THE DRACULA HORROR SERIES BY ROBERT LORY. In 1973, according to my first edition paperback, Pinnacle Books began a brand new series of paperback books featuring Dracula and written by Robert Lory. Now, these books are pretty terrific page turners. I had never heard of them until last year when I read about them on the superb blog called "The Groovy Age of Horror". I won't go into synopses of the books in the series because "Groovy Age" does such a wonderful job (and THEY are what made me track down my own copies to buy online). So I urge you to click here and see what you're missing.

Basically, here's the premise from the back cover blurb of the second book in the series: "The key to Dracula's twentieth century reincarnation is the brilliant scientist, Dr. Damien Harmon. By means of a fantastic electronic implant Professor Harmon is able to control, for the most part, the actions of Dracula in all his grim guises. Then, too, there is the eerie lady known as Ktara, and the faithful giant, Cam. Together they will transport you into the shadowy realm of the unreal for a feast of blood-bright horror!" Don't you just love back cover blurbs?!? Yeah, what the old Prof did was surgically implant a sliver of the stake that previously killed the vampire inside Dracula's chest so that, if Professor Harmon so desires, he can cause it to pierce Dracula's heart and dispatch the Count to eternity! In this way, Harmon can use Dracula as a (very reluctant) help in his fight against supernatural evil menaces. Of course, Harmon also has to constantly watch his back because the king of vampires is forever trying to outwit the Professor.

I'll tell you the first two books were a hoot; I don't have ALL the books but I have MOST of them. And again, click on the link to The Groovy Age of Horror's book by book synopses and I think you'll find them as fun as I did. And if, like I did, you are so impelled to track these paperbacks down -- well, I think you'll find them fun Halloween reading.