History Literature / TheShadowspawn

* AmbiguousDisorder: Resulting from the psychological traits of the original vampire species, which was an essentially solitary predator, as opposed to a social animal like modern humans. Modern Shadowspawn tend, in varying degrees, toward symptoms and characteristics reminiscent of sociopathy, sadism, autism, abnormal sexualities and a whole slew of other diagnoses. They're weird and difficult people to be around at the best of times, and the more intelligent among them recognize this as a problem in the running of their conspiracy. That said, there is a lot of variation, with individual examples ranging from mildly quirky to dysfunctionally AxCrazy and everything in between.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Given the predatory nature of the vampires, whoever in charge will be the one strong enough to keep the others in line. Frequently, this will be the elders, since their powers continue to grow slowly with time, though the young purebloods can give all but a handful of them a good match.

* HeelFaceMole: Adrienne's other gambit to turn Adrian back to the dark side, besides WeCanRuleTogether. Maybe being good isn't ''quite'' so boring; it might be worth trying out, if it means they can be together... [[spoiler:She never goes through with it beyond mere words, due to not deeming it worth the effort, and/or Adrian not buying it]].

By the present day, TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture, the main plotline commences, focusing on Adrian de Brezé, a pureblood Beauloup descendant and ReluctantMonster, and his girlfriend Ellen, who are tormented by his not-at-all-reluctantly monstrous sister Adrienne. Initially, Adrienne kidnaps Ellen to annoy and manipulate her brother, and he marshals his Brotherhood connections to help him free her; later, thanks to Adrienne's machinations, he becomes aware of the Shadowspawn plot to seize power openly and depopulate most of the world. Being a hero, he naturally sets about to do his best to prevent this, gathering additional allies along the way. Ironically, this is precisely what his sister wants, since she, despite being a senior Shadowspawn agent, [[EvilVersusOblivion ''doesn't'' want to destroy civilization--just ''rule'' it forever]]. While Adrian and the Brotherhood bash heads with the master vampires on the Council of Shadows, she prepares her own plans to capitalize on the outcome and replace whoever turns out the victor as the supreme power in the supernatural underworld...

By the present day, TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture, the main plotline commences, focusing on Adrian de Brezé, a pureblood Beauloup descendant and ReluctantMonster, and his girlfriend Ellen, who are tormented by his not-at-all-reluctantly monstrous sister Adrienne. Initially, Adrienne kidnaps Ellen to annoy and manipulate her brother, and he marshals his Brotherhood connections to help him free her; later, thanks to Adrienne's machinations, he becomes aware of the Shadowspawn plot to seize power openly and depopulate most of the world. Being a hero, he naturally sets about to do his best to prevent this, gathering additional allies along the way. Ironically, this is precisely what his sister wants, since she, despite being a senior Shadowspawn agent, ''doesn't'' want to destroy civilization--Just ''rule'' it forever. While Adrian and the Brotherhood bash heads with the master vampires on the Council of Shadows, she prepares her own plans to capitalize on the outcome and replace whoever turns out the victor as the supreme power in the supernatural underworld...

** ... And then, when we think ''they're'' over the top, we meet the older Brezés, who take it UpToEleven and make them look almost restrained by contrast.

''The Shadowspawn'' is a GothicPunk UrbanFantasy trilogy by Creator/SMStirling, set in a world where the Shadowspawn, a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire-like]] WitchSpecies, secretly rule the world. In many ways, the series is a sort of SpiritualSuccessor to Creator/JackWilliamson's ''Literature/DarkerThanYouThink'', or at any rate heavily inspired by it--though with Stirling's [[AuthorAppeal familiar emphases]]. You Have Been Warned...

* NotSoDifferent: Adrian ''thinks'' he is this to Adrienne. Several other characters beat him over the head with the fact that he really isn't, not being, you know, a crazy mass murderer and all that.

* StatusQuoIsGod: In-universe example. Adrienne lampoons the Shadowspawn elders for being silly reactionary dinosaurs who want the world to be just like it was when they were young, and stay that way forever. Adrian agrees, but points out that [[NotSoDifferent she wants the exact same thing]], except that she wants it to stay the way it is ''now'', rather than first revert back a century or two.