About ‘The Ancient Ones’ (The Ancient Ones Trilogy Book 1) by Cassandra L. Thompson::
Genre: Fantasy; Gothic; Historical Fantasy; Vampire
When David stumbles upon a tragic young woman in a sordid Limehouse pub, he has no idea she’d recognize him as the last vampyre alive, nor that she’d be the one to pull out his story. Yet as he recalls his life from the sweltering vineyards of Ancient Rome to the cold horrors of Medieval Romania – as well as his tumultuous past with the mad and mysterious Lucius – he realizes she is much more than what she seems.
Gothic horror and mythological fantasy blend seamlessly together in this thrilling adventure, breathing new life into vampire lore as it reveals its true origins. The Ancient Ones is a tale of myth, mayhem, and magic … with a dash of romance that bites.
When an author is so adept in crafting lore that you begin doubting your own beliefs/knowledge in favor of their story, you know you’ve discovered a profoundly expert creator. And that is exactly what happened to me with ‘The Ancient Ones.’ The story begins simply enough, not unlike your traditional run-in introduction to a creature of the night. However as the book progresses, the reader soon realizes it is like no other.
The author has brought various mythological and religious beings from the world we know together with her own ideas in an entirely unique exposition. I’ve read stories (including those of fantasy) that have felt so utterly real that I wouldn’t be shocked to learn they were, at least in some universe, but Cassandra L. Thompson has been the first to actually make me second-guess what I believe regarding the supernatural. Her melding of known lore with new lore, of true history with possibility was that advanced.
The setup is mildly reminiscent of Anne Rice’s ‘Interview with a Vampire’ as it is told largely through flashbacks from a ‘vampire’ who is indulging the curiosities of a human (not in modern day, but not terribly far from it). It includes his story prior to becoming the creature he is, his days with the one who created him, and so on into the present. Nevertheless, that is as far as the similarity goes. I don’t like demoting authors, but in my opinion, the depth of ‘The Ancient Ones’ greatly surpasses ‘Interview.’
The author’s version of vampires brings into account a hundred aspects that generally goes unanswered or vague in most renditions of the creatures. The original creation of the species, their soul, their place in not only the world, but the universe and most devastatingly, their future… There is just too much going on for me to properly sum it up. It’s one of those things you must read yourself. Trust me though, you won’t regret it.
Creative prowess aside, the book is extremely well-written in aspects of grammar, character development, and emotion. It’s most definitely a ‘page-turner’ and I cannot wait to see what more is to be learned about the characters, including how they will struggle through their darkness to (hopefully) accomplish their existential dilemmas thousands of tumultuous years in the making.
Buy the paperback on Amazon!
(Also available on Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million)
Cassandra L. Thompson can be found on:
Twitter @CassThomps13
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~Sahreth ‘Baphy’ Bowden
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