Charlaine Harris Book/Show Group discussion
Do you think Vampirism is really a "virus"?
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I think if vampirism were a virus then Sookie would already be a vampire. She has had a lot of vampire blood and if it were a virus she would have no immunity to it. If her fae heritage were a protection, the people who buy vampire blood would have been infected.Lynda
(Making her maiden post to the group.)
Hi Lynda and thanks for replying and welcome!!Sookie has never been drained of all her blood, unless you count what happened with the Maenad and the vamps having to "bled her" and replace the blood. In order to become a vampire, you get bit and they drain you and you die. Then something happens to make you "reanimate". I can kinda buy the virus deal and apparently so can Sookie.
People that buy the vamp blood aren't being drained of life and then reanimated with vamp blood so this explains why everybody that has drank or been bitten by a vamp doesn't change into automatically.
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Sookie said something in Book 9 about believing that vampirism is due to a virus that makes the victim allergic to sunlight and garlic so I thought I'd bring it up cuz that's pretty interesting to think about.
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Nicole wrote: "It's very interesting Ranata. In a way it's like a virus considering "transmission" and other characteristics; however, like you mentioned the being dead part kinda throws it off!"Right! So at what point would it be considered something else entirely? Thank you Charlaine Harris for providing such interesting subjects! LOL
I don't think its a virus. I vaguely remember in the first or second book Sookie saying something to Bill about it being a virus and he scoffs. Then she's like, "no really." and he gives her a really serious look and tells her there is no virus. And then she almost faints or throws up. I think, the vamps themselves would have figured out cause and how to exploit it further, if it were as simple as a virus.
You know, you and Stephanie Myers got me thinking about this virus topic long ago. I think it could be a possibility. And, to get out of the world of fiction for a minute, I have actually heard of people who desire and yearn for blood and it is a virus or illness like anemia. You guys could be on to something here.
Ashley wrote: "You know, you and Stephanie Myers got me thinking about this virus topic long ago. I think it could be a possibility. And, to get out of the world of fiction for a minute, I have actually heard o..."I'm anemic and I can confirm that I don't like blood but I have heard of that myself. Interesting..
Really? I'm anemic and I can't stand the sight of blood, let alone do I yearn for it.
Allison wrote: "Really? I'm anemic and I can't stand the sight of blood, let alone do I yearn for it."I was like that at first too but got over it real quick when I went to the hospital and got admitted for severe anemia, dehydration and an ulcer! I got poked and pricked all day everyday for the entire time there. I couldn't stand needles but again, got over that really quickly. LOL
Ranata wrote: "Allison wrote: "Really? I'm anemic and I can't stand the sight of blood, let alone do I yearn for it."I was like that at first too but got over it real quick when I went to the hospital and got a..."
So true.
I was in the hospital with Meningitis and they had to take my blood every day (in fact, they called the nurses vampires because they came in the middle of the night when the patients were sleeping to take blood lol) and I grew kind of immune to the needle going into my arm.
I used to hate it.
It so happens that I've just finished a book titled The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan. There, vampirism is caused by a virus and the vampires are zombie-like, not pretty like in Anne Rice/Twilight/Southern Vamp Mystery lores. The virus is transmitted through bites (they don't have fangs, but stingers) and worms in the blood (the worms can enter your body by themselves if your skin is exposed to them). A good reading.
Peeps / Parasite Positive is about Vampirism being a virus. It's kind of a teen version, since it's YA, but every other chapter in the book is a little science lesson on some sort of parasite. Lends credence to the idea...
Of course viruses do not cause vampirism. Vampires are in the realm of the Occult not science. Being turned into a vampire is a punishment by God for commiting a sin which is demmed excomunication by the Catholic Church. Also you can be turned by a vampire. Which is a selective process governed by ghostly laws.
I think that it is a virus. I realize that other people had drank the blood and never became infected, but I still believe it is a virus. Stepahnie Myer put a whole new twist to the vampire lore and from her books, I believe it is a virus.
Stephanie Myer didn't put a twist on anything. She is a copy cat. Richard Matheson wrote I Am Legend in the 1950's. It is about a disease that turns people into vampires. This book was made into several movies. In the 60's Charnton Heston did it as Omega Man. Then Will Smith did it as I Am Legend. A viral disease that turned people more into what looked like Zombies than vampires. The original book has a bacterium responsible for people becoming vampires. Their fear of the cross is like the way a person with hydrophobia aka rabies fears water. Which led to the believe that vampires could not cross running water. In the oldest vampire sources becoming a vampire is a curse from God. Vampires are also able to reproduce their own kind according to certain ghostly rules. It's all a matter of which myths you believe. The virus/bacteria stuff are all new ideas from the 50's. I like the old school vampires way better. Main reason is they are magic. They can teleport, levitate, turn into a mist, shape shift. Vampires made from a virus cant do any magic. Yup old school are way, way better.
Cary, I totally agree with you on Stephenie Meyer not being original. She turned the whole Vamp lore upside down with her vegetarian vampires. I don't believe it's a punishment by God because who's he punishing? The vampires or humans that in essence become their prey? Looks like the whole thing sucks for both species if that's the case.I don't like the old school vampires but I definitely did not dig the idea of vamps feeding on animals. To me, Charlaine Harris has kept it on par with legend besides the whole surviving with fake blood crap. The Laurell K. Hamilton and Charlaine Harris vamp lore makes sense.
Well vegetarian vampires has to be the most dumb ass thing I have ever heard off. It's about as unvampire as it gets. Vegitarin do gooder vampires that dont harm anyone and do good deeds and are the victims of a virus. That is not a vampire book it is bullshit! In Richard Mathesons original book I am Legend it is a bacteria or bacillus that turns people into vampire like beings. The book is so way better than any of the movies it is not funny. In the two movies they use a virus. Actually there is one other movie before Omega Man. I cant remember it. I like the classic gothic vampire mythos. If they are cursed by God then they harm people. Cool better people than animals I say. The devil harms people evrey day. The victims? Humans are taught a lesson by the vampires attacks. Dont sin or you will be cursed by being a vampire or preyed upon by one. Then the humans eventualy kill them and the vampires find pease again with God. How poetic can you get. Makes perfect sense to me. I like Charlaine Harris vampires very much also. But Dracula and Carmilla will always be the ultimate vampire stories. Charlaine Harris diviedes her Universe into Vamps, shifters, witches. Dracula and Carmilla are all of that in one bass ass pair of vampires. The Gothic vampire is the yin yang or balance of the Univerese between good and evil.
Almost done with Book 9. I'm such a lagger and I kinda got spoiled but it's okay. I'm sure I'll still be shocked!!