Legend, 1990. 1st edition. Hardback. Antiquarian: very good condition (owner's name on flyleaf).
An extremely complex tale of vampires (while avoiding Anne Rice-ish clichés), wolves (while avoiding wolf clichés), dark pine forests, blood sacrifice, religion, omens and other strange things too many to mention here... set in a sort of parallel Dark Ages Europe. The forest is the star in this tale: dark, brooding, timeless, a tapestry of danger, death, and rebirth. The latter, rebirth - renewal of the seasons and of life itself - regeneration - is a constant theme in this book. The story is told in a looping narrative that seems to weave back over itself. Lee is often cruel to her characters, if not relentlessly barbaric at times, which reflects beautifully the harsh primitive European setting.*
