Shadows of the Opera: Retribution in Blood

by Rick Lai

"The Revenant's bounty shall be paid by me personally. The Revenant's killer must present her head to me." Such was the decree of Colonel Bozzo-Corona, all-powerful master of the Black Coats. For years, the female vigilante had used the methods of her late mentor, the mysterious Phantom of the Opera, to foil the schemes of that sinister criminal conspiracy. Now they, in turn, marshal their forces in a vast venture to strike back at their enemy and gain mastery of Europe. They create their ultimate assassin, a true Lord of Terror. They forge an alliance with the diabolical, green-eyed mandarin who dominates the Asian underworld. And, finally, a new Countess Cagliostro emerges from their midst as a seductive siren who shall control the destinies of all the great men of France. As the Revenant and her Acolytes of the Shadows combat these threats, an even more dangerous force interferes in the form of an ageless witch from Martinique! "Rick Lai's most obvious gift lies in his ability not only to envision obscure connections between diverse works of fiction, but to embellish those connections and weave a tapestry that proves enthralling as a literary work able to stand independent of the celebrated originals." -- William Patrick Maynard (author of The Terror of Fu Manchu).

276 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2013

Reviews

[Atom Bezecny · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's never easy for any bibliophile to pick their favorite books, but Rick Lai's SHADOWS OF THE OPERA: RETRIBUTION IN BLOOD (as well as its predecessor MARK OF THE REVENANT) easily occupies my top ten, if not my top five. When seeking out New Pulp, fans look for stories of astonishing heroes who lead them into action-packed adventures. Not only does Lai deliver on that front, he presents a tremendously cerebral experiences as well. Lai's veteran experience with crossover fiction fills this book with dozens of insightful connections between countless fictional works, from Leroux's Phantom of the Opera to the Cthulhu Mythos and beyond. Simply put, this book is a treat for fans of pulp and Victorian fiction alike, achieving something quite like the old pulps but much, much better. I notice something new with every reread. Unmissable.

[Chuck Loridans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super Pulp/Spy/Gothic Romance/Masked Avenger stories in the 19th Century BOOK 2

What I love about this book and the one before it, ' Shadows of the Opera', is that in the movie in my mind, the books come alive like a cool late 60's, early 70's movie.
Hammer Films costumes and sets and actors like Caroline Munro, Diana Rigg, Julie Newmar and Yvonne Craig have starring roles.

Very much 19th Century France according to the swinging 60's/70's.

The author, Rick Lai weaves a fantastic tapestry, involving fascinating characters from international literature and cinema, in with his own heroic, crusading female heroes!
Lot's of authors CLAIM to write strong women heroes. Rick Lai delivers!

I HIGHLY recommend all the books in this series!