Previous SFF Author: Sarah Langan
Michele Lang writes paranormal tales set in contemporary and futuristic places: the stories of witches, lawyers, goddesses, cops, bankers, demons, and other magical creatures hidden in plain sight. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School, and in addition to writing fiction, Michele has practiced the unholy craft of litigation in both Connecticut and New York.
She lives and works in a house by the sea near New York City. Here’s Michele Lang’s website.
Lady Lazarus by Michele Lang is a historical fantasy set just before the beginning of World War II, in a slightly skewed version of our world. What makes it skewed is that in this alternate history, magic exists and plays a major role in world events. For example, Hitler’s werewolves are literal here.
Perhaps Lang’s most controversial decision is that Hitler is in league with, and sometimes possessed by, a demon. Some readers may see this as a cop-out.
Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 4 | Michele Lang | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Magda Lazarus has killed Adolf Hitler’s pet wizard, the Staff, but not before the Staff stole a fragment of the powerful Book of Raziel and used magic to reconstitute a corrupted version that is now in the hands of the Reich. Dark Victory begins as the invasion of Poland is imminent, and Magda is trying to decide on her next course of action.
In the early chapters, it seemed that Dark Victory wouldn’t be as compelling as Lady Lazarus.
Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 3.5 | Michele Lang | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Previous SFF Author: Sarah Langan
Thanks for the kind words, Marion! Coming as they are from a professional writer, they are much appreciated!
Wonderful review, Sandy.
The "body count" bothered me a bit less because being dead seemed more like an inconvenience than anything else... unlike…
Detailed, thoughtful review, Bill. I'm going to read it for two reasons. First, Karen Russell wrote it, and second, it…
this sounds like a fun one