Topic: Castlevania Literary Corner

[Nagumo]

I thought it might be interesting for a change to discuss Castlevania fiction instead of the games. What are your opinions about the current novellas and comic books? Do they capture they essence of the series well? Which ones would you like to know more about? Any ideas for stories that could be told in written format? Etc.

Current list of works:

Devil Castle Dracula: The Desperate Struggle in the Old Castle (choose-your-own-adventure gamebook)     
The Legend of Demon Castle: The Vampire Hunters (ditto)
Demon Castle Dracula: Nightmare of Blood (novella; left unfinished)
Nocturne in the Moonlight (one-page comic; flashback)
Nocturne in the Moonlight booklet (prequel comic by Kojima)
Prelude of Revenge (prequel to CoD; also by Kojima)
Curse of Darkness comic adaptation
Lament of Innocence comic adaptation
 

[beingthehero]

Demon Castle Dracula: Nightmare of Blood

Was that the Soma-themed one?

I think you forgot the CV Adventure comic.

[Nagumo]

Yeah I forgot The Belmont Legacy and the sequel novella to the Sorrow series.

Was that the Soma-themed one?

No, it's a weird story from 1994. It's a sequel to Simon's story and it's about him resurrecting with vampire blood about 200 years later. Pretty crazy stuff. 

[Koutei]

Demon Castle Dracula: Nightmare of Blood

Akumajo Dracula: Akuma no Chi Chi no Akumu, unofficial translation: "Demon Castle Dracula: Demon's Blood - Nightmare Blood".
http://castlevania.wikia.com/wiki/Akumajo_Dracula%3A_Akuma_no_Chi_Chi_no_Akumu

Author's comment:
I wanted to write a vampire novel. But, Magazine editor demanded novelizing the video game. I borrowed "Dracula (villain)" and "Simon (vampire hunter)" from Akumajo Dracula. Story is almost all my original creation. Sorry, This novel is not a novelization of the video game.

Non-canon and unrelated. Forget it.

[VladCT]

Does that still count as legal?

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

In Japan, they're more lax about that kind of stuff.

[Koutei]

These are license goods as far as I know. It' s legal.

Leader was not in the castle then.

[Nagumo]

Yes, the novella and the game books are very much offical but they don't fit into the timeline that was later established. They probably never meant to anyway. Like Koutei said, there was no person in charge back then, so they could do whatever they wanted. I suspect these works are included as alternative timeline stories, similar to how Circle of the Moon and Apocalypse games are still included.

Although Nightmare of Blood has little to do with the series, I think the two game books fit in way better and have very fun and original storylines. I especially like the Vampire Hunters because I think it captures the atmosphere from Castlevania 3 very well, arguably being a better sequel than Curse of Darkness was in that respect.

[Flame]

Dracula by Brahm Stoker.

What? It IS canon to the games.

[Reinhart77]

all i know is that i want more.  Curse of Darkness Manga, Belmont Legacy comics, and Simon's Quest children's book, are the only licensed CV literature we can enjoy in English without a fan translation. 

i'm almost a little surprised IDW hasn't done a Lords of Shadow tie-in comic.  maybe we'll get something that'll lead up to the next game??

[Nagumo]

Bram Stoker's Dracula doesn't count. Since the book is public domain they just borrowed the character of Quincy Morris and have him defeat Dracula in 1897 as a reference to the novel's release date. It doesn't fit properly with the Castlevania series anyway.   

[Mooning Freddy]

Akumajo Dracula: Akuma no Chi Chi no Akumu

[Koutei]

HE HE HE.

"Akuma no Chi" means "Demon's Blood". "Chi no Akumu" means "Nightmare Blood".

Unrelated to Gouki (called Akuma overseas version) and Chi-Chi.