Strieber's third, rambunctious novel in the vampire series he began with The
Hunger in 1980 and continued in last year's Last Vampire introduces
a new female bloodsucker to replace Miriam Blaylock (vanquished in The Last
Vampire). She's Liliththe biblical Lilith, first wife of Adamand
the mother of all vampires, or Keepers, who in turn created humanity, according
to Strieber's elaborate vampire mythology. Like Miriam, Lilith is incredibly
beautiful, powerful and rapacious. She lacks Miriam's modern sophistication,
though, having spent many centuries buried in a cave. The novel begins as she
awakens, outside Cairo, and Strieber adds a sprinkling of humor to this dark,
emotionally intense series as Lilith fumbles through an array of modern technologies
ranging from automobiles to bathtubs to credit cards. Returning in this novel
is CIA vampire-hunter Paul Ward, who's part vamp himself and who in The Last
Vampire fathered a son, Ian, (now 17) by Miriam. Also playing major roles
are Paul's wife and fellow agent, Becky, and Leo Patterson, blooded
by Miriam years ago and now a global singing star whom Ian worships. Much of
the action takes place in Manhattan, where Lilith joins forces with Leo, and
then kidnaps Ian, adoring him as a new, superior species, a blend of vampire
and human; the novel climaxes back in Egypt, where Lilith, Leo and Ian are on
the run from Paul and his cohorts. Strieber remains a superb prose stylist,
with a coherent and persuasive vision of vampirism; the entire novel, though,
exudes a frantic air, with emotions running at fever pitch and gobs of X-rated
sex and violence; it's probably time for Strieber to search for new narrative
blood.