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E-branch

By Brian Lumley

(7)

| Paperback | 9780340792469

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Book Description

Jake Cutter is reluctantly learning how to be a Necroscope--how to use the Mobius continuum to travel instantaneously from place to place, how to talk to the dead--but dead humans don't like him much. It seems Jake's got a hitchhiker named Korath. Since Korath holds the key to the Mobius equations, Continue

1 Review

Brian Lumley's Necroscope: Avengers; A Sad Ending To An Amazing Series

The title of the 'Third Book in Invaders Trilogy' actually is Necroscope: Avengers.
Necroscope: Avengers is the thirteenth novel in Brian Lumley's huge Necroscope saga. When I first started reading this amazing series, there were only five novels out. I became a fan instantly and have read eve ... (continue)

The title of the 'Third Book in Invaders Trilogy' actually is Necroscope: Avengers.
Necroscope: Avengers is the thirteenth novel in Brian Lumley's huge Necroscope saga. When I first started reading this amazing series, there were only five novels out. I became a fan instantly and have read everything Lumley ever since. However, the Necroscope series has grown immensely huge over the years and even I questioned every new release.
"Why doesn't Lumley just write about something else?" I would wonder. I have loved his other novels like Maze Of Worlds, Khai Of Ancient Khem, The Compleat Khash and the like. There's only so much you can expand on in a story. I remember bugging fans of Robert Jordan about how he couldn't write about anything other than a Wheel Of Time book. I've since been silenced when they find out about Lumley's Necroscope.
Avengers is the third novel in a 'sub-series' of what I would call 'New Necroscope'. In the original series, the amiable Harry Keogh was the Necroscope. Some dictionary definitions:
necro- or necr-
pref.
1 - Dead body; corpse.
2 - Death.
scope
n.
1 - The range of one's perceptions, thoughts, or actions.
2 - Informal. A viewing instrument such as a periscope, microscope, or telescope.
Combine the above definitions and you may understand what a Necroscope essentially is. An instrument who can communicate with the dead (what Mr. Lumley likes to call 'the Great Majority')
In the 'New Necroscope' series (Invaders, Defilers, and Avengers), Jake Cutter is introduced to us as the new Necroscope.
Avengers continues on with the story from the previous two novels. Three wamphyri (Lumlian for 'vampires') have come from another world to invade Earth. It is up to our heroes in England to stop them.
'Our' heroes are the always-dependable E-branch. E-branch is a group of 'spies' that protect the world using their special abilities. Telepaths, human lie detectors, and people that can locate things anywhere in the world are just a few examples of the talents that members of E-branch possess. Of course, the Necroscope has his unique talent as well.
'Our' wamphyri threats in this novel are Lord Szwart, Malinari, and the sometimes lovely, sometimes hideous hag Vavara. With their plans foiled in the previous two novels, they create a new one.
During the course of reading Avengers I found one large glaring difference to this 'New Necroscope' series as opposed to the old one. No longer is the necroscope the first person hero. Jake Cutter is a rebellious troubled man. One doesn't know whether he is on the same team as e-branch or against them at any given time. Instead, these 'New Necroscope' novels follow E-Branch leader Ben Trask (a human lie detector). While Mr. Trask is a nice enough guy it seems, he is one character I have never really been especially fond of. What would have made it easier on me perhaps is if the U.S. title had kept the original British title of the series. In the U.K. they called this series 'E-Branch: Invaders, Defilers, and Avengers'. Then at least I would have instantly understood that this isn't a straight out Necroscope novel, it's an E-branch novel. No wonder they are the main characters in the story and have more time devoted to them over Jake Cutter. Still, I didn't like it.
The problem with Ben Trask perhaps is his ability. Having the ability to always tell if someone is lying to you means that most of the story is going to have to deal with relationships, personal or otherwise. Trask doesn't have the ability to speak with the dead like a necroscope. Some of the greatest parts of past Necroscope novels have been when a necroscope has conversations with the 'Great Majority'. Trask also isn't a young, strong man either. Nothing against non-young, strong men characters, it's just that I, as a Necroscope fan have become accustomed to some neat action bits in each novel. How can Trask accomplish any type of action against the strength of the vampire? he can't.
Avengers is not an action packed novel like previous Lumley outings. Instead, Lumley has decided to have a more political, ESP-ionage, spy type thriller. Personal relationships are built up more than in any previous Necroscope novel. The novel is chock full of arguments, worrying, and your basic lovers chitchat, mostly about Trask, his girlfriend, Cutter and his. Call this interesting?
Lumley does fill in some good story around Trask, Cutter, and their girlfriends. The vampires are still hideously evil. They are still the grossest, coolest, and sickest vampires I have ever read. The best parts of Avengers are when all three of the wamphyri are attacking. It's just fabulous. But then yet another serious downside to the novel appears. The bloody ending that is so obviously lifted from another 'famous' vampire novel. While the original 'famous' vampire novel's ending is a classic, you can't just outright copy it!
Overall though, I suppose I have come away from this novel saddened by the fact that the Necroscope series is not going to end on as great a note as it previously did (until Lumley added sub-series upon sub-series to the original five novel collection). The first five novels were phenomenal, they changed my idea of what a vampire should be, and I will appreciate them always. Unfortunately, as each new little sub-series came and went, the story became more and more 'watered-down' and ahem, dare I say boring? While I have enjoyed each one of these novels, Avengers finally reached that 'watered-down' and been-there-done-that point which made it more boring than entertaining.

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CaptHowdy said on Sep 9, 2007 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback