This is one of the best Dungeons and Dragons novels I've read and a lesson of HOW VAMPIRES SHOULD BE PORTRAYED. Strahd is tragical, witty, passionate, intelligent, vile, repulsive, smart... a fantastic character. There are a few drawbacks to the tale, like the lack of depth into Stradh's fascination with Tatyana, or the lack of details like, for example, how Barovia's inhabitants look to the jailing mists. The pacing is fantastic, and some in-scene descriptions are wonderful. A must for the vampiric horror fans.