Thursday, May 17, 2012

The Isle of Blood

by Richard Yancey
May 16, 2012

What am I going to do?  I've just finished book three in the Monstrumologist series and must wait for book 4. There was a danger of the fourth book never being published. The publisher decided not to do anymore because the sales of the first three were not stellar.  But the reaction of fans convinced them to let us finish out the series.  There are three more folios in Will Henry's journal so there must be at least one more.
But then what will I do?

I have really enjoyed this series.  The Victorian era setting (is it still "Victorian" if it is set in 19th Century America?); the element of mystery and science fantasy are all great.

Will Henry tells a story that Warthrop wishes he wouldn't. It is a notable tale that the monstrumologist would rather not have the world know.  One evening a package is delivered to Harrington Lane. Inside is a nidus, an extremely dangerous item that will kill anyone that touches it within a matter of days.  Dr. Warthrop and the indispensable Will Henry set out to find out where it came from. The nidus is an excretion of the most sought after monster on earth. Monstrumologists from many nations would love to be the one to actually see, capture or kill the magnificum.  Of course, no one wants this honor more than Pellinor Warthrop.

Along the way Warthrop and Will Henry run into many dangers, many old friends and some new ones. Because this is supposed to be a true tale from the journals of Will Henry, some of the new friends are actual people including Arthur Conan Doyle and Arthur Rimbaud.

Isle of Blood has more of  the feel of a mystery book than the others.  It's in  the last fourth of the book that we find what is the magnificum.

According to Rick Yancey's FB page, the fourth and final (!gasp!) book will be called The Final Descent and will be published in Fall of 2013.  How will I wait that long?

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