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Gothica: Romance of the Immortals reviewed by Carol Castellanos



  Book ImageGothica: Romance of the Immortals by Steven R. Cowan  
Vampire - Romance
ISBN: 0-9702190-5-9
Publisher: Souther Charm Press
Date: March 2001
Pages: 296
Price: $18.95
Distribution: Trade Paperback

 This is a unique story about chat rooms, the internet and
how two immortals meet and fall in love in modern times. The title
sort of describes the book well. It is about love in current times
between two immortals from days gone by. This is a unique and touching story. 

The story begins with Calvin McLeish, a man in the midst
of a major life change. He has no job, his wife has just left him 
and he's quickly becoming addicted to the internet chat rooms. 
Calvin actually quit his job in order to become an author, but instead 
all he has done is become an internet addict. He doesn't seem to do
anything but chat. Thus one of the reasons his wife is divorcing him.


While surfing the net Calvin stumbles into a chat room called Gothica, 
Calvin decides to join. When Calvin joins the chat room he decides to go in 
under an alias, and what could be a better alias then Timetravellar. He is of 
Scottish decent and very infatuated with time travel movies such as Highlander 
after all. Timetravellar can be everything that Calvin wishes he could be. 
After awhile Timetravellar becomes a separate entity living within Calvin. 

When he first joins the chat room Timetravellar becomes enthralled with 
Vampyra a very intriguing woman in the chat room. After awhile Timetravellar 
and Vampyra build an on line relationship. Although somewhere in there Calvin 
must come to terms with Timetravellar and they agree Calvin can have the days 
and Timetravellar the nights. In the day Calvin sparks an online relationship 
as Timetravellar with another woman in the Gothica chat room. This woman's 
name is Panthera and she too thinks she is having a relationship with 
Timetravellar.

During this relationship many things happen. Calvin and Panthera 
eventually meet. Timetravellar almost becomes non-existent due no contact with 
Vampyra, and Vampyra almost dies and thus the reason for her not being on-
line. Many things happen in this book that are way to complex to put in one 
review. I haven't even gotten to the part where Calvin gives up his life so 
Timetravellar can live. Or where Timetravellar and Vampyra have met before or 
where they will meet in the flesh again. Not to mention the past they had with 
each other and who Timetravellar really was when he was human.

Although I felt it started a bit slow I enjoyed this story quite a bit 
as I read further. This book was a unique blend of love in the current 
times as well as love in the past. It had vampires, computers, romance, sex 
and time travel. It has something for everyone and definitely a must add to 
any vampire book collection.
Copyright © 2000 Carol Castellanos All Rights Reserved.