Suggestions needed here, people.

Harker · 05-31-2005, 04:44 AM

I'm very much into vampire stories, especially those with a queer angle, but I'm having trouble finding new authors to read. I've read Anne Rice, Jemiah Jefferson, Laurell K. Hamilton, Poppy Z. Brite (who hasn't?), and the unabridged Bram Stoker's Dracula. If anyone has any suggestions of authors to check out, they would be very much appreciated.

illuminatti · 05-31-2005, 06:00 AM

well hey, your list of authors is a good one. I must confess that i can't sugest anything new and myself have been searching the bookstores unsuccesfuly for ages.
And about Bram Stoker...I was dissappointed by him. Don't you thing that his ruined his good idea by his ridiculous writing style and all the heroism-shit? I mean, how can someone give out long speeches with complicated sentances and philosophical ideas when the is a vampire standing right in front of him?
Anyway....if you find a good book do tell me about it. I don't want to have to start reading cook books.

Panther · 05-31-2005, 06:16 AM

*looks up from a hundreth reread of X-treme X-men*

What's wrong with comic books?

I can't think of any vampire novelists you haven't touched on. You have my respect for getting through Anne Rice. She's got lovely imagery, but I get so bored it takes me months to finish the books.

Harker · 05-31-2005, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illuminatti

well hey, your list of authors is a good one. I must confess that i can't sugest anything new and myself have been searching the bookstores unsuccesfuly for ages.
And about Bram Stoker...I was dissappointed by him. Don't you thing that his ruined his good idea by his ridiculous writing style and all the heroism-shit? I mean, how can someone give out long speeches with complicated sentances and philosophical ideas when the is a vampire standing right in front of him?
Anyway....if you find a good book do tell me about it. I don't want to have to start reading cook books.

I totally agree. I'm sorry, but when I'm in the process of the shit being scared out of me, the first idea in my head isn't, "Fuck! I gotta write this down!!" My only idea for it was that he was writing it as a last will and testament sort of thing. He knew he was fucked pretty early on. The only thing I really liked about the book was Dracula. I would have loved it if he had been the actual main character, and I think he had a lot of potential of being a terrific character.

Anyway, I'll stop the ranting (the God crap was making me want to tear my hair out by the end).

Harker · 05-31-2005, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panther

*looks up from a hundreth reread of X-treme X-men*

What's wrong with comic books?

I can't think of any vampire novelists you haven't touched on. You have my respect for getting through Anne Rice. She's got lovely imagery, but I get so bored it takes me months to finish the books.

Nothing wrong with comic books at all. Any good ones to suggest? I'll check them out.

Anne Rice...where do I begin? She's got good characters. She's got good plots (honestly, I've only been able to make it through The Vampire Lestat). Her grammer on the other hand...I won't even go there.

illuminatti · 05-31-2005, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harker

The only thing I really liked about the book was Dracula. I would have loved it if he had been the actual main character, and I think he had a lot of potential of being a terrific character.

Anyway, I'll stop the ranting (the God crap was making me want to tear my hair out by the end).

So true.
I was about to say that about Dracula too but didn't want to make my post too long. He SHOULD have been the main character becuase the book is supposed to be about vampires goddamnit and not about heroic little saints that hunt them down. Stoker didn't develop Dracula's character or personality (nevermind his inner world) at all,in fact.
And about the God crap...spare your hair because then there would be just too many hairless victims of Stoker's novel.

Hey, did you know that there are "Vampire ensyclopedias"? It's complete bullshit, anyway. All about Bram Stoker, Bram Stoker Novel, Movies based on Bram Stoker and how that Bram Stoker was a vampire himself.
Makes me wanna puke.
...
...
okay...i could go on forever, but i think i'll stop at this.

Harker · 05-31-2005, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illuminatti

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harker

The only thing I really liked about the book was Dracula. I would have loved it if he had been the actual main character, and I think he had a lot of potential of being a terrific character.

Anyway, I'll stop the ranting (the God crap was making me want to tear my hair out by the end).

So true.
He SHOULD have been the main character becuase the book is supposed to be about vampires goddamnit and not about heroic little saints that hunt them down. Stoker didn't develop Dracula's character or personality (nevermind his inner world) at all,in fact.
And about the God crap...spare your hair because then there would be just too many hairless victims of Stoker's novel.

Hey, did you know that there are "Vampire ensyclopedias"? It's complete bullshit, anyway. All about Bram Stoker, Bram Stoker Novel, Movies based on Bram Stoker and how that Bram Stoker was a vampire himself.
Makes me wanna puke.

Too fucking true, my friend. Too fucking true. It's called DRACULA. It should have been about DRACULA. And about his inner world; the peek of it we were blessed with was beautiful, and the first scene with the three women was fantastic. So much wasted potential...Vampire encyclopedias, all about Stoker...just let me rush to the bookstore now! There are better authors, better stories, that don't get nearly the respect that Dracula does.

By the way, read any Poppy Z. Brite? I highly suggest Lost Souls, and Fiend by Jemiah Jefferson. Both truly gothic writers.

illuminatti · 05-31-2005, 07:04 AM

[quote="Harker"] It's called DRACULA. It should have been about DRACULA. And about his inner world; the peek of it we were blessed with was beautiful, and the first scene with the three women was fantastic. So much wasted potential...There are better authors, better stories, that don't get nearly the respect that Dracula does.quote]

I completely agree about the lost potential. my impresion was the same. As to the better writers...almost any one is better. The problem is that Stoker was the FIRST to write about vampires more detailed at all. It doesn't make him the best, goddamnit.

Oh...and about Lost Souls...I've got that book somewhere under my bed(they are all under there) and I am planning to start reading it as soon as i find the time. I'll tell you how i liked it in a few days.

Panther · 06-27-2005, 08:50 PM

OH, I found a book you might like.

Covenant witht he Vampire, by Jeanna Kalogridis.

And as for Anne Rice, I finished three of hers, and shoudl get a medal for it (Ah, Armand, how I love you).

There's another one that I found that's good, but I can't remember the title or author. . .but I'll post about it when I find it.

06-27-2005, 10:08 PM

Oh fuck fucking hell what the fuck is happening to you people? Dracula wasn’t about vampires. That was just the vehicle he used to tell the story. I’m sorry (some of you) missed the underlying truth while searching for fangly freaks, and I had some authors to suggest but perhaps you should just stick with the Nancy Collins’ books instead?

Joe Fucking Christ, you people (with the exception of Panther because she actually redeemed the thread with the Xtreeme Xmen plug) but you other two (and you know who you are) need to cut back on Vampire Masquerade. It’s just a fucking game.

Panther · 06-27-2005, 10:28 PM

lmao. See? It's good to be a geek.

also, I found hte other book on Amazon.

The secret life of Laszlo Count Dracula, by Roderick Anscombe.

No vampires, but a damn good read.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books

Morbideus · 06-30-2005, 07:06 PM

Hey there.

A good Vampire story with an angle is Vampire Winter by Lois Tilton:

The world is undergoing a nuclear winter, so the sun is almost completely blocked out. The main character (the vamp) is now free to go out at any time, but many of the remaining humans are radiation poisoneed, so he can;t feed on them, he has to keep the "good ones" like cattle and actually care for them... and they are a pain in the ass! It's a great book and I highly recommenc it.

I agree about Ann Rice, her books are too damn long. They are great at the beginning, and great as you near the end. The middle is a fucking chore to get through.

WolfMoon · 07-05-2005, 09:24 PM

Are you guys fucking kidding me?

I tore through all of the Vampire Chronicles(to either Armand or Pandora, whichever was last) like a starving man at Thanksgiving dinner. There's a very rich atmosphere to all of her stories, almost like you're right there in the thick of things.

And I've heard that Brian Lumley's series is damned good. I haven't read it, yet, but I fully intends to!

And yes, you guys totally missed the point of Dracula!

:roll:

Shemjazza · 10-02-2005, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TStone

Oh fuck fucking hell what the fuck is happening to you people? Dracula wasn’t about vampires. That was just the vehicle he used to tell the story. I’m sorry (some of you) missed the underlying truth while searching for fangly freaks, and I had some authors to suggest but perhaps you should just stick with the Nancy Collins’ books instead?

Joe Fucking Christ, you people (with the exception of Panther because she actually redeemed the thread with the Xtreeme Xmen plug) but you other two (and you know who you are) need to cut back on Vampire Masquerade. It’s just a fucking game.

I agree whole-heartedly. i suppose all you Stoker-bashers have problems with your Lovecraft and Poe as well. anyway, back to Stoker- the 'god crap' was reference to the romanian superstitions and whatnot, in which the vampire legend originated... try to read objectively rather than paying heed to your trends and whatnot. i think Rice is tripe, myself. the whole pseudo-erotic twilight beauty crap either makes me think of Type O Negative's 'Black Number One' of the Issue of 'Preacher' when Cassidy meets 'Les Infants Du Sang'
Just my (not so) humble opinion though.

Disfunction · 10-03-2005, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harker

Nothing wrong with comic books at all. Any good ones to suggest? I'll check them out.

Anne Rice...where do I begin? She's got good characters. She's got good plots (honestly, I've only been able to make it through The Vampire Lestat). Her grammer on the other hand...I won't even go there.

Hey grammer, eh?

Irony phoned, he wants to talk to you.

ExistentialDisorder · 10-03-2005, 08:35 AM

Tho its rather apparent that many here hate me, for those who might still have an interest in something I might have to say...

As a writer of vampire fiction myself, told from the point of view of the vampire, which is the type of reading I prefer myself, I've spent years researching them in literature and legend, and I could suggest a few reads:

Brian Lumley has a rather long vampire series called Necroscope, you might enjoy.

For the more Rician style vampire, you might check out 'Blood Thirst' by L.A. Freed - but its so old now that I doubt you'll find it in a bookstore. It can be ordered from Amazon. I read it years ago before I ever even discovered Anne Rice, and was hooked. Its about a woman named Angela who'se attacked and seemingly left for dead, in Charleston, SC. She makes it her goal to find and take revenge on the one who embraced her.

For an interesting non-fiction approach, check out 'Vampires Among Us' by Rosemary Ellen Guiley. She explores various interpretations of vampires in fiction and those who claim to have either been attacked by real vampires, or to be real vampires. There's also some interesting explorations of various vampire legends, to include Dracula.

'Of Saints And Shadows' - by Christopher Golden. I started reading this about 6 years ago, got about half way through and never got back to it. It was pretty good from what I can remember tho. You might like it. And according to Amazon its book one of a series.

For the homo-erotic flavor, mixed with religion, check out 'Vampire Vow' and 'Vampire Thrall' both by Michael Schiefelbein. He has a few other vampire titles as well. I have not read these, but plan to.

Also, 'Vampires' by Konstantinos. I have not finished this, but I bought it about a year ago. It's non-fiction, exploring the concept of vampires in legend, fiction and religion.

I could suggest more, but this should keep you busy for a while. You might also do a search on Amazon.com for titles.

And yes, as stated earlier in the thread, there are vampire encyclopedias. I use to own one but lost it overseas somewhere. They don't all center around Dracula, or compaire Dracula to every other vampire character or piece of literature. It depends on the author(s). Some are very interesting if you're a true vampire aficionado.

Hope this helps.

~E.D.

ExistentialDisorder · 10-03-2005, 08:42 AM

Forgot this one:

'I, Vampire' by Michael Romkey. The confessions of a vampire - His life, his loves, his strangest desires.

There are a few books with the same title, so be sure to look for Romkey.

(Oh, and for the rice fans that don't know, the original 3 vampire chronicles were done in comic book format by Innovation in the 80's - early 90's. Innovation went out of business towards the end of the 90's. you can find them on e-bay tho. each book was divided into 12 issues)

~E.D.