Dracula Unfanged

by Christopher Sequeira

Christopher Sequeira, who devised the multiversal Baker Street collection Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Was Not invites you to another dazzling exhibition of reality-flipping tales about a literary icon, with contributions to this house of nightmares by some of the best in the field. Enter freely, and of your own will? Tales Leverett Butts & Dacre Stoker, Ramsey Campbell, Julie Ditrich, Ron Fortier, Christopher Fowler, Jason Franks, Nancy Holder, Jim Krueger, Brad Mengel, Lee Murray, Will Murray, Alan Philipson ,Andrew Salmon, J. Scherpenhuizen, Christopher Sequeira, Jacqueline Sequeira, Philip Cornell, I. A. Watson. Introduction by Leslie S. Klinger, Interior Illustrations by Vicky Adams, Cover by Dave Elsey.

338 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2022

Reviews

[Elentarri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this collection of stories featuring and/or inspired by Dracula to be wildly diverse and also quite a mixed bag.  A few of the stories were really good, most were just ok, and some didn't really appeal to me. 

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dracula, as we all know, is much-much more than a book. The entity at the centre of it is also much more than a name, or a monster. In past hundred and twenty six years, both of these have become larger than life, acquiring new lives for themselves at various points of time and place. The current book under review is a strangely but beautifully curated anthology that seeks to throw a light on US as we look at Dracula, or use him to look at ourselves.
The book begins with a solid 'Introduction' from Leslie S. Klinger. Christopher Sequeira's 'Preface: Still Waters' sets up the collection nicely. Then we have the stories.
All the sixteen stories, many of them fairly long, are eminently readable and had various aspects of the mythology of Dracula accentuated to showcase our fascination with the character. Sometimes they use the power of the name to link it with other literary efforts. At times the erotic, or the lure of the forbidden, or the exploitative power within are emphasised. But every story did Dracula justice.
My favourites were~
1. Nancy Holder's "The Sea Ghost";
2. Leverett Butts and Dacre Stoker's "The Lost Warlord"— the best story of the book;
3. Brad Mengel's "Jonathan Harker: Witch Hunter";
4. Jason Franks's "Children of the Dragon";
5. Ron Fortier's "Worlds of Wonder";
6. Will Murray's "Draculhu";
7. Jacqueline Sequeira and Philip Cornell's "The Mysterious Affair at Slaine";
8. Julie Ditrich's "Pied";
9. Alan Philipson's "War Against the Mafia";
10. I.A. Watson's "The House of Dracula"— the second-best story of the book.
The book ends with helpful biographical notes on the contributors.
As I have already stated, the book is wonderful in terms of contents. Few more illlustrations would not have gone amiss. But overall, it's a proper homage to Dracula as we see him today.
Highly recommended.

[Brooklyn Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the stories were really good, but others were just okay. Love the uniqueness of every single one, though!