A. E. Moorat

There are a couple of superficial reasons why Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter appealed to me: I’ve always been a fan of her Maj, and zombies are a great way to get to my heart. The cover artist of my copy, Robert Parada, blended the fantastical zombie decapitations seamlessly with the original portrait done by Franz Xaver Winterhalter in 1859. The cover also encapsulates my feelings about the book itself perfectly. I can gratefully say that Moorat doesn’t treat this like a satire or parody show more of Victoria’s life–which isn’t to say it’s not an amusing book full of one-liners and zingers, either.

The book follows several different threads of narrative that weave together and draw apart as the story progresses. Because of this splintering, several chapters will often be running con-currently time-wise, and each chapter will dedicate itself to examining the characters’ actions during that time. Victoria’s adventures from moments before learning she is now the new Queen to after the birth of her children are chronicled faithfully, but with the addition of demons, zombies, and succubi. At times the shifting narrative focus annoyed me, since it always seemed to crop up just as something big was going to happen, but by the end of the book I appreciated it for the added layer.

Some of the twists and bumps are shocking–learning who was and wasn’t a demon certainly gave me pause while I considered the ramifications. Knowing historical data on Victoria’s real life, readers will know how some events play out just because they are historical fact, but watching the paranormal twist unfold alongside it was entertaining. Victoria is shown as a strong young woman, certain that she wants something better for all her people–not just the rich and titled–and understanding that actions have consequences. She came into the title at only 18 years old, but her quick wit, strong educational background, and sharp questions are what helped her the most. She’s not perfect; she feels the weight of the mistakes she made and the tainted legacy of her forebears (she admits at one point that she has several distinct advantages over the previous monarchs in recent history–she’s neither mad, nor a womanizer, nor prone to excessive displays of wealth).

A note for the squeamish: Moorat displays a knack for the gruesome, particularly in Chapter 8 during a zombie fight. Apparently reading about intestines and gnawed off pieces of flesh is an entirely different affair from watching it on screen for me, because I found myself fighting the urge to skip the chapter altogether, when normally I’m morbidly fascinated by that sort of thing in a movie. Quimby provides an odd sort of humor; he takes a lot of things in a stride and still manages to be offended in a way that only the born-to-title can be. For example, he’s more annoyed that Perkins won’t clean the library without getting a quick snack then he is over what Perkins’ quick snack becomes.

In the end, Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter was a rollicking good read. A companion novel is in the works about King Henry VIII, a book I’m eagerly awaiting! show less

Love/Hate?: Love!
Rating: 5/5
Did you finish?: Yes -- laughing the whole time, too.

One-sentence summary: Queen Victoria slays zombies.

Why did you get this book?: I've seen it around but haven't heard any buzz.

Do you like the cover?: Yes.

First line from book: Much later, as he watched his manservant, Perkins, eating the dog, Quimby gloomily reflected on the unusual events of the evening.

Review: I didn't know what to expect when I started this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was more show more graphically gross than I anticipated -- but I'm not normally a zombie/horror reader, so maybe it's not really too shocking for folks used to the genre? Gore aside, this novel has a wonderful sense of humor -- so much so I was constantly chortling, giggling, and chuckling on my commute. The alternate history presented by Moorat was fun and believable (for me, but I'm not a Victorian scholar). I think Quimby had to be my favorite character, followed by Queen Victoria -- I have a bit of a girlcrush on her!

Moorat's next book is on Henry VIII as a werewolf, I think -- I'll likely pick show less

Before the young Queen Victoria can officially take the throne, an attempt is made on her life. The attacker, though, isn't your everyday assassin, unless you consider a succubus a routine threat. Thanks to the quick actions of Maggie Brown and the Protektorate, Victoria survives the threat and learns of a devilish plot to bring an unspeakable evil to the throne. While the news weighs heavy on her conscience, Victoria still has a country to run, a people to protect and leaves the show more demon-battling to the Protektorate. When the terror hits closer to home with the kidnapping of her beloved Prince Albert, the young Queen takes matters into her own hands, battling zombies and werewolves and the hellish hospital Bethlem -- known by its other name Bedlam -- to bring him to safety.

Okay...

For those history buffs crying foul, you must take this twisting and re-working of the early days of Queen Victoria with a grain (or two) of salt. Because that's part of the fun. Reading as the Queen slices a zombie with a small rotating saw, the gore splattering over her face; as werewolves undertake a tricky quest to kidnap Prince Albert through a garden maze on the grounds of the Palace; as the inmates of Bedlam are loosed upon the Queen by Sir John Conroy. A.E. Moorat doesn't create a parody world but rather weaves a great horror tale that just happens to include the real monarchy and also sheds some light on the class differences of the time, especially with the dark and filthy description of the living conditions at a workhouse.

He does add some levity to the mix, such as with the Bethnal Green Baptist Ladies' Prayer Association taking a night visit to the hospital (Bedlam) and toying with what to call the patients. And his character of Lord Quimby, despicable as he might be, along with his faithful servant Perkins, who happens to have been turned into a zombie by Quimby, also had me laughing.

"Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter" is a fun read that I couldn't put down once I started, and Anglophiles as well as horror fans will enjoy it equally. show less

Have you ever wondered what motivated Henry VIII to dump his first wife in favor of manipulative Anne Boleyn? Why his young, energetic, scholarly, svelte self morphed into an overweigh, morose, and dissatisfied man? Why he turned against both Cardinal Wolsey and Sir Thomas More, his one-time confidants? Easy. He became a wolfman. In this romp of a tale, history of the period blends with a fantastical story of half-wolf, half-man creatures roaming the countryside, banding together and show more building ranks to overthrow the throne. Toss in a timid witch hunter and his torturous (but upwardly mobile) wife, and this is a tale unlike any other. Recommended. (218) show less