Reviews

Vlad the Impaler: In Search of the Real Dracula by M.J. Trow

albatrossonhalfpointe's review

3.0

Interesting book. Not a biography in the traditional sense of the word, but more of a comparative study of sorts between the various legends and what is actually known (as little as that is) about him. The conclusion of this particular author seems to be that despite all the horrible stories about Dracula, he wasn't really all that much worse than most other rulers of that time. It was a pretty bloody and disgusting time, and lots of bloody and disgusting things happened to a lot of people at the hands of a lot of people. How Dracula ended up with the worst reputation is not entirely clear. Maybe because he ultimately lost his wars.

Anyway, as I said, interesting book, and worth reading if one is interested in the subject matter.

esperata's review

2.0

This book is not a biography of Vlad the Impaler. Rather it is an in depth look at medieval life in what is now Transylvania. The author has thoroughly researched this topic and follows the intrigues, truces, and shifts in power during this volatile time. However we don't get a glimpse of the actual life of Vlad Tepes until well over 100 pages in.
Also, the first few chapters deal only with the vampire in film, literature and legend. Not specifically referring to Vlad the Impaler, this would have been better at the end bringing the legend up to the modern day incarnation.