Friday! Time to talk about books I'm reading (or have already finished).
The Fall, Guillermo del Torro and Chuck Hogan
What is it: Mainstream horror. Sequel to The Strain. The third book, The Night Eternal, comes out in hardcover this autumn.
What's it about: Vampirism as viral outbreak. Heroes from The Strain continue their struggle against an epidemic sweeping across NYC. The Center for Disease Control's lead doctor is now a fugitive from the authorities because they won't admit the truth about the fast spreading contagion. A new war is erupting between the rogue vampire master and his old "brothers"; he wants to take over the world, and they want to stop him. The key is an ancient text full of vampire info that everyone wants to possess.
Why I like it: It's thriller-esque and I really liked the premise. I like vampire books where the vamps are monsters. del Torro and Hogan have created interesting vampires who pass along their disease through worms, like internal leeches. Instead of biting their victims with their mouths, they pierce their victims' necks with a stinger.
What I didn't like: This is a plot driven story, so the characters were adequate, but not particularly deep. There was enough to let me know why certain characters chose to act in a particular way, but I was left with a lot more questions than answers.
Final thoughts: This is a fast-paced, plot/concept-oriented series. The characterization is light--the internal struggles are clear, but this isn't about the characters, it's about the virus and the takeover by the vampires. I can see this being turned into a movie. It's similar to the Hot Zone without the melodrama and moral judgement. There's no religious discussion in The Fall.
Anno Dracula, Kim Newman
What is it: Alternative History/Horror
What's it about: Queen Victoria has remarried the Wallachian Prince infamously known as Count Dracula. His vampiric progeny run rampant through the streets of London creating a new class system of Vampires and Humans. A killer stalks through Whitechapel cutting down vampire prostitutes. And van Helsing's head rots on a pike at Buckingham palace.
Why I like it: Lots of fictional characters walk alongside historical ones in a mystery deftly unwound through the streets of 1888 London. I really love how Newman weaves the era into one believable tapestry where characters like Sherlock Holmes exist alongside Oscar Wilde and Dr. Moreau. The vampire hunters from Stokers' Dracula utterly failed, and vampires now walk among the living as regular ole' Londoners.
The story is really a mystery surrounding the identy of Jack the Ripper; he's called "the Silver Knife" here because silver hurts vampires. The murdered prostitutes are all vampires, and so the investigators are convinced the serial killer is anti-vamp in a society where vampirism is fast becoming the preferred status. The prostitutes are all the same victims from the historic Ripper case, but the investigators are not the usual suspects. It's a well done novel of suspense written with the sensibilities of the late 1800s and still entertaining enough to keep me on the edge of my seat.
What I didn't like about it: I'm not a big fan of this new edition's cover (I have the new trade paperback)--too busy. I read this book way back in the early 90s when it first came out, but can't remember what the cover was back then. Other than the cover, nothing obvious springs to mind.
Final thoughts: If you like Stoker's Dracula, Sherlock Holmes' mysteries, the Jack the Ripper case, and vampires, you will probably like Anno Dracula. If you prefer not to have to check wikipedia every time Newman introduces a new character, you might find it a little tedious (or you could just skip right over the minor characters that gave me a thrill; doesn't hurt the enjoyment of the plot). If you like your vampires more monsterous or prefer faster paced stories set in contemporary times, you might prefer del Torro and Hogan's Strain books. Anno Dracula is perfect for anyone who enjoys a Victoriana novel of vampires and mystery.
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