Sons of Dracula by Ovidiu Damian (Book Review #2287)

The novel Sons of Dracula, written by Ovidiu Damian, is a haunting retelling of one of literature’s greatest myths. It blends the elements of folklore, history, and fantasy into a sweeping narrative surrounding destiny and self-discovery. However, rather than looking at the archetype of Dracula that we are all familiar with —the stereotyped vampire — Damian instead asks the provocative question, What if?

Damian lays the groundwork for Sons of Dracula with this alternative view of Dracula. The framework will be extended to three brothers—Luca, Andrei, and Matthew—who will be separated at birth and raised in disparate environments. From the tranquility of a small town in Canada to the hustle and bustle of Portland and the complex but rich history of Bucharest, the brothers grow up oblivious to each other until a mysterious force draws them together. The brothers come together and discover their destinies and identities as they wade into a battle long hidden beneath humanity’s history.

The strength of the novel lies in the way it intertwines the modern-day with the mythological. Damian’s reimagining of wolves is that, instead of being viewed as evil monsters, they are sacred remnants of ancestral spirits and serve as protectors to preserve the ancient balance of the earth. The Carpathian mountain range, where the novel takes place, provides more than just a setting; it also shapes the story’s mythological atmosphere, filled with mystery, folklore, and spiritual warfare.

Sons of Dracula examines what it means to leave behind a legacy and make choices. The three brothers, the main characters of the story, will have to find a balance between what has happened in the past and what will happen in the future, and reconcile the differences between memory and loss, bloodline and independence, and sacrifice and survival. The repeated phrase throughout the story—”I am who I am; I am who I was; I am who I will be”—becomes a declaration of identity and a reminder of the burden placed upon one through the path they have chosen.

Damian’s prose is vivid and cinematic, combining moments of action and contemplation in the way he has structured the story. The pace builds slowly as the author introduces multiple layers of mystery. It then eventually culminates in what will ultimately be revelations that will be both inevitable and shocking. Readers of The Witcher and Castlevania will enjoy the dark, mythological atmosphere of Sons of Dracula. In contrast, readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy will find as much enjoyment in the brothers’ personal journeys as they will in the high stakes involved with their quest.

The novel Sons of Dracula is not just a fantasy book, but also a study of how myths shape an individual, how history intersects with our lives today, and how everyone must confront the consequences of their ancestors’ legacies. Damian has written a book that is not easily forgotten, combining elements of thrill, thought, and many myths.

Written by Jeyran Main

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