Vampire Books

[[deleted user]]

Yeah some really do, but this one I'm only like 50 pages in and I'm into the story already. So that is good! :)

[Lloyd]

Jo wrote: "Lloyd wrote: "Jo wrote: "I thought that The Strain and Let The Right One In were as good as each other so i would read both! "
Thanks Jo, I will read Let The Right One In, first, I was stunned to ..." Thanks Jo then I better go back and get it at the bookstore. Reading the first 3pp was interesting but it did not grab me, but I love vampires so I will read it, thanks for the rave review.

[Lloyd]

Jo wrote: "I think that Let The Right One In took longer to get into than The Strain but they are both well worth reading!" Okay thanks for the info, I love vampires and dark stuff, thanks Jo.

[[deleted user]]

I just loved The Strain, it played out like a TV series so well in my head. (Not that it couldn't be a movie, but there are so many chracters it jumps from that it would make more sense as a TV show, like heroes or something.)

[Chris]

Not sure if that would happen. I believe I read somewhere that del Toro originally was supposed to make The Strain into either a mini-series or movie but the project never went anywhere...and then he decided to enlist an actual novelist to help him write a trilogy based on his idea. Something like that. I think Fango had a really cool article on that a few issues ago...

[Lloyd]

Jo wrote: "The Strain could totally be a tv series! I would love to see that happen! "
Well since de toro is the co author surely it will be a movie in the near future, I just checked it online and I see that it is part of a trilogy; interesting.

[[deleted user]]

Yes in the back flap of the book cover it shows the next two books (I believe one is called The Night and I can't think of the other one....) But they are set for 2010 and 2011, so we won't have to wait to long!!! :)

[Chris]

Lloyd, I believe del Toro originally wanted to make this for the big screen but it didn't go anywhere....instead, he decided to make this story into a series of novels (trilogy). I believe I read this in an interview in Fango a few issues ago...

[Werner]

Of course, if the novels make a lot of money, Hollywood may re-think its initial judgment about a movie version.

[Chris]

Good point, Werner. Being a self-described book geek, I always prefer the written version to the film version, though...

[Werner]

That's usually my reaction, too, Chris! Of course, seeing a movie based on a book (provided I like it) usually makes me want to read the book, if I haven't already. And if I've read and liked a book, I'm always curious to see, and compare, movie/TV adaptations of it.

[Lloyd]

Jo wrote: "I think that Let The Right One In took longer to get into than The Strain but they are both well worth reading!"
Thnx Jo I am finished reading 'the reader,' it pretty much is the same as the film so far, great read. So which book should I buy first? The Strain or Let The Right One In?

[Lloyd]

Chris wrote: "Good point, Werner. Being a self-described book geek, I always prefer the written version to the film version, though..."
Me too Chris, being a novelist I don't understand why the film diverts from the book, there is always something different in the movie.

[Lloyd]

Chris wrote: "Lloyd, I believe del Toro originally wanted to make this for the big screen but it didn't go anywhere....instead, he decided to make this story into a series of novels (trilogy). I believe I read ..." Thnx Chris, I wondered why he co wrote a novel, that explains it, thanks for the info.

[Lloyd]

Levi wrote: "I just loved The Strain, it played out like a TV series so well in my head. (Not that it couldn't be a movie, but there are so many chracters it jumps from that it would make more sense as a TV sho..."
Okay Levi, you guys have sold me on The Strain.

[Janet]

Lloyd wrote: I don't understand why the film diverts form the book..."

Sometimes I like when they change things up or add a different character, one it makes the story all new again and two it gives me something to complain about and makes me want to reread the book to find out what other little things they changed. But NOTHING compares to when the author is directly involved in the movie, like Harry Potter, and the movie IS the book! I wish more writters would stay involved in the screen plays and keep it just like the books! The books are a hit for a reason.

[Lloyd]

Werner wrote: "Of course, if the novels make a lot of money, Hollywood may re-think its initial judgment about a movie version." Werner, you are so right, Hollywood is nothing but a money making machine, if people love good novels or trashy novels, they will make a movie out of it.

[Lloyd]

Janet wrote: "Lloyd wrote: I don't understand why the film diverts form the book..."

Sometimes I like when they change things up or add a different character, one it makes the story all new again and two it ..." Great post Janet you are right, my brother read all of the Potter books he keeps telling me to buy the last one to see what details they left out of the move; when my ship comes in with my books, I sure would like to write the screenplays; kudos to john patrick shanley who wrote the play DOUBT, he wrote the screenplay, I could tell because he did a marvelous job, the movie was terrific.

[Lloyd]

Jo wrote: "Lloyd wrote: "Jo wrote: "I think that Let The Right One In took longer to get into than The Strain but they are both well worth reading!"
Thnx Jo I am finished reading 'the reader,' it pretty much..." Thanks Jo, then The Strain is the one I will buy next week and start reading, thanks as always.

[[deleted user]]

Yeah I loved The Strain, Lloyd. Hope you do too!

I'm sure that Stephen King does a lot of screen plays for books he's writen.

[Lloyd]

Levi wrote: "Yeah I loved The Strain, Lloyd. Hope you do too!

I'm sure that Stephen King does a lot of screen plays for books he's written." Thanks Levi, I am looking forward to buying The Strain and reading it; I will look and see if mr. king writes screenplays to his movies; I did not read Dreamcatcher but I saw it and I own the DVD, interesting movie and long.

[[deleted user]]

I don't know what that one is about besides a dreamcatcher. (DUH!) But yeah I believe he wrote Green Mile, Children of the Corn, Pet Cemetary, and maybe The Mist...

[Lloyd]

Levi wrote: "I don't know what that one is about besides a dreamcatcher. (DUH!) But yeah I believe he wrote Green Mile, Children of the Corn, Pet Cemetary, and maybe The Mist..."Levi, Stephen King wrote 16 screenplays according to wikipedia, the man is amazing, either you like him or you hate him, what an imagination he has.

[Katrina]

Anyone read Jaye Wells? Her book is Red-Headed Stepchild

[Jim]

Katrina wrote: "Anyone read Jaye Wells? Her book is Red-Headed Stepchild"

It's in my tottering TBR pile.

[Jim]

I just stared The Colorado Kid by Stephen King. It will be my lunchtime read. I doubt it will be his typical horror as it is put out by Hard Case Crime. They publish pulp mysteries. Should be interesting. Take a look at their web site & you'll get the idea.

http://www.hardcasecrime.com/

[[deleted user]]

"Let the Right One In" is really only the 2nd Vampire book I've read. Of course, King's 'Salem's Lot' is 1st. I have no other comparisons to go on.... I will be delving further into Vampire Novels in the next few months & am sure they will be less 'contemporary' for lack of a better word... Or it might not even be the right word...

[Chris]

Jim wrote: "I just stared The Colorado Kid by Stephen King. It will be my lunchtime read. I doubt it will be his typical horror as it is put out by Hard Case Crime. They publish p..."

Jim, I read that not that long ago and enjoyed it for what it was. Obviously, not a horror novel but a thoroughly enjoyable mystery, King-style.

[Jim]

Well, it's not blowing much wind up my skirt, Chris. The long rambling story as told by two old men to the girl isn't doing a thing for me. I really don't care that they get sodas or a snack during the discussion nor what they were or anything about their eating habits. I've been to Maine, spent enough time there to know they talk funny. Point made, move on, but he keeps going back to it, in great detail.

In 100 pages, I'm maybe an hour along in the timeline of the book. I keep wanting to kick someone to get them moving. So far, I really don't care why a guy died on the beach or if the 90 year old dies of old age before the story is finished.

[Chris]

Jim, while I agree with you, I kind of appreciated what King was trying to do with this 'style' of story. And let's face it, King is a master of characterization...and all three, especially the two older newapapermen felt like REAL people to me. The whole point of The Colorado Kid was the unravelling of an old mystery and the telling of it--and discovery--by the female protagonist. This was my favorite by King, by far, but as a writer I appreciated what he was doing. You might not like the ending when you get to it...but I agreed with what King was trying to do...the message he conveyed.

[Jim]

Chris, I have to disagree. I liked all 3 characters & knew them as well as I needed to by the time they finished lunch. After that, I got tired of them.

The story wasn't bad. The idea was interesting, but he should have said it in 25% of the space. That's one reason I quit reading him years ago. He's repetitive. All those extraneous words don't get me deeper into his world, they bore me.

I read his afterword & there were no surprises. I knew what he was doing & saying. Just don't appreciate him wasting so much of my time to do it. I'm not happy with the HCC folks for publishing it either & plan on telling them so.

[Chris]

Wow, Jim. Wow. So you're saying you didn't like it, then? ;)

[Jim]

LOL! Yeah, pretty much. If the characters had developed more, it might have made it more interesting, but the picture he painted of them during lunch never changed or grew. The story never grew or took an unexpected turn.

[Chris]

I don't necessarily disagree with you. I suppose I just didn't dislike it in the way you did. Also, I'd read some about this novel long before reading it so I kinda knew going in what to expect...

[Natalee]

For those of you that read Let the Right One In, what did you rate it? I have it in my TBR so I was just curious to hear opinions.

[Jackie]

I recently received Dracula The Un-Dead by Dacre Stoker. Don't know when I'll get to it, as I have other books I want to read more but I'll let you know how it is whenever I get to it.

I'm having a hard time finding vampire novels that I enjoy. I'm so sick the let's-have-sex-with-a-vampire kind of novel, it's turning me off all newer vampire novels in general.

Anne Rice's early Vampire Chronicles were good, but I'm not thrilled with her style in the later ones so I stopped reading those.
I liked the Twilight series, yes, hokey teenage romance but it was better than explicit sex scenes that go on and on and on.
I liked 'Salem's Lot, but not Jerusalem's Lot as much. I feel the same as you, Jim, King has gotten too wordy. I'd rather slit my wrists than suffer through another one of his later novels. I don't think he's even writing them anymore, the style is too far from how he used to write. Maybe he just comes up with the ideas and his untalented wife writes them. I don't know and I don't care but he'll grace my bookshelves ever again. Sad because I used to love his writing.

I can't remember any good vampire novels, and there were plenty, but it's been too long for me to remember them now. If they come up, I'll comment on them.

[Jackie]

Michelle,
Do you mean the TV movie? I thought that was awful compared to the book. Books are always better than movies. 'Salem's Lot is a great example of when King was the master and king of horror (sigh, I really miss him). I highly recommend reading it, you won't be disappointed.

[[deleted user]]

There's Sue Dent's Thirsting for Blood series, with the first book, Never Ceese being short listed for a Bram Stoker Award in 2007 and the second garnishing a wonderful book blurb and review from the British Fantasy society. Hasn't been out long enough to cause a big stir with sales though and does come from a mid-range publishing house so no big promotional engine behind it (that takes a LOT of money.) I heard it was pretty good though. *Sue quickly ducks out of forum before anyone recognizes her self-promoting butt.*

[Chris]

'Salem's Lot is such a classic. Probably one of my favorite vampire novels, although I shy away from anything remotely romantic...I like scary, nasty vamps! ;) The David Wellington vampire novels are good and some of the early Brian Lumley Necroscope books (although that series got way too long, IMO).

I agree with you, Jackie, on Anne Rice. The first 3 vampire books were great...after that it got very very tired. Cool wolf pic, by the way...

[Jackie]

Thanks, that's my Malamute, Juneau.

I read the first two Necroscope novels and really liked them but haven't found the rest at books sales. I just can't afford to buy every book I'd like to read and while Necroscope was good, it wasn't good enough for me to go out of my way to find them.

I'll have to check out the David Wellington, thanks!

[Jackie]

Chris,
13 Bullets looks very good, added to my shelves. Do you think I should wait til I find all three or is each a stand alone book?

[Chris]

Jackie, I've only read 13 Bullets and it definitely ends with the reader wanting to keep reading...so that is up to you. I have to buy the other 3 books in the series. ;) His new novel, Frostbite, looks great, and is about werewolves!

[Jackie]

I'll put them all on my To Read shelf.
I've read a lot of werewolf novels too but can't seem to remember any of them except the most recent by Alice Borchardt, Anne Rice's sister. Maybe because they're not so good, she writes just like Anne, long winded and convoluted. I still have one left on my shelf for 2 or 3 years now.

[Chris]

LOL...I hear ya. I'm a big fan of werewolf novels. It's out of print now by Animals by Skipp and Spector is my favorite.

[[deleted user]]

Jackie have you tried the Sookie books? Out of the first three that I have read the sex scences to me were very short and I almost didn't notice. They are also, I think anyway, extremely hilarious and a nice take on the vampire genre (Can you count it as one??? Maybe a sub-genre?). And if you have seen the True Blood HBO series they do not have sex like the show at all. So check them out I love 'em and they are small so they're a quick and brisk, nice read.

[Jackie]

Still waiting on a friend in Colorado to send them to me. I liked the TV series and have heard good things about the books.

[Lloyd]

Jo wrote: "I think that Let The Right One In took longer to get into than The Strain but they are both well worth reading!" Thanks Jo, I bought 'the strain' and I need to sit down and read more of it, now that the world series is over.

[Lloyd]

Levi wrote: "Jackie have you tried the Sookie books? Out of the first three that I have read the sex scences to me were very short and I almost didn't notice. They are also, I think anyway, extremely hilarious ..." That is good to know Levi, I will check them out since they are short and fast to read, thanks for the update about the sex scenes, I was wondering if that is a main part of the story or if it is mainly in the series.

[[deleted user]]

OH! Yes how dould I forget The Starin is also a great vampire book and it's the first is in a series! No, sex scenes, -at- -all-, unless you wanna die...
Lol, they are the scary vampires, and I love the different take on vampires here also.

And Llyod the Sookie books are more of a mystery-romance-horror, not super sexed up. There are so many different things going on though, so it is really hard to pin the sereies down.

[new_user]

Hey everybody. I'm not a huge fan of vampire fiction-- I like the other beasties better, and the "romanticized" versions rather than the horror versions. It takes creativity to my mind to develop a hero (or anti-hero), a society, etc. from the barebones legends-- which, in themselves, are pretty simplistic to me. I tend not to like the perfect heroes, like the very popular Edward, LOL.