Vampire Books?

[Lauren Holgate]

How do you feel about the vampire genre?

 

Personally, I am not a vampire book kind of girl.

That being said, I did try the Meyer series and will admit I had trouble putting the first novel down once begun.  I took it with me to the beach and read from sun-up till sun-down.  From here on out I will always associate that novel with the most tan I’ve ever been (happiness itself).

I also tried out Robin McKinley’s vampire novel entitled Sunshine.  It is certainly a refreshing take on vampire literature.  Although it has its fair share of sensual moments, the book itself is far from a romance novel.  It feels less like a fairy tale and more like science fiction, focusing primarily on survival rather than a possible love story between human and vampire (in fact, I’m not entirely certain there was one).

Sunshine is set in an alternate universe, a world which is populated not only by humans but also vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, and demons (collectively referred to as the “Others”).   In fact, McKinley spends so much time developing the setting that the plot feels a bit slow.  It’s definitely not a page-turner.  She does, however, manage to create several lovable characters, not to mention the refreshingly humorous and self-deprecating thought-life of the heroine herself, Rae Seddon.

 

- Lauren

 

Ladaisi Blog

 

 

[Annabel xxxx]

I love the vampire genre and I read a lot of books about vampires. One of the series I really like is Vampire academy and I just found the Chicagoland vampires wich is also a really good vampire series. Really refreshing it's about a girl that just turned into a vampire and trying to find her way in the vampire community and the house she belongs to. It's really funny to read and I like the storyline

[Kyanara Night]

I am a big vampire book fan aswell.

I must admit I do not like all vampire books, some are just not that appealing to me.

Mostly the books that involve to much sex. Some vamp books do have to much of that in it.

But there are plenty of books left that involve vampires and which I totaly love.

I am a big fan of the chicacoland vampire series. But also the house of night series. This book just gives you a whole new vieuw of the "becoming a vampire".

[janicedaniel]

I agree some of the vamp books are to full of sex there is no story.but some of them i love as well.Just not sure of what authors to get!!!

[Edward L Cote]

I agree with this, and I am planning accordingly. That's one of the reasons I'm doing something totally different. I want to get started right when the vampire craze is dying out and people are finishing up reading The Hunger Games.

 

Another reason is that I never liked vampires to begin with. My favorite classic movie monster was the werewolf, but even those are played out now, let alone vampires and zombies.

[janicedaniel]

Oh what a shame i had better get going and read them all!!

[Essord]

I pretty much avoid the vampire genre or at least any books in which they are the main protagonists. The writers just use them in any way they seem fit, which is always promoted as "a new take on the genre", but I see it as usually a standard story with a vampiric twist. I guess it sells but as it always happens these days with things that gets popular, they get milked and milked for money until we've seen such an overload that nobody can stand it anymore, and that's a pity. Who will notice now if a really good vampire story gets published? I for sure can't. Just as I can't understand why people see vampires as being cool or great.

[Gareth Wilson]

I do enjoy vampire series and one thats out now is by Alyxandra Harvey, its a little different and a good one for the YA audience.

 

Part of the problem is that theres too many out there and unfortunately its gone quite stale.  Readers want something new, something exciting, and to be honest I think that if you want to write a paranormal novel you'll have to look at something a little different or work on a more obscure part of the mythos perhaps looking more at the Eastern myths involved.  Theres plenty and with a good blend you can come up with something a little different or special.

[Annabel xxxx]

Well I've been a fan of the vampire genre for quite a while now. I've read Anne rice and my all time favourite vampire book is Dracula. There are a lot of vampire books out there, but it's not like I buy everything that has vampire in the title of description. I read the books for fun not because I think they are the best books ever writen but because I like the stories

[Kyanara Night]

I must say that I in some way agree that the whole "vampire" theme is being hyped at the moment. And that there are a lot of people trying to make some money out of this hype. Which leads to the fact that there are some books out there that really are a terrible read.

True.

I think we can not deny that fact. And I can understand why people hate or dislike the vampire genre and think it's overrated.

But I think we must not forget that there are people in this world, that have loved vampire stories way before they were all hyped up. And that there will always be people who love the stories about vampires.

I myself have been reading vampire stories for some time now, even before the hype all started, and probably will enjoy reading a good vampire story long after the hype.

Yes it may be harder to get books about vampires in some years from now.

But I see it this way.

When that time comes, the stories will be written by people who enjoy a good vampire story, and have been for quite some time aswell, and that will only bring us better stories, better books in the future.

[Christopher Bunn]

I'm pretty much done with vampires. The whole genre leaves me feeling rather, er, drained. It seems like most of the books written in that vein are rehashes of two basic stories: the Person in love with a Vampire, or the Person who goes out and kills Vampires. As there is a thin red line between love and hate, those two stories are almost the same story.

 

That said, I'd eagerly read a vampire story if it was written by Daniel Pinkwater or Douglas Adams. Though, Adams would have to come back from the dead to write one, which would make him either a zombie or a vampire. That might complicate things.

[Andrea Bennett]

I think that many of the new vampire books out there are all the same, with a few plot details or characters switched.  That said, there are actually some decent ones I suppose.  I like Vampire Academy pretty well, and Sunshine sounds interesting.

However, the bad ones really do tarnish the whole genre.  I read the first House of Night novel and thought it was absolutely awful.  I only finished it because I wanted to count the pages for my English grade!

I also never really liked the Twilight series, but I do think that I'll check out Sunshine.

[Marian Perera]

I liked Interview with the Vampire and loved The Vampire Lestat (the book, not the film). But that was mostly thanks to Lestat's character - so hedonistic and unpredictable, a glamorous loose cannon. Never a dull moment with him around. I don't think any other vampire could quite live up to him for me, especially not any who fall in love with humans or protect humans.

The vampire sub-genre has become glutted. Anyone writing in it would have to stand out from the crowd to attract attention - either come up with a new take on the idea or steer it in a new (but still marketable) direction, as Meyer did by combining paranormal with YA.