So you like vampires, more than just the modern incarnation and don’t know where to start in your vamp-ucation? We’re more than happy to help! While many of these titles are not YA they are considered by many core books that in some way changed the genre and helped shape it to what it is today.
If you want to go straight for the heavy hitters how about Bram Stoker (Dracula, 1897) or Anne Rice (Interview with the Vampire, 1976), or Polidori (The Vampyre, 1819), Varney the Vampire (1847) and Sheridan Le Fanu (Carmilla, 1872)? Or Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (Hotel Transylvania, 1978)?
Prefer urban fantasy style vampires (paranormal noir)? How about Forever Knight? Hardboiled supernatural mystery series staring an angsty but attractive vampire cop. Also, May 5, 1992. There’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer in movie form too, starring the quintessential UF heroine (albeit in junior form)–Summer 1992. Fright Night (1985) or Once Bitten (1985) are good pics (the latter stars a very young Jim Carrey). For real chills there’s also Salem’s Lot (1975). And my first ever vampire flick love was My Best Friend is a Vampire (1987, but it was the early 90s before I found it).
Maybe those aren’t bookish enough. How about Tanya Huff’s Blood books, featuring a vampire detective? Blood Price, 1991. Blood Trail, 1992. Blood Lines, 1992. And Blood Pact, 1993. Or P.N. Elrod’s dual series; Jonathan Barrett, Gentleman Vampire (Red Death, 1993) and The Vampire Files (Bloodlist, 1990; Lifeblood, 1990; Bloodcircle, 1990; Art in the Blood, 1991; Fire in the Blood, 1991; Blood on the Water, 1992)
If you want to expand a bit, there’s also S.P. Somtow (Vampire Junction, 1984–a vampire western!), Brian Lumley (Necroscope, 1986), , Kim Newman (Anno Dracula, 1992), and Mercedes Lackey (Burning Water, 1989–which I highly recommend).
If you’re looking for vampires in other media how about Vampire: The Masquerade RPG (1991)? Oh, and Castlevania (1986) and Blade (1st Appearance-Tomb of Dracula #10, July 1973).
And let’s include a few “cutting-edge/subversive” picks: Dark Shadows (tv show & book series, 1966), Whitley Strieber (The Hunger, book-1981 & movie- 1983), and Poppy Z. Brite (Lost Souls, 1992).
On the YA proper front there’s L.J. Smith (Vampire Diaries, 1991), Caroline B. Cooney (The Vampire, 1991) and Christopher Pike’s Last Vampire from 1994. I was a sucker for anything with vampire in the title (which let to me discovering L.J. Smith and P.C. Cast, among others) so I totally fell for The Vampire Twins (angsty twins whose abandoning father turns out to be a hereditary vampire–it’s got vampires and family tragedy) and Richie Tankersley Cusick’s Vampire too.
Of course this is just a real simple list (aka potential reading list?). For something more detailed check out Waterstone’s side sliding vampire timeline.
*Thanks to Sara M. Harvey and Dhympna who helped with the formation of this list!
I loved Burning Water, but I don’t remember vampires. I think Children of the Night is the one with the vampires. I wish Mercedes Lackey had written more Diana Tregarde books but unfortunately, apparently they didn’t sell the way the Valdemar books did.
I never saw the original Dark Shadows, but there was a remake in the 1990’s that I loved… Vampire: The Masquerade was also made into a television show in the 1990’s. Unfortunately, neither of them lasted long.
Yes, Children of the Night had vampires for sure (um, that’s the only one I could find to read!) I had assumed the others did too. I heard that Lackey stopped the Diana Tregarde books because of threats over them. I’ve never heard more than that, but wow.
I remember the old Vampire show too. I LOVED it. Unfortunately the actor who played Prince Julian died in a motorcycle wreck. I don’t remember if the show was cancelled first, or if that ended it.