Amanda's Reviews > Vampire Hunter D Volume 13: Twin Shadowed Knight - Parts One and Two

Having read most of the books so far, I have to say this one is my second favorite after Vampire Hunter D Volume 06: Pilgrimage of the Sacred and the Profane.

While the blurb is a little misleading (D's twin doesn't spend much time in the company of women, although he does flirt with the novel's heroine, Mia. The real D, on the other hand, may or may not have gotten laid based on an odd scene where Mia offers him her blood in exchange for his services... and he accepts.) this book has a lot more substance than its crack premise would suggest. The opening scene was especially well-done; the atmosphere and circumstances really drew me in. Yes, D does fall into a pit and another D emerges in his place. Yes, the two bicker, fight, and eventually kill one another. Yes, the fake D really is just as enchanted by D's good looks as everyone else, even though it's his own face... But we get to see D's birthplace and learn more about his origins. And D's father, the Sacred Ancestor, makes a more substantial appearance here than in the previous books. This is definitely meatier than, say, Vampire Hunter D Volume 02: Raiser of Gales, but not as crammed and unfocused as Vampire Hunter D Volume 11: Pale Fallen Angel - Parts One and Two. I liked this much more than I did both of those, which I would argue are among the weakest in the series. This is the series at its best - pulpy, fun, and engaging, but not entirely frosting. There's cake underneath it. Moist cake.

...I'm going to go buy the other books now.