Full disclosure: I only read up to page 134 before deciding there was absolutely no point to finishing this.
I didn't have high expectations of a pseudonymous vampire novel - but I did expect better than this. I expected some trashy fun costume drama, but this was simply a slog.
It's very poorly written, in an annoying first-person present tense, with an awkward mix of faux "old-style" language and contemporary phrasing. The main character, ostensibly Elizabeth Tudor, is not believable as a powerful woman or as a person of her era. None of the characters or settings come to life. The author (who knows who really wrote this thing?) has trouble with the definitions of words (Hint: 'querulous' means 'whiny and complaining', NOT 'questioning and demanding'.)
I guess I was supposed to care whether Elizabeth will succumb to the seductive vampire king, who just happens to be Mordred, son of King Arthur(! - why?), but I didn't. And by page 134, there still hadn't been any explicit sex (though there was a bit of swooning and spooning).
I was willing to read this for any of the following: historical drama, fun bloody vampire story, or racy scenes. I found none of those.
I'll give it this: it has a nice cover. Kudos to the graphic designer. ( )

Enough of the speculative history about Elizabeth I's sex life please! Other reviewers have called this an Elizabethan vampire bodice ripper, and they're right. But it's also fun to see Elizabeth growing into her strength as Queen of England, and vampire slayer. I had fun with this, but am now wondering if that means Buffy is somehow related to Elizabeth I. ( )

Right. It's kinda bad. I'm only a few chapters in and I just can't go any further. Problems thus far:

1. Complete lack of originality. Aside from the recent plethora of the "real" stories of historical figures fighting demons or vampires, this author is regurgitating both the Elizabethian history and the Arthurian mythos. Significant lack of creativity on both fronts.
2. This author doesn't know how to smoothly incorporate the actual historical events so it's a lot of exposition rather than moving the story along.
3. The author is unable to properly deal with two points of view. Instead of using language or place to establish a different speaker, the Mordred parts are all italicized. This gets old very quickly, particularly when it goes on for
pages.
4. I've saved the best (or worst) for last. Overblown language abounds! The last paragraph on page 22: "When my fangs pierced her throat, she moaned faintly. The fire leapt higher, burning hotter. Tomorrow crept toward us, eclipsing all the yesterdays." Um. Blah. ( )

Good read. The story was interesting, though the language took some getting used to. I did eventually get out my dictionary. lolComparatively, IMO, it was not as good as Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, but I did still enjoy it and would recommend it to my vampy loving friends. :) ( )

It is a well documented fact that England, during the 1500s, faced many foes. The Pope and the Spanish empire were both displeased with the newly appointed Queen Elizabeth. But who would have thought that Queen Elizabeth’s greatest foe would be Mordred, the treacherous son responsible for killing his father—King Arthur—nearly one thousand years before her birth? The Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer manages to entwine a well-loved myth, a small amount of history, and vampires in to a very interesting story.

The story begins shortly after Elizabeth’s coronation ceremony. She has had little time to adjust to the new role she would play, before her two most trusted advisors—Dee and Cecil—insist she visit her mother’s tomb late one evening. With great hesitation, Elizabeth agrees to go with the two men. Once she nears her mother’s tomb, however, she finds herself surrounding by a strange mist and possessing great powers. Little does she know that she has been thrust into the role of vampire slayer. Apparently, she is the direct descendant of Morgaine, the first great Slayer.

Shortly after her transformation, Elizabeth is met my Mordred, the vampire King. Mordred was King Arthur’s son and ultimately his greatest enemy. Before King Arthur died in his last battle, Mordred sold his soul to gain enough power to defeat his father; thus, becoming a vampire. Or so the story was told… Now Elizabeth is faced with the responsibility of eliminating the vampire threat to her country.

Elizabeth spends the majority of the novel contemplating God, her faith, and the true definition of evil. She is faced with the daunting task of holding a fragile England together after the reign of her sister Mary ends. To further complicate things, Mordred comes offering eternal life and power, but most importantly peace and protection for the country she loves. If only she could trust him! The story is filled with lies, deceit, and plenty of double-crossing from both parties involved.

With an incredible eye for detail, Lucy Weston stages her novel in the form of Queen Elizabeth’s private diary. The descriptions and dialogue are vivid and accurate for the time period. Although, at times the details seem dense and overwhelming, which tend to take away from the effect of the novel. The story does, however, offer some thought provoking insight into what might have actually occurred in Queen Elizabeth’s private affairs. Additionally, the constant references to humanity (and lack of) and a person’s faith seem to center around several theological discussions of our time. The characters’ insights and actions could certainly bring questions to the reader’s mind.

Overall, the novel was a “fun”—if not laborious at times—read. If you like love stories with vampires, sabotage, and somewhat graphic love scenes, you should enjoy Elizabeth’s “secret history.” ( )