THE VAMPIRE IS EVERYTHING WE LOVE ABOUT SEX AND THE NIGHT AND
THE DARK DREAM-SIDE OF OURSELVES:
ADVENTURE ON THE EDGE OF PAIN, THE THRILL TO BE HAD FROM
BREAKING TABOOS.
POPPY Z. BRITE, FROM INTRODUCTION
TO HER ANTHOLOGY "LOVE IN VEIN"
THE VAMPIRE…………….ONCE AN UNWILLING VICTIM, NOW THE PREDATOR. WE ARE DRAWN TO THIS CREATURE, HE BEGUILES US AND SEDUCES OUR SENSES AS WE L0NG TO ENTER HIS DARK EMBRACE. TRULY BEGINNING IN 1897, WITH BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA, OUR IMAGINATIONS COULD FINALLY DEFINE THIS SEDUCTIVE BEING. MANY AUTHORS CONTINUE TO EMBELLISH THIS LEGEND, YET ANNE RICE HAS MADE THE VAMPIRE THREE-DIMENSIONAL. HER VAMPIRE CHRONCLES, REVOLVING AROUND THE TALES OF LESTAT, DELVE DEEP INTO THEIR UNDEAD LIVES. HER STORIES WEAVE THE VAMPIRE MYTH INTO REALITY………… WE CAN SEE, HEAR, FEEL AND EVEN TASTE WHAT THESE ENTICING BEINGS DO. THEY ARE MORE THAN MYTH OR LEGEND NOW, THEY WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US, THEY ARE IMMORTAL.
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VAMPIRES IN LITERATURE (JUST A FEW LISTED HERE, LET ME KNOW ABOUT YOUR FAVORITES) |
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DRACULA |
(1897) |
BRAM STOKER |
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SALEM'S LOT |
(1971) |
STEPHEN KING |
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INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE |
(1976) |
ANNE RICE |
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THE SPACE VAMPIRES |
(1976) |
BRIAN LUMLEY |
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THE KEEP |
(1981) |
F. PAUL WILSON |
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THE HUNGER |
(1981) |
WHITLEY STREIBER |
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VAMPIRE JUNCTION |
(1984) |
S.P. SOMTOW |
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THE VAMPIRE LESTAT |
(1985) |
ANNE RICE |
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THEY THIRST |
(1988) |
ROBERT MCCAMMON |
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THE QUEEN OF THE DAMNED |
(1988) |
ANNE RICE |
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CARRION COMFORT |
(1989) |
DAN SIMMONS |
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THE TALE OF THE BODY THIEF |
(1992) |
ANNE RICE |
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MEMNOCH THE DEVIL |
(1995) |
ANNE RICE |
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VIRTUOUS VAMPIRES |
(1996) |
ASSORTED AUTHORS |
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MANSIONS OF DARKNESS |
(1996) |
CHELSEA QUINN YARBRO |
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BRAM STOKER WROTE WHAT IS CONSIDERED BY MANY PEOPLE TO BE THE MOST POTENT HORROR NOVEL EVER TO HAUNT THE IMAGINATION. SINCE ITS FIRST PUBLICATION IN 1897, DRACULA HAS NEVER BEEN OUT OF PRINT. AT TIMES, IT MUST SEEM AS IF STOKER SINGLE-HANDEDLY CREATED MOST OF THE MYTHS SURROUNDING VAMPIRES. NOT QUITE, BUT WHAT HE DID DO WAS TAKE THE MANY DIFFERENT (AND SOMETIMES CONTRADICTORY) LEGENDS OF EUROPEAN FOLKLORE AND MERGE THEM TOGETHER INTO ONE POWERFUL MONSTER. ALONG THE WAY, HIS OWN IMAGINATION ADDED SOME CHARACTERISTICS THAT LATER CAME TO BE ACCEPTED AS DEFINITIVE VAMPIRE TRAITS.
R.C. WELCH "VAMPIRE ALMANAC"
