Jasper KentBesprekingen

Absolute quality the fifth and final book in the excellent Danilov series. Superb characterisation and writing throughout. A great mix of historical fiction and the supernatural, atmospheric clever descriptive intelligent and totally engaging from first to last page.
Completely and utterly recommended.

This is the fourth book in this excellent series and while there are numerous references to previous stories it would work as a standalone story, though my advice read the whole series.
Completely entertaining from first to last page, not so much violence in this story, but still enough and occasionally gruesome to get your teeth into if you will pardon the pun. Clever descriptive imaginative with a real feel for time and place and terrific characterisation.
Ends with the normally terrible To be continued, but fortunately I already have the next and last book in the series.
Completely recommended.

Twelve
Author: Jasper Kent
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Publishing Date: 2010
Pgs: 446
Dewey: F KEN
Disposition: Irving Public Library - South Campus - Irving, TX
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REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Summary:
1812, Napoleon’s empire marched on Russia, rolling the Russian army before him to the gates of Moscow. And then, stops. A Russian cadre of spies dogs the French army’s steps across the steppe. A Russian cadre that has called for help from an old friend of one of their number, an old Wallachian ally from the Carpathians. A call that was answered by the 12. 12 who hunt by night. Fight like ten men. Can move quiet through city streets or the fields and pastures. And who kill with no mercy and a certain delight. And drink the blood and devour the flesh of their enemies. And in some instances make their victims into creatures like them. Aleksei Danilov, one Russia’s premier spies and agent provocateurs has discovered what his new allies are. And he must make a choice between damnation and damnation.

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Genre:
Historical Fantasy
Action
Adventure
War
Russia
Vampires
Horror
INSERT HERE

Why this book:
Vampires in a historical setting.
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Favorite Character:
Dominiika. She seems to be the only character with a level head that Aleksei can actually communicate with. Everyone else seems trapped inside their own version of life, only dealing with the outside through their own filter. Toward the end of the book, her character seems to wander a bit. Though whether that’s the author’s fault, me placing my version of the character over his, or the character’s own growth is a quibble.

Favorite Scene:
The Aleksei scenes with Dominiika aren’t what I expected them to be. Overplayed cliche with the hooker with a heart of gold, but still well done.

Favorite Quote:
Maks’ view of faith was a fool’s paradise; living in happy ignorance for fear of discovering the truth.

Favorite Concept:
Vampires and Russians vs Napoleon...awesome.

Meh / PFFT Moments:
BS. The Ophyryniki wouldn’t be cut down that easily. Dmitri and/or Vadim are in league with them, possibly hoping that they will be made like them.

After the action of some of the scenes, the climax with Aleksei and Iuda under the bridge on the frozen river is a bit non-action oriented.

The Sigh:
Uhm...seems like the Ophyrniki would recognize that one of their own isn’t one of their own. But maybe that’s just something that one such as Zemeyevich would recognize with age and wisdom.
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Last Page Sound:
So it ends, but it’s not really an ending.

Questions I’m Left With:
Iuda is a question in and of himself.
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Another quality read in this absorbing excellent series.
Well written clever descriptive with superb characterisation and gripping from beginning to end.
Looking forward to book four in the continuing saga.

It’s 1812 and Russia faces dark days, as Napoleon’s great army sweeps eastward, pushing all before it. Some are even beginning to wonder whether they might see the ultimate sacrilege: a French invasion of Moscow. For four daring young soldiers, resistance is the only answer. Plucked from their regiments, Vadim Fyodorovich, Maksim Sergeivich, Dmitry Fetyukovich and our narrator Aleksei Ivanovich Danilov form a special ops unit – and are waiting for some reinforcements to join them very shortly. Dmitry has enlisted the help of a band of men with whom he fought against the Turks some years earlier, whom he nicknames the ‘Oprichniki’ after the bloodthirsty bodyguards of Ivan the Terrible. The Oprichniki certainly prove their worth, striking by night and leaving the French forces depleted and terrified – but Aleksei begins to feel that something isn’t quite right. Who are these mysterious warriors from the dark fringes of Europe? And just what kind of bargain has Dmitry Fetykovich made with them on Russia’s behalf?

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2018/09/19/twelve-jasper-kent/½

It's been a while since I have taken part in a book tour. This is the first book tour in ages where the book has really grabbed my attention. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it and so am really pleased to be part of the tour.

Set in Brighton just before the start of WWII, this book certainly manages to capture the atmosphere of the era.

Brighton has always been an escape valve for Londoners looking for a bit of fun, innocent or otherwise, a place where naughtiness can happen and then be left behind with the return journey to London.
read the rest of my review at https://goo.gl/mG6X0T

A round of applause to Jasper Kent for this oddball but weirdly effective novel, in which Count Dracula (or Zmyeevich, as he is known to his Russian allies) and his undead minions turn up in Russia in 1812. Their aim is to help the Russian army drive back the invading French, and their methods are, shall we say, unconventional. Stated as baldly as that, it sounds hilarious. Actually, Twelve is atmospheric, creepy and, apart from anything, a fine read.

The narrator is Aleksei, a Russian soldier and spy who unwittingly helps to bring this group of vampires to Russia. At first he thinks they’re just Wallachian mercenaries, but it’s not long before he realises that there’s something decidedly odd about his new chums. When he discovers that they’re vampires he’s horrified and – former allegiances notwithstanding – sets about destroying them.

A fine story, and well-told. Naturally, there are a few flaws – Aleksei, for example, is sometimes unbearably self-absorbed, often to the point of being self-obsessed. The vampires provoke a great deal of moral outrage and soul-searching in him, yet he’s hardly a paragon of virtue himself. The vampires – the ‘Twelve’ of the title – are supposedly brilliant, cunning killers, but they are without exception rather one-dimensional and stupid. The ending falls a bit flat; it feels like it goes out on a whimper rather than a bang.

Still, when you’ve enjoyed a novel so much recounting its flaws in this way feels like griping for the sake of it. This is a great read and, while it’s never really frightening, there are some chilling, very effective moments. One of the most unnerving parts of the novel is the part where Aleksei’s friend and comrade Dmitry recounts his first meeting with Zmyeevich, while he was fighting against the Turks in Wallachia. The creepy old castle, the wild Carpathians, the thick atmosphere of menace and gathering dread … it’s reminiscent of Stoker, but with a greater emphasis on Dracula’s historical role as a soldier, a fighter against the Turks and, from a Romanian point of view, a brutal, terrifying saviour.

Five stars.

A slow start, that lays the background and sets the scene with well researched authenticity. The villains of the piece are villainous indeed and their true horrendous nature is detailed at some length in one particularly gruesome scene.

These bad guys are vampires who are very strong and can move with incredible speed. This makes the seemingly easy dispatch of some of them by our hero, one Captain Aleksei Ivanovich Danilov, somewhat unbelievably fortuitous in many cases. Also, a bit tiresomely, Danilov's philosophising on many occasions in the last third of the book, had me turning pages unread.

Get rid of about twenty pages and this would be an “unputdownable” book. It wasn't so bad though, that it will stop me reading the sequel "Thirteen Years Later" now on my wish list.

Not as good as the first book in this series. And quite difficult to believe some characters and plot devices. Probably won't continue to read this series.

Jasper Kent has managed to weave a tail around one of the main historical points in Russian history. It is extremely well done and well researched from the historical perspective, and it is becoming clear after reading the 2nd in the Danilov quintet that he is becoming one of my top authors for historical fiction.

This tail isn't just about vampires, it's about being human as well, as the primary antagonist isn't even a vampire. And the vampires in this story aren't the glossy gothic teeny-bopper kind either; these voordalak are nasty, more like the vampires of older classic horror stories. I feel I need to point out just how much this novel makes you feel like your in Russia. Russia oozes from each page.

In the end, I have a strong feeling that I will be having book hangover from this one for a while, which will probably make me go get the 3rd book very soon.

Forse contrariamente a quanto affermato in copertina Tolstoj non avrebbe scritto un libro di vampiri (vedrei meglio Gogol'o Bulgakov) ma l'ambientazione e la cura della narrazione mi hanno piacevolmente riportato alla mente i ricordi delle letture dei Grandi Russi, con quella gradevole attenzione al folklore, ai luoghi, alla storia. Notevole anche la costruzione dei personaggi, non complessa (o ampollosa come spesso capita nei tomi russeggianti) ma molto attenta a dipingere con pochi tratti precisi caratteri non troppo stereotipati. Ho apprezzato molto la scelta della figura del vampiro, non il solito vampiro moderno (bello e maledetto, fragile, tendenzialmente umano) ma la creatura del folklore, legata alla paura del'ignoto, alla violenza inspiegabile, alla morte, al predatore crudele per eccellenza: l'uomo.

I am a sucker for any historical fiction, so I thought this book would be right up my street and it was in parts. I loved the first 50 pages, which were basically a huge historical lesson on Russia. The plot was filled with twists and turns that keep the reader engaged in the story.

The vampires in the book are the good old fashion ones that I love. They are evil, sadistic and burn in sunlight. I found this to be a nice change to the way vampires are portrayed in modern novels. The vampires work well within the context of the story and add a lot of character to the novel.

The novel was well researched; all the battles and tactics were researched and described beautifully. I always think it says a lot about the author when their novel is so well researched that the reader can see the events unfold before their eyes.

I loved the cliffhanger at the end of the book and it has been left open for a sequel, which I will read. Overall this was a well researched novel that keeps the reader engaged through out. I look forward to reading the sequel.

A copy of this novel was received from Transworld Publishers and all opinions are my own through reading it.

This review was first published on http://everybookhasasoul.wordpress.com

Book Review – Twelve by Jasper Kent

Jasper Kent
Twelve
Series: Danilov Quintet (Book 1)
Pyr Publishing
September 2010
Trade Paperback
447 pages
ISBN 9781616142413
Cover Design by Anne Kragelund
Cover Artwork by Paul Young

Twelve by Jasper Kent is a brilliant example of historical novel combined with elements of horror, fantasy, and suspense. In this case, it is the year 1812 and the Russian army is being forced back towards Moscow by Napoleon’s massive hoard of infantry. Something drastic, desperate, and historic must happen swiftly or all of Russia will soon be overrun by the French army. A small band of Russian freedom fighters, in a desperate attempt to turn the fate of their beloved country, enlist the aid of a small band of vicious mercenaries known as the Oprichniki. Unbeknownst to almost everyone the Oprichniki are, in reality, thirsty nightwalkers. And no one is aware of their true motivation.

One of the many things I found interesting about Twelve is that we do not find out that the mercenaries in the story are actually vampires until about a third of the way into the book. Not that we couldn’t see it coming, there was a nagging sensation of the supernatural about them to begin with, but I, as a reader, was captivated by the suspense created while we waited for the vampires and their predictable conduct to be revealed.

Twelve is an excellent fantasy tale filled with all the ingredients that make great fantasy stories good and right. There is murder, and love, and revenge, and hate, and vampires, and gruesome scenes of warfare and devastation. But inside all of that is a well-written, wonderfully spoken, and clear narrative that was fun to read and which will, in this reviewer’s opinion, stand the test of time. Jasper Kent’s voice is captivating and the story flows with emotion and action and adventure and intrigue and surprises and, well, I think you get the point.

Recommended for fantasy fans, horror buffs, historical fiction enthusiasts, war geeks, and anyone that enjoys a well-written, clearly phrased narrative that entertains and enchants.

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

I'm definitely keeping an eye out for more Jasper Kent. The historically authentic setting and well-done characterization definitely puts this several steps above the usual dark fantasy/horror novel.

I have read War and Peace, so I know a little bit about Napoleon v. General Kutozsov, the Battle of Borodino and Napoleon’s march on Moscow, and I’m sure we all know that Napoleon had to retreat and Tchaikovsky wrote the 1812 overture to commemorate it.

This military setting forms the backbone of this novel as we follow the exploits of Captain Alexei Ivanovich Danilov and his small band of officer comrades. They work as a kind of elite force, spying on the French and using guerilla tactics to keep one step ahead. It’s hard work though – Alexei lost two fingers when he was captured in a previous campaign. It’s not going well for the Russians, and Dmitry, nominally in charge of Alexei’s group, has taken matters into his own hands. He has engaged a band of mercenaries whom he met in the Balkans to help. He explains that they’re like the monks the Tsar once had as a bodyguard – the ‘Oprichniki’. The Balkans will act as a guerilla force to pick off a few French soldiers here and there and generally sow fear amongst them. Dmitry explains …

" ‘They enjoy their work. Like any army, they live off the vanquished.’ None of us quite followed Dmitry’s meaning. ‘The spoils of war. Armies live off the gold and the food and whatever other plunder they take from the enemy.’
‘I’m not sure they’ll find enough gold with the French army to make their journey worthwhile,’ I said.
‘There are rewards other than gold,’ said Dmitry with an uncharacteristic lack of materialism. ‘They are experts at taking what the rest of us would ignore.’ "

They are a scary band of chaps, and they certainly go to work with relish – but then they would be, the Oprichniki are vampires. It’s obvious from the start to us the reader what they are, but it takes Alexei some time to cotton on, and then he becomes a man with a rather different mission.

Meanwhile, in between bouts of spying on the French and haring around the place trying to catch up with his fellow officers, Alexei hangs around Moscow, where he acquires a mistress – a posh prostitute called Domnikiia. Alexei’s wife and young son remain in Petersburg – he feels little guilt though, and continued encounters with the Oprichniki give him no time to consider his position.

Then, of course, there’s a third element after the French and vampires to do battle with – the weather. It’s winter, and a foodless, occupied Moscow is no place to hang out for humans – the vampires do OK though!

At the beginning of this book, I had wondered whether the military setting would overshadow the rest of the story, which was something I found slightly with The Officer’s Prey - a Napoleonic military detective story by Armand Cabasson I read a couple of years ago. Twelve though, with its domestic sections in Moscow, came alive in a less soldierly fashion.

Although this book was rather long at 539 pages, and took a little while to get into, I did enjoy it. It does have a high gore and violence count, but these vampires are the real thing – proper nasty blood-drinking, flesh-rending, sunshine hating, superhuman monsters from the borders of Europe and Asia. Twelve in the first in a planned quintet of novels – would I read another? Next vampire season probably!½

Loved the narrator. But be careful what you wish for.

Twelve is an amalgam of historical novel set in 1812 Russia as Napoleon's army advances and Vampire tale ... but these vampires are nothing like the Twilight/Vampire Diaries novels vampires!! My initial problem was that the build up of the story was very slow and we are 200 pages into the book before it really takes off but Kent does provide an accomplished, well written and dark tale with some interesting twists.
The story is told by Captain Aleksei Ivanovich Danilov, an intelligence officer in the Russian army, who has been working with a small team in espionage activities then one of the team, Dimtry, introduces them to a group of mercenaries from Wallachia and this is when the tone of the tale takes a new direction.
The mercenaries have been named after the 12 disciples and most are portrayed as little more than animals with real brutality in the way they dispatch the French army but the only one we really get to know is Iuda/Judas. He is a suave, charming mercenary, in comparison to the others, and his interplay with Alexsei is a very enjoyable part of the story.
Alexsei battles vampires but he also battles his own conscience as, despite being a married man and father, he becomes more and more involved with Domnikiia, a Moscow prostitue, and thus he develops into a flawed and rounded character.
The historical setting is convincingly portrayed and the devastation of Moscow during the French occupation was a brilliant backdrop for the terrors inflicted by the Voordalak/vampires. It is definitely worth persevering with this book as the second half was excellent and I will definitely try the next books in the series ... although the fact that there will be 5 books and the next is longer is a little bit daunting!!½

Though Japser Kent cleverly wrote his plot entwined with a very attractive, innovative setting the introspective style he chose to approach this debut novel with is both unfit and unjustified for this type of genre. Try as I may to endure the first person take upon the vampire genre I found it slow paced, it’s characters undefined from one another and their personalities utterly wooden. That said, I enjoyed the book purely due to it’s historical setting which I found to be relatively fresh and well researched. Unfortunately, if you are looking for a groundbreaking take on the vampire genre or a fast paced fantasy-horror this is probably not for you.

Twelve follows the story of Aleksei, a soldier-spy in the Russian army, who, together with three long-time friends and comrades, does the work behind the scenes that slow down entire armies. Russia is threatened by the invading forces of Napoleon, and Dmitry, the man who once saved Aleksei’s life, brings help - the Oprichniki, a group of Twelve mercenaries that have been hired to help sabotage Napoleon’s advance. As the Twelve begin to do their thing, Aleksei begins to realize -at great cost- that perhaps their methods are overkill, and that there is indeed something… different, about them. Read the rest of my review here: http://davebrendon.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/review-twelve-jasper-kent/