I'm not really a fan of vampire movies and TV series and when I do choose to watch one, I am rarely impressed. So I was very surprised when I got into The Originals (back when it was on Netflix) and found myself eagerly looking forward to the next episode. I really enjoyed the series and especially liked when they got creative in the storytelling while staying true to their version of vampire lore. It's based in New Orleans and tells the story of the Mikaelson siblings, Elijah, Klaus, and Rebecca, the first 3 vampires ever created, (hence the name "originals.") This version of New Orleans is also home to werewolves, witches, and humans, although these factions are constantly vying for power and violating the terms of any peace agreements and killing each other off. So, does this 3 book series carry on with the interesting story telling, or is it just a cash grab that drops the name of the series to lure in suckers like me?

I would say it is more the former than the latter, but that may just be because I know the main characters well. It is similar in nature to the Firefly series where it tells new stories chronologically back in the timeline of the original series, yet remains true to the character arcs that were presented in the TV series. I enjoyed my time with these 3 books, but it is also hard for me to judge how someone unfamiliar with the characters would feel. That being said, I will still recommend them, because if you like this series then you have many seasons of an excellent TV series you can go watch to get more of it. I believe the show is currently available on Prime video, free for Prime members.

I listened to the audiobook version of these, and an extra bonus for Audible members is that 2 of the 3 books are currently free through Audible Plus, so you can essentially get all 3 for a single credit. Even better, the first book is one of the free ones so you can try before you buy.