dracula was contemporary fiction, even a techno-thriller when it was written, audio memo taking, express trains, steam launches and telegraphy feature heavily.
What Jane Fancher has done here is have her vampire visit todays world, he has been looking on the internet. The baggage has been dumped her vampire isn't a psychotic leech there are, no stupid damsels in nightgowns and no Buffy either. Sergei is just a very long lived individual who has visiting the big wide world every few decades for, well that would be telling. Now he has engaged an American archeology post grad as his guide, ostensibly because Peter speaks Rumanian. Peter finds that his knowledge of Roman and pre-roman history seem more relevant Sergei corrects him with all the confidence of an eyewitness(?). The story mostly takes place in Sergei's villa in Rumania before moving to Seattle for the action, running down a psychotic blood sucker, well it is vampire story.
I enjoyed this and hope there will be some more although I preferred the author's Ring dancer series.

Somewhat slow modern retake on Dracula - and I don't just say that because it's got Vampires in it. The whole plot line is really quite similar, although there are a couple of key differences. Unlike the original it's not written in epistolery format, although there are a few instances maybe in homage. It is also considerably longer, but just as or even more protracted.

Peter is a young Classics student, happily engaged to Mina (cf the original Dracula again). He recieves an unusual request to travel to Romania and aid a young gentleman's transition to the USA. A protracted journey and stay in Romania leads to several unusual occurances. By the time it comes to return to the USA Peter is increasingly concerned about his fiancee, who has become involved with a new arrival in their neighbourhood.

It is very slow. Events drag out one by one. Even at the end there isn't very much tension generated. Somehow much unlike Jane's other work, the characters seem a little bit off. I'm not quite sure how or why, but Sergai didn't seem old enough even in his young body. Peter was too credulous for a modern 'innocent'. In some ways this also applies to Sergai who adapoted to life in the USA far too easily. Give the protracted transition Peter endured in Romania, Sergai's experiences of the States was too easy.

Although there are similarities to Dracula, it is also quite inventive in many ways, and enjoyably different. There are links to elemental magic and more mysticism that wasn't fully explained but may be developed in future books in the series.

Definetly worth reading for fans of the vampire genre - it's quite different from the recent crop of paranormal romances. However it's a bit too slow paced and lacking in explanations for more mainstream audiences. ( )