"Totally amoral"? I say sir he was, at times a real bounder but, sir, he had a soft spot under that amoral appearance. "He is charming and genial in person, with obviously great intelligence, and despite his world-conquering aims (his exact goals are never clearly defined, and his goal at the end of his first book is to get the token of a medieval Chinese executioner--a small black walking stick. With this he plans to rule the world. Somehow) is relatively reluctant to kill, sparing Hatteras a number of times. When he kidnaps Hatteras' fiancée he acts as a perfect gentleman towards her, and at the end of the first novel, when Hatteras marries his simpering, milquetoasty bride, Nikola sends them a collet of diamonds with a note reading "With heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Lady Hatteras, in memory of an unfortunate detention and a voyage to the Southern Seas, From her sincere admirer, Dr. Nikola." http://www.reocities.com/jessnevins/vicd.html