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The Lesser Dead
The secret is, vampires are real and I am one.
The secret is, I’m stealing from you what is most truly yours and I’m not sorry—
New York City in 1978 is a dirty, dangerous place to live. And die. Joey Peacock knows this as well as anybody—he has spent the last forty years as an adolescent vampire, perfecting the routine he now enjoys: womanizing in punk clubs and discotheques, feeding by night, and sleeping by day with others of his kind in the macabre labyrinth under the city’s sidewalks.
The subways are his playground and his highway, shuttling him throughout Manhattan to bleed the unsuspecting in the Sheep Meadow of Central Park or in the backseats of Checker cabs, or even those in their own apartments who are too hypnotized by sitcoms to notice him opening their windows. It’s almost too easy.
Until one night he sees them hunting on his beloved subway. The children with the merry eyes. Vampires, like him…or not like him. Whatever they are, whatever their appearance means, the undead in the tunnels of Manhattan are not as safe as they once were.
And neither are the rest of us.
' to 'The secret is, vampires are real and I am one. The secret is, I’m stealing from you what is most truly yours and I’m not sorry— New York City in 1978 is a dirty, dangerous place to live. And die. Joey Peacock knows this as well as anybody—he has spent the last forty years as an adolescent vampire, perfecting the routine he now enjoys: womanizing in punk clubs and discotheques, feeding by night, and sleeping by day with others of his kind in the macabre labyrinth under the city’s sidewalks. The subways are his playground and his highway, shuttling him throughout Manhattan to bleed the unsuspecting in the Sheep Meadow of Central Park or in the backseats of Checker cabs, or even those in their own apartments who are too hypnotized by sitcoms to notice him opening their windows. It’s almost too easy. Until one night he sees them hunting on his beloved subway. The children with the merry eyes. Vampires, like him…or not like him. Whatever they are, whatever their appearance means, the undead in the tunnels of Manhattan are not as safe as they once were. And neither are the rest of us.368 pages, ebook
First published October 7, 2014
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April 21, 2021
Update due to re-listen 4.21.21.
This was even better than I remembered. Christopher Buehlman's narration is beyond stellar. From what I've read he has experience in acting and voicing characters, which probably is part of the reason why his accents were so great.
The story though, the story is killer and I mean that literally. It's even more gory and horribly awesome than I remembered. And that coda? Ohh, that coda still slays me even though I knew it was coming.
At this point, THE LESSER DEAD is in my top ten books of all time and in my top five favorite vampire books as well. It is THAT good!
Original review:
That's it then: this is my favorite Christopher Buehlman book. It's made even better by the fact that he narrates it himself. It's unbelievably FUN, gory, tension- filled and fascinating! What more could a horror fan ask for?
Imaginative? Check!
New spins on old tropes? Check!
Twists and turns that you can't see coming? Check!
Bloodbaths? (Literally!) Check!
BIG OLD SMILE on my face when I finished? Check!
I don't even know what else to say. I'm glad I bought this audio because I know I'll want to listen to this again in the future. It's the kind of story where you can find something new each time you read it. I'm looking forward to my re-read already!
The Lesser Dead gets my highest recommendation!
You can get your copy here: The Lesser Dead
This was even better than I remembered. Christopher Buehlman's narration is beyond stellar. From what I've read he has experience in acting and voicing characters, which probably is part of the reason why his accents were so great.
The story though, the story is killer and I mean that literally. It's even more gory and horribly awesome than I remembered. And that coda? Ohh, that coda still slays me even though I knew it was coming.
At this point, THE LESSER DEAD is in my top ten books of all time and in my top five favorite vampire books as well. It is THAT good!
Original review:
That's it then: this is my favorite Christopher Buehlman book. It's made even better by the fact that he narrates it himself. It's unbelievably FUN, gory, tension- filled and fascinating! What more could a horror fan ask for?
Imaginative? Check!
New spins on old tropes? Check!
Twists and turns that you can't see coming? Check!
Bloodbaths? (Literally!) Check!
BIG OLD SMILE on my face when I finished? Check!
I don't even know what else to say. I'm glad I bought this audio because I know I'll want to listen to this again in the future. It's the kind of story where you can find something new each time you read it. I'm looking forward to my re-read already!
The Lesser Dead gets my highest recommendation!
You can get your copy here: The Lesser Dead
September 15, 2019
ALL THE STARS!
My mind has been blown by the ending of The Lesser Dead.
I’m now extremely horrified of going underground in New York City along with creepy, vampire kids!
The Lesser Dead is one of the best vampire books that I’ve read in years. And that’s saying something because I love books with vampires in them!
Honestly, I think the less you know about this plot, the more you'll love it and it will surprise you. It's told in first person by Joey Peacock, a 14-year-old vampire that was turned in the 1930s. He lives in a coven in an abandoned underground part of New York City that connects to the subway system.
Creep and horror factor – 5 stars
Writing – 5 stars
Plot twists – 5 stars
Setting – 5 stars
Honestly, if you are looking for a scary book for Halloween and want some nightmares while sleeping, look no further then The Lesser Dead.
I will read anything by Christopher Buehlman now!
My mind has been blown by the ending of The Lesser Dead.
I’m now extremely horrified of going underground in New York City along with creepy, vampire kids!
The Lesser Dead is one of the best vampire books that I’ve read in years. And that’s saying something because I love books with vampires in them!
Honestly, I think the less you know about this plot, the more you'll love it and it will surprise you. It's told in first person by Joey Peacock, a 14-year-old vampire that was turned in the 1930s. He lives in a coven in an abandoned underground part of New York City that connects to the subway system.
Creep and horror factor – 5 stars
Writing – 5 stars
Plot twists – 5 stars
Setting – 5 stars
Honestly, if you are looking for a scary book for Halloween and want some nightmares while sleeping, look no further then The Lesser Dead.
I will read anything by Christopher Buehlman now!
January 18, 2022
The secret is, vampires are real and I am one.
The secret is, I’m stealing from you what is most truly yours and I’m not sorry
Talk about getting sucked in (pun intended) by a book! The narrator of this book tells us that he is an unreliable narrator at the very beginning. He is a fourteen-year-old vampire who has lived 60 years as a vampire (so I guess, he is really 74 years old) He tells us about his life before, how he was changed and life after becoming a vampire.
He lives underground with other vampires and shares his experiences with humans, the scene in 1970's NYC. Life is pretty much easy for him and he does as he pleases until one day, he witnesses something in the subway, something curious, something interesting, and something deadly, something hunting, something dangerous, something that will change things in those tunnels he calls home.
This was a fun, campy, entertaining read. At various parts of this book, my rating changed, it went from a 5 star to a 3 star to a 4-star rating, but then that ENDING! HOLY HELL that ending. It was out of this world. In the land of I-did-not-see-that-coming, that ending knocked my socks off and left me sitting with my mouth open.
Don't let the creepy cover deter you, this book was good. These are not the Twilight vampires; these vampires will knock your socks off. This is a bloody good book. Seriously, bloody good.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
The secret is, I’m stealing from you what is most truly yours and I’m not sorry
Talk about getting sucked in (pun intended) by a book! The narrator of this book tells us that he is an unreliable narrator at the very beginning. He is a fourteen-year-old vampire who has lived 60 years as a vampire (so I guess, he is really 74 years old) He tells us about his life before, how he was changed and life after becoming a vampire.
He lives underground with other vampires and shares his experiences with humans, the scene in 1970's NYC. Life is pretty much easy for him and he does as he pleases until one day, he witnesses something in the subway, something curious, something interesting, and something deadly, something hunting, something dangerous, something that will change things in those tunnels he calls home.
This was a fun, campy, entertaining read. At various parts of this book, my rating changed, it went from a 5 star to a 3 star to a 4-star rating, but then that ENDING! HOLY HELL that ending. It was out of this world. In the land of I-did-not-see-that-coming, that ending knocked my socks off and left me sitting with my mouth open.
Don't let the creepy cover deter you, this book was good. These are not the Twilight vampires; these vampires will knock your socks off. This is a bloody good book. Seriously, bloody good.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
January 18, 2022
We are in New York, 1978 where it is a dirty, dangerous place to live. Told through the eyes of Joey Peacock, who has spent the last forty years as a teenage vampire. Sleeping with his clan in the subway tunnels during the days and hitting up the discotheques at night, we follow Joey in his daily life. We partake in his feeding rituals, how he survives, and rules he has to play by to keep his head attached. Until one night on a subway, he sees a group of undead children. They charm a man and make him follow them off the train. Joey is stunned and follows them. Turning children is forbidden. Leaving them alone to their devices without instructions will get you the final death. War is coming, and the blood will flow.
For a vampire book, this rocked. I loved the main character and found myself laughing at his antics. The end simply blew my mind. I was not expecting that. Wow!! Highly recommend!
For a vampire book, this rocked. I loved the main character and found myself laughing at his antics. The end simply blew my mind. I was not expecting that. Wow!! Highly recommend!
November 6, 2020
Corporate Takeover Scandal! Vampire Hunting Grounds Up For Grabs!: "Well, what the frack - they were just kids! Who knew what they could do?" - Subterranean Sentinel.
Trust no one.
Did I say trust no one? Yes - absolutely - trust no one!
Especially bitie little kids with a voracious thirst.
Very well written, it get's you in, and there are some classic scenes and images that will linger in my mind the way that a well remembered dream stays with you after you awake.
For example, ever seen a strobe light? They're used by auto mechanics when checking timing of the engine. The thing is that the light strobes at the same rate as the engine moves - and makes it look like it's standing still. I had the same sense in one of the scenes where some little one was stalking her prey on a subway train and during each of the 'dark' moments - they would move. And you get a sense that the in between periods - the movement was magical - like a jump without time.
Spooky stuff - and it's things like that which linger after the event has passed, like the after image of an exploding white phosphorus grenade...
4 5 stars only because, I'll only read this book once. Worth reading the first time, wouldn't make sense to read it a second time. Yes - read it, you'll understand my position at the end.
Considering a re-read as this book continues to jag away in my memory - hence the re-rating. I've come to accept and appreciate the ending, so now it's five stars.
Highly recommended. 5 'fracking twisty-twisty ending,' stars.
P.s. Just for the record, this book does not contain any paranormal romance.
Trust no one.
Did I say trust no one? Yes - absolutely - trust no one!
Especially bitie little kids with a voracious thirst.
Very well written, it get's you in, and there are some classic scenes and images that will linger in my mind the way that a well remembered dream stays with you after you awake.
For example, ever seen a strobe light? They're used by auto mechanics when checking timing of the engine. The thing is that the light strobes at the same rate as the engine moves - and makes it look like it's standing still. I had the same sense in one of the scenes where some little one was stalking her prey on a subway train and during each of the 'dark' moments - they would move. And you get a sense that the in between periods - the movement was magical - like a jump without time.
Spooky stuff - and it's things like that which linger after the event has passed, like the after image of an exploding white phosphorus grenade...
Considering a re-read as this book continues to jag away in my memory - hence the re-rating. I've come to accept and appreciate the ending, so now it's five stars.
Highly recommended. 5 'fracking twisty-twisty ending,' stars.
P.s. Just for the record, this book does not contain any paranormal romance.
January 13, 2022
(Death to rating books on a scale of 1-5. This is not a five star read. It gets ALL THE STARS)
The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman
This book was released in October of 2015.
Where the fuck was I?
Who are the lucky readers who picked this up and read it when it first came out? I’m jealous. Seven years ago some people enjoyed The Lesser Dead and were able to have knowledge of it whenever anyone asked them for their favorite vampire book. Cool, cool.
I had to wait until now. But that’s okay, like I’ve said before nobody is ever late to a book party. Books are eternal. They don’t have to be read the moment they are released and readers don’t get some kind of special award just for being the first fans. I'm a fan now and that's all that matters.
(I’m telling myself this to feel better.)
My job at this moment is to give you knowledge of The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman. If you’ve already read it, fantastic. You’re in the know. If you didn’t get on with it, you’re entitled to your opinion but I don’t really want to discuss it at this time-feel free to write your own review. If you haven’t read it, congratulations! Now you can/should/must.
This story is told to you by the narrator, Joey Peacock. He speaks right to you,
“Still with me? Too bad for you. I can’t wait to break your heart. I’m going to take you someplace dark and damp where good people don’t go. I’m going to introduce you to monsters. Real ones. I’m going to tell you stories about hurting people, and if you like those stories, it means you’re bad. Shall we go on? Good. I hate people who pretend they’re something they’re not.”
He sees you. His desire is to tell about his life as a vampire and specifically about this particular event that changes everything for him and his “family” of vampires who live in a community underground in New York City during the late 1970s.
Peacock’s voice is so fucking intoxicating; so much personality and swagger–I was immediately captivated by him. But I didn’t fall in love with him. More on that later.
This book is basically told in 4 Parts and the first two parts get the reader acquainted with Joey, the vampires he knows, his backstory, the backstory of a few other characters, and Buehlman establishing the rules. You know what I mean, the lore. The how and the why of his brand of vampires. And it’s so good. It’s so goddamn good. There's this part where he explains how new vampires are created and it's something along the lines of blood lust + death +backwash = new vampire. Don't backwash.
At some point, Joey sees “them”. And I don’t need to tell you anymore than that because it’s this moment, when he first sees them, that this book takes the reader under. Shit gets dark. Terrifying. There are graphic images I will forever associate with this book whenever I talk about it. Things I can’t unsee and will be a part of my love for vampires forever.
Buehlman changed some shit around for me, that’s for sure. He came into my house and rearranged the furniture. Here’s the thing though, in terms of emotional investment, I didn’t. Not like I did with my first Buehlman experience: BETWEEN TWO FIRES. I invested *hard* in those characters. With The Lesser Dead, I was more in love with the world building, the plot, the prose, the fucking details. Not so much with the characters. Joey Peacock is amazing and the supporting characters, especially Margaret are very interesting but I didn’t fall in love with them–they're monsters, you know? Vampires. It doesn’t mean I didn’t care what happened to them or I wasn’t invested in their story, I was but the emotional risk just wasn’t there so the stakes weren’t exactly high–however, that’s not to say Buehlman doesn’t devastate his readers-because he does. Joey Peacock breaks your heart just like he promises.
I love this book. As far as vampire books go, this is a new favorite. It’s sexy and stylish, humorous and horrifying. ABSOLUTELY FUCKING TERRIFYING, actually. If you haven’t read it, you’re welcome.
The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman
This book was released in October of 2015.
Where the fuck was I?
Who are the lucky readers who picked this up and read it when it first came out? I’m jealous. Seven years ago some people enjoyed The Lesser Dead and were able to have knowledge of it whenever anyone asked them for their favorite vampire book. Cool, cool.
I had to wait until now. But that’s okay, like I’ve said before nobody is ever late to a book party. Books are eternal. They don’t have to be read the moment they are released and readers don’t get some kind of special award just for being the first fans. I'm a fan now and that's all that matters.
(I’m telling myself this to feel better.)
My job at this moment is to give you knowledge of The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman. If you’ve already read it, fantastic. You’re in the know. If you didn’t get on with it, you’re entitled to your opinion but I don’t really want to discuss it at this time-feel free to write your own review. If you haven’t read it, congratulations! Now you can/should/must.
This story is told to you by the narrator, Joey Peacock. He speaks right to you,
“Still with me? Too bad for you. I can’t wait to break your heart. I’m going to take you someplace dark and damp where good people don’t go. I’m going to introduce you to monsters. Real ones. I’m going to tell you stories about hurting people, and if you like those stories, it means you’re bad. Shall we go on? Good. I hate people who pretend they’re something they’re not.”
He sees you. His desire is to tell about his life as a vampire and specifically about this particular event that changes everything for him and his “family” of vampires who live in a community underground in New York City during the late 1970s.
Peacock’s voice is so fucking intoxicating; so much personality and swagger–I was immediately captivated by him. But I didn’t fall in love with him. More on that later.
This book is basically told in 4 Parts and the first two parts get the reader acquainted with Joey, the vampires he knows, his backstory, the backstory of a few other characters, and Buehlman establishing the rules. You know what I mean, the lore. The how and the why of his brand of vampires. And it’s so good. It’s so goddamn good. There's this part where he explains how new vampires are created and it's something along the lines of blood lust + death +backwash = new vampire. Don't backwash.
At some point, Joey sees “them”. And I don’t need to tell you anymore than that because it’s this moment, when he first sees them, that this book takes the reader under. Shit gets dark. Terrifying. There are graphic images I will forever associate with this book whenever I talk about it. Things I can’t unsee and will be a part of my love for vampires forever.
Buehlman changed some shit around for me, that’s for sure. He came into my house and rearranged the furniture. Here’s the thing though, in terms of emotional investment, I didn’t. Not like I did with my first Buehlman experience: BETWEEN TWO FIRES. I invested *hard* in those characters. With The Lesser Dead, I was more in love with the world building, the plot, the prose, the fucking details. Not so much with the characters. Joey Peacock is amazing and the supporting characters, especially Margaret are very interesting but I didn’t fall in love with them–they're monsters, you know? Vampires. It doesn’t mean I didn’t care what happened to them or I wasn’t invested in their story, I was but the emotional risk just wasn’t there so the stakes weren’t exactly high–however, that’s not to say Buehlman doesn’t devastate his readers-because he does. Joey Peacock breaks your heart just like he promises.
I love this book. As far as vampire books go, this is a new favorite. It’s sexy and stylish, humorous and horrifying. ABSOLUTELY FUCKING TERRIFYING, actually. If you haven’t read it, you’re welcome.
November 1, 2022
Hell yeah! Now THIS is how you write a vampire novel!
"If you’re looking for a story about nice people doing nice things, this isn’t for you. You will be burdened with an unreliable narrator who will disappoint and repel you at every turn. Still with me? Too bad for you.
In this book we follow 14 year old turned vampire (now in his 60's with his 14 year old face), Joseph Hiram Peacock, and his adventures on the sleek streets of NYC during the '70's. Joey and his ragtag group of fellow vampires live in the underground subway systems they refer to as the loops. You would think that vampires wouldn't follow rules but they do have some that they must abide by to survive. First of all you never kill unless absolutely necessary. A pint of blood is all you're allowed to consume at a time. You never turn a victim into a vampire, ever. Backwash is involved but I'll spare you the details. Lastly, you never ever turn children. To turn a child is the lowest of all lows in the vampire world.
One day while traveling by train Joey witnesses a young girl charm a fellow passenger. To charm is to cast a spell making your victims submissive and willing to do anything that you ask of them. This girl is just a child so he reports back to the group what he saw. The first course of action is to find the girl and to find out who turned her because they will need to be held accountable.
Unfortunately for Joey and his pals there is entire group of blood guzzling misfit children causing mischief on their turf and their thirst for blood is insatiable. Let the battle betweengood evil and eviler begin!
My goodness this book was a hoot! I loved Joey - I guess you could say he charmed me right from the start! I loved the gritty 70's vibe and the NYC atmosphere was pitch perfect. I adored Gonzalo, the African gray parrot - you'll just have to read this for yourself! This reminded me more of a dark comedy with vampire's than it did an actual horror story. Did horrific things happen? Indeed they did but rather than peeking through my fingers in fear I was grinning from ear to ear.
My new bud Joey is about as fond of winter and snow as I am:
No, really, if you grew up somewhere south and you think all sweetly about snow, or if you only ever saw it on the tops of mountains for Heidi to yodel over or melting down into streams for Bambi to lap up, come to Manhattan in February. New York’ll bust your snow cherry fast. You show me a postcard from Lapland with mountains and a reindeer and I’ll show you a man-high, snow-capped heap of trash bags and cardboard piled around a tree that probably has tuberculosis, little yellow pockmarks of dog piss at the foot of it, all of it sprinkled with soot, real evenly like it came out of a shaker, and garnished with soda cans, cigarette butts, and, for no good reason, a brand-new left shoe, but just the left one and there's dried blood on it, so who's going to take it?
Haha! I couldn't have said it better myself. Snow is only pretty for about 5 minutes.😂
I am now a loud and proud Christopher Buelhman fan and I can't wait to sink my teeth into all of his other books. 5 fangs, I mean, stars! 🧛♀️
"If you’re looking for a story about nice people doing nice things, this isn’t for you. You will be burdened with an unreliable narrator who will disappoint and repel you at every turn. Still with me? Too bad for you.
In this book we follow 14 year old turned vampire (now in his 60's with his 14 year old face), Joseph Hiram Peacock, and his adventures on the sleek streets of NYC during the '70's. Joey and his ragtag group of fellow vampires live in the underground subway systems they refer to as the loops. You would think that vampires wouldn't follow rules but they do have some that they must abide by to survive. First of all you never kill unless absolutely necessary. A pint of blood is all you're allowed to consume at a time. You never turn a victim into a vampire, ever. Backwash is involved but I'll spare you the details. Lastly, you never ever turn children. To turn a child is the lowest of all lows in the vampire world.
One day while traveling by train Joey witnesses a young girl charm a fellow passenger. To charm is to cast a spell making your victims submissive and willing to do anything that you ask of them. This girl is just a child so he reports back to the group what he saw. The first course of action is to find the girl and to find out who turned her because they will need to be held accountable.
Unfortunately for Joey and his pals there is entire group of blood guzzling misfit children causing mischief on their turf and their thirst for blood is insatiable. Let the battle between
My goodness this book was a hoot! I loved Joey - I guess you could say he charmed me right from the start! I loved the gritty 70's vibe and the NYC atmosphere was pitch perfect. I adored Gonzalo, the African gray parrot - you'll just have to read this for yourself! This reminded me more of a dark comedy with vampire's than it did an actual horror story. Did horrific things happen? Indeed they did but rather than peeking through my fingers in fear I was grinning from ear to ear.
My new bud Joey is about as fond of winter and snow as I am:
No, really, if you grew up somewhere south and you think all sweetly about snow, or if you only ever saw it on the tops of mountains for Heidi to yodel over or melting down into streams for Bambi to lap up, come to Manhattan in February. New York’ll bust your snow cherry fast. You show me a postcard from Lapland with mountains and a reindeer and I’ll show you a man-high, snow-capped heap of trash bags and cardboard piled around a tree that probably has tuberculosis, little yellow pockmarks of dog piss at the foot of it, all of it sprinkled with soot, real evenly like it came out of a shaker, and garnished with soda cans, cigarette butts, and, for no good reason, a brand-new left shoe, but just the left one and there's dried blood on it, so who's going to take it?
Haha! I couldn't have said it better myself. Snow is only pretty for about 5 minutes.😂
I am now a loud and proud Christopher Buelhman fan and I can't wait to sink my teeth into all of his other books. 5 fangs, I mean, stars! 🧛♀️
April 29, 2023
Nueva York, 1978.
La gran manzana se ha convertido en un lugar demasiado sucio y peligroso para vivir… y morir. Joey Peacock lo sabe mejor que nadie, pues ha dedicado los cuarenta años de su vida como vampiro adolescente a perfeccionar la rutina de la que disfruta: ligar en clubes y discotecas de moda, cazar de noche y dormir durante el día con otros congéneres en el peligroso laberinto que se extiende en el subsuelo de la ciudad.
La red de metro es su hogar y el medio con el que recorre Manhattan para desangrar a los incautos en Central Park, en los asientos traseros de los taxis e incluso en sus propios apartamentos, cuando la televisión los tiene tan idiotizados que ni se dan cuenta de que están abriendo sus ventanas.
A Joey la vida le resultaba casi demasiado fácil, lo que no podía decirse de los pobres neoyorquinos vivos.
Hasta esa noche en que los descubrió cazando en su amado metro: dulces niños de ojos alegres, vampiros como él…, o quizá no exactamente como él. Sea cual sea su naturaleza, sea cual sea el significado de su aparición, los muertos vivientes de los túneles de Manhattan no volverán a conocer la seguridad.
Mucho menos los neoyorquinos vivos.. 👀
Es uno de los mejores libros de vampiros que he leído nunca. Con el estilo del ladrón de lengua negra, esa parte de humor cínico y negro. Con escenas que te dejan pegado a sus páginas.
Su tono agudamente ingenioso y su estilo muy gráfico explotan las facetas más siniestras del vampirismo. Mientras que la compleja relación de Joey con Margaret, la reina del subsuelo, y su conmovedora y espinosa camaradería con Cvetko, un viejo y pacífico vampiro, que añaden músculo y humanidad a la original y corrosiva incursión de Buehlman en un género tan desnaturalizado actualmente.
Estamos en Nueva York, 1978, un lugar sucio y peligroso para vivir. La historia está contada a través de los ojos vampíricos de Joey. Que ha pasado los últimos casi cuarenta años como un vampiro perpetuamente adolescente
Durmiendo con su clan en los túneles del metro durante el día y yendo a las discotecas por la noche, de caza, seguimos a Joey en su día a día. Participaremos en sus rituales de alimentación, cómo sobrevive y las reglas que sigue para mantener la cabeza pegada al cuerpo.
Hasta que una noche en el metro, ve a un grupo de niños no muertos. Encantan a un hombre, el encanto es una técnica que poseen en mayor o menor rango los vampiros y da mucho juego a la novela, ese toque que los hace especiales e irresistibles para todo tipo de pecados, y este pobre hombre los sigue fuera del tren.
Joey los sigue a ellos..🍿
Está prohibido convertir a los niños. Dejarlos solos sin consejos, reglas, es el mayor peligro hacia una muerte segura. Se acerca la guerra, y la sangre correrá.
Uno pensaría que los vampiros no seguirían las reglas pero tienen algunas que deben cumplir para sobrevivir. En primer lugar, nunca mates a menos que sea absolutamente necesario.
Nunca conviertes a una víctima en vampiro, jamás. El retrolavado está involucrado, pero os ahorraré los detalles.. averiguarlo.
Por último, nunca jamás conviertas a los niños. Convertir a un niño es lo más bajo, cruel y peligroso.
Ágil, palomitero, engancha sin remedio cada vez más y más mientras vamos conociendo a todos los personajes que ni uno nos deja indiferente. Con cierto humor negro que me recuerda un poco al que usa Abercrombie con sus diferencias por supuesto.
Y menudo final. Soberbia lectura. 👌
El autor crea una historia pura y auténtica, que está currada al detalle para deleitarnos tanto como es capaz de hacer Joey con sus víctimas.
Si os gustan los vampiros carismáticos y muy sangrientos, leed este libro.
En "Muertos de segunda", Buehlman describe una colonia de vampiros feroces, carismáticos que son descaradamente inmorales que para mi devuelven el género vampírico a sus oscuros y aterradores orígenes..✍️
La gran manzana se ha convertido en un lugar demasiado sucio y peligroso para vivir… y morir. Joey Peacock lo sabe mejor que nadie, pues ha dedicado los cuarenta años de su vida como vampiro adolescente a perfeccionar la rutina de la que disfruta: ligar en clubes y discotecas de moda, cazar de noche y dormir durante el día con otros congéneres en el peligroso laberinto que se extiende en el subsuelo de la ciudad.
La red de metro es su hogar y el medio con el que recorre Manhattan para desangrar a los incautos en Central Park, en los asientos traseros de los taxis e incluso en sus propios apartamentos, cuando la televisión los tiene tan idiotizados que ni se dan cuenta de que están abriendo sus ventanas.
A Joey la vida le resultaba casi demasiado fácil, lo que no podía decirse de los pobres neoyorquinos vivos.
Hasta esa noche en que los descubrió cazando en su amado metro: dulces niños de ojos alegres, vampiros como él…, o quizá no exactamente como él. Sea cual sea su naturaleza, sea cual sea el significado de su aparición, los muertos vivientes de los túneles de Manhattan no volverán a conocer la seguridad.
Mucho menos los neoyorquinos vivos.. 👀
Es uno de los mejores libros de vampiros que he leído nunca. Con el estilo del ladrón de lengua negra, esa parte de humor cínico y negro. Con escenas que te dejan pegado a sus páginas.
Su tono agudamente ingenioso y su estilo muy gráfico explotan las facetas más siniestras del vampirismo. Mientras que la compleja relación de Joey con Margaret, la reina del subsuelo, y su conmovedora y espinosa camaradería con Cvetko, un viejo y pacífico vampiro, que añaden músculo y humanidad a la original y corrosiva incursión de Buehlman en un género tan desnaturalizado actualmente.
Estamos en Nueva York, 1978, un lugar sucio y peligroso para vivir. La historia está contada a través de los ojos vampíricos de Joey. Que ha pasado los últimos casi cuarenta años como un vampiro perpetuamente adolescente
Durmiendo con su clan en los túneles del metro durante el día y yendo a las discotecas por la noche, de caza, seguimos a Joey en su día a día. Participaremos en sus rituales de alimentación, cómo sobrevive y las reglas que sigue para mantener la cabeza pegada al cuerpo.
Hasta que una noche en el metro, ve a un grupo de niños no muertos. Encantan a un hombre, el encanto es una técnica que poseen en mayor o menor rango los vampiros y da mucho juego a la novela, ese toque que los hace especiales e irresistibles para todo tipo de pecados, y este pobre hombre los sigue fuera del tren.
Joey los sigue a ellos..🍿
Está prohibido convertir a los niños. Dejarlos solos sin consejos, reglas, es el mayor peligro hacia una muerte segura. Se acerca la guerra, y la sangre correrá.
Uno pensaría que los vampiros no seguirían las reglas pero tienen algunas que deben cumplir para sobrevivir. En primer lugar, nunca mates a menos que sea absolutamente necesario.
Nunca conviertes a una víctima en vampiro, jamás. El retrolavado está involucrado, pero os ahorraré los detalles.. averiguarlo.
Por último, nunca jamás conviertas a los niños. Convertir a un niño es lo más bajo, cruel y peligroso.
Ágil, palomitero, engancha sin remedio cada vez más y más mientras vamos conociendo a todos los personajes que ni uno nos deja indiferente. Con cierto humor negro que me recuerda un poco al que usa Abercrombie con sus diferencias por supuesto.
Y menudo final. Soberbia lectura. 👌
El autor crea una historia pura y auténtica, que está currada al detalle para deleitarnos tanto como es capaz de hacer Joey con sus víctimas.
Si os gustan los vampiros carismáticos y muy sangrientos, leed este libro.
En "Muertos de segunda", Buehlman describe una colonia de vampiros feroces, carismáticos que son descaradamente inmorales que para mi devuelven el género vampírico a sus oscuros y aterradores orígenes..✍️
September 22, 2017
4 1/2 bumping up to a 5 because that ending surprised the heck out of me!
Joey Peacock may look sixteen but don’t let his youthful looks fool you. He’s a street savvy vampire who has been sucking blood from the femoral arteries of charmed ladies for decades. He has a wicked sense of humor and I truly enjoyed his ugly/funny/scary take on the day to day life and goings-on when one is cursed to live as a vampire.
“Any vampire that turns a kid under thirteen needs to be taken out sunbathing.”
Joey spends his time feeding his need and sharing stories of his past and he’s pretty hilarious. Things start out rather light-heartedly but eventually take a very sinister turn as he encounters a group of very young vampires and the blood starts to splatter everywhere.
If you like your vampires gritty and bloody read this. You will not be sorry. I don’t want to give away too much and I’m lazy so that’s all I’m going to say.
I listened to the audiobook which is expertly read by the author after reading my friend Char’s fantastical review. How could I not? It was everything she said it would be. Sarcastic, imaginative, gross and so much bloodsucking fun. Honestly, how can you resist a book whose hero is named Joey Peacock?
Joey Peacock may look sixteen but don’t let his youthful looks fool you. He’s a street savvy vampire who has been sucking blood from the femoral arteries of charmed ladies for decades. He has a wicked sense of humor and I truly enjoyed his ugly/funny/scary take on the day to day life and goings-on when one is cursed to live as a vampire.
“Any vampire that turns a kid under thirteen needs to be taken out sunbathing.”
Joey spends his time feeding his need and sharing stories of his past and he’s pretty hilarious. Things start out rather light-heartedly but eventually take a very sinister turn as he encounters a group of very young vampires and the blood starts to splatter everywhere.
If you like your vampires gritty and bloody read this. You will not be sorry. I don’t want to give away too much and I’m lazy so that’s all I’m going to say.
I listened to the audiobook which is expertly read by the author after reading my friend Char’s fantastical review. How could I not? It was everything she said it would be. Sarcastic, imaginative, gross and so much bloodsucking fun. Honestly, how can you resist a book whose hero is named Joey Peacock?
July 8, 2024
The Lesser Dead is about vampires set in the late 70's underground New York, giving it a nice touch; I felt like I was reading the novel through a sepia-toned dark glass with lots of physiological bodily matter splattered generously about the surface...The vamps here are of the pathetic, neurotic, depressed, sadistic and not so often, the funny or the intelligent variety. Certainly not the pretty kind á là Twilight. The plot is quite gory, scrunchy and I had a blast and lots of fun while reading it.
A decently short book of about a hundred thousand words approx. which is fast paced, giving a past, future and present omniscient view of events from our narrator. At the 70% mark onwards, the pacing and intrigue of the events get stepped up a notch and real gore pokes its ugly head as all the lesser dead go full on bat shit crazy on our lovely and snarky protagonist, Joseph Hiram Peacock, the quarter Jewish adolescent octogenarian vampire.
Highly recommended for horror fans that enjoy good humor in addition to lots of gore.
A decently short book of about a hundred thousand words approx. which is fast paced, giving a past, future and present omniscient view of events from our narrator. At the 70% mark onwards, the pacing and intrigue of the events get stepped up a notch and real gore pokes its ugly head as all the lesser dead go full on bat shit crazy on our lovely and snarky protagonist, Joseph Hiram Peacock, the quarter Jewish adolescent octogenarian vampire.
Highly recommended for horror fans that enjoy good humor in addition to lots of gore.
November 25, 2020
I love horror, and I enjoy most of the sub-genres in the genre; that said, vampires while a wonderful monster for many tales, aren't particularly scary. They can be a great metaphor, they can create interesting tales and the atmosphere of such stories is often delightful on a dark and rainy night, but scary? Not so much...
Okay, exception made for vampire children. Those are terrifying.
And it seems like Christopher Buehlman gets that as well.
Plot: it's 1978, and Joseph Hiram Peacock (Joey to his friends) has been a teenager for decades. He's enjoying his vampire life, hanging out at Studio 54, watching television and living in a community of vampires hidden away from society. Yeah, it's a good time to be undead...
At least it was until more bodies started showing up, along with a bunch of vampire children. These children don't act like any vampire Joey has ever seen though. They need to feed far too often, they lack self control and they're fast... very, very fast. Is this a new strain of vampirism? Is it a side effect that only children suffer? Or is this something much worse?
This book was a whole lot of fun. I hate using that phrase in a review because it's so easy to dismiss it from a literary standpoint. "Oh, it's fun? But what else did it mean?" Well my friend, while a vampire is a wonderful metaphor, sometimes a vampire is just a vampire and a story can be fun for the sake of being fun. This one is a lot of fun.
That's not to say it's a perfect tale by any means. I have two fairly sizeable complaints that kept it from getting the full five star treatment. First, there's too many characters and few of them are actually used to their potential. Characters come and go, so many names are dropped, side-plots are set up with the characters and then we go a hundred pages without seeing them only for them to be killed off or dismissed in some way. It's frustrating as while in some ways it fits the tone and what is going on, some of those plotlines actually would have been extremely interesting.
Second, the choice of narrative styles. Joey as a narrator frustrates the hell out of me. The narrative flow is jumpy and constantly interrupted for around the first third of the book with "Oh, I forgot to tell you about *Insert character here*" or "Oh, *Insert character here* did this. I didn't tell you about them? Oh, I'll do that later." I get why it was told that way; the intention is to keep us in the dark a bit longer and to make us question our narrator's perception. There are other ways to do this though, and this style annoys the hell out of me. I'll be honest, it frustrated me enough that after the first hundred pages, I considered quitting because I couldn't have handled 350+ pages of that right now. Fortunately I stuck with it because that does stop and once it does and the real story kicks in, this is a roller-coaster of a vampire tale.
Overall this is a delightful little book. A take on vampires that plays with what we expects and manages to make them fun and yes, just a touch on the scary side again. A solid 4/5 stars.
Okay, exception made for vampire children. Those are terrifying.
And it seems like Christopher Buehlman gets that as well.
Plot: it's 1978, and Joseph Hiram Peacock (Joey to his friends) has been a teenager for decades. He's enjoying his vampire life, hanging out at Studio 54, watching television and living in a community of vampires hidden away from society. Yeah, it's a good time to be undead...
At least it was until more bodies started showing up, along with a bunch of vampire children. These children don't act like any vampire Joey has ever seen though. They need to feed far too often, they lack self control and they're fast... very, very fast. Is this a new strain of vampirism? Is it a side effect that only children suffer? Or is this something much worse?
This book was a whole lot of fun. I hate using that phrase in a review because it's so easy to dismiss it from a literary standpoint. "Oh, it's fun? But what else did it mean?" Well my friend, while a vampire is a wonderful metaphor, sometimes a vampire is just a vampire and a story can be fun for the sake of being fun. This one is a lot of fun.
That's not to say it's a perfect tale by any means. I have two fairly sizeable complaints that kept it from getting the full five star treatment. First, there's too many characters and few of them are actually used to their potential. Characters come and go, so many names are dropped, side-plots are set up with the characters and then we go a hundred pages without seeing them only for them to be killed off or dismissed in some way. It's frustrating as while in some ways it fits the tone and what is going on, some of those plotlines actually would have been extremely interesting.
Second, the choice of narrative styles. Joey as a narrator frustrates the hell out of me. The narrative flow is jumpy and constantly interrupted for around the first third of the book with "Oh, I forgot to tell you about *Insert character here*" or "Oh, *Insert character here* did this. I didn't tell you about them? Oh, I'll do that later." I get why it was told that way; the intention is to keep us in the dark a bit longer and to make us question our narrator's perception. There are other ways to do this though, and this style annoys the hell out of me. I'll be honest, it frustrated me enough that after the first hundred pages, I considered quitting because I couldn't have handled 350+ pages of that right now. Fortunately I stuck with it because that does stop and once it does and the real story kicks in, this is a roller-coaster of a vampire tale.
Overall this is a delightful little book. A take on vampires that plays with what we expects and manages to make them fun and yes, just a touch on the scary side again. A solid 4/5 stars.
October 17, 2019
“You see why I’m such a good vampire? We’re all lying, devious bastards, not like werewolves, if there are werewolves, whose MO is, “Hi, I’m a werewolf, surprise! And fuck you!” No, we lurk. We’re lurkers.”
Well, who would have thought I would read a new novel on vampires and actually enjoy it! I thought the genre was officially done for me after it was murdered with hormones and glitter (sorry, no hate, just Anne Rice fan here), but hey looks like it was less dead than I thought 😏
I enjoyed this book, it was a fast, fun read; I liked the main character and the main plot line, though I had some issues with the way the whole story about the "villains" was built. It was, in my opinion, a little anticlimactic; I appreciated the initial area of mystery surrounding the creatures but, let's face it, we didn't suspect not even for a second that they could actually be good, so it's not that much of a surprise when we find out that they are, in fact, bad.
Nevertheless, the whole experience was of reading a good 'ol horror without any bad surprise, set in a world in which vampires are a bunch of cold blood-sucking creatures with charming and borderline narcissistic personalities; necks are sucked, sun is avoided and people actually sleep in coffins. But really, reading this book made me so happy because of a renewed hope for this sub genre (which, by the way, is one of my favourites) that I just felt like rating it up even though it's definitely not perfect. what can I say, I just like vampires!
Well, who would have thought I would read a new novel on vampires and actually enjoy it! I thought the genre was officially done for me after it was murdered with hormones and glitter (sorry, no hate, just Anne Rice fan here), but hey looks like it was less dead than I thought 😏
I enjoyed this book, it was a fast, fun read; I liked the main character and the main plot line, though I had some issues with the way the whole story about the "villains" was built. It was, in my opinion, a little anticlimactic; I appreciated the initial area of mystery surrounding the creatures but, let's face it, we didn't suspect not even for a second that they could actually be good, so it's not that much of a surprise when we find out that they are, in fact, bad.
Nevertheless, the whole experience was of reading a good 'ol horror without any bad surprise, set in a world in which vampires are a bunch of cold blood-sucking creatures with charming and borderline narcissistic personalities; necks are sucked, sun is avoided and people actually sleep in coffins. But really, reading this book made me so happy because of a renewed hope for this sub genre (which, by the way, is one of my favourites) that I just felt like rating it up even though it's definitely not perfect. what can I say, I just like vampires!
January 10, 2025
Actual rating: 4.5 stars.
Sparkly Sexey Vampire Wannabes (S²VW™) beware, for Christopher Buehlman’s Deliciously Filthy Creepy Bloodsuckers (DFCB™) are out to get you!
Oh yes, and they have smooth moves, too. Which never hurts, if you ask me.
So if this Slightly Very Good Book (SVGB™) ain't no Twilight of Doom and Oblivion Duplicate (ToDaOD™)—and thank fish for that—what is it like, you ask? Well I guess you could say it's original as shrimp. Yes, you could. And creepy as squid. And that it features a whole bunch of positively charming hemoglobin aficionados. I guess you could also say that Buehlman is a Gloriously Ruthless Destroyer of Preposterous Vampiric Clichés (GRDoPVC™). And that his in-your-face-writing is worthy of my #1 boyfriend Jimmy Stark. And that hahahahaha. And that, bloody shrimping hell of the stinking fish, ze twist was so scrumptiously twisted that even my good pal Nosfie kinda sorta recoiled when he read the book. I kid you not.
Poor baby. See what you've done, Mr Buehlman? Do you realize how many Noddy stories I'll have to read dear Nosfie to repair the damage? This is most outrageous. Yes, most outrageous indeed.
➽ Nefarious Last Words (NLW™): I don't like vamps. I hate the silly 70s. See my rating for this book? Ha. QED and stuff.
P.S. Listen to Joey. Don’t. read. The. coda. Thou hast been warned and stuff.
P.P.S. ♫ You Should Be Dancing ♫ right now. Just so you know.
[Pre-review nonsense]
Mr Buehlman, you make Nosferatu proud. And put him in a most gleefully playful mood. Quite the achievement, that.
Nosfie dear, such a delightfully mischievous chum you are.
Sparkly Sexey Vampire Wannabes (S²VW™) beware, for Christopher Buehlman’s Deliciously Filthy Creepy Bloodsuckers (DFCB™) are out to get you!
Oh yes, and they have smooth moves, too. Which never hurts, if you ask me.
So if this Slightly Very Good Book (SVGB™) ain't no Twilight of Doom and Oblivion Duplicate (ToDaOD™)—and thank fish for that—what is it like, you ask? Well I guess you could say it's original as shrimp. Yes, you could. And creepy as squid. And that it features a whole bunch of positively charming hemoglobin aficionados. I guess you could also say that Buehlman is a Gloriously Ruthless Destroyer of Preposterous Vampiric Clichés (GRDoPVC™). And that his in-your-face-writing is worthy of my #1 boyfriend Jimmy Stark. And that hahahahaha. And that, bloody shrimping hell of the stinking fish, ze twist was so scrumptiously twisted that even my good pal Nosfie kinda sorta recoiled when he read the book. I kid you not.
Poor baby. See what you've done, Mr Buehlman? Do you realize how many Noddy stories I'll have to read dear Nosfie to repair the damage? This is most outrageous. Yes, most outrageous indeed.
➽ Nefarious Last Words (NLW™): I don't like vamps. I hate the silly 70s. See my rating for this book? Ha. QED and stuff.
P.S. Listen to Joey. Don’t. read. The. coda. Thou hast been warned and stuff.
P.P.S. ♫ You Should Be Dancing ♫ right now. Just so you know.
[Pre-review nonsense]
Mr Buehlman, you make Nosferatu proud. And put him in a most gleefully playful mood. Quite the achievement, that.
Nosfie dear, such a delightfully mischievous chum you are.
October 17, 2019
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
“If you’re looking for a story about nice people doing nice things, this isn’t for you.”
Or if you’re more into the sparkly types of vampires (trust me no hate here – even though I am #teamjacob), this probably isn’t for you either. Buuuuuuuuut, if you have been following me and the Great ‘Salem’s Lot Wrongread of 2019 . . . .
You’ll know that this was exactly what I needed to fix my doldrums and definitely made me know when it comes to vampire stories . . . .
And yes, that’s a real thing. Unfortunately, I work with losers so no one got the joke, but I was informed the following probably wasn’t appropriate for the Annual Ugly Sweater Contest and I had to get a back-up . . . .
Where was I???? Oh yeah, this book I liked.
The story here is narrated by young (sorta) Joseph. Turned at 14, Joey has made his tenure as a vampire successful by posing as a lost wittle soccer player some of the time and charming the pants (sometimes quite literally) as someone a bit older (therefore less child rapey) the remainder. But his favorite method of passing the time, while simultaneously filling his belly, is when he drops in on the Baker family every Tuesday night at 9:30 where they all gather around the tube to watch their favorite show . . . .
Did I fail to mention this story takes place in 1978? Whoops. Well, it does. In the best way possible too. You don’t get beaten over the head (like me going Gangnam Style on that poor horse above), but are reminded ocassionally in the best possible way. Like 13 cent Valley Forge stamps was the preferred method to send correspondence (eeek, written letters – DARK AGES!), the hottest new release in fiction was The Thorn Birds (be still my blaspheming Father Ralph lovin’ heart), the end all be all place to be on a Friday night was . . . .
And . . . .
“Just thinking about sticking my nose in that big, honey-colored shag of hair on Robert Plant made me pop a boner. A really hard, uncomfortable one, and in my tight jeans, too. I tried to pretend it was for the foxy, spaced-out Mexican girl hip-grinding near me in her midriff shirt and turquoise rings, slinky and stinking of patchouli, but no dice. My dead pecker was hard for Robert Plant.”
Joseph lives in the depths of the subway tunnels with fellow vamps Margaret, Old Boy, Baldy, Luna, Ruth, Cvetko and Billy Bang – but there are some new kids in town known as the Penny Dreadfuls . . . .
Who live in a different part of NYC . . . .
They are H.U.N.G.R.Y - and something’s gonna have to be done about them . . . .
“I have always felt that whoever turns anyone less than thirteen needs to be taken sunbathing.”
This had something for every horror lover. Gore, great characters, humor, action, ORIGIN STORY (that’s like seeing a fucking unicorn in real life), and on and on and on. 4 Solid Stars – maybe even 4.5.
“If you’re looking for a story about nice people doing nice things, this isn’t for you.”
Or if you’re more into the sparkly types of vampires (trust me no hate here – even though I am #teamjacob), this probably isn’t for you either. Buuuuuuuuut, if you have been following me and the Great ‘Salem’s Lot Wrongread of 2019 . . . .
You’ll know that this was exactly what I needed to fix my doldrums and definitely made me know when it comes to vampire stories . . . .
And yes, that’s a real thing. Unfortunately, I work with losers so no one got the joke, but I was informed the following probably wasn’t appropriate for the Annual Ugly Sweater Contest and I had to get a back-up . . . .
Where was I???? Oh yeah, this book I liked.
The story here is narrated by young (sorta) Joseph. Turned at 14, Joey has made his tenure as a vampire successful by posing as a lost wittle soccer player some of the time and charming the pants (sometimes quite literally) as someone a bit older (therefore less child rapey) the remainder. But his favorite method of passing the time, while simultaneously filling his belly, is when he drops in on the Baker family every Tuesday night at 9:30 where they all gather around the tube to watch their favorite show . . . .
Did I fail to mention this story takes place in 1978? Whoops. Well, it does. In the best way possible too. You don’t get beaten over the head (like me going Gangnam Style on that poor horse above), but are reminded ocassionally in the best possible way. Like 13 cent Valley Forge stamps was the preferred method to send correspondence (eeek, written letters – DARK AGES!), the hottest new release in fiction was The Thorn Birds (be still my blaspheming Father Ralph lovin’ heart), the end all be all place to be on a Friday night was . . . .
And . . . .
“Just thinking about sticking my nose in that big, honey-colored shag of hair on Robert Plant made me pop a boner. A really hard, uncomfortable one, and in my tight jeans, too. I tried to pretend it was for the foxy, spaced-out Mexican girl hip-grinding near me in her midriff shirt and turquoise rings, slinky and stinking of patchouli, but no dice. My dead pecker was hard for Robert Plant.”
Joseph lives in the depths of the subway tunnels with fellow vamps Margaret, Old Boy, Baldy, Luna, Ruth, Cvetko and Billy Bang – but there are some new kids in town known as the Penny Dreadfuls . . . .
Who live in a different part of NYC . . . .
They are H.U.N.G.R.Y - and something’s gonna have to be done about them . . . .
“I have always felt that whoever turns anyone less than thirteen needs to be taken sunbathing.”
This had something for every horror lover. Gore, great characters, humor, action, ORIGIN STORY (that’s like seeing a fucking unicorn in real life), and on and on and on. 4 Solid Stars – maybe even 4.5.
September 9, 2023
The Lesser Dead is written from the perspective of a vampire, who was turned as a teenage boy decades earlier, and is now in late 1970s’ New York. The writing style perfectly suits this narrator, he is using language and attitudes of the time - which makes sense for this particular character. It’s a unique take on vampire fiction and proves that vampire children are the most terrifying. I did feel bad for the children and the mentions of (TW:) abuse did make me feel uneasy.
”The secret is vampires are real, and I am one”.
Joey Peacock is a teenage boy living in New York, in 1978. He was also turned into a vampire four decades previously. So he has been perfecting his perfect vampiric lifestyle/routine. He can charm his way around women and into nightclubs. He can stomach alcohol just about, but not food.
He is on the hunt for the blood he needs to sustain himself at night and then sleeps with others of his own kind in a macabre labyrinth under the city streets.
Joey likes to hunt in the subway the most, but then one night he sees them there feeding. These vicious, small, vampire children that seem unbelievably strong and used to what they do. They also have British accents - how they hell did they get over to New York? When were they turned?
It soon becomes apparent that both the living and the dead that roam Manhattan are no longer as safe as they once were..
🧛🏻♀️🧛🏻♂️
I get why so many people rated it a full five stars, it did almost completely hit the mark for me, but I’m awarding 4.4 stars! I felt like it took a bit too long to get into the vampiric action, but then once it did, it was a wild ride!
I also loved that ending. Didn’t see it coming but it made perfect sense thinking back throughout at the narrative - there were many clues! It might be one to re-read at some point actually. Bravo at their being a twist I actually audibly gasped at. This is well worth reading just for that effective ending and the way it (should) make you feel!
”The secret is vampires are real, and I am one”.
Joey Peacock is a teenage boy living in New York, in 1978. He was also turned into a vampire four decades previously. So he has been perfecting his perfect vampiric lifestyle/routine. He can charm his way around women and into nightclubs. He can stomach alcohol just about, but not food.
He is on the hunt for the blood he needs to sustain himself at night and then sleeps with others of his own kind in a macabre labyrinth under the city streets.
Joey likes to hunt in the subway the most, but then one night he sees them there feeding. These vicious, small, vampire children that seem unbelievably strong and used to what they do. They also have British accents - how they hell did they get over to New York? When were they turned?
It soon becomes apparent that both the living and the dead that roam Manhattan are no longer as safe as they once were..
🧛🏻♀️🧛🏻♂️
I get why so many people rated it a full five stars, it did almost completely hit the mark for me, but I’m awarding 4.4 stars! I felt like it took a bit too long to get into the vampiric action, but then once it did, it was a wild ride!
I also loved that ending. Didn’t see it coming but it made perfect sense thinking back throughout at the narrative - there were many clues! It might be one to re-read at some point actually. Bravo at their being a twist I actually audibly gasped at. This is well worth reading just for that effective ending and the way it (should) make you feel!
July 3, 2023
New York City 1978: at the height of disco, Studio 54, Saturday Night Fever, Dancing Queens, punk rock, Led Zeppelin, bellbottoms, platform shoes, feathered hair like Farrah Fawcett, backroom orgies, cocaine nose jobs, with the Son of Sam stalking the streets. 🎵 To the left and to the right, buildings towering to the sky, it's outta sight in the dead of night. Here I am, in this city, with a fistful of dollars, and baby, you'd better believe I'm back, back in the New York Groove . . . 🎵
What a time to be alive, in the greatest city in the world, or better yet undead and forever young thanks to the trick Joey Peacock pulled on his housekeeper. Now, with a pack of vampires watching his back, and an all-you-can-eat buffet of commuters in subway tunnels that never see the light of day, he's drinking life to the fullest! What more could a boy ask for, other than a pulse maybe.
But it’s not all roses and buckets of blood. Joey’s pack is fairly harmless—sure, they might charm you and drink your blood, but only a quart or so before they’ll heal your wound and send you packing none the wiser—because stacking dried-up corpses in side tunnels is bad for business. They try to keep a low profile to keep the gravy train running on schedule, but, in a city the size of New York, Joey’s pack is far from the only game in town, and the New Kids on the Block aren’t willing to play ball. So, if someone doesn’t crack down and enforce the rules soon, those stupid kids may derail the train and spoil the fun . . .
I’ve gotta admit, I wasn’t really digging this story early on, what with the fourth wall breaking and a first-person narrative that continually stung us along with promises of bad things to come. But I stuck it out, even after my fellow buddy reader bailed, and I’ll be damned if it didn’t pay off in the end. Honestly, I was as shocked as you are!
God, I really wanted to troll Kelly for recommending this lame story over Salem’s Lot—which I still haven’t read, by the way—but the final third of Lesser Dead was so intense, brutal, ultra-bloody, and terrifying that I finally understood her love.
Fuck that old Victorian snoozefest or the sparkly, teen angst, love triangle bullshit, this book is what a vampire tale should be: a Horror story with teeth! And the curveball of a twist ending was the icing on the cake. 😙👌 Bravo!
“A mundane lie hiding an exotic truth is deception; an exotic lie hiding a mundane truth is storytelling. Deception may be necessary to preserve life, but storytelling makes life worth living. So make my life worth living.”
What a time to be alive, in the greatest city in the world, or better yet undead and forever young thanks to the trick Joey Peacock pulled on his housekeeper. Now, with a pack of vampires watching his back, and an all-you-can-eat buffet of commuters in subway tunnels that never see the light of day, he's drinking life to the fullest! What more could a boy ask for, other than a pulse maybe.
But it’s not all roses and buckets of blood. Joey’s pack is fairly harmless—sure, they might charm you and drink your blood, but only a quart or so before they’ll heal your wound and send you packing none the wiser—because stacking dried-up corpses in side tunnels is bad for business. They try to keep a low profile to keep the gravy train running on schedule, but, in a city the size of New York, Joey’s pack is far from the only game in town, and the New Kids on the Block aren’t willing to play ball. So, if someone doesn’t crack down and enforce the rules soon, those stupid kids may derail the train and spoil the fun . . .
I’ve gotta admit, I wasn’t really digging this story early on, what with the fourth wall breaking and a first-person narrative that continually stung us along with promises of bad things to come. But I stuck it out, even after my fellow buddy reader bailed, and I’ll be damned if it didn’t pay off in the end. Honestly, I was as shocked as you are!
God, I really wanted to troll Kelly for recommending this lame story over Salem’s Lot—which I still haven’t read, by the way—but the final third of Lesser Dead was so intense, brutal, ultra-bloody, and terrifying that I finally understood her love.
Fuck that old Victorian snoozefest or the sparkly, teen angst, love triangle bullshit, this book is what a vampire tale should be: a Horror story with teeth! And the curveball of a twist ending was the icing on the cake. 😙👌 Bravo!
“A mundane lie hiding an exotic truth is deception; an exotic lie hiding a mundane truth is storytelling. Deception may be necessary to preserve life, but storytelling makes life worth living. So make my life worth living.”
October 17, 2019
More of a 3.5 on the stars, I first have to say that I really enjoyed both the narration and the voice of the character in the telling. He's very strong, very persuasive, and interesting all on his own.
Sure, being a vamp in 1978 New York City sounds kinda familiar and such, and so much of what happens is the usual kind of vampire tale, getting down to the nitty gritty of survival, an origin tale, and a potential big bad. I won't say the content here is all that amazing. If you've read a lot of vampire tales, this will feel like any time-period's penny dreadful.
However.
The coda at the end successfully skids my noggin in such a way that I am able to enjoy the full tale in an entirely new way. Without it, I may have rated this as a regular 3 star. There's nothing all that new... except when the entire tale becomes something altogether different. I liked that a lot.
Was I scared at all? Hmm... not really. But I did have a fairly good time. :)
Sure, being a vamp in 1978 New York City sounds kinda familiar and such, and so much of what happens is the usual kind of vampire tale, getting down to the nitty gritty of survival, an origin tale, and a potential big bad. I won't say the content here is all that amazing. If you've read a lot of vampire tales, this will feel like any time-period's penny dreadful.
However.
The coda at the end successfully skids my noggin in such a way that I am able to enjoy the full tale in an entirely new way. Without it, I may have rated this as a regular 3 star. There's nothing all that new... except when the entire tale becomes something altogether different. I liked that a lot.
Was I scared at all? Hmm... not really. But I did have a fairly good time. :)
November 27, 2018
Bored by blood-suckers? Think you've read all there is to read about The Undead ? Think again. You've not read anything quite like these little demonic insatiable spawns who have crawled straight from the cesspool of the deepest hell...
Buehlman's an exceptional author who really, really knows how to stick the knife in, and not just twist it, but swizzel it around until all your hopes and happiness are disemboweled in a coagulating mess on the bedroom floor.
I am never going in an underground train station again.
But I am going to read EVERYTHING this man writes.
Buehlman's an exceptional author who really, really knows how to stick the knife in, and not just twist it, but swizzel it around until all your hopes and happiness are disemboweled in a coagulating mess on the bedroom floor.
I am never going in an underground train station again.
But I am going to read EVERYTHING this man writes.
June 5, 2021
Narration 5/5
Story 5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I ADORED , "THE LESSER DEAD" BY CHRISTOPHER BUEHLMAN !!!
This book was totally unexpected.
The plot is excellent. The story is well written, the characters well developed. The beginning was a little bit slow, but the story is so good, that the slowness is an irrelevant inconvenient.
I couldn’t stop listening to the audiobook . But I had to. Sleep is necessary, when you’re not a vampire. 😆
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a great vampire story.
Story 5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I ADORED , "THE LESSER DEAD" BY CHRISTOPHER BUEHLMAN !!!
This book was totally unexpected.
The plot is excellent. The story is well written, the characters well developed. The beginning was a little bit slow, but the story is so good, that the slowness is an irrelevant inconvenient.
I couldn’t stop listening to the audiobook . But I had to. Sleep is necessary, when you’re not a vampire. 😆
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a great vampire story.
October 15, 2023
One of the best vampire books I've ever read.
I predicted the twists and turns, but the characters were fun, the violence was insane, the mythology and lore was clever and the execution was inspired.
Good stuff.
Works for me. 9/10
I predicted the twists and turns, but the characters were fun, the violence was insane, the mythology and lore was clever and the execution was inspired.
Good stuff.
Works for me. 9/10
October 7, 2018
Well, Christopher Buehlman does it again! I Have to give this five stars. What a wild ride.
First, let me just say it is very cool to read this book while taking the subway in NYC. Not going to lie, when I was walking home from the subway on the first night I started reading this book, I was definitely creeped out and had to add "vampires" to my list of "what could go wrong as I walk home alone." His knowledge of the time period, the language, the setting, and the underground is highly impressive. I'm no expert in 1970s NYC (I was born in '84 and only moved to NYC about 10 years ago) but the city he described came across as authentic, and it's obvious a lot of research was done in order to have the book take place for the most part, underground. So, major props to the author for that.
Second, as a horror novel it's a must read for fans of the genre. It's gruesome, stomach-turning, dark, but there's plenty wit, as well. I couldn't put the book down and devoured the last half of the novel in an afternoon. There are lots of twists and turns in the story, none of which I was able to predict.
Third,
I know plenty of people nowadays love to dismiss vampire stories because they hear "vampire" and think Twilight but those people are fools 🤣 and clearly don't know what they're missing. Read this! (Especially if you've read Buehlman's other vampire novel, The Suicide Motor Club !)
First, let me just say it is very cool to read this book while taking the subway in NYC. Not going to lie, when I was walking home from the subway on the first night I started reading this book, I was definitely creeped out and had to add "vampires" to my list of "what could go wrong as I walk home alone." His knowledge of the time period, the language, the setting, and the underground is highly impressive. I'm no expert in 1970s NYC (I was born in '84 and only moved to NYC about 10 years ago) but the city he described came across as authentic, and it's obvious a lot of research was done in order to have the book take place for the most part, underground. So, major props to the author for that.
Second, as a horror novel it's a must read for fans of the genre. It's gruesome, stomach-turning, dark, but there's plenty wit, as well. I couldn't put the book down and devoured the last half of the novel in an afternoon. There are lots of twists and turns in the story, none of which I was able to predict.
Third,
I know plenty of people nowadays love to dismiss vampire stories because they hear "vampire" and think Twilight but those people are fools 🤣 and clearly don't know what they're missing. Read this! (Especially if you've read Buehlman's other vampire novel, The Suicide Motor Club !)
November 25, 2016
"All you need to know is that you cannot trust me."
These are true words, heed them. All the warnings on the first page were true.
The first half of the book is a successful series of vignettes about a coven of vampires living under Manhattan in the 1940s through 1970s. It's light page turning entertainment.
Then things get properly dark...
Vampire children...
Claudia in Interview with the Vampire.
Nikolaos in Guilty Pleasures
Eli in Let the Right One In
Jane in New Moon
If you are fan of the vampire genre I think you will agree there is no more frightening kind of vampire than a child vampire. And the kids of Lesser Dead are the worst.
I'll never again hear about kids playing with their food with out thinking of this book.
Now to briefly touch upon the end. I think there should be a category for books that end like this. Kind of like The Sixth Sense only not nice.
The moment I finished I thought to give it five stars for being generally good and surprising me. But then I had dinner and gathered myself to review and was just mad about it, lol. It wasn't a nice surprise, it was a slap. So I'll give Lesser Dead 4.5 Stars and round down to four because I slap back.
June 12, 2022
This book took me a few days to chew on (No pun intended) after finishing. For me it was just that good!
This is a vampire story, a vampire story unlike anything I've ever read and encountered before. If you see the description and roll your eyes and go "Another Vampire story? Pass." I can only assure you are missing out on such an amazing and unique novel. The characters, the time period, the locale all expertly presented and do a superb job of drawing you in. Simply put, you're invested by the end.
The end? THE END!? I cannot say a word about it lest I spoil the deliciousness it is.
This book sets Buehlman firmly and undeniably among my favorite authors. Every single one of his works so far has been so unique, not only from each other but from even the genres they inhabit.
This is a vampire story, a vampire story unlike anything I've ever read and encountered before. If you see the description and roll your eyes and go "Another Vampire story? Pass." I can only assure you are missing out on such an amazing and unique novel. The characters, the time period, the locale all expertly presented and do a superb job of drawing you in. Simply put, you're invested by the end.
The end? THE END!? I cannot say a word about it lest I spoil the deliciousness it is.
This book sets Buehlman firmly and undeniably among my favorite authors. Every single one of his works so far has been so unique, not only from each other but from even the genres they inhabit.
October 7, 2018
This is one of the best vampire books I've read in a while! The characters are great, the story is well written and very engaging. It takes place in 1978, lots of fun. I did not read CODA.
October 20, 2014
http://www.mybookishways.com/2014/10/...
I know what you’re thinking (or might be thinking): ugh, vampires, soooo done to death (sorry about that). But bear with me, here. We’re talking about Christopher Buehlman, author of Those Across the River, The Necromancer’s House, and Between Two Fires. This man has a very solid history of excellence, so when I saw that The Lesser Dead was a vampire tale, I didn’t hesitate for even a second.
Joey Peacock looks eternally 14, but is actually in his 50s in 1978 New York City. He is, of course, also a vampire. He’s more than a bit cocky, considers himself a ladies man, and loves to look sharp. Well, as sharp as one can possibly look when their home is in the tunnels that run under the city. That’s ok, though, because Joey can glamour a victim in the blink of an eye. He has a family, of sorts, consisting mainly of Margaret (their tough as nails leader), and the elderly Cvetko, who harbors a fatherly affection for Joey. There are others, but they play the biggest parts in Joey’s life (or undeath). By 1978, Joey has fallen into a bit of a routine, and even has a family (mom, dad, son) that he regularly charms and feeds from. It may not be the ideal life, but it’s all he has, and if a bit of ennui has set in, well…that’s about to change. Margaret’s group has always been fairly careful to avoid killing their victims (which they call “peeling”), mainly to keep the cops off their scent as opposed to any real sense of moral responsibility. However, when they discover a feral pack of child vampires that not only kill, but play with their victims like a cat plays with a mouse, they must decide what to do about this very serious problem.
The first half of the book mainly covers Joey’s history with the vamps; how he got turned, the events leading up to that, and a rundown of vamp politics and the occasional turf skirmishes that Margaret takes care of with her signature ruthlessness. Joey’s narration is pragmatic and more than a hint of the 14 year old boy that he once was shines through. Frankly, he’s a bit of a twerp, and very frequently uses his innocent looks (and a high pitched voice) to get what he wants. But…give Joey a chance. Trust me on this one. When he meets the little vamps, he’s actually pretty horrified at what they’ve done, and what they do (it’s really, REALLY icky) but they tell a compelling, and even tragic story, and Joey’s protective side begins to emerge. Margaret isn’t as easily convinced, and she’s determined to get rid of them before they call unwanted attention to the underground colony.
These kids are fantastically creepy, especially the lone female, and if you think Margaret and Co. can be vicious, you ain’t seen nothing yet. There are absolutely no sparkly vamps here, and underneath Joey’s veneer of swagger, there’s a thread of melancholy that’s unmistakable. This book surprised the hell out of me-not at how good it was, because it’s very, very good. That wasn’t surprising at all. I was shocked at how attached I actually got to Joey, and how he managed to make me care about Margaret and the rest of his vamps (she was human too, once, and her story is heartbreaking.) Speaking of heartbreaking, I was blown away at how arresting this book, and these characters are, and how I never could have seen it coming. I’m not going to tell you what “it” is, but suffice it to say it will wow you, I hope, because it certainly wowed me. Buehlman is a master, and his lovely writing only underscores the brutality, and sometimes futility and sadness of these vamps’ lives. They really are doing the best they can with what they are. Think of that what you will, but don’t miss this book. The Lesser Dead is shades of The Lost Boys and Near Dark wrapped up in Buehlman’s very distinctive, very unique touch, and it’s fantastic. This man can’t write ‘em fast enough for me, and I can’t wait to see what he’s got up his sleeve next!
I know what you’re thinking (or might be thinking): ugh, vampires, soooo done to death (sorry about that). But bear with me, here. We’re talking about Christopher Buehlman, author of Those Across the River, The Necromancer’s House, and Between Two Fires. This man has a very solid history of excellence, so when I saw that The Lesser Dead was a vampire tale, I didn’t hesitate for even a second.
Joey Peacock looks eternally 14, but is actually in his 50s in 1978 New York City. He is, of course, also a vampire. He’s more than a bit cocky, considers himself a ladies man, and loves to look sharp. Well, as sharp as one can possibly look when their home is in the tunnels that run under the city. That’s ok, though, because Joey can glamour a victim in the blink of an eye. He has a family, of sorts, consisting mainly of Margaret (their tough as nails leader), and the elderly Cvetko, who harbors a fatherly affection for Joey. There are others, but they play the biggest parts in Joey’s life (or undeath). By 1978, Joey has fallen into a bit of a routine, and even has a family (mom, dad, son) that he regularly charms and feeds from. It may not be the ideal life, but it’s all he has, and if a bit of ennui has set in, well…that’s about to change. Margaret’s group has always been fairly careful to avoid killing their victims (which they call “peeling”), mainly to keep the cops off their scent as opposed to any real sense of moral responsibility. However, when they discover a feral pack of child vampires that not only kill, but play with their victims like a cat plays with a mouse, they must decide what to do about this very serious problem.
The first half of the book mainly covers Joey’s history with the vamps; how he got turned, the events leading up to that, and a rundown of vamp politics and the occasional turf skirmishes that Margaret takes care of with her signature ruthlessness. Joey’s narration is pragmatic and more than a hint of the 14 year old boy that he once was shines through. Frankly, he’s a bit of a twerp, and very frequently uses his innocent looks (and a high pitched voice) to get what he wants. But…give Joey a chance. Trust me on this one. When he meets the little vamps, he’s actually pretty horrified at what they’ve done, and what they do (it’s really, REALLY icky) but they tell a compelling, and even tragic story, and Joey’s protective side begins to emerge. Margaret isn’t as easily convinced, and she’s determined to get rid of them before they call unwanted attention to the underground colony.
These kids are fantastically creepy, especially the lone female, and if you think Margaret and Co. can be vicious, you ain’t seen nothing yet. There are absolutely no sparkly vamps here, and underneath Joey’s veneer of swagger, there’s a thread of melancholy that’s unmistakable. This book surprised the hell out of me-not at how good it was, because it’s very, very good. That wasn’t surprising at all. I was shocked at how attached I actually got to Joey, and how he managed to make me care about Margaret and the rest of his vamps (she was human too, once, and her story is heartbreaking.) Speaking of heartbreaking, I was blown away at how arresting this book, and these characters are, and how I never could have seen it coming. I’m not going to tell you what “it” is, but suffice it to say it will wow you, I hope, because it certainly wowed me. Buehlman is a master, and his lovely writing only underscores the brutality, and sometimes futility and sadness of these vamps’ lives. They really are doing the best they can with what they are. Think of that what you will, but don’t miss this book. The Lesser Dead is shades of The Lost Boys and Near Dark wrapped up in Buehlman’s very distinctive, very unique touch, and it’s fantastic. This man can’t write ‘em fast enough for me, and I can’t wait to see what he’s got up his sleeve next!
January 11, 2019
I have "liked" everything I've read by Buelman (I put that in quotes as with Steven King the word "like" might not actually apply.) As noted parenthetically I'm not sure the word "like" applies here and I'm pretty sure that I couldn't have been said to "enjoy" the book. No the book is entirely too gruesome and has too much of an emotional belly-drop factor for me to say it is, "enjoyable". We need different words. Maybe interesting, well written, enthralling? It might even be an applicant for the "un-put-downable" label.
If you've read some of my other reviews you may know that I'm not fond of or "big on" rewritten vampires. I really don't care for friendly, romantic, helpful or "sparkly" vampires. In folklore vampires are monsters, they are apex predators..and we (humans) are their prey.
Here our narrator is a vampire. throughout the book we get a look at his life before his change and his new life (unlife?)after. We meet the vampires with whom he lives in the underground, the deepest tunnels the city has to offer. We learn how they live (unlive?), how they feed and how they stay hidden.
Then we meet the children.
I hadn't picked this book up as I'm not primarily a horror fan or a vampire fan (especially now as vamps have become fashionable as protagonists and romantic leads. I mean sleeping with an old corpse who might decide they need a snack just doesn't sound all that romantic to me???) Anyway I just hadn't picked it up but lately I went through a reading slump where nothing drew me in and I read some reviews of this book. Many reviewers spoke of the creeping invasive terror of the book and some of the descriptions drew me in.
As did the book. Now all that said I don't think I was ever drawn into the book to the extent of some readers. Maybe it's my feeling about vampires and the storyteller being a vampire, I truly don't know but for me there was always sort of an "arm-length's" feel to my involvement in the book. However it still drew me in, held me and gets a 4 star rating. I'd guess that if you are more "into" horror stories you may get more drawn in and experience more the "belly-drop" I mentioned.
I don't know.
But I can recommend it. Enjoy...or whatever word applies here.
If you've read some of my other reviews you may know that I'm not fond of or "big on" rewritten vampires. I really don't care for friendly, romantic, helpful or "sparkly" vampires. In folklore vampires are monsters, they are apex predators..and we (humans) are their prey.
Here our narrator is a vampire. throughout the book we get a look at his life before his change and his new life (unlife?)after. We meet the vampires with whom he lives in the underground, the deepest tunnels the city has to offer. We learn how they live (unlive?), how they feed and how they stay hidden.
Then we meet the children.
I hadn't picked this book up as I'm not primarily a horror fan or a vampire fan (especially now as vamps have become fashionable as protagonists and romantic leads. I mean sleeping with an old corpse who might decide they need a snack just doesn't sound all that romantic to me???) Anyway I just hadn't picked it up but lately I went through a reading slump where nothing drew me in and I read some reviews of this book. Many reviewers spoke of the creeping invasive terror of the book and some of the descriptions drew me in.
As did the book. Now all that said I don't think I was ever drawn into the book to the extent of some readers. Maybe it's my feeling about vampires and the storyteller being a vampire, I truly don't know but for me there was always sort of an "arm-length's" feel to my involvement in the book. However it still drew me in, held me and gets a 4 star rating. I'd guess that if you are more "into" horror stories you may get more drawn in and experience more the "belly-drop" I mentioned.
I don't know.
But I can recommend it. Enjoy...or whatever word applies here.
October 19, 2018
I have no idea what to say about the story. Recap that ? No way. It was so good, so twisted, bloody, raunchy, with the perfect amount of snark. I have found a favorite author. Every page was just so good, I read it slow wanting to absorb each word. I should have seen the twist right ? I didn't, oh so good. OMg what happened to Gonzo ?
September 20, 2017
The Lesser Dead
Read September 2017
I loved, loved, loved this book. Christopher Buehlman is a new author to me, and he is amazing. The voices of his characters were so strong they drew me into the tunnels of 1970’s New York City. New York of this time was known as a dirty, dangerous place and this was conveyed with aplomb.
Character development was the crowning jewel of this book. The voice of each character was unique and independent. Because the voices were so well developed, I was sucked into the story. And because I was sucked in so completely, the final chapter shocked and killed me.
Read September 2017
I loved, loved, loved this book. Christopher Buehlman is a new author to me, and he is amazing. The voices of his characters were so strong they drew me into the tunnels of 1970’s New York City. New York of this time was known as a dirty, dangerous place and this was conveyed with aplomb.
Character development was the crowning jewel of this book. The voice of each character was unique and independent. Because the voices were so well developed, I was sucked into the story. And because I was sucked in so completely, the final chapter shocked and killed me.
September 16, 2019
An interesting take on a vampire story. I appreciated the perspective, which was different than most other forays into this type of tale. 3.5/5.0 stars.
May 24, 2021
First off, let me say that the hardcover edition of this is truly a work of art-- beautifully produced and a pleasure to read! Buehlman continues to impress me with every book of his I read. This is my fourth Buehlman novel and each one is very different. Buehlman likes to bend genres and this is no exception. TLD is about vampires, and yes, that is a very old and tired horror trope to be sure, but somehow, Buehlman manages to breath some fresh life into it. The main story is set in 1978 in NYC and Buehlman portrays the historic, gritty big apple very nicely. Our lead, Joey, is a teenage vampire, turned during the Great Depression era, and now living in the underground tunnels of NYC with a group of other vampires. Their queen (if you will) has set down some pretty heavy rules-- no feeding in the tunnels/subways and no 'peeling' (e.g., draining people to death). She is the one that turned Joey in the first place and Buehlman adroitly explores their backstory via flashbacks and so forth. The rules are really just about survival-- she does not want to attract attention by the authorities by leaving bloodless corpses lying around...
I should also mention that Buehlman's prose is extraordinary. Saying he is something of word smith just does not do his prose justice; it is almost effortless to read! That stated, Buehlman takes us on a wild ride here. The plot revolves around some 'new' vampires, really kids, who show up one day on the subway and 'charm' some people for their next meal. Word gets out among the vampires and the queen orders the rest to track them down; the plan being to either kill them or train them to live by the rules... So much for the plot; this is really a character driven story, however, and while the plot is relatively thin, two things for me really stood out in this novel. First, the amusing way Buehlman plays with the relationships among the vampire 'flock'. The second concerns exploring the nightlife of NYC during the punk age-- CBGBs, Club 54, etc.-- in all of its tattered glory. I deem this more literary horror and while it contains enough blood and so forth to please any horror gore hounds, the excellent prose and story line really makes this something of a crossover-- you do not have to be a horror fan to appreciate this book! Nonetheless, Buehlman also drops enough references to other vampire books to please fans of the horror genre as well. The only thing that stops me from giving this 5 stars is the ending, which I really did not like that much. This seems to be a common theme with me regarding his books-- I loved them all, but the endings always seem to me to be a bit (just a bit!) of a let down. 4.5 bloody stars!
I should also mention that Buehlman's prose is extraordinary. Saying he is something of word smith just does not do his prose justice; it is almost effortless to read! That stated, Buehlman takes us on a wild ride here. The plot revolves around some 'new' vampires, really kids, who show up one day on the subway and 'charm' some people for their next meal. Word gets out among the vampires and the queen orders the rest to track them down; the plan being to either kill them or train them to live by the rules... So much for the plot; this is really a character driven story, however, and while the plot is relatively thin, two things for me really stood out in this novel. First, the amusing way Buehlman plays with the relationships among the vampire 'flock'. The second concerns exploring the nightlife of NYC during the punk age-- CBGBs, Club 54, etc.-- in all of its tattered glory. I deem this more literary horror and while it contains enough blood and so forth to please any horror gore hounds, the excellent prose and story line really makes this something of a crossover-- you do not have to be a horror fan to appreciate this book! Nonetheless, Buehlman also drops enough references to other vampire books to please fans of the horror genre as well. The only thing that stops me from giving this 5 stars is the ending, which I really did not like that much. This seems to be a common theme with me regarding his books-- I loved them all, but the endings always seem to me to be a bit (just a bit!) of a let down. 4.5 bloody stars!
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