This book is more scattered in its focus than Fleming's CLAN NOVEL: GANGREL but less so than his CLAN NOVEL: VENTRUE. There is a strong central character- the Assamite elder, Fatimah. She shares the stage with other Assamite characters but, more importantly, with the Lasombra Lucita and Lucita's sire Cardinal Moncada. My problem is that I couldn't really find anyone to like in this story. Fatimah seemed stiff and humorless. I generally like the Lasombra (which makes this book especially hard to enjoy for a number of reasons) but I've never gotten Lucita's appeal and she seems to have even fewer redeeming qualities here than usual. Moncada did have the virtue of being truly creepy but loving to hate someone can only do so much.

In short, this really wasn't the book for me and I was relieved to get to CLAN NOVEL: RAVNOS after this. Still, if you click with these characters better than I did, then, yes, I would say that this book does tell a story that stands alone- although not as much as GANGREL does- and can be read apart from the rest of the series.

But don't do that. First of all because Assamites are creatures of intrigue and unless you know what's been brewing some of the stuff that happens here- especially with the Assamite Parmenides- won't begin to make sense. Second, the really fun and bestest thing here is the delightful way this book fills in pieces of the puzzle created by the earlier books in the Clan Novel series- retelling incidents from other characters' points of view, for example, so that you finally have some idea of what was happening and why.


Assamite   January 26, 2000
 2 out of 4 found this review helpful

This is a fantastic book and a true credit to the entire clan novels. The entire series gives a great different viewpoint of vampires and this book does a great job of getting into the mind of one of those vampires. The only book at this time better in the series if number 4 Seitte. It also has a fantastic ability to put the reader into the story as a participate and not just as a reader. Both are a must read.


Exciting!   August 13, 2001
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

It's a cool novel! Exciting, thrilling, amazing! You accompany Fatima al-Faqadi to Alamut, where you get an insight in the structure and inner politics of the Eagle's Nest. You visit a Sabbat invasion in the USA and a showdown with the Lasombra Archbishop of Lisbon. You learn details about some of Fatima's Rafiq colleagues as well as about Clan Elders like Jamal, Ur-Shulgi, Thetmes and Al-Ashrad. Maybe the best VtM book I have read.


AMAZING!   May 31, 2000
 1 out of 2 found this review helpful

I just wanna say that this book IS THE BEST OF ALL THE CLAN NOVELS I'VE READ SO FAR... SIMPLY AMAZING, bye