New Novel Reimagines Dracula’s Origin Story

Novelist Sara Swann Turns Count Dracula’s Origin Story Upside-Down in “Defender of the Faith,” the First Volume in her new “The Drăculeşti Dynasty” Series

Amazon.com bestselling author Sara Swann is celebrating her latest novel, Defender of the Faith, which released to retail September 12, 2024, in hardback, trade paperback, and all major ebook formats from WordCrafts Press. The highly anticipated first volume in The Drăculeşti Dynasty Series tells a far different tale of the origin story of the man destined to be remembered by the world as Count Dracula. The new version is resonating with fans as the paperback version debuted at #13 on Amazon.com’s Hot New Releases chart in the Medieval Historical Fiction  category, and the ebook took up residence at the #32 position in the same category as well as landing at #78 in Hot New Releases in the Historical European Fiction category.

From the Novel

Vlad jerked awake, a familiar twist in his chest as he glanced around the dungeon which had become his home. The dream of beautiful Ioana and his home in Wallachia had begun to fade, but he clung to the sweet memories as though he was clinging to life itself.

Sobs from the boys, most of them younger than his eleven years, tightened around Vlad Drăculea III’s thin shoulders like a death shroud. They echoed off the Turkish dungeon’s ancient stone walls and dripped down the damp rock like tears down a betrayed cheek before puddling on the chilly ground around the captives confined there. The prisoners, bound by thick chains, were all foreign boys from many European nations.

No matter how quiet the dungeon of Turkey’s Tokat Castle was, no matter how deep the hour of darkness that penetrated its walls, the sobs of the young boys imprisoned there were never silent. Some cried for their mothers or governesses. Some cried for their fathers or older brothers who had promised to protect them—but failed.

Others simply cried.

“The idea for this book was born when I learned that Vlad Draculea, the infamous inspiration for Count Dracula, was a second generation pope-declared Defender of the Faith. The Catholic faith,” explains author Sara Swann.

“After running to my local Catholic bookstore to research Defenders of the Faith, I was shocked to learn that Draculea was not among those listed,” she continues. “Henry VIII of England was listed … despite his excommunication, fathering of Anglicanism, notorious marriage/divorce/murder history, and robust torture chamber which even contained implements he and his chief torturer created together to inflict maximum pain for maximum time before death … his name still remained listed. I took it upon myself to find out why.

“Conspiracy? Propaganda? Ultimate warfare tactics? A lot of questions, but few answers. Yes, this is historical fiction, but it is based on little-known truths. You be the judge. How terrible was Vlad the Impaler, really?”

A multi-genre novelist, Sara is equally adept at creating compelling fiction whether she is spinning a ghostly yarn, shivering yer timbers with a pirate tale, or riding the fickle winds of the human heart with historical romance story. One thing Sara’s fans have come to expect is to expect the unexpected!