From the Bookshelf of VAMPIRES DON'T SPARKLE…

Dracula

Bram Stoker,

Alan Cumming (Narrator)

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Sep 20, 2014 Quentin Wallace rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A true classic! Let me start by saying this version of the book is the exact, unabridged original Dracula by Bram Stoker. My volume is a hardcover. Artist Ben Templesmith has done 27 paintings for this version, 1 for each chapter. The paintings are great and really do live up to the novel.

Now, as for the novel itself. This is one of my all time favorites. Over the years I've read many abridged versions, pastiches, comics, and saw many Dracula movies. The original novel of course has been lost i A true classic! Let me start by saying this version of the book is the exact, unabridged original Dracula by Bram Stoker. My volume is a hardcover. Artist Ben Templesmith has done 27 paintings for this version, 1 for each chapter. The paintings are great and really do live up to the novel.

Now, as for the novel itself. This is one of my all time favorites. Over the years I've read many abridged versions, pastiches, comics, and saw many Dracula movies. The original novel of course has been lost in most of these other works. I don't know what took me so long to finally read the original book from cover to cover, but I am so glad I did.

I realize some people find this one overrated, but I found it anything but. I thought the prose itself was almost lyrical, and the story was superb. I was pleased to see several things I was familiar with did in fact come right from the source. For example, Dracula climbing down the wall like a lizard, and also supplying the wives with a baby from which to feed. I thought that was pretty gruesome, even in such a dark novel.

Some found Harker's journey to Dracula's castle to be somewhat hokey, but that was probably my favorite part of the book. It could have something to do with the fact it has become so iconic over the years. I thought it set the one well and established this as a gothic horror novel right from the start.

As far some differences that have developed over the years, or been changed with more recent vampire stories, there were some. Dracula did NOT burn up in the sun as later became part of the myth. However, he was powerless during the day. He was also a shifter, which some people like to discount in the "modern" vampire stories, but I always thought that was one of the cooler things about Dracula. Changing to a bat, wolf, or mist sounds pretty awesome.

Another thing, some people have tried to paint Dracula as a romantic character over the years. Well, I'm not sure where this came from, because I never got that sense from this novel. There was some romance but it was between Jonathan and Mina as well as Lucy and her suitors. But Dracula himself was a fiend who simply wanted to feed on female blood, or perhaps keep them as tortured companions. He was evil, and that was that. There was one glimmer of redemption literally at the very end of the novel, but otherwise he was a bad guy.

Honestly, I would recommend this one to anyone who likes to read novels. I find it that good. This is true literature. I will say if you don't read horror at all, you may want to skip it. It is pretty dark and gruesome in parts. Otherwise, give this one a try and find out for yourself if it lives up to the hype. I personally find it is indeed a true classic. ...more

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Apr 29, 2016 John Matsui rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: horror-paranormal

As a horror writer with a vampish MC, I'm ashamed to admit that I hadn't checked Bram Stoker's Dracula off my reading list decades ago.
My oversight and a big one.
Despite knowing the story inside and out from movies, reviews, commentary and tales by other imitators, it remains a riveting tale for any modern reader.
The storyline needs no describing here. We've seen it a thousand times but usually tweaked for the worst one way or another.
I am astounded by the depth of the detail, the characters, ...more

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