Robert Lory The Drums of Dracula - #5

[andydecker]

Robert Lory The Drums of Dracula (Pinnacle 1974)

Professor Harmon´s niece Jenny once again gets kidnapped, this time by a voodoo priest. This is a nice one of the series. You have a really pissed off Professor Harmon vowing terrible vengeance and an amused Dracula mocking Harmon once again for the hypocrite he is. Of course at the end Dracula is again his invincible self. Lory knew he was repeating himself so from the next novel on the adversaries got more powerful.

Here as a bonus is the german cover by Thole. Mostly they used the NEL covers or some generic Dracula cover which were sometimes still better then the rest of the Pinnacle covers, come to think of it.

[dem bones]

Robert Lory – The Drums Of Dracula (NEL, Feb. 1976)

Blurb:

Jenny Harmon, Professor Harmon’s young niece, is staying in Jamaica to study the mysterious and infamous cult of voodoo. But her investigations anger the hostile followers of the forbidden religion. She is kidnapped — and a ransom note is delivered to her uncle demanding $500,000 or she will die screaming!

Only a power of greater evil than those of the voodoo witchdoctors and their terrible zombie slaves can save young Jenny. Dr Harmon is forced once again to turn to Count Dracula for aid — the most dreaded creature of the night, the greatest vampire of all, whom Dr Harmon has resurrected through his great knowledge.

A violent battle for supremacy is played out against the throbbing of voodoo drums and the dark Caribbean night.

Review by Franklin Marsh:

We’re off to Jamaica for some voodoo in this one. Sound ridiculous? It is but Lory somehow keeps it compelling. Just like the Hammer Draculas you wish the Count had more …er…page time. Lory is on top form whenever the Lord of the Vampires is around. He’s used sparingly though but to very good effect. Our heroine Jenny arrives on the island, upsets the locals within minutes, changes into a skimpy bathing costume, is caught by the voodooists and chained up naked. You can’t ask for much more than this. Lory deflects accusations of sexism by having Cam captured and chained up naked too. At last – equality in exploitation! Tops for atmosphere and zips along faster than you can query any plot holes. Dracula may be on the side of the good guys but he still exudes evil given a chance.

[dem bones]

Prof. Damien Harman is now celebrating his 35th year in a wheelchair, and that famous "bad back" is making him more cantankerous than ever. Dracula hasn't yet rid himself of the telepathically controlled stake implant and Cam is still lusting after a piece of Ktara's arse (though, obviously, not when she turns into a cat: that can be off-putting). Despite all, there is relative harmony in the Harmon household - until his beautiful niece goes poking her pretty little nose in where it doesn't belong! Against Harmon's wishes, Jenny - the Lynn Powell of the piece - has taken a year out from college to stay with Arworth Garth on his Jamaican estate and research the secrets of voodoo. Garth, one of Harmon's oldest friends, warns Jenny that she'd do better to forget all this black sorcery, treat the visit as a vacation, quit upsetting his servants with her infernal questions. Euleila the maid has already "accidentally" deposited a fruit salad in blonde missy's lap, Loala, toothless crone of a housekeeper, makes no attempt to hide her animosity, and things will only escalate if she continues to pry. But Jenny shares her uncle's ingrained pig-headedness. She slips into a bathing suit, "a skimpy one, at that", heads to the beach for a midnight swim. But she's too troubled to enjoy the exercise. There's a strange atmosphere about the island tonight and dig those crazy bongos! Meanwhile, four shadowy forms slink through the trees to await her return to the changing cubicle ....

To be continued

[dem bones]

Up to page 40 now and it's all happening. Jenny's been abducted by the gumster and her four white-eyed zombies. They're demanding $500, 000 for her safe return, a pittance to Harmon, but he's in no mood to negotiate with kidnappers. "They have taken Jennifer. They have dared to take Jennifer.... I want you to kill for me," he rants. "Is that different from anything you have asked me to do in the past?" sneers the Count, before reminding him that their bargain expires in two months, at which point so will Harmon - slowly and painfully. Nevertheless, a brief interlude to allow Mr. Lory a generous plug for The Hand Of Dracula before a party of three and one crate arrive at Ocho Rios to do battle with the disciples of Damballah.