Not A Review of Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter by A.E. Moorat

Posted by Colin Harvey Oct 18, 2009

With my work-load at the moment I'm having to skip reviews of some of my reading pile, but one book at least warrants a blog post.

Despite the fact that I occasionally dip a toe in the piranha-infested waters of horror, I'm not a great fan of the stuff. I'll read books by friends like Lee Thomas (who now I think of it has been very quiet lately -- go check his page out) who is a terrific writer in any genre, or by Gary Fry, Paul Meloy or Jonathan Maberry. But generally speaking I shy away from horror novels.

Especially ones with zombies in.

My friends know that mention of word 'zombie' generally produces the same reaction from me as 'dragons' in fantasy, or 'Singularity' in SF -- a rearing back of the head, followed by a curled lip, and a spitting noise. There are enough zombie books already -- we don't need any more.

So you can imagine my deep, deep joy when Hodder got in touch and asked me whether I'd be prepared to take a look at a novel by new writer A.E. Moorat, Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter. Hmm, Queen Victoria fighting zombies, holding a severed head on the cover. Just what the world needs.

But actually, it's pretty good, if at times barking mad -- think Buffy crossed with Wilkie Collins (no way is it Jane Austen, that's for sure).

Three things won me over.

First of all, Moorat is a journalist writing under a pseudonym so he (? I think it's a he) knows how to tell a story, and QV:DH doesn't hang around.

Secondly, Moorat knows his history, or is plausible enough to convince an educated layman like me that he does.

Finally, there's the humour, blacker than a coal cellar at midnight and Moorat's obvious glee at some of the things he puts the characters through is curiously endearing, if demented (Perkins the manservant fighting his urge to eat his master with stiff upper-lip fortitude is worth the read alone)

Go find a copy, and push back your chair. Just make sure your back is to the wall...