Dracula the Un-Dead

By: Dacre Stoker, Ian Holt

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

Length: 13 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

Dracula the Un-Dead is a bone-chilling sequel based on Bram Stoker's own handwritten notes for characters and plot threads excised from the original novel. Dracula the Un-Dead begins in 1912, 25 years after Dracula "crumbled into dust".

Van Helsing's protégé, Dr. Jack Seward, is now a disgraced morphine addict obsessed with stamping out evil across Europe. Meanwhile, an unknowing Quincey Harker, the grown son of Jonathan and Mina, leaves law school for the London stage, only to stumble upon the troubled production of Dracula directed and produced by Bram Stoker himself. The play plunges Quincey into the world of his parents' terrible secrets, but before he can confront them, he experiences evil in a way he had never imagined. One by one, the band of heroes that defeated Dracula a quarter-century ago is being hunted down. Could it be that Dracula somehow survived their attack and is seeking revenge? Or is their another force at work whose relentless purpose is to destroy anything and anyone associated with Dracula?

©2009 Dacre Stoker and Ian Holt (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic Reviews

"Energetically paced and packed with outrageously entertaining action, this supernatural thriller is a well-needed shot of fresh blood for the Dracula mythos." ( Publisher's Weekly)

Dracula Re-Imagined....

First, this is a very entertaining book with a flawless narration by Simon Prebble. I enjoyed it immensely. Less of a sequel and more of a "re-imagining," this novel is built on the premise that Bram Stoker, in his original book, distorted the truth about the ancient vampire's motives and purpose. Prince (not Count) Dracula, it turns out, has been grossly misunderstood. Successful in capturing the mood and tone of the original, "Dracula the Un-Dead" also brings back the first book's principal characters, rejoining their lives 25 years after the events of the previous book. Though the story suffers from a few disturbing inconsistencies and several plot twists and action scenes obviously designed for Hollywood, it is a commendable effort that should please most fans of the original Bram Stoker novel.

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

Great Delivery but Horrible Story

I had high hopes for this book but was greatly towards the halfway point of the book. It was very much divorced from Bram Stoker. What I would have liked was journal and letter entries from the characters as Stoker originally wrote. Furthermore, I truly did not like the story. It was unnecessarily gory, it was not in the same vain as the original and the characters were not believable. I felt that this was a sequel to the film, Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1991. None of it made any sense and the authors take on the original story was not what I expected. I forced myself to finish it. It was just not that good and I wasn't happy with my decision to download it. Just not good writing although the performance by Simon Prebble was very well done. By the way, ending...was god awful.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Very let down. I'd like my credit back please.

I actually feel bad about making this review but, this book is so horrible that I feel cheated. I saw it in Barnes and Noble and wanted to buy it but knew that somehow it was going to be in audiobook format. I used a credit to get this book and now, I want it back. There is such a difference between the historical Dracula and the character that "Bram" Stoker created. It seems as if Dacre and Holt took more from Coppola's version than Bram's. I'm really let down by this book. I expected more from a Stoker, but then again, talent doesn't always run in the lineage. This is one book I'd like to erase from my memory.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

More Rice than Stoker

I agree that Prebble's narration is as effective as ever;if you haven't heard his reading of Bonfiglioli's books, you really should; he gives the narrator's character texture and real dimension. However, not even Prebble could save this story.
Potential Spoiler Alert Here!! I was a very disappointed with this addition to the legend. Rather than build upon the existing story, the authors have decided on a bit of revisionist pseudo-history - effectively re-writing Stoker's original story by looking back and changing events and motives. The result is a plot that is more Rice than Stoker. The stink of cheap gothic romance is present here. The addition of a love plot and the reconstruction of the story through a different viewpoint aren't particularly artful or particularly effective. I felt myself groaning audibly at some of the lines, the twists in the plot as well as at the shallowness of the characters given the length of the book and the possibilities. Look out for the massive plot mistake regarding who spilled the beans to Stoker (almost like they changed their minds mid-stream) or forgot who they implied did the deed. Mina is a weak character, Jonathan has become something inconsistent with his earlier character, Dracula no longer a decent villain he clearly was before, Van Helsing's character is wildly inconsistent, ugh. I can't go on. By all means listen and add this to your library to know the full truth and to judge for yourself, but do not expect the joy and fear inspired by the original.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

If I could give it no stars I would

SO boring and slow that I could hardly make myself listen to it long enough to form any interest at all in the characters. I managed to slog through to the end and then wished I hadn't because the end was so stupid (like something a high school student would write). Practically everyone in the whole book is miserable and has serious moral failings and it was hard to care about any of them. Don't waste your credits.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

So So At Best

The book was a turn off for me. I love the original classic and I felt this "sequel" was just not up to the press. The book is not as creepy, scary, or fun as the original. The wonderful original band of heroes are now framed as drunks, fools, and full of self pity. Dracula is not a monster but a noble hero (come on). The vampires now have new powers such as being able to fly accross countries in hours (why did Dracula then have to take a ship to England in the original) and without many of the original weaknesses. Finally there is a driverless horse carriage (that most of also flown to England) that no one takes notice of in London.

Book is well researched but bound to disappoint fans of the original. Those who have not read the original but love modern vampire literature will find this tame, kind of tiresome, and without much bite.

The book is well researched, well written, and the reader was great but this couldn't save it. Lets face it writing a sequel to a masterful classic without upseting fans was an almost impossible task from the first...

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Forget everything you know about Dracula

Personally for me this was a fun story, that was very fast paced, and VERY Hollywood in it's approach. For Bram Stoker purists this might be a turn off, because it's definitely not the poetic literature that the original novel is. It's flat out Hollywood horror movie type stuff, so for me I enjoyed it, but it might not work for a lot of people depending on what type of story you enjoy.

They need another book

What did you love best about Dracula the Un-Dead?

The story was plausible and continued beautifully.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dracula the Un-Dead?

Quincy Harker's realization of the who Dracula was and his selfish judgement call on his mother, blew me away.

What does Simon Prebble bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I was in the story with him. His telling of the story made it seem as if he and I were following the characters around and he was explaining to me what I was seeing.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was over joyed.

Any additional comments?

I would love to there to be a part 3. Dracula and Mina should return. Quincy should arrive in America as a vampire hunter.

Drac's the Bomb

Reviting throughout! Lots of fun. Didn't want it to end

0 of 1 people found this review helpful