# Favorite Vampire books



## Sharlow (Dec 20, 2009)

So as a new reader and author in this genre, I'm curious how many of you are fans of this genre. Doesn't matter if it's romance, of the scary kind. I'd like to hear about it. I just watched True Blood tonight, and I wondered how many of us are fans here at the boards. So far I've watched all the vampire diary's, True blood. ( I know thats not reading   but it got me interested. So I downloaded a whole bunch of previews to see which one I wanted to read.

I setteld For Amanda Hockings (hope I spelled that right, if not Sorry Amanda.  ) My blood approves, and I'm almost done with her third one. I also have the entire Twilight series now...have to read it, and I just watched interview with a vampire. So I got the bug. So much so now I'm writing the darned things. Wrote one and working on another. 

Anyways, I shared mine, you share yours please, oh and HI!!


----------



## sharyn (Oct 30, 2008)

Have you read Maggie Shayne's TWILIGHT books? They were written long before Meyer's.
http://www.maggieshayne.com/

She calls them "TWILIGHT for grownups"<G>


----------



## dpinmd (Dec 30, 2009)

I love Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress (Cat and Bones) series. There are 4 books so far, with more to come. The first book is 










I also really like J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series, although I wasn't "hooked" until Book 2.


----------



## CNDudley (May 14, 2010)

I thought the first quarter or third of Robin McKinley's SUNSHINE was very well done. It dropped off for me after that because the vampire went out of the picture for a while. Wish and wish she would write a sequel, though.


----------



## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

Probably the only vampire series I've liked is Fred Saberhagens' "Vlad Tepes" series. There are 10 books in it, but only two are ebooks. They were written between 1975 and 2000.

He also wrote the "Berserker" series, which I believe won some awards.


Mike


----------



## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

My favorite vampire novel of all time is this _Salem's Lot_, by Stephen King. After that I'd have to say _I, Strahd_, by P.N. Elrod. I've heard Lumley's _Necroscope_ is pretty good, but I haven't read it yet. It's on the list, though.


----------



## planet_janet (Feb 23, 2010)

Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, and Queen of the Damned.


----------



## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

My favorite vampire book, hands-down, is _'Salem's Lot_. After that, my favorites are _Dracula_ and _33 A.D._, by our own David McAfee. (Yep, David, you made my top 3!)


----------



## padowd (Jan 14, 2010)

I loved Ann Rice vampire books and I like Laurell Hamilton. I have only read about the first four books though and I hear they are not as good as you go along.


----------



## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

Cindy416 said:


> My favorite vampire book, hands-down, is _'Salem's Lot_. After that, my favorites are _Dracula_ and _33 A.D._, by our own David McAfee. (Yep, David, you made my top 3!)


Can someone please tell me the manly eqivalent of "Squeeeeeeeee!"


----------



## William Meikle (Apr 19, 2010)

David McAfee said:


> Can someone please tell me the manly eqivalent of "Squeeeeeeeee!"


Sorry Dave. There is no manly equivalent 

My favorite vamp novel by quite a long way is Fevre Dream by George R R Martin. Blows Anne Rice out of the water. Kim Newman's Anno Dracula is also a strong contender


----------



## sharyn (Oct 30, 2008)

I also like Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's St. Germain series.


----------



## tlshaw (Nov 10, 2008)

I like the Midnight Breed Series by Lara Adrian. There are 7 so far, and I think one is in the works.


----------



## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Hmmm...no Bram Stoker on anyone's best list, even though he effectively started the genre? 

Personally, I'm not a vampire/werewolf/other-undead genre fan, but I did very much like Roger Zelazny's _A Night in the Lonesome October_, which includes a vampire, a werewolf, and Jack the Ripper to boot.


----------



## William Meikle (Apr 19, 2010)

NogDog said:


> Hmmm...no Bram Stoker on anyone's best list, even though he effectively started the genre?
> 
> Personally, I'm not a vampire/werewolf/other-undead genre fan, but I did very much like Roger Zelazny's _A Night in the Lonesome October_, which includes a vampire, a werewolf, and Jack the Ripper to boot.


Both Stoker and that Zelazny tale are high on my favorite vamp lists. Also Suzie McKee Charnas' The Vampire Tapestry, Ray Garton's Live Girls, Skipp and Spector's The Light at the End, King's Salem's Lot, Richard Laymon's The Travelling Vampire Show, Robert MaCammon's They Thirst and Les Daniels' The Black Castle


----------



## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

I actually really liked the Sookie Stackhouse series. I'm not sure if I have a favorite. I did recently read My Blood Approves and the consequent books from that series and really enjoyed them. 

I don't like anything too dark or scary. I like the vampires that are romantic and try to be good I guess.


----------



## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

MLPMom said:


> I actually really liked the Sookie Stackhouse series. I'm not sure if I have a favorite. I did recently read My Blood Approves and the consequent books from that series and really enjoyed them.
> 
> I don't like anything too dark or scary. I like the vampires that are romantic and try to be good I guess.


I'm afraid I'm with Craig Ferguson on that: vampires are supposed to be evil, blood-sucking _bad guys_. The romantic, sensitive hero[ine] is the normal person who has to kill the vampires.  But based on the Sookie, Twilight, Buffy/Angel successes, it appears there are plenty in your camp.


----------



## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

Anne Rice started me on the genre, and then I read Laurell Hamilton and liked that. Sookie was close behind, and Mary Janice Davidson's Queen Betsy books are fun and light, very humorous and girly. Similar to Katie Macalister (whose Dark Ones books are also good reads). The Black Dagger books mentioned above are good, too. 

If you haven't read Anne Rice, definitely put her on your list.


----------



## jonconnington (Mar 20, 2010)

Try going old-school...when vampires were MONSTERS and not romantic heroes...Brian Lumley's Necroscope series is a good place to start (he wrote Cthulu stoes, so his horror cred is solid....)

Or better yet, look at some of the Gothic romance Vampire stories from the 19th century...Lord Ruthven from THE VAMPYRE, by John William Polidori (a thinly-veiled version of the poet Lord Byron)

Or just go to the biggest bloodsucker of them all...Bram Stoker's DRACULA....

Like everything else, they don['t make 'em like they used too....


----------



## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

If you've been watching True Blood, the books will be like reading a different story I think. After having read the 10 Sookie Stackhouse books, the show was like fan fiction... use of roughly the same characters but with a different storyline, so your favorite characters in the show may not be your favorites in the books.

I've been enjoying Night Huntress and Black Dagger Brotherhood as other have mentioned, and I did enjoy the books of one of our authors here -- Lynda Hillburn. The first one is called The Vampire Shrink.
http://www.amazon.com/Vampire-Shrink-Kismet-Psychologist-ebook/dp/B003AKZB2O/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2


----------



## Sharlow (Dec 20, 2009)

jmiked said:


> Probably the only vampire series I've liked is Fred Saberhagens' "Vlad Tepes" series. There are 10 books in it, but only two are ebooks. They were written between 1975 and 2000.
> 
> He also wrote the "Berserker" series, which I believe won some awards.
> 
> Mike


I actually read a few Berserker books a long time ago. So long ago in fact, there weren't even things called Borg yet. Very good from what I remember, my son had picked one up from somewhere recently. I might have to pick one up again once I get over the vampire bug... At least I'm assuming there's a cure.


----------



## Imogen Rose (Mar 22, 2010)

Sharlow said:


> So as a new reader and author in this genre, I'm curious how many of you are fans of this genre. Doesn't matter if it's romance, of the scary kind. I'd like to hear about it. I just watched True Blood tonight, and I wondered how many of us are fans here at the boards. So far I've watched all the vampire diary's, True blood. ( I know thats not reading  but it got me interested. So I downloaded a whole bunch of previews to see which one I wanted to read.
> 
> I setteld For Amanda Hockings (hope I spelled that right, if not Sorry Amanda. ) My blood approves, and I'm almost done with her third one. I also have the entire Twilight series now...have to read it, and I just watched interview with a vampire. So I got the bug. So much so now I'm writing the darned things. Wrote one and working on another.
> 
> Anyways, I shared mine, you share yours please, oh and HI!!


Love True Blood, Vampire Diaries! I am reading Unwed and Undead at the moment, enjoying it. Recent indie vampire stories I have enjoyed include Reining In by Dawn Judd and The Hunted of 2060 by Ami Blackwelder (both these authors are members here).


----------



## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

I really enjoyed The Historian.


----------



## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

NogDog said:


> Hmmm...no Bram Stoker on anyone's best list, even though he effectively started the genre?
> 
> Personally, I'm not a vampire/werewolf/other-undead genre fan, but I did very much like Roger Zelazny's _A Night in the Lonesome October_, which includes a vampire, a werewolf, and Jack the Ripper to boot.


Dracula is second on my list, right after Stephen King.


----------



## planet_janet (Feb 23, 2010)

Oh--I forgot about one that I recently read that was pretty good and definitely not a "traditional" vampire story--Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist.


----------



## PhillipA82 (Dec 20, 2009)

David McAfee said:


> My favorite vampire novel of all time is this _Salem's Lot_, by Stephen King. After that I'd have to say _I, Strahd_, by P.N. Elrod. I've heard Lumley's _Necroscope_ is pretty good, but I haven't read it yet. It's on the list, though.


That's my favorite too


----------



## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Rasputina said:


> I really enjoyed The Historian.


Can't believe I left _The Historian_ off of my list. Great book!


----------



## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

I just finished I Am Legend.  My girlfriend loaned me the DTB version.  Now I want to see the movie again......  I enjoyed the book!


----------



## jonconnington (Mar 20, 2010)

Just out of curiosity...does anyone remember one of those old Choose Your Own Adventure books from back in the 80's...one that was about space vampires? I think that was the first vamp story I ever read....


----------



## ReginaLovesHer Kindle (Nov 30, 2009)

I loved Choose Your Own Adventure.    

I love the following vamp series:

Black Dagger Brotherhood by Ward (first is Dark Lover)
Sookie Stackhouse by Harris
The Historian (not a series by amazing book)
Carmilla (the first written vampire story, from late 1800s) -- free on amazon, short novella
The Breed Series by Lara Adrian is okay, but I enjoyed the first few.  (I gave these 3 and less stars, but a quick read)
Night Huntress Series by Frost (first is Halfway to the Grave)
Night Huntress World Series by Frost

Series that involve vamps, but also other supernatural creatures:

Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs (first is Moone Called)
Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews (first is Magic Bites)
Riley Jensen series by Keri Arthur (first is Full Moon Rising -- I gave this only 3 stars and have only read the first, but a quick enjoyable read)

I have never read Anne Rice .....


and one of the best Urban Fantasy series in my opinion, but doesn't involve vamps:

Fever series by Karen Moning (first is Dark Fever)


----------



## William Meikle (Apr 19, 2010)

ReginaLovesHer Kindle said:


> Carmilla (the first written vampire story, from late 1800s)


<pedant mode>
Not even close. Polidori's The Vampyre was in 1819, Varney the Vampyre in 1847. Carmilla was sometime later in 1872.
</pedant mode>


----------



## ReginaLovesHer Kindle (Nov 30, 2009)

Interesting.    I have always read that it was the first written rendition.  Thanks.


----------



## William Meikle (Apr 19, 2010)

ReginaLovesHer Kindle said:


> Interesting.  I have always read that it was the first written rendition. Thanks.


Wikipedia is our friend 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire_literature


----------



## ReginaLovesHer Kindle (Nov 30, 2009)

williemeikle said:


> Wikipedia is our friend
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire_literature


Are the first two you listed good? Worth reading?


----------



## William Meikle (Apr 19, 2010)

ReginaLovesHer Kindle said:


> Are the first two you listed good? Worth reading?


Polidori's is great, especially when you take the Lord Byron comparisons into account.

Varney the Vampire is not to be tackled lightly... the original edition ran to 868 double columned pages divided into 220 chapters! But it's a lot of fun, just not very well written.


----------



## bvlarson (May 16, 2010)

Salem's Lot, no question. Anne Rice's good ones, too.
I tend to like books where the vamps are the bad guys--not just hissing monsters, but still not goodie-goodie. One of my own books is listed as vamp romance (guess which one) but there is no sparkling~!


----------



## ReginaLovesHer Kindle (Nov 30, 2009)

I agree.  I find it unbelievable (unless there is a really good world building explanation like in Black dagger brotherhood) when vamps are lovable friends.


----------



## CCrooks (Apr 15, 2010)

_Blood Is Not Enough_, an anthology of vampire stories edited by Ellen Datlow. Worth it just for "Try A Dull Knife" by Harlan Ellison and "To Feel Another's Woe" by Chet Williamson, though many other good stories are in it. Some of the vampires aren't strictly bloodsucking types, which mixes it up nicely.


----------



## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

For something different from the usual vampire story, I loved Karl Larew's hilarious Bad Vampires







. I laughed out loud a lot of the time while reading it, and that doesn't happen very often. I gave it 5 stars in my Amazon review.


----------



## Imogen Rose (Mar 22, 2010)

MLPMom said:


> I actually really liked the Sookie Stackhouse series. I'm not sure if I have a favorite. I did recently read My Blood Approves and the consequent books from that series and really enjoyed them.
> 
> I don't like anything too dark or scary. I like the vampires that are romantic and try to be good I guess.


ditto

MLPMom, have you tried Unwed and Undead? I am reading it at the moment, entertaining.


----------



## G. Henkel (Jan 12, 2010)

Kim Newman's "Anno Dracula" is a fun read, as well as Barbara Hambly's "Those Who Hunt At Night." Sadly neither is available for the Kindle and are hard to find in print also.


----------



## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

Imogen Rose said:


> ditto
> 
> MLPMom, have you tried Unwed and Undead? I am reading it at the moment, entertaining.


No I haven't even heard of it yet. I will have to go and look it up. Thanks for the recommendation.


----------



## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

bvlarson said:


> Salem's Lot, no question. Anne Rice's good ones, too.
> I tend to like books where the vamps are the bad guys--not just hissing monsters, but still not goodie-goodie. One of my own books is listed as vamp romance (guess which one) but there is no sparkling~!


I actually just purchased your book. 

I will have to let you know how I like it when I get around to reading it. I have a ton of books on my TBR (a lot of them from authors here) so it may be awhile.


----------



## jonconnington (Mar 20, 2010)

williemeikle said:


> Polidori's is great, especially when you take the Lord Byron comparisons into account.
> 
> Varney the Vampire is not to be tackled lightly... the original edition ran to 868 double columned pages divided into 220 chapters! But it's a lot of fun, just not very well written.


Lord Byron...the original bad boy, in whose shadow all others must stand, be their real or literary....described by a former lover as "mad, bad, and dangerous to know."

Interesting side note...he's also considered a national hero of Greek Independence....wikipedia is cool!


----------



## Blanche (Jan 4, 2010)

Scary Vampire Book: "They Thirst" by Robert R. McCammon was one of my first vampire novels and I loved the contemporary twist. Vampires laying seige to California is a fantastic idea. It scared me pretty good when I read it... I started "hearing" vampires under my bed at night.

Books where Vampire is a Hero:


> Barbara Hambly's "Those Who Hunt At Night."


 Thanks to Guido Henkel for reminding me about Barbra Hambly. I had forgotten all about her books and I have a pile of them in my closet because they aren't available on Kindle. And of course Robin McKinley's "Sunshine" is one of my favorites too.


----------



## bevie125 (Feb 12, 2010)

Aside from some of the above mentioned titles and authors, I would highly recommend Tom Holland's Deliver Us from Evil and Save of MY Thirst. Very Good Reads!!


----------



## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

JimC1946 said:


> For something different from the usual vampire story, I loved Karl Larew's hilarious Bad Vampires
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Along those same lines - "You Suck" by Christopher Moore. Embarrassed myself a few times laughing out loud in public.


----------



## G. Henkel (Jan 12, 2010)

@Blanche,  yes, it is time for me to re-read "Those Who Hunt At Night" myself.


----------



## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

How did I forget this one?


----------



## Sharlow (Dec 20, 2009)

Amazing how many Vampire novels there are. I'm not the fastest reader in the world, plus my writing, I'm not sure I'll ever get to them all. I just finished Amanda's  "Flutter". It was pretty good, and I really like here series. It sucks I'm going to have to wait till August for her next book. I hate having to give up characters I've grown use to visiting with every day.

Guess it's time for withdrawals. (shake, shake.) Now it's time for me to read Twilight, before my friend demands all her books back. =)


----------



## sixnsolid (Mar 13, 2009)

I cut my teeth on the Anne Rice books, and they will always be dear to me. Twilight and the Sookie series were both enjoyable. The original Dracula is definitely worth a reread this summer.

On the scary side of the fence I really enjoyed The Strain. It was recommended here and scare the bejinkies out of me.



Sorry I couldn't get a Kindle link.


----------



## Sharlow (Dec 20, 2009)




----------



## worktolive (Feb 3, 2009)

Meemo said:


> Along those same lines - "You Suck" by Christopher Moore. Embarrassed myself a few times laughing out loud in public.


This is part of a trilogy and actually not the first book. The first book is Bloodsucking Fiends and it is hilarious. The third one was just released this year. It's called Bite Me. I haven't read it yet.


----------



## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

I did know that Bloodsucking Fiends came first, but I haven't read it so couldn't vouch for it - but you're right I should've mentioned it.  Maybe one day...


----------



## worktolive (Feb 3, 2009)

LOL, I'm one of those people that goes bonkers if I don't start at the beginning of a series - that's the only reason I posted about You Suck being the second book. If you're like me, your TBR pile is humongous, but you should add Bloodsucking Fiends to yours because it is great. I've got the third, Bite Me, on my wishlist, but.....there's that darn TBR pile.......


----------



## R. M. Reed (Nov 11, 2009)

I haven't read this yet (or it's sequel) but this author is another client of my agent, so I will mention it. It is not for people who take vampires too seriously.


----------



## scottnicholson (Jan 31, 2010)

Salem's Lot, Douglas Clegg's The Children's Hour, and Le Fanu's Carmilla (old school!)

Scott


----------



## jonconnington (Mar 20, 2010)

NogDog said:


> How did I forget this one?


HAH! Wish I'd thought of that.....


----------



## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

*A Dozen Black Roses* by Nancy A. Collins: http://www.amazon.com/Dozen-Black-Roses-Nancy-Collins/dp/1565048733/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276910711&sr=1-8

It's about a girl who was turned into a vampire in the late 1960's but in this series the way one becomes a vampire is a vampire drains his/her blood, the soul leaves the body and a demon goes into the fresh corpse. For our heroine Sonja Blue she never leaves her body but a demon enters the body she's still in. So basically becomes a vampire with dissociative identity disorder. When the demon is in control she becomes a mindless killer but when Sonja is in control she kills vampires.

It's a good read. I really enjoyed it.

Dawn


----------



## MinaVE (Apr 20, 2010)

Throwing into the mix my first vampire read: Christopher Pike's The Last Vampire. Saw the series (6 books in all) reissued with new Twilight-era covers. 

After that, I haven't really liked or followed any other vampire story. (I got my fix from TV, am a Buffy fan!)


----------



## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

MinaVE said:


> Throwing into the mix my first vampire read: Christopher Pike's The Last Vampire. Saw the series (6 books in all) reissued with new Twilight-era covers.
> 
> After that, I haven't really liked or followed any other vampire story. (I got my fix from TV, am a Buffy fan!)


I actually read the first set of books in the series (Thirst 1) and thought it was a little strange. I am not sure if I will be buying the second set of books or not. It didn't really appeal to me, which was a surprise because I loved his novels growing up, at least he few that I had read at the time.


----------



## G. Henkel (Jan 12, 2010)

Since I couldn't find my old copy, I just picked up a used copy of Barbara Hambly's "Those Who Hunt At Night" for 1 cent on eBay. LOL
Looking forward to re-reading it. I don't remember a whole lot about it, other than that I enjoyed it a lot when I first read it 20 years or so ago.


----------



## Blanche (Jan 4, 2010)

> Since I couldn't find my old copy, I just picked up a used copy of Barbara Hambly's "Those Who Hunt At Night" for 1 cent on eBay. LOL
> Looking forward to re-reading it. I don't remember a whole lot about it, other than that I enjoyed it a lot when I first read it 20 years or so ago.


Will be interesting to see if you enjoy it as much as the first time around. In either event... it isn't as if you are out a lot of money! I have went back and read books from years past and find that the "shine" is gone. I have changed enough that I don't find them as enjoyable. I pulled out "Those who Hunt the Night" from when you mentioned it earlier. I had forgotten all about it til you mentioned it. I have it here locked, loaded, and ready for when I finish the series I am working on. Good luck and happy reading!


----------



## beckyj20 (Jun 12, 2010)

I highly recommend the Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. Also, Twilight and the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward are great too!


----------



## robertduperre (Jun 13, 2010)

i highly enjoyed "The Strain" by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, and "I Am Legend" might be the best vampire novel ever written for my taste.

However, I just can't replace "The Vampire Lestat" in my personal library.  It was the first (no, second...Interview was first) vampire novel I ever read, and I loved the romanticism of Lestat's character.  Of course, that romantacism has run its course over the last decade, but at the beginning it was fresh.  Loved it.


----------



## MinaVE (Apr 20, 2010)

MLPMom said:


> I actually read the first set of books in the series (Thirst 1) and thought it was a little strange. I am not sure if I will be buying the second set of books or not. It didn't really appeal to me, which was a surprise because I loved his novels growing up, at least he few that I had read at the time.


I liked the first one, but the series itself felt like it went on for too long. There was probably a demand for a vampire series back then and they just tried to make it work.


----------



## romac (Jun 23, 2010)

I was never a huge vampire fan, as werewolves were my monster of choice growing up. I've read the Twilight series, and the Sookie Stackhouse books 1-9, lame for a guy I guess but I enjoyed them lol. I liked the Stackhouse novels more, but I have to say they've steadily gotten worse in my opinion. 

I'd really like to read Interview/I Am Legend sometime.


----------



## Carld (Dec 2, 2009)

Charlie Huston's  Already Dead was a free Kindle book for a while, very enjoyable read.


----------



## izzy (Jun 12, 2010)

Dracula
Salem's Lot
The Historian
Twilight series
Sookie series
Once Bitten by Kalayna Price


----------



## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

NogDog said:


> I'm afraid I'm with Craig Ferguson on that: vampires are supposed to be evil, blood-sucking _bad guys_. The romantic, sensitive hero[ine] is the normal person who has to kill the vampires.  But based on the Sookie, Twilight, Buffy/Angel successes, it appears there are plenty in your camp.


I just zipped through the thread and didn't notice a mention of the one I'm reading now. No sparkly vamps, no Edward Cullens or Eric Northmans here. I'm not to far into it yet, but this is a really good read (someone called it "literate" and that's a good description - literate in a good, makes-you-want-to-keep-reading-without-the-use-of-cliffhanger-chapter-endings way. Sucked (so to speak) me in right from the opening paragraphs.


----------



## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

MinaVE said:


> Throwing into the mix my first vampire read: Christopher Pike's The Last Vampire. Saw the series (6 books in all) reissued with new Twilight-era covers.
> 
> After that, I haven't really liked or followed any other vampire story. (I got my fix from TV, am a Buffy fan!)


Love me some Buffy!


----------



## lib2b (Apr 6, 2010)

CNDudley said:


> I thought the first quarter or third of Robin McKinley's SUNSHINE was very well done. It dropped off for me after that because the vampire went out of the picture for a while. Wish and wish she would write a sequel, though.


I agree with this one. I don't generally love vampire books, but I love this one.


----------



## robertduperre (Jun 13, 2010)

David McAfee said:


> Love me some Buffy!


It's only the best show ever on television...


----------



## WilliamM (Feb 10, 2009)

Salem's Lot
They Thirst
I Am Legend
Tthe Strain


----------



## LauraB (Nov 23, 2008)

scottnicholson said:


> .... and Le Fanu's Carmilla (old school!)
> 
> Scott


That is available on Kindle, just snagged it!
http://www.amazon.com/Carmilla-Gothic-Vampire-Classic-ebook/dp/B0027P8IX2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1277823399&sr=1-4


----------



## WilliamM (Feb 10, 2009)

Meemo said:


> I just zipped through the thread and didn't notice a mention of the one I'm reading now. No sparkly vamps, no Edward Cullens or Eric Northmans here. I'm not to far into it yet, but this is a really good read (someone called it "literate" and that's a good description - literate in a good, makes-you-want-to-keep-reading-without-the-use-of-cliffhanger-chapter-endings way. Sucked (so to speak) me in right from the opening paragraphs.


im reading it still so until I finish it I cant say if its one of my favorites or not..seems ok so far
a bit confusing on whats going on in some parts but then im only 1/4 of the way in so far


----------



## LauraB (Nov 23, 2008)

Fuzzy Dunlop, I'm about 90% into it and it pulls together well.


----------



## WilliamM (Feb 10, 2009)

LauraB said:


> Fuzzy Dunlop, I'm about 90% into it and it pulls together well.


yeah ..I assumed I just needed to get further into it..I wish I could get more reading time in as I know this is a long one


----------



## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Fuzzy Dunlop said:


> im reading it still so until I finish it I cant say if its one of my favorites or not..seems ok so far
> a bit confusing on whats going on in some parts but then im only 1/4 of the way in so far


Sounds really good. My daughter bought it awhile ago, but I haven't had time to read it, nor had I seen any recommendations about it. It's now been moved to my TBR list. Thanks!


----------



## Basilius (Feb 20, 2010)

Dawn McCullough White said:


> *A Dozen Black Roses* by Nancy A. Collins: http://www.amazon.com/Dozen-Black-Roses-Nancy-Collins/dp/1565048733/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276910711&sr=1-8


I haven't read that particular book, but other than the original Anne Rice trilogy, Collins' _Sunglasses After Dark_ was a vampire book I enjoyed (the novel, not the comic book adaptation that came later). Haven't ventured back into the coffins since, though.

Anne Rice kind of went off the rails after _Queen of the Damned_ for me, though.


----------



## jonconnington (Mar 20, 2010)

Just for laughs...I took a gander at Richelle Meads Vampire Academy series...not bad, pretty edgy for a Y/A targeted story...


----------



## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

jonconnington said:


> Just for laughs...I took a gander at Richelle Meads Vampire Academy series...not bad, pretty edgy for a Y/A targeted story...


You should look at the one by P.C. and Kristin Cast, that one I am surprised is YA. Granted I only read the first in the series but, yeah, it was a little more adult than YA to me.

I haven't read the Vampire Academy.


----------



## Carld (Dec 2, 2009)

CNDudley said:


> I thought the first quarter or third of Robin McKinley's SUNSHINE was very well done. It dropped off for me after that because the vampire went out of the picture for a while. Wish and wish she would write a sequel, though.


I enjoyed this one as well, though it's a bit "romancey" for my taste. I looked at it more as an urban fantasy rather than a vampire/paranormal romance.


----------



## jonconnington (Mar 20, 2010)

it seems to me that litrerary vampire tend to fall into one of two camps - Byronic romantic heroes consumed by tragedy, seeking to sweep the heroine off her feet, sometimes as a prelude to exsanguination. Or superhuman killing machines that can tear through a platoon of heavily armed combats Marines in a blink of an eye without breaking a sweat or putting a hair out of place. No guess as to which audience prefers one or the other....


----------



## Vyrl (Jun 7, 2010)

"The Passage" was excellent. And, I must admit, I'm still an Anne Rice lover


----------



## G. Henkel (Jan 12, 2010)

I started re-reading Barbara Hambly's Those Who Hunt The Night a little while ago - after 20+ years or so, and while it took me a while to get into its stylistic rhythm, I am now enjoying it quite bit. Hambly's writing is a good bit more embellished than I remembered, making it a bit of a tricky read with its many modifiers, long sentences and dissertations on every little bit, but once you get in the groove of it, it is still very cool.

I just love the story, very nice gothic feel to it, and good pacing.


----------



## MinaVE (Apr 20, 2010)

David McAfee said:


> Love me some Buffy!


Can we count Joss Whedon here? Because I keep comparing everything to Buffy anyway.


----------



## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

NogDog said:


> I'm afraid I'm with Craig Ferguson on that: vampires are supposed to be evil, blood-sucking _bad guys_. The romantic, sensitive hero[ine] is the normal person who has to kill the vampires.  But based on the Sookie, Twilight, Buffy/Angel successes, it appears there are plenty in your camp.


"Buffy" and "Angel" were amazing. Angel was the only good Vampire in the Buffy/Angel universe. (And then Spike, but he was borderline.) All other Vamps were evil and had to be killed!

I liked the first four novels in the Anne Rice "Vampire Chronicles." (And _loved_ "Interview with the Vampire.) But I think she should have stopped after "The Tale of the Body Thief." That novel wrapped up naturally and brought everything full circle from the first one. But alas...she kept going....

Has anyone read "Carrion Comfort?"


----------



## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

There's also Charlie Huston's five-part Joe Pitt series. I haven't read it yet, but I have them all on my Kindle. (The first one was available for free at Amazon a few months ago.) I loved Huston's other novels, so I'm sure I'm going to enjoy these.


----------



## Jan Strnad (May 27, 2010)

_I Am Legend_ by Richard Matheson has been one of my all-time favorite books for decades, now. It's the first book I ever read and then immediately went back to the start to read again! It's been made into three movies and none of them does it justice. _The Last Man on Earth _ was closest to the book, but terribly low budget. _The Omega Man _ was "based loosely upon" the book, and _I Am Legend _ was pretty good but ultimately, with the ending, the filmmakers showed that they just didn't get it.

_Interview with the Vampire_ by Anne Rice was really enjoyable way back when, but I don't have any interest in the vampire romance genre of today.

Finally read _Dracula _ for the first time and enjoyed it, though it's pretty tame and wordy by today's standards.


----------



## Genaro Zamora (Jul 6, 2010)

lots of interesting books on here. 
I've always liked Bram Stokers Dracula,
and Anne Rice's Vampire series.
Have any of you read "The Vampire Lestat" in it's graphic novel form? 
I really enjoyed it!


----------



## derek alvah (Jul 2, 2010)

MinaVE said:


> Can we count Joss Whedon here? Because I keep comparing everything to Buffy anyway.


I wish there were more, but there are some Buffy books for the kindle.


----------



## R. M. Reed (Nov 11, 2009)

I Am Legend was pretty good but ultimately, with the ending, the filmmakers showed that they just didn't get it.
---

There's an alternate ending - apparently the original one before the studio made them change it - on the DVD. It is much better.

I rented _Omega Man_ and was highly amused. The vampire creatures are basically hippies.


----------



## Joel Arnold (May 3, 2010)

I'll admit I enjoyed the first three Anne Rice vampire books, too.
I loved Richard Laymon's The Traveling Vampire Show (which was more about adolescnce than vampires) 
I Am Legend is a favorite.
I also thoroughly enjoyed The Historian. It was one of those big, meaty novels that I let myself get lost in.
But I still think Bram Stoker's Dracula is my favorite. From a writing standpoint, I think he did an amazing job with the epistolary form.

Joel Arnold


----------



## Pjsullivan18 (Jun 21, 2010)

If you liked Twilight than you'll LOVE the Vampire Academy series.  It's young adult, but the story is fanastic!!  I was actually SOBBING at one point one when I was reading book four.  It's funny, has very well-liked relatable (to a certain degree) characters and a lot of action.  I really can't say enough about this series.  I have recommended it to everyone I know. I can't wait for someone to talk about it to!


----------



## Genaro Zamora (Jul 6, 2010)

I didn't know Buffy was turned into a novel?
But yeah, their are many novel to film adaptations with vampires.
I liked Interview with the Vampire, but my favorite book to film 
I'd had to say would be Bram Stoker's Dracula done by Francis Ford Copolla.


----------



## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

Pjsullivan18 said:


> If you liked Twilight than you'll LOVE the Vampire Academy series. I can't wait for someone to talk about it to!


Here's a link to a spoiler forum that has topics on a variety of vampire series, authors, etc. for discussion. There's one on the Vampire Academy... just keep scrolling down. Hope you enjoy it... we all need another site to browse, right? 

http://www.tangler.com/forum/paranormal-fiction---vampires-werewolves-and-faries-oh-my/topics/



Genaro Zamora said:


> .. my favorite book to film
> I'd had to say would be Bram Stoker's Dracula done by Francis Ford Copolla.


Oh yeah, scary Gary is the best!


----------



## Genaro Zamora (Jul 6, 2010)

yeah, I liked the creepy romance element the movie had.


----------



## R. M. Reed (Nov 11, 2009)

Genaro Zamora said:


> yeah, I liked the creepy romance element the movie had.


Which was not in the book. I liked the fact that it showed the structure of the book, that it was made up of letters and journal entries.


----------



## Genaro Zamora (Jul 6, 2010)

yeah the letters were cool, 
it's probably one movie I can't get tired of.
lolz...


----------



## melissaj323 (Dec 29, 2008)

I just finished







.

If you loved KMM Darkfever series, I think you will enjoy this series. I know I did! I was up til midnight reading!


----------



## Joel Arnold (May 3, 2010)

Genaro Zamora said:


> but my favorite book to film
> I'd had to say would be Bram Stoker's Dracula done by Francis Ford Copolla.


I liked that, too. And if I remember correctly, there was actually a novelization of the movie (and I don't mean the Bram Stoker novel - I mean there was a novelization of 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' by some other writer. Which seemed really odd...)


----------



## dlanzarotta (Jul 14, 2010)

The Morganville Vampires series is one of my favorites.


----------



## Sharlow (Dec 20, 2009)

Of course my favorite vampire of all time is:


----------



## padowd (Jan 14, 2010)

I love books by Anne Rice. To me she has written the best vampire books ever. She is no longer writing this kind of book which is sad because she was really good. She started writing this kind of book before the subject was so hot. I read them all. My husband and I watched "Interview With A Vampire" yesterday staring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. To me these were some of the best roles they have played. Boy were these guys sexy. It made me want to read her books again but hardly none are on the Kindle and I was so disappointed. If you have not read any of her vampire books and you love this kind of book I would highly recommend them. I am sure your local library has them.


----------



## LaRita (Oct 28, 2008)

Has anyone read Mozart's Blood? It was (possibly still is) free a couple of weeks ago. I found it to be right up there with Anne Rice's early vampire books.


----------



## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

LaRita said:


> Has anyone read Mozart's Blood? It was (possibly still is) free a couple of weeks ago. I found it to be right up there with Anne Rice's early vampire books.


Sounds interesting. I just looked it up at Amazon, and it's now $9.60. Will put it in my list of books that I might buy. Since my TBR list is really long now, I think I'll wait to see if/when the price drops again on this book. Thanks for the suggestion.


----------



## R. M. Reed (Nov 11, 2009)

Anne Rice herself posted for a while on the Amazon Kindle forum. She was interested in getting her books onto Kindle. So I'm sure they will appear when her publisher can be persuaded to do it.


----------



## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

R. Reed said:


> Anne Rice herself posted for a while on the Amazon Kindle forum. She was interested in getting her books onto Kindle. So I'm sure they will appear when her publisher can be persuaded to do it.


That's interesting. Do you remember the name under which she posted? Wish she'd come back, although I know that she no longer writes vampire books. I have yet to read her newer books, but would like to. Hope they become available for Kindles before too long.


----------



## SimonWood (Nov 13, 2009)

My favorite vampire book remains I AM LEGEND by Richard Matheson.  Great book.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Just bought Fevre Dream for my wife, and I'll probably get around to reading it myself. Been curious to try G. R. R. Martin's work that isn't Song of Ice and Fire.

David Dalglish


----------



## R. M. Reed (Nov 11, 2009)

Well, we knew it was her because her user name was...Anne Rice. I can't 100% guarantee that someone wasn't pretending to be her, but she seemed very real.


----------



## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

R. Reed said:


> Well, we knew it was her because her user name was...Anne Rice. I can't 100% guarantee that someone wasn't pretending to be her, but she seemed very real.


I first wrote something to the effect that I assumed she was writing under her own name, and then I modified my post because I thought that might not be a correct assumption. Should have stayed with my original statement.


----------



## AFS_NZ_IT (Feb 3, 2009)

I really like the Vampire Academy books also.  Wicked good!  I cried like a baby during the 4th.

PC Cast drove me nuts because the story would be moving along nicely and then the whole tone would change and it seemed like the author was very juvenile.  After the first book I watched the trailer and found out that it was a mother/daughter team writing the books.  I liked the mother's writing.  The daughter made me want to throw the book out the window.  

I really liked Sookie too.  But the last couple of books seem to be more fillers and not adding much to the plot of the complete story line.  I enjoy True Blood too.

I liked Fallen but it is about a fallen angel. 

I can't handle the scary stuff.  I am a big chicken.  :-D  I live an hour from Stephen King so I feel kind of bad that I don't buy his work since he does do a lot for the community.  But man oh man does he write scary books!


----------



## Cuechick (Oct 28, 2008)

planet_janet said:


> Oh--I forgot about one that I recently read that was pretty good and definitely not a "traditional" vampire story--Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist.


I agree, Let the Right One In is an excellent, non-traditional Vampire story. It is also an excellent movie, available on netflix instant... there is also an American version being released later this year. The name was changed to "Let Me In" ....though imo it does not look as good as the original Swedish version.


----------



## dahoover (Jul 24, 2010)

Octochick said:


> I agree, Let the Right One In is an excellent, non-traditional Vampire story. It is also an excellent movie, available on netflix instant... there is also an American version being released later this year. The name was changed to "Let Me In" ....though imo it does not look as good as the original Swedish version.


I also really enjoyed "Let the Right One In" (The book and the movie!) and would recommend it to anyone who likes vampire books.

Another book I really enjoyed was I Am Legend, which is completely different than the movie, especially the ending. The movie was good but, imo, the book is on a whole other level.


----------



## padowd (Jan 14, 2010)

dshoover thanks for your post. I keep hearing so many people say great things about the book I Am Legend. I saw the movie and while I thought it was a good one I didn't think it was as great as everyone was saying the book was. Now I think I get it. The book is different then the movie. This happens alot and that is why I like to read the book too. I think I may now give the book a try since I read your post. You are the first person to say the book was that much different with a different ending.


----------



## Cuechick (Oct 28, 2008)

I am now curious to read "I am Legend" also, except it is not ava for Kindles! Most of his other books seem to be so may if y'all would click the kindle-ize it button, it will be too!
http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-Legend-Richard-Matheson/dp/0765318741/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280240596&sr=1-1


----------



## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Octochick said:


> I am now curious to read "I am Legend" also, except it is not ava for Kindles! Most of his other books seem to be so may if y'all would click the kindle-ize it button, it will be too!
> http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-Legend-Richard-Matheson/dp/0765318741/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280240596&sr=1-1


I just did that. Hope it will be Kindleized before too long.


----------



## padowd (Jan 14, 2010)

I hate to hear that. It seems like several books I have wanted to read lately has not been available for the Kindle. I will click it though.


----------



## dahoover (Jul 24, 2010)

padowd said:


> dshoover thanks for your post. I keep hearing so many people say great things about the book I Am Legend. I saw the movie and while I thought it was a good one I didn't think it was as great as everyone was saying the book was. Now I think I get it. The book is different then the movie. This happens alot and that is why I like to read the book too. I think I may now give the book a try since I read your post. You are the first person to say the book was that much different with a different ending.





Octochick said:


> I am now curious to read "I am Legend" also, except it is not ava for Kindles! Most of his other books seem to be so may if y'all would click the kindle-ize it button, it will be too!
> http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-Legend-Richard-Matheson/dp/0765318741/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280240596&sr=1-1


You're welcome padowd! After watching movies I also like to read the books they are based off just so I don't miss anything. The movie version of I Am Legend glossed over so much that made the book so great and if you like the movie (even remotely) then you will really enjoy the book and be disappointed of all the potential that the movie squandered. This is the novel that influenced writers like Stephen King and Dean Koontz and is one of my favorite sci-fi/horror books.

I realized after I recommended it that it wasn't available for Kindle, sorry Octochick.


----------



## Danielleqlee (Jun 21, 2010)

I've really enjoyed L.J. Smith's Night World series and her Vampire Diaries.


----------



## Cuechick (Oct 28, 2008)

Danielleqlee said:


> I realized after I recommended it that it wasn't available for Kindle, sorry Octochick.


That's ok, not your fault... I just find it surprising since most of his other books are and this one was re-released in conjunction with the film so you would think.... 
Another book mentioned here that sounded interesting, Sunshine, also needs to be clicked...!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142411108/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-4&pf_rd_r=1W33Z9G5YB4J1S9TH3VJ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470939031&pf_rd_i=507846


----------



## Blanche (Jan 4, 2010)

> Another book mentioned here that sounded interesting, Sunshine, also needs to be clicked...!


I just read through FB that Robin McKinley is re-releasing Sunshine this summer. Contest to win an autographed copy of the new release. I entered the contest and sent a suggestion about new release for Kindle as well. I am hoping that a Kindle version will accompany the release. Keep your fingers crossed!


----------



## Gianna Mange (Sep 7, 2011)

I've always loved this genre and i think it is a shame that people are mostly writing it now for trend. Though the bad outwiegh the good, there are several of them that i really liked; Vampire Academy by Rachelle Mead, They Thrist, Robert McCammon and a good one i read recently was called Blood Warrior by Heather Gordon.


----------



## KR Jacobsen (Jul 19, 2011)

Tanya Huff's blood books are an entertaining read (and the short-lived tv show was enjoyable, if not great or faithful). There's also a sort-of spin-off series that came from those books (I think that's the Smoke series), but I haven't read those yet. They're on my rather long to-read list.

(And while not necessarily within the exact spirit of what's being requested, "vampire" is in the series name : E. E. Knight's Vampire Earth books. Excellent post-apocalyptic sci-fi that has a unique spin on the vampire idea that's more faithful to idea that vampires are not nice creatures.)


----------



## Richard Raley (May 23, 2011)

Going to second Charlie Huston.


----------



## mscottwriter (Nov 5, 2010)

I loved Sunshine by Robin McKinley (think Chocolat with vampires, lol.) I just introduced my 15yo daughter to the Anne Rice books, and she's hooked!


----------



## Cuechick (Oct 28, 2008)

Just a heads up, *I am Legend* is _finally_ ava in Kindle format!


----------



## Tamara Rose Blodgett (Apr 1, 2011)

Salem's Lot - just plain scary.
Sookie Stackhouse Series- fun and lightweight.
Twilight Series- different.
My Blood Approves Series- addictive.
Moon Dance Series by J.R. Rain- terrific, gritty and often comedic.
Blood Destiny Series by Connie Suttle- addictive, some mystery and many sub-genres squeezed into one. Love these!


I'm sure I've missed some gems. I never get tired of vamps that are done well!


----------



## Elizabeth Black (Apr 8, 2011)

SimonWood said:


> My favorite vampire book remains I AM LEGEND by Richard Matheson. Great book.


That one is excellent. I have several Richard Matheson books.

I also like CARMILLA by J. Sheridan LeFanu and SALEM'S LOT by Stephen King.


----------



## flipside (Dec 7, 2011)

I loved the anthologies By Blood We Live edited by John Joseph Adams and Teeth edited by Ellen Datlow.


----------



## Casey W (Oct 10, 2011)

Dracula
Salem's Lot
I am Legend
Vampire$


----------



## Coral Moore (Nov 29, 2009)

If you're a fan of the scary vampire you should check out Burden Kansas (Vampires of the Plains) by Alan Ryker. Book two is coming out soon, I think.


----------



## Vianka Van Bokkem (Aug 26, 2010)

izzy said:


> Dracula
> Salem's Lot
> The Historian
> Twilight series
> ...


I second your choices!

-Vianka


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Anne Rice - Interview with the Vampire. Hands down. No contest there.


----------



## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Glad that people are mentioning _Salem's Lot_. I honestly think -- given the way that King uses the townsfolks' petty grievances against them -- it is one of the smartest, most intelligently conceived vampire novels of all time.


----------



## Light (Dec 25, 2011)

The Historian, although I felt the descriptions went on a little too long.
Dracula, of course.
Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series)

I want to read Let the Right One In, as I loved the movie (original Swedish version).


----------



## stacyjuba (Jul 12, 2010)

I liked the book Snap the World Unfolds by Michele Drier, which I read a couple months ago on my Kindle - vampires at a celebrity magazine and the editor is a  non-vampire. That got me into the genre a bit more, and I started reading the House of Night series. I enjoy those. I just read Twilight, and it was okay, and now I'm reading New Moon but it's just not grabbing me - I find the Twilight books well written so far, but the characters just don't grab me the way the other vampire books I've been reading.


----------



## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Tony Richards said:


> Glad that people are mentioning _Salem's Lot_. I honestly think -- given the way that King uses the townsfolks' petty grievances against them -- it is one of the smartest, most intelligently conceived vampire novels of all time.


I agree with you.


----------



## Mutiny (Dec 27, 2011)

CNDudley said:


> I thought the first quarter or third of Robin McKinley's SUNSHINE was very well done. It dropped off for me after that because the vampire went out of the picture for a while. Wish and wish she would write a sequel, though.


I'm a fan of that cover. I make a lot of purchases based off of cover art.


----------



## Marie S (May 20, 2011)

The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice
Dracula by Bram Stoker
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
The Vampyre by Tom Holland
The Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) books by Charlaine Harris


----------



## ebiannah (Dec 27, 2011)

J.R. Rain's Samantha Moon books.  Light, good read.


----------



## acellis (Oct 10, 2011)

My favorite is I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson.
The link to the Kindle version is
http://www.amazon.com/Am-Legend-Richard-Matheson-ebook/dp/B00514HDNW/ref=kinw_dp_ke?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

The creatures are not strictly vampires, but a cross between vampires and zombies, but the combination is extremely effective.

A great read!


----------

