Brian Lumley, Necroscope: Deadspawn

Brian Lumley, Necroscope: Deadspawn - The 5th book in the unbelievable Necroscope series sees our hero Harry Keogh in a rather sticky situation, on the good side he's got his Deadspeak and Mobius Continuum back, on the very bad side he's becoming WAMPHYRI!

This book is the final chapter of Harry's life (in this realm of existance at least) and man does he go out with a bang! Harry is very aware of his condition and plans to leave our world for the planet of Starside/Sunside but he's got one last job to first; it seems there's a new Necromancer in town, but this one is a necrophiliac to boot! Not only does he do unspeakable things to his victims, but the dead can still FEEL him performing his disgusting rituals long after the body has died! After "speaking" with one of the madman's victims, Harry feels he cannot leave this world to the mercies of this monster and sets out to put him down.

There's a slight hitch to this plan though; Harry's allies through many adventures, E-Branch, also know about his "illness" and are extremely worried that Harry will give in to his blood thirsty urges and take over the world with his Necroscope powers enhanced to unimaginable new heights by his vampire.

After being almost literaly chased out of this world by his former allies, Harry comes to Starside/Sunside. Unfortunately, there's a lot of trouble waiting for him there as well. The oldest known Wamphyri of all time, Shaitan, has set out to take over the alien world, and once he's finished there, hes got his sights set on ours! Harry cannot allow this to happen and with an old acquaintance and his lupine son, he takes on the ancient one and his horde of monsters in a fight for 2 worlds, the climax of which will send repercussions in both worlds.

One of the best books in the entire series, Deadspawn is full of thrills, chills and spills (mostly of a red colour) that will leave you wanting more each time. An amazing book for an amazing series.

Necroscope: Deadspawn

Brian Lumley

Tor, Dec 2003, $26.95, 428 pp.

ISBN: 0312863810

The good news is that Necroscope Harry Keogh has begun recovering his abilities to deadspeak and to enter the Mobius Continuum; the bad news is that an evil seed is taking root inside of him. His friends notice that Harry is changing into what he has always fought against Wamphyri vampire. Harry tries to keep on living as he always has, but obviously the growth inside is becoming more powerful by the moment. Finally his former allies decree the solo Necroscope is a menace that they feel must be eliminated as an enemy combatant.

Harry goes on the lam planning to depart this realm for the source world of the vampires. However, he feels he must finish his current task to destroy-the maniac who possesses deadspeak even while his former allies want to destroy him before the vampire inside him takes control.

This reprint of Book V of the Necroscope series is one of the best, if not the top novel in the long running series (thirteen books I believe). The story line cleverly ties up the opening quintet leaving few loose ends and enabling a fresh start with the next trilogy (see The Blood Brothers). Of the first five tales, the last of the quintet DEADSPAWN is the only one that seems to stand alone as well as completing the story arc. Harry is at his best as he struggles with himself and battles with his friends and a deadly enemy in a tale that showcases Brian Lumley at his greatest.

Harriet Klausner