What do you get if you cross Buffy the Vampire Slayer with Bruce Lee, add a dash of Frank Langella and a smidgen of Star Trek's transporter, and top it all off with a dollop of magic talisman? You get this action-packed, vampire-chasing sequel to Australian author Dedman's Stoker-nominated novel, The Art of Arrow Cutting
(1997). Mage Magistrale and his stuntman friend, Charlie Takumo, find themselves inadvertently hunting vampires when a lawyer friend gives them information about a missing person/mutilated-body case she's working on. Charlie does some poking around for his friend and uncovers a lot more than he bargained for, even in the midst of weird and wonderful Los Angeles. In turn, he enlists Mage and his focus (a talisman with special powers) to dig deeper into the problem and see what's really going on. Unfortunately, Mage has his own problems to deal with—he's the target of a Japanese underworld hit for a supposed murder and has to keep under cover so that he doesn't get blown to bits. Our heroes face trouble from all sides, some of it natural, some of it completely unnatural. In the end, Charlie and Mage get to kick serious vampire butt and figure out just what to do about the Japanese connection, too. Not withstanding some improbable trips to the moon via Mage's focus, the story covers lots of territory, has some nicely worked out fight scenes (though they'd be even better as visuals) and offers plenty of fascinating vampire lore—a rousing, fun adventure story. (Feb. 1)
