The Salem Branch

by Lara Parker

Book Overview

Dark Shadows continues with the full measure of spellbinding suspense and gripping storytelling that made the original television series a timeless hit. Freed from his vampire curse, Barnabas Collins is ready to embark on a new life and marriage with his savior, the virtuous Dr. Julia Hoffman. But when Antoinette, a beautiful flower child with a shocking resemblance to the immortal witch Angelique, rebuilds the Old House, his past returns to haunt...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0765370026
• ISBN13: 9780765370020
• Release Date: April 2012
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Length: 334 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.1" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

The REAL Vampire!

Barnabas Collins was THE vampire of the late 1960s to early 1970s & he is still my favorite. I'm glad to see that Lara Parker is keeping him "alive".

Not your usual "My name is Victoria Winters" DS fare

A great read from Angelique herself. Lara Parker is becoming a stronger novelist in this her second novel. While at times her pacing and chronology seem a tad awkward and clunky, her prose is vivid, alive with all the passion and eroticism you'd expect from the woman who played Angelique in her various incarnations. The use of the early '70s Love Children is so fun and so right for this milieu. Barnabas the Human is still as charming; in fact, moreso as he struggles to deal with human limitations. The maturing of David Collins is also handled with sensitivity and humor, minding all that he's been through at so young an age. It's just a delight to encounter all these beloved characters again. This book could serve as an introduction to the world of DS including the DVD collections of the shows, all the Marilyn Ross novels, the comics, Lara Parker's first novel, ANGELIQUE'S DESCENT, and Rainey and Massie's DREAMS OF THE DARK. Fans of course, already know all that and this will just be a new pleasure.

A Terrific Journey to Collinwood and Salem

Author-actress Lara Parker brings the Dark Shadows story into the 21st century with a well-told page-turner based on the TV classic. Fans of the 1966-71 soap opera will love Parker's unique look at their favorite characters--but the way the book is written, you don't have to be familiar with the show to enjoy and understand the action. In fact, the story-within-a-story, about a young woman accused of witchcraft in the 1600s is a compelling tale of magic and persecution, practically independent of the TV show's original storylines. If you love Dark Shadows and/or lively stories of witchcraft in the early days of colonial America, this is the book for you. The Salem Branch is split between the 1970s (just after Dark Shadows left the air) and the Salem witch trials in the 1690s. Parker spent time researching ancient Salem and it shows; the sequences set in the past are particularly engaging. Readers will understand how any woman showing a streak of independence in old Salem could easily find herself accused of being a witch and end up stripped of her rights and her property. In the 1970s story, in a delicious twist to typical vampire tales, longtime bloodsucker Barnabas Collins finds himself cured of his curse, and he's less-than-thrilled with the development. After dreaming for decades of being "normal," Barnabas finally gets his wish, with the help of ever-faithful Dr. Julia Hoffman, but when a new vampire threatens the Collins family, he longs for the superpowers he no longer has--and as he watches the man in the mirror growing older, he misses immortality. Parker shows herself to be a powerful writer who knows how to tell a good story, rich with details and populated with intriguing characters. Along with fan-favorites like David and Quentin Collins and Elizabeth and Carolyn Stoddard, she includes new creations including a band of trippy hippies who set up camp in the woods near Collinwood. In the 1690s flashback, the author also fleshes out two important characters barely seen on Dark Shadows--a flying, spell-casting witch named Miranda Du Val, and Judah Zachery, a warlock who literally looses his head over his devotion to Satan. The Salem Branch is peppered with amusing moments that will have special meaning to longtime fans of the TV show. Barnabas was portrayed by Jonathan Frid, an actor in his mid-40s who wasn't conventionally handsome or heroic in traditional soap opera terms; however he was constantly embroiled in somewhat unlikely hot-and-heavy romances with much younger, beautiful women--including Angelique, originally portrayed by Lara Parker. With a knowing wink to the reader, Parker acknowledges this incongruity several times in the novel; in fact, when Barnabas confesses his love for the youthful and gorgeous Antionette, she politely lets him know she's slightly out of his league. The relationship between Barnabas and Julia--an integral part of the TV series--is explored from a new, interesting perspective. On the show, Barn

Back to 1971

This is a PG type book, probably too many things to explain to young children, but fine for a teenager who likes horror stories. The book is much like the series in horror element. It uses the characters of David, Quentin, Angelique and Miranda Du Val from the series in addition to Barnabas, Julia, Roger, Willie and Elizabeth. Other charaters have minor roles. It starts off a little slow, but the beginning contains important elements used in the story later. It also deals with alot of things particular to 1971 so it helps to be familiar with that era. The ending is a little unexpected and difficult to understand without reading the whole book (no peeking ahead, please). It resolves in an interesting way, and leaves me wanting another book very soon. I hope this one sells well.

Black Fantasy at its Best

The latest installment of the Dark Shadows saga tells how Barnabas Collins, the vampire hero of the series, becomes a Human and falls in Love with a mysterious woman that looks just like Angelique, the woman who made him a vampire many years ago. A Funny fact is that Lara Parker, the Author, played the role of Angelique on Dark Shadows original TV show. A must read if you like vampire stories, and of course if you are a fan of Dark Shadows.