cover image Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter

Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter

A. E. Moorat. Eos, $14.99 (374pp) ISBN 978-0-06-197601-8

Add Queen Victoria to the rapidly growing coterie of classic and historical characters forced to battle supernatural evil (see Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Zombie Jim, etc.), as pseudonymous author Moorat combines Victorian manners, gallows humor and grindhouse gore into a satisfying historical adventure. After ascending to the throne, 18-year-old Victoria has her hands full with matters of state and the heart; when she learns of a clandestine war between humans and demons, however, Victoria's responsibility to protect the Empire takes on violent, visceral dimensions. With help from a Scooby Gang of rough-and-tumble warriors known as the Protektorate, the self-possessed young monarch must battle demons (a catch-all category including werewolves, zombies and many others), quell a brewing insurrection and protect her beloved Prince Albert, all while maintaining her royal decorum and a stiff upper lip. Moorat infuses his tale with enough bravura and over-the-top action to lift it above a horde of similar projects; readers able to stomach the deliriously bloody goings-on will find plenty to enjoy.