The Monster Librarian Presents:

Reviews of Vampire Fiction 

The vampire novel first sank its fangs into the mainstream reading public with Bram Stoker's Dracula. Vampire fiction has caught the horror reader's imagination as a seductive and destructive supernatural force.  I will include books that include vampiric entities as well, with the criteria that they live off a substance from human beings, that can include blood, "life force", or "humanity". This section contains both reviews  of vampire books and a list of various titles of vampires books that are out there. 

Additional resources for vampire fiction can be found at:

Patricia's Vampire Notes

 

Blood Betrayal (The Primigenio Tales) by Alison Beightol*New Review

Charles River Press, 2012

ISBN 978-1936185825

Available: New paperback

 

        Eamon, one of the oldest vampires in the world, is obsessed with Lauryl, a ballet dancer with a bad attitude.  Eamon follows her career before buying the dance company and eventually turning Lauryl into a vampire, to be his companion.  What he didn’t count on was Lauryl’s positively stubborn nature and her resourcefulness. Lauryl runs away to be with her human lover, much to Eamon’s chagrin. In his search for her, he falls in love with Amelie, and she brings out feelings in Eamon that he thought he had lost after all of his centuries as a vampire.  Eamon also discovers other vampires of his bloodline, and the vampire hunters that murdered his former companion Irina. 

 

    I am not typically a fan of paranormal romance.  I actually avoid the genre like the plague.  However, every once in a while a book comes along in that sub-genre that sucks me in saying “read me!”  Blood Betrayal is one of those rare para-romance novels.  The characters are well-developed and come across as almost real people.  The vampires are interesting and reminiscent of Anne Rice’s vampires with their somewhat regal bearing and desire to be around humans.  I enjoyed the way Lauryl and Eamon constantly butted heads, and the way Amelie seemed to make Eamon act human when he was with her, wanting to be a better person—well, vampire.  Overall the story was a good one, with humans and vampires interacting at an underground club —which encompasses an existing sub-culture.  Blood Betrayal was an enjoyable read and I recommend it to anyone who likes paranormal romance or vampires, in general….and I don’t do that lightly. Recommended.

 

Contains: sexual situations, violence, and adult language

Reviewed by Colleen Wanglund

 

 

Verland: The Transformation by B.E. Scully*New Review

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1460907009

Avaiable: Paperback and e-book

 

The Gothic horror tradition of the 1800s, spearheaded by such literary giants as Poe and James, has come into the modern age under a new term: dark fiction. Dark fiction authors are the descendants of those masters of old, and they are taking the mantle quite nicely.

 

        B.E. Scully’s novel Verland: The Transformation is one such work. Part noir, part dark romance, part Gothic nightmare, Verland: The Transformation is a tale of loss, pain, suffering and redemption in the Gothic tradition, woven into the horror construct of the vampire.

 

Elle is a crime writer. Successful, but unfulfilled, she is still seeking answers to unspoken, unformed questions from her mother’s murder two decades prior. Kingman is a Hollywood superstar with a string of directing hits under his belt, sitting in prison, convicted of murder. As Elle begins to write his true-crime story, a tale far more dark and haunting emerges. It's a story of death, murder, necromancers, and vampires. But are vampires even real? Who is this mysterious Verland and can his diary be believed?

 

The narrative shifts dramatically between past and present, with Elle’s story juxtaposed with the diary entries of this supposed vampire. Death and transformation, as the title suggests, create a thematic link between both stories. Verland is literally transformed into a vampire, but he experiences a spiritual transformation as well. His descent parallels Elle’s ascent out of her past as she delves deeper into Kingman’s frightening and bizarre world of wealth, power, and violence. The characters are well-drawn and the secondary cast is almost as delightful as Elle and Verland. Who can beat a parrot in a straw hat? Both Verland and Elle have a dramatic story to tell, and Scully’s multi-faceted narrative through the use of a diary makes it all work.

 

Any library with Henry James, Sheridan Le Fanu, Bram Stoker, Anne Rice, or Stephen King on its shelves will find this a worthy addition to its dark fiction collection. Highly recommended.

 

Contains: several scenes of graphic violence, strong language, sexual references, one sex scene

 

Reviewed by: Drake Morgan

 

 

 

 

Black Tide by John G. Rees

Black Water Books 2011

Available new paperback

ISBN 9780983192060

 

 

        The third book in a trilogy, Black Tide is a prequel to Anoxic Zone and Halocline, which tells the story of Jake, a diver called a Reuseable who discovered, with the help of his friend and fellow Reuseable Johnny, that they were vampires. 

 

        In Black Tide we meet Jake before he was made into a Reuseable by Megacorp, a giant company which practically rules the world.  It is a future world where most of the planet’s natural resources have been used up and the knowledge to recreate some of humanity’s engineering feats is all but gone.  Jake’s world is dependent on the Internet and most of society just wants their instant gratification and their needs met.  Megacorp wants to make Jake a Reuseable because he is one of the best divers around….and he takes pride in doing his job the proper way.  Jake is also a decent and honorable man, so Johnny tries to prepare Jake, with the help of some friends, for his inevitable future.  Once Jake is taken by Megacorp, he spends decades struggling to keep the madness of his reality from swallowing up the person he is.

 

        Black Tide brings the story begun in Anoxic Zone full circle, both of Jake and the slowly disintegrating world he lives in.  The book is well-written and Rees has preserved the continuity of the first two books.  There is also excellent character development, as we get a great sense of the kind of person Jake is, as well as the others like him who struggle with maintaining their identities in a world where it seems increasingly clear that individuality doesn’t matter.  Black Tide is also a cautionary tale about what can happen if we don’t appreciate and care for the natural world around us.  Modern technology is great, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of our environment…or our individuality.  I highly recommend all three of John G. Rees’ books as they bring a refreshing twist on the standard vampire tale.

Recommended

Contains violence and adult language

 

 

Feast by R. Scott McCoy*New Review

Shroud Publishing, 2009

ISBN 9780981989433

Available: New paperback

 

Nick can sense guilt in people, and that is one thing that makes him a good cop.  Sensing something very dark in a member of the community, Nick asks his brother Pete, also a cop, to come with him to check on a suspicious vehicle.  What they find is almost beyond their comprehension of evil.  Barely escaping with his life, Nick is somehow changed.  Now he can see auras….and must feed on human energy to survive.

 

Leaving his small town, Nick goes in search of a new life and help from an old friend.  Not quite able to leave the cop in him behind, Nick gets involved in a few sticky situations that could get him and friend killed.  Can his newfound power help him save himself and those he loves?

 

R. Scott McCoy has a unique and well-written story in Feast.  In Nick we find a battle of the human condition. Nick is a good guy and a very likeable character that has been thrust into a situation against his will, although not totally out of his control.  He is wholly relatable and interesting to read.  Feast is fast-paced and will have you unable to put the book down until reaching its gleefully macabre ending, complete with an awesome twist.  Recommended.

 

Contains: graphic violence and adult language

 

Reviewed by: Colleen Wanglund

 

Vampire Fun & Games:  Trivia, puzzles, and games that don’t suck by H.W. KondrasBlue River Press, 2011
ISBN:  9781935628064
Available: paperback

  

               This book is sure to please vampire aficionados to who love puzzles, trivia, and anything crossword-related. The author, H.W. Kondras, has presented an alphabetical list of literary and cinema vampires with brief introductions to the plots of these works and/or the characters themselves. Following each entry is a related crossword. Mixed in throughout the book as well are trivia questions, Sudoku puzzles with specific themes such as the “Saint-Germain-doku”, word scrambles, and word searches. While this isn’t a comprehensive list of all vampires known to man, the author does a nice job of not only pointing to more popular works such as Dracula, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Twilight but also highlighting some lesser known vampire works such as The Brotherhood of the Blood series and WVMP, a series about vampire DJs. Each entry comes with an audience recommendation so readers know which series are for teens, adults, or the general audience. One of the perks of this type of book is that readers can apply their newly found knowledge. After reading about a specific series, the reader can test their skills at a crossword. The catch? The reader will have to actually read the book referenced in the entry before the crossword can be effectively filled out. I can see this being a great tool in enticing teens to take up a summer reading program riddled with the undead.

               While the book is entertaining to read, I am not sure how this would fit into a library’s collection. The biggest issue is the nature of the book...puzzles to be completed by the reader. Even I admit that I did not want to actually fill out the puzzles inside the book, as someone else might want to enjoy it after me. The solution, I suppose, would be photocopies of the puzzles, but that could get expensive. Libraries will need to consider this aspect before purchasing this title.

               The other issue I have is with the introduction. The author lists two “real” vampires that every reader should know. Named as number one is our beloved Wallachian prince, Vlad Tepes. Sadly, this is a big misconception that will not die despite all the evidence presented by Dracula scholars such as Elizabeth Miller from the Transylvania Society of Dracula. It might seem nit-picky to some but for a reader approaching vampires as a newbie, it would be refreshing to have the truth presented from the get-go.

The book is suitable for teens and adults alike.

 

Reviewed by: Dawn Stahura

 

 

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice*New Review

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1976 (first edition)

ISBN-13: 9780345337665

Available hard cover, paperback and ebook editions

 

Louis, a 200-year-old vampire tells his story to a reporter known only as “the boy”, in a rundown motel room in New Orleans.  Louis and his family were indigo plantation owners just south of New Orleans in the late 1700s.  Louis’ younger brother was an extremely devout Catholic and seemed to be headed for the priesthood.  Louis was told by his brother that he was having visions and to sell all of the family’s possessions and return to France to fight atheists and the Revolution.  After an argument, the brother fell from a second floor balcony to his death.  Louis moved his mother and sister into the city and left the plantation to be run by the overseer.  Rumors swirled that Louis killed his brother and as a result, Louis began drinking heavily.  He was visited by Lestat, a vampire, and ultimately became a vampire himself.

 

Louis and Lestat live out at the plantation, but Louis initially refuses to feed off of humans, surviving instead on the blood of animals.  Lestat’s reckless behavior and the superstitions of the slaves lead to a revolt on the plantation.  Fleeing back to the city during epidemics of plague and scarlet fever, Louis feeds on a young girl crying over the corpse of her mother.  Lestat, having followed Louis, takes the girl home and turns her into a vampire.  Louis is horrified but the three live together, playing out the fantasy of being a family.  Over the years Claudia grows older mentally but not physically.  She manages to get Louis to help her kill Lestat, or so they think.  Lestat shows up just as Louis and Claudia are about to leave for Europe to find others like them.  They flee, setting fire to the house and Lestat in it.

 

Louis and Claudia spend years touring Europe, finding that other vampires were no more than mindless corpses.  It is while in France that Louis and Claudia are found by Armand and the Theatre des Vampires.  This coven of vampires lives in the bowels of an old theater and feed on unsuspecting humans in the guise of a theatrical performance.  Ultimately, Louis and Claudia are punished for violating the “rules”.  Distraught, Louis spends a few years in Europe with Armand but eventually makes his way back to New Orleans where he lives in the shadows, feeding only when necessary.  Unfortunately for the boy, after Louis leaves the motel room, Lestat makes a return appearance.  And thus begin The Vampire Chronicles.

 

My own personal copy of Interview with the Vampire is a 1977 paperback published by Ballantine Books and it is one of my most prized possessions, along with my copies (though not as old) of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.  Where Bram Stoker established the vampire as a literary icon, Anne Rice added to their mythology and created just as memorable a character in Lestat.  Anne Rice romanticized the vampire while reminding us that it is still a monster to be feared.  These vampires don’t sparkle and aren’t dirty old men in love with teenage girls (thankfully) and yet Louis still manages to be a sympathetic and likeable character.  He never wanted to be a vampire and was for the most part horrified by Lestat’s lack of compassion for the humans he killed.  Louis retreats from humanity because he recognizes that he no longer belongs.  On the other hand, Lestat craves attention and likes to toy with the humans he kills.  Lestat is one of the most recognized and popular horror fiction characters because he acts similar to a spoiled child yet he is very charismatic.  He is one of my favorite literary characters.  In my humble opinion, Interview with the Vampire is extremely well-written and character development is flawless.  The story has a great rhythm and never stumbles over the many details of Louis’ long life.  While I wasn’t too happy with the last couple of books in The Vampire Chronicles, the first is still one of the best vampire stories ever written. Highly recommended.

 

Contains violence, gore, sexual situations and adult language

 

Reviewed by: Colleen Wanglund

 

 

Blood Prophecy by Stefan Petrucha

Grand Central, 2010

ISBN: 978-0446555999

Available: New and Used

 

     In this unique take on the vampire story, the plot follows Jeremiah Fall from his life (really, the end of his human life) among the Puritans in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1644 all the way to his fateful encounter with the “forgotten man” at the site of the Garden of Eden (near the junction of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers) in 1799.  One day, while Jeremiah and his father (Nathan) are plowing their fields, Nathan unearths a monster (called Skog).  Skog sucks Nathan dry, apparently killing him, but Nathan comes back as a vampire three days later and bites Jeremiah. Jeremiah dies and then also rises as a vampire—although the “v” word is never used in this novel.  Constantly fighting to hold back the “beast” within him, Jeremiah becomes obsessed with finding a cure for his horrible condition; he desperately wants to be human again.  Jeremiah has the usual vampiric traits: horrific sun sensitivity (his skin smokes and burns), the need for blood (he sucks on a LOT of rats), super strength, and the ability to vanish into the shadows.  

     Early in his search, Jeremiah hears of an Abenaki (American Indian) legend that implies that a certain stone can heal him. After studying archaeological and religious documents and learning to decipher the ancient languages, he makes his way to Egypt, where Napoleon's armies are advancing on the Mamelukes.  There, with warring armies on all sides, he discovers the stone that he believes will cure him:  the Rosetta Stone. After the stone is stolen by Skog's cult, Jeremiah follows the stone on a Quixotic quest, first to the mythical city of Ys (in Brittany), then back to Egypt, and finally to Eden, where the plot is resolved in a mystic, but violent, clash involving Jeremiah, Skog, and Bandias (the “forgotten man,” who traces his lineage back to the time just before the creation of Adam and Eve). Along the way, Jeremiah picks up two companions: Hylic, a Russian member of Skog's cult who frequently switches sides, and Amala, a beautiful Arab woman who can read the hieroglyphics on the stone and who plays an important part in the final scene. The open-ended finale leaves things open for Jeremiah to have further adventures in future books.

     Here are two important bits of information that will be helpful in reading the story: First, the biblical story of Jeremiah and the potter (Jeremiah 18) is crucial to understanding Jeremiah's situation. The story is told and retold several times during Jeremiah's adventures.  Second, be on the lookout for the onomatopoetic word thok, which appears several times in the story and has an important connotation for Jeremiah. Petrucha provides a free short story about Jeremiah (“Fall and the Jersey Devil”) on his website. (Scroll down below his biography to find the story.)  Fans of Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Saint-Germain series should enjoy this book because, like Saint-Germain, Jeremiah takes part in a number of actual historical events. Recommended for public libraries.

Contains: graphic violence

Reviewed by: Patricia O. Mathews

 

 

Absolom Rex by K.L. Coones*New Review

Smashwords 2010

ISBN N/A

Available e-book edition

 

When Pontius Pilate and his wife Claudia arrive in Judea, where the Roman has been reassigned as Governor, he is thrown into local politics and learns that things are very different in Judea from Rome.  Pontius and Claudia meet Lady Agrippina, who is very knowledgeable in the political winds of the Jews.  Claudia becomes very ill after attending a party at Lady Agrippina’s home, with an illness that never quite passes.

 

Some years later,  Claudia has become well enough to attend the Passover celebrations in Jerusalem with her husband.  While at a play in the large open theater, Claudia disappears and Pontius and his aide Anticus go to find her.   Pontius and Anticus find Claudia being attacked and chase her attacker into the underground catacombs where they find a monster waiting for them.  The men survive the attack but Claudia seems to get sicker.

 

Pontius is forced to deal with the arrest and punishment of Jesus, whom he doesn’t see as a threat, and can’t understand why the Pharisees want him dead.  In what is perceived as his mishandling of the whole affair, Pontius is called back to Rome and sent into exile in the northern parts of the empire.  However in his haste to escape the monster in Judea, Pontius has ended up penniless and Claudia is now dead.  It is while living in exile that Pontius discovers what the monster truly is.

 

Absolom Rex is a well-written novel with an original twist on a historical time.  Characters are fleshed out nicely, especially Pontius Pilate, a man most known by name, and not much else.  While I liked the book for the most part, I did have an issue with the character of Lady Aggripina, the vampire.  This is the one character where there is no real development at all.  She is a device with no real depth or connection to the story as a whole.  That aside, overall I did enjoy Absolom Rex and think most fans of vampires and/or historical fiction will enjoy it, as well.

Recommended

 

Contains: violence, gore, sexual situations

 

Reviewed by: Colleen Wanglund

 

 

 

Dominion: The Vampire Hunters, Book 3 by Scott Baker

Pill Hill Press, 2011

ISBN-13: 978-1617060533

Available: Paperback and multi-format digital edition

 

In the final installment of The Vampire Hunters, Drake, Alison, Jim and the rest of the team are regrouping after the battle at the Freer Gallery with the daywalker Chiang Shih and her masters.  The battle was for possession of the memoirs of Inquisitor Antonio Ferrar, whose memoirs contain clues to the whereabouts of the Vampyrnomicon, the book that contains the history of the vampires, the power to give them dominion over the human race, and the means to destroy them for good.

 

The police chief, Roach, still refuses to acknowledge that Washington, D.C. is under siege from vampires, even though he has acquired a paramilitary unit to aid in getting the city under control.  Jim meets Sarah, a lone hunter out to avenge her mother’s death and brings her to Drake to potentially join the team.  At the same time Drake is visited by Cushing, another hunter who is descended from a line of hunters….or is he?  Cushing is not what he seems, but Drake is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.  

 

Drake’s friend Professor Reese is making some headway with Ferrar’s memoirs and thinks he may have found the location of the book and the means to destroy the vampires once and for all.  Unfortunately, there is a spy, who is determined to get the book for Chiang Shih in exchange for eternal life.  When the siege on D.C. finally begins, it is all-out war and a potential suicide mission to end it.  Who will win?

 

As I’ve said in my reviews of the previous two books in The Vampire Hunters trilogy, Scott Baker writes vampires the way they should be written.  No sparkly, good-looking vamps that leave young girls and women swooning here.  These are monsters without souls whose only desire is to feed on and destroy humans.  They are truly a product of Hell.  The entire series is well-written, with excellent character development and an easily flowing narrative.  The book reaches a climactic ending that is as unexpected as it is heartbreaking.  Baker’s vampires are reminiscent of the monstrous Radu from the Subspecies vampire flicks (which I also recommend).  Dominion: The Vampire Hunters Book 3, as well as the first two in the trilogy, is a bright spot in a literary subgenre that has seen a glut of “romantic vampires”.  More of those authors should follow Scott Baker’s lead. Recommended.

 

Contains: Gore, violence, adult language and sexual situations

 

Reviewed by: Colleen Wanglund

 

 

Vampire Warlords (Book III of the Clockwork Vampire Chronicles) by Andy Remic

Angry Robot Books, 2011

ISBN: 978-0-85766-105-0

Available: New

 

The vampire warlords have arrived from the Chaos Halls, but they are too powerful to be controlled. After easily overcoming those who summoned them, the warlords start a campaign of terror in their quest to take over the world: turning some people, but killing most. Standing in their way is the legendary warrior Kell, and his ragtag group of reluctant freedom fighters. But what can an old man, a young girl, a foppish womanizer, and a clockwork vampire do against the greatest evil the world has ever seen?

 

Once again, I have been tasked with reading and reviewing the third book in a trilogy or series, without having read the first two. And once again, the author, in this case Andy Remic, has managed to make the book accessible to new readers. Everything you need to know is within the pages of Vampire Warlords.

 

Remic has created a new barbarian hero, for a new generation. Kell is less Conan and more Conan's grandfather. He's a grizzled old warrior who has married, fathered children, and now travels with his granddaughter. But, while he gripes about just wanting to retire, he fights the good fight, because no one else will. And boy, can he fight. Kell isn't a legend for nothing. He has regrets, yet still does whatever he has to, to get the job done.

 

Kell's granddaughter, Nienna, is a girl on the cusp of womanhood. She complains that she is being treated like a child, begging to be treated as an adult. There is character growth here, and she does eventually earn the right to be treated as an equal.

 

Myriam is a sexy clockwork vampire, fighting by Kell's side, because she knows that the vampire warlords have no love for the clockworks, whom the warlords consider half-breeds. Her race is in as much danger as the humans.

 

My favorite character is Saark, the swordsman and “dandy”, more interested in bedding the ladies than in fighting in a war. Saark is the comic relief in this intense, bloody story, yet, when the time comes, he stands up and proves himself to be a warrior that can stand toe-to-toe with Kell.

 

Oh, and let's not forget the vampire warlords. They are ghastly, inhuman creatures, who thrive on blood and terror. This is what vampires should be- creatures of pure evil.

 

While not really a horror novel, Vampire Warlords is certainly horrific. There is plenty of violence, gore, and frightening monsters to please horror fans, if they are willing to look past the Warhammer-esque setting. Remic's writing has that classic pulp feel, with a modern sensibility. Complex characters, sweeping vistas, and clashing armies make for an action-packed epic. Let me put it this way: after reading Vampire Warlords, I went out and bought the first two books of the trilogy. And I'm waiting anxiously for the new adventures of Kell and Saar that Remic has promised.

 

I recommend Vampire Warlords to libraries and fans of Conan, Warhammer, and similar scenarios.

 

Contains: Strong language, graphic violence, graphic sex, and lots of gore.

Reviewed by: Erik Smith

 

 

 

 

Filipino Vampire  by Raymund Hensley

Raymund Hensley, 2011

ASIN: B004WOY1KK

Available:  Multiformat ebook

 

 

Filipino Vampire, tells the story of Sasha, a 15 year old Hawaiian girl who lives in one of the poorest neighborhoods with her highly abusive and seemingly superstitious mother. Sasha’s mother, or mum, is deeply superstitious concerning Aswangs (Us-wongs) Filipino Vampires. A word to the wise at this point, to describe an Aswang is horribly graphic. Essentially they look like the torso and upper body of an older woman without legs floating through the air. While they do bite their prey, Aswangs do not suck blood; they are closer to being cannibals than European vampires.

 

One night, after having misbehaved badly, Sasha finds herself at her regular punishment spot, the antenna on the roof, where an Aswang kidnaps her. What follows is a thrilling, dangerous attempt to at first flee the Aswang, then to destroy it. There are a great many casualties, and no one comes out of this with a shred of innocence. This tense, scary book is recommended for readers of hard-core and traditional  vampire novels.

Contains: Cannibalism, Grotesque Imagery, Profanity, and extreme violence.

Reviewed by: Ben Franz

 

 

Demon Dance by Sam StoneHouse of Murky Depths, 2010
ISBN: 1906584095

Available: Used

 

Sam Stone is without a doubt the heir apparent to the legacy abandoned by Anne Rice. Demon Dance is the third book in her Vampire Gene trilogy, which spans across two millennia while remaining intimately tied to four primary characters. In this volume, new vampire Lilly has stepped through a mysterious door in time and space and finds herself on a journey though history to protect her own vampiric legacy.

Stone's prose is richly textured and vividly detailed, and her vampires are the super-powered, fickle, and chaotic monsters horror fans have grown up on. One of the better small press offerings out there, and more affordable than limited editions to boot, Stone's Vampire Gene trilogy (Killing Kiss, Futile Flame, Demon Dance) really shouldn't be overlooked by librarians looking to build and excellent horror collection.

Contains: Violence, language

Reviewed by: Michele Lee

 

Burning Shadows by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro*New Review

Tor, 2009

ISBN: 0765319829

Available: New, used and multi format digital

 

         With Burning Shadows, Yarbro takes on a similar situation as she did with her previous Saint Germain book, A Dangerous Climate. This time it's the time of the Huns, not the building of St. Petersburg. But the claustrophobic, desperate scene is the same. Trapped in a monastery with hundreds of refugees simply trying to survive the destructive nature of humanity (in this tale, that's the role played by Attila the Hun as he rises to power) Saint Germain must balance his vampire nature with his desire to help others, while not drawing the suspicion of people who can't even trust each other.

 

Yarbro's style of telling a story not by directly showing the story, but instead by setting a series of highly detailed, soulful scenes will charm some readers and infuriate those who prefer faster-paced paranormal tales that don’t share the passion with which Yarbro treats history. One can't deny the time and effort and craft Yarbro puts into her characters and settings, bringing history and humanity alive like few others do. Recommended for libraries, especially those looking for different kinds of horror or who might be in less horror-friendly areas.

Contains: mild language, alluded violence and gore

Reviewed by: Michele Lee

 

 

An Embarrassment of Riches by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Tom Doherty Associates,  March 2011

ISBN: 978-0765331038

Available: New

 

 

An Embarrassment of Riches is the most recent book in Chelsea Quinn Yarbro’s saga of the vampire Count Saint-Germain.  I decided to read it after reading a blog post the author wrote for us about libraries and researching for her books.  It’s clear that she puts a tremendous amount of research into each novel, from the wider sweep of events in the historical period she writes of to the details of daily life, and her world-building is incredible. She creates atmosphere and provides vivid description that will draw the reader in. As someone who has both studied history and worked in archives, I appreciated the lengths Yarbro went to here.

 

As a reader, though, the book failed me. When my recreational reading starts with an eight page historical note filled with names and dates, I’m apt to tune it out.  When it’s followed by a four page long list of names and occupations, I am likely to skim over it. Twelve pages in, I had yet to actually encounter the name of the main character(he appears first not as Count Saint-Germain, but as Rakozcy Ferancsi about two pages in to the list) I usually expect for a lot of this to become clear through context.  I also usually expect to be able to identify the main character before page 25.  Beyond that, I didn’t find the story to be particularly gripping. Most characters weren’t well developed, and didn’t show much growth, so it was hard to care about them. Saint-Germain himself is caught in a state of paralysis, unable to act. As an exile, he must fulfill the terms set for him or risk the seizure and destruction of his estate.  Court women take advantage of his precarious situation, and he can’t counteract the political rumors that seem to attach to him. His vampirism rarely surfaces except when it affects his personal habits (like eating) and at the very end (where it’s mainly a plot device that sets up the next book). 

 

I understand that this book is part of a series, and there’s likely backstory from the other books that fills in some of the blanks in the character of Count Saint-Germain. However, the majority of the book is firmly rooted in its historical period, and mostly, nothing happens. I love the picture Yarbro paints, but I want more action and more character development in what I’m reading in my spare time.  I’d recommend this to fans of the Count Saint-Germain books, readers of historical fiction who prefer detail to plot, and large public library collections.

Contains: murder, violence, sexual scenes.

Review by Kirsten Kowalewski

 

 

Draculas by Blake Crouch, Jack Kilborn, Jeff Strand, and F. Paul Wilson
CreateSpace, 2010
ASIN:  B0042AMD2M
Available:  Audio, Paperback, and E-Book.

 

Losing at his battle with cancer, Mortimer Moorecock decides to find his own “cure”.  He purchases an old artifact, more specifically a skull with elongated teeth.  Shortly after the skull’s arrival, Moorecock uses the skull to “bite” himself.  Immediately following, he goes into convulsions, which neither his nurse or research assistant can control, so they are forced to call for an ambulance.  Once at the hospital Moorecock dies… well… not exactly.  It appears that the skull was holding some special “venom” in order to transform those it bites into Draculas, aka vampires.  And with one wild Dracula in a hospital full of people, you can only imagine what happens next. 

Draculas is one of the most unique horror books to date.  Not only is the novel written in sections based on different characters’ viewpoints, but it is also written by four of the best horror authors around: Jeff Strand, Jack Kilborn, F. Paul Wilson, and Blake Crouch.  Each author writes from the viewpoints of the characters they’ve brought to life and the stories of each character are intertwined throughout as the madness runs amok at the hospital.  While reading Draculas, I got the impression that each author was trying to “one up” the previous one by killing the next victim in a more horrific way, as well as adding in an even funnier moment/joke.  This just made the story that much more enjoyable, as it was impossible to predict what was going to happen next.  Sure, someone was probably going to die, but who and how?  Most all of the characters are memorable for one reason or another, but the one that stood out most to me was Benny the Clown.  I assumed he’d freak me out due to my coulrophobia (fear of clowns), but I actually was cracking up during most of his scenes.  I just couldn’t believe some of the tricks he had up his sleeve.  Yes, this is a horror book, but that being said, it’s definitely comic relief as well.  The authors involved in this project are fantastic horror authors, but are also all known for having a comedic angle mixed within most of their writing.  That fact alone makes them powerful authors and you can see that within the pages of Draculas.  Definitely a horror novel not to be missed!

Additionally, Draculas is only available in e-format.  This allowed the authors to get the novel out quicker to readers and also gave them the freedom to add in bonus material.  And who doesn’t like “freebies”?  Draculas is the first e-book that reads like a DVD.  Featured is an interview with the authors, deleted scenes, alternate endings, behind-the-scenes of Draculas (which consists of over seven hundred emails between the authors), extra short stories, and more!  For $2.99 for the Kindle download, what are you waiting for?

Contains:  Adult Language, Adult Situations, Violence, Gore

Review by Rhonda Wilson

 

 

Hard Boiled Vampire Killers by Jim Gavin Cover art by Zach McCain

Dark Regions Press 2010

Available trade paperback

ISBN 9781888993875

 

Ty is a loser who lives off of his vampire girlfriend and doesn’t have a job.  Ty is also a vampire killer, hunting them at night in the city of Atlanta.  Edmund is also a bit of a loser.  He’s twenty-five and still lives with his parents.  When Edmund is not in school he is out hunting vampires.  Edmund, it turns out, comes from a long line of vampire hunters.  Edmund and Ty have both been visited by the same woman and she wants them to do something for her.  What is it that she wants, and what will Ty and Edmund have to give up in return?

Not your typical vampire story, Hard Boiled Vampire Killers also has ghosts, necromancy, and ancient Chinese folklore.  It’s not about the vampires as much as it is about Ty and Edmund and what drives them to hunt.  Ty is a veteran vamp killer and goes about his business with little fanfare, dispatching his enemies as quickly and efficiently as possible.  Edmund uses kung fu and likes to show off.  He’s also learning a lot from his father and his father’s friends.  Ty is a mystery, giving only tiny hints about the person he is and how he got that way.  The novel reads like crime noir with the same somber feel and quick action.  Jim Gavin’s writing is gritty and smart and brings something new and different to the vampire sub-genre.  Ty is just as rough and dirty as the job he does and the blood-suckers don’t stand a chance.  Edmund is a bit naïve but he’s learning more every day.  I think even readers who have become jaded with vamp lit will enjoy Gavin’s book….I know I did. Recommended.

Contains: violence, gore, adult language and sexual situations

Reviewed by: Colleen Wanglund

 

 

Halocline By John G. Rees

Black Water Books 2010

Available New Paperback

ISBN 9780578059808

    Jake Strom is a deep-water salvage diver.  Johnny is his friend and a scientist.  They are both Recyclables, undead men created by Megacorp for their skills, kept alive with a series of injections created with the blood of Vlad Tepes—the Dracula—and mixed with heroin and other chemicals to keep them under control.  This future world was first introduced in Anoxic Zone, a term used for the deep water of the Black Sea where no oxygen exists, deadly to human divers.  It is a world where countries have no governments but are run by corporations, the biggest of which is Megacorp, a bully when it comes to doing business. In Anoxic Zone, Jake and Johnny discovered Megacorp’s secret and broke away to start their own company and destroy Tepes.

               Halocline takes place after some years have passed.  Karuna Talian has a daughter, Riana, a product of her rape by Tepes, whom her friends Jake and Johnny knew nothing about.  Riana is a driven archaeologist working on the coast of Romania along the Black Sea.  She has made a discovery that Tepes wants and will stop at nothing to get.  Tepes also wants Romania for his own to rule again.  Jake, Johnny, Karuna and Riana are thrown into a civil war between the people of Romania and Tepes’ Societas Draconis.  They find another like Tepes, named Vlad Cneajna, who also wants to destroy Tepes and his hold over Romania.  Megacorp, which gives up nothing without a fight, also stands in their way.

               The title, Halocline, refers to the blurry miasma created when fresh water mixes with salt water, which occurs in the Black Sea, where a good portion of the story takes place.  Halocline is a novel about corporate greed, the decline of a civilization at its own hands, and the fortitude of the human spirit.  It is a very different kind of vampire story and quite refreshing given the influx of beautiful, sparkly vampires.  The characters are well-rounded and have continued to grow since Anoxic Zone.  The story is strong and well-written and kept me glued to the pages.  Rees’ writing style is straightforward yet very descriptive in its imagery.  Loaded with plenty of blood and gore for any horror enthusiast, Halocline is a welcome addition to the world of literary vampires. Recommended.

Contains: violence, gore, adult language, drug use

Reviewed by: Colleen Wanglund

 

 

Dracula in Love by Karen Essex

 

Doubleday; 1st edition, 2010

ISBN: 978-0385528917

Available New

 

When an author chooses to write a retelling  of a well-known work from a different point of view, there are two camps of readers that must be satisfied: the author's fans and the fans of the original work. Karen Essex, I believe, manages to appease both, albeit clumsily at times, with Dracula in Love, a creative rendering of Bram Stoker's Dracula, told from Mina Murray Harker's perspective.

In this novel, Mina is a teacher in Victorian England who sometimes experiences the extraordinary (i.e. sleepwalking, seeing the dead). Unlike the female characters in Stoker’s work, Mina and her friends are fleshed-out, and struggle for their self-identities in a culture that is only beginning to acknowledge women as something more than marital property. Soon after her engagement to Jonathan Harker, she begins to note a mysterious presence in her life: a secretive man who chooses to lurk in the shadows, and in Mina’s dreams, for most of the book. At the center of the tale is the emerging psychological science of Dr. Von Helsinger and his assistant, Seward, and their treatment of “hysteria,” a female illness that they treat, often with fatal results, using blood transfusions, among other methods. When Mina is committed to the asylum by her husband after her friend Lucy dies from such treatment, the mysterious man finally makes himself known to her, and this is where Essex’s story really diverges from the Stoker novel, though she does remain true to Dracula’s major plot points even to the end.

This is a mature accounting of the tale: there are some graphic sex scenes and some violent attacks involving blood-drinking. However, the descriptions of what happens in the asylum, with its lewd “treatments” and abuse of women, could be considered more horrific than any vampire-based debauchery mentioned. The shortcomings of the men in this tale are considerable: the main female characters are the ones who are shown to have any quality. The Count, to my surprise, is the weakest character in this novel—there is an overabundance of cape-twirling and unrequited yearning on his part, and only seems to be there to expose the strength of the protagonist and explain some plot points.  (And, I suppose, to give the book its title.)

Overall, the story is well-told and imaginative, if unbalanced in its treatment of its male characters (including the title’s namesake). This novel would be a fine addition to the adult horror/romance stacks or for pleasure reading as a foil for Dracula's sometimes-misogynist perspective. Recommended.

Contains: violence, gore, graphic sex

Review by: W. E. Zazo-Phillips

 

 

 

 

The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan

Harper; Reprint edition, 2010

 ISBN-13: 978-0061558245

Available: New and Used 

 

A Boeing 777 plane arriving from Germany lands at the JFK airport and stops on the runway with all the window shades shut and no sign of life. When Dr Ephraim Goodweather of the CDC is sent to investigate, he finds a vampiric plague that starts to spread throughout New York City.   He teams up with Abraham Setrakian, a pawnbroker/vampire hunter/folklore expert, and pest exterminator Vasiliy Fet,  to try to stop the spread of the disease.

 

The Strain is an example of great horror being published by a mainstream press.  The vampires in the book are vicious, blood-drinking monsters that hunt down their own families as an initial source of prey; there is no sparkling vampire love story here.  The authors try to explain scientifically how vampirism is basically a virus or disease that changes the host, but there is still a supernatural component to the vampires- for instance, they can’t cross running water. The vampire plague is actually looked upon as a combination of a biological virus with some supernatural properties. The forensic science component makes the story more convincing, and it feels like it could be real. The Strain offers up solid storytelling. With well-fleshed out characters and good pacing, it makes for a thoroughly satisfying read.   

 

The Strain will have a larger appeal than to just horror genre readers, as it is also a thriller, with a dash of mystery.  Readers will be turning pages to find out what happens next.  

 

The Fall by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan

William Morrow,  2010

 ISBN-13: 978-0061558221

 Available: New

 

The Fall picks up right where The Strain left off with New York in the throes of chaos as the vampires continue to turn their victims into more vampires.  The government’s official response has been rather muted, thanks to the interference of billionaire Eldritch Palmer.

 Dr Ephraim Goodweather, Abraham Setrakian, and Vasiliy Fet must stop The Master, an Old World vampire who has intentions on conquering the world even if it means destroying the New World vampires who exist in the States.  The Fall keeps up the pace of the first book, and you see the main characters suffering horrible tribulations.  The Fall adds on the world that The Strain created, with some of the characters from the first book getting a little more time and the addition of some new characters as well.  

 

Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan have formed a very creative and formidable writing team that is turning out a great trilogy so far.  The characters really drive the book and that takes it a step above other potential “end-of-the-world” titles.  Readers who enjoy The Fall might also like Vampire Apocalypse by Derek Gunn.

 

 

 

Vampyrnomicon Book 2: The Vampire Hunters By Scott M. Baker

Shadowfire Press 2010

ISBN: N/A

Available: New

 

               Vampyrnomicon picks up about a week after the first book in the series left off. Drake Matthews, Alison Monroe, and Jim Delmarco have destroyed most of the Washington D.C. coven, but Toni, the female master, has gotten away.  Now they are looking for her nest so they can destroy the coven completely before she has a chance to rebuild. 

 

However, other masters have come to Washington with the purpose of creating the first vampire city.  Drake’s friend and mentor Professor Reese has also come to town to study the private manuscripts of the Spanish inquisitor Antonio Ferrar, who had his own experiences with vampires.  It is believed by Reese that Ferrar knew the whereabouts of the Vampyrnomicon, the Book of the Undead believed to contain not only the origins of the vampires but the way to destroy them as well. Reese and the hunters are not the only ones looking for it—so are the masters who have come to town.  This time around there are some in the police force that have actually seen the vampires and know they exist.  Joel Preston, the special assistant to Chief Roach wants to stop the vampires and take down Drake Matthews as well.  Officer Rodriguez, suspended from the force because of Preston’s influence, has decided to join Drake and the hunters.  Can they find the Vampyrnomicon and finally kill the vampires?

            

       Vampyrnomicon is as well written as the first book.  It continues the story and begins to fill in the origins of the masters and their race of killers.  We also get a tease as to one of the most formidable vampire hunters, Father Cushing.  Scott M. Baker reminds us of the events of the first book without taking anything away from this story.  Mr. Smith, the hunters’ contact to their mysterious benefactor is back and even goes to investigate the ruined nest with Drake in the hopes of finding clues to the location of the master Toni.  Jessica, Drake’s reporter girlfriend is also back and annoying as ever (just my personal opinion).  The pace of the story is strong and there is plenty of gore and blood splatter to go around.  Vampyrnomicon is a great read; I highly recommend it.

Contains sex, violence and lots of gore

 

Colleen Wanglund

 

The Vampire Hunters (Book 1) by Scott M. Baker

Shadowfire Press, 2010

Ebook edition 460 pages

    They aren’t sparkly. They aren’t brooding or handsome. They aren’t tragic figures just looking for love and understanding. They have no souls. They’re vampires and they’re ugly creatures without morals or a conscience. Book 1 in The Vampire Hunters trilogy portrays vampires exactly the way they should be. Baker’s vampires are based on the nightmare tales of ancient folklore. They’re ruthless creatures—and that’s how I like them.

Vampires Ion and Toni escaped the brutality of Joseph Stalin’s Soviet Union and came to the United States. They have lived and fed in relative anonymity and depravity until now. Drake Matthews and Alison Monroe are determined to wipe out the coven in Washington D.C. Unfortunately, that won’t happen without them wreaking a lot of havoc. Ion and Toni won’t give up without a fight. Since Drake and Alison’s arrival in Washington D.C., evidence has been mounting for the existence of vampires, but

the police don’t buy it. Instead, the chief of police wants Drake and Alison to serve time as criminals for all the damage they’ve done. Their mysterious benefactor won’t let that happen.

    Scott M. Baker has done a wonderful job of bringing the vampire back to the monster that it is. He starts the novel off with a bang and he keeps it up through all 460 pages. His character development is spot on. We learn what we need without needless detail. The master vampires’ stories go back hundreds of years and are historically accurate—he’s done his homework. He’s even included a pet rabbit named Van Helsing. One thing I would have liked to have read about was the master that created Ion. He’s hinted at but that’s all. I also wanted to know why they referenced Satan—is he really the origin of the vampires? Maybe we’ll hear more about their origin in the two books to come, which I am really looking forward to. If you’ve been disappointed in vampire books recently, pick this up…it’s an excellent read.

Contains graphic sex, violence, and language.

Colleen Wanglund

Anoxic Zone by John G. Rees

Black Water Books, 2009

ISBN: 978-0-578-01832-4

Available: New

            In a future, post-industrial age, ocean salvage is huge business—once you get past all the garbage dumped into the seas.  Megacorp, a multi-national corporation that plays by its own rules, employs “reuseables”—divers that can operate at depths that no ordinary human can survive.  Unlike humans, the reusables can die and be resuscitated.  Jake and John are two of these reuseables and they’ve been friends for over one hundred years.  Due to a fortuitous combination of accident, curiosity, and luck, Jake and John discover exactly what they are and how they came to be that way.  Now they are on the run from the military and Megacorp…can they destroy the evil that spawned their kind before it’s too late?

            The anoxic zone referred to in the title is the depths of the Black Sea, where a good deal of the story is centered.  It is an ocean depth where there is no oxygen and no decay. Shipwrecks that are thousands of years old, and their contents, are preserved in perpetuity—as is the garbage dumped there.  The story is told in two parts.  In part 1, we meet Jake and John and find out what they are.  Part two continues their story, fifteen years later. 

            John G. Rees throws quite a few twists into his story, and they’re good ones.  The Anoxic Zone is well written, packs quite a bit of action, and has a twist ending—which is great, as far as I’m concerned.  The dialogue is a little stiff, but doesn’t detract from the book.  What issues I do have involve details.  How and why is Megacorp so big and independent?  Why are steel and other metals from the ocean floor more valuable than ancient artifacts?  There’s also a major occurrence in the book that I thought was a little confusing and could have been expanded on just a bit. I was able to figure it out, but I had to go back and re-read it.  Overall, though, this was a great read.  I really enjoy it when a writer takes a horror standard and adds his or her own spin on things….it makes it interesting.

Contains graphic violence and gore.

Colleen Wanglund

Predatoress by Emma Gabor
Newmedia Publishing, 2009
ISBN:  978-1893798571
Available:  New and Used

            Written as a memoir by the author, Predatoress tells the tale of 18-year-old Emma Gabor, who is turned into a vampiress, and her adventures.  Turned into one of the undead at the start of the book, Emma begins feeding on innocent victims, but chooses them carefully, such as homeless people that would not be missed.  She quickly becomes bored with running around at night alone and decides that turning her best friend into a vampiress as well will help keep her company.  This turns out to be both good and bad for young Emma, as her friend is upset with being turned into a vampiress, and also makes things more complicated for Emma in the long run.  Later, they turn two more of their girlfriends and start hunting as a group of four.  Emma soon meets Zoltan Szabo, a genetic researcher her girlfriends have lusted after for years, and he immediately falls for Emma, unaware that she is one of the undead.  Emma is hopeful that once she tells Zoltan of her condition that they can come up with a cure for vampirism so that she can fix all the damage she has done. Of course, she doesn't think too much about what will happen when a non-vampire finds out her secret!
            Predatoress appears to be the first book by Emma Gabor. Honestly, it felt like the author was haphazardly throwing down as many thoughts as she could before forgetting them, but unfortunately she forgot to add in a really good plot or to flesh out the story.  I wouldn't say Gabor doesn't have a future as a writer, as I think with practice she could easily turn her ideas into a well-written story.  However, many scenes within this novel I couldn't see possibly happening in real life, and even fiction should be believable to the reader.  For example, Zoltan invites Emma to a dance.  While there, Emma gets hungry, and corners someone in the ladies' room. Yet, nobody notices the other girl's absence from the dance until it is over.  Once the dance has concluded, Zoltan takes Emma back to his place where she loses her virginity to him.  He then returns Emma to her parents' house, where her mother has fallen asleep downstairs while waiting for her. Emma's mother is upset that she has been brought home at six in the morning. She asks Zoltan why he brought Emma home so late, and he proceeds to tell her that they fell in love and then made love, and tries to comfort the mother by telling her that they used protection.  Then Emma's father joins the room, Zoltan proposes to Emma, and everyone is so excited by the prospect of a wedding that the trouble Emma was in is forgotten abruptly.  For me, anyway, this scene just seems bizarre.  I mean, what parents in their right mind would handle a scenario like this in this fashion?  This is just one of many examples of such things in Predatoress.  I did find myself enjoying the book at times, j ust because the scenes struck me as so absurd they were laughable.  For those who don't care as much for plot and just like to gobble up as many vampire titles as possible, I'd recommend this book, but for anyone else... do yourselves a favor and pass over this title for one of the several thousand other vampire titles on the shelves today.
Contains:  Adult Situations, Blood Sucking
Review by Rhonda Wilson
 

Lord of the Lash and Our Lady of the Boogaloo by Weston Ochse

Bad Moon Books, 2009

ISBN: 978-0-9821546-8-7

Available: New

        Monray’s six-armed friend, B’dam is a tortured prisoner in the Kilithay King’s bedchamber, and Monray can’t simply stand by while his friend suffers. Though the mission is near impossible, the Vampire Outlaw trades in favors with the Drug Nuns, a vile religious sect who believe that pain and suffering will bring them closer to their gods. With their help he infiltrates the Kilithay King’s realm and pushes forward to save his friend. On the other side of the galaxy, on the planet known as Earth, a small boy faces a massive challenge of his own - autism. His parents fear for his future as he seems to see things differently, as though his mind is in a galaxy far away…

         Lord of the Lash and Our Lady of the Boogaloo is the second book in the Vampire Outlaw series. Once again Weston Ochse has done an excellent job of blending science fiction and horror to give his readers a unique and horrifying universe that is filled with intrigue, excitement and religious fanaticism. I would certainly recommend this fast-paced story as a unique addition to libraries or for anyone looking for a science fiction story that is out of the ordinary.

Blood Bar by Norm Applegate

Black Bed Sheet, 2009
ISBN:  978-0-9822530-1-4
Available:  New and Used
 

    Norm Applegate's latest in the Kim Bennett series, Blood Bar, opens with Erin Roberts, a vampire hunter, killing a young role-playing vampire, Drach, as part of an attempt to avenge her father's death.  Applegate then jumps to the main heroine of the story, Kim Bennett, who doesn't believe in vampires, but after being called to investigate the murder of Drach by his lover, her friend, Rose, she finds herself delving deep into the unknown and questioning her skepticism of the existence of vampires.  Kim also stumbles into another mystery along the way involving a legendary Black Testament, an ancient vampire scroll that has been torn into pieces and scattered about the city.  Kim races against the clock to locate all the pieces before Erin does, and is shocked at the discoveries hidden within the Black Testament.
    A good mix of paranormal mystery and thriller lie within the pages of Blood Bar as the heroine searches out the answers to both the murder and the Black Testament.  Also in the mix are some mild sex scenes as the two main female characters are both involved in the S&M world.  The sex scenes, unfortunately, are randomly tossed in and are mediocre at best.  Based on the cover blurb I had assumed a much more erotic read, so anyone looking to pick this title up based on those excerpts might want to pass this one up for something of a more erotic nature.  The lack of editing was also troublesome.  There were many typos and grammatical errors that could easily have been fixed with one or two read-throughs by an amateur proofreader.  However, if you can overlook the lack of editing and mediocre erotic scenes, Blood Bar does have an interesting plot that, with some touch-ups, could have been a great story.  Fans of the vampire sub-genre may feel it's worth picking up this novel to add another vampire title to their collection or "read list", though some, as I was, may be a bit disappointed.

Contains:  Adult Language, Adult Situations, Sexual Situations, Violence

Review by Rhonda Wilson

Once a Samurai..by D.C. Rhind

Virtual Bookworm Publishing, 2009

ISBN-13: 9781602644090

Available: New

    The print on demand publishing boom in the last ten years has helped the independent press to explode. Authors of seriously amazing qualities have found homes with horror and bizarro presses such as Delirium and Eraserhead. The negative side of this is that authors who are desperately in need of strong editors and years of practice can simply invest and publish the book even if it is not ready for prime time.
   That is the problem with Once a Samurai. D.C. Rhind seems like a talented and thoughtful guy, but writing prose and especially novels is an art that requires more than just determination. This book was a slog for me. It is over a hundred pages too long. Some passages are overly descriptive, and the author includes sub-chapters that stray from the plot completely.
    A samurai vampire hunter sounds interesting. A book about the shogunate sending out a Ronin to track a vampire across ancient Japan would have been cool. Instead, we get Michael Cameron, a black belt with a cowboy hat and mutton chops, in Nova Scotia. That may make a "so bad it's good horror film", but it isn’t enough to sustain a full length novel. I really hope Rhind seeks the advice of a serious outside editor before the second book.

    I wish I could say otherwise, because I love a good underdog, but this is just not a good book. I could not recommend this book to libraries outside of Nova Scotia where it has local interest.
Adult themes, violence, and sexuality.

Review by David Agranoff

A Dangerous Climate by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Tor, 2008

ISBN: 9780765319814

Available: New and Used

    Yarbro's cultured, enigmatic, vampire Saint Germain is back. This time he’s in Russia during the construction of St. Petersburg, as a spy in the Russian court, pretending to be a duke, a husband and a human. As Saint Germain tries to uncover the fate of the man he is impersonating, a man claiming to be Count Saint-Germain comes to town, threatening the real Germain and all of his entanglements.

    Exquisitely detailed and smooth, A Dangerous Climate is a vivid, complex tale of political intrigue, led by a fascinating character who is almost harder to figure out than the full scope of Yarbro's plot. Yarbro is the author to go to for historical fiction. She packs amazing detail into the world, so that readers open the book and feel as if they are there, in the middle of a completely different time and culture, enthralled through Germain's voice and intriguing stories. Highly recommended for permanent personal and library collections.

Review by Michele Lee.

Vampire Outlaw of the Milky Way by Weston Ochse

Bad Moon Books, 2007

ISBN:

     Vampire Outlaw of the Milky Way is a story with two plotlines. One plotline is about an autistic boy and his parents’ frustration and disappointment as they deal with their ‘broken boy’. The other plotline is the story of Monray da Kine and his two alien friends as they try and find out who set them up on a job. Monray is a vampire, but not by the usual means. He has a parasite that gives him bursts of energy in exchange for warm blood. Not only does Monray have a parasite he also has a shared soul and it is in danger. The two plotlines slowly come together for an interesting outcome.

     Vampire Outlaw of the Milky Way is a pulp story that the reader won’t soon forget. The world that Weston Ochse has created in this story feels like just a taste of a much larger universe. The story is science fiction with an equal amount of technical horror, such as the Jepps Doll, an enormous body platform with interchangeable heads, and the revenants, undead creatures maintained by the Jepps. Vampire Outlaw of the Milky Way is a fast-paced action story set in a world that the reader will want to see more of. A good choice for anyone who likes a good action story, or for lovers of science fiction on the horror side.

Contains: Violence, Gore

Review by Bret Jordan

Bitternest by Alan Draven

iUniverse, 2007

ISBN: 9780595432042

Available: New and Used

    The H5N1 virus is sweeping across America leaving devastation in its wake. Some recover from the virus, but most do not. The city of Bitternest has a higher than normal recovery rate, but those who recover may not be the lucky ones, as the immunity comes at a price. In the face of the virus the city is working on a skeleton crew, and homicide detective Graves is worn out and frustrated as he tries to solve a case that leads him into the bizarre world of gangs, mafia, vampires and biblical legends. His case could also lead him to a cure for the H5N1 virus, but first he has to stop a legion of half-vampires hell bent on bringing Bitternest to its knees and feasting on the weary population.

     Bitternest is a new twist on an old story. The H5N1 virus gives the novel has an almost apocalyptic feel to it as Detective Graves struggles to put a stop to the half-vampires that are sweeping through his city. The story never becomes dull, and it sweeps the reader along as the half-vampires take a civilized city down to its knees in a bloodbath of violence. The characters are interesting and believable and the vampire coven has some of the most diverse vampires that I have ever seen. Bitternest would make a fine addition to any vampire collection.

Contains: Violence
Review by Bret Jordan

Vampire Apocalypse: Descent into Chaos by Derek Gunn

BlackDeath Books, 2008

ISBN: 9780979988134

Available:New

    In the world of Vampire Apocalypse, vampires control the world, using people who have been drugged into submission as food. In this sequel, Peter Harris decides to instigate a war between two vampire lords so he can take advantage of the ensuing chaos to save more people and scavenge for supplies. At the same time, a group within Harris’ “free human” community is attempting to seize political control. The same things that made the original Vampire Apocalypse a fun read can be found in the sequel. Gunn keeps the action moving and provides unexpected developments that keep the reader turning the pages. He fleshes out his characters more in the sequel, which helps engage the reader. The battlefield passages flow well and will draw readers into the battle action as two vampire lords and their armies of vampires and thralls face combat. While Vampire Apocalypse: Descent into Chaos is an enjoyable and satisfying read, to get the most out of the book you really need to read the first title. There is a perfect setup for another book, so expect to see more from Mr. Gunn and the world of Vampire Apocalypse.  Recommended for Public Libraries

Contains: Violence, some gore

Vampire Zero: A Gruesome Vampire Tale by David Wellington

Three Rivers Press, 2008

ISBN: 0307381722

Available: New

Vampire Zero is the third book in a series of vampire tales by David Wellington. Law officer and vampire hunter Laura Caxton is on the trail of her former vampire hunting mentor, Jameson Arkeley, who became a vampire at the end of the previous book, 99 Coffins, to help the humans defeat the vampires.   Caxton faces an amazing challenge in hunting the man who taught her everything she knows about hunting vampires, who now embraces the vampire he has become. The vampires in Wellington’s book are not the tall, dark, and romantic type. Rather they are voracious superhuman killing machines, reminiscent of the vampires of 30 Days of Night.  This reviewer read Vampire Zero without having read the previous books in the series. Wellington does a good job at filling in the backstory, though, so it was possible, and enjoyable, to read the book as a stand alone title. A fast paced page turner with well developed characters, Vampire Zero makes for an excellent horror/thriller novel. Reader’s advisory note: this is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Neil Gaiman and Jeff Marionette’s 30 Days of Night series. Recommended for public libraries.

Contains: Violence and gore.

The Vampire Tapestry by Suzy McKee Charnas

Orb, 2008

ISBN: 978-0-7653-2082-7

Available: New

  The Vampire Tapestry is a very different kind of vampire novel. Charnas' vampire, Edward Weyland, is not at all supernatural.  In fact, he isn’t even likable. The first two sections of the book hammer this home. Over and over, readers are told what Edward Weyland is like through the eyes of those who expose him. The fourth and fifth sections finally get inside Weyland's head, but he certainly doesn’t come across as a sympathetic character. Rather, we see a superior being who holds all of humanity in contempt.

   The only engaging part is section three, "The Unicorn Tapestry", which won a Nebula award. When Charnas connects with the reader, as she does here, her prose sings and the extensive details are given context as part of a striking picture. When the connection fails, though, Weyland comes across as nothing more than a glorified jerk preying on humans, who uses his lack of attachments as proof that humans are unworthy or below him.

   Charnas’ writing is solid, and at times the stories are interesting, but The Vampire Tapestry leaves you feeling like you've just read a dissertation on why you're not worthy of the blood in your veins.

Contains: Mild Sex

Review by Michele Lee

Vampyrrhic by Simon Clark

Cemetery Dance, 2008

ISBN: 9781587670763

Available: New

    The strange little town of Leppington is about to get stranger with the arrival of Dr. Leppington, who has returned to his hometown to visit his uncle and revisit his roots. The relaxing visit becomes a tense nightmare as Dr. Leppington’s uncle tries to get him to remember instances from his childhood, with the expectation that he will fulfill a bizarre prophecy handed down by the gods. Vampyrrhic isn’t quite a vampire novel. The monsters in this story have much in common with vampires, but also share a few qualities with zombies. The characters are wildly varied and completely believable. Electra, owner of the bed-and-breakfast where Dr.Leppington stays, is almost motherly, Bernice is disturbingly morbid, and Jack at times plays the villain and at times fills the role of a hero. Vampyrrhic is a great book to add to any horror collection, and almost a necessity for those who collect vampire stories.

Contains: Adult scenes

Review by Bret Jordan

Vampyrrhic Rites by Simon Clark

Cemetery Dance, 2008

ISBN: 1587670899

Available: New 

    The Vampyrrhic are back and closer to fulfilling their goals than ever. This time they have risen up in Lazarus Deep, an aptly titled lake near Leppington. The story begins when Electra receives strange emails from a man who can’t remember where he is or even who he is, but feels he is being haunted and preyed upon while living like a prisoner in an old house. It isn’t long before Electra realizes that the Vampyrrhic are back and she needs help dealing with them. Turning to the only person who would understand and be able to help she calls the reluctant David Leppington, who is dealing with a crisis of his own as he struggles to find Katrina, his schizophrenic college girlfriend. As the threads of fate weave together, David and Bernice go to Leppington to help Electra stop the apocalypse that the Vampyrrhic threaten to unleash upon the world.

    Once again Simon Clark tells a story of terror with his vampyrrhic monsters as the focus. At first glance the monsters come across as straight vampires, but they are more diverse than that. Some are reminiscent of savage versions of Anne Rice’s blood drinkers, but most of them fall more in line with the vampires of Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend - almost a zombie/vampire crossbreed. The plot is full of action, and the plot twists will keep the reader wondering where the story is going and who will survive the Ragnarok that is fast approaching. Vampyrrhic Rites is a fine fit for either a vampire or zombie collection and a must have for anyone who has the first book.

Contains: Sex

Review by Bret Jordan

Blood Red by James A Moore
Berkley, September 2007
9780425217597

Available: New
    Black Stone Bay is a quiet college town, which finds itself stuck with a major vampire outbreak. Maggie, a student and high-class prostitute, is the main character. Eventually she gets mixed up with a modern-day Dracula. The narrative is pushed along by two bumbling, foul-mouthed policemen who provide the exposition. Moore’s other characters include a dirty cop, a helpful neighbor, and a nasty pimp, who are all woven into the story in interesting ways. The story finally comes together on a foggy Halloween night, when the town suffers a great loss of population. The story has some gaps and requires some suspension of disbelief, and readers may find the ending unsatisfactory, but most will still enjoy it.

Contains: violence, minor gore, sex, but not graphic, adult language.
Reviewed by Larry Oathout
 

Cold Light of Day by Paul Cave

Apex Publishing, 2006

ISBN: 1904444822

Available New

    Cold Light of Day is the second novel for British author Paul Cave .Mr.Cave does a good job of creating dynamic characters. The main character, Josh Sawyer, is a promising young track star sidelined by events outside his control. He struggles to create a new life with Anna, a beautiful Russian woman with a secret. Although the word is never actually said, it is clear that she is a vampire. Josh and Anna, accused of murder, are being chased by the FBI as well as another vampire, Jonas.

    In spite of a good beginning and interesting characters, Cold Light of Day lost me early on, when Josh and Anna escaped from an airport in a painfully far-fetched way. The novel could have bounced back, but the airport episode was followed by a flashback, which, although important to the story, interrupted the pacing and changed the tone drastically. After fifty or so pages in the flashback I had lost interest in Josh's story. Weaving the background information in might have improved the story’s flow. Cave also has a habit of using over-the-top exposition that disrupts the reader’s suspension of disbelief.

    While I didn't enjoy this book, I think Cave is a talented writer, and this novel could have been improved with another serious edit and perhaps another draft.  Even with its flaws, Cave’s writing is enjoyable enough for me to seek out his first book, Something of the Night, and fans of all things vampire may want to Cave’s work a look.

Contains: Adult Language and Violence Review

by David Agranoff

Something of the Night by Paul Cave
Apex Publishing, 2006
ISBN: 1904444725
Available: New
    I had my doubts going in, but Something of the Night by Paul Cave won me over. In a nutshell, this is the story of mankind on the very brink of extinction at the hands of a Vampire Army that lords over a ravaged Earth. Hiding underground, humans rarely strike back for fear of giving away their nesting place, but when there’s an infiltrator discovered among them the story becomes an edge of your seat page turner. Paul Cave has managed to breath some new life into a tired old horror trope, conjuring up a sense of impending dread and urgency that is refreshing and commendable. From the terrific characterization of the major players (especially Vampire Slayer Jacob Cain) to the plot-driven roller coaster ride, Something of the Night is a meaty tome that will leave you wanting for more.
This book is for fans of vampire fiction in general, as well as those who enjoy Apocalyptic and Men’s Adventure stories.
Contains: Adult language, Violence

Review by Bob Freeman
 

Saint-Germain: Memoirs, by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Elder Signs Press, October 2007

ISBN: 9781934501016

Available: New

    Saint-Germain: Memoirs collects two short stories, two novelettes and a novella, each focused on different slice of the remarkable life

of the immortal Count Saint Germain. Yarbro's vampire is a good guy, a soul tempered by the passing of time, who tries to improve the lives of those around him. Saint-Germain: Memoirs is an excellent testing ground for new readers curious about Yarbro’s unique writing style, and gives collectors and current fans a chance to fill in a few more pieces of the Count’s expansive life. This title also gives libraries an opportunity to add horror stories set in historical times that are largely blood, violence, and sex free, to their collections.

Review by Michele Lee

Sundays with Vlad: From Pennsylvania to Transylvania, One Man’s Quest to Live in the World of the Undead by Paul Bibeau

Three Rivers Press, October 2007

ISBN: 9780307352781

Available: New

    Paul Bibeau starts Sundays with Vlad with a description of his honeymoon- a trip to the original home of Vlad the Impaler in Romania. Frankly, I’m surprised his wife didn’t divorce him. It’s clear that Bibeau is a fan- personally invested in exploring the many facets of Dracula in literature, history, politics, and popular culture. Each chapter examines a different take on the Dracula theme. Bibeau’s writing is lively and conversational, and readers will be drawn in by his enthusiasm. Although Bibeau just touches the surface with some of the subcultures he describes, most people will be surprised to know they even exist. The author doesn’t shy away from the darker side of his topic, either. Sundays with Vlad is a fascinating, addictive book. Readers should be prepared to be entertained, educated, and, in some places, deeply disturbed. Highly recommended for general nonfiction collections in public libraries.

Note:  Sundays with Vlad is a non-fiction title.

Contains: descriptions of arson, violence and murder, suggestions of impalement, blood drinking, and vampirism.

Review by Francesca the Librarian

Trailer Trash by Scott T. Goudsward

Dark Hart Press, 2007

ISBN: 097731832

Available: New

    Teen Elvis Taggard’s world is turned upside down when a vampire in his trailer park home kills his mother and father.  After killing the vampire, Elvis hooks up with a vampire investigator/slayer to hunt down other blood suckers.  Trailer Trash is a fun vampire read.  Elvis is an entertaining character and the author has enough twists and turns in the story to keep his reader guessing in a good way. Trailer Trash, with its teen protagonist, has the potential to expand into a young adult vampire series, and should appeal to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer crowd. Since it was written for an adult audience, Trailer Trash is a good transitional title from teen to adult vampire fiction. Recommended.

Contains: Gore

Salem's Lot by Stephen King

Pocket Books, 1999

ISBN: 0671039741

Availability: New or Used

      Some would say that Salem's Lot, Stephen King’s second novel, published in 1975, is really the book that introduced him to the world.  Ostensibly, it offers itself as a vampire tale about a writer named Ben Mears who returns to a small town in Maine called Jerusalem's Lot,  The town soon becomes infected by vampires, and Mears leads a varied group who must battle them.  King has called this take on vampires his way of updating Dracula, but it reads as more than just a subgenre stab in Bram Stoker's direction.  The book actually feels less like a vampire tale than a whirlwind description of a small town that becomes the victim of a European antique dealer living in a house that overlooks the town.  Setting is important here, for the panorama of a small town permeates the entire work.  Stylistically, Salem’s Lot is set apart from other vampire tales. The story flashes from one character to another and the reader gets to know the individual inhabitants of the town. Readers advisory note: Salem’s Lot may especially appeal to readers of vampire tales who are looking for more than the typical straightforward approach, since setting becomes a character in its own right. Highly recommended for public library collections.

Media connections:

Salem’s Lot, 1979 television miniseries

Salem’s Lot , 2004 television miniseries

Contains: violence.

Review by William Simmons     

Vampire Twilight by Phillip Henry

Coral Moon, 2007

ISBN: 9780955655609

Available: New

    Vampire Twilight is a fast-paced sequel to Vampire Dawn, with return appearances of most of the characters from the first book. In this continuation, Lucinda, an agent of the Ministry, helps Kaaliz, a vampire made by former vampires Claire and Xavier, escape from the Ministry. In return, Kaaliz makes Lucinda into the vampire Sin. Together they plan and seek vengeance on Claire, Xavier, the Ministry, and the world, creating as much chaos and death as they can. Kaaliz and Sin are pursued by Ministry agents Nichole and Rek, vampire slayer Chloe, and Xavier’s daughter, half-vampire/half-human Lynda, Although the story is an entertaining read, Henry misses out on character development. Readers expecting to see members of the large ensemble cast of Vampire Dawn fleshed out will be disappointed.  However, although it may be difficult to connect with some characters, Henry engages the reader and captures the imagination .  Recommended for public libraries. Reader’s advisory note:  Readers of Karen Koehler’s books, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, and of Henry’s first book, Vampire Dawn, will appreciate this book.  

Contains: violence, gore.

Pale Immortal by Anne Frasier

Onyx, 2006

ISBN:  0451412249

Available: New

    Anne Frasier seems unsure of whether Pale Immortal is a thriller or a horror novel, and her writing bounces between the two genres, jarringly at times. The novel does have a certain appeal, however. Frasier has a fine command of language and the prose simply drips with atmosphere. Her characters are three-dimensional, if not altogether likeable or compelling, and she certainly knows the Midwest. The dialogue suffers at times, particularly near the story’s climax, but where the book fails is in its own awareness. Pale Immortal meanders about trying to find its direction; never sure of what it wants to be. It’s possible that this was by design, and, if so, the Frasier should be applauded for the attempt, though she receives low marks for the actual execution.

Reader’s advisory note: Pale Immortal may appeal to multiple audiences. Readers of thrillers, horror, and paranormal romance may all find something to enjoy.

Contains: Adult language, Adult situations, Violence

Review by Bob Freeman 

Garden of Darkness by Anne Frasier

Onyx, 2007

ISBN:  0451412478

Available: New 

    In Garden of Darkness, Anne Frasier returns to the setting of her novel Pale Immortal, and it’s clear that she has learned from the experience of writing the previous book. In this compelling, tighter, and more realized novel, Fraiser again blends genres, combining thriller and horror, with just a splash of romance and police procedural. Suspenseful and deftly crafted, Garden of Darkness keeps the reader guessing. The characters again steal the show, as her depiction of Midwesterners is spot on. Although Garden of Darkness can stand alone, readers who want to embrace the complete tale in this two-part series will benefit from reading the first book. It is this reviewer’s understanding that Garden of Darkness is the final book in the series, but it does end on a cliffhanger, which may frustrate some readers, but for others may add to the experience. Reader’s advisory note: Garden of Darkness may appeal to multiple audiences. Readers of thrillers, horror, and paranormal romance may all find something to enjoy. Readers of Pale Immortal will also appreciate being introduced to this book.

Contains: Adult language, Adult situations, Violence

Review by Bob Freeman 

The Oval Portrait by Michael Smolanoff

Publish America, 2007

ISBN: 1424142180

Available: New

    Michael Smolanoff is obviously an educated man with a command of the English language, a strong vocabulary, and a knowledge of art and literature rarely found in novels such as this. He sets his scenes with care and attempts to paint a vivid, if somewhat grim picture of the world of the vampire. Trouble is, it’s not all that interesting or innovative. His characters are cardboard and unfathomable, and the plot is a convoluted mess. The book’s greatest failing, however, lies in its pretentiousness, and, unfortunately, the vast majority of literary references used throughout will sail over the heads of most readers. It’s really too bad, as there is a lot to commend about The Oval Portrait. The author has considerable talents at his disposal, and a more legitimate publisher and editorial staff could have done wonders with this novel. As a reader, I think his work is worth a second chance, but only if it has passed through a respected publishing house first. Readers advisory note: Readers of Anne Rice and Laurell K. Hamilton may find this book appealing, although Whitley Strieber’s The Hunger deals with a similar theme and would be a better initial recommendation.

Contains: adult language; adult situations; graphic violence; and graphic sexual content, including bondage, rape, and homosexuality.

Review by Bob Freeman.

They Hunger by Scott Nicholson Pinnacle, 2007

ISBN: 0786017139

Available: New

 In They Hunger, Scott Nicholson gives us a new type of vampire- a half bat, half human creature whose condition is readily transferable to its victims.   A publicity stunt by a outdoor outfitting company sends a group of people to the Unegama River in the Appalachian Mountains.  There they run into Ace Goodall, an antiabortion activist who bombs clinics and is on the run from the FBI.   When one of Ace’s bombs go off, the vampires are released and everyone must struggle to survive. Although populated by stock characters, the overall story is well written with a good pace and plenty of action. However, those looking for a vampire tale with a handsome charming undead looking to sweep some pretty young thing off her feet will be horribly disappointed. Contains: violence, gore, sex

Blood Coven by Christopher Fulbright and Angeline Hawkes

Dead Letters Press, 2007

ISBN: 0979633508

Available: New

    During the late 1800s a secret religious organization known as the Ordine works to protect society from vampires. Walter’s job, as Catcher for the Ordine, is to track down and kill vampires. In Blood Coven he faces his most dangerous job ever. He must locate and destroy an ancient vampire who wants to propagate her kind in a way that has never been seen before. Walter questions the morality of what he has to do, making him a more believable character that the reader can really relate to. Blood Coven is a fast paced story full of action and plot twists that are sure to catch the reader by surprise. This chapbook, limited to 100 copies, would make a fine addition to large public or private libraries looking to strengthen their vampire story collection or add to their horror section.

Contains: Violence, Gore Review by Bret Jordan

Rebirth by Scott McKenzie.

 Lulu.com, 2007

ISBN: 1847534120
Available: New
    In this action novel, Detective Tom Ryder investigates the bombing of a lab run by renowned researcher Dr. Andrew Owen. Ryder teams up with Jane Simpson, an operative of the World Health Organziation, who is also interested in the destruction of the lab. Before either can speak to Owen they discover that he has disappeared, probably kidnapped. Enter the Brotherhood, a mysterious group founded to fight an evil that threatens the very existence of mankind. Little by little Ryder pieces together the connection between Owen, the Brotherhood, and the bloodthirsty creatures who menace humanity. They are vampires, of course, still small in numbers, but beginning to build their forces and planning to wrest control of the world from the human race. Ryder soon discovers that Jane is an agent of the Brotherhood, and it is through her that he learns about the threat the world faces. But things are more complicated than they first seem, and at times the good guys aren't nice at all. Although McKenzie’s story has potential, many of the complications seem contrived, his writing is turgid, and his dialogue is stilted. Having said that, I did want to know what happened and skipped through to the end to find out. There is a good novel in there somewhere- a talented editor might have saved this self-published book. Rebirth is book one in a series featuring Tom Ryder. Published at rebirthnovel.blogspot.com
 Contains violence and some gore review by Patricia
 

Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite

Dell Publishing, 1993

ISBN: 0440212812

Available: New
    In Lost Souls, Brite tells the intertwined stories of people, some human, some vampire, all looking to find themselves in a variety of ways- on stage with a microphone in hand, in the arms of a beloved betrayer, or in the bewitching, electric green eyes of a vampire. She paints a dark picture in blood of back streets and vampire nature with her hypnotic, brutal storytelling. Coarse and gritty in its core, Lost Souls is a truly original vampire tale. It is deep and boundless, sensual and enthralling. Brite’s combination of hope, despair, love, hate, guilt, fear, alcohol, and blood make for an intoxicating tale. Lost Souls will draw readers in and leave them wanting more. Recommended for public library collections. A readers’ advisory note: Brite’s novel lacks a moral center, which may not appeal to some readers.   
Contains: Language, drug abuse, intense violence, gore, and extreme sex.

Readers’ advisory note: Brite’s novel lacks a moral center, and may not appeal to some readers for that reason.
review by Rose Gordon

The Amulet of Vichalace by Zoe Stead

Olympia Publishers, 2007

ISBN: 190551316X

Available: New

    On her twenty-first birthday Celeste's beloved, adoptive father decides that it is time for her to know what happened twenty years ago to her birth parents. As an infant she accompanied her archeologist parents to the excavation of an ancient burial site beneath an abandoned house know as Wyregreen Manor. Soon after the tomb's inner chamber was opened all those within died save the infant Celeste. Across her chest lay a piece of jewelry known as the Amulet of Vichalace. Who or what killed everyone still remains a mystery. Nearby villagers believe an evil spirit had been released, but Celeste's father, Septimus Laughlin, assures her that all such stuff about the supernatural is nonsense.
    As it turns out he isn't exactly telling her the truth. Instead what he wishes to do is protect her from an evil that seeks the amulet and the power that Celeste carries because of it. When Celeste joins a new expedition to Wyregreen she slowly begins to understand the dangers she faces, but along the way she encounters members of the paranormal world who also want to protect her. Elias is one such being. Centuries ago his encounter with the Amulet left him with his caring soul trapped in a demonic body. Only with great will can he show his human self. When Celeste first encounters him she instinctively knows him to be completely trustworthy, and she does not find his appearance at all repellant.
Later in the story, as all the characters become known to one another, those creatures of the night - vampires, of course - make them selves known. For the most part, these are the good guys.
    The author has created a compelling plot with interesting twists and turns, although some judicious editing might have tightened it up and made it a better read. Still readers who like paranormal novels with a touch of romance will enjoy this story. The ending makes it obvious that a sequel will follow.  Contains: Minor violence. Review by Patricia
 

X-Rated Blood Suckers by Mario Acevedo

Rayo, 2007
ISBN: 0060833270
Available: New
    Let me start by saying that while I really enjoyed this book, it wasn’t all what I was expecting.  From the title, which reminded me a
lot of books by Christopher Moore and Sharyn McCrumb, I was expecting something humorous, satirical even. This more had moments that I thought
might be funny if I weren’t so sure they could be true (the “jumping for Jesus” aerobics class at the megachurch, for instance). But it was an
interesting and unpredictable mystery and also includes a nice, unique vampire mythos. I’ve read other vampire books where the humans were
considered way more scary than the vampires, but this is the first time I’ve seen a good reason for it; in this case, the narrator is a combat vet and
he’s seen first hand the damage humans can do even to other humans. My only complaint is probably one that won’t be shared by the majority of
readers, namely that I was a little put off by the very male perspective of this story. I don’t read a lot of books by male authors, and was caught off
guard by moments where the hero was pretty much congratulating himself for not taking advantage of vulnerable women after sucking their blood. Even
the romantic relationship in the book is tainted by this, although, to be fair, that was deliberate on the part of the author. This is a good read
for people who enjoy both vampires and mysteries. This is a sequel, and I enjoyed it enough that I think I may look for the first book. Although the
first book won’t have Coyote, the vampiric bastard son of Cortes’ mistress and a Jewish Conquistador, and that will be a crying shame, because he was
one of the best parts of this book.  Contains:  sexual situations  Entry by Havoc.
 

Vampire Dawn by Philip Henry

KHP Publisher April, 2004
ISBN: 0974768022

Available: New

    Claire and Xavier, a vampire couple, find that they are losing their blood lust.  They decide that the balance between good and evil is off, and that to right it they must sire more vampires  and unleash a wave of evil to bring out the best in humanity.   Christian Warke blames Xavier for the death of his wife  and has been hunting him for years, willing to go to any lengths to get revenge. The two sides  meet with deadly consequences.   Set in a world  that includes an organization dedicated to fighting the vampires, superhuman Slayers, and vampire/human crossbreeds,  Vampire Dawn may have a familiar feel to avid readers in this genre,  but Henry's storytelling lends a unique twist.    Henry also introduces his readers to some interesting characters that will hopefully be developed further in the sequel, Vampire Twilight.  Fans of both Karen Koehler's vampire works and the Buffyverse will enjoy Vampire Dawn.   Recommended for public libraries. Contains: violence, some gore, mention of rape,  language.

Vamped: A Novel by David Sosnowski

Free Press, 2004
ISBN: 0743262530

Available: New and Used

    Vamped is set in an alternate world where vampires have taken over and what is left of humanity are confined to small farms.  Vampire Martin Kowalski  teams up with a six year old child named Isuzu, who is on the run from a pack of vampires who have just killed her mother.  Martin decides to take in Isuzu and quickly finds he has become very attached to her.  This leaves Martin challenged to figure out how to raise a human child in a society that no longer has the items that humans need generally available (a humorous example is that since vampires don't defecate that all of the toilets have been turned into planters). Vamped is a well rounded and well written look at the concept of raising a child in a world where vampires rule.  Sosnowski provides all sorts of wonderful tangents about vampires, vampire life, and vampire society in his story. While  the book does have passages of gore and violence, there is also plenty of humor and even some father-daughter  style warm fuzzies added for good measure.   Vamped is an entertaining read that is appropriate for both  regular vampire fiction readers and non-horror readers, Sosnowski has put elements in this book that everyone will enjoy.  Recommended.   Contains: Language, gore, murder, description of an eating disorder.

Weep Not for the Vampire by William A. Veselik

Mundania Press, 2006

ISBN: 1594263434

Available: New

    When Cullen Roark is turned into a vampire, he leaves his young wife and his hometown, McMullin.  Fifty years latter, tired of his vampiric existence, Roark returns to McMullin to kill himself, and finds his wife. Although she has remarried, she still loves him, and he learns that he has a child and grandchild.    In the midst of this family reunion, Roark discovers another vampire hunting in McMullin, who has targeted Roark's granddaughter as its next victim.   Weep Not for the Vampire isn't as much of a vampire horror as more of a journey of discovery for Cullen Roark as a vampire who comes back to his hometown and sees what has happened to the life he has lost.   While there is some action in the book as Roark clashes with the other vampire in McMullin, the tale is more about Roark finding what has happened in the lives of those he cares about since he left town.    Although Veselik gifts his vampires with superhuman strength and abilities, he doesn't cast them in a particularly romantic light. He does a good job of casting Roark as a sympathetic soul looking from release from what he considers a horrid existence.    For those looking a slightly different take on the vampire, Weep Not for the Vampire makes for a good read.   Veselik is able to produce his tale without excessive gore or sexual references and the book is of appropriate length and content that it could also be recommended to young adults.

Everdead by Rio Youers

Rio Youers,

ISBN: N/A

Available: New

    Luca, a nomadic vampire pursued by the ancient original vampires, finds himself on the beach front resort island of San Antonio,  where youths around the world come to drink, dance, and party.   Two vacationing partiers, Toby and Cas, come across Lucas as he kills a young girl.  Furious at the interruption, Lucas hunts down the couple to exact revenge.  Everdead is a competently written vampire tale. While Youers goes into the origin tale of Luca, he doesn't try to paint him as a sympathetic victim but rather shows him as a man who hounds another vampire to turn him knowing full well that he will have to kill people to survive.   Youers does a good job of fleshing out the character of Toby, who has finally overcome his insecurities in approaching girls to finally meet Cas.   Everdead is currently not available in print format but is available in electronic format from the author's website for $2.50.  For $2.50 Everdead is a good inexpensive fix for those who enjoy vampire  fiction.   

Cast in Dark Waters by Edward Gorman and  Tom Piccirilli

Cemetery Dance, February, 2002
ISBN:1587670135

Available: New

    Part of Cemetery Dance's "Novella Series," Cast in Dark Waters follows the lady pirate Crimson, a beautiful and capable privateer who is hired to search for and retrieve a young girl who has eloped with another pirate.  Crimson's search takes her to a remote and cursed island, where the waters are said to bring the dead who are in search of the blood of the living.  It is in these same waters that Crimson's lover died when his ship sank, and it is that same lover who haunts her dreams.   In100 pages, veteran authors Edward Gorman and Tom Piccirilli have produced a captivating story with a compelling  protagonist.  There is much more to explore in Crimson's character and in the setting of the sixteenth century Caribbean, filled with pirates and the supernatural. This novella presents a great opportunity for these gifted authors to pen more tales.   Recommended.  Contains: violence and some bloodletting.

Vampire Apocalypse: The World Torn Asunder by Derek Gunn

KHP Publishers, September, 2006
ISBN: 097679148X

Available: New

    In Vampire Apocalypse: The World Torn Asunder, the civilized world is decaying . War and conflict have exhausted a great deal of the world's energy sources.   In America, states are pitted against each other, competing for precious resources. As oil and gas become scarce, rural communities become more isolated.  This environment allows vampires, who have been hiding for centuries,  and their once-human thralls, to come forth and conquer the world.   Derek Gunn's tale revolves around a small town where a resistance movement comprised of members of the human population tries to find a way to defeat the vampires.    Vampire Apocalypse, while not breaking new ground in its premise,  makes for an enjoyable afternoon of reading.  The action starts fast and is consistent throughout the book, keeping the reader's attention.     My one complaint is that Gunn introduces various characters in the book that seem interesting but need to be more fleshed out.  However, this does mean that as the book ends, there are still plenty of interesting characters left, so there is potential for another book, and further character development.  For those who like the setting of Gunn's book and are thirsty for more then check out Under The Fang edited by Robert R. McCammon.    Recommended for library collections and those readers looking for a little more action in their vampire books. Contains: violence and gore.

Live Girls by Ray Garton

Leisure Books; Reprint,August 2006
ISBN: 0843956747

Available: New and used

    Live Girls has become one of the core books for any vampire collection. With this reprint by Leisure Books, a new group of readers will have the opportunity to enjoy it.   The book initially follows two different stories. The first story introduces Davey Owen, who seeks solace in a peep show club called Live Girls, where he meets the seductive Anya.    The other story involves reporter Walter Benedek who is trying to determine why his sister Doris and her daughter were savagely torn apart by her husband, Vernon.  Walter finds that Vernon had also been to Live Girls.  When Davey and Walter finally meet, it is up to them to try to stop the vampiric horror going on at Live Girls.   Live Girls is a solid vampire story. Originally written in the late 80's, the story is still strong and works today.  The book moves quickly and a reader can quickly get lost in the story.  If your library didn't manage to get a copy of Live Girls in its first release, take the opportunity to add it to the collection now: it belongs up there with Stephen King's Salem's Lot or Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire.  Followed by the sequel Night Life. Contains: gore, violence, and sexual situations.

Night Life by Ray Garton

Subterranean Press, October, 2005
ISBN: 159606014X

Available: New and Used

    Night Life is the sequel to Ray Garton's Live Girls.   Martin Burgess is a famous horror author who hires two private eyes to find out whether vampires really exist.  In Garton's world there are different types of vampires: the civilized types, who live off of bottled blood and integrate into society, and brutals, vampires who prey on and kill humans.  The brutals discover that Burgess is trying to uncover their existence and seek to stop the investigators and anyone who has spoken with them. Unfortunately, Garton stops midway to describe gratuitous sexual violence and degradation to sympathetic female characters. This does not seem to advance the story, making Night Life a flawed novel from this very talented writer.  The ending of the book is left open: another book in the series could be written.  Librarians and readers should be aware that there is considerable sexual violence in this book. Not recommended for young adult readers. Contains: violence, rape, degradation, and explicit sexual passages.