What do you think?
Rate this book
Vampire Hunter D (Dark Horse Publication Order) #20
Vampire Hunter D Volume 20: Scenes from an Unholy War
In a village on the edge of the Frontier, D is among the warriors and mercenaries hired to defend the village from the Black Death, a notorious bandit gang. But the bandits don''t arrive, and the village mayor dismisses the mercenaries. As D leaves the scene, he''s struck by "sunlight syndrome" - the deadly ailment unique to dhampirs! While D is recovering, and his sentient left hand is running the show, D is again called on to help. It seems the Black Death is coming after all...
207 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 2003
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 3, 2026
This is a fantasy sci-fi world, ravaged by variety of catastrophic events. First, wars and devastation. Then, vampires, overlords to already despairing humanity. They repopulated earth with experimental flora and fauna, and that became the third bane, one that haunts humanity even now, despite the vampires, known here as the nobility, having become a rare sight. Whether they chose to ascend somewhere, leave for different planets, something they could do with their gothic-castle-looking spaceships, or because they’ve been mercilessly hunted by a new class of hunters, we don’t entirely know just yet. Likely, both are true (as I said, inconsistencies). Some hunters, you see, a lot like Sapkowski’s witchers, hunted monsters. The most formidable ones went after nobles too. Among them there’s an infamous name, almost a legend: D.
This dhampir is hired to relieve yet another little village of its troubles. Some band of villains called Black Death Gang, who terrorize the place just because. They seem to be some kind of vampire imitation, almost the real deal. In fact, so close to a real deal, that D can’t help but wonder about it, the origin of their power.
The book presents a whole new monster, one we brushed past before, but never witnessed as it is here: a pseudo noble, this “almost” vampire. Through this we build the world farther, as we learn how nobility can create these partial vampires, inflicting a very odd cruelty upon both those who’d rather die than become vampires, and those who’d die to become vampires.
my farther thoughts, not necessarily relevant as a review: Nosferatu Reads ; Vakaris
This dhampir is hired to relieve yet another little village of its troubles. Some band of villains called Black Death Gang, who terrorize the place just because. They seem to be some kind of vampire imitation, almost the real deal. In fact, so close to a real deal, that D can’t help but wonder about it, the origin of their power.
The book presents a whole new monster, one we brushed past before, but never witnessed as it is here: a pseudo noble, this “almost” vampire. Through this we build the world farther, as we learn how nobility can create these partial vampires, inflicting a very odd cruelty upon both those who’d rather die than become vampires, and those who’d die to become vampires.
my farther thoughts, not necessarily relevant as a review: Nosferatu Reads ; Vakaris
April 25, 2025
A solidly entertaining Vampire Hunter D novel.
3.5/5
3.5/5
March 3, 2015
Enigmatic as always, D is called upon to save a village from the Black Death Gang. As usual, we have action aplenty, LOTS of gore and vicious, no-holds-barred fighting from our illustrious hero. D proves as impenetrable as in previous volumes and as unpredictable (he’s been known to spare violent enemies but in this book he takes off a nose simply because the man insults him). D’s left hand is also a lot chattier than usual, which greatly puzzles everyone who hears it as they wonder if D is performing some weird ventriloquism.
It isn’t quite clear why the Black Death Gang is after this particular village. But that’s not necessary to the enjoyment of this story. Just know that there are vampires, fake vampires and more Nobles being created left, right and center, relax and enjoy the blood splatter.
The text is as mangled as usual, although by this time D aficionados have grown to expect it. If you read these narratives as more like poetry than prose, then the odd word usage doesn’t baffle as much.
It isn’t quite clear why the Black Death Gang is after this particular village. But that’s not necessary to the enjoyment of this story. Just know that there are vampires, fake vampires and more Nobles being created left, right and center, relax and enjoy the blood splatter.
The text is as mangled as usual, although by this time D aficionados have grown to expect it. If you read these narratives as more like poetry than prose, then the odd word usage doesn’t baffle as much.
January 14, 2016
Not my all time favorite "D" book. But I did enjoy it. My only problem with it was that when I read a VHD book... I expect a lot of D. This book just didn't have the hunter in it all that much. Other than that, it was an interesting read. I mean, I know there's always something lost in translation with these books, but I still very much enjoy them.
September 6, 2023
Not going to lie I like being back to the classic Vampire Hunter D format not that I hate the 2-4 part stories but it often felt like the bulk of them were quite big and padded by random inserted plot devices Kikuchi thought to incorporate as well as increasing the number of enemies which could have resulted in significantly less development from the side characters and their own arcs Tyrants Star and Dark road were both bogged down with too many things to juggle and as a result the attachment to the characters is sparse
Mercenary Road and Fortress of the Elder God are not bad and a welcome return to form with the Gun for Hire setup with D and Elder God spices the story up with more juicy lore that at least ties in previous characters from Tyrants Star and Dark Road as historical figures but the character side of things was less refined I suppose the idea was that in a Lovecraft fashion the eldritch fortress turns people mad and sets them against each other with suspicion lacing every thought but once again the book feels more set on the lore than it is with the characters which should be a medium for the world
Scenes from an Unholy War revolves around a murderous gang headed by a psuedo-noble and their plans to raid the town with multiple layers to the plan and essentially the whole novel revolves around the defense of the village
It combines action but also sprinkles a bit of detective elements from earlier D stories as well as focusing on the Psuedo-Nobility as a concept in Vampire Hunter D in horrifying fashion as Psuedo-Vampires/Nobility are those half transformed either due to whim or the patron Vampires death and it explores the terror and deranged warping of ones personality they undergo over time in what I feel is the series's most chilling manner
There about a couple or so pivotal characters to the plot including D which makes it feel less claustrophobic than the mentioned novels of before
Mercenary Road and Fortress of the Elder God are not bad and a welcome return to form with the Gun for Hire setup with D and Elder God spices the story up with more juicy lore that at least ties in previous characters from Tyrants Star and Dark Road as historical figures but the character side of things was less refined I suppose the idea was that in a Lovecraft fashion the eldritch fortress turns people mad and sets them against each other with suspicion lacing every thought but once again the book feels more set on the lore than it is with the characters which should be a medium for the world
Scenes from an Unholy War revolves around a murderous gang headed by a psuedo-noble and their plans to raid the town with multiple layers to the plan and essentially the whole novel revolves around the defense of the village
It combines action but also sprinkles a bit of detective elements from earlier D stories as well as focusing on the Psuedo-Nobility as a concept in Vampire Hunter D in horrifying fashion as Psuedo-Vampires/Nobility are those half transformed either due to whim or the patron Vampires death and it explores the terror and deranged warping of ones personality they undergo over time in what I feel is the series's most chilling manner
There about a couple or so pivotal characters to the plot including D which makes it feel less claustrophobic than the mentioned novels of before
November 9, 2024
D just seemed different in this one. More talkative.
July 23, 2014
Though for long I haven't got a clue where this story is going I still kind of enjoy reading it volume after volume.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews