Raven Dane Books In Order

Publication Order of Cyrus Darian Books

Publication Order of Legacy of the Dark Kind Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of Anthologies

Raven Dane is an Irish author of horror, dark fantasy, steampunk, and alternate history books and short stories. She initially ventured into the writing world with her well-received Legacy of the Dark Kind series, comprising titles like Blood Tears, Blood Lament, and Blood Alliance. Following this series, she ventured into a different genre with a humorous take on high fantasy, penning The Unwise Woman of Fuggis Mire. Raven’s novel Cyrus Darian and the Technomicron won the Victorian Steampunk Society Best Novel Award in 2012. Besides writing short stories featured in different publications, Raven is also a regular contributor to the Gruesome Grotesques anthologies and Phantasmagoria Magazine.

In addition, Raven was featured on two lists of top women horror writers in February’s Women in Horror Month, 2013.

Blood Tears is the first novel in the Legacy of the Dark Kind series by Raven Dane. It’s increasingly rare to encounter a work of fiction with such a meticulously crafted, intellectually stimulating, and authentic essence. Legacy of The Dark Kind is a sweeping exploration into the world of amoral vampires who have existed for nearly as long as time itself.

The trilogy ingeniously blends elements of dark fantasy, alternative history, and even a dash of science fiction. Starting with the first installment, Blood Tears has garnered an enthusiastic following, inspiring passionate readers and sparking the creation of art, music, and even tattoos.

This isn’t your typical romance novel; it is a masterful blend of science fiction and suspense. The narrative introduces a vampire caste system, a concept not entirely novel but ingeniously scattered across the globe and teetering on the brink of extinction. The story commences in 1925 in the Upper Balkans, where the last surviving vampire warrior, Jendar Azrar, continues to thrive in a land he has dominated.

His companion, Kali, possesses the unique ability to read human minds in extraordinary detail. Their existence is secluded, marked by ignorance and isolation, until the onslaught of the Nazi regime in the 20th century. The narrative eventually concludes in 1945 with the Allied occupation of Germany, taking readers through the war-ravaged landscapes of Europe, where both Dark Kind and humans experience the brutal realities of war. This leads to an uneasy alliance between the two factions, particularly intriguing because the Dark Kind cannot pass as humans due to their distinct characteristics, including luminous eyes devoid of whites and purple blood. Their emotional spectrum differs from that of humans, and they are essentially their distinct species with specific human attributes. The narrative, however, does not delve into the origins of these vampires, who have existed since before the time of Jesus.

This book offers a captivating read from start to finish. Raven Dane has masterfully created a rich, vivid, and mesmerizing world with historical events, formidable vampires, wartime tribulations, fragile alliances, betrayals, unwavering loyalty, love, and violence.
The narrative is exceptionally rich in depicting scenery, language, world-building, and character development. It resembles the structure of Vampires of the Scarlet Order in that it follows a group of vampires throughout the centuries, but the similarities end there. It parallels Anne Rice’s immersive vampire world-building while embracing the lyrical language akin to Diana Gabaldon’s “Outlander,” adding a unique dimension to classic gothic literature. Raven Dane has ingeniously taken vampire lore and constructed an entire world around it, revealing a parallel existence with humanity. In this universe, vampires are referred to as the Dark Kind.

It’s challenging to pinpoint a specific plotline in the traditional sense. Instead, the story follows the lives of various characters inhabiting this distinct world and the passage of time through the ages. Azrar, the Dark Prince of Isolann, takes in a young mind-reader named Khari. The narrative unfolds as Khari harnesses her unique abilities and becomes acquainted with the world, offering her gift to aid Azrar in navigating the challenges posed by the imminent 20th-century technology and the shadow of WWII.
The dynamic between Azrar and Khari is particularly striking; although he provided her with a home and played a role in her upbringing, she develops romantic feelings for him. While the ending might seem contrary to this, it ultimately works out well as Khari finds love with someone who shares her deep affection. Eshan, another Dark Kind, also experiences unrequited love for Azrar and tries to warn Khari against falling in love with him, as the Dark Kind does not experience emotions as humans do. Azrar’s own experience with love has been fraught with suffering.

Each character within the narrative possesses a poetic quality that imbues them with a lifelike and relatable essence. Garan, a rebellious Dark Kind who defies Azrar and chooses to live by his own rules, is simultaneously ruthless, somewhat arrogant, and yet endearing. Sandor, a young abused worker introduced at the story’s beginning, exhibits kindness and harbors a deep affection for Khari and her mother figure, Ileni, thereby inspiring sympathy. Several side characters harbor hidden agendas amid the complexities of Dark Kind society, and Raven Dane skillfully explores their desires, dilemmas, and intricacies.

Blood Tears spans centuries, traversing significant world events and wars that intertwine with historical reality. The descriptions are vivid and compelling, while the large ensemble cast is well-fleshed-out and endearing. Even the Dark Kind, inherently non-human with unique traits often conflicting with humans, comes to life on the pages. Raven Dane successfully conveys the isolation and rugged beauty of Isolann and the inhabitants’ ignorance of the modern world beyond their borders. Her portrayal of Jendar Azrar as a formidable and powerful Dark Kind warrior is impeccably executed.

This narrative is not for the faint-hearted; it delves into graphic violence and bloodshed as it guides readers through the horrors of war-torn Europe, experienced both by humans and the Dark Kind.

Absinthe & Arsenic” comprises a collection of sixteen narratives crafted by Raven Dane, blending elements of Victorian weird fiction with steampunk aesthetics. In her introduction, she openly admits to her lifelong admiration for literary luminaries such as M.R. James and Wilkie Collins. The majority of these stories were exclusively penned for this anthology and have not been previously published elsewhere. An example of this is a segment extracted from her acclaimed steampunk novel Cyrus Darian and The Technomicron.

To set the stage for each tale, the narrative begins with a specific year, consistently within the latter half of the nineteenth century, and a distinct location, often London. However, some unfold in Yorkshire, Ireland, or even France.