Loading...
212th out of 985 books
—
4,416 voters
My rating:
add to my books
Vampire$
This is bestselling author John Steakley's vampire classic: Vampires infest the modern world and a group of brave people-professional vampire killers-devote their lives to hunting them down.
Paperback, 368 pages
Published
May 5th 1992
by Roc
(first published May 5th 1990)
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,045)
Vampire$ is the second book by John Steakley. If the character names are familiar, it's because they are recycled from his previous novel, "Armor". Jack Crow, instead of being a famous space pirate, is now the leader of a group that hunts and kills vampires for profit. Felix, rather than being an expert ant-killer, is now a gunman.
The Plot:
Jack Crow leads a Vatican-subsidized band of mercenaries whose sole purpose is to kill vampires. Usually, vampires invade a sm...more
The Plot:
Jack Crow leads a Vatican-subsidized band of mercenaries whose sole purpose is to kill vampires. Usually, vampires invade a sm...more
Seriously. This is my all time favorite book. I've had to buy it three times because I read it over and over and eventually the binding wears out and the pages fall out.
It's not a great literary find. It's not going to change the world. It's about vampire hunters. But I loved every character, I love the story the author told, I cared what happened.
It could be that it was my age when I read it. Whatever. I love Team Crow. And I still do.
It's not a great literary find. It's not going to change the world. It's about vampire hunters. But I loved every character, I love the story the author told, I cared what happened.
It could be that it was my age when I read it. Whatever. I love Team Crow. And I still do.
view 2 comments
Not a perfect book, and it's not like I'm well-read when it comes to Vampire novels, but I highly recommend this one. Don't bother with that Twilight stuff, here's the real blood and guts (and spines and viscera and...)
So what's so great about the book?
1) The creatures. There are various levels of vampires, and all of them are bloodthirsty fiends. They start as goons (basically shambling zombies), then graduate up to vampire status, and finally "master"...more
I'm not sure what people who regularly read this stuff will think, but for someone who isn't into horror/thriller/Ann Rice I am shocked that I loved it. Brilliant. Lots of death, gore, swearing, and sex, and yet somehow I was never offended (though at times did have to put it down). Great characterization and great story. Author handled pacing very well - not so tense that you're worn out, yet definitely a page turner.
It is a pity that one can not give negative stars on Good Reads. Actually it is possibly an abomination even writing about this book on a site called Good Reads. Well, I am just too lazy to surf the web looking for: www.ohgodwhydidIwasteprecioushoursofmyli... thiswhenIcouldhavebeendoingsomethingbetterlikecryingandmasturbating.com.
This is one of those rare instances where one can say whole heartedly that the movie was better than the book. The movie was crap, but it had its pluses. I...more
This is one of those rare instances where one can say whole heartedly that the movie was better than the book. The movie was crap, but it had its pluses. I...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
If I could give a book zero stars, this one would merit that rating. I started it thinking it was a new take on vampire novels, the vampire hunter as a business. However, it reads like it was largely copied from the plot of the movie; "John Carpenter's Vampires," as if channeled by someone aspiring to be the next Hemingway. The dialog is so stilted it's ludicrous, and the characters give two-dimensionality a whole new meaning.
I would still have been willing to read it, i...more
I would still have been willing to read it, i...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
A little on the fence with this book and not sure I can put my finger on what was wrong with it. Parts of it were rousing adventure/horror; other parts not so much. I grew tired fast with all the tears and uber testosterone weep-fests that occured after every vampire encounter. And I found vast chunks of the book as weirdly sentimental as Beth's death in Little Women.
Also the style of writing is a little florid. Don't get me wrong, the writing is a cut above most books like this, bu...more
Also the style of writing is a little florid. Don't get me wrong, the writing is a cut above most books like this, bu...more
The basis of the John Carpenter movie "Vampires". All in all, while I am a big fan of JC's movies, I found the book far superior to the film. The story follows a small group of Vatican-funded vampire hunting mercenaries, and what happens when the vampires decide to hunt them instead. If you are tired of the "Lestat" type of vampire, I really suggest giving this a read.
When James Woods asked John Carpenter for a copy of the script to the movie based on this novel, the director should have just handed him the book. Written with such a visual style and with such suspense, it could have been the best vampire movie ever made. As it stands, this is simply the best vampire book ever written.
This could have been really good. Modern day vampire bounty hunters. A lot of people have raved about this novel but for the life of me I can't figure the appeal.
I really don't like his writing style. That must be it.
I really don't like his writing style. That must be it.
A must-read for fans of the genre. Excellent characterizations and a really funny and cynical sense of humor push this one to the top of the pile.Highly enjoyable.
Vampire$ comes off very much like a B-movie script, as though the author was hoping it might get noticed by someone in John Carpenter's circle. Turns out that it did, and I realized partway through the read that I had seen the John Carpenter film! It didn't spoil anything because the two were quite different.
I found the plot to be a bit on the thin side, even when compared with that of the film. The characters were also enough caricature (it's that B-movie thing) that I did not ge...more
I found the plot to be a bit on the thin side, even when compared with that of the film. The characters were also enough caricature (it's that B-movie thing) that I did not ge...more
You know I really don't know why Steakley didn't write any more than two books. Both of them were very enjoyable. If you read Armor first then you'll notice some references to it in this book. A little kitschy but still amusing nonetheless.
Anyway, this is the book that the movie John Carpenter's Vampire$ is (loosely) based on. It's about a team of vampire hunters called Vampire$ Inc. headed by one Jack Crow. Jack is a veteran to vampire killing as he's been doing it for three years g...more
Anyway, this is the book that the movie John Carpenter's Vampire$ is (loosely) based on. It's about a team of vampire hunters called Vampire$ Inc. headed by one Jack Crow. Jack is a veteran to vampire killing as he's been doing it for three years g...more
Just happened to pick up this book when I was bored in my first year in the Marines. It was sitting there among all the crap fiction that inundates corner stores in the Marines. I actually loved this book and the creative way that these Vampire Hunters existed and functioned. Nothing sweet or predictable about this novel. A great read and don't let the mediocre but fun movie ruin it for you. Check it out. Don't get me wrong - it is not great fiction. It's like great junk food that is surp...more
3.5 stars. Don't start this book looking for a more detailed version of the John Carpenter film. Except for the opening scene which is fairly similar in both the book and the movie, the book is completely different (and much better). Nothing high brow here, Jack Crow (and later his buddy Felix) are hard drinking, foul talking, ill-mannered "western" type tough guys who track and kill vampires for a living. This is pretty typical "action hero" type stuff (I was reminded of Nic...more
In this time of weiner emo/goth vamps, I need this book. I need a vampire story full of horror, gore, and vampires that don't want to love me and live viacarously(sp?) through me, but want to...oh I don't know...DRINK MY FUCKING BLOOD AND KILL ME!!! And by page 8 so far its great. The main character is a big tough bastard of a man who hunts vampires for money, and the vampires die in horroifying ways. And thats just on page 8. I can't wait to really get dug into this, it will sooth my soul....more
A cheesy, slightly enjoyable vampire book that they made a cheesy, less enjoyable vampire movie in the 90s with James Woods ("John Carpenter's Vampires").
The book plot and the movie plot completely diverge from each other after the initial couple of scenes. You might be best off avoiding both the movie and the book.
Disappointing, because Steakley's other novel Armor is one of my favs.
The book plot and the movie plot completely diverge from each other after the initial couple of scenes. You might be best off avoiding both the movie and the book.
Disappointing, because Steakley's other novel Armor is one of my favs.
This is a very strange and challenging book, somewhat similar to his other novel, ARMOR, yet in ways vastly different. One confusing point that I didn't understand at all is that the two main characters in both novels have the same names, yet one is a far-future military space opera and the other a contemporary (well, twenty years old now) vampire novel. This one reads by turns like a horror novel, a mens' adventure book, and a study of interpersonal relationships. It's not much at all similar t...more
I know that this is not actually all that great a book. There is zero characterization, it's a bit cheesy, and the writing is pedestrian. But somehow it is WAY more fun than it has any right to be. It moves along at an insane clip, it's funny, and while the author is not a great writer, he has a clear storytelling style and an authorial voice that makes everything good fun.
It's really too bad that Carpenter's movie based on the book is not as good as it should be. I would love to see a...more
It's really too bad that Carpenter's movie based on the book is not as good as it should be. I would love to see a...more
Not quite as good as Armor, good clean fun that makes that John Carpenter adaptation look like a dog turd next to an ice sculpture. A gang of vampire hunters using modern technology and methods, and one of the first of the genre I'm familiar with other than I Am Legend. Like Legend, it also explores which the psychological toll of battling monsters might be. Highly recommended.
This one is hard for me to give an opinion on. I like it. It was an interesting read and I very much want to see the movie (again) just to compare it to the book. It just was not a 'great' book. The writing style was not that great. The character development was not really great. The plot was just okay. But for some reason I really wanted to finish the book and I did find it very interesting. Glad that I read it and looking forward to seeing the movie to see how it ties in.
Mmeeyyyeeeeh, it was okay.
Definately a fun read, but it almost felt like I was reading the second book of a three book sequal. Too little character developement for my taste, and of course and open ending. I wonder if the author had a fight with his editor, the writing was good, but the editing was something to be desired.
I did enjoy reading about the renegade group that went around killing vampires.
Definately a fun read, but it almost felt like I was reading the second book of a three book sequal. Too little character developement for my taste, and of course and open ending. I wonder if the author had a fight with his editor, the writing was good, but the editing was something to be desired.
I did enjoy reading about the renegade group that went around killing vampires.
Pulpy, original, wall-to-wall bloodsucker action. The style is totally over-the-top. It's THE WILD BUNCH meets DRACULA. Vampires are scary unpredictable badasses. But Team Crow is in town and they'd better hide. Steakley is at his best writing violent action scenes. This book is like a Texas tornado that's about to rip apart at any moment. I loved it.
#61 - 2010.
I read this based on Jesse's enthusiastic review. It has an interesting straight-forward style that I imagine does lend itself very well to an audiobook style. I find it compelling though I can't say why ... sort of like picking up a Western that you can't put down for some reason. Not that I really know what that is like. I must say that I appreciate the author's sympathetic look at the pontiff in this. (Yes, you read that right.)
I have much, much more to say ...more
I read this based on Jesse's enthusiastic review. It has an interesting straight-forward style that I imagine does lend itself very well to an audiobook style. I find it compelling though I can't say why ... sort of like picking up a Western that you can't put down for some reason. Not that I really know what that is like. I must say that I appreciate the author's sympathetic look at the pontiff in this. (Yes, you read that right.)
I have much, much more to say ...more
Another great one by John Steakley. Better than the average vampire book. While it does have some of the old, tired cliches (super sexy and mysterious vampires), the whole vampire hunters thing is a perspective and take that, if not completely original (I assume it is but could be wrong), then at least it is done very well.
Very very genre, but very very entertaining. Quality of writing probably doesn't deserve 5 stars, but quality of subjective entertainment does.
Basis of Carpenter's Vampires movie. Best part is the characterization of camraderie that comes from people focused on a goal higher than themselves.
Really enjoyed.
Basis of Carpenter's Vampires movie. Best part is the characterization of camraderie that comes from people focused on a goal higher than themselves.
Really enjoyed.
Ok, there are sections in this book that are just flat icky. But you have to respect an author that can make you fall in love with a character in a paragraph- oh sweet Anthony. And when all is said and done, weaknesses and all, this was an outstanding book. What ever happened to John Steakley?
While it's not the best book I have read, Steakley seems to borrow a lot from "Armor" and the writing isn't on par with his previous novel, it is entertaining and I did enjoy it. Instead of following angst ridden vampires or a group of vampire-attack survivors, it follows a group of Vatican funded undead hunters. So while the action sequences were gripping and the new point of view seemed fresh for the vampire genre, I think that Steakley relied too much on copying what worked for "...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cat | 1 | 9 | Jun 04, 2009 08:52pm |
Readers Also Enjoyed
John Steakley, born 1951 in Cleburne, Texas, is an author, best known for his science fiction writing. He has written two major novels, Armor (1984) and Vampire$ (1991), the latter of which became the basis for John Carpenter's Vampires movie. He has also written several short stories in the sci-fi and fantasy genres. Not a prolific writer, he lived most of his life in Texas, aside from brief spel...more
More about John Steakley...
Share This Book
2 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
