I admit that when I first opened Terovolas, I was somewhat skeptical. The story of Professor Abraham Van Helsing after his fateful encounter with Dracula? In Texas!?!?! But the power of the story and the skill with which Ed Erdelac tells it had me hooked from the beginning. Here’s the synopsis.
The personal papers of the enigmatic Professor Abraham Van Helsing are collected and presented for the first time by his longtime colleague and defender, Dr. John Seward.
Texas, 1891 Following the defeat of Count Dracula, Abraham Van Helsing – suffering from violent recurring fantasies – checks himself into Jack Seward’s Purfleet Asylum. Once discharged, he volunteers to return the ashes and personal effects of the late Quincey P. Morris (the American adventurer who died in battle with the nefarious Count) home to the Morris family ranch in Sorefoot, Texas.
Van Helsing arrives to find Quincey’s brother, Cole Morris, embroiled in an escalating land dispute with a group of neighboring Norwegian ranchers led by the enigmatic Sig Skoll. When cattle and men start turning up slaughtered, the locals suspect a wild animal, but Van Helsing thinks a preternatural culprit is afoot. Is a shapeshifter stalking the Texas plains, or are the phantasms of his previously disordered mind returning?
The intrepid professor must decide soon, for the life of Skoll’s beautiful new bride may hang in the balance.
Terovolas is obviously aimed at fans of Dracula, and it hits the mark without question. Told through primary sources in the same way as the classic horror novel, Erdelac manages to recreate the style of Stoker without lacking originality as one might expect. By staying true to the tradition laid down by Dracula while simultaneously putting his own spin on the story, Erdelac breathes new life into an old tale. The action scenes are crisp, the characters well developed, the plot filled with surprises. I recommend Terovolas highly, particularly to anyone who loved the original. You will not be disappointed.
4.5 Stars
Beware The Shadows 