The story takes Bram Stoker, freshly appointed as manager of the Lyceum Theatre in London, joins him with the foppish, contrarian, and pre-infamy Oscar Wilde, and pits them against an evil, supernatural enemy that is out for world domination. There are monsters, gore, plenty of action, and more than a modicum of humor, with appearances by a number of historical figures from the era, and nods to numerous horror classics, including the works of Stoker, Wilde, and even the Joss Whedon TV show Angel (1999-2004)!
The only caveat is that the novel's epistolary style, which channels the style of Stoker's Dracula, a purely Victorian, blood and thunder type of novel, doesn't always gel with the authors' agnostic/progressive tone.
But with a title like Stoker's Wilde, one knows the authors don't take themselves too seriously, and, ultimately, this is a novel written by horror fans for horror fans, who are bound to have a great time, thanks to straightforward prose, loads of imagination, and genuine affinity for the characters. Recommended.
Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2020.
Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of the feature film Wingrave, released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK
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