VAMPS-R-US discussion

I remember RJsmommy was trying to get us all to read this last year...and well...I read it!








Four Fangs

Before Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Hollywood shaped the image of the vampire into what it is today, vampires stalked the pages of nineteenth century literature. The Undead fueled the creative imaginations of countless writers. Edited by Michael Sims, this is an anthology of vampire stories from the Victorian era and it is quite a treat! I enjoyed it very much. It includes great stories such as: The Vampyre by John Polidori, Wake Not the Dead by Johann Ludwig Tieck, The Family of the Vourdalak which is a story about a family of vampires by Aleksei Tolstoy, Varney the Vampyre by James Malcolm Rymer, and Death and Burial-Vampires and Werewolves by Emily Gerard…Just to name a few. It also includes Dracula’s Guest the chapter that was “arguementably”, cut out of Bram Stoker’s Dracula by his publisher.

I really enjoyed reading this anthology. I think my favorite story in here was The Tomb of Sarah by F.G. Loring, which features a female vampire who is awakened from her tomb after she’s been sleeping for two-hundred years resulting in her evil rampage on the living. I also enjoyed Death and Burial-Vampires and Werewolves, which is actually a chapter taken out of Emily Gerard’s book, Land Beyond the Forest which contains the creepy beliefs and traditions of dealing with the dead and the Undead in Transylvania...and was also a major influence on Bram Stoker when writing Dracula. Some stories I did not care for, but of course you’ll find that with any anthology. However I found it extremely entertaining. I would recommend this book to the ultimate, die-hard vampire fan. You have to really love vampire stories to get truly savor this feast.

The author of this, Aric Cushing, asked me to do a review of it.






FIVE BLOODY FANGS


Bram Stoker’s Dracula: A Play in Two Acts is an attempt to do a stage version of Stoker’s infamous vampire tale as faithfully to the novel as possible. Dracula was first adapted into a play by Hamilton Deane in 1924, and in my opinion…..he butchered it! Now, I have read Stoker’s original novel atleast five times so far (it is my favorite book), and comparing it to all the other Dracula plays and films which have come out over the years, I was always annoyed at how they would play havoc with the material. For instance, Harker is Renfield, Lucy is Arthurs daughter, characters like Quincey Morris and Dr. Seward were often cut out, and so on. Aric Cushing, however has done a terrific job of finally bringing us a faithful stage adaptation of the book, and it is quite a treat! It’s very well written, most of the dialogue is taken from the novel, and all the important characters and scenes are included. There are a few inaccuracies, however. For instance it is Van Helsing, not Dr. Seward, that stakes Dracula’s vampire brides, and it is Jonathan and Quincey…not Jonathan and Arthur Holmwood…who kill Count Dracula at the end of the book. But that’s just me knit-picking. This is the most faithful adaptation of Dracula that I have ever come across. Aric Cushing has a lot of talent. I’ve always wanted to see a movie made that was this faithful to the book, and if Aric Cushing were to make it big…he should be the one to write and direct it!

This is one of those books I always love re-reading





FIVE VERY BLOODY FANGS!


It’s one of the greatest vampire novels ever written since Dracula first came into publication in 1897. It is Stephen King’s second novel, and is the book that he says “…typed [him] as a horror writer.”. So far, two movies have been based of ’Salem’s Lot…




Many people dislike the 2004 version, but I enjoyed both adaptations equally. Most of you die-hard King and hardcore vampire fans know the story: Ben Mears moves back to the town of Jerusalem’s Lot (‘salem’s Lot as it is referred to by the natives) to exorcise his own personal demons surrounding The Marsten House. Only is he to discover that two antique dealers named R.T. Straker and Kurt Barlow have purchased it. Barlow (…Dracula??), turns out to be a very old and powerful vampire who spreads vampirism over the Lot like an epidemic. He is however hounded by a circle of vampire hunters intent on destroying him.

This, however, is a special edition of Stephen King’s vampire novel. This is ’Salem’s Lot:Illustrated Edition. It contains at least fifty pages of deleted material from the original manuscript, two short stories from Night Shift that are related to the events in ’Salem’s Lot, and some very creepy photographs as well. This is my third time reading ’Salem’s Lot, however, reading this edition is like discovering the book allover again! Boy is that deleted material terrifying!!

King’s original vision was to combine Bram Stoker’s infamous vampire Count from Dracula with the vampires he had read about in the E.C. comics, Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror, of the 1950’s (man…I wish those comics were still around!) into one gruesome vampire tale. He wanted blood parties, vampire restaurants, etc. Really gory, terrifying vampires! Well, unfortunately it didn’t exactly work out that way, but I think he really did a bang up job with ’Salem’s Lot! Barlow is one of the most scary, EVIL bloodsuckers I have come across aside from Rudy Pasko and Skinner Sweet. And we need more vampires like Barlow in print….scary, evil bloodsucking monsters! Especially with all this romantic vampire bullshit that’s cluttering the market nowadays (not to mention the abomination that is Twilight….makes me want to puke!!!).

I would say that no vampire or Stephen King fan’s library is complete without Salem’s Lot: Illustrated Edition. I will cherish this book.

I just love this series...








FIVE FANGS!


Everyone’s favorite vampire comic book series returns!!! American Vampire: Volume Three features three stories, “ Strange Frontier”, “Ghost War” and “Survival of the Fittest”. The first story, “Strange Frontier”, features Skinner Sweet at a wild west show in 1819. He feels the show ruins his repuatation so he goes for his bloody revenge. The story is written by Scott Snyder and Illustrated by Danijel Zezelj . I can’t say I like Danijel Zezelj’s artwork, but you gotta give the brother credit for trying.

The next two stories take us to the frontlines of World War II. That’s right!! Vampires and WWII!!! What more could you ask for?!!

“Ghost War”, written by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Rafael Albuquerque, folllows a team of vampire hunters to the Island of Taipan, Japan, where they discover a new breed of vampire with Skinner Sweet among them posing as a human. We also see the return of Pearl Jones and her husband, Henry. Now, what I didn’t like was that this new breed look more like aliens than vampires. And by “aliens” I mean the ones designed by H. R. Giger for those movies that Sigourney Weaver starred in. The other thing I didn’t was that Albuquerque changed Skinner Sweet's fangs. He turned them from to giant canines to a mouth full of shark teeth, kind of like the vampires in 30 Days of Night. Albuquerque’s work still rocks though.

The next story, “Survival of the Fittest”, written by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Sean Murphy, follows the story of Felicia Book (daughter of Jim Book form Volume one) and Cash McCoogan (from volume two) who are both members of a secret vampire hunting society called the Vassals. Book and McCoogan travel to a castle in Eastern Europe in search of a cure for vampirism, only to discover that it is occupied by vampire Nazis. THAT’S RIGHT…VAMPIRE NAZIS…HOW MUCH MORE EVIL CAN YOU GET!!!! I love It!!!

Sean Murphy’s art is amazing. I mean…..WOW!!!!

If you haven’t read American Vampire yet…by all means go do so!!! And, Hollywood, hurry up and make this into a damned movie!!!!!!!!!

Yet another graphic novel...





Four Fangs


In 1897, Draculawas first published by Bram Stoker. In 1975, comic book legends Dick Giordano and Roy Thomas began working on a comic book adaptation of Dracula for Marvel Comics. Unfortunately, the project was cancelled. Thirty years later, the two reunited to complete the book. Here is Stoker’s Dracula, a beautiful, hardcover graphic novel. Thomas and Giordano set out to create “..the most faithful adaptation ever.” Is it one-hundred percent faithful? Now, I am a huge fan of the original vampire novel by Bram Stoker… I’ve read the damned thing five times! So….was it one-hundred percent faithful?? Well, not entirely but as close as they could get it.

I can see how faithful of an adaptation it is. Not just because I’m obsessed with the book, but because Hollywood always changes it and plays havoc with Stoker’s story. For example: In the movies they always leave key scenes of the book out, change the names of the characters or do away with them altogether. The most important mistake they have made is the way Dracula looks. In the book, Bram Stoker gives a highly detailed physical description of Count Dracula. He does not look like Bela Lugosi!!!

So, yes Giordano and Harris did a good job…about as good as they could. One thing I didn’t like is that when I was reading it (and keep in mind that I do love the movies, nothing against them) it felt like I was watching an old Hammer film with Christopher Lee. Also, they made Van Helsing look like Colonel Sanders!

The art has a very old school, “Hanna-Barbara” feel to it. There’s nothing wrong with that though, it just comes down to a matter of taste.

I would say that if you are a die-hard fan of Draculathen this book is for you! There are other graphic novel adaptations of Stoker’s story out there…



..I intend to read them all!

Here's my sixth...







Four Fangs


The introduction to this book, written by editor Michael West, starts out with the following…

”The 1988 concert film Rattle and Hum opened up with a familiar sounding tune. Lead singer Bono took the microphone in his hand and announced to the crowd, ‘This song…Charles Manson stole it from the Beatles. We’re stealin’ it back.’ And the band then produced to rock a huge arena with their amazing rendition of Helter Skelter”

...he then goes on to say…

”Stephenie Meyer stole the vampire from Bram Stoker. We’re stealin’ it back!”

…and more power to em! I’ve felt the same exact way that Michael West does. That Twilight corrupted the vampire. This is an anthology of fifteen short stories about vampires written by writers who are all fed up with sparkly vampires. Most are horror and dark fantasy, but some are comedy. I have to say I really enjoyed this book. My favorite stories were: What Once Was Flesh by Tim Waggoner; Beneath a Templar Cross by Gord Rollo; Skraeling by Joel A. Sutherland; Dreams of Winter by Bob Freeman; and Curtain Call by Gary A. Braunbeck. Dreams of Winter was my number one favorite out of the bunch. The story of an occult detective who is hunting a vampire that can take the appearance of someone the victim longs for. And Dracula’s Winkee: Bloodsucker Blues was absolutely hilarious!
There were two stories, however, that I was not fond of at all. I did not like Robot Vampire by R.J. Sullivan. A singing, dancing female robot that’s possessed by a Japanese bloodsucking demon just didn’t sit well with me. And I Fuck Your Sunshine by Lucy A. Snyder was incredibly stupid!
This is an “Anti-Twilight” book, and I highly recommend it. Also, if you purchase this book a portion of the money goes to the American Cancer Society, and if there’s anything worse then Twilight it’s cancer!

Here's my seventh...








FIVE BLOOD DRENCHED FANGS

This book was scary!!! But it was also AWESOME!!! The best vampire novel I’ve read since Dracula and ’Salem’s Lot! Jonathan Janz is on hell of a writer. With the exception of 13 Bullets, The Strain and 30 Days of Night, it’s a little hard to find good vampire fiction these days (Thank you Stephenie Meyer…you fucking bitch!). Dust Devils, however, was a refreshing and very enjoyable read. This book is a western. Yes! A western with vampires in it! Something I always wanted to see. Well, actually, I did get to see it back when I read American Vampire, Vol. 1 , but it was still good to find another Horror/Western. And I love westerns! From movies like Unforgiven, Tombstone, 3:10 to Yuma, and so on.

The book takes place in New Mexico in the year 1885, and follows the story of Cody Wilson, a young cattle rancher whose wife was murdered by vampires…or so he thinks. The vamps in this book are a traveling troupe of actors known as “the devils” who, on stage, pretend to be humans pretending to be vampires (just like in Interview with the Vampire). Now…. these vampires…are…..EVIL! Stone cold soulless killing machines. When they feed they take on hideous forms; demonic faces, razor sharp claws, flaming orange eyes, fangs the size of railroad spikes. And they tear their victims to pieces! “They don’t sip blood like wine snobs”, as Stephen King would say. They don’t just drink the blood, but they eat the flesh as well. Barbeque it over an open fire. Now, I’m not sure how I like that. It’s usually zombies that eat human flesh, not vampires. Vampires are supposed to just suck your blood. Well, I guess Jonathan Janz did that to make it a bit more scary and different. Oh well.

There’s also a lot of sex in this book as well. Almost a little too much. The vampires fornicating with their victims and so on…. a lot of it.

This is the ultimate battle of good vs. evil. These vamps come straight from hell. Led by master vampire, Adam Price, who is the sole embodiment of evil and harbinger of death.

The novel ends with a last stand between the surviving humans and the vampires to see if the forces of darkness can actually be defeated. And let me tell you it is not an easy battle. You will feel for these characters and be with them to the bitter end.

Dust Devils is a spectacular read! If you love vampires, westerns, horror or are just looking for a good scare…. go read this book!

Here's my eighth...








Two Fangs

I don’t usually read young-adult novels. Not that I have anything against them… I suppose I’m not usually drawn to them I guess. From Heather Brewer; New York Times best-selling author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod comes The Slayer Chronicles: First Kill. This book made me open my wallet at the bookstore and purchase it is because it’s about vampire hunters…and those are my favorite kind of vampire stories.

A vampire kills Joss McMillan’s six-year-old sister. At the funeral, his uncle, Abraham, tells him about a secret society of vampire slayers from which he is descended from, and Joss swears to avenge his sister’s death, His uncle also tells him that he belongs to a bloodline who possess special skills, strength and agility that allow them to take down the undead. It’s basically the male equivalent of Buffy.

A few years pass, and he’s old enough to begin his training for the Slayer Society. Throughout the book he has to go through various tests and trails, etc. What I didn’t like about the book was that it seemed to drag…. the plot focused to much on his training and other meaningless info, and not enough on killing vampires. Joss doesn’t get to kill any vamps until towards the end of the book. Oh yeah, it also ends with a stupid twist.

Like I said…it drags on and on. Was it any good? Well I gave it two fangs… so it was alright I guess. Will I be reading the rest of the books? I don’t know…maybe.

Here's my ninth, and probably last vampire book until 2015...





FIVE BLOODY FANGS!

HAHA!!!! Yes, I read this book again...for the third time! It get's better every time I read it. I already reviewed it in this group in another section a few years ago. What can I say, it's a great book. I can't wait for the sequel... ...I'm not joking! That there is a sequel to Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. It comes out in January, 2015. I can't wait!!!