Last modified 9/1/2000
by mudie@digitaldeck.com
Text added since v2.0 is marked with a '+++'.
This is a list of vampire fiction recommended by the denizens of alt.vampyres and other dark recesses of the Internet. An HTML version of this list is available at http://www-microlab.eecs.berkeley.edu/~mudie/vampfic.html
This list is not intended to be a complete list of vampire books, nor does it replace the FAQ for this newsgroup. The FAQ for alt.vampyres is maintained by Kitsune (kitsune@altvampyres.net) and posted monthly. An HTML version of the FAQ is available at http://www.altvampyres.net. This list incorporates the FAQ's suggested fiction material, but not its extensive list of non-fiction references.
This reading list is maintained by David C Mudie. Comments or additions should be sent to mudie@eecs.berkeley.edu. If you are recommending a book, please include a few paragraphs explaining why you like it, why you think others will like it, and what makes it stand out from other vampire fiction.
Many thanks to Travis S. Casey, the original maintainer of this list, and all the other contributors.
Anscombe, Roderick. The Secret
Life of Laszlo, Count Dracula
Laszlo is a phenomenal book describing the torment
of one of Dracula's relatives. This book chronicles, however,
not a vampire's thirst for blood, but rather an intense need to
consume and to possess. Only when Laszlo is not able to possess
another does he kill, something so contrary to his nature he begins
to work even harder to uphold his reputation as a talented and
revered doctor. For psychologist Anscombe's first writing endeavor,
this is an amazing book. (Michelle Calhoun, cgc@pacificnet.net)
Baker, Nancy. The Night Inside,
Blood and Chrysanthemums, A Terrible Beauty
An interesting take on the vampire fiction genre is the work of
Toronto-based vampire author Nancy Baker... Briefly, the first
two books are about a young university student named Ardeth Alexander.
Ardeth mistakenly ends up being turned into a vampire by an imprisoned
Russian vampire (who becomes her lover) and is taken prisoner
by the Dales, a rich Toronto family who wish to sell the secrets
of everlasting life to a group of yakuza (Japanese gangsters).
The Dales are primarily insane on many levels.
What I like about these novels is that the focus is not so much on the blood-vampire element but on the incredible sense of loneliness and alienation that Ardeth comes to know as a vampire. In Blood and Chrysanthemums, Ardeth tries to live a very normal (albeit nocturnal) life away from cosmopolitan Toronto in Banff, Alberta. She finds that she needs the excitement and energy of the big city and ends up returning to Toronto, trying to stay out of the view of her sister who considers her long-since missing and probably murdered. These books are also an examination of how Ardeth tries to regain the relationships with her family and friends and decides that she can never go back.
In all of Baker's novels there is the realization that life changes, and sometimes for the better or the worse and we can never go back to being what we once were. Baker uses the metaphor of the vampire as a way to explain the sense of loneliness one can feel. In Terrible Beauty she demonstrates how love is stronger than anything, even death and undeath, and that we give of ourselves in love no matter what the costs or consequences. While I enjoyed Terrible Beauty, I still believe that the Ardeth novels are some of the best works of Canadian fiction in a long time, and they just happen to be vampire books.
Some refer to Nancy Baker as the Canadian Anne Rice, which I do not completely agree with, but in terms of the depth of the characters and the emotional, she is on a par with Rice. The other thing I really enjoy about Baker is the fact that the first two novels are native to Canada and specifically my hometown Toronto. There is a very large goth and vampire fiction community here in Toronto and I think Baker has created a setting which any Torontonian can relate to, although others will not need to know Toronto to enjoy her novels. (Steven Venn, svenn@inforamp.net)
+++Brand, Rebecca. The Ruby Tear
(Forge 1997, ISBN 0-312-86165-6)
Playwright Nicolas Griffin was driving the car when it crashed,
nearly killing his passenger, his fiancee, renowned actress Jessamyn
Croft. Though physically, she has recovered, her relationship
with Nic is over since he refuses any further contact with her.
When he writes his latest play, he makes it very clear to the
director that she will not act in it. Still, it is the director's
call, and she is the best for the key role. The director gives
Jess the part. While rehearsing, strange accidents and pranks
seem to happen to Jess.
Baron Ivo von Cragga, a vampire, wants his family heirloom, the Ruby Tear, back. The gem is owned by Nic. Ivo begins to show up at rehearsals. Ivo's plan is to attack Nic's former lover Jess in an attempt to regain what was stolen from his family years ago. Jess finds herself attracted to both Ivo and Nic, even as she wonders which one is trying to hurt her. Nic must find a way to rid himself of the family curse by disposing of the valuable gemstone. Ivo must reconcile his vampire needs with the humanity that Jess has returned to him. The individual points of this strange triangle must each find a way to come to grips with their own demons.
The Ruby Tear is one of the best vampire tales to be released in several years due to the great characterizations that make Jess's dilemma, Nic's curse, and Ivo's vampirism seem so real. The story line is fast-paced, moving, and very symbolic (ancestral hatreds are ridiculed), while the tour of New York City is fun. Sprinkles of humor expand the horizons of the vampire romance sub-genre, turning this into a first class reading experience that fans of horror and romance will both want to peruse. (Harriet Klausner, harstan@ix.netcom.com)
Briery, Traci. The Vampire Journals,
The Vampire Memoirs
These are well-written stories with a strong story-line, well
developed characters, and a believable plot. :} They cover the
conversion by a woman who ultimately exposes the presence of vampires
in America. Journals is about her life and her unwanted
conversion by Agyar. In Memoirs, another female vampire
talks of her life and the interactions between the two women...
great reading... (Minx Kelly, minxkely@bbs.xnet.com)
Brite, Poppy Z. Lost Souls (Dell Abyss 1992, Stoker Award nominee 1993)
I wanted to make sure Poppy Z. Brite's Lost Souls got a
mention. She is another author who has married the club/alternative
scene to vampire legend, but all the characters in this book are
very well drawn and fairly complicated. Her descriptions are amazing.
I just finished the book this week and am considering re-reading
it shortly, which is unusual for me. (Colleen M. McMahon, cmcmaho@emoryu1.cc.emory.edu)
Poppy Z Brite's Lost Souls is pretty good... Poppy writes in a style similar to Anne Rice; her characters burn with gothic passion and tend to question the reasons for their existence. Unlike Rice, Poppy's writing tends have more attitude and less philosophy. (David C Mudie, mudie@crete.eecs.berkeley.edu)
Hmm, hard to put a handle on this one at times. Very good, recommended. Intense exploration of the gothic scene, mostly following the coming of age of the young vampire Nothing, as he is brought into the lifestyle of his kind. If you don't mind vampires as intensely sexual beings, this will knock your socks off. While the book is not utterly dripping with blood, there are parts that will provide all of the shudders you were looking for. In fact, when Ms. Brite goes for the gross-out, she does a rather masterful job, and has this way of making you think for days with just a few words. (Klaatu, klaatu@eskimo.com)
Brust, Steven. Agyar
A first-person account of a vampire's struggle to break free of
his master, who has decided to let him take the blame for her
indiscretions. The "hero," Agyar Janos, shows about
as much interest in the welfare of humans as you'd expect from
something that preys on them. A warning: you may find this book
very frustrating. Much of the story is implied rather than stated;
for instance, the word "vampire" is never mentioned,
nor are we ever actually told that Agyar drinks blood. Instead,
it is left to the reader to piece these kinds of things together
from the narrative. With that said, this is a very good story.
(Travis S. Casey, casey@cs.fsu.edu)
Charnas, Suzy McKee. Vampire Tapestry (ISBN# 0-945953-05-4, University of New Mexico
Press)
A very interesting book, with a very different view of the vampire.
Charnas' vampire, Weyland, has no supernatural abilities, has
a sting under his tongue instead of fangs, and is, as far as he
knows, the only one of his kind. The book explores Weyland's feelings
about humans as they change through a series of adventures in
which he is shot by someone who realizes he is a vampire, captured
by Satanists who want to acquire the powers they believe he has,
escapes, is forced to go to a psychiatrist, and moves out west
in an attempt to start over. Highly recommended. (Travis S. Casey,
casey@cs.fsu.edu)
Browsing the horror section, the cover blurb "The best vampire novel I have ever read..." -- Peter S. Beagle caught my eye. How could I resist? ... The vampire -- Dr. Edward Weyland, an anthropology professor -- is neither the mindless zombie of a King novel, nor a devilish but stereo-typical Count Dracula, nor a social animal ala Rice. Rather, he is a loner, a predator among his prey, and the only one of his kind. How incredibly refreshing! None of the decadent pseudo-religious nonsense that lends to Dracula it's charm and Salem's Lot it's stupidity, no Riceian flying through the air, just a little enhanced biology and decades of experience. The question that is constantly in the back of my mind reading such a novel, "How believable is this?", is answered with a vigorous nod. Well done! (Roger M Squires, rsquires@carina.unm.edu)
Introduces the character of Weyland, an immortal loner (only one of his kind he's ever encountered) and vampire who has been posing as a college professor. He gets busted and sent to a psychiatrist. Excellent psychological exploration, very heavy mind-trip exploring the sensuality/sexuality and other hungers of Weyland the vampire and the psychiatrist "treating" him. (Klaatu, klaatu@eskimo.com)
Collins, Nancy. Sunglasses After
Dark, In the Blood, Paint It Black
Nancy Collins' books, beginning with Sunglasses, are a
rather gory combination of the vampire mythos and cyberpunk. Sunglasses
I enjoyed, but not the followups. The sequels are really almost
retreads of the first book, but with less interesting characters
than Sonja Blue. (Joy Wikle, puck@gibbs.oit.unc.edu)
I found Sunglasses a high-octane confection of black leather and crimson fluids. The story moves quickly, the characters are interesting, and Collins creates an unusual underworld of mythical creatures lurking in the shadows of own culture. I haven't read the sequel yet, but the original is guaranteed to get your blood pumping... out. (David C Mudie, mudie@crete.eecs.berkeley.edu)
Sensual, cutting edge stories, almost in the style of old detective novels. (Minx Kelly, minxkely@bbs.xnet.com)
My goodness. Can Nancy write! Besides creating and following an excellent female lead as she matures throughout her search to find and destroy the fiend who made her a vampire, she delves into the other aspects of the "Real World", which surrounds us all of the time, but which is hidden from the eyes of most mortals, a world with ogres, salamanders, incubi and succubi, and even the occasional seraphim. Sonja Blue is thrown into conflict with Catherine Wheele, a powerful faith-healer with intense paranormal skills. The denouement is one of the best in the business. (Klaatu, klaatu@eskimo.com)
Elrod, P. N. Blood List, Death
Masque, Dance of Death
I would like to recommend P.N. Elrod's Blood List (one
of a series of six). As far as novels are concerned, these are
for fun, light reading. The main character, Jack, is a vampire
detective. They are short, but compelling, with nice twists to
the mysteries. Ms. Elrod also wrote another series starting with
Red Death which is very good. (MIndSpring, michler@mindspring.com)
Dance of Death, P.N. Elrod's latest historical fantasy adventure, is the most recent installment of the domestic drama concerning 18th century vampire Jonathan Barrett and his family. The book opens with Jonathan, his sister Elizabeth, and their not-so-nearly-foolish-as-he-seems cousin Oliver Marling coping with the aftermath of the frenetic and horrific events of the previous novel, Death Masque. Soon the cousins are again in the midst of murder and mayhem.
As usual, Elrod presents the foreign culture of the past with subtlety and humor. The complicated threads of plot and subplot have been handled deftly, and the subject matter, which could very easily have caused the novel to deteriorate into either soap opera or sermon is saved by Elrod's relentless, if compassionate, presentation of human and social realities. The main characters are still engaging, and the new character Richard, Jonathan's four year old son, is delightful. The pacing of the book is leisurely, though still adequate to hold the reader's attention, but picks up about a third of the way through, when it gradually goes from an amble to a full gallop to the denouement. I can comfortably recommend this book to the discerning reader. (Eumenidis, via the ORAC Newsletter)
(Elrod also writes novels and stories featuring TSR's popular vampire Count Strahd. - David)
Ford, John M. The Dragon Waiting
Not really a "vampire story", per se, but several of
the characters are vampires or become them in the course of the
book. The story itself is a historical fantasy set against the
background of Europe during the time just before Richard III became
King of England. The story is quite good, and its take on vampires
is interesting as well. Ford's version has vamps with no supernatural
abilities; vampirism is a disease which produces certain changes
in the sufferer, including a craving for blood, paleness, aversion
to sunlight, and great strength. Has two of the most interesting
vampire characters I've seen. (Travis S. Casey, casey@cs.fsu.edu)
Hambly, Barbra. Those Who Hunt
the Night
This story is told from the point of view of a human who is engaged
by a group of vampires to find out who has been destroying them
one by one, as they sleep. The story is well-told and quite good.
Hambly's vampires are in some ways similar to Rice's, but are
also very different. Both have very social vampires with connections
that range across a broad area, and both have superhuman speed
and strength. However, there are many differences; for example,
Hambly's are vulnerable to silver, and their origin seems to be
natural rather than the supernatural origin of Rice's. (Travis
S. Casey, casey@cs.fsu.edu)
Set in Sherlock Holmes' England, the plot involves the search for a killer of vampires. It's sort of a combo historical novel/detective story. A fast read & fairly engaging, if not great literature. (Marni Centor, marni@panix.com)
Hamilton, Laurel K. Guilty Pleasures,
The Laughing Corpse, Circus of the Damned, The Lunatic Cafe, Bloody
Bones
(Ace Fantasy, 1993-1996)
[These books are in] the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series.
The main character makes her living as a licensed zombie raiser
and is the official vampire executioner for the state of Missouri.
She has a unique relationship with Jean-Claude, the Master of
the City, who's the local head vampire. He wants her, but while
she's attracted to him physically, she's ready to kill him if
he pushes her too far. They each have several close calls due
to the other, yet each saves the other's life on more than one
occasion. By the time you get to the latest book (Bloody Bones)
things REALLY get interesting! As an aside, her books are not
for the squeamish. She gets into some really graphic descriptions
sometimes, but it's not gore for gore's sake. (Lisa99Stan@aol.com)
+++Jennings, Jan. Vampyr
(Pinnacle, 1981, ISBN 0-523-48010-5)
Valan Anderwaldt, Vampyr, seeks out a hemotologist on behalf of
the worldwide vampyr community in an effort to understand their
nature better. She falls in love with him, turns him and shows
him what few get to see. It gives a very wonderful look into the
political hierachy and judicial system of the vampyr world. No
campy vampire "tricks", just a look into their lives.
The doctor's struggle between holding onto and letting go of his
humanity is riveting. (Annette Pindelski, valerie6617@hotmail.com)
Kalogridis, Jeanne. Covenant with
the Vampire, Children of the Vampire, Lord of the Vampires
(Delacorte Press 1994-1997)
Covenant's vampire villain provided an enjoyable change
of pace from the currently popular vampire heroes. The story takes
place 50 years before the start of Stoker's book. Arkady Tsepesh
and his young pregnant wife Mary have left England and relocated
back to the Tsepesh ancestral estate in Transylvania. From the
outset, the reader knows that Prince Vlad is not the kindly uncle
Arkady and his sister have believed him to be since childhood.
As the story unfolds, little things build up, and the small family
gradually puts the pieces together and realizes that Uncle Vlad
is a vampire and they are trapped...
In spite of knowing that Vlad is a vampire right from the start, I found this book (Covenant) suspenseful. Part of this was due to the sinister atmosphere, which is almost palpable right from page 1. Part is due to the sympathy the reader feels for the characters as they gradually learn of the horror around them. Will they learn what they need to know in time to help them? Will each person confide in the others, thereby providing them with necessary information? I found this a very enjoyable and well written book. (Beverly Richardson, ssaunder@fox.nstn.ns.ca)
Killough, Lee. Blood Hunt and
Blood Links (Blood
Hunt: Tor 1987, Blood Links: Tor 1988)
Two of my favourite vampire books deal with fiction's (possibly)
first vampire cop: Garreth Mikaelian, homicide detective with
the San Francisco PD.
In the first of these (Blood Hunt) the luckless Mikaelian is assigned to investigate the murder of a man who has been found floating in San Francisco bay. But the victim has been not drowned, nor, in spite of appearances, died of a broken neck. Instead he seems to have been drained of blood, and has two tiny puncture marks on the side of his throat... Blood Links, the sequel, sees Mikaelian back in San Francisco, this time involved in a hunt for a serial killer. Unfortunately, the killer seems to have a penchant for killing vampires and their human friends - and Mikaelian doesn't dare tell his old colleagues what he knows. Because they realise he is holding something back, he becomes the chief suspect in the case!
Although the "vampire cop" has become somewhat of a cliche, it is worth noting that these books are early (if not the first) example of the type. They also seem to have been a bit of a trend-setter for "Forever Knight" and others. Lee Killough has a good feel for her subjects, both cops and vampires. Mikaelian may make errors in police procedure, but Killough knows what she is doing. The best thing about these books, however, is the characters. In addition to Garreth Mikaelian himself, who comes across as a warm person with a wry sense of humour, there are a number of strong female characters in both books. Included amongst these is Mikaelian's very Irish "Grandma Doyle" who has "Feelings" and Irina, the Russian vampire with a colourful past who "made" Lane Barber.
If you are looking for horror or an erotic charge, don't bother with these . If you want an entertaining vampire mystery with interesting characters, I highly recommend them. (Christine Hawkins, C.Hawkins@nla.gov.au)
King, Stephen. 'Salem's Lot
Written as an homage to Dracula, this novel doesn't really
add anything new to the vampire myth; however, it does deliver
a pretty good story. My main complaint is that there are too many
vampires in the book, and none of the vampires are really given
any kind of motivation beyond that of simply getting some blood.
(Travis S. Casey, casey@cs.fsu.edu)
One of the best vampire stories that I have ever read. I stayed up all night reading it which in itself is not terribly unusual for me, but I also closed all the windows in my bedroom (it was summer) and put on a necklace with a silver cross--this *is* unusual--while I finished it. (Julie Stauffer, j-stauffer@uchicago.edu)
Kiraly, Marie. Mina
I highly recommend a book called Mina. Mina is the
continuation of Bram Stoker's Dracula as told through the
eyes of Mina Harker. The author worked very hard to maintain Stoker's
writing style and to remain fair to the text and apparently developed
this book to further tell the story from Mina's viewpoint, something
the author says is lacking from the original as the story progresses.
If anyone is interested in knowing what became of Mina after her
confrontation, this may be the book to explain it. (Michelle Calhoun,
cgc@pacificnet.net)
(Marie Kiraly is a pen name used by Elaine Bergstrom, creator of the vampiric Austra clan in her Shattered Glass series. - David)
Kurtz, Katherine, and MacMillan, Scott.
Knights of the Blood
The premise is that a group of knights in the crusades drank the
blood of a vampire together and thus became vampires themselves.
This group withdrew from the world, but a Nazi managed to drink
the blood of one of them during WWII. Appears to be the first
in a series. (Travis S. Casey, casey@cs.fsu.edu)
Le Fanu, J. Sheridan. "Carmilla"
This short story is often included in collections of vampire stories.
It's an excellent story, and is one of the inspirations for Bram
Stoker's Dracula. (Travis S. Casey, casey@cs.fsu.edu)
Lee, Earl W. Drakulya (See Sharp Press 1994)
The novel is basically a retelling of the Bram Stoker classic
with several added twists. Unlike Stoker's book the main character
in Drakulya is the vampire himself. The Prince of Bloodsuckers
kept a diary it seems, and Lee has found it. At least that's the
premise of the book and it works to carry the reader's interest.
What also works is Lee's interpretation of Drakulya's character.
Everyone knows the stock character dressed in dark cape and freshly
pressed tuxedo. For years we have been stuck with either the rich,
foreign undead, or as can be seen in Anne Rice's works, the sexually
ambiguous, pouty undead...Lee, however, takes a fresh attack and
presents us with a character that rationalizes and justifies his
own actions in exactly the same way "normal" people
do. We see the "monster" not as a helpless victim of
his environment, nor as a sadistic tyrant but rather a once-human
shadow that hasn't quite forgotten what light and darkness mean
but hasn't quite remembered them either. I found the main character
a reason to continue reading the book, even though I already knew
the plot of Stoker's work. Perhaps, for me, the most interesting
aspect of the novel is the vampire's mental stream of thought.
As he thinks off handedly about God and religion he becomes convinced
that God is himself a parasite living off the blood of others.
The comparison of the Catholic sacrament to the actions of a vampire
were both simple and complex. The life giving "blood of Christ"
turns out to be, in the vampire's mind, not what God gives us
in return for our love, but rather what we give God in return
for his love. Such thoughts brought a human depth to an inhuman
creature and made for a fun story.... (M. Shafer Ramsey, Technomancer)
Lee, Tanith. Dark Dance, Personal
Darkness
I have a recommendation for summer reading... Personal Darkness
(2nd in the series I believe) is a story about the Scarabae race
as they attempt to hunt down one of their own --- a vampire child
named Ruth who kills people in their homes to act out her remorse
for killing her father. There's too much in this novel to summarize,
but if you like Anne Rice, you'd actually appreciate Lee's style
as well. It's always nice to read a vampire novel that has lots
of female characters with brains. Lately most vamp novels are
only with male characters that are deemed as evil monsters, or
are about vampirism as a disease that can be cured, or about the
fearless vampire hunters taking it upon their macho selves to
save the world from vampire invasion. See my point? There needs
to be more novels like Personal Darkness. (Bonnie Burton,
burtonb@ucsu.Colorado.EDU)
Lumley, Brian. Necroscope,
Vamphyri, et al.
Lumley's Necroscope series deals with vampires, ESP, and
quite a few other things. Lumley's vamps are rather different
from the standard model, being symbiotes that implant themselves
in hosts and take over the body, while leaving the mind mostly
unchanged. Highly reminiscent in many ways of the Cthulhu Mythos,
with is no surprise since Lumley has written quite a few stories
set in the mythos. I've only read the first two, so I can't really
say a whole lot about the series as a whole; personally, I preferred
the second book, but it would be very hard to understand without
reading the first. (Travis S. Casey, casey@cs.fsu.edu)
The Anne Rice novels come widely acclaimed and recommended, but I believe Brian Lumley's Necroscope series and the following Vampire World are a very good read. Go and buy them, you won't be disappointed. (Jester, ajoyce@rowan.coventry.ac.uk)
Martin, George R.R. Fevre Dream
A long, very rich story of a vampire trying to free his people
from the need for human blood. There are power struggles within
the vampire community, and most of the action takes place on a
riverboat on the Mississippi river. (Minx Kelly, minxkely@bbs.xnet.com)
An excellent novel as a novel, superior story-telling, and a fresh approach to the vampire-as-living-being. It's a horror story and a Mississippi riverboat period piece, as well as pretty good SF, all at once. (Klaatu, klaatu@eskimo.com)
Matheson, Richard. I Am Legend
Matheson's I Am Legend tweaks the conventions of the genre
by adopting the perspective of the "last man on earth"
-- the only person immune to a plague which has reduced everyone
else to quasi-vampiric nocturnal savages. This book provided the
inspiration for both Charlton Heston's Omega Man and George
Romero's Night of the Living Dead. The novel, in many ways
superior to either film adaptation, attempts to critique the established
narrative conventions by constructing the protagonist as the outsider
/ threat to a (new) world order. (scott e. johnson, mrngstar@utkux.utcc.utk.edu)
McCammon, Robert R. They Thirst (1986)
About a vampire takeover of LA, this is a pretty good book. Plays
up the supernatural aspects of vampires a bit, with a vampire
leader who has various strange powers. In addition, the vampires
are described as being sort of snake-like, with retractable fangs;
this is a new variation; we've had bat-like and rat-like vamps
before, but these are the only snake-like ones I've seen. (Travis
S. Casey, casey@cs.fsu.edu)
McCammon, Robert R., ed. Under
the Fang
Seventeen short stories set on an alternate Earth where vampires
have taken over the world. The stories are very uneven in their
portrayal of vampires; no two of the writers seem to be using
the exact same model. Most of them are OK; the real stand-out
in the book is "Advocates", by Suzy McKee Charnas and
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, which features their vampire characters
Weyland and the Comte de Saint-Germain. (Travis S. Casey, casey@cs.fsu.edu)
Moore, Christopher. Bloodsucking
Fiends (Simon & Schuster
1995)
Probably never before has a vampire been looked at as such a hot
date and so much fun to just hang out with as the heroine of this
story set in present day San Francisco. The author has managed
to weave all the aspects of some basic vampire premises (with
several hilarious references to other books in the genre) into
a story of girl gets bit, boy meets girl, boy falls for girl,
and all hell breaks loose.
One day a young woman wakes up in an alley feeling very strange and she just knows that things will not be quite the same anymore. Her search for what happened and why and how to cope with her new powers are a take of a coming of age story that is full of new twists and exciting revelations about her new brethren.
The characters are all oh so real that you forget that you are the reader and not an active participant in this "love story" that just keeps coming at you with one riotous scene after another. There is plenty of true vampire action that will satisfy those yearnings, but it is done in a way that propels you through the book with a satisfying grin if not out and out laughter. (Jerry Malitz, gmalitz@inet.ed.gov)
+++ Bloodsucking Fiends is an uproariously funny vampire love story by Christopher Moore. Set in modern-day San-Francisco, it chronicles the adventures of Jody, a feisty red-head, after she discovers that she has been attacked and left in a dumpster. Gradually, she becomes aware that she is not herself, and must make many improvisations to get along. Jody seems to abhor sunlight, can see infrared "heat signatures" of warm-blooded creatures, and gets cravings for you-know-what.
Enter Tommy, a young would-be poet and writer who is presently employed at a local Safeway grocery (night shift, of course). Jody decides that she needs Tommy to help her through this remarkable "passage," but begins to fall madly for him. The results are very, very funny.
Moore takes aim at many of the inanities of modern-day living (voice mail, fashion magazines, fad diets, etc). He also gives the reader a good dose of tension, as a disgruntled vampire gentleman begins to vie for Jody's affections -- and soul. This book made me laugh out loud numerous times, and believe me, it takes some very sharp wit for me to react this way. If you like vampire stories that are tension filled, yet peppered with bright satire, Bloodsucking Fiends is a MUST read! (Mike Nofz, mnofz@uwc.edu)
Newman, Kim. Anno Dracula (1993, Stoker Award nominee 1994)
Try Newman's Anno Dracula. It's in 18th century England
where the king/queen are vampyres and they turn everyone. It has
some great cameos by Jack-the Ripper, etc. (James Kalemis, jkalemi@mail.luc.edu)
Anno Dracula is set in late *19*th century England during the reign of Queen Victoria. Count Dracula has escaped the plans of Dr. Seward and co. and managed to turn Wilhelmina to his dark purpose. He goes about turning several other hapless humans and finally wheedles his way to the side of the widowed Victoria, becoming her Prince Consort in sort order. After that, London--and, indeed, all of England and her colonies--is slowly but surely becoming a seething den of vicious, blood thirsty creatures of darkness. The story begins in the midst of the Jack the Ripper scare... someone is murdering young Undead prostitutes one by one in a most methodical manner and the hordes of Blood suckers are up at arms. I shan't go into any more detail; suffice it to say, it is an excellent book and a wonderful exploration of the old "what if" scenario. (Michelle Mogil, mmm3@cornell.edu)
Neiderman, Andrew. The Need, Bloodchild
2 very different books here, Neiderman seems to have 2 styles
of writing, pulp and quality. Bloodchild is the pulp, The
Need is the quality. Bloodchild is a simple, predictable
story of an adopted baby who happens to be a vampire child. The
Need is a much deeper, very introspective tale presenting
vampires as dichotomous creatures. Each creature is made up of
a male and female entity sharing one body. The male aspect feeds,
and the female aspect is more of the social and dominant side.
The Need is very very well written. Get it if you can.
(Minx Kelly, minxkely@bbs.xnet.com)
Pike, Christopher. The Season of
Passage
This book is placed in the future when astronauts are exploring
Mars. Mysterious dreams are passing through a child, who knows
she must stop her sister from her adventure. And what an adventure
it is: going to Mars and coming back a vampire! This book keeps
you in suspense until the novel is finished, and even then you
want more. Pike is a great author, I find almost all his books
chilling. (Lesley, rros1145@slps.k12.mo.us)
Polidori, John. "The Vampyre"
In its day, this was the equivalent of Dracula; its main
character, Lord Ruthven, showed up in just about any play or book
dealing with vampires, just as Dracula does now. Along with "Carmilla",
this story established the stereotype of the vampire-as-noble.
(Travis S. Casey, casey@cs.fsu.edu)
Rice, Anne. The Vampire Chronicles:
Interview with the Vampire (1976), The Vampire Lestat, The Queen
of the Damned, Tale of the Body Thief (1993), and Memnoch
the Devil (1995)
Rice's books inspired a new vampire revival, and her version of
vampires is far different from the traditional versions. The first
book deals with Louis, the other three follow Louis' creator,
Lestat. The first two were very good, IMHO, but the third was
only so-so at best. Body Thief is better than Queen,
but not up to the standards of Interview and Lestat;
I personally found myself wondering how someone who is supposed
to be of superhuman intelligence could be so stupid. (Travis S.
Casey, casey@cs.fsu.edu)
Of the five books, the first two (IWTV & TVL) really chronicle the life of a vampire. Ms. Rice writes with such passion, imagery, and emotion that the story creates action in your mind like if you were really there. The descriptions and (almost) erotic atmosphere at times sweeps you into the world in the pages. The ideas presented regarding creation and powers of vampyres is different in part from other "classic" tales; but it leaves nothing to be desired! (Sara Mitchell/Sarathena, sarem@wam.umd.edu)
Memnoch has an interesting twist on the story of God and the Devil. In this rendition, the Devil (Memnoch) is the good and more humane of the two, and God is the one who doesn't care as much. It also explains the unexplainable, why we are here, how everything began, etc. Memnoch the Devil is also a very good ending to an exciting and original series of vampire books. (Lee Sanders, lsanders@ilinks.net)
Romkey, Michael. I, Vampire
and The Vampire Papers
I'd like to suggest Mike Romkey's I, Vampire and The
Vampire Papers. Having only read the latter, I cannot justly
review Romkey's performance as an author, but this story (TVP)
is a rather long winded and annoying read at times. The story
covers the actions of a member of the 'Illuminati' who is tracking
down a member of the "Vampiri" into a small Mississippi
town called Jerusalem (sounds like an SK rip off to me), thru
journal papers, police reports, newspaper clippings, etc. Often
boring, but in some parts, fairly informative. As you get deeper
into the book, it does get a lot more interesting, and there are
a few interesting things concerning vampire history. To be perfectly
fair, I'd have to say that TVP was a decent read. It doesn't give
the goody-goody side of vampires that seems to be so prevelant
in todays authors. (nightcap, nightcap@acs.bu.edu)
Rusch, Kristine Kathryn. Sins of
the Blood (1994)
A most unusual vampire book, this one takes place in the US, but
an alternate US with a sizable population of vampires. Different
states treat the problem in different ways. Some ignore the problem,
others treat vampirism as an addictive disease and have rehabilitation
clinics specifically for vampires. And then there is Wisconsin
with its policy of eradication - no arrest warrant necessary.
This work is performed by employees of the Westrina Centre; they
find, pass sentence on, and kill the vampires without any outside
government interference.
As the story unfolds, we learn that there are 2 kinds of vampires - those who started out human but were bitten by a vampire and converted, and hereditary vampires. In the early years of vampirism a man can still father children, and it is these kids who almost always grow up to become hereditary vampires. However, even nice people usually change after becoming a vampire, becoming cruel and sexually insatiable. Kids raised in vampire households are usually abused physically, often sexually, and finally frequently drained dry.
The author has done a superb job of linking child abuse and its lingering effects on adults together with a vampire story. I found this to be a disturbing, but fascinating and well written book covering a new angle I have never seen before in any vampire story. I definitely recommend this. (Beverly Richardson, ssaunder@fox.nstn.ns.ca)
Saberhagen, Fred. The Dracula Tapes,
The Holmes-Dracula File, An Old Friend of the Family, Thorn, Dominion,
A Matter of Taste, and A Question of Time
Saberhagen's Dracula series deal with Dracula basically as outlined
in Bram Stoker's novel, but from a sympathetic point of view.
My favorites are The Dracula Tapes, which retells Dracula
from Drac's point of view, and An Old Friend of the Family,
the first in the series to be set in modern times. (Travis S.
Casey, casey.cs.fsu.edu)
Not nearly as good as Rice, IMHO, but entertaining. Definitely not as erotic, 'fer sure ;') (Paul Murphy, paulm@psych.toronto.edu)
Scott, Jody. I, Vampire
I, Vampire deals not so much with 'Ooo, I wanna suck your
blood' stuff as much as it does the exploration of the loneliness
of an immortal being who is having her mind and spirituality drastically
challenged by an alien, Benaroya, who is able to swap forms (and
maybe even sanities?). As a vampire book, it's on the fringe of
the genre. As a book about people and awarenesses, I think it's
a great read. (Lewars Dusti L., elionwyr@onix.com)
Shepard, Lucius. The Golden (1993)
I just finished Lucius Shepard's The Golden, which was
a really good vampire detective story. Somebody has killed the
sacrificial victim the night before the Feast, and a young vampire
is assigned to find out who and why. The plot is just bubbling
over with secrets and intrigue, but for me the best part was the
backdrop of Castle Banat with its acid-goth architecture: vaulted
cupboards, a stunted ballroom, a stairway made of living humans...
(David C Mudie, mudie@crete.eecs.berkeley.edu)
Simmons, Dan. Carrion Comfort (1989, Stoker Award winner 1990)
"All humans feed on violence. But only those with the Ability
have tasted the ultimate power....Ordinary vampires possess the
body. But only those who use the living can violate the soul...They
gather their strength through the years. They plot their unholy
games. They war among themselves. And the victor will stand alone
against a world without defenses." --- back cover blurb.
This one is pretty long (884 pages), but chapters are short. The plot skips around through the various characters, but it adds to the excitement. There is a chess theme, and the character development works in that way also. I found this one a lot of fun to read. (Scott Baker, bakers@gwis.circ.gwu.edu)
A hefty book and an excellent read. The plot concerns a secret clique of mind-vampires who pull on the strings of world power. It starts a little slow, but the last two hundred pages pack quite a pay-off. (David C Mudie, mudie@crete.eecs.berkeley.edu)
Simmons, Dan. Children of the Night (1992)
Excellent story with extensive research of the roots of Dracula.
Set after Chowchesque (Spelling?) is shot in the streets and details
a woman's plight to save the AIDS babies before the Transylvanian
cult rears its head. Well written and superbly researched with
a plausible explanation for the existence of vampires. (Stuart
Florence, florence@underdog.ee.wits.ac.za)
CotN is not quite as good as Carrion Comfort but still worth reading. The plot concerns a Rumanian orphan with a mysterious blood disease and the shady characters who are trying to get him back. I recommend CotN for fans of the historical Vlad Drakul; the book contains lots of well-researched tidbits into his life and times. (David C Mudie, mudie@crete.eecs.berkeley.edu)
Skipp, John & Spector, Craig. Light
at the End
A great splatterpunk reworking of the vampire mythos. Psychotic
loser is bitten by a vampire and then unleashed in the New York
subway. Graphic, gory, with great characters, this book is a great
remedy for the new trend of 'romantic' vampires. Vampires are
evil, they should be feared, loathed, and destroyed. Finally,
a vampire book where you root for the humans. (Christopher R.
Nauta, cnauta@nautacom.win.net)
Somtow, S.P. Vampire Junction
Another gem... Timothy Valentine is a teen singer/idol. He is
a also a vampire. Somtow is a fantastic writer and the book does
not slow down at all. There is a sequel to this book, but I have
not managed to get it yet. (Minx Kelly, minxkely@bbs.xnet.com)
Spruill, Stephen. Rulers of Darkness
and Daughter of Darkness
Detective Merrick Chapman is a Washington DC homicide cop - and
a vampire. He has dedicated himself to hunting down his own kind
and incarcerating them until they die of hunger (nice guy!). In
his life as a cop, he comes across what looks like a bizarre serial
killer - but things are not quite as simple as they first appear.
(Are they ever?)
Good strong plot, lots of medical detail for those who like that, and excellent male and female characters. It's published in the US and UK by Hodder and Stoughton - and I love them both, although I have an especial soft spot for the second as I copy-edited it. :) (Heather Cawte-Winskill, heather.cawte-winskill@unn.ac.uk)
Steakly, John. Vampire$
Deals with a group of people who hunt vampires for money. A very
dark book. (Travis S. Casey, casey@cs.fsu.edu)
Stoker, Bram. Dracula
This is, of course, the classic by which almost all works about
vampires since have been inspired. To a modern reader, it's somewhat
slow going, but it's still an excellent story, and Stoker knows
his vampires inside and out. (Travis S. Casey, casey@cs.fsu.edu)
Suskind, Patrick. Perfume
"Once upon a time, in 18th-century France, there lived a
human monster unlike anything mankind has ever known. Enter the
world of evil genius, a murderer so depraved that only the most
hideous of crimes could satisfy his lust...a killer who lives
to possess the essence of young virgins...a vampire of scent,
whose bloody, insane quest takes him beyond the boundaries of
love...and death." -- back cover blurb
That's basically a good description. It does get a little slow in the middle, but so does Anne [Rice] sometimes. Very good description especially regarding the sense of scent. (Scott Baker, bakers@gwis.circ.gwu.edu)
Perfume is the tragic tale of Grenouille, the world's only scent vampire. Suskind paints this book with an incredible palette of smells and odors, making use of a sense most writers overlook entirely. A truly unique twist on the vampire mythos. (David C Mudie, mudie@crete.eecs.berkeley.edu)
Talbot, Michael. The Delicate Dependency (Avon Books 1982)
This book revolves around the relationship between a medical doctor
and a vampire who cross paths very unexpectedly. The story grows
into a very intricate and detailed yarn about the origin and purpose
of vampires in our world which spans thousands of years. The dependency
that the title hints at is not the vampire's dependency on blood...it's
much deeper than that. It's more a dependency of vampires on humans
and vice versa. They are the true patriarchs of the this world
according to this story. Each vampire is chosen for his or her
special talent or gift. They are very creative in how they enjoy
life and have very complex personalities. I found the characters
very engrossing and there is much period detail in the descriptions.
There are too many twists and turns to describe, but let's just
say that you don't know what is REALLY going on until the end.
This book was only printed once in 1982, so it can be very hard
to find. Try calling Avon Books at 212-262-3361. Good luck and
it's well worth the trouble, I promise! (Sherri Deener, bdeener@iglou.com)
Unknown. Varney the Vampyre; or,
the Feast of Blood
This was a serialized "penny dreadful" also known as
a "penny blood", published in England in the mid 19th
century. Originally released in weekly installments of one or
two chapters during the years 1845-47, Varney was popular
enough that it was collected into a single volume (some 800+ pages)
in 1847. Still later, in 1853, I think, it was released once again
as a serial.
The original publisher was E. Lloyd, of Fleet Street, London, who had a number of writers producing these types of popular serials. The actual author of Varney is not really given, but it has been attributed by scholars to either Thomas Peckett Prest or James Malcolm Rymer. Current belief is that Rymer was almost certainly the author.
The original serials and collections from the 1840's are extremely rare, but in 1970 a facsimile reprint of the 1847 collection was printed by Arno Press. This (as of 1995) is still listed in Books in Print, but really is not available from the publisher any more. This 1970 edition was in three volumes, and was edited by Sir Devendra P. Varma. It includes the illustrations from the original which are extremely interesting to see. In 1972, Dover produced a paperback reprint in two volumes in a slightly larger page size. This edition was edited by Everett F. Bleiler. It has been discovered that this later printing includes some pages missing from the 1970 reprint. Both of these reprints are out of print, but can be found in libraries and are occasionally seen in used book shops.
Varney is currently being serialized once again, this time electronically. In November of 1993, James Macdonald began uploading chapters of this work to the Science Fiction Roundtable 1 (SFRT1) on the Genie online service. There are 237 chapters in the complete work. The full text of this work has been transcribed into ASCII text and these uploaded chapters are available via WWW at http://www.comclin.net/humphrey
I believe that all of us who have become regular Varney readers and are following the tale on Genie are enjoying it, although it is difficult for me to recommend it as a "must read" by today's standards. However, it's publication pre-dates the noted Bram Stoker's Dracula by 50 years or so, and may, in fact, be the first vampire tale published in English. I think that this historical significance makes it worthy of a read, as well as some of the glimpses of 19th century England and the comic relief passages as well. The plot is somewhat convoluted, and the numerous mysteries and dead-end plot lines have made it addicting, though more so as a soap-opera than as a true epic novel. (Humphrey Liu, h.liu@juno.com)
Williams, Tad. Child of an Ancient
City (Tor Books 1992)
Child of an Ancient City is an unusual vampire story, as
it is told in an "Arabian Nights" style. It's about
a caravan which is attacked by robbers in the Caucasian mountains.
The survivors must make it back to the nearest city, but they
are being stalked by a vampire and killed one by one. To stay
awake at night, they tell each other stories... until the vampire
steps into their midst and issues a challenge.
Although the vampire is omni-present, most of the story consists of the tales which are told by the men trying to save their lives. If you like suspense and not bloodshed, you will love this (rather short) novel. It has a very rewarding end. (Sibylle Dussy, Sibylle_Dussy@il.us.swissbank.com)
Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn. Blood Games,
Path of the Eclipse, The Palace, Darker Jewels, Hotel Transylvania,
Tempting Fate, others
I have been very impressed by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's series. She
takes a somewhat different approach to vampires that I really
enjoy. Some of her books are hard to find, but well worth the
search. The main character is the Comte de Saint-Germain. Take
a look. (Rebbee, rebbee@aol.com)
The books by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro rank right up there with Rice in terms of the Vampire literature. Yarbro's strength is her settings and characters; she does a very good job of capturing the "flavor" of some of the historical periods in which she writes. Again, not as erotic as Rice (although my fiance would disagree, I think). Still, highly recommended. (Paul Murphy, paulm@psych.toronto.edu)
Various authors. The Beast Within (1993)
The Beast Within is an anthology of short stories based
on the Vampire role-playing game -- but don't let that turn you
away! The stories are novelty twists on popular themes, dealing
with vampires in the classical sense but also retaining the clan
structure of the RPG. There is one story that shines out above
the rest about a priest who becomes a vampire -- a vampire with
faith, hilarious! The only thing wrong with the collection was
the annoying way all the stories were set in the San Francisco
area, but I could live with that. (I have heard a rumour about
other books coming out for other certain cities... namely New
Orleans. :) Some of the stories are beautifully told. I found
the book to have lots of 'new' stories as well as just good re-telling
of some old ones. (Stef Aka Zodiac, mcsdc2smt@zippy.dct.ac.uk)
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