lene_kretzsch's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
morgandhu's review
4.0
Cynthia Ward’s The Adventure of the Dux Bellorum continues the exploits of Lucy Harker, not exactly human daughter of Mina Harker by the vampire Dracula, adventuress and spy in the employ of the WWI era British secret service, where she works for the consummate spymaster known as M, short for Mycroft Holmes - who is also her stepfather.
Her mission, to protect Winston Churchill, who, currently out of favour and out of cabinet, has decided to join the army and fight the Germans at the front if he cannot fight them in the halls of power. But some things not even a dhampir can fight. When a squad of 20 German created and controlled wolfmen attack, kidnapping Churchill and leaving Lucy for dead, then the only choice is for Lucy and her lover Clarimal - the 300 year old upior, or vampire, Carmilla von Karstein - to go behind enemy lines in search of him. But there is much worse waiting for them than wolfmen.
I’m really enjoying this series, not the least because of all the material from texts that form the basis of science fiction and fantasy, and other genres from the adventure fiction of the Victorian era to the classic mystery. References to characters, milieus and events from authors as diverse as H. G. Wells, Bram Stoker, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Agatha Christie are found here, intermixed with historical characters such as Sophia and Catherine Duleep Singh.
Definitely a series that I hope will continue.
Her mission, to protect Winston Churchill, who, currently out of favour and out of cabinet, has decided to join the army and fight the Germans at the front if he cannot fight them in the halls of power. But some things not even a dhampir can fight. When a squad of 20 German created and controlled wolfmen attack, kidnapping Churchill and leaving Lucy for dead, then the only choice is for Lucy and her lover Clarimal - the 300 year old upior, or vampire, Carmilla von Karstein - to go behind enemy lines in search of him. But there is much worse waiting for them than wolfmen.
I’m really enjoying this series, not the least because of all the material from texts that form the basis of science fiction and fantasy, and other genres from the adventure fiction of the Victorian era to the classic mystery. References to characters, milieus and events from authors as diverse as H. G. Wells, Bram Stoker, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Agatha Christie are found here, intermixed with historical characters such as Sophia and Catherine Duleep Singh.
Definitely a series that I hope will continue.
phoebesrandoms's review
4.0
Lucy Harker and her paramour are back again in Cynthia Ward’s Conversation Pieces #63 The Adventure of the Dux Bellorum (Aqueduct Press, 2018). This time Lucy is protecting Winston Churchill against a rumored wolfman. Along the way Lucy crosses paths with a number of familiar faces, some I will confess to not knowing and I had to look up (laugh).
Ward creates a great adventure and lots of action. There is death, blood, lots of gore, and of course the reality of war that few want to talk about. Physical love takes a backseat as the far more intimate type of love takes a front seat as Carmilla has to face some truths of her own.
War makes people face some ugly things in physical and mental form and Ward entertains us with both. I cannot wait to go on another Lucy Harker adventure - oops! There is a spoiler for you, yes she does manage to survive this adventure.
I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.
Ward creates a great adventure and lots of action. There is death, blood, lots of gore, and of course the reality of war that few want to talk about. Physical love takes a backseat as the far more intimate type of love takes a front seat as Carmilla has to face some truths of her own.
War makes people face some ugly things in physical and mental form and Ward entertains us with both. I cannot wait to go on another Lucy Harker adventure - oops! There is a spoiler for you, yes she does manage to survive this adventure.
I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.
corrie's review
5.0
With The Adventure of the Dux Bellorum (Conversation Pieces Book 62), Cynthia Ward continues the adventures of Dracula’s dhampir (half vampire) daughter Lucy Harker - who is a spy and monster hunter for the British government and her vampire lover Countess Clarimal (Carmilla) Karnstein.
The story takes place several years later. The Great War is in full swing and Lucy is assigned to the Western Front to keep Winston Churchill safe from a murderous group of wolf men and… flying dinosaurs? And who is this German super scientist Dr. Krüger and what’s up with all these missing women?
There is more action than you can shake a stick at. Also, all this war business puts Lucy and Clarimal’s romance on shaky ground. Much pulpish goodness abound!
Clarimal breaks into a run and does something I’ve not witnessed before, save sometimes in her raptures. She slips unawares into German. “Was zum Teufel machst du?” I’ve never faced her with bared fangs before.
f/f any sexy times are happening off screen, it is not that kind of story
Themes: World War I, Edwardian Steampunk, in His Majesty’s Secret Service, the western front, mind control, secret Martian technology, upiór, dhampir, can we hope for a third story?
4.5 star
The story takes place several years later. The Great War is in full swing and Lucy is assigned to the Western Front to keep Winston Churchill safe from a murderous group of wolf men and… flying dinosaurs? And who is this German super scientist Dr. Krüger and what’s up with all these missing women?
There is more action than you can shake a stick at. Also, all this war business puts Lucy and Clarimal’s romance on shaky ground. Much pulpish goodness abound!
Clarimal breaks into a run and does something I’ve not witnessed before, save sometimes in her raptures. She slips unawares into German. “Was zum Teufel machst du?” I’ve never faced her with bared fangs before.
f/f any sexy times are happening off screen, it is not that kind of story
Themes: World War I, Edwardian Steampunk, in His Majesty’s Secret Service, the western front, mind control, secret Martian technology, upiór, dhampir, can we hope for a third story?
4.5 star
alexanderp's review
4.0
Originally published here.
Four years after the events of the previous book, we find Lucy Harker on a new mission from M. This time she is tasked with playing bodyguard to a young Winston Churchhill during the Great War. All hell breaks loose when they are ambushed by a pack of wolf-men near the war front and Harker now has to sojourn through enemy countryside to retrieve him. Her mission only becomes more complicated when her lover Clarimal Stein enters the scene as well as rumors of a long thought extinct pterodactyl…
This story doubles down on the fantastic in this alt-history novella. Ward does a wonderful job weaving those paranormal aspects to this work, while keeping the historical events just as relevant, though bending them when they need to be. The holistic quality of this book makes it so you do not need to read the previous book, but it does help flesh out Harker’s and Stein’s relationship, as well as the greater conflict with Dr. Krüger. But, even knowing all of that, it wouldn’t hinder a reader coming into it cold.
This story by virtue of taking place on a literal war front is paced with a thriller tone, so the action is fast and visceral. Lucy is as interesting as before, while dealing with her love for Clarimal, especially as their relationship enters new harder territory. The romance between our two female leads is fun, although I did find Clarimal a little whiney if not difficult to empathize with later on in the story. Harker is a fantastic heroine to follow though and I will enjoy returning to follow her in the future.
Four years after the events of the previous book, we find Lucy Harker on a new mission from M. This time she is tasked with playing bodyguard to a young Winston Churchhill during the Great War. All hell breaks loose when they are ambushed by a pack of wolf-men near the war front and Harker now has to sojourn through enemy countryside to retrieve him. Her mission only becomes more complicated when her lover Clarimal Stein enters the scene as well as rumors of a long thought extinct pterodactyl…
This story doubles down on the fantastic in this alt-history novella. Ward does a wonderful job weaving those paranormal aspects to this work, while keeping the historical events just as relevant, though bending them when they need to be. The holistic quality of this book makes it so you do not need to read the previous book, but it does help flesh out Harker’s and Stein’s relationship, as well as the greater conflict with Dr. Krüger. But, even knowing all of that, it wouldn’t hinder a reader coming into it cold.
This story by virtue of taking place on a literal war front is paced with a thriller tone, so the action is fast and visceral. Lucy is as interesting as before, while dealing with her love for Clarimal, especially as their relationship enters new harder territory. The romance between our two female leads is fun, although I did find Clarimal a little whiney if not difficult to empathize with later on in the story. Harker is a fantastic heroine to follow though and I will enjoy returning to follow her in the future.
dawnvogel's review
4.0
(This review originally appeared on Mad Scientist Journal.)
The Adventure of the Dux Bellorum by Cynthia Ward is a sequel to The Adventure of the Incognita Countess. If you’ve read the first book, you’re in for a delightful treat of Lucy Harker’s continuing adventures.
This time around, Lucy is protecting Winston Churchill on the front in World War I, while Countess Karnstein is elsewhere in Europe. When they meet up again, things have gone more than a little bit sideways, and they spend the remainder of the book sorting out the troubles they’ve encountered.
With dashes of wolfmen and other unusual creatures, plus more characters from literature tucked in, The Adventure of the Dux Bellorum is a lovely sequel, sure to delight fans of Ward’s character, Lucy Harker. We can only hope to read more of her exploits in the future!
The author provided us with a free copy of this novel in exchange for review consideration.
The Adventure of the Dux Bellorum by Cynthia Ward is a sequel to The Adventure of the Incognita Countess. If you’ve read the first book, you’re in for a delightful treat of Lucy Harker’s continuing adventures.
This time around, Lucy is protecting Winston Churchill on the front in World War I, while Countess Karnstein is elsewhere in Europe. When they meet up again, things have gone more than a little bit sideways, and they spend the remainder of the book sorting out the troubles they’ve encountered.
With dashes of wolfmen and other unusual creatures, plus more characters from literature tucked in, The Adventure of the Dux Bellorum is a lovely sequel, sure to delight fans of Ward’s character, Lucy Harker. We can only hope to read more of her exploits in the future!
The author provided us with a free copy of this novel in exchange for review consideration.
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