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Farkas
Lee Harker has never fit in anywhere. Not with his immigrant family in rural Nebraska, not on a Navy ship during World War II, and not in Los Angeles as associate in a law firm. But when he’s sent to a remote mansion to complete some paperwork for the reclusive Vincent Farkas, Lee encounters the most unsettling circumstances yet. Caught in a place where things truly do go bump in the night, he must face his fears—and his desires—and acknowledge his true nature.
111 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 3, 2023
About the author
Kim Fielding
180 books1,314 followersKim Fielding lives in Oregon and travels as often as she can manage. A professor by day, at night she rushes into a phone booth to change into her author costume (which involves comfy clothes instead of Spandex and is, sadly, lacking a cape). Her superpowers include the ability to write nearly anywhere, often while simultaneously doling out assistance to her family. Her favorite word to describe herself is "eclectic" and she finally got that eighth tattoo.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
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January 3, 2023I've always loved Stoker's original Dracula novel. As a story setting, I also love downtown Los Angeles in the 1950s. And back when I was in law school, one of my favorite professors gave us a lecture (while appropriately dressed) about how lawyers are vampires.
These elements came together for me in Farkas.
Stoker was almost certainly gay, but the circumstances of his time meant he was deeply closeted. I'd say same-sex attraction was a subtext in Dracula, but it seems too obvious to be subtext. I only had to make it a little more obvious in my story. And in the 1950s, an up and coming attorney in LA would still have had to be very circumspect about his sexuality. My story, therefore, plays with themes of identity, morality, and finding one's place in the world.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
These elements came together for me in Farkas.
Stoker was almost certainly gay, but the circumstances of his time meant he was deeply closeted. I'd say same-sex attraction was a subtext in Dracula, but it seems too obvious to be subtext. I only had to make it a little more obvious in my story. And in the 1950s, an up and coming attorney in LA would still have had to be very circumspect about his sexuality. My story, therefore, plays with themes of identity, morality, and finding one's place in the world.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
December 17, 2023
Delicious little novella. Though it squeezed in a lot of particulars about the POV character, the actual characterization was scant. But the story was still gripping, hot, and well built.
Thanks to ancientreader, whose review nudged this off my TBR!
Thanks to ancientreader, whose review nudged this off my TBR!
March 20, 2023
A twist on Dracula and Jonathan Harker. Not sure how I feel about it. Seems like Harker was too weak willed to resist the monster, who honestly doesn't love him so much as lured him into his sphere based on Harker's predilections and characteristics. Farkas/ Dracula seemed very cold and calculating.
Not exactly a romance. (Tho there was sex)
Not exactly a romance. (Tho there was sex)
January 11, 2023
“I am, as you heard me tell my protégés, capable of love. And loneliness.” He sighed deeply. “I believe I experience that at a depth no human can imagine.”
“Lots of people feel lonely too.”
Vincent spun around to look at him, eyes bright. “Yes! To be without a family. To know that if people saw your true self they would reject you—even destroy you. To yearn for love but believe oneself incapable of inspiring that emotion in another. You know these things, yes?”
“Yes,” Lee whispered.
“These emotions have haunted you for a few decades. But they have weighed on me for centuries. Can you imagine this? Can you understand how heavy this burden is?”
4.25 stars
Unread books on my Kindle: 85
“Lots of people feel lonely too.”
Vincent spun around to look at him, eyes bright. “Yes! To be without a family. To know that if people saw your true self they would reject you—even destroy you. To yearn for love but believe oneself incapable of inspiring that emotion in another. You know these things, yes?”
“Yes,” Lee whispered.
“These emotions have haunted you for a few decades. But they have weighed on me for centuries. Can you imagine this? Can you understand how heavy this burden is?”
4.25 stars
Unread books on my Kindle: 85
December 12, 2023
By far the darkest book I've ever read by this writer -- I was genuinely scared for much of it -- and though it's sexy *fans self* and the MCs (who are not even a little bit nice) are together at the end, I'm not at all sure it qualifies as a romance. I'm not even sure it has a happy ending. In its style and in the possibilities it admits, it doesn't resemble the ending of Great Expectations, but it reminded me of GE's last words anyway: "I saw no shadow of another parting from her." Which you read and say, "Awww," and close the book, and then you come screeching to a halt and say, "Now hold on there one damn minute." Because from the fact that someone doesn't see a shadow, it doesn't follow that there's no shadow to be seen.
... Ah, not that anyone is likely to be saying "Awwww" at the end of Farkas! I just mean it's less straightforward that it might seem at first.
"Farkas" is about as un-sexy and un-romantic a name as I can imagine, by the way.
... Ah, not that anyone is likely to be saying "Awwww" at the end of Farkas! I just mean it's less straightforward that it might seem at first.
"Farkas" is about as un-sexy and un-romantic a name as I can imagine, by the way.
February 27, 2023
4.5 rounded up
This author is super hit or miss for me, but when she's on, she's on and this was right up my alley! Dracula is one of my favorite books, and I loved the inspiration and retelling here. I selfishly wanted a longer story because I really loved the characters and atmosphere, but I do think what we got was quite satisfying.
This author is super hit or miss for me, but when she's on, she's on and this was right up my alley! Dracula is one of my favorite books, and I loved the inspiration and retelling here. I selfishly wanted a longer story because I really loved the characters and atmosphere, but I do think what we got was quite satisfying.
December 7, 2023
Did not really feel like a romance. Interesting premise, but I just didn’t like the MCs very much.
August 4, 2023
Quick But Interesting
This may be a quick story but it was definitely interesting to read. The experience was made even better with the wonderful narration by Joel Leslie. He really brought the story to life for me.
This may be a quick story but it was definitely interesting to read. The experience was made even better with the wonderful narration by Joel Leslie. He really brought the story to life for me.
January 7, 2023
Clearly inspired by Stoker's characters - Harker and Dracula.
I'm rather reluctant to call it romance though; even if Lee and Vincent indeed have a relationship but I'm afraid that I'm not really 100% convinced of Vincent's true intention (does he really care/love Lee or does he just see Lee as possible conquest?).
And I cannot 100% certain that Lee's feeling is not imbued with trickle of charm. Since this is novella, the timeline is also a bit short ...
I'm rather reluctant to call it romance though; even if Lee and Vincent indeed have a relationship but I'm afraid that I'm not really 100% convinced of Vincent's true intention (does he really care/love Lee or does he just see Lee as possible conquest?).
And I cannot 100% certain that Lee's feeling is not imbued with trickle of charm. Since this is novella, the timeline is also a bit short ...
October 10, 2023
DNF at 59%, bored.
Usually this author's stories work for me. But not this one. In desperation, I started skimming before halfway through, but even that couldn't give me enough to get to the end.
Usually this author's stories work for me. But not this one. In desperation, I started skimming before halfway through, but even that couldn't give me enough to get to the end.
January 6, 2023
That ending! The entire book was excellent, but the last scene was sublime. I had a visceral reaction as I was reading Lee’s interaction with Vincent. The entire story was leading to this scene and the building of the tension was so very well written. There was a good romance between the excellent MCs and I enjoyed the details of the scenes between them, the leg in the painting, the scratching on the stones outside the window as Vincent leaves. So many shivery moments! I really liked how Vincent gave Lee free will with his choice. Yes, Vincent seduced Lee, but he was honest with him the entire way and some of the honesty was grisly as to what the future would hold for Lee.
This book was so well written about the splitting of the moral code for Lee and his interior thoughts were just excellent. I won’t be forgetting this story. I liked the nods to Bram Stoker. The author is a very good writer.
This book was so well written about the splitting of the moral code for Lee and his interior thoughts were just excellent. I won’t be forgetting this story. I liked the nods to Bram Stoker. The author is a very good writer.
February 18, 2023
I thought a Kim Fielding vampire story narrated by Joel Leslie would be a slam dunk for me, but this was missing the spark I usually find in this author's works.
February 24, 2023
This felt like an unfinished retelling of Dracula, set somewhat in 1950s Los Angeles. If you want a quick classic gothic tale and are a fan of vampires, definitely give this a shot. My only real problem with it is that I wanted it to be longer with the motivations of each character explored a bit more. More show, less tell.
April 24, 2026
Firstly, to get this out of the way, why didn't someone tell Joel Leslie how to correctly pronounce "Farkas"?! I cringed every time he used a hard "sssss" sound instead of "sh" which is how "s" is pronounced in Hungarian.
Ok now on to the book.
There were some goth/atmospheric elements during the scenes when he was wondering the halls of the mansion, but it wasn't overwhelming and certainly not scary. In fact, the most disturbing part of this was the insta-love. I guess for such a short book it needed to be insta-love, otherwise it would have required a lot more character development.
The insistence that there was no influence is kind of unbelievable, but if we're doing instalove we might as well do some hand-waving plot as well.
Those two pieces don't detract from the story. It's still a fun bite-sized book and I highly recommend reading it. It's just not a literary masterpiece.
Ok now on to the book.
There were some goth/atmospheric elements during the scenes when he was wondering the halls of the mansion, but it wasn't overwhelming and certainly not scary. In fact, the most disturbing part of this was the insta-love. I guess for such a short book it needed to be insta-love, otherwise it would have required a lot more character development.
The insistence that there was no influence is kind of unbelievable, but if we're doing instalove we might as well do some hand-waving plot as well.
Those two pieces don't detract from the story. It's still a fun bite-sized book and I highly recommend reading it. It's just not a literary masterpiece.
January 19, 2023
Very short paranormal story
This was a quick read, but not much character development. Set in the 1950s and I would have love a more vampire noir feel to it.
We don’t really get to know the men and it didn’t really feel like a love connection🙂. But I usually like KF books and writing and look forward to more.
This was a quick read, but not much character development. Set in the 1950s and I would have love a more vampire noir feel to it.
We don’t really get to know the men and it didn’t really feel like a love connection🙂. But I usually like KF books and writing and look forward to more.
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January 10, 2023girl RUN
January 20, 2023
Read this, not sure why I didn't review it. Good story, as always, even though I'm not a vampire fan.
April 17, 2023
paixão de pika bate e fica
September 22, 2023
See my web site for a full review of “Farkas.”
February 2, 2024
This needs to be longer lol.
I liked it but it felt rushed due to it's length.
Overall enjoyable
I liked it but it felt rushed due to it's length.
Overall enjoyable
September 21, 2024
So good
Interesting
Interesting
March 5, 2025
After reading some Dracula inspired books recently I was in the mood for a closer retelling and decided to reread this book.
I think it’s one of the closest retellings.
We have Lee, who works in a law firm and gets sent to a strange mansion to assist Vincent.
Being a novella there is obviously not that much space to go through all the details of the book. But this one stays rather close to the happenings inside the castle.
The background of the characters got changed and Lee has an interesting origin with his parents being from Germany and immigrating to the US.
He tells his struggles growing up and trying to fit in.
It is nice that Lee also has all the important decisions in his hand. Vincent always asks and never forces him to do anything.
(PS: I think I missed some kind of general reference to the book or something, because ‘Dracula’ is quite often called Vincent…?)
I think it’s one of the closest retellings.
We have Lee, who works in a law firm and gets sent to a strange mansion to assist Vincent.
Being a novella there is obviously not that much space to go through all the details of the book. But this one stays rather close to the happenings inside the castle.
The background of the characters got changed and Lee has an interesting origin with his parents being from Germany and immigrating to the US.
He tells his struggles growing up and trying to fit in.
It is nice that Lee also has all the important decisions in his hand. Vincent always asks and never forces him to do anything.
(PS: I think I missed some kind of general reference to the book or something, because ‘Dracula’ is quite often called Vincent…?)
March 28, 2025
3/5
I listened to the audiobook.
A good Dracula retelling set in 1950s Los Angeles. Gothic, dark, steamy and with a old castle.
I listened to the audiobook.
A good Dracula retelling set in 1950s Los Angeles. Gothic, dark, steamy and with a old castle.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews