By Blood We Live

Otherworld Stories #7.2 -Twilight

by John Joseph Adams (Editor/Contributor), Kevin J. Anderson (Contributor), Kelley Armstrong (Contributor)

From Dracula to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from Castlevania to True Blood, the romance between popular culture and vampires hearkens back to humanity's darkest, deepest fears, flowing through our very blood; fears of death, and life, and insatiable hunger.

And yet, there is an attraction, undeniable, to the vampire archetype, whether the pale European count, impeccably dressed and coldly masculine, yet strangely ambiguous, ready to sink his sharp teeth deep into his victims' necks, draining or converting them, or the vamp, the count's feminine counterpart, villain and victim in one, using her wiles and icy sexuality to corrupt man and woman alike...

Edited and introduced by acclaimed anthologist John Joseph Adams (Wastelands, The Living Dead), By Blood We Live gathers together the best vampire literature from the preceding three decades, authored by many of today's most renowned writers of fantasy, speculative fiction, and horror.

Contents:
(Author, title (type, year of first publication, beginning page in print edition))

01 - Neil Gaiman, Snow, Glass, Apples (short story, 1995, p3)
02 - Anne Rice, The Master of Rampling Gate (novelette, 1984, p13)
03 - Harry Turtledove, Under St. Peter's (novelette, 2007, p33)
04 - Tad Williams, Child of an Ancient City (novelette, 1988, p43)
05 - Michael A. Burstein, Lifeblood (novelette, 2003, p75)
06 - Barbara Roden, Endless Night (short story, 2008, p88)
07 - Garth Nix, Infestation (novelette, 2008, p106)
08 - Carrie Vaughn, Life Is the Teacher (short story, 2008, p120)
09 - Nancy Kilpatrick, The Vechi Barbat (short story, 2007, p134)
10 - Kristine Kathryn Rusch, The Beautiful, The Damned (short story, 1995, p148)
11 - David Wellington, Pinecones (short story, 2006, p161)
12 - Norman Partridge, Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu (novelette, 1994, p165)
13 - Sergei Lukyanenko, Foxtrot at High Noon (short story, 2008, p180)
14 - Michael Marshall Smith, This Is Now (short story, 2004, p189)
15 - Nancy Holder, Blood Gothic (short story, 1985, p199)
16 - Jane Yolen, Mama Gone (short story, 1991, p204)
17 - Joe Hill, Abraham's Boys (short story, 2004, p209)
18 - Tanith Lee, Nunc Dimittis (novelette, 1983, p224)
19 - Gabriela Lee, Hunger (short story, 2007, p240)
20 - Caitlín R. Kiernan, Ode to Edvard Munch (short story, 2006, p250)
21 - L.A. Banks, Finders Keepers (short story, 2008, p256)
22 - Brian Stableford, After the Stone Age (short story, 2004, p275)
23 - Kevin J. Anderson, Much at Stake (short story, 1991, p286)
24 - Elizabeth Bear, House of the Rising Sun (short story, 2005, p297)
25 - Lilith Saintcrow, A Stand-Up Dame (short story, 2008, p302)
26 - Kelley Armstrong, Twilight (novelette, 2007, p316)
27 - Eric Van Lustbader, In Darkness, Angels (novelette, 1983, p333)
28 - Barbara Hambly, Sunrise on Running Water (novelette, 2007, p355)
29 - Bruce McAllister, Hit (short story, 2008, p372)
30 - Ken MacLeod, Undead Again (short story, 2005, p385)
31 - Robert J. Sawyer, Peking Man (short story, 1996, p388)
32 - Ben Lumley, Necros (short story, 1986, p396)
33 - Catherynne M. Valente, Exsanguinations: A Handbook for the Educated Vampire by Anna S. Oppenhagen-Petrescu (short story, 2005, p409)
34 - Charles Coleman Finlay, Lucy, In Her Splendor (short story, 2003, p415)
35 - John Langan, The Wide, Carnivorous Sky (short story, 2009, p426)
36 - Stephen King, One for the Road (short story, 1977, p464)
37 - Ross E. Lockhart, For Further Reading (By Blood We Live) (essay, 2008, p477)

Genres: Horror, Vampires, Anthologies, Short Stories, Fantasy, Fiction, Urban Fantasy

485 pages, Paperback

First published July 29, 2008

About the author

John Joseph Adams is the series editor of BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY. He is also the bestselling editor of many other anthologies, such as ROBOT UPRISINGS, DEAD MAN'S HAND, BRAVE NEW WORLDS,WASTELANDS, and THE LIVING DEAD. Recent and forthcoming books include WHAT THE #@&% IS THAT?, OPERATION ARCANA, PRESS START TO PLAY, LOOSED UPON THE WORLD, and THE APOCALYPSE TRIPTYCH (consisting of THE END IS NIGH, THE END IS NOW, and THE END HAS COME). Called “the reigning king of the anthology world” by Barnes & Noble, John is a two-time winner of the Hugo Award (for which he has been nominated nine times), is a seven-time World Fantasy Award finalist, and served as a judge for the 2015 National Book Award. John is also the editor and publisher of the digital magazines LIGHTSPEED and NIGHTMARE, and is a producer for Wired's THE GEEK'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY podcast. You can find him online at www.johnjosephadams.com and on Twitter @JohnJosephAdams.

Reviews

[Jess ❈Harbinger of Blood-Soaked Rainbows❈ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not going to lie, I really really want to read this because the cover references my all-time FAVORITE vampire movie.

_________

This is a pretty large tome so I want to try and give brief reviews for each of the stories as I read them or I fear I will miss important details once I've finished.

Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman: 4 stars
This is the only story of this collection that I had previously read but it had been a few years. I went back and re-read my original review and found that I liked it slightly less this time around (I'm probably older and jaded) but it is still a solid vampire story that turns the classic Snow White on its head as it is told from the Queen's perspective. Gaiman is a wonderful writer I and I devoured his words. Maybe I'm not quite as enthusiastic about it as I was when I first read it and found the same quabbles I had were more problematic(I dropped it from a 4.5) but still a great way to start this collection out. Here is a link to my original review which is much more thorough.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Master at Rampling Gate by Anne Rice: 3 stars
This is only the second thing I've read from Rice, the first being Interview with the Vampire which was not my favorite. I actually enjoyed this story better and found an enjoyable traditional gothic vampire tale. Rice's grandiose writing style didn't bother me as much as it did in IWTV until I got about midway through where I found it became more cumbersome and vague. Sometimes I wish there were authors who would tell a more straightforward tale instead of relying on creative ways to get their point across. This tactic bothered me in IWTV and it bothered me here as well when past memories of the heroine resurface. I'm not sure this one will have lasting power but I enjoyed the story.

Under St. Peter's by Harry Turtledove: 5 stars
I loved this story. I have never read anything like it and I devoured it whole. I've never read anything by Turtledove before but I dug his writing style immensely. Told from the point of view of the newly elected Pope when he finds out about some very well-kept secrets the church is hiding in the basement of St. Peter's in Rome. It was the perfect creepy and well-told vampire tale.

Child of an Ancient City by Tad Williams: 3.5 stars
I enjoyed this vampire tale which put a Middle-Eastern Islamic spin on the classic vampire lore. In the vein of Arabian Nights, some marauders are forced to play the part of Scheherazade in order to escape a vampiric death once they encounter one of the undead in the desert. I did enjoy it but I found it to be overlong and very descriptive (a seeming characteristic of this author and his classic high fantasy tomes by taking a peek at his repertoire) which took away some stars. I really enjoyed the departure from the classic western/Christian tradition of vampire lore though and found this one to stick with me.

Lifeblood by Michael A. Burstein: 2.5 stars
Just with the last tale, I enjoyed the diversity of this tale which told about vampires from a Jewish perspective. I know next to nothing about Judaism myself, but found the premise of "how do people of Jewish faith deal with Christian vampires?" to be interesting. Unfortunately for me, the execution fell flat and I just plain and simple didn't enjoy the story. I found the ending to be anti-climactic as well.

Endless Night by Barbara Roden: 2 stars
Another story with an A+ for premise but probably a D for execution. I honestly just mostly found this boring. I started it expecting it to be one of my favorites with a backdrop of a 1910 expedition to Antarctica with one on board who may be more excited about the "endless night" of Antarctica than others in the crew. What I thought was going to have a 30 Days of Night premise was super predictable, very boring, and took a safer and more sympathetic route. Not my cuppa.

Infestation by Garth Nix: 5 stars
Another supremely solid story in this collection that had kind of a science fiction flair to it. Gave me Terminator vibes with a hint of John Carpenter’s Vampires. The twist was also not predictable and I really really enjoyed every single word of this one. This is the third work I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed from Nix.

Life is the Teacher by Carrie Vaughn: 4 stars
I enjoyed this story but as time has gone by have found that it lacks staying power so I dropped a half star. This story really focuses on the vampire as a seductress which is a theme explored by many a young adult author nowadays. This one definitely had more grit and really delved into the inner conflict of life before vs life after of a vampiric lifestyle. Vaughn showed a lot of talent here as well as restraint as this could really have ended up as a saccharine Edward Cullen-like tale but I really did enjoy the execution.

The Vechi Barbat by Nancy Kilpatrick: 4.5 stars
I’ve never even heard of this author before and after reading this tale definitely want to check out more of her work. I absolutely loved this vampire tale which takes the vampire’s Transylvanian roots and places them in modern times. I loved the themes of generational trauma and cultural mythos very much. It is very well written and the story practically read itself. Very impressed.

The Beautiful, The Damned by Kristine Kathryn Rusch: 3.5 stars
This was a vampiric retelling/sequel to The Great Gatsby which I thought was kind of cool, but it didn't have a lot of lasting power for me. It started off well but then the author sort of blended real life with the story and I felt the result was a lot of holes. It was well-written though and just good enough that I want to put the author on my radar.

Pinecones by David Wellington: 1.5 stars
Too short and poorly written but I tacked on half a star for premise. The author imagined a vampiric scenario as an explanation for Roanoke the lost colony. Unfortunately the writing was muddled and his decision to use an Early American dialect throughout was distracting and I was left with more WTF vibes than actual spooky vibes.

Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu by Norman Partridge: 3.5 stars
This is a riff on the classic Dracula which I have never read but I had enough background knowledge of the subject matter by watching the film (both the Gary Oldman version from the 90s as well as the classic Bela Lugosi film from the 30s) that I could follow along. At first this was a slog to get through but about halfway through I became much more invested. I saw the ending coming from a mile away but it was well written and enjoyable.

Foxtrot at High Noon by Sergei Lukyanenko: 4 stars
One of the only stories in this collection in translation, this Russian author is unknown to me but it apparently quite a famous old school vampire author. I enjoyed this story a lot as it blended traditional vampire lore with sort of an old west theme. The ending was satisfying and unexpected.

This Is Now by Michael Marshall Smith: 2.5 stars
Well-written but lacks in staying power. More peripherally creepy than actually fear-inducing, the constant flip-flops from past to present were not written in a way to be effective, rather it created confusion for me. Three friends looking back on a terrifying night after trespassing into forbidden territory. I just didn't feel this one.

Blood Gothic by Nancy Holder: 4 stars
This one was short and packed a punch. Created a terrifying look at mental illness coupled with a little bit of romantic vampire satire and commentary. This one gave very real and terrifying vibes about a teacher longing to have a vampire lover to the point of mental break and obsession.

Mama Gone by Jane Yolen: 4 stars
Well written and sad, this one seems to be fairly known among readers of this anthology but it was new to me. I have only read one thing by Yolen previously, a middle-grade Holocaust story called The Devil's Arithmetic and as I read it in middle-school, was not fresh on my mind. This was atmospheric and well-told.

Abraham's Boys by Joe Hill: 5 stars
I loved loved loved loved this story. Another reason why Joe Hill is the man and totally stands on his own apart from his father's shadow in my book. This look at Abraham Van Helsing and his family years after the events of Dracula, it was more a commentary on generational trauma and abuse than actual vampires. It kept me glued to the page and the ending was chilling perfection.

Nunc Dimittis by Tanith Lee: 3 stars
I've never read anything by Tanith Lee before and even though she is considered one of the masters of the vampire tale, I found this story of an aging vampiress who sends her servant to find his replacement ultimately forgettable. Gave me Let the Right One In vibes but without the fear factor. Very middle of the pack on this one.

Hunger by Gabriela Lee: 2 stars
Though the writing is good, I just simply didn't get this tale and found by the end that I just didn't care. Very forgettable and weird.

Ode to Edvard Munch by Caitlin R. Kiernan: 2.5 stars
Written as a tribute to the painting The Vampire by Edvard Munch, I found this one mostly forgettable though the writing is good. I think most readers of this anthology did like this story so I probably read it wrong. The writing is very lovely however and made me add other works by this author to my radar. I found the actual painting spookier and more haunting than this tale.

Finders Keepers by L.A. Banks: 2 stars
This was not particularly well-written nor was it my cuppa. I found it predictable and overly sentimental. Reminded me of a trashier romantic Anne Rice novel which didn't win it any points. I am not a huge fan of the vampire romance genre though so it may have been a "its not you its me."

After the Stone Age by Brian Stableford: 4 stars
This was unique and well-written and I loved the commentary on ageing and beauty and feminism that paired beautifully with vampires. I will remember this one for sure!

Much at Stake by Kevin J. Anderson: 4.5 stars
This was another really interesting and unique story with a historical twist. Instead of a re-imagining of Dracula this one was a re-imagining of the story of the most famous portrayal of the character by the actor Bela Lugosi. I love the original Lugosi film from the 30s and I really admired this take which blended history and supernatural beautifully.

House of the Rising Sun by Elizabeth Bear: 3.5 stars
I love Elizabeth Bear's writing and her short fiction is among my favorites. This was a very well-written tale of a famous musician's vampiric afterlife. It didn't take itself too seriously and you really have to read between the lines to get it, but it was short and fun and I enjoyed it.

A Standup Dame by Lilith Saintcrow: 3 stars
A vampire take on a noir gumshoe mystery, this was entertaining enough but I doubt it will stick with me long. I've just read books of this genre that were written better and just far superior. I didn't really find anything new here but like I said, was entertaining.

Twilight by Kelley Armstrong: 2.5 stars
This was a part of this author's Otherworld series which I have not read and after reading this series, don't think I will. It offered an interesting take on a vampire's immortality and eventual death, but that was about the only thing I can say about it. It was morbid and depressing and added nothing to the vampire genre for me.

In Darkness, Angels by Eric Van Lustbader: 1 star
I have read nothing by this author, but I remember him as an old favorite of my dad's for his spy novels. Maybe he should stick with espionage and political intrigue because this was just god awful. I read it two weeks ago and can't tell you a single thing about it. Dry, lolling, wordy, and completely unmemorable.

Sunrise on Running Water by Barbara Hambly: 2 stars
This one could have been interesting but it was just completely forgettable. About an aging vampire on board the Titanic. I found it really just boring and found myself mostly skimming toward the end.

Hit by Bruce McAllister: 3.5 stars
This one was well written about a mob hitman getting a new divine assignment to wipe his proverbial slate clean. This was different and interesting and well written but I'm just unsure about the staying power of this one.

Undead Again by Ken MacLeod: 1.5 stars
Way too short to be effective, this was just barely more than flash fiction. About a vampire who undergoes cryogenic preservation to try and heal from the virus that plagues her. I felt it lacked context, buildup, characterization, and everything else that a short story needs to be effective.

Peking Man by Robert J. Sawyer: 2.5 stars
I found the premise of this one interesting but bogged down by really dry and boring writing. Took an anthropologic or archaeological perspective to vampire lore. Had a lot of time lapses and other stylistic creativities, but mostly I just found it boring.

Necros by Brian Lumley: 3.5 stars
This was one of the more interesting and readable stories toward the end of this volume. Kinda gave me some Let the Right One In vibes with more themes of sex and desire. I found the ending coming from a mile away which kept it from being a 4 star, but nevertheless enjoyable.

Exsanguinations by Catherynne M. Valente: 2 stars
I am a big fan of Catherynne M. Valente's writing, but this one missed the mark. It was too short to be effective and I found it mostly gimmicky. Written in the form of an excerpt from an academic text on vampires, it didn't do much for me but the writing was lovely. One of only two stories that were unique to this volume.

Lucy, in Her Splendor by Charles Coleman Finlay: 3 stars
Very middle of the pack on this one. I neither loved nor hated this. Again shows vampirism as a disease process and centers on a husband and wife who have their own secrets and perverse tastes. Illustrates a metaphor between vampirism and secrets which usually have a way of spreading, particularly in a small isolated island village. Tries to be kind of a pre-Salem's Lot episode, but falls short in my opinion.

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up after realizing that Gaiman's Snow, Glass, Apples was not a book but a quite short story (why do some short stories get independent listings and others not?). That turned out to be a quite dark re-envisioning of Snow White. It was good but not superb; given the length too much space was given to unimportant details.

My very favorite story in the collection was Garth Nix's "Infestation," a very original and science-fictiony explanation of vampirism.

There were a couple stories that, although quite good, seem to get published in numerous vampire anthologies. Anne Rice and Jane Yolen, I'm looking at you.

Some moderately good entries from Sergei Lukyanenko, Nancy Kilpatrick, Barbara Hambly, Cailin Kiernan, Joe Hill. John Langan's story was interesting plotwise although the writing wasn't very good.

That's not to say his writing was the worst -- there were many worse prose stylists (seriously, how is LA Banks so successful? That was awful), but I skipped them. I skipped quite a few, actually, and some others I didn't enjoy. My rating reflects that rather than the quality of the stories I singled out for mention.

[Cynthia Armistead · Rating 4 out of 5]

This thing is an enormous tome! I don't know if it has been released in hardback or not, but if it has, that version has to be anchor-worthy. I requested it from the library because Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette had stories in it, and I'll read pretty much anything either of those worthies publish. I didn't expect to care for most of the rest, and didn't plan to do much more than flip through them.

As it happens, I read most of the other stories, and there were many surprises. I did skip some of the reprints, such as the Anne Rice story (I wouldn't have read it the first time it was published, and I wasn't about to read it simply because she was in good company now). I had read Carrie Vaughn's "Life Is the Teacher" before, but for some reason my eyes just fell into reading it again, and I felt well rewarded for doing so. On the other hand, while I had enjoyed "Twilight" by Kelley Armstrong the first time I read it a few years back, I wasn't moved to repeat the experience.

I believe my favorite story may have been "Finders, Keepers" by L.A. Banks, as I still remember it clearly and with pleasure. I've only read one of Banks' Vampire Huntress novels and didn't find it interesting at all, so I haven't read any more of her work, but I may seek out more of her short fiction in the future.

"Mama Gone" by Jane Yolen felt fresh, as Yolen's work so often does. Garth Nix's contribution, "Infestation," was a little bit predictable, but that may be due to overexposure to the genre.

I found myself returning to the cover art by David Palumbo again and again, intrigued by the fascinating faces he gave the figures there. They aren't classically alluring, and most aren't hideous—most would look perfectly at home on any street. But they also have that, that something, an element you can't quite put your finger on, an element of the other. Take a look and I believe you'll see what I mean.

Have fun!

[Oria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could say I have been hungry for short stories but I didn’t know it until I saw the fat book sitting there on the shelf, as if waiting for me. The cover promised rich short stories by writers like Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill, Tad Williams, Anne Rice and many more, just perfect for sinking my teeth into on my commute to and from work.

I must confess that I have a soft spot for horror stories, and vampire tales fit into that category nicely. Taking the book from the shelf and leafing through only emphasized my desire to take it home and start eating. I mean reading, of course, reading.
It was good, quite good, better than I expected. The risk with buying a short story collection is that you may like some stories but you may also dislike others, and while for me the balance usually makes it worth buying the book, this time I can’t complain at all. Blood drips from every story, sometimes it’s a little and sometimes it’s whole buckets, and what I liked even more is that some of the stories go that extra step into the horrific. One that comes to mind is Joe Hill’s "Abraham’s Boys" which I read around 7 o’clock on a beautiful morning on my way to work – I remember distinctly the sun coming through the taxi window on my left, and so bright it made me wish I hadn’t forgotten my sunglasses at home – nevertheless, the end of that story put an icy shiver through me and I’m glad I read it in full daylight. I remember Joe Hill’s "Heart Shaped Box" which I read a couple of years ago and while I enjoyed it, this short story was far better, or to be more in sync with the vampire vocabulary, it was horrifyingly good.

Neil Gaiman’s "Snow, Glass, Apples" was another story I particularly enjoyed. The classic Snow White fairytale gets a revamp (pun intended) and while reading it I was pleasantly surprised to see how the author had managed to stick to many of the original details and also incorporate vampire-related elements to make the story truly unique and also quite creepy. Let’s just say I like the stepmother this time around, and not the beautiful princess.

Some of the stories I’ve read before - Stephen King’s "One for the Road" where the weather combined with the vampire threat makes for quite a chilling combo and "The Master of Rampling Gate" by Anne Rice, a story about an inherited old house and an apparently odd request for it to be torn down.
One of the most intriguing stories was "The Vechi Barbat" by Nancy Kilpatrick, which brings into focus a Romanian girl whose tale about the ancient man who lived in her village reminded me of home. It was a bit disconcerting to turn the page and see words in my native language mixed into an English book like some strange exotic blood used to enhance this feast of stories. But perhaps the oddest tale was "Exsanguinations: A Handbook for the Educated Vampire" by Anna S. Oppenhagen-Petrescu (translated from the Romanian by Catherynne M. Valente) which is written in the form of a journal/biography and in such a way that it made me wonder if it wasn’t real. Then again, it is a book about vampires and they have been known to play with people’s minds as well as sucking their blood.

I enjoyed this book a lot – the different types of vampires and the little introductory notes at the beginning of each story made for a varied combination perfectly designed to satisfy every appetite: from the fragile beautiful sexy female vampire, to the merciful horrible shape tamed by the sound of human voices telling stories around the fire, to the brutal killing machine whose only desire is to feed; ancient tales mingle with science, brutality with ethereal beauty, immortality with the vulnerability of the moment, and on top of it all, love, desire and lots of blood, not necessarily in that order. And I’m still hungry.

[Shadowdenizen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
A decent collection, with a better than expected author list.

But very few of these stories actually really GRABBED me and made me say "Wow"....

[Karen]

I started this book and still have not read even half of it. I barely made it through the first three stories because they seemed so dull to me for some reason. I love Anne Rice and even her contribution took me several days to read. There has been no real action in any of these stories so far and I cannot continue.

I will give myself some time and give it another try in a couple of months maybe.

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compiled and edited by John Joseph Adams, this anthology of vampire stories is filled to the brim with some very well known and widely well loved authors. Each story has its own introduction, giving you a brief background on the author, noting some of their most popular works and on occasion, giving you a little background or insight into the story included. I really liked this added touch. Within this book, you shall find a prime display of all the reasons why our culture can be considered a little bit obsessed with the idea of vampirism and its many variations. Why have we romanticised this idea of a traditionally terrifying creature? Occasionally to the point of idolising them and somewhat practising vampirism themselves; which, let’s be honest, is more than a tad worrying. Eternal life, the allure of the mysterious, indescribable beauty, the ties between sex and death; all this and more you will find in this book.

Some stories presented as ancient tales, some very much set in the now, and others programmed way into the distant future. There are even those that go as far as taking very real life events, and throwing some bloodsuckers into the equation. Each short tale has its own unique take on the mystical possibility of the existence of vampires. Whilst I didn’t enjoy all of them, no two stories were the same. A plethora of different plots, voices and ideas, and an array of themes touched on, such as religion, science, mythology and of course, plenty of eroticism.

This was a huge tome, and whilst I enjoyed the majority of this collection, the last few stories did feel quite a drag to get through. Nevertheless, I would still recommend this collection to any fan of the gothic/horror genre, and especially to those with a penchant for vampires.

[Alex Telander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vampires and zombies continue to be incredibly popular, and after editing a collection of zombie stories in Living Dead, John Joseph Adams now turns to the tale of the vampire in By Blood We Live. Featuring stories from Stephen King to Neil Gaiman to Kelley Armstrong to Jane Yolen; after reading this book you’ll either be sick of the blood-sucking fiends or be stocking up on garlic and crosses.

The collection kicks off with Neil Gaiman’s twisted tale of Snow White moving on to the only short story Anne Rice has published, “The Master of Rampling Gate.” The book features thirty-six vampire stories including writers like Robert J. Sawyer, Garth Nix, and Eric Van Lustbader: writer’s you wouldn’t expect to be in this collection. It runs the gamut from the terrifying to the romantic to the steamy to the outlandish to the science fiction type. One of the most disturbing stories is from Harry Turtledove, “Under St. Peter’s,” as a newly elected pope must perform a sacred ritual under the gaze of an unknown order, where they travel deep beneath the Vatican and find a man waiting there, a man who has been there for a very long time, a man we all know very well . . . and he’s hungry for blood.

While overall readers may realize that there are only so many ways to tell a vampire story and that some featured in this collection may seem similar and somewhat mundane, By Blood We Live gives readers a chance to get their fill on these denizens of the night, as well as discovering a number of new authors they may never have planned to read.

For more book reviews and exclusive author interviews, go to BookBanter.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

With an anthology, it's always hit or miss. The following short stories are the ones I enjoyed in this book, the rest were boring and mediocre. That's why it only got two stars...

Lifeblood-Michael A. Burstein
Infestation- Garth Nix
Much at Stake- Kevin J. Anderson
Hit-Bruce McAllister
Peking Man-Robert J. Sawyer
One for the Road-Stephen King

That's about it. If anyone knows a better collection of vampire short stories please let me know. Thanks.

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Newer anthology of short vampire stories. Some of the stories are outstanding, some are so-so. Worth reading for the Neil Gaiman Snow White retelling Snow, Glass, Apple. The Harry Turtledove Under St. Peter's is a great what if? Steven King's short is a finely crafted Salem's Lot update. Those along with oft-reprinted Anne Rice short and the Brian Lumley's are among the best and well worth the read.

[Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Twilight - 2 stars

Cassandra POV about her annual kill. No me gusta. And I typically do like Cassandra . . . this was just a bit too morbid for me.

[John J Questore · Rating 2 out of 5]

You’re browsing for something to read and see the following on the cover: Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, Joe Hill, Anne Rice, Brian Lumley, Harry Turtledove – all writing about Vampires; who WOULDN’T buy this anthology, right? Sounds like this would be an amazing anthology to read. And for $1.99, it seems like a steal – which it was. $1.99 stolen from me! No offense to John Joseph Adams (the editor), but this had to be the worst collection of stories I have ever had the displeasure to choke down. Ok, that may be a little harsh since there were some decent stories, but for the size of the book, there was more bad than good. The one other issue I had with this book, other than the poor story choices, is the fact that the e-book has no table of contents! You don’t know how long each story is, and can’t easily go back to any one story. Poor setup.

With that being said, here is my review.

1) “Snow, Glass, Apples” by Neil Gaiman. To say Neil is a master of his craft is an understatement. This man could write a shopping list and make it worth reading. Opening this tome with his short story was the hook. He takes the classic Snow White story and reworks it from the Queen’s perspective. Great atmosphere and nice scare to it.

2) “The Master of Rampling Gate” by Anne Rice. Typical Anne Rice gothic story – descriptive, overwrought, sexy, but nothing you haven’t read before if you are a fan of her writing (which I am, but even I found this one tiring).

3) “Under St. Peter’s” by Harry Turledove. Despite being able to see the ending from the fourth paragraph, this is one of my favorite stories. Harry has a nice take on what happens when a new Pope takes his place as the head of the Church.

4) “Child of and Ancient City” by Tad Williams. A long, boring, pointless story within a story set in the early days of Islam. Halfway through this story I actually but this book away and read two others. Upon coming back a few months later, it still took me almost a week to finish this one story.

5) “Lifeblood” by Michael A. Burstein. This was a very interesting story. The author writes, “I’ve always been interested in the question of how someone who doesn’t use the cross as a religious symbol would turn a vampire.” So Michael wrote a story about how a Jewish family takes care of a vampire. I liked this story – certainly made up for the previous one.

6) “Endless Night” by Barbara Roden. I was hopeful upon reading the description – and expedition to Antarctica in the Golden Age of South Polar exploration. While it sounds like a take on “40 Days of Night”, it still sounded interesting. It wasn’t. Boring, predictable, and unreadable – yes. Interesting? Not one bit. One of the many sympathetic vampire stories.

7) “Infestation” by Garth Nix. This was a relatively entertaining take on the whole “the Earth is over-run with vampires” theme and how out of that professional hunters emerge. Not a bad story.

8) “Life is the Teacher” by Carrie Vaughn. Knowing a lot of teachers, and working with kids myself as a Scout Leader, this was a relatable and enjoyable story. Watch out for the “special” children.

9) “The Vechi Barbat” by Nanacy Kilpatrick. Old world meets New world in a forgettable story about a girl remembering her home. I’d like to forget reading it.

10) “The Beautiful, the Damned” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Picture “The Great Gatsby” with vampires. If it sounds as bad as you think, then try to read this story and have that thought confirmed.

11) “Pinecones” by David Wellington. Roanoke Island and the disappearance of everyone. Living in Virginia I thought this was going to be an interesting read. I was wrong. It was hard to read and the ending was pointless.

12) “Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu” by Norman Partridge. A “sequel” to the original Dracula – another forgettable story. So much so that I had to go back and try to reread it to refresh my memory.

13) “Foxtrot at High Noon” by Sergi Lukyanenko. Another vampire hunter story with a twist you can see coming from the middle of the third paragraph. An interesting read, if not a little difficult.

14) “This is Now” by Michael Marshall Smith. Meatloaf wrote a song about wasted youth. Michael Smith wrote a story about it. I feel like I’ve wasted youth reading this.

15) “Blood Gothic” by Nancy Holder. A very short, but scary story. Not what you expect.

16) “Mama Gone” by Jane Yolen. An interesting story about rural life and vampires.

17) “Abraham’s Boys” by Joe Hill. OK, I have to admit it. As much as I absolutely LOVE Stephen King, I have to say his son Joe is soon to take the King crown. I enjoyed this talk about the sons of Van Helsing.

18) “Nunc Dimittis” by Tanith Lee. Another semi-enjoyable tale about a vampire, her aging servant, and the quest to find a replacement. A very sad story.

19) “Hunger” by Gabriela Lee. A hipster vampire – with a tale just as annoying.

20) “Ode to Edvard Munch” by Caitlin R. Kiernan. As I was reading this, I can almost picture it as a black and white noir film with Bogart narrating. It’s a very simple, but enjoyable, story.

21) “Finders Keepers” by L. A. Banks. OK, this read like a trashy romance novel. Beautiful vampire, recently killed cop, and they hook up to right the wrongs done to them. Nice premise that was poorly written and executed.

22) “After the Stone Age” by Brian Stableford. Wow, was this story relatable! I’ve been on Weight Watchers for a few months now. Not sure if I’d be willing to try this weight loss technique. But it seems very effective.

23) “Much at Stake” by Kevin J. Anderson. I liked this one a lot – but then again, I am a huge fan of Bela Lugosi. This story answers the question of just how far did his heroin addiction go.

24) “House of the Rising Sun” by Elizabeth Bear. Sorry, I just didn’t get this one. Even reading it a second time. Something about vampires and rock and roll.

25) “A Standup Dame” by Lilith Saintcrow. Just another noir detective story with vampires thrown in. It’s been done to death and a few times in just this anthology.

26) “Twilight” by Kelley Armstrong. A melancholy vampire – well, that hasn’t been done before. Although this is an interesting tale on how a vampire chooses it’s victim and how they remain immortal. A little too long though.

27) “In Darkness, Angels” by Eric Van Lustbader. Folks, we may have a winner for the worst story of the lot. Or at least a tie. This was poorly written, cliché-riddled, and trite. Another story that had me put the book down to pick something else out to clear my mind.

28) “Sunrise on Running Water” by Barbara Hambly. What would happen if a vampire was on the Titanic? Read this entertaining story to find out. Amazingly faithful to Bram Stoker’s original Dracula.

29) “Hit” by Bruce McAllister. An interesting story about a professional hit man, hired by an angel, to kill a vampire. Didn’t see the ending coming.

30) “Undead Again” by Ken MacLeod. An extremely short story about a vampire being cryonically frozen in hopes of finding a cure. Meh.

31) “Peking Man” by Robert J. Sawyer. Boring, confusing, and poorly written story about a paleontologist and the packages he receives.

32) “Necros” by Brian Lumley. I enjoyed this story, despite it being predictable from the first word. An elderly man and his beautifully young bride – and why they are together.

33) Exsanguinations: A Handbook for the Educated Vampire” by Anna S. Oppenhagen-Petrescu. The title basically says it all. This is written as a scholarly Journal, complete with footnotes. I didn’t enjoy it at all – was too much like reading a textbook.

34) “Lucy, in her Splendor” by Charles Coleman Finley. You may never stay at a B&B again. Creepy, enjoyable story.

35) “The Wide, Carnivorous Sky” by John Langan. Iraq war veterans and their strange encounter. Started off great, went on way too long, and ended with a whimper at the very end. Had the makings of a good story, but didn’t deliver.

36) “One for the Road” by Stephen King. Another short story by the King of horror revolving around ‘Salem’s Lot. Stephen King could just hit random keys on a keyboard and I’d buy and read it, so of course I enjoyed this story.

So there you have it. Quite possibly the worst anthology I have ever had the displeasure to read. It took me eight months to finally finish it. Do yourself a favor – pass on this one. It’s not worth the $1.99 – even if someone paid you the money to read it.

[Beverly Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've honestly never read an anthology like this before and I have to say that after this experience I definitely want to check out others like it. It covered the gamut of interpretations of vampires- from the tortured, sexy souls (which I totally admit I'm a massive fan of) to the hard-core monsters so frightening they couldn't be further from human and examined all of the interactions, concepts and societal roots of all these different interpretations. I can't say that ever author's voice was equally strong but I can say that even the ones that didn't engage me were at the very least interesting for their different take on the genre. Some of the strongest stories, not surprisingly, are by well known and well-loved authors- Neil Gaiman who took us on a very perverted trip through the Snow White legend, Anne Rice who provides a classic gothic love story and Stephen King's "One For the Road" which I found to be the scariest of the whole collection and makes me seriously want to finally read Salem's Lot.
Other notable stories also seem to be very well-known authors, though none I can claim to know prior to this collection. Carrie Vaughn's "Life Is the Teacher" satisfied my desire for the classic sexy vampire who's tortured by the loss of her old human life and still carries normal human emotions. Kristine Kathryn Rusch's "The Beautiful, the Damned" was an utterly fantastic retelling of "The Great Gatsby". Michael Marshall Smith's "This is Now" perfectly captured the shared fear that unites a group of friends and creates a bond that draws them through their lives despite whatever changes come (totally had an "It" vibe which I loved). Nancy Holder's "Blood Gothic" was a great examination of how a love for the vampire myth can go way to far, and makes the reader feel at the very least a bit sheepish for being so into the volume in hand. Lilith Standcrow's "A Standup Dame" is a delightful look at the classic noir archetypes and may be my favorite story of the whole volume. Kelly Armstrong's “Twilight” makes you seriously question how great the whole immortality thing is, anyway. And Catherynne M. Valente's “Exsanguinations” is delightfully funny handbook for the educated vampire entertaining enough to make me wish there was a full-length version.
On the whole this was a great read, thoroughly recommended to all vampire lovers.

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This monster of an anthology is undoubtedly one of the best one to feature the 'Children of the Night'. It contains novellas, stories, flash fictions. The vampires depicted here are all sorts. Anne Rice gives us the Byronic precursor of those sparkling creatures that had come to haunt us. We have blood-curdling facets of all too real history that shows how the fictional monster often pales before us. There are crisp tales full of action, wit, sorrow, real darkness, fun, loneliness.
Lots of modern classics have found their way to this book. So have the wayward children of modern era. I loved some of them, liked a lot of them, and yawned my way through a few. Absence of Kim Newman and F. Paul Wilson was jarring; but you really can't accommodate everybody.
Overall, I would again state, as far as 'they' are concerned, this is an excellent collection, if not the best.
Recommended.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Introduction – John Joseph Adams – How do we define the vampire?
Snow, Glass, Apples – Neil Gaiman – The Step-mother’s version (have read before)
The Master of Rampling Gate – Anne Rice – Julie & Richard inherit a very old home that their father wishes for them to tear down.
Under St. Peter’s – Harry Turtledove – Who was thirty-odd years old when killed?
Child of an Ancient City – Tad Williams - Islamic story telling to make the wine go further
Lifeblood - Michael A. Burstein - Jewish assimilation
Endless night - Barbara Roden - Antarctic story I've read before
Infestation - Garth Nix - Four humans and help, military style, clear out a nest
Life is the Teacher - Carrie Vaughn - A newbie hunts for the first time
The Vechi Barbat - Nancy Kilpatrick - Nita and her Asylum confessions
The Beautiful, The Damned - Kristine Kathryn Rusch - Great Gatsby with relatives
Pinecones - David Wellington - Roanoke Colony, before Jamestown
Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu - Norman Partridge - Quincey brings Lucy to his Texas home
Foxtrot at High Noon - Sergei Lukyananko - Con Men as Vampires
This Is Now - Michael Marshall Smith - Aging without purpose - Had read this one before
Blood Gothic - Nancy Holder - Elementary teacher takes a vacation to find a Vampire Lover
Mama Gone - Jane Yolen - Daughter stays on grave to thwart father dying to save family
Abraham's Boys - Joe Hill - Van Helsing' sons learn to dismember
Nunc Dimittis - Tanith Lee - A servant dying, a vampire reborn
Hunger - Gabriela Lee - Philippine adolescent band
Ode to Edvard Munch - Caitlin R. Kiernan - Central Park vampire sitting on a bench waiting
Finders Keepers - L. A. Banks - Atlantic City undercover cop and vampire
After the Stone Age - Brian Stableford - Weight Watchers, Atkins & vampires
Much at Stake - Kevin J. Anderson - Bela Lugosi's personal background?
House of the Rising Sun - Elizabeth Bear - You look like...
A Standup Dame - Lilith Saintcrow - Gumshoe gets a reprieve
Twilight - Kelley Armstrong - Cassandra & Aaron as Cass ages
In Darkness, Angels - Eric Van Lustbader - An island and a writer
Sunrise on Running Water - Barbara Hambly - Titanic
Hit - Bruce McAllister -God wants you to kill the oldest vampire
Undead Again - Ken MacLeod - Cryonic preservation
Peking Man - Robert J. Sawyer - Pre WWII American Museum of Natural History
Necros - Brian Lumley - all relationships are bargains of sorts - last day on vacation
Exsanguinations - Catherynne M. Valente - Handbook with footnotes
Lucy, In Her Splendor - Charles Coleman Finlay - A couple owns a B & B on an island
The Wide, Carnivorous Sky - John Langan - Survivors of a 2004 battle in Fallujah - Have read before
One for the Road - Stephen King - Maine snowstorm near 'Salem's lot
For Further Reading - Ross E. Lockhart

[Deborah]

1 • Introduction (By Blood We Live) • essay by John Joseph Adams
3 • Snow, Glass, Apples • (1995) • shortstory by Neil Gaiman
13 • The Master of Rampling Gate • (1984) • novelette by Anne Rice
33 • Under St. Peter's • (2007) • novelette by Harry Turtledove
45 • Child of an Ancient City • (1988) • novelette by Tad Williams
75 • Lifeblood • (2003) • novelette by Michael A. Burstein
88 • Endless Night • (2008) • shortstory by Barbara Roden
106 • Infestation • (2008) • novelette by Garth Nix
120 • Life Is the Teacher • [Kitty] • (2008) • shortfiction by Carrie Vaughn
134 • The Vechi Barbat • (2007) • shortstory by Nancy Kilpatrick
148 • The Beautiful, The Damned • (1995) • shortfiction by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
161 • Pinecones • (2006) • shortfiction by David Wellington
165 • Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu • (1994) • novelette by Norman Partridge
180 • Foxtrot at High Noon • shortfiction by Sergei Lukyanenko
189 • This Is Now • (2004) • shortstory by Michael Marshall Smith
199 • Blood Gothic • (1985) • shortstory by Nancy Holder
204 • Mama Gone • (1991) • shortstory by Jane Yolen
209 • Abraham's Boys • (2004) • shortstory by Joe Hill
224 • Nunc Dimittis • (1983) • novelette by Tanith Lee
240 • Hunger • (2007) • shortfiction by Gabriela Lee
250 • Ode to Edvard Munch • (2006) • shortstory by Caitlín R. Kiernan
256 • Finders Keepers • (2008) • shortfiction by L. A. Banks
275 • After the Stone Age • (2004) • shortfiction by Brian Stableford
286 • Much at Stake • (1991) • shortstory by Kevin J. Anderson
297 • House of the Rising Sun • (2005) • shortstory by Elizabeth Bear (aka The House of the Rising Sun)
302 • A Standup Dame • (2008) • shortstory by Lilith Saintcrow (aka A Stand-Up Dame)
316 • Twilight • [Women of the Otherworld Short Fiction] • (2007) • novelette by Kelley Armstrong
333 • In Darkness, Angels • (1983) • novelette by Eric Van Lustbader
355 • Sunrise on Running Water • (2007) • novelette by Barbara Hambly
372 • Hit • (2008) • shortstory by Bruce McAllister
385 • Undead Again • (2005) • shortstory by Ken MacLeod
388 • Peking Man • (1996) • shortstory by Robert J. Sawyer
396 • Necros • (1986) • shortstory by Brian Lumley
409 • Exsanguinations: A Handbook for the Educated Vampire by Anna S. Oppenhagen-Petrescu • (2005) • shortfiction by Catherynne M. Valente
415 • Lucy, In Her Splendor • (2003) • shortstory by Charles Coleman Finlay
426 • The Wide, Carnivorous Sky • (2009) • shortfiction by John Langan
464 • One for the Road • (1977) • shortstory by Stephen King
477 • For Further Reading (By Blood We Live) • essay by Ross E. Lockhart

[Laurence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death and desire. The forbidden fruit. Societal rules and base instincts. Mind and heart, logic and emotion. Man and woman. Various comments on sexual orientation of any permutation. Beast and civilised person. Repression and liberty. Magic and science.
Previously I had written off this genre as hokey, and it can be, but done well there is a huge amount of insight to human conditions and interactions to be found. May need to find some thorough essays on the subject. And of course, simply great brooding atmospheric tales that can tantalise and spark the imagination.


Back to this collection specifically.

I like the pre-story author intro where they outline a few brief thoughts about the Vampire genre.

My favourites in this collection:

Snow, Glass, Apples, by Neil Gaiman: 5/5
Neil Gaiman is definitely capable of creating the right atmosphere with his writing.

Nunc Dimittis, by Tanith Lee: 3.5/5
A vampire's servant near death finds a replacement to continue his work.

Ode to Edvard Munch, Caitlin Kiernan 3.5/5:
Showing plot is not really required for an effective vampire short story.

Sunrise on Running Water, Barbara Hambly: 3.5/5
A vampire on the Titanic.

Hit, Bruce McAllister 3/5:
Jesus is a vampire, needs to be eliminated by a human as the father won't do it.

Necros, Brian Lumley: 5/5
Very cinematic, builds the tension nicely to the finale.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm having a hard time figuring out how to rate this. On the one hand, I can look at it objectively and see that it contains a lot of quality vampire stories, with a wide variety of takes on what makes a vampire, and what makes a human. On the other hand, I just could not focus on any of the stories, to the point where they sort of all blended together in some strange vampiric world. Except for the ones I'd read previously, like Neil Gaiman's and Stephen King's. Those I reread just to enjoy them. The most interesting thing about this anthology, I thought, was seeing each author's take on vampires - why people are so fascinated by them, why some people prefer they remain monsters and others like the romantic aspects of them. Each author has a different and perfectly plausible take on the myth. I'm going to compromise and give this guy three stars, and hope that I can focus a bit better on the next book on my list.

[Jevron McCrory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical of most anthologies, some stories are are to die for, others are so weak I am amazed they made it in. Thus, the beauty of collections such as these, you don't like the current story, fear not, another is on the way shortly.

I cannot forgive the total RIP OFF of 'The Lost Boys' style font and design for the cover though! Unforgivable! It's not a homage, it's theft and it's sickening.

Bah, for what it's worth, this was money well spent and I intend on reading the whole thing again.

[Yev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Snow, Glass, Apples - Neil Gaiman (1995)
A rather different take on the original story of Snow White as told from the perspective from the Queen. The foreword notes there is mutilation, pedophilia, and necrophilia, which there is, and is moderately explicit.
Meh

The Master of Rampling Gate - Anne Rice (1984)
His final wish was for his two children to destroy Rampling Gate, a manor. They had never seen manor before, so they go to see it and discover all the mysteries. Just who is this ageless man and what does he want? This was told from the perspective of the sister.
Ok

Under St. Peter's - Harry Turtledove (2007)
The foreword notes that this is an extremely blasphemous story, because it is. The new Pope is told that there is one final ritual that must be attended to before he can truly consider himself to be the Pope. Under St. Peter's Basilica the deepest and the darkest secret since the church's founding awaits him.
Ok

Child of an Ancient City - Tad Williams (1988)
As the foreword says, "puts an Islamic spin on the traditional vampire tale." The frame story is of a group of men traveling far and wide and one day they come across a vampyr and have to deal with that, but that may only be the beginning.
Meh

Lifeblood - Michael A. Burstein (2003)
A Jewish man's preteen son has been seduced by a female vampire and he seeks out a Rabbi to exorcise her influence. The author notes that he inadvertently made this a story about whether Jewish people ought to assimilate into the wider culture.
Meh

Endless Night - Barbara Roden (2008)
A centenarian woman reads the travelogue of her father's 1910 expedition to Antarctica, which has never been made public. Of particular note is a mysterious man who was added to the crew days before they departed and the strange events that occurred when he was around.
Ok

Infestation - Garth Nix (2008)
Roughly 10 years ago vampires began appearing. Vampire hunters seek them out, though the casualty rates are rather high. The protagonist is a veteran, even if his surfer attire says otherwise. Underneath his cross-shaped scars is smart matter that along with his other tools counteracts the nanoware infection that creates vampires. This was somewhat reminiscent of Trinity Blood.
Enjoyable

Life is the Teacher - Carrie Vaughn (2008)
She's a newly turned vampire, which she didn't want to be. Now she has to learn how to navigate modern society again while ethically seducing and feeding off others to keep herself under control.
Enjoyable

The Vechi Barbat - Nancy Kilpatrick (2007)
A woman is being interrogated under heavy sedation and restraint as she's accused of having massacred everyone in her remote mountain village.
Ok

The Beautiful, The Damned - Kristine Kathryn Rusch (1995)
A spiritual sequel to The Great Gatsby. The protagonist is named after his grandfather, Nick Carraway. He meets F. Scott Fitzgerald, who rather than dying in 1940 became a vampire. The Great Gatsby wasn't in the public domain when this was written, though now it is, and works based on it have proliferated.
Ok

Pinecones - David Wellington (2006)
The Roanoke colony was wiped out by a vampire. I didn't appreciate the style this written in at all.
Blah

Do Not Hasten To Bid Me Adieu - Norman Partridge (1994)
A continuation of Dracula that mocks Stoker writing for making up stories about real life events.
Blah

Foxtrot At High Noon - Sergei Lukyanenko (2009)
A lone stranger saunters into a lawless town terrorized by outlaws and offers to kill all remaining eighteen of them.
Ok

This Is Now - Michael Marshall Smith (2004)
A group of friends nearing 40 recall their teenage antics and wonder if it'd still be possible to try the same thing again this time, and maybe they'd succeed.
Ok

Blood Gothic - Nancy Holder (1985)
A woman obsessed with vampires has such severe delusions that she drives herself into a deep state of psychosis.
Meh

Mama Gone - Jane Yolen (1991)
Her mother dies and rises from the grave to feast on the local children. What's to be done?
Blah

Abraham's Boys - Joe Hill (2004)
Continuing on from Dracula, Abraham van Helsing is now retired from vampire hunting and is teaching his two sons his ways. He's very much lacking as a father though.
Blah

Nunc Dimittis - Tanith Lee (1983)
An elderly vampiress's manservant is dying and he insists on finding his replacement to tend to her needs.
Meh

Hunger - Gabriela Lee (2007)
This one is based on Philippine mythology. Basically the creature she's become eats unborn fetuses. She however only does so for women who want an abortion or otherwise don't want the child, but either aren't able to do so, or are afraid to do so because it's illegal. Also, her best friend who she wants to be more than that with has gotten himself a new girlfriend and she's very unhappy about that.
Meh

Ode to Edvard Munch - Caitlín R. Kiernan (2006)
A man starts a relationship with a child of Lilith. She bestows upon him dark secrets and gentle mercies.
Ok

Finders Keepers - L. A. Banks (2008)
They thought her a witch and raped her nearly to death before setting her ablaze, but reprieve came in vampiric form. Now centuries later, she feeds only on the worst sorts of humans in an attempt to uphold the ethic code of her creator, but many vampires have little to no sense of ethics and hated them for it. Long has she waited for a worthy man to become like her and to spend the centuries, and perhaps that time has arrived.
Enjoyable

After the Stone Age - Brian Stableford (2004)
A 33 year old woman is desperate to lose weight, but nothing works for her! That's when her friend let's her in on her secret weight loss trick, vampires! They suck your blood and introduce enzymes that give you the best metabolism and makes you feel wonderful, even better than sex!
Ok

Much at Stake - Kevin J. Anderson (1991)
This story features Bela Lugosi, the star actor of the 1931 Dracula, who may or may not have been suffering hallucinations due morphine addiction to where he thought he was having conversations with Vlad Dracula.
Ok

House of the Rising Sun - Elizabeth Bear (2005)
An elderly vampiress has a famous singer in her thrall and feeds on him because feeding directly from humans is no longer possible.
Meh

A Standup Dame - Lilith Saintcrow (2008)
A noir vampire story where a private investigator awakens in his grave and seeks out the woman who killed him.
Ok

Twilight - Kelley Armstrong (2007)
Every year on Rebirth Day a vampire must drain a human to death or dies themselves. Eventually over the years vampires die from no longer caring to do so or because their body begins to reject the blood. At first she believes it's simply because she's so ethical about choosing who dies, but had the end come for her now?
Ok

In Darkness, Angels - Eric Van Lustbader (1983)
A writer out of ideas and filled with desperation accepts an invitation to the dwelling of someone who feels similarly. There he finds the woman of his dreams, but she comes at price that he doesn't know if he's willing to pay.
Enjoyable

Sunrise On Running Water - Barbara Hambly (2007)
The vampire protagonist proclaims himself to be wantonly murderous and revels in it, so it's no surprise when a relative of one of the many he's murdered hunts him down. She's highly competent and he only barely escapes. He decides that he must flee on the Titanic, and surely she won't know to follow him.
Enjoyable

Hit - Bruce McAllister (2008)
An angel tells him that he has to kill the oldest vampire. Why? Because God says so. Deal with it.
Meh

Undead Again - Ken MacLeod (2005)
She hoped that cryonics would do something about her being a vampire. It didn't.
Blah

Peking Man - Robert J. Sawyer (1996)
A paleontologist has unknowingly discovered the remains of ancient vampires. A modern day vampire is very displeased by this.
Ok

Necros - Brian Lumley (1986)
Necros steals youth to remain alive. When he sees a decrepit man with a ravishing young woman, based on what others have said that man must be Necros. He decides to save her, so that he can be with her.
Ok

Exsanguinations: A Handbook for the Educated Vampire by Anna S. Oppenhagen-Petrescu - Catherynne M. Valente (2005)
A fictional work presented as translated nonfiction about how to be a proper vampire which also include an autobiography of its author.
Enjoyable

Lucy, In Her Splendor - Charles Coleman Finlay (2003)
He likes to videotape his wife having sex with other men, but then it goes wrong.
Meh

The Wide, Carnivorous Sky - John Langan (2009)
A squad of US soldiers in Fallujah in 2004 are suddenly confronted by a nine foot monster that utterly wrecks them, inflicting multiple deaths and severe injuries on the survivors. Later, during rehab and their planning for revenge they call it a vampire. Their entire lives become consumed by how to kill it.
Highly Enjoyable

One for the Road - Stephen King (1997)
A man stumbles in from a blizzard seeking help for his wife and daughter and they warn him about vampires.
Meh

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

By Blood We Live is a wonderful collection of vampire tales. I was amazed at how many authors perceived vampires differently. I have read a lot of vampire fiction and can honestly say this anthology was one of the best I’ve read. The authors; such as Anne Rice, Neil Gaiman, L. A. Banks, and Stephen King to name a few bring their own unique vision of vampirism to this wonderfully put together collection.
The twists in the stories had me trying to guess right to the very end. Religion, fairytale, and mystery play huge parts in some of the stories, I found them intriguing, fascinating, and I couldn’t stop reading.
I had my favorites, authors that I knew and had read before and I wasn’t expecting much in the way of difference. But I was delighted to be proven wrong. Even my tried and tested authors managed to surprise me with a style I would never have thought they would write.
A truly enjoyable collection I would recommend to any vampire fiction reader.
There were tales I read repeatedly. Very engaging and different from anything I’d read before.
Snow, Glass, Apples — Neil Gaiman astounded me with his interpretation of the Snow White tale. It was something different and completely unexpected. It would make for a very interesting adaptation to film.
The Master of Rampling Gate — Anne Rice: I am well acquainted with her Interview with a Vampire series and I found The Master at Rampling Gate to be unique despite the fact that it was also about a Vampire. This steeped in family history of the heroine short story captivated my attention. I knew I was reading about vampires but I had, at one point, thought the protagonist to be a ghost. The introduction of his world was a little jumpy and I needed to read it twice but it set up the remainder of the story nicely.
Under St. Peter’s — Harry Turtledove’s intriguing foray into the world of religion, Popes and the Holy Son himself is unrivaled in anything I have read before. He bravely ties the Holy Trinity, The Pope, and religion with vampires fluidly, believably and with detail. It was like nothing I had ever read before and unlikely to read again. A solitary and remarkable tale on the roots of religion; the crucifixion, and subsequent rising of The Holy Son.
Finder’s Keepers — L.A.Banks has triumphed with another captivating tale. I wasn’t expecting this from her but I was fascinated and didn’t stop reading this one for a second.
The last part: For Further Reading — Ross E. Lockhart has lead me to some truly amazing tales and stories: Mario Acevedo —The Nymphos of Rocky Flats, Scott Baker — Dhampire and Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series to name a few.

[Jeanette Greaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love a themed anthology, and this one has a pretty basic theme (vampires) which has drawn contributions from the great and the good of the genre. This collection has been sitting patiently on my shelves since I first read it a decade or so ago, so I've given it a farewell read before I send it out into the world to entertain someone else. The stories vary from full on gothic to modern imaginings of the genre. I'm only going to mention the stories that absolutely stood out for me, but with contributors such as Neil Gaiman, Anne Rice, Harry Turtledove, Tad Williams, Michael Marshall Smith, Jane Yolen, Tanith Lee, Joe Hill, Brian Stableford, Kelly Armstrong, Ken MacLeod, Robert L Sawyer, Stephen King and Catherynne M Valente, I think I'm on fairly solid ground when I say that if you're a horror / sf / fantasy fan, you'll probably find something to love in this book.
The book kicks off with a lush retelling of Snow White by Neil Gaiman. 'Snow, Glass, Apples' points out that there was always something a bit dodgy about that so called dead body in the glass coffin. 'Under St Peter's' by Harry Turtledove is a story that once read, will forever colour your perception of Easter. Michael Marshall Smith shows off his writing skills with 'This is Now', a masterful telling of a simple tale. He winds the story in and out of the timeline without a single misstep, to amazing effect. Jane Yolen's 'Mama Gone' has a determined heroine, a homesick hungry vampire, and several ineffective blokes, I truly enjoyed this story. Joe Hill's 'Abraham's Boys' takes a more critical look than usual at Van Helsing - was he really a slayer? John Langan's 'The Wide Carnivorous Sky' is a science fictional stab at the vampire mythos, the story takes four traumatised US army vets and pits them against something hellish that tore from the sky one hot day in Fallujah. The collection is very neatly tied up at the end with a reprint of Stephen King's return to Salem's Lot. 'One for the Road' is always a pleasure to read.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recommend only these stories:

"Foxtrot at High Noon" by Sergei Lukyanenko (Western)*
"Endless Night" by Barbara Roden (literary horror)
"The Wide, Carnivorous Sky" by John Langan (military sci-fi)
"Infestation" by Garth Nix (post-apocalyptic sci-fi)

So, I really love those top four stories, and I'm very pleased I read them. I got through some of the others. I mildly enjoyed Barbara Hambley's "Sunrise on Running Water" (historical) which is the one I read the book for, but I think she's better in long form. Tanith Lee's "Nunc Dimittis" (literary drama) was decent. The first half of Anne Rice's story was good, and then it just fell apart -- which is better than many of them did.

*This story was translated from Russian. The translation is in many ways superb, but the translators or someone else apparently didn't understand dialogue tags. As an editor, this made me cringe a lot.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have now finished the last section of this book. I divided it up into approximately 100 page sections which I read a year or so apart. The reason? Although the stories were written by a large variety of authors, all quite good, and the vampires and stories were quite varied, there was a sameness due to they're all being about traditional vampires in the horror vein. I found I could only take a certain number of a stories at a time, then I needed a break. I have just finished the last section which included some great and readable stories, one quite a long story by John Langan set in Fallujah and after about a very unconventional vampire-like monster. I found all the stories most absorbing, but once again, true to form, I need a break.

[Johan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not every story is worth 4*, far from, but this collection of short vampire stories was a very enjoyable read. In it you will find traditional vampire stories, alternative vampire stories, a symbiotic vampire story, a vampire from space, vampires who boldly go where no man or vamp has ever gone before, a vampire who booked a safe journey to America on the unsinkable Titanic, vampire stories of the past, the present and the future, ... and even a story about a vampire who is kept locked up deep underneath the Vatican, and for good reasons.

I got bored after reading a couple of Anne Rice's vampire books, this also happened after a couple of Tanith Lee's vampire books. Just stating that I am not a huge vampire fan, but I really enjoyed reading this collection.

[Nancy Hudson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An anthology of vampire stories, some really good, others meh. My favorites were by Garth Nix, Brian Linley, Joe Hill and John Langan, and Barbara Hambley. A few were really not good at all. There is a great listing of books at the end though it would not include anything from the past 12 years or so. Overall ok and good for short and steady reading but I’m looking out for better newer anthologies all the time.

[Titus Hjelm · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a while since I read any horror and vampire stuff in particular. But this had been languishing on my shelves for a decade and I wanted to read some short form for a change, so it was time. As with any collection this big, the stories range from great to abysmal. Notably, Anne Rice's only ever published short story is so hilariously bad that it makes one wonder how she ended up as a celebrated author. But good overall fun and a nice change for me.

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always, some good, some not.

One or two were amusing such as Sunrise On Running Water by Barbara Hambly.
A vampire is on the Titanic. Of course he won't die, hiding under the water, but it's a long long wait for the explorers or treasure hunters...

Neil Gaiman’s "Snow, Glass, Apples" was creepy.

For the vampire fan, you'll find all kinds, a variety of stories, the original nasty creature, the modern vamp type and all kinds in between.

[Thaydra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't able to get through all of the stories before having to return this book. It was good in the sense of novelty, but I can't say that any of the stories I did get through really gripped me at all. Perfect for reading on breaks or when you need short bursts of story. Nothing I would go out of my way to recommend.

[Barbara Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesomely engaging anthology!

One of the best collection of Vampire stories I have read in a very long time! From the moment I read the first story in the collection,I was hooked! What really made this book different,and ultimately more enjoyable was that these tales about "the undead" were very differently written and kept me engrossed and very entertained throughout!