The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

I got this book from the library for my Kindle.

This is the first original vampire tale that I've read in a long time.

 In short, a vampire virus rampages its way through post 9/11 NYC, and the frontline is the CDC.

The opening with the airplane was brilliant. I loved that.

I liked the vampires (who are definitely not sparkly or romantic).

I liked the NYC setting. I liked the way the scenes were set up.   It was a little formulaic, but considering that the genre is over a century old, I kind of expected that. There were many things I didn't expect, like the rat exterminator character. He was a good addition to the ensemble cast.  

I think this tale is probably the truest to Stoker's idea of vampire as something "other" and frightening. The writing isn't stellar. It's commercial fiction, so I wasn't looking for fantastic writing. The two writers strike a good balance with each other's style.   There are some very gory scenes, but they are appropriate to the story line. I didn't feel like I was reading gratuitous violence that was there just to be window dressing.  

I'm heading off to read The Fall, part two of the trilogy.  

Overall, if you're looking for an original Stokeresque vampire tale, The Strain will fit the bill.

What's your favorite vampire tale?