The Blood Books, Vol. 2 (Blood Lines / Blood Pact)

Book Description

Vicki Nelson is an ex-homicide cop turned private detective. Mike Celluci, Vicki's former partner, is still on the force. Henry Fitzroy is an author of bodice rippers-and a vampire. Together, the trio are caught up in mysteries with a supernatural slant-from demons to werewolves and every otherworldly creature in between.

Customer Reviews:

urban fantasy.......2007-10-06

Tanya Huff's Blood Lines series covers a lot of ground. It's horror, romance, and mystery a.k.a. urban fantasy. I am not a fan of these genres, so why did I pick up this book? First of all, my daughter recommended it and we tend to like the same books. Secondly, Ms Huff worked in a science fiction bookstore in Toronto that I liked to visit whenever I was in that city. While as a mystery she gives away the "who-dunnit" relatively early in the book, she still holds your attention because the reader has no idea as to how the perpetrator (not necessarily human) will be brought to justice. As a romance, the love interests antagonize each other, making the romance more horrifying than the horror. But Huff tells a great story, the pace is rapid, and the people very realistic and very flawed like all of us. Her creatures are very human and sympathetic and her writing is laced with humor. There is much more I would like to say about the books but I can't tell you everything I would like to without giving away surprises, plot lines, etc. I will say that the books were well worth the time invested.

THE BLOOD BOOKS VOL 1,2&3.......2007-06-27

BOUGHT AND READ ALL 3 VERY GOOD BOOKS AND REALLY
GLAD THEY ARE ON LIFTIME AS A SERIES.

Disappointed.......2007-06-27

I was really disappointed when I read the Blood books. Based on other reviews, I was expecting something better, something more like the Harry Dresden books which are so much fun to read. The Blood books seem to drag on, and the characterization is paper thin. I really wish I could get my money back. I feel cheated.

Blood book vol II.......2007-05-13

One of Tanay Huff's best yet! There was a change in her style for this book and added mystery. A real page turner. I love her chacters and how they interact with each other. A must read for any vampire lover.

The Blood Books, Volume II.......2007-03-21

Wonderful read! Again, Tanya Huff delivers a great story from her series The Blood Books. Very orginal storylines, and memorable characters. If you love reading stories with vampires, zombies, etc., this is one to add to your list!

Average customer rating:

Book was great
Much more than a Vampire Book
One of the best "vampire" novels ever
Horror with bonus Classic Short Story
Original and thought-proking

I Am Legend
Richard Matheson
Manufacturer: Orb Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 031286504X

Amazon.com

One of the most influential vampire novels of the 20th century, I Am Legend regularly appears on the "10 Best" lists of numerous critical studies of the horror genre. As Richard Matheson's third novel, it was first marketed as science fiction (for although written in 1954, the story takes place in a future 1976). A terrible plague has decimated the world, and those who were unfortunate enough to survive have been transformed into blood-thirsty creatures of the night. Except, that is, for Robert Neville. He alone appears to be immune to this disease, but the grim irony is that now he is the outsider. He is the legendary monster who must be destroyed because he is different from everyone else. Employing a stark, almost documentary style, Richard Matheson was one of the first writers to convince us that the undead can lurk in a local supermarket freezer as well as a remote Gothic castle. His influence on a generation of bestselling authors--including Stephen King and Dean Koontz--who first read him in their youth is, well, legendary. --Stanley Wiater

Book Description

Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth....but he is not alone. Every other man, woman, and child on Earth has become a vampire, and they are all hungry for Neville's blood.By day, he is the hunter, stalking the sleeping undead through the abandoned ruins of civilization. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for dawn.How long can one man survive in a world of vampires?

Customer Reviews:

Book was great.......2007-10-10

I liked how he was basically trapped in his house and how he adapted to at has happened to the world. And my favorite part was when he told of the peek hole to watch the vampires outside. And the lude acts the women vampires would do cause they knew he was watching.

Much more than a Vampire Book.......2006-12-29

This is really a gem of a short story - on par with really the best of American fiction. While it uses horror conventions and mythos as the props, on a deeper level the story is a seering examination of isolation, loss, and, perhaps most interesting, the way in which the perspective of object-subject impacts ethics and norms.

Frankly I think a movie CAN'T be successfully made of this book - it is written in the first person and it relies on the thoughts of the narrator to drive its plot forward.

One of the best "vampire" novels ever.......2006-11-15

Being such an avid reader of "horror" and "suspense" stories I am pretty much open to reading anything that falls within the abovementioned categories. However, I usually distance myself from stories about, or centering around, vampires. Why? Well, it seems that more often than not vampire novels are usually cheesy, gothic melodramas that turn the character of the vampire from something sinister into something romantic. I'm not sure if they're all like that but in my experience that seems to be the case.
However with "I Am Legend", Richard Matheson managed to take the formula of the vampire story and turn it into something different and enjoyable. The story centers around Robert Neville, the LAST man on an earth that is overrun by vampires. Now I don't know about you but the very idea of being the last human being on earth is a terrifying thought in and of itself. I think what I like most about "I Am Legend" is that it centers less on a guy killing vampires and more on a guy doing the best he can to live from day to day. Isolation, depression, happiness, desire and pretty much every other emotion that a human being can experience is touched upon in this book. You don't have to be a die hard horror fan to enjoy "I Am Legend", just someone who appreciates a great story.

Horror with bonus Classic Short Story.......2006-11-11

The title story is amazing - shocking how contemporary his writing is considerign our view of the 50s and the horror is both types: action-packed and psychological. But the real gem is in the bonus short stories: "PREY". Anyone who has seen the movie "Trilogy of Terror" with Karen Black will never forget the terrifying Zuni Devil Doll! This is THAT short story - it and the other bonus ones are phenomenal.

Original and thought-proking.......2006-11-10

This is a book that is supposedly about vampires, but in fact it really ends up being about normality and stereotypes. If you are interested in a book that turns normal genre roles on their head this will not disappoint. I am not much interested in vampire nonsense but this was so highly recommended by a friend I had to read it and it justified the praise. Interestingly enough it also deals with the question of boredom: What would you do if you had all the time in the world and no one to talk to? The extra stories at the end are quite short and look more like aborted attempts at novels, skim read over them, one or two are worth a read. However, the main feature deserves the reputation it has.

Complete Vampire Chronicles (Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The Queen of the Damned, The Tale of the body Thief)

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Box Set but Incomplete
Lestat Rocks My Boring World!
Fantastic Reading!!!
great books from anne rice
Thought provoking but belaboured

Complete Vampire Chronicles (Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The Queen of the Damned, The Tale of the body Thief)
Anne Rice
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345385403
Release Date: 1993-09-01

Amazon.com

For the first time you can find all your favorite night-stalking, blood-guzzling undead--Lestat, Claudia, Louis, Akasha, Armand, and Memnoch--all in the same place at the same time. Here, collected in one box-set, are the four bestselling, original titles of Anne Rice's sprawling vampire series.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Box Set but Incomplete.......2007-10-01

For any Anne Rice Vampire fans you cannot go past this beautiful Box Set with modern artwork cover designs. My only complaint is why on earth isn't the Fifth and final volume of the central plot Vampire Chronicles (before all those spin-offs) included??? The fifth and final volume "Memnoch the Devil" should definitely be included in the Box Set without which it is simply NOT complete when the finale ends nicely with Lestat's famous last words:

I am the Vampire Lestat. Let me pass now from fiction into legend.

THE END

9:43 February 28, 1994 Adieu, mon amour.

Lestat Rocks My Boring World!.......2007-09-16

Everyone else has basically described all four of these books for the most part, so let me make my review brief and to the point. Interview, Lestat, and Tale of the Body Thief were my favorite books of the four in the chronicles. Queen of the Damned, however was long, slow, and so detailed that it was the only book I managed to lose my attention to in streaks, and I have listened to them all unabridged, on tape, at work.

Sure, her books are a bit overrated, but they are also well-written and entertaining. Rice gives our dark heroes so much humanity that one can't help being attracted by them enough to want to become one as well at times. Nowhere is this point made more concise than by her favorite character, Lestat. I wish mortal men were as cool and insightful as "the brat prince!" Great, imaginative fun. Frank Muller's narration of the audio books is second to none.

Fantastic Reading!!!.......2007-09-16

I'm not big on vampire books but Anne Rice writes in such a way that you truly believe they are real people with real lives and all the thoughts and feelings we all have. In addition, they struggle with the issues of immortality and there are many.

great books from anne rice.......2007-01-28

i bought these books for my teen she couldnt put them down till they were all read anne rice is a great author

Thought provoking but belaboured.......2006-09-29

I would certainly recommend anyone who has an interest in this genre to read these books. Rice raises some very interesting concepts from the mind of the vampire. My only gripe (and a friend feels the same way) is that Rice tends to ramble - padding out relatively meaningless stuff, or stuff that you've already gleaned the concept of after two lines. I found myself skipping paragraphs & pages, which was detrimental to the flow. With some judicious editing and condensing they would be worthy of 5 stars. The fourth book doesn't quite hold up to the stds set with the first three...might be worth finding the trilogy.

Tales of the Slayers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Average customer rating:

If you are a Buffy fan (especially a Fray fan)
A Great Buffy Companion
A Slayer's Must Have
An interesting aspect of the Slayerverse.
Disappointing

Tales of the Slayers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Joss Whedon
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

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ASIN: 1569716056

Book Description

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the latest in a long tradition of young women who've been trained to give their lives in the war against vampires. We've gotten glimpses of these other women over the years on TV, in comics, and in books. Now for the first time, the writers from the television series, including the show's creator, Joss Whedon, and one of its stars, Amber `Tara` Benson, present the tales of these girls, with the help of comics greatest artists. Gene Colan, co-creator of Marvel's Blade and Tomb of Dracula, returns to Dark Horse for the story of a young black girl in 1970s New York, battling vampires. Tim Sale, fan-favorite artist of recent epics Batman: The Long Halloween and Superman for All Seasons teams with Joss Whedon for a grim tale of a medieval slayer. American comics legend P. Craig Russell (Dr. Strange, The Ring of the Nibelung) and international rising star Mira Friedmann (Actus Tragicus) also join the stellar lineup.

Customer Reviews:

If you are a Buffy fan (especially a Fray fan).......2007-06-08

If you are a Buffy fan (especially a Fray fan) then you will love this comic book. Remember the first TV spot for Buffy when they went through the ages: "in 1810 all these people were dying which stopped by the arrival of a young girl named..." Well this comic is most of those stories. The negative is that none of these characters are developed, you just get to see snip-its of their lives. However, it does widen the Buffyverse, so it's a definite read for fans. Also you get to see a bit more of Fray, the future slayer.

A Great Buffy Companion.......2007-06-01

While this pales in comparison to the current Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight series being put out by Dark Horse now, "Tales of the Slayers" is a treat for the open-minded Buffy fan.

Like any Whedon product, this trade paperback supports a much larger theme than it appears to have. These stories about slayers stretching back over time are about loneliness, solidarity, but at the same time, they're about how each slayer is connected to the slayers of the past. Reading this book can give new perspective on Buffy, Faith, and all of the other slayers shown in the television series.

As a whole, the book is good, but not each individual story is satisfactory. The best in the book are Prologue (Joss Whedon), Righteous (Joss Whedon), Sonnenblume (Rebecca Rand Kirshner), and Tales (Joss Whedon). Righteous is told completely in rhyming verse, and has the most intriguing story and unique slayer of the collection. Sonnenblume has the worst art of the collection, but also one of the most solid stories; a young German girl in 1938 struggles between what her Nazi teachers tell her and what she feels is right. Tales is a treat, as it is about Melaka Fray from Joss Whedon's miniseries "Fray" and it wraps up this collection nicely, paying off to the over-all theme (a complicated one at that) of isolation/togetherness.

Some of the not-so-good stories are The Glittering World (David Fury) and Nikki Goes Down (Doug Petrie). Fury and Petrie are both competent, if not astounding, writers who have made note-worthy contributions to the Buffyverse, particularly Petrie's "Fool for Love" which makes nearly every Buffy top-ten list. However, these two stories in "Tales of the Slayers" seem forced, paced oddly, and suffer from the incoherent narration. Perhaps, had these writers has an entire twenty-two page issue to play their story out, they would have done better. Or maybe they are just better television writers.

To sum it all up, the good outweighs the bad. This is an item that every fan of Joss Whedon's work needs, and it is a great companion to the Buffy series (the television show as well as the comic).

7/10

A Slayer's Must Have.......2007-05-25

This is another one of Whedon's greatest!! A must have for any Buffy fan.

An interesting aspect of the Slayerverse........2007-05-15

As viewers or readers of the Buffy series, we have always known about the slayer lineage, but it was always seen as a bit of a mystery since we knew nothing of the past slayers except that they all had watchers and all died, and Buffy is stronger than them because she has friends to support her otherwise lonely path. The "Tales of the Slayers" takes us through the lives of some of those past slayers with an interesting and sometimes witty story of each, most notably with the prologue of the First Slayer, "Righteous," "Presumption" (which is a reminder of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice"), and "Sonnenblume." Even if some of the tales are brief, they are interesting and offer a glimpse at the formerly unknown slayers' line.

Disappointing.......2006-05-02

The book was very short and sparse, despite the good writers listed. There are some wonderful graphic novels out lately, but this wasn't one of them. I'm a huge fan, but this was lacking the cleverness, surprises, and plot of the series.

The book contains a few short (very short - a couple of pages each) little vignettes of the lives of several slayers. None are particularly interesting, creative, or engrossing. I'd skip it and look for something else. You won't find the slayer-style you love here.

See the review by Hardman - she's nailed the problem.

Tales of the Vampires (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Average customer rating:

cleverly done
Vampire-zine
"Vampire, You Are Everything I Loathe. But I Have Learned From You."
The Myriad Tales of the Vampire
After the show is over, we get more of the good stuff

Tales of the Vampires (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Joss Whedon , Ben Edlund , Jane Espenson , Brett Matthews , Drew Goddard , Tim Sale , Scott Morse , and Mike Mignola
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1569717494

Book Description

Tales of the Vampires presents stories ranging from medieval times to the Depression to today, all intricately woven around Joss Whedon's central story about a group of young Watchers in training. Not to be missed is Buffy's rematch with Dracula and Angel's ongoing battle with his own demons. Wrapped in a haunting cover by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, these diverse tales flesh out the history and the world of Joss Whedon's unforgettable creations and fill the void left by the Buffy TV show better than any other writers ever could.

Customer Reviews:

cleverly done.......2007-08-12

I enjoyed reading Tales of the Vampires very much. I have missed BTVS ever since it ended in 2003 and this provided me with a much needed fix. I also found the artwork to be pretty cool. And as everyone keeps pointing out to me special effects are a lot easier in comic books than on tv.

Vampire-zine.......2007-07-30

Absent the Buffy series this is the closest we can come (along with the Buffy Season 8 comics)

"Vampire, You Are Everything I Loathe. But I Have Learned From You.".......2007-06-16

Where "Tales of the Slayers" was entertaining, "Tales of the Vampires" is, to say the least, a spectacular collection of stories tied together by a first-rate tale which gives insight into the mythology of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." It's the best Buffyverse comic that I've read (other than Season Eight and Spike: Asylum, of course), and that's saying a lot. This collection simply has so much to offer. There's stories with drama, stories with depth, stories that explore and expand the mythology, and a few simply funny tales. It's clear to see that this was penned by people who loved writing for the show (Whedon, Espenson, Goddard) and others who loved watching the show (anyone with eyes/ears).

While "Tales of the Vampires" can be described as a collection of short graphic stories about vampires, it also tells a cohesive story about one vampire named Roche telling tales of the undead to a group of young watchers. As the stories unfold, it is simply a pleasure to see the young watcher named Edna realize what Roche's true reason for telling these tales is. The Roche/Edna plot that unfolds over the length of this book is written by Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy and Angel.

Some of the most interesting stories in this edition are about vampires we've never met before, but what fans will surely be most interested in is the stories about characters who have already been established in the Buffyverse. There are plenty of those. Spike and Drusilla's love story in "The Problem With Vampires" is touching, classic, and leads right up to their first appearance in the show. "Antique" is the first we hear of Buffy since the end of the series (this is pre-season eight) and it has her battling with Dracula for Xander's freedom. The closing story is one about Angel called "Numb" which takes place during the Season Three episode "Amends." It expands on the dreams that are tormenting Angel about his past, and has some of the most beautiful comic art I've ever seen. It really fits with the snowy mood of the episode.

The writing, as I mentioned above, is top-notch. The art, different for each story, is almost always great--except for, perhaps, the depiction of Buffy, Xander, and Dracula in "Antique." A bit to blagh for me. But all else is well. If you're interested in vampires, Buffy, comics, or are currently reading "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight", then this is the book for you.

9/10

The Myriad Tales of the Vampire.......2007-02-10

An amalgam of stories about vampires - familiar vampires, new vampires, male vampires, female vampires, modern vampires, vampires of old. What makes them different, alien, and what makes them just like us. All set in the frame of an old, chained story-telling vampire, deep in the catacombs beneath the Watcher's Guild. Brilliant, imaginative, often lyrical, and highly enjoyable.

After the show is over, we get more of the good stuff.......2006-07-19

The ending of the tv show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" left me bitter and disappointed for many reasons. But this book reminds us about what vampires are all about: blood, mayhem, destruction along with the complex underpinnings of emotion that make them such fascinating creatures.

After all, they DO come from human stock.

While I didn't care for the titular character of "Stacy" (just another teenaged loser craving power in all the wrong places), the story made me understand why somebody actually would want to be a vampire...a sense of connection with something bigger than herself.

"Father" gives that same feeling. The vampire truly cares for his family. That sense of family didn't die when he did; he remains joyful and happy when his son marries and produces a child of his own. You almost feel sorry for the creature when a violent, righteous Slayer kicks in the door and puts an end to his undead existence.

But I've always believed that humans weren't meant to be immortal. It does bad things to us. In almost any story about humans gaining eternal life, the human becomes inhuman, a monster who shrugs off his humanity like a dirty coat.

That's why I liked "Taking Care of Business." You didn't see too many really old vampires on the show. One gets the feeling most of them are too arrogant or stupid to keep existing for long. So in "Business" you see what can happen when a vampire sticks around for too long. He goes insane. So what happens when he meets a human even loonier than he is? There's the joke.

But it was "Antique" that really made me smile. How could it not when it had the vampire that rings out above all others...DRACULA!

Okay, he was shown to be a pompous gypsy windbag on the show and "Antique" furthers that hilarious concept. But in the end we see what all the mesmerism, fancy clothes, posturing, self-aggrandizement and oratory is really about...the need for attention. Dracula is a very lonely figure, in spite of his riches, and all he really wanted was a friend, somebody to listen to him, keep him company, praise him and show him something new about the world. Too bad the only way he knew how to get it was by hypnotizing people.

All in all, I would certainly recommend this comic book to anybody wanting to feed their Buffy fix. Even if you never saw "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" you would love this work for its interesting twists and ideas about vampires.

Cravings (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novella) (Queen Betsy Novella) (The World of the Lupi Novella) (Moon Series Novella)

Average customer rating:

Cravings
Incubus Dreams
Summer reading
Cravings is great
Three All-Stars and one Bench Warmer

Cravings (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novella) (Queen Betsy Novella) (The World of the Lupi Novella) (Moon Series Novella)
Laurell K. Hamilton , MaryJanice Davidson , Eileen Wilks , and Rebecca York
Manufacturer: Jove
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0515138150

Book Description

Four favorite authors present their favorite characters in all-new tales of bloodlust, appetites that must be sated again and again, and the passion that feeds them.

Download Description

"All-new sensuous stories from four of today's most provocative authors. Laurell K. Hamilton MaryJanice Davidson Eileen Wilks Rebecca York Four favorite authors present their favorite characters in all-new tales of bloodlust, appetites that must be sated again and again, and the passion that feeds them."

Customer Reviews:

Cravings.......2007-09-05

I really enjoyed this book. I"ve read all of Laurell Hamiltons books and am now starting on MaryJanice Davidson. I was disappointed to find that there was no continuation of the other two writers characters as I found them to be very interesting and would have liked to read more about them.

Incubus Dreams.......2007-08-22

The Laurell K. Hamilton contribution to this collection is taken directly from her book Incubus Dreams. What a rip off for Anita Blake fans.

Summer reading.......2007-06-10

Great little collection of short stories to read whilst enjoying a relaxing summer day. No great earth-shaking revelations or deep philosophy - just a fun read.

Cravings is great.......2007-01-28

I loved the book. The stories were well writtin. I have the complete set of Anita Blake series by Ms. Hamilton, so I knew her story would be great. The other 3 stories were great as well.

Three All-Stars and one Bench Warmer.......2006-10-16

Great read! Three wonderful authors: MaryJanice Davidson, Eileen Wilks and Rebecca York. Also, the late great Laurell K. Hamilton whose name alone used to make us want to pick up the book. Alas, that is so not the case anymore.

In "Dead Girls Don't Dance" (MaryJanice Davidson) you have a young vampire who has just run into the man of her teenage dreams. It's cute, funny, you fall in love with the folks in this story. I want to see more of Ms. Andrea Mercer. I hope she writes another story about her.

"Originally Human" (Eileen Wilks) is a bit different. Once again we have characters we can identify with and like. A very likeable Molly finds an injured man and tries to help. Not much of a hook but I don't want to give away the surprises in this very good story.

"Burning Moon" (Rebecca York) has a werewolf tracking his wife's killer and finding a lot more than he bargained for. Some good (new) werewolf family information. This is another one I hope with be continued.

Oh, let's face it: all three of these stories (especially the first two) are just so darn good you don't want them to end. I truly hope the authors read this review some day and it encourages them to write more on the characters. I just loved 'em all.

Guess I should say something about Hamilton's "Blood Upon My Lips". Let's see, it's the new and extremely UNimproved Anita Blake wanting to have sex. (Yawn) Oh wait. When DOESN'T the new and UNimproved Anita Blake want to have sex? With anybody. Or anything. Lordy, the family pets won't be safe if this keeps up. "Hide the collie, maw, that freak Blake is hanging around outside again." If Hamilton insists on Blake screwing ANYthing available I wish she'd be a little quieter about it. The constant screaming has got to be getting on everyone's nerves. It's certainly getting on mine. Oh, and if there are any of the OLD Blake fans out there -- you remember Anita Blake VAMPIRE HUNTER? Well, that Blake died a couple of books ago and some unattractive, whiney, Valley girl from Hell has taken her place.

Please God. Let "Edward" show up fully armed and take us all out of our misery. Also, make sure he shoots first and asks questions later. If not, the Valley Girl will certainly attempt to molest him and anyone he has with him. Where the heck is Otto when you need him?

Finally, yes buy or borrow the book. It is well worth it. Just skip the first story and enjoy yourself with the remaining three.

Vampires: The Occult Truth (Llewellyn Truth About Series)

Average customer rating:

If You're Anemic, Don't Blame A Vampire
Kids stuff..
Entertaining
Great for beginners
Mostly very sweet, but a few things bothered me

Vampires: The Occult Truth (Llewellyn Truth About Series)
Konstantinos
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1567183808

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Feeling drained? Perhaps you are the unwitting victim of a psychic vampire. Want to know more? In this his second book, Konstantinos explores the folklore surrounding the blood-drinking vampire and, more importantly, exposes the threat of 20th century vampires which feed on psychic energy. I found this amalgam of stories from the past with Konstantinos' experiences in the present appealing to both the folklorist and the occultist sides of my curiosity. Konstantinos' theories will be considered controversial by many, but I don't feel that they can be summarily dismissed.

Customer Reviews:

If You're Anemic, Don't Blame A Vampire.......2007-02-08

Konstantinos' book drips with mystery and that's only the beginning of what makes "Vampires The Occult Truth" a definitely spooky but worthwhile read. It's written well enough for a blob of cells to understand it.

With so many different types of vampires just hanging from the rafters, waiting to attack (Konstantinos talks about human bloodsuckers, undead stalkers of the night, sexual vampires and those who work like a plethora of germs -- just waiting to invade and infect the unsuspecting psyche) the well-skilled Konstantinos engorges his reader.

If anything makes you feel vulnerable or anemic, it's because (in the first chapter or two) the author has a frustrating habit of teasing, like a news anchor, about fearsome information to come. Eventually, you'll get there if you can be patient as a vampire's casket and either wait until dawn when the sun is out and your beast comes home to haunt (you also might want to wait until morning when it's light enough outside that you are no longer terrified to read further, after absorbing all those scary promises of what is to come along) or else you might skip the first couple of chapters altogether and hungrily dive into the guts of this book, where the pages can be devoured as YOUR willing victim.

The reader's delay of pleasure is most evident the more immersed one gets in the book, because the longer one reads, the more one's heart begins to beat to the rhythm of the ancient vampire's that come alive through later pages. Yet there's more teasing to be had -- because just as one begins to believe that a certain fable could possibly be utterly and completely true, the author explains why commonsense and scientific logic would utterly disprove that idea; and the aged lore you just fantasized about actually having happened will have little to do with vampirism or metaphysical butchery at all!

Depending on your vampire orientation - whether you WANT to believe in them or not - Konstantinos uses a LOT of commonsense and remains devoted to fact-finding -- his work could prove to be disappointing (or not). No strong or consistent evidence to prove that vampires exist will be given.

Beginning with third-person accounts of various kinds of vampires, the later chapters offer more and more compelling information as stories are more intimately told in welcoming detail. At one point, letters from "modern day vampires" spill onto the pages. Reportedly, Konstantinos held out the promise of using pseudonyms for modern-day vampires -- instead of publishing Christian names (so the contributors could crawl out from the shadows of social restraint and vomit up their victims blood anonymously.)

I liked the fact that Konstantinos describes every possible kind of vampire with the diligence of a headless horseman who's searching for his lost skull. He even presents Renfield's Syndrome, which is a real-life blood-sucking condition that becomes evident during early childhood. It's a description that will make you pay closer attention to whose playing with your kids (even if you will never be able to read about the disease on the web site for the Centers for Disease Control). Truly, RS conjures up a mental picture you'll soon want to forget - that of small children happily lapping blood from either their friend's or their own natural wounds.

If you are interested in learning the "truth" about vampires . . . this is the book for you. If you are eager to feel frightened, you could choose to read a copy of this book while in a graveyard, at night, with only a flashlight for company. Either that, or you could forgo the cold damp ground and still experience a few of those goose bumps just by reading the book (in the comfort and warmth of your well-lit home)!

In the final chapters, the author gives credible evidence to prove that psychic vampires do exist (to drain energy from the most unsuspecting human victims). Fortunately, the author does not leave you feeling so vulnerable to such, as he provides helpful hints for shielding oneself energetically and mentally from psychic predators. He also provides subtle directions that will help you get back to sleep (but still keep the light on).

Kids stuff.........2006-08-25

This book is just for new fans of vampires. The information that konstantinos brings here is just hours of browsing in the web. Every single topic is on the web. He just going to save you hours of web searching,but the information is for begginers. I doubt of the knowledge of magic of Konstantinos.I gave the book 2 stars, just for the trouble of collect all the web pages and make a book with them.

Entertaining.......2006-07-28

Very easy and interesting book to read but only for entertaining purposes couse it doesn't give much evidence for vampires existance. Contains mostly tales which cannot be proven in any way but I recomend it. This was good book.

Great for beginners .......2006-07-27

If you are just beginning to research or read about the undercurrent vampires that exist(or don't according to some people) then this is a good book. That's if you know NOTHING. Or very little. For anyone who has been into vampires for a while and enjoys reading about them ect, this book is ok too. I say that because it offers some obsure theories on vampires. The book does come off has pushy though in the way it insists Vampires are among us. I do belive there are just some strongly dilusional poor souls out there who have watched way to many Dracula movies and now think they are among the undead. No, that's called insomnia, and they suffer from dillusionment. On the other hand, I also belive there are legit *vampires* that do exist.
This book was entertaining enough to get four stars and I'm sure would do just fine for anyone interested in vampires. But if you already have great knowledge of the vampires, skip over this book or just use it has a decorative bit on your coffee table. :)

Mostly very sweet, but a few things bothered me.......2006-06-24

Konstantinos' book Vampires is mostly an interesting, easy to read, and well-written introduction to the phenomenon known as vampires; where they're from, what famous individuals from history who have inspired the modern view of vampires, how different the belief in vampires looked in different parts of the world, and so on.

Konstantinos, who for over fifteen years have researched the occult and written several books about most matters concerning the world of goth and the occult, manages to create a (mostly) pleasing mix of scepticism and belief, especially when it comes to historical tales about alleged "real" vampires where he thorough and informative explains how folklore easily can distort stories and how things that back in the days were taken as genuine evidence for the existence of vampires today turn out to be quite invalid.

But this scepticism doesn't last throughout the entire book. As soon as he gets to the section about psychic vampires - that is, vampires that prefer feeding on human energy instead of human blood - the perspective changes in an instant. From being both skeptical and critical in his approach Konstantinos now becomes a complete believer, as he starts talking about nightly attack by psychic vampires, a phenomenon that contains every single element from the phenomenon known as sleep paralysis (being incapable of movement, occurring right before waking up or going to sleep, a feeling of slight pressure on the chest, the notion that someone else is in the room, and so on). Obviously Konstantinos and his readers has every "right" in the world to believe in this, but it's quite surprising that he doesn't even mention the possibility that these nightly attacks are nothing but a very natural phenomenon which most people experience sometime during a lifetime.

This complete lack of scepticism took me by surprise, since he up till then had been critical about everything else he writes about. Yes, it's true that the book is mostly written for people who believe in the existence of magic and the supernatural - which becomes especially apparent at the end of the book - but still, approaching this section, like the rest of the book, with a critical mind wouldn't destroy Konstantinos' "occult reputation" (as far as I'm concerned, anyway), so it puzzles me as to why he writes the way he does.

And also, Konstantinos does have quite annoying tendency to keep telling the reader that future chapters and sections will deal with, and time and again he does this. Sure, this way of writing works excellent and can be very useful, but only to a certain extent, and after a while it usefulness simply transforms into something that you just don't want to be reminded of. Perhaps it's just me, but I couldn't help but to find this method extremely irritating in the long run.

However, Vampires is in the end a book for everyone, skeptics and believers alike, since Konstantinos makes sure to remind the reader that even something as strange as the supernatural deserves to be taken seriously. And this is, of course, very true. You might not agree with some of his ideas, but so what? Many people do, and this alone makes the field a valid one to study. Still, it wouldn't surprise me of he finds his largest audience among the ones inclined to believe in those exact things the established scientific community considers to be pure nonsense.

That didn't matter much to me though, because I still had a good time reading it, and I managed to learn something new in the process.

Average customer rating:

Not Free SF Reader
Great Story
THE GODESS PANDORA!!!!
excellent!
Great Character - Weak Story

Pandora (New Tales of the Vampires)
Anne Rice
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345422384
Release Date: 1998-12-26

Amazon.com

Anne Rice fans will greet Pandora: New Tales of the Vampires, the first of her new vampire chronicles, as hungrily as the Fang Gang facing a fresh new neck. Our heroine, Pandora, a senator's daughter in Augustus Caesar's day, flees to Antioch when her family gets killed and discovers the antidote to stern Roman rationalism in the occult wisdom of the East. "Something attacked my reason," Pandora writes. "The very thing the Roman Emperors had so feared in Egyptian cults and Oriental cults swept over me: mystery and emotion which claim a superiority to reason and law."

Pandora gets her sexy vampire initiation at the fangs of handsome Marius (who later inducted Rice's famed vampire Lestat). Pandora tells how a nice Roman girl became a vampire in modern Paris, but mostly the book celebrates the sights and sounds (and philosophical bloodlettings) of the classical world. Pandora is more like Robert Graves's sublime I, Claudius than Rice's The Complete Vampire Chronicles.

Yet Pandora is a logical extension of Rice's work, and Pandora is a combination of her past vampire heroes and the nakedly, horrifyingly autobiographical heroine of Rice's 1997 novel Violin. Now, Violin is remarkably messy, but it captures the volcanic passion that erupts in her best work--Rice calls it "a study in pain." Pandora is really a dramatized debate between passion and reason, which Pandora calls "male reason." She teases her vampire mentor: "Marius guarded his delicate rationality as a Vestal Virgin guards a sacred flame. If ever any ecstatic emotion took hold of me, he [would] tell me in no uncertain terms that it was irrational, irrational, irrational!" (To hear how close Pandora's voice is to her passionate creator, listen to the 1997 audiocassette Interview with Anne Rice.)

Rice's research gives fresh blood to her storytelling. Even her chronic third-act problem scarcely slows down this brisk romp of a novel. Pandora has intellectual thirst as well as blood lust, and she conveys the high old time Rice obviously had imbibing historical lore. "It is fun to read these mad Gnostics!" exults Pandora in the early Christian era. It is also fun to read this mad Pandora. Anne Rice hasn't been this fun to read in years.

Book Description

Anne Rice, creator of the Vampire Lestat, the Mayfair witches and the amazing worlds they inhabit, now gives us the first in a new series of novels linked together by the fledgling vampire David Talbot, who has set out to become a chronicler of his fellow Undead.

The novel opens in present-day Paris in a crowded café, where David meets Pandora. She is two thousand years old, a Child of the Millennia, the first vampire ever made by the great Marius. David persuades her to tell the story of her life.

Pandora begins, reluctantly at first and then with increasing passion, to recount her mesmerizing tale, which takes us through the ages, from Imperial Rome to eighteenth-century France to twentieth-century Paris and New Orleans. She carries us back to her mortal girlhood in the world of Caesar Augustus, a world chronicled by Ovid and Petronius. This is where Pandora meets and falls in love with the handsome, charismatic, lighthearted, still-mortal Marius. This is the Rome she is forced to flee in fear of assassination by conspirators plotting to take over the city. And we follow her to the exotic port of Antioch, where she is destined to be reunited with Marius, now immortal and haunted by his vampire nature, who will bestow on her the Dark Gift as they set out on the fraught and fantastic adventure of their two turbulent centuries together.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

I have no idea why there has to be New Tales of the Vampires, when this book seems to be exactly the same sort of thing as The Vampire Armand or Blood and Gold, etc. That being a detailed look at the background and history of the vampire Pandora, and again, this book is of similar quality to those two.

Pandora is an interesting character, and it is certainly a change to have a female as the focal point rather than yet another pretty boy.

Great Story.......2007-04-06

This book is definitely one of my favorites from the Vampire Chronicles. I love the character. Some of Anne Rice's books are so drawn out with boring stories while Pandora seems alive. She's independent, smart, curious, mad, searching for comfort. We also get a good look at Marius, the elder vampire in charge of protecting the Queen of the Damned and her consort. I found the story riveting and a definite must-read for anyone who has read the other chronicles.

THE GODESS PANDORA!!!!.......2006-07-06

I only wish to be an honest reviewer, and as an honest reviewer I think the story Pandora was decent enough but not the best one Anne has written. To make some clarifications I'm not making any demands for an author to write a book to my standard, I'm only expressing my opinions.

I just became a huge fan of Anne's vampire books (interview, Lestat, Queen of the Damned) and loved Blood and Gold. After reading Blood and Gold (or the story of Marius) I thought the book Pandora might fill in some holes, For marius since he didn't have enough time to tell everythign about her. In the book Pandora, Pandora writes a story about her life to David Tabolt. In her big leather notebook it talks a lot about her Mortal past and her dreams of "rebirth". Almost half of the book is filled with mortal memories. Her past, unlike anyone else except Marius, has the most interesting past as a Roman lady. Her character even as a mortal and vampire is well expressed through the book, She independent, strongly intellectual, proud, clever, and free-spirited. She can be very fierce in arguments which can get pretty annoying at times. Her relationship with Marius is Errotic and loving, yet filled with arguments. Here, for those who admire Marius, Pandora reveals a lot of Marius' weaknesses more than Marius himself. He's depicted as weak (not his power, but more of his character and personality) and childish more than strong and mature which is very interesting. The book has done a good job describing some of the major conflict between Pandora and Marius, which I found sad and tragic.The book did very well with explaining how Pandora became a vampire.

To the darkside, Pandora warned that her story would be short and basic. For those who do not like short stories yet like Anne's books, I hope you'll bear with the book as you read. Pandora didn't mention about her point of view in certain events: Queen of the Damned, how she felt when she rescued marius, how she met Santinio for the second time, and attended a meeting with powerful and well known vampires. Blood and Gold, How did she meet an Asian (Indian to be more specific) male who became her fledgling and, ironically, a master. She didn't also describe her relationship with the Indian vampire. The funny part for me was, how did he turn out to enslave one of the most powreful vampire next to Marius? Also it contradicts her character, she's independent, strong, intellegent, and clever, yet she's controlled by this vampire? Maybe he was was too seductive to her but who knows. She didn't talk about the time when she killed the roman coven and met Santinio. The book never talked about how Pandora tried to search for Marius. Since Pandora's story is a short one, she didn't describe a lot about her relationship with Marius. It did however wrote about the factors that lead their relationship to break apart, but I just felt like there wasn't enough descripton about her relationship with Marius. Pandora also wrote other things that were for David Tabolt which would seem unimportant for some readers. About half of her book is about her mortal life which was well described and crucial, yet the other half ,which is about her life as a vampire, didn't really talk much about her vampire experience. The only part in the story about her vampire life that seemed important was her relationship with marius. The end of the book wasn't satisfying as well, she only talks to David Tabolt and wanted to go see Lestat (and Marius, who should be worth looking for if you're pandora). Despite these honest criticisms, Pandora did warn that her story would be short.

What Now? Do I reccomend readers to read this book? Yes and No. If you read Blood and Gold, Queen of the Damned, and Memnoch the Devil then You should read it but you might find it some-what dissapointing. If you only care about knowing Pandora, then yes I reccomend you this book. This book was written about Pandora and for Pandora, which I give credit for to Anne Rice especially how she wrote every word elegantly and dilegently.
I didn't find what I expected, but I did find more about Pandora herself and her philosophy.

excellent!.......2006-05-11

This book is a masterpiece.It reveals the tale of the beautiful pandora.It is definitely a must read.

Pandora is born with the name Lydia in the Roman Republic a few years before the birth of Christ to a Senatorial family. She is tall, with rippling brown hair and gold-brown eyes. She meets Marius for the first time when he is twenty-five and she is ten, and falls in love with him. Marius has the same feelings and asks Pandora's father for her hand in marriage. Unfortunately, his proposal is rejected and the two are not to meet for many years after.

Pandora's father holds a high rank as a Senator. But when a new emperor takes power, her family is betrayed by her own brother and killed. Only Pandora and her traitorous brother survive the massacre, and she is taken to Antioch (after changing her name) by a man who was very close to her father. There she meets Marius again, fifteen odd years after they first met. Unbeknownst to her, Marius is now a vampire.

She eventually finds out what Marius has become, and also that he protects and hides the Queen and King of all Vampires. The two care for the Royal Couple together for awhile before a vampire, Akabar, tries to steal the Queen's powerful and ancient blood. Marius and Pandora prevent him from carrying out his plan. To spite Marius, Akabar drains Pandora to the point of death. In order to save her, Marius is forced to make Pandora into a vampire. The pair stay together for the next two hundred years before arguing and separating.

The next time they meet again is in a Dresden ballroom in the early to mid-1700's. Marius tries in vain to make Pandora leave her companion and fledgling, Arjun, and come back to him.

The next and last time that they meet is in 1985, when she is among thirteen vampires who survived Akasha's killing spree and gathered at Maharet's house in the Sonoma compound to battle against Akasha. Pandora remains quiet and withdrawn throughout the whole ordeal, staring out the windows and saying little, rousing herself only once to say that Akasha is trying to justify deplorable "reasons" for a holocaust.

Like many of Anne Rice's vampires, Pandora is portrayed as a morose, despairing immortal who initially wanted immortality but soon regretted her choice and turns into a dark, indifferent cynic. Lestat thinks that Pandora was troubled in some deep, fundamental way even before she became a vampire because she's the only vampire who doesn't receive visions of Maharet and Mekare in her dreams. During the confrontation in Sonoma, when Akasha directly asks Pandora to join with her or die, Pandora merely responds in a quiet, indifferent voice that she can't do what Akasha is asking of her and stoically accepts the idea of being killed.

Even after Akasha herself is destroyed and the thirteen vampires regroup in Armand's Night Island in Florida, Pandora still acts withdrawn from her fellow vampire kin, watching music videos all day long and completely ignoring Marius, who dotes on her lovingly. There is no sense of recovery or security in her as there is with the other vampires, and she departs from Night Island alone, still just as morose as ever.

enjoy...Nigel

Great Character - Weak Story.......2006-02-17

Pandora is the beautiful, sad, and mysterious lover Marius who is first introduced in "Queen of the Damned" and later mentioned by Marius in his own story "Blood and Gold." David Talbold tracks down Pandora and asks her to tell him her story, so that he may document her tale. Born to a wealthy family in Rome, Pandora has idilic childhood and exhibits rare intelligence and capacity to learn. As a little girl she also encounters young and still mortal Marius, who forever captures her heart. As she matures, however, her life takes several drastic and tragic turns and after two unsuccessful marriages and loss of her family Pandora finds herself a newly-made blood drinker, joined with Marius, and bound to care for the horrifying and beautiful vampiric King and Queen.
Pandora's story is interesting, nothing more nothing less. I was pleased with the few erotic moments, the detailed historical backdrop, curious dress and custom discriptions, and Anne's comments on development of Christianity. However, the story feels hollow and poorly timed. We learn little of Pandora's travels after she leaves Marius, the growth of her character, experiences in immortality, and most unfortunately almost nothing about the fledgeleing Indian vampire she spent centuries with. Her fights with Marius are almost humorous, but
the whole theme of rationality vs intution is way overplayed.

The book started out well and picked up pace, and then it sort of hit the wall. The ending is rushed and makes little effort to bring closure to Pandora's story. Anne rushes through a huge timespan, mentioning only briefly things readers most want to learn about. It isn't a bad book, but fans BEWARE, Rice is going downhill with the quality and substance of her work. Lestat himself had editors for his untobiography and it would be wise of Anne to do the same. A lot of omissions, typos, and story weaknesses and inconsistencies could easily have been fixed with editorial help. Pandora is a strong and complex female character, and her story had a potential to be great, but ended up being only ok.

Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery (Bunnicula)

Average customer rating:

Excellent read aloud book
Bunnicula
This is a book pretty good
Bunnicula Book Review
A one-of-a-kind vampire tale that will give you goosebumps - accompanied by giggles!

Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery (Bunnicula)
Deborah Howe , and James Howe
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1416928170

Amazon.com

This immensely popular children's story is told from the point of view of a dog named Harold. It all starts when Harold's human family, the Monroes, goes to see the movie Dracula, and young Toby accidentally sits on a baby rabbit wrapped in a bundle on his seat. How could the family help but take the rabbit home and name it Bunnicula? Chester, the literate, sensitive, and keenly observant family cat, soon decides there is something weird about this rabbit. Pointy fangs, the appearance of a cape, black-and-white coloring, nocturnal habits … it sure seemed like he was a vampire bunny. When the family finds a white tomato in the kitchen, sucked dry and colorless, well … Chester becomes distraught and fears for the safety of the family. "Today, vegetables. Tomorrow … the world!" he warns Harold. But when Chester tries to make his fears known to the Monroes, he is completely misunderstood, and the results are truly hilarious. Is Bunnicula really a vampire bunny? We can't say. But any child who has ever let his or her imagination run a little wild will love Deborah and James Howe's funny, fast-paced "rabbit-tale of mystery." (Ages 9 to 12)

Book Description

BEWARE THE HARE!

Is he or isn't he a vampire?

Before it's too late, Harold the dog and Chester the cat must find out the truth about the newest pet in the Monroe household -- a suspicious-looking bunny with unusual habits...and fangs!

Customer Reviews:

Excellent read aloud book.......2007-05-06

I remember being read this book by one of my teachers in elementary school and bought it for my husband to read to my six year old son. It was a big hit and we've read most of the other books in the series aloud, too.

Bunnicula .......2007-04-17

Hey do you like mysteries because I sure do. Here's a great book for beginning readers it's called Bunnicula A rabbit tale of mystery. Our setting is in a house on a dark stormy night when the family comes home from the movies. They wake up a dog named Harold and a cat named Chester and in the mothers arms there new pet bunny they call Bunnicula. Then some mysterious crimes happen. When the vegetables turned white Harold and Chester are suspicious about Bunnicula because. They think he's a vampire and Chester plans to get rid of him.
So he tries garlic and all the other stuff they hate but. Right now I have to stop because. I don't want to spoil it for you so I'll just let you do the reading and. Here are some very good reasons to read this book. One it has a great mystery theme to it. Two it's a two thumbs up book for it's suspense in each chapter. Three because it's just plain fun to read I have one more reason why to read this wonderful book and it's about. How much I liked it because it made me laugh and it made me want to read more and more and. I simply thought it was entertaining. So I think you should defiantly read this wonderful book so happy reading.

This is a book pretty good.......2007-04-14

The book Bunnicula by James Howel is about a juice thirsty rabbit that is a vegetable vampire and he drinks the juice out of the fruit or vegetables and will steal your heart as well as your vegetables. He will drink their juice till they loose their color and turn white. If you see Bunnicula he will look as cuddly as any other rabbit, but looks can fool. He will take your veggies, so kids might think that it's a dream come true until you find out he likes fruits too. If you like funny strange books, this might be a book for you because, it's so good I don't even have to tell you, if you like it, then you can read it and don't forget there is a whole series of these books!

Bunnicula Book Review.......2007-04-11

I really liked the book Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe. I liked it because Pete said things like, "Harold drooled on my foot" and Chester read a book called Finding Yourself by Screaming A lot. I think that kids should read this book.

A one-of-a-kind vampire tale that will give you goosebumps - accompanied by giggles!.......2007-01-26

Harold the dog and Chester the cat think that they're in for a relaxing night by the fireplace, sheltered from the rain pelting the windows outside, when they are most rudely interrupted by the beloved Monroe family (Mom and Dad Monroe, and their two sons, Toby and Pete). Sure, the Monroe's are wonderful people, but everyone knows that when a dog and a cat have finally settled down and gotten comfortable for the night, it is extremely rude to disturb them. Especially when what you're disturbing them with is an unexpected addition to the family in the form of a rabbit with fangs. Who just so happens to have black and white markings that resemble a cape, and who, oddly enough, was found at a Dracula movie. The family soon names the little bunny Bunnicula - combing the words Dracula and bunny to come up with something extremely ridiculous - and give him a home in a cozy cage, where he receives crispy vegetables everyday. However, Chester knows that there is something very peculiar about this particular rabbit. Not only is he nocturnal, spending each and every daylight hour fast asleep, and waking only once the moon is in the sky; but ever since Bunnicula arrived, all of the vegetables in the house - even the ones in the refrigerator - have begun turning white, the victim of having had their juices sucked out of them, much like the way Dracula sucks the blood out of his victims. Of course, Chester is the only one who seems to notice these occurrences, for not only is he well-read, he's taken on the personality of Sherlock Holmes, and is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, even if it kills him, or lands him in the doghouse.

When I was in grade school, my classmates went absolutely wild for James Howe's BUNNICULA books, yet I never even picked one up, opting to read R.L. Stine's FEAR STREET series, or various fairytale's. However, after reading HOWLIDAY INN about a year ago, I instantly fell in love with the characters of Harold and Chester, and wanted to read more about them - I am certainly glad that I did. Unlike Harold and Chester, Bunnicula does not speak throughout this gory tale, but it is quite evident that he understands everything going on around him, based solely on the fact that his facial expressions reveal just that, and illustrate how he expresses his emotions. Harold is a lovable, shaggy dog, whose determination to knock some sense into Chester, and save Bunnicula from his mad scientist ways are heroic; while Chester's bizarre antics, and well-read nature make him absolutely hilarious. Bunnicula, on the other hand, is a breed of vampire that will stick out in reader's minds forever, as he is unique, and extremely strange - in a lovable way. While we do not encounter the Monroe children very often, the few times they come into scenes, they are extremely compassionate, and will appeal to animal lover's; while their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Monroe's inclusion of Chester, Harold, and even Bunnicula as family members is extremely refreshing and enjoyable. A one-of-a-kind vampire tale that will give you goosebumps - accompanied by giggles!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Average customer rating:

Extremely disappointing
Sayuri's Review
a tragic tale with a new twist on the vampire legend
Looking for something more frightenly disturbing than just a vampire novel? Look here.
A Quick Read if Nothing Else

Lost Souls
Poppy Brite
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0385308752
Release Date: 1992-09-01

Customer Reviews:

Extremely disappointing.......2007-08-22

I found this story to be too confused and busy. It meanders between characters until it brings them all together later on in the book, but it just seems like the brief moments of actual "action" are just huge build-ups of anticipation with an anti-climatic little *pop* of dénouement. In short, nothing's happening to keep me interested! The characters are fantastic, the author's descriptive powers are beyond compare, but there's just no story there.

I tend to like a good vampire fic to keep me shivering for a night or two. This one has kept me groaning night after night trying to finish it for almost three weeks (an exhaustively long time for me to finish a book). Ghost, Steve, Nothing, Christian, and Brite's version of the Stygian triplets are all rich, wonderful characters. Now if only she'd done something with them....

Disappointing, especially after all the good I'd heard about this author.

Sayuri's Review.......2007-03-27

I love this book. It was probably one of the best I have ever read. Brite made me sympathize with all of the characters and the story had me on edge for such a long time. I couldn't put it down! Her characters were so deep and developed that I felt as though there was no true villan to the book because every character has their good and bad side. It has also made me curious about Brite's other short stories about Ghost and Steve, and I would love to see this turned into a movie WITHOUT being butchered because it is such an amazing story that I feel many, many people should read about, at least once. Go out and buy it! You'll want to keep it after you read it, trust me!!

a tragic tale with a new twist on the vampire legend.......2007-02-06

Firstly, I should say that this book is a great read, especially towards the end of the novel, where it is less aimless and more structured in plot. It was hard for me to put it down and keep from finishing it. The book is aptly named "Lost Souls" because it is a very tragic tale, with all of the main characters and some ancillary ones "lost" to some degree or another.

To me, the genius of the novel was the characterization of Nothing, one of the main characters in the story. He's born in tragic circumstances, unloved, and therefore seeking love and acceptance, without a purpose in life, without family, and very amoral. He's one of the tragically lost characters of the novel, and, as Ghost does, who is another character of the novel, you can't but to feel sorry for Nothing, to have empathy with him.

But all of the characters, as I've mentioned, are lost in some way: Ann (tragically bounced about as an object of lust and love), Steve (unable to find himself in life), Ghost (unable to fit in due to his "gift"), Nothing, whom I've mentioned in detail, and even the vampires themselves. Christian, one of the vampires, is, like the humans in the story, lost and alone - which is probably why he has such a connection with Nothing. The other vampires who follow Zillah, the leader, are lost too, aimlessly living a life of blood, sensuality, and hedonism.

There is a new take on the vampire mythology in this book, which I found to be very, very interesting. There are different types of vampires described in the novel, each with their own characteristics. It makes it a very unique read.

The style of writing is very vivid, very descriptive, and simply quite beautiful to read - except for the lame comparison of semen to altars. It's just weird, to me. Yeah, I can see a spiritual connection of sorts, but not in the way it's expressed in the words of the author.

The only reason I didn't give this a five out of five review is the amoral, sexual imagery that is depicted in the novel. It reminds me of the latter novels by Anne Rice. Like her novels, there is this complete focus (99.9 %) on male homosexuality - no, or little, lesbianism, which I find ironic coming from women writers. Every man is gay or bisexual. It's like revisionist history applied to human sexuality. It's pure fantasy, just like vampires, and completely unrealistic. Not every man is gay or bisexual. It's unrealistic and annoying to read. It's a dream, wishful thinking, nothing more. The sexual imagery is degenerate and amoral. What else can you say about sex between men and boys and incest? Is this normal now? The other thing that detracts from the novel regarding the sexual imagery is how it follows, as does Anne Rice, a formula for a modern day vampire character: the must be male and, invariably, gay, or at least bisexual, and completely amoral. They've reduced characterization to a stereotype, a caricature. The sexual imagery is portrayed not in a tragic light, but as "normal." All sexuality in novels like this is so extremely overt, in your face like a car crash. Nothing is left to the imagination. There is no subtlety. It's about as sensual as porn or a street walker.

I would describe this novel as something like neo-Gothic. Like Gothic novels, it has the grotesque (vampires, extreme sexuality, etc.), loss (Nothing's youth and innocence, Steve's love loss, etc.), death and murder, madness (the vampires, especially Zillah), vengeance (Steve's vengeance on the vampires), hedonism, and other dark imagery. It's definitely worth reading if you can get past the extreme, albeit unrealistic, images of male sexuality and incest.

Looking for something more frightenly disturbing than just a vampire novel? Look here........2007-01-12

This book is beyond anything I ever read.. I just finished this book. While I'm more used to Anne Rice's more classic vampire stories, this one just puts me over the edge. I did miss the vampires in Rice's stories, but this one is just different. It kept me on the edge for sure, while Rice's script can sometimes get dull and boring. There are a lot of suprising and disturbing parts in this novel that is definately not for the weak mind. It left me page turning though and kept me with interest. Although like a previous reviewer it's hard to sympathesize with some of the characters, unlike with Anne Rice's novels, but I suppose this is why it's considered a horror story. But I found the characters too self centered except for maybe the character Ghost and maybe Christian later on (I almost felt sorry for him when he was killed *spoiler, sorry*). Another thing that was annoying was that it seemed so stereotypical on the gothic scene...and always has something about [insert popular gothic band here]. It's enjoyable for what it's worth though, and will definately look for more Poppy Z. Brite novels as this was my first.

A Quick Read if Nothing Else.......2006-10-17

When I first read the summary of Lost Souls I knew I had to get this book. So, on what would end up being an long journey, I phoned my local second hand book stores and after going to three finally found one that actually had a copy (despite the others that were 'supposed to have one, miss, sorry'). I couldn't wait to read it, and in two days I'd finished the book.

Now, perhaps it was because my sights had been set so high, or perhaps I expected a well written novel when there was none, but 'Lost Souls' disappointed me severely. As another reviewer said Nothing, the main character, is possibly one of the most selfish characters I've come across. I'm fine with selfish characters, I myself loved Lestat of the Vampire Chronicles, but only when they're well written. We're meant to sympathize with him but I found it impossible to do so. He is honestly a selfish teenager and even while reading this when I was a teenager I wanted Nothing to come to some revelation. I found the only character I felt bad for in the novel died early on. While the rest of the novel was supposed to be tense, or possibly filled with horror, I found I was flipping through without a true care as to what happened to the main characters. There were a few moments of suspense but nothing too frightful. In all honesty, the book reminded me of the countless horror stories that fill writing websites [...]

Overall, I would say it's worth a read if you've nothing else to do and are craving any type of vampire story. Just don't expect too much.

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