Review - Farkas by Kim Fielding

Lee Harker works hard for his law firm in 1950s Los Angeles. He doesn't have much of a life outside of work, but it's what you do if you're a young lawyer who wants to make junior partner one day. One night, as he's working late as usual, one of the senior partners walks into his office and gives Lee a new assignment. Lee is to pack a bag and leave the next day to advise a very special client at his home. After a journey of several hours, Lee arrives at what appears to be a palatial mansion in the middle of nowhere and is greeted by his client, Vincent Farkas. Vincent is charming and very attractive, which puts Lee off balance from the very start. His attraction to men is something Lee tries very hard to keep secret. The more time Lee spends with Vincent, the more surreal his situation becomes.

As if the name of the main character alone doesn't tell you this, “Farkas” is a very modern, very gay, retelling of “Dracula.” The homosexual subtext of the original Bram Stoker story is subtext no more. Lee is a gay man, although in 1950s Los Angeles, he is very much in the closet. He even considers that he may need to marry one of the senior partner's daughters to maintain the facade of respectability.

The story is related entirely from Lee's point of view. We follow along as he is frustrated by not being able to leave the mansion while also being increasingly drawn to Vincent. We get to know Vincent entirely through Lee's eyes. We definitely see a charming yet mysterious man who seems to enjoy Lee's company. It's pretty obvious to us what Vincent is, and we definitely get the impression that Lee suspects but just doesn't want to believe it.

This updated vampire tale lacks the huge scope of the Bram Stoker novel. The original story has been pared down to a short novella with a simple story arc that focuses more on the romance than the danger or the battle between good and evil.

“Farkas” is available from Amazon.