Letters for Lucardo by Otava HeikkiläSeries: Letters for Lucardo #1
Publication Date: October 1, 2017
Pages: 140
Buy the Book: Amazon, Official Site
Source: Purchased
Genre: Erotica, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Iron Circus Comics
Ed Fiedler is a common man. 61 years old and employed as a scribe in a royal palace, his most regular client is Lucardo von Gishaupt, a forever-young aristocrat... and member of the mysterious and revered Night Court. When the eternally 33-year-old Lucardo and the aging Ed develop feelings for one another, both are forced to contend with the culture shock of a mortal man's presence among the deathless, the dangerous disapproval of the sitting Lord of the Night Court, and Ed's own ever-present mortality, threatening to bring an end to their romance in the blink of an everlasting eye.
Reviewer’s Note: Letters for Lucardo is, to quote the author: “an erotic graphic novel. It contains adult situations and content, and is inappropriate for anyone under age 18.” While this review is as SFW as it can get, the book itself… shows everything. So adults only.
A few years ago, I was browsing Kickstarter for anything to do with vampires, as I am wont to do, I discovered a kickstarter for a graphic novel about the same-sex romance between a 61 year old man and a vampire of colour I had to investigate.
With the general concept – an old vampire falling for a man physically older than him, and too old to survive being turned – was enough to get me interested, the artwork sealed the deal.
It was totally worth it.
The art is elegant, beautiful, and yet has so much emotion and humour. Throughout the story it hits all the right notes in perfect time: whether moments of sorrow, quiet contemplation, or straight-up humour, Otava Heikkilä’s artwork gets it perfect every time. The backdrops are gorgeous, and the characters – especially Ed and Lucardo – are so expressive and full of life.
(It’s also hella hella NSFW, so be careful who might read it over your shoulder.)
The story itself is on the surface, deceptively simple, but Ed’s age lets Otava Heikkilä explore the vampire/mortal dynamic in a way that isn’t really seen. For all of Bella Swan’s worries about being one year older, it is nothing compared to Ed who, if he’s lucky, has ten to fifteen years left. Plus it gives their relationship a refreshing dynamic, as Lucardo pivots between the older and more experienced vampire, and the younger half of an age-gap couple. For all the centuries he has on Ed, Lucardo does not have the maturity that comes with aging and facing your own mortality. To see a vampire story where the human is not desperate to be turned makes for a welcome change. Although the setting is simple, it works excellently with the tale, the glimpses into the Night Court and the surrounding society making me curious to know more.
In addition to Lucardo, the majority of vampires in Letters for Lucardo are not white (unlike most vampire fiction, which loves its deathly pallor). One of Lucardo’s sisters appears to be white, but she is the exception (the relationship is not a biological one in the sense that humans have; Lucardo mentions ‘gifting’ two of his sisters). Also one of the vampire leaders, Elimedes, is explicitly mentioned to be neither “a man nor a woman”, and they use the pronoun they. Overall, it was a pleasure seeing a more diverse cast of vampires.
As a vampire fan, Letters for Lucardo is everything I have wanted out of a vampire romance. It’s sweet, it’s sexy, it’s funny, and it explores facets of a vampire/mortal romance that too many other works ignore. I am eagerly looking forward to reading the next parts (yes, it’s a four part series, with all the waiting it entails). I highly, highly recommend it.
Reviewer’s Note: Letters for Lucardo is, to quote the author: “an erotic graphic novel. It contains adult situations and content, and is inappropriate for anyone under age 18.” While this review is as SFW as it can get, the book itself… shows everything. So adults only.
