In the Company of Vampires by Katie MacAlister
Review by Cynthia F. (frazerc)
In the Company of Vampires
Dark Ones #8, Ben & Fran #3
Publication Date: 11/2/2010
Pages: 334
This is the third in the Ben and Fran books. The first two, Got Fangs? And Circus of the Darned, were young adult novels. This one is not. It takes place five years after the previous two and Fran has broken off with Ben, graduated from college and finds herself still miserable.
The action starts off with the kidnapping of Fran’s roommate. During the rescue (by Fran of course) it becomes apparent that Loki is at the root of the kidnapping. (Norse gods have long memories.) When Fran calls her mother, only to find that her mother is missing, she fears the worst. Fran immediately makes plans to head for Europe and the GothFaire, only to be interrupted by the arrival of her Vikings from book 2. It seems that Freya sent them to help her get rid of Loki using the necklace. Unfortunately she left the necklace in Europe so it is not immediately accessible. Her Vikings insist on going along with her. (Fortunately Freya provided them with their own Visa card so the only problem is convincing them they have to leave their weapons behind.)
She arrives at the GothFaire only to discover a wide range of problems. Ben is there and with another woman. (Yes she blew him off but she hadn’t really expected him to move on – after all, she hasn’t.) Imogen is there but the necklace isn’t and her mom is still missing. While checking through her mom’s things for clues she finds a birth certificate indicating she has an older half-sister she never knew about.
Like the other books this one has lots of wacky details; the town where the GothFaire is currently located is competing for a Wagnerian opera company so everyone is wearing Wagnerian costumes (including cross-dressing mermaid cabdrivers) and frequently bursting into song. Her Vikings have gone shopping and are now being Viking ninjas (based on having seen a ninja movie on TV) and have picked up new weaponry.
The plot concerns rescuing mom, saving shape shifters, confronting Loki, and of course resolving Ben and Fran’s relationship problems.
All around a satisfying read.
Ben and Fran
1. Got Fangs? (2005)
2. Circus of the Darned (2006)
Confessions of a Vampire’s Girlfriend (omnibus of 1 & 2)
3. In the Company of Vampires
Dark Ones
1. A Girl’s Guide to Vampires (2003)
2. Sex and the Single Vampire (2004)
3. Sex, Lies and Vampires (2005)
4. Even Vampires Get the Blues (2006)
5. The Last of the Red-Hot Vampires (2007)
5. Bring Out Your Dead (2006) (in Just One Sip)
6. Zen and the Art of Vampires (2008)
7. Crouching Vampire, Hidden Fang (2009)
8. In the Company of Vampires (2010)
9. Much Ado About Vampires (2011)
