Vampire Plagues series
Encyclopedia
Vampire Plagues is a series of six books written under the pseudonym Sebastian Rook. The first three books were written by Ben Jeapes
, the last three by Helen Hart
. The books focus on the adventures of three children, Jack Harkett, Benedict Cole & Emily Cole, taking place in 1850. It can also be found as the series of Vampire Dusk.
living on the London docks. So when a merchant ship
sails into port at twilight, he recognizes it for what it is: an opportunity. But Jack had never seen a ship quite like this one. Aside from a flock of enormous black bat
s that flies from its hull
, there's only one living soul on board - a young stowaway
named Benedict Cole. Jack and the wealthy, educated Ben have little in common. But once Jack hears Ben's hair-raising story of an ill-fated expedition to Mexico - and the strange sickness that has followed him back - the two boys find themselves on the same side of a deadly struggle. With no one to turn to and nothing to rely on but their wits, they face a plague the likes of which London
has never seen...
s are gone, that they have been banished by an ancient ritual that sent their leader to the depths of hell. But he is not so sure. That voice still echoes in his mind - the voice of a vampire god promising to return. Jack's friends Ben and Emily say it is just his imagination, and he desperately wants to believe them. While Victorian London may be safe, a strange sickness is raging in Paris. A familiar illness that leaves its victims drained of blood. It seems the vampires have moved on, and the fight must follow them....
has managed to secure nearly all the pieces of a powerful amulet
that will give him untold strength. There's only one piece still to be recovered, and it is in Mexico
, the seat of Camazotz's power. Now, Jack, Ben, And Emily are caught in a race to reach the Yucatan Peninsula
. They are one step ahead of the vampire god and his evil servants, but the three friends know that Camazotz will not be far behind. Their only hope is to find the final, missing piece of the amulet before the vampire god does. And they will get some help from a most unexpected source. But the jungle is a dangerous place, where things are not always as they seem. And fighting Camazotz on his home turf will prove to be their greatest challenge yet.
Ben Jeapes
Ben Jeapes is an English science fiction writer living in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.-Early life and education:According to the Biography section on his website, Jeapes was born in Belfast in 1965. He was educated at Hampton Dene Primary School, Hereford, Little Chalfont Primary School, Lorraine...
, the last three by Helen Hart
Helen Hart (author)
Helen Hart has been a published author since 1999. Represented by London literary agency Pollinger Ltd, she has written a number of novels under pseudonyms for Scholastic, Virgin Books, OUP, HarperCollins and a range of overseas publishers. Her work has been translated into many languages including...
. The books focus on the adventures of three children, Jack Harkett, Benedict Cole & Emily Cole, taking place in 1850. It can also be found as the series of Vampire Dusk.
London
Twelve-year-old Jack Harkett is a street urchinStreet children
A street child is a child who lives on the streets of a city, deprived of family care and protection. Most children on the streets are between the ages of about 5 and 17 years old.Street children live in junk boxes, parks or on the street itself...
living on the London docks. So when a merchant ship
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
sails into port at twilight, he recognizes it for what it is: an opportunity. But Jack had never seen a ship quite like this one. Aside from a flock of enormous black bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s that flies from its hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
, there's only one living soul on board - a young stowaway
Stowaway
A stowaway is a person who secretly boards a vehicle, such as an aircraft, bus, ship, cargo truck or train, to travel without paying and without being detected....
named Benedict Cole. Jack and the wealthy, educated Ben have little in common. But once Jack hears Ben's hair-raising story of an ill-fated expedition to Mexico - and the strange sickness that has followed him back - the two boys find themselves on the same side of a deadly struggle. With no one to turn to and nothing to rely on but their wits, they face a plague the likes of which London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
has never seen...
Paris
Jack wants to believe it was only a dream, that the vampireVampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
s are gone, that they have been banished by an ancient ritual that sent their leader to the depths of hell. But he is not so sure. That voice still echoes in his mind - the voice of a vampire god promising to return. Jack's friends Ben and Emily say it is just his imagination, and he desperately wants to believe them. While Victorian London may be safe, a strange sickness is raging in Paris. A familiar illness that leaves its victims drained of blood. It seems the vampires have moved on, and the fight must follow them....
Mexico
CamazotzCamazotz
In Maya mythology, Camazotz was a bat god. Camazotz means "death bat" in the K'iche' language. In Mesoamerica the bat was associated with night, death, and sacrifice.-Etymology:...
has managed to secure nearly all the pieces of a powerful amulet
Amulet
An amulet, similar to a talisman , is any object intended to bring good luck or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—, to...
that will give him untold strength. There's only one piece still to be recovered, and it is in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, the seat of Camazotz's power. Now, Jack, Ben, And Emily are caught in a race to reach the Yucatan Peninsula
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel...
. They are one step ahead of the vampire god and his evil servants, but the three friends know that Camazotz will not be far behind. Their only hope is to find the final, missing piece of the amulet before the vampire god does. And they will get some help from a most unexpected source. But the jungle is a dangerous place, where things are not always as they seem. And fighting Camazotz on his home turf will prove to be their greatest challenge yet.