▪	RELEASED BY:		TOKYOPOP
		▪	AUTHOR / ART:		SUNAO YOSHIDA / THORES SHIBAMOTO
		▪	FORMAT:		WESTERN / BW
		▪	PAGES:		190
		▪	RATING:		NR
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		08/07/2007
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		09/02/2007
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		HOLLY ELLINGWOOD

The second of the Trinity Blood novel series begins with a church, a plot to overthrow two empires, and a murder. Set against the rich backdrop of the neo-gothic playground of supernatural delights and science fiction immersed in a European-esque world, vampires and humans live in an uneasy alliance. Both empires have survived the Armageddon that almost saw the devastation of both races. Even with those centuries gone by, bitter feelings are still held on either side. Some are unhappy with the peace. Some would do anything to break it once and for all.

For fans of the Trinity Blood anime and manga, the Reborn on Mars novel series will be very familiar to you. It is the basis for both. It is the story of Abel Nightroad a seemingly pathetic priest and a novitiate Esther, their adventures together, and the danger of the Contra Mundi. The story opens with a heinous murder. A priest is called to the humble church of Saint Mathias. He is but one of a number of priests who have come and died since going to that church. But despite his bumbling ways, the kindly Father Nightroad hides a deadly secret. An agent of AX who works for a covert branch of the Vatican, the head of the human empire, Abel Nightroad is there to preserve the peace and discover who is behind the most recent grisly occurrences. He is in search of the Star of Sorrow. And he must do anything he can to find it in time.

Coincidentally, the small parish he comes to is a city between these two empires, Methuselah (the name for the vampire race) and the humans, has some secrets of its own. The novice nun in training Esther, with her big blue eyes and gentle manner, hides a tragic past and a few secrets as well. The city is ruled by the sadistic Methuselah, the Marquis of Hungary Gyula. There are human patricians using terrorist means to try to oust him, led by the mysterious leader known as the Star, they have yet to achieve their goal of saving the town and the country from Gyula’s murderous appetite for destruction. What none of them know is that a third party, the Contra Mundi, are there as well, watching and waiting for an opportunity to achieve their own nefarious goals. All of these things will converge with Abel’s mission and will culminate in an amazing battle of convictions, morals, and blood.

Told in a rich and immersing manner, the dark occurrences of vampires and humans come to Gothic life in the pages of this book. Framed by the lush Gothic illustrations of Thores Shibamoto, the late Sunao Yoshida gives amazing depth to his characters. Even the villains such as Gyula have a side that inspires sympathy, even compassion. The twists in the plot turn this story into an enthralling tale of deadly politics and even deadlier beings.

IN SUMMARY:
Trinity Blood the Reborn on Mars series is an absorbing tale of an empire of vampires holding an uneasy alliance with ambitious and fearful humans. Both sides have victims, villains, and heroes.  If you enjoy vampire stories, you will be richly rewarded with this enthralling take of supernatural beings and interwoven sci-fi aspects with courtroom politics. Fans of Trinity Blood the manga and anime series will want to check this book out. This novel series is the uncut, uncensored version that served as the basis for both the anime and the manga.