The narrative picks up immediately after the birth of a preternatural creature, the Taltos, fathered by the spirit Lasher through the witch Rowan Mayfair. This entity grows to adult size within hours, possessing genetic memories and a drive to propagate his nearly extinct species. Rowan remains captive to Lasher’s obsession as they flee across Europe, while her husband, Michael Curry, recovers from a near-fatal drowning to join forces with the Talamasca. The organization’s records provide a historical framework for the spirit’s origin, tracing his lineage back to prehistoric Scotland. As the Mayfair family tree unravels, the biological mechanics of the curse become clear, pitting ancient genetic imperatives against modern medical science in a violent struggle for dominance.
Readers of gothic horror and family sagas seek this book to understand the biological and historical origins of a long-standing haunting. It appeals to those interested in the crossover between supernatural folklore and detailed genealogical world-building. The reader walks away with a concrete explanation of the spirit's physical manifestation and an understanding of how the Mayfair family's wealth and magic were manipulated over centuries to facilitate a genetic rebirth. It provides closure regarding the spirit's true identity while expanding the scope of the supernatural landscape.
Practical, clear-cut and escapist; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Escapist Adventurer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1993
- Language
- EN
