This book was an eye opener and is definitely a must read for any die-hard fans of both the Cassandra Palmer and Dorina Basarab series. It gives a huge amount of insight into the characters of both Mircea and Dorina which in turn gives a deeper understanding of why they are who they are in both series and why they do what they do. As someone who lives in Italy it was also a creative and imaginative wonderful journey into the past. Definitely makes the grade for my bookshelf! ( )

A really enjoyable read that gives you more of a back story into one of the characters that is prevalent in both the Cassie and the Dory series. I went off Mircea a bit in the Cassie series, however reading the Dory series I really got to like him again. After reading this book it adds yet another layer to this wonderful character. I would definitely recommend this book to read. ( )

Masks is a novel from Mircea’s POV starting a few years after he became a vampire. If you’re reading the series in order this can be read any time after Fury’s Kiss. But there really aren’t many spoilers for the series.

We get to learn more about Mircea’s motivation and how he thinks. We also get to meet the Consul, which is one of my favorite parts.

I think the only thing I don’t like about this book is it makes it harder to hate Mircea. He manipulates Cassie and Dory so much but now we get to see the world from his perspective. ( )

Learning about Mircea's beginnings--an important and powerful, high ranking vampire in both the Cassandra Palmer and the Midnight's Daughter series--was definitely worthwhile, as is seeing a more historic view of Venice and meeting Cleopatra and Antony as Senators. And as per usual, we're given some very imaginative scenarios. At only 2 years a vampire without a family behind him, he's rather weak at this point. But he'd been raised to lead and the seemingly impossible doesn't hold him back.

So, why not more stars? While what Mircea falls into and does is interesting, he doesn't make an especially good person to be following in a story. In my opinion he makes a much better secondary character. We're told what's going on and what he's up against, but I never felt a connection with him or his feelings. And with a slow start to the book, I actually set it aside a couple of times. About halfway through the story I became more engaged with what was going on and the lack of connection could be overlooked somewhat. ( )

Mircea Basarab is a vampire who readers of Chance's Cassandra Palmer series are well acquainted with. In Masks, Mircea is no longer the confidant, powerful centuries old vampire whom we have come to know. Masks travels back to fifteenth century Europe where Mircea is a newborn vampire, trying to adjust to his new undead life. Even though Mircea is powerless relative to the courtesan who owns him, the senator who is intrigued by him. Though she has bigger fish to fry dealing with a consul who has most certainly gone mad. There are certainly good and bad vampires but when powerful vampires with unknown goals, grievances and priorities take interest in a newborn, it can be a dangerous thing, as Mircea is about to find out.

I have read all of the Cassandra Palmer's World and so when I learned about Masks, I jumped quickly on this book. To see a different side to Mircea, was a huge hook for me. Though Mircea doesn't know much about what it means to be a vampire, he really isn't that different than the character we have come to know. He continues to be confidant in his abilities and hyper aware of the world around him. Even though Mircea is essentially a slave and a prostitute, he eschews this label and instead sees himself as a free man in a precarious situation.

Chance doesn't go as far as to give us an origin story for vampires but she does widen the world by telling us of the different ways in which a vampire can be made and the various talents they are capable of. This means that you cannot take any of the characters at face value. It's a constant game of politics.

Being a former Prince, Mircea is a vampire with a lot of preconceived notions. He thinks about the castles, power and wealth that he lost and it is not until he meets Bezio that his perspective on the world really changes. Chance uses Bezio, a former farmer made vampire against his will to discuss class poignantly. To the poor, powerless person, it doesn't matter who is going rule because it essentially will not change their day to day life. Chance also uses Bezio to talk about loss. Mircea grieved for all of his worldly losses but it was Bezio who points out that as a poor man, he didn't lose any less; it was just valued less because he is poor. One's home, one's family and one's identity is sometimes all someone has and that is worth something. I loved their discussions and how it taught Mircea to look at power and identity differently. I do however feel that some of the good work was undone with Marta and her revenge. Poverty exists because of an imbalance and greed and the way her storyline ended made it seem as though she was not entitled to her rage for the wrongs done her.

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