What Is the Best Vampire Book?

[Tobias March]

Okay, well off the bat I'd say 'I Am Legend'. And there are few others I find interesting like George R.R. Martin's 'Fevre Dream'. But what is the killer? Le Fanu's Camilla is a great story and Stoker set this all off, but which vamp book nails it perfectly. Not in a schlocky, King-horror-fanfic way, but perfect.

That said I've never read Poppy Z. Brite. Any use?

[Gordon Smith]

Bram Stoker's Dracula.

[Tobias March]

Well if you're talking about defining the idea of the vampire novel, you could also through in 'The Vampire', by Byron, that was finished by some admirer of his. Dracula is pretty definitive, but I'm talking about a vampire novel written for an audience already familiar with the concept. Kim Newman's books for example are 'overfamiliar'. All over the shop. A bit goofy. But still..

[Rocket13]

In spite of your comments about Steven King, I thought Salems Lot was quite the vampire tale.

[Karl J. Barnes]

The first two Anne Rice books were pretty interesting though I believe that she "jumped the shark' with the rest or so it seems. I like Robin McKinnley's Sunshine and am now reading Charlene Harris' Southern Vampire novel, Dead Until Dark-it's quirky and fun.

[Tobias March]

In spite of your comments about Steven King, I thought Salems Lot was quite the vampire tale.

Oh sure, no offence to King, I just meant the world of King knock offs that flooded the market after his 80's success.

[Puma]

now I wouldn't say these are the best but...

Amelia Atwater-Rhodes published her first vampire novel, In the Forest of the Night at age 14 and produced two more in the series. It is a well designed series and fairly inventive. A good read for the Young Adult crowd.

Darren Shan writes the Vampire's Assistant series, so far 7 books. The first three are inventive and creative, looking at vampires in a different way which is fun. The last books have become somewhat boring even though the subject, a war between the civilized and feral vampires, is interesting. This is another title geared for Young Adults.

[Knightmare]

The first two Anne Rice books were pretty interesting though I believe that she "jumped the shark' with the rest or so it seems. I like Robin McKinnley's Sunshine and am now reading Charlene Harris' Southern Vampire novel, Dead Until Dark-it's quirky and fun.


I agree with Rice. The first two books did a great job of pulling me in-- but Queen of the damn drug on and her last two books where just an excuse to write some hlaf arsed exotica book. Which there's nothing wrong with if that's what the book is really about. But those weren't. First two though, have to love Lestat.

[Dennis K]

The Vampire Lestat

[Grant]

I'm going to have to go with Bunnicula

http://www.lctonstage.org/images/Bunnicula-bunnygood.jpg

[Scott Beeler]

I don't read a lot of vampire fiction, but my favorite might by John Steakley's _Vampire$_. I like Kim Newman's _Anno Dracula_ series as well.

Only a short story, but highly recommended by me, is Pat Cadigan's "The Power and the Passion" (in her collection _Patterns_, for one).

[Bakema NL]

I really liked the Necroscope saga by Brian Lumley..........and lots of others of course.

[Greg Hatcher]

I am very fond of Fred Saberhagen's "New Dracula" (http://www.berserker.com/FredsDracula.html) series. Covers some of the same ground as Kim Newman's books, but better, I think. Of them all I think my favorites are "The Dracula Tape" and "An Old Friend Of The Family." I just got the new one, "A Coldness In The Blood," a few days ago, but haven't started it yet.

[kane]

I think the vampire the masquerade RP has a very interessting image of vampires. And there are many good novels.

Some interessting points:

1. The origin of vampires, Kain the first vampire, the book nod, the jihad (the war between vampires since ancient days); gehenna, the end of all things.
2. The clan system with different vampire diciplines. The rome-carthago war was for example as a matter of fact a war between the ventrue clan (rome) and the brujah clan (karthago) etc.
3. The vampire without all the ridiculous stuff like fear of a crucifix, do not cross water, garlic etc.
4. The vampires do not lose their soul. But they are getting older. And the older they get the more cold they get, they lose their humanity with every century. And there is always the danger they lose control to the beast within .
5. Real old vampires control and manipulate the young in the Jihad, but are themself manipulated by much older vampires, who lie in the earth.

[Karl J. Barnes]

I really liked the Necroscope saga by Brian Lumley..........and lots of others of course.

This is another series that started off fairly cool and then just started to repetitious. I did, when I first read it, thought that was possibly the most original take on the vampire, but then Lumley turned the Neroscope into a quasi-super-hero.

[Gordon Smith]

I am very fond of Fred Saberhagen's "New Dracula" (http://www.berserker.com/FredsDracula.html) series. Covers some of the same ground as Kim Newman's books, but better, I think. Of them all I think my favorites are "The Dracula Tape" and "An Old Friend Of The Family." I just got the new one, "A Coldness In The Blood," a few days ago, but haven't started it yet.

There's another entry in that series? I'll definitely have to read it. I loved those novels, especially the Holmes-Dracula File.

[Karl J. Barnes]

There's another entry in that series? I'll definitely have to read it. I loved those novels, especially the Holmes-Dracula File.

I remember reading something called the "Dracula Files" back in 1979. It was about using Dracula to fight the forces of evil and to keep him under control they had splinter of silver or stake embedded close to his heart; which the could remotely control to pierce his heart and kill him. Is the the Saberhagen one??

[Greg Hatcher]

I remember reading something called the "Dracula Files" back in 1979. It was about using Dracula to fight the forces of evil and to keep him under control they had splinter of silver or stake embedded close to his heart; which the could remotely control to pierce his heart and kill him. Is the the Saberhagen one??

No. These books have Dracula as the hero. The first one is called The Dracula Tape and has Vlad explaining HIS side of the Stoker story to a descendant of the Harkers. They go on from there. If you're a big Wold Newton/continuity geek there's Easter Eggs all over the place in these books, they're great fun.

I have no idea what book you're talking about, sadly, because it sounds like fun too.

[Gordon Smith]

I remember reading something called the "Dracula Files" back in 1979. It was about using Dracula to fight the forces of evil and to keep him under control they had splinter of silver or stake embedded close to his heart; which the could remotely control to pierce his heart and kill him. Is the the Saberhagen one??

No. I believe you are thinking of a nine volume series (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/authors/Robert_Lory.htm) written by Robert Lory. I read them when they came out. I don't recall the name of the professor who managed to capture and control Dracula, but he was confined to a wheelchair and had telekinetic powers, though he couldn't do much with them (he used this ability to control the stake he had implanted within Dracula). His main assistant was a former member of the NYPD he had saved from imprisonment. I wish I still had those books, 'cause they are impossible to find now.

[niall mc cann]

Carpe Jugulum (or Go For The Throat).

A vampire doesn't raise heirs, he raises competitors.

vampire nuts probably won't consider it a real vamp book, but it is brilliant in its own right.

[Karl J. Barnes]

No. I believe you are thinking of a nine volume series (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/authors/Robert_Lory.htm) written by Robert Lory. I read them when they came out. I don't recall the name of the professor who managed to capture and control Dracula, but he was confined to a wheelchair and had telekinetic powers, though he couldn't do much with them (he used this ability to control the stake he had implanted within Dracula). His main assistant was a former member of the NYPD he had saved from imprisonment. I wish I still had those books, 'cause they are impossible to find now.

That's it!! I found the book in Germany at a thrift shop or maybe it was a library, but this was way back in 1979.

[Solaris]

I think the vampire the masquerade RP has a very interessting image of vampires. And there are many good novels.

Some interessting points:

1. The origin of vampires, Kain the first vampire, the book nod, the jihad (the war between vampires since ancient days); gehenna, the end of all things.
2. The clan system with different vampire diciplines. The rome-carthago war was for example as a matter of fact a war between the ventrue clan (rome) and the brujah clan (karthago) etc.
3. The vampire without all the ridiculous stuff like fear of a crucifix, do not cross water, garlic etc.
4. The vampires do not lose their soul. But they are getting older. And the older they get the more cold they get, they lose their humanity with every century. And there is always the danger they lose control to the beast within .
5. Real old vampires control and manipulate the young in the Jihad, but are themself manipulated by much older vampires, who lie in the earth.

I like their take on it, too (from what I've read), and I also find it interesting comparing that to Rice's take on vampire origins. Some neat ideas out there.

[Rabid Trekkie]

Bram Stoker's Dracula.

I've started reading Carmilla but haven't finished it yet.

[Tobias March]

No. These books have Dracula as the hero. The first one is called The Dracula Tape and has Vlad explaining HIS side of the Stoker story to a descendant of the Harkers. They go on from there. If you're a big Wold Newton/continuity geek there's Easter Eggs all over the place in these books, they're great fun.

I have no idea what book you're talking about, sadly, because it sounds like fun too.

I've always wanted to track this down. For some reason the vampire myth has been treated better on film than in literature - or at least is has been on occaision. George Romero's Martin for example. On film the vampire's visual menace can be fully explored. If you'd believe the Eng. Lit. texts vampire novels are typically explorations of Gothicism and repressed sexuality. The early books by Stoker, Polidori and Le Fanu are described as being almost entirely metaphorical, whereas on film they are (or can be - memories of Fright Night :) ) depicted more imaginatively.

I was curious to read Vampire$. Is that still in print?

[Karl J. Barnes]

I've always wanted to track this down. For some reason the vampire myth has been treated better on film than in literature - or at least is has been on occaision. George Romero's Martin for example. On film the vampire's visual menace can be fully explored. If you'd believe the Eng. Lit. texts vampire novels are typically explorations of Gothicism and repressed sexuality. The early books by Stoker, Polidori and Le Fanu are described as being almost entirely metaphorical, whereas on film they are (or can be - memories of Fright Night :) ) depicted more imaginatively.

I was curious to read Vampire$. Is that still in print?


I don't know, I haven't seen ANY of Steakley's novels. When I read the book, it was a pretty neat look at Vampire Hunters with some moments of levity, but the characters were a bit one dimensional. Fun fact: Crow and Felix were also the name of the characters in his Armor novel, they also acted the same way in Vampire$ as they did in Armor.

[Jasper]

I have found myself likeing Charliene Harris's SOuthern Vampire series. There are 4 books in the series and I just read all 4 in 3 days. I don't think it will win awards but I liked it.
Another series I liked is Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake series. It's good but once Narissus in Chains begins the series turns into softcore porn with the creatures of the night. Between all the sex there's some entertaining stuff and a few dead bodies also.

[Shellhead]

In spite of your comments about Steven King, I thought Salems Lot was quite the vampire tale.

I'm re-reading that right now. Salem's Lot is a better book than I remembered, and it wasn't marketed as a vampire book. I'm more than 120 pages into the book right now, and it's just finally getting to the point where there are a couple of hints about vampires. There are also hints regarding ghosts or serial killers so far, so King was really trying to keep the readers guessing back then.

My all-time favorite vampire books are:

Fevre Dream, by George R.R. Martin, and
The Book of Common Dread, by Brent Monahan

Both books are exciting and well-written. Both books explore the vampire concept with intelligence, creativity and some sympathy. Fevre Dream features a very unconventional hero in an excellent setting. The Book of Common Dread takes place on a modern Ivy League campus (Yale?) and features a hero that a reader can't help liking, a cool guy who happens to be a compulsive reader and librarian.

[Alex]

I think the vampire the masquerade RP has a very interessting image of vampires. And there are many good novels.

Some interessting points:

1. The origin of vampires, Kain the first vampire, the book nod, the jihad (the war between vampires since ancient days); gehenna, the end of all things.
2. The clan system with different vampire diciplines. The rome-carthago war was for example as a matter of fact a war between the ventrue clan (rome) and the brujah clan (karthago) etc.
3. The vampire without all the ridiculous stuff like fear of a crucifix, do not cross water, garlic etc.
4. The vampires do not lose their soul. But they are getting older. And the older they get the more cold they get, they lose their humanity with every century. And there is always the danger they lose control to the beast within .
5. Real old vampires control and manipulate the young in the Jihad, but are themself manipulated by much older vampires, who lie in the earth.
While i love the whole white wolf mythology, i didn't enjoy any of the books in that series.
They weren't all angsty like Anne Rice Vampires though, so that was a positive.

[The Wayner]

I'll make mention of Richard Laymon and say:

The Traveling Vampire Show
Bite
The Stake

[Karl J. Barnes]

I'll make mention of Richard Laymon and say:

The Traveling Vampire Show
Bite
The Stake

I've read Bite and while the reading was eerie enough; it was the ending that, for me, crapped out. It just felt a bit flat, anti-climatic.

[Rabid Trekkie]

I didn't remember it before but Ray Bradbury did a short story called The Man Upstairs that is about a vampire. Though the vampire never did anything disturbing, the way he died was creepy though. It's in the book The October Country if anyone is interested.

[Tobias March]

Anyone read Poppy Z. Brite? I bought her for a friend, but I never got to read her updated New Orleans vamp stuff myself.

[Karl J. Barnes]

Anyone read Poppy Z. Brite? I bought her for a friend, but I never got to read her updated New Orleans vamp stuff myself.

I read, I believe Lost Boys (??), I found it downright boring. It was cliched with this despart wanting to be hip and meaningful. It wasn't even mildly haunting or eerie... a total bore.

[citymadeofash]

I know some of these have already been listed, but here are some of my own favorites:

I Am Legend - Richard Matheson
Salems Lot - Stephen King
The Keep - F Paul Wilson
Midnight Mass - F Paul Wilson
Necroscope (series) - Brian Lumley
The Book of Nod - White Wolf pub.
The Book of the Kindred - White Wolf pub.

[kane]

While i love the whole white wolf mythology, i didn't enjoy any of the books in that series.
They weren't all angsty like Anne Rice Vampires though, so that was a positive.

I like the first Anne Rice vampire books, but later it comes with god and angels etc. and this is too much for me.

But Anne Rice is one of the few authors with a good background about where the vampires come from and there are some old, interessting characters.

But i like the "vampire masquerade" background more, its more worked out (of course due to the whole rp system). And the vampires are really frightening, some are real cold, old and powerfull.

I don´t like vampires like in the books from P. N. Elrod. They are too human, they even do not drink human blood just blood from cattle. Its like a fantasy novel with a superhuman hero living only at night and drinking blood from cattle, but nothing more. In their hearts they stay human and live their human lives with some restrictions.

[citymadeofash]

But i like the "vampire masquerade" background more, its more worked out (of course due to the whole rp system). And the vampires are really frightening, some are real cold, old and powerful.
I'm inclined to agree. If anything, the best masquerade related book that I've come across so far has been Book of the Kindred. Typically the white wolf books are related to the RPG in some way and you end up paying for the ability to play the game as much as you do the ability to learn about the Vampire: Masquerade universe. To me, Book of the Kindred is that middle ground. While not quite a novel (overarcing plot), it's still a fun and informative read, giving you background information on the V:M universe and the factions and motives involved. Definitly creeptastic.

[BoosterBronze]

"Midnight Mass" by F. Paul Wilson was a lot of fun. The first novella was good I mean, the second was God-awful, and the novel was the basis for just about the WORST movie I've ever seen.

"Those Who Hunt the Night" by Barbara Hambly may not have shaken up the vampire mythos, but it was an exciting mystery.

[Master Darque]

I don´t like vampires like in the books from P. N. Elrod.
Is that the series of the vampire detective that takes place in the Sam Spade days ? If so , I liked that series ! The Vampire Files , I think it was called .

For a book where the vamps were the bad guys , yeah , Matheson's I Am Legend was incredible .

I also dig Rice's stuff ..... anything to do with the arrogant Lestat especially . He's the ultimate blundering , brat prince !

[Shellhead]

The World of Darkness setting is excellent, but somehow it hasn't translated into great vampire stories so far. And in the wrong hands, those games can easily move from gothic-punk style to Dark Champions... amoral superhumans battling each other with super-powers.

[Bright-Raven]

Tobias:

Poppy Z. Brite's LOST SOULS (not LOST BOYS, as was suggested earlier) is... well I liked it when I originally read it back in 1993, but it hasn't aged well. The story has some very interesting elements in it, but its more about shock value than horror overall. Still, it's a reasonable read to check out from a library.

[Dave Cote]

I really liked Tanya Huff's Henry Fitzroy vampire novels.Sorta of like Laurell K Hamilton without all the sex.

[Tobias March]

Tobias:

Poppy Z. Brite's LOST SOULS (not LOST BOYS, as was suggested earlier) is... well I liked it when I originally read it back in 1993, but it hasn't aged well. The story has some very interesting elements in it, but its more about shock value than horror overall. Still, it's a reasonable read to check out from a library.

Cheers, I am going to have to get round to reading it. My friend did in fact like the book in the end (but then he liked the 'Interview with the Vampire', film :p )