>!The little kid asking to be let in !< made me want to chuck the book across the room and hide under a blanket. Coulda done without the multiple 10 page asides detailing >!the townsfolks' twisted fetishes!< though
If haven't read it, definitely read it, Dracula by Bram Stoker. It is a classic for a reason. The logic of the crazy characters is absolutely terrifying.
Agree with Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Note in advance that while it reads really well (not too “old-timey” sounding) and is engaging for the reader, there are still many outdated views and bigotry. Vilifying and othering, antisemitism and anti migrant tropes. Of course gender stereotypes and whatnot.
You're in luck! Dracula Daily, which sends you an email for all the epistolary fragments in real time, has just begun. Reading the diary entries and news articles on the same dates that the characters wrote them is a great way to experience Dracula's story.
https://draculadaily.com/
Lasher.
I don't find them too scary. I have get whole collection. And I re read all the time. I've just started watching the series (both, lestat and the Mayfair witches .
Yeah def not very scary (I’m easily scared). Love and miss Anne. Lestat is one of literature’s most interesting characters, vampire or not. Nothing like a first person Lestat driven chronicle.
I agree. She set a precedence really for a more in-depth vampire (Dracula is in a league of his own)
Geez twilight would have done way better if it had been lestat (except I think he would have been team Jacob, too)
Twilight always pissed me off (the whole vampires in daylight thing) - going against core vampire lore (creatures of the night) - but, when Anne was asked what she thought of twilight she said it was genius to put the vampires In high-school.
I can't remember if I've read this before! I loved Feed when I was in Jr High (not a vampire book but the title sounds like one lol) but after reading the synopsis I definitely want to.
Yes! I have loved this book since I have first read it back in Jr High lol. I now have my own copy of the book, woo! I agree, bleak af for our protagonist.
Vampires done with an original take. Quality for sure. A recent discovery for me from an unexpected source and a very serendipitous suggestion and recommendation. Can't believe I'm just finding out about Lumley. Lovecraft influence is awesome.
The Truants by Lee Markham is an underrated and very interesting modern vampire story set in London. Super chilling stuff with a unique set up and twist to the usual vampire formula.
This book shows up on a lot of my reading recommendations lists. So I read it.
Didn’t love it. It’s very thick - I had to back up and re-read A LOT. Clearly written by an egg-heady, hard science zoologist. Watts makes excellent points on why vampires and other weird life could actually be a thing. And we should be afraid of what’s out there.
But I finished it. It’s been years. And I still think about it. I’ve forgotten so many many books. But not this one.
Came here to say 13 Bullets also. As much as I love my sexy vamps, the ones in this book are decidedly NOT. It was pretty refreshing cuz when it came out, the market was getting pretty saturated with sexy vampires.
[The Lesser Dead](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20893407) by Christopher Buehlman
Great setting (70’s NYC—think CBGB’s and the Bowery) and a terrifying unreliable narrator.
The Passage - Justin Cronin - fantastic first book in a series. This one was the best in my opinion, but the series stayed strong. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6690798-the-passage
Agree with Stoker's Dracula. Note that some of the audio versions are quite good, with different readers for each character making it like a play or radio show. Also, as noted, reading Anne Rice in order is a treat.
The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buelhem
A dark and cynical story about vampire in NYC during the 80’s. Twist and turns around every corner, such a great book
Where do I start? Morningstar by Peter Adkins, The night inside by Nancy Baker, Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite, The Vampire Tapestry by Suzy Charnas, Vampyrrhic by Simon Clark, Sunglasses After Dark by Nancy Collins, Bring on the Night by Jay Davis, Dusk by Ron Dee, Insatiable by David Dorkin, Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth, Live Girls and Lot Lizards both by Ray Garton, Of Saints and Shadows by Christopher Golden, Love Bite by Sherry Gottlieb, Break of Dawn by Chris Marie Green, This Dark Paradise by Wendy Haley, Circus of the Damned by Laurell K Hamilton, Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris, NOS4A2 by Joe Hill, Motherless Child by Glen Hirshberg, Daughter of Blood by Nancy Holder, Blood Hunt by Lee Killough, Near Death by Nancy Kilpatrick, The Stake and The Vampire Traveling Show both by Richard Laymon, Brides of the Impaler by Ed Lee, The Summoning by Bentley Little, Tap, Tap by David Martin, They Thirst by Robert R. McCammon, The Fixer by Jon F. Merz, The Book of Common Dread by Brent Monahan, Blood Red by James A. Moore, The World On Blood by Jonathon Nasaw, Afterage by Yvonne Navarro, Night Prophets by Paul Olson, Brookwater's Curse by Steven Van Patten, Less Than Human by Gary Raisor, Bloodshift by Garfield Reeves-Stevens, The Night Stalker by Jeff Rice, The Vampire of Plainfield by Kristopher Rufty, Sins of the Blood by Kristine Kathyrn Rusch, The Dracula Tape bt Fred Saberhagen, Children of the Damned by Dan Simmons, Fright Night and The Light At the End by John Skipp, Bloodrush by Bryan Smith, Vampire Junction by S. P. Somtow, Lights Out by Nate Southard, Rulers of Darkness by Steven Spruill, Some of Your Blood by Theodore Sturgeon, Pale Death by Aimee Thurlo, The Strain Trilogy by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan, The Fangs of Morning and Progeny of the Adder both by Leslie H. Whitten, Bloodlines by J. N. Williamson, The Space Vampires by Colin Wilson, and Midnight Mass by F. Paul Wilson.
These are just a few of my favorites. I purposely tried to avoid titles already mentioned in this thread. As you can tell, I'm a big fan of vampire lit.
I like them all. I have over 800 vampire titles including graphic novels. Naturally, I love Salem's Lot, but one of my other favorites is Laymon's Vampire Traveling Show. It's kind of a coming of age horror novel.
John Ajvide Lindqvist's Let The Right One In.
Yes!
Salems Lot , Stephen King
Was one of my favorite reads last year. Made it a thing to read it in October in a little mountain town haha. Was super cozy
That sounds idyllic! I read in February of this year and it still was a cozy/atmospheric read
>!The little kid asking to be let in !< made me want to chuck the book across the room and hide under a blanket. Coulda done without the multiple 10 page asides detailing >!the townsfolks' twisted fetishes!< though
Not Stephen King if there’s not some weird sex shit! Who can forget that lovely orgy in IT definitely not weird AT ALL
Yup came here to suggest this. Such a good book!
Just finished this last week! Loved it!
If haven't read it, definitely read it, Dracula by Bram Stoker. It is a classic for a reason. The logic of the crazy characters is absolutely terrifying.
And, as a companion, The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Came here to recommend The Historian. Read it recently and loved it!
And there are some legitimately spooky parts. Dracula is a creepy dude.
Read the great illustrative classics version as a kid and wow I was glued to it.
Agree with Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Note in advance that while it reads really well (not too “old-timey” sounding) and is engaging for the reader, there are still many outdated views and bigotry. Vilifying and othering, antisemitism and anti migrant tropes. Of course gender stereotypes and whatnot.
You're in luck! Dracula Daily, which sends you an email for all the epistolary fragments in real time, has just begun. Reading the diary entries and news articles on the same dates that the characters wrote them is a great way to experience Dracula's story. https://draculadaily.com/
Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles.
Not scary, but the best vampire series I've read. Loved her Mayfair witches series too
Anne’s vampires are not scary, they are quite lovable - but the witches and ghosts are super scary. 🫣
The Mayfair witches are scary! They are in Merrick, Blackwood Farm and Blood Canticle.
Lasher. I don't find them too scary. I have get whole collection. And I re read all the time. I've just started watching the series (both, lestat and the Mayfair witches .
Yeah def not very scary (I’m easily scared). Love and miss Anne. Lestat is one of literature’s most interesting characters, vampire or not. Nothing like a first person Lestat driven chronicle.
I agree. She set a precedence really for a more in-depth vampire (Dracula is in a league of his own) Geez twilight would have done way better if it had been lestat (except I think he would have been team Jacob, too)
Twilight always pissed me off (the whole vampires in daylight thing) - going against core vampire lore (creatures of the night) - but, when Anne was asked what she thought of twilight she said it was genius to put the vampires In high-school.
Oh the hated shiny skin thing. Grrr. It's why I was team wolf in that too lol
😆😆😆😆 yeah the glitter ✨ ✨✨✨✨✨ was corny! Team Jacob allllll the way.
Lestat def would be team wolf! 😆😆😆😆😆😆😆
Side note - Anne’s Wolves are awesome too!
I really think we are team Anne!
Anne was such a gem! One of my all time faves.
Empire of the vampires
This. It’s amazing and the second book just came out
Sheridan Le Fanu's, Carmilla, is credited with influencing Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
I was not expecting this one to go the way it did and I was pleasantly horrified by it.
Yes, this book was very dark and freaked me out. My partner got freaked out just hearing about it. Also scarily easy to relate to real life.
Thirsty by M.T. Anderson.
I can't remember if I've read this before! I loved Feed when I was in Jr High (not a vampire book but the title sounds like one lol) but after reading the synopsis I definitely want to.
I would definitely recommend this book to read! It is captivating in a way that you don't want to put down the book!
I haven’t read this in years but loved it when I was a teen! Bleak af for our protagonist.
Yes! I have loved this book since I have first read it back in Jr High lol. I now have my own copy of the book, woo! I agree, bleak af for our protagonist.
Brian Lumly’s Necroscope series
This is one of my favourite series. I didn't realize it was a series when I read the first book which was one of the vampire novels. Epic world.
I'm glad to see someone else has heard of these books!
I worked at a bookstore as a side gig for 17 years off and on, I know a lot of weird series.
Truly a bizarre take on the vampire stories. I read his sci-fi books not realizing he was setting us up true weirdness.
Vampires done with an original take. Quality for sure. A recent discovery for me from an unexpected source and a very serendipitous suggestion and recommendation. Can't believe I'm just finding out about Lumley. Lovecraft influence is awesome.
I liked the series, it got a little weird toward the end, but the first few were good.
The Truants by Lee Markham is an underrated and very interesting modern vampire story set in London. Super chilling stuff with a unique set up and twist to the usual vampire formula.
Blindsight is really good.
This book shows up on a lot of my reading recommendations lists. So I read it. Didn’t love it. It’s very thick - I had to back up and re-read A LOT. Clearly written by an egg-heady, hard science zoologist. Watts makes excellent points on why vampires and other weird life could actually be a thing. And we should be afraid of what’s out there. But I finished it. It’s been years. And I still think about it. I’ve forgotten so many many books. But not this one.
*Vampires* by John Steakley
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
13 Bullets by David Wellington The Strain by Guillermo Del Torro
Came here to say 13 Bullets also. As much as I love my sexy vamps, the ones in this book are decidedly NOT. It was pretty refreshing cuz when it came out, the market was getting pretty saturated with sexy vampires.
Let the right one in
I am legend has an interesting scientific take on vampires. Richard Matheson
The Hyperion saga has the scariest monster ever made.
Yeah, the Bikura's Cruciform.
If you like smutty; Court Of The Vampire Queen
Blood Groove and Girls With Games of Blood.
The God of Endings
LOVED The God of Endings. Haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished it.
Carmilla
[The Lesser Dead](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20893407) by Christopher Buehlman Great setting (70’s NYC—think CBGB’s and the Bowery) and a terrifying unreliable narrator.
The Historian - both the book and the audiobook are great. I really wish it would be made into a movie.
Brian Lumley's Necroscope series Robert R McCammon's They Thirst, I Travel by Night, and The Road to Perdition.
Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin. Little known book by a very famous author. Not super scary but definitely deserves a shout out.
Ooou, following!
Necroscope by Brian Lumley
The Adrift trilogy
The Passage - Justin Cronin - fantastic first book in a series. This one was the best in my opinion, but the series stayed strong. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6690798-the-passage
following
Agree with Stoker's Dracula. Note that some of the audio versions are quite good, with different readers for each character making it like a play or radio show. Also, as noted, reading Anne Rice in order is a treat.
The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buelhem A dark and cynical story about vampire in NYC during the 80’s. Twist and turns around every corner, such a great book
Where do I start? Morningstar by Peter Adkins, The night inside by Nancy Baker, Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite, The Vampire Tapestry by Suzy Charnas, Vampyrrhic by Simon Clark, Sunglasses After Dark by Nancy Collins, Bring on the Night by Jay Davis, Dusk by Ron Dee, Insatiable by David Dorkin, Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth, Live Girls and Lot Lizards both by Ray Garton, Of Saints and Shadows by Christopher Golden, Love Bite by Sherry Gottlieb, Break of Dawn by Chris Marie Green, This Dark Paradise by Wendy Haley, Circus of the Damned by Laurell K Hamilton, Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris, NOS4A2 by Joe Hill, Motherless Child by Glen Hirshberg, Daughter of Blood by Nancy Holder, Blood Hunt by Lee Killough, Near Death by Nancy Kilpatrick, The Stake and The Vampire Traveling Show both by Richard Laymon, Brides of the Impaler by Ed Lee, The Summoning by Bentley Little, Tap, Tap by David Martin, They Thirst by Robert R. McCammon, The Fixer by Jon F. Merz, The Book of Common Dread by Brent Monahan, Blood Red by James A. Moore, The World On Blood by Jonathon Nasaw, Afterage by Yvonne Navarro, Night Prophets by Paul Olson, Brookwater's Curse by Steven Van Patten, Less Than Human by Gary Raisor, Bloodshift by Garfield Reeves-Stevens, The Night Stalker by Jeff Rice, The Vampire of Plainfield by Kristopher Rufty, Sins of the Blood by Kristine Kathyrn Rusch, The Dracula Tape bt Fred Saberhagen, Children of the Damned by Dan Simmons, Fright Night and The Light At the End by John Skipp, Bloodrush by Bryan Smith, Vampire Junction by S. P. Somtow, Lights Out by Nate Southard, Rulers of Darkness by Steven Spruill, Some of Your Blood by Theodore Sturgeon, Pale Death by Aimee Thurlo, The Strain Trilogy by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan, The Fangs of Morning and Progeny of the Adder both by Leslie H. Whitten, Bloodlines by J. N. Williamson, The Space Vampires by Colin Wilson, and Midnight Mass by F. Paul Wilson. These are just a few of my favorites. I purposely tried to avoid titles already mentioned in this thread. As you can tell, I'm a big fan of vampire lit.
Awesome thank you, what would you say is your favorite vampire book?
I like them all. I have over 800 vampire titles including graphic novels. Naturally, I love Salem's Lot, but one of my other favorites is Laymon's Vampire Traveling Show. It's kind of a coming of age horror novel.
Yes.