Fictitious Musings

It is 1628, Vienna, and the aging Lady Amara Borbala has collapsed before fulfilling her promise to complete the historical truth about her life long companion, the infamous Countess Elizabeth Bathory. In her last entry before her illness Amara writes, “It’d been nearly 130 years since Vlad Tepes arranged the secret agreement. Was it truly possible that the kin of an ancient advisor was still carrying out the contact, or would we be sadly disappointed by a ruined and forgotten plan? In book two, the journey of the rise and demise of one of history’s most intriguing noble female murderers continues. Come following Elizabeth and Amara through the canals of Venice and high into the Carpthaian Mountains to discover the inevitable. How the story of the Blood Countess ends!

The Hidden Will of the Dragon by Charlie Courtland
Paperback: 494 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (September 13, 2010)
Series: Countess Elizabeth Bathory #2

This was an adventure that will not soon be forgotten. It will linger in your memory, drawing you back to the moments captured within the story. What an amazing cast of characters. Each one unique, yet attached in some way or another to each other. As a reader, I was taken on an adventure filled with edge of your seat, nail biting tension and romantic and/or lustful romantic trysts. As the story carries you through the lives of two women could never be more different yet so faithful to each other.  The setting was described so vividly that it felt as though you were or had been in that time period, experiencing each moment alongside Lady Amara and Elizabeth Bathory.

Lady Amara’s character caught me off guard, shocking me throughout the twisting plot. At times, she almost seemed naive but that feeling would not last long. She was, in my mind, a hopeless romantic longing for true love. Would she find it? Was it to happen for her? The amount of loyalty Amara had when it came to Elizabeth was almost sickening. In the end I was saddened by her situation.

Elizabeth Bathory (the Blood Countess) was a very strong and fierce woman. From the beginning, I was drawn to her adventurous side and later appalled by the woman she would become. The madness this woman exerted on her fellow characters was unimaginable.

Charlie Courtland has created an enthralling tale where history meets legend and romance. Readers that enjoyed “The Historian” will find Courtland’s work fitting to their taste. I will definitely watch out for future works and look forward to reading “Dandelions in the Garden.”

Tags:Charlie Courtland, CreateSpace, Elizabeth bathory Series, The Hidden Will of the Dragon