Black Dawn
Rachel Caine
NAL, May 1 2012, $17.99
ISBN: 9780451236715

Like much of Texas, Morganville suffers from a severe drought. The town is run by vampires with Amalie the final authority at the top of the food chain. However the arid conditions have led to the draug water vampires searching for water and other vampires to snack on. Morganville due to a deluge of storms is a place for the draug to stay and rake over

A Draug bit Amalie who is turning into a land-Draug. Her second in command, loyal Oliver refuses to let her go while his side also is losing the inter-species war. Most of the residents of Glass House (Michael, Eve, Shane and Claire) and a few allies take a last stand against the draug. Claire uniquely is the only one who can see the head Draug, which is why he needs her dead. Her friends (human and vampire) guard her while trying to figure out how to take the battle to the seemingly invisible enemy. Their only hope is to dangle Claire as bait to draw out the powerful leader of the foe.

The latest Morganville Vampires (see Last Breath) is a great entry in which a common enemy forces the humans and vampires to unite; failure to team up will mean death for all. The storyline provides a bit of vampire background as we learn how the draug came to be, insight into their hive-like culture and why they became cannibals. Saving Morganville appears unlikely but the Glass House quartet feels they must make the Son Quixote effort.

Harriet Klausner