What are your thoughts about vampire stories?

princess-bookworm · Post by **princess-bookworm** » 20 Dec 2016, 12:20

I think for me, the Twilight series was the first taste I ever had reading about vampires, and honestly, I loved it. But with the way it totally took off in the media, it became too much! After those, I stayed clear of vampire books for a while. But if they are done right, they can be really, really good! The classics are great! I also really enjoyed the Sookie Stackhouse novels, they had so much more than just vampires- always had new characters and creatures being introduced...I enjoyed them a lot, too.

Ezela_Salazar · Post by **Ezela_Salazar** » 20 Dec 2016, 13:24

I don't think vampires are over written yet, but they have had a lot of exposure lately. So have zombies and other end of the world themes. I think it's time we had a vampire tale that we could all get behind. Twilight was ok, but it didn't capture my attention as much as other topics. I like gritty and visceral, maybe that's why I trend toward zombies.

princess-bookworm · Post by **princess-bookworm** » 20 Dec 2016, 14:04

Agreed! Definitely a lot of exposure.. I'm waiting for the next big vampire book that we can all get behind! When I read Twilight, I was in 8th grade, that was almost nine years ago! I need something fresh and able to catch my attention

Do you have any good recommendations on zombie/apocalyptic novels? The only one that I've read that I actually liked was The Road by Cormac McCarthy! The others just seem really far-fetched and cheesy to me.

Silvermoon · Post by **Silvermoon** » 20 Dec 2016, 14:54

Vampire stories are not my favorite. The thought of drinking blood is revolting to me. However, I will find a book that will catch my interest. Stakeout by Lily Luchesi is one that I enjoyed. My favorite books that contain vampires are the Dresden Files Series by Jim Butcher. I find some of the stories rather old and redundant, but now and then, a new idea emerges.

Ccurren94 · Post by **Ccurren94** » 20 Dec 2016, 18:09

I like the twist that they can put on a vampire they live forever so you can constantly change their character it's an open book

tot2487 · Post by **tot2487** » 21 Dec 2016, 04:48

I don't think vampires will ever get old for someone like me. The duality of their nature as they are written most of the time has almost unlimited potential to a creative mind. The Sookie Stackhouse Series has my favorite incarnation of vampires to date, and the way vampires are written in the Mercy Thompson universe was fresh and intriguing as well. I hope they never go out of style.

ManyAdventuresM · Post by **ManyAdventuresM** » 21 Dec 2016, 12:10

I love new takes on traditional vampire lore. I love an author who discredits things like garlic and crosses with a flippant vampire character who clearly thinks it's inane that humans would believe such a thing. I thought the House of Night version of vampire lore and culture was particularly intriguing and multi-faceted. They did a great job of creating a world and introducing new elements to the lore that made the vampires seem to bridge the gap making it more plausible that they could just exist. I do, however, believe that vampires are supposed to be scary. I read the Twilight series but couldn't really get on board with some of the lore. My favorite vampire books, hands down, are the Samantha Moon series by JR Rain. Samantha Moon is my spirit monster. I do grow tired of the same recycled lore with no explanation or expectation of a new twist on it in some way. I think the historical lore (think Christopher Lee vampire movie era - sunlight, water, garlic, crosses) almost gives them too much mortality than some of the more modern takes. I like that evolution. To me, an immortal being should have an Achilles heel rather than a list of ways to meet its undoing.

lele10000 · Post by **lele10000** » 21 Dec 2016, 12:12

I think that vampire stories are awesome. They give you something to think about other than the things that are around you everyday. I like the thought that maybe somewhere in the world we have people that may have been here for centuries. Sometimes, I think vampires may be the answer for why some people in our society like bloody meat. However, everyone is to their own thing in the world.

I often wonder if the myth about garlic keeping them away is true. I guess that why I would read a good vampire book. It would tease my brain.

Ginya · Post by **Ginya** » 21 Dec 2016, 18:28

I don't think Vampire stories will ever go out of style; but I will admit to being more of a fan of the classical take on vampirism than some of the newer portrayals. Isn't feeding on the blood of the living to survive, shape shifting and flight enough to be terrifying anymore?

elliotbrooks · Post by **elliotbrooks** » 21 Dec 2016, 23:47

My hubby and I were just talking about vampire novels today! We both agree that we have nothing against vampire stories, but like anything else, they can be done terribly or they can be done well. Vampires can be vicious, sexy, brooding, ruthless, kind, compassionate; they can basically be anything the author wants them to be! It's important as the reader to distinguish whether the distaste for vampires stems from the idea of vampires themselves, or from the genres and characterizations they're found in

erasmus · Post by **erasmus** » 22 Dec 2016, 03:09

I like vampire stories, even if the usual myths and legends are used instead of the 'newer' vampires. The one thing I cannot stand in some vampire novels is the insta-love. Some of them is pretty much instant-everything, which really irks me.

The Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh has vampires in it although they are not the main focus all the time. They're vampires with pretty unique features, including the fact that Angels are the ones who make them.

ChillAndRead · Post by **ChillAndRead** » 22 Dec 2016, 08:09

The story has to be really appealing and the book very well written, otherwise it is a waist of time for me. I mean you usually get it if you like a book or not from the first pages. Then it is the writing style that either makes you want for more, just go with it, or don't want to continue. As others said also, most of them is about loving a human or another kind and it is like a copy - paste story written in a different way. It gets too tiresome.

Maddie4 · Post by **Maddie4** » 22 Dec 2016, 10:05

I have read multiple books that have vampire characters in it, some times they fit into the story, other times they seem like the only thing that is really hurting the book and it's story. I enjoy reading fictional book but when a character doesn't fit into the story or plot line I stop reading the book because of it.

rvenkat · Post by **rvenkat** » 22 Dec 2016, 10:12

hsimone wrote:Nightlord: Sunset has taken a new look and twist on vampires.

What are your thoughts about vampire stories? Are they old and redundant? Or are there other angles that authors can take these timeless creatures?

Have you read vampire book(s) that you thought of as unique and/or refreshing? Can you share?

I don't like vampire stories. It's not about the belief, but just that there's
blood involved, and I am not comfortable with that.

I guess all vampires should be loaded in a rocket and sent off from Earth!

Julie Ditton · Post by **Julie Ditton** » 23 Dec 2016, 00:26

As a teen, I "cut my teeth" on Stoner and Rice. As a mom, I joined my daughter reading all the "Twilight" and "House of Night" novels. So many purists are slamming them, but I thoroughly enjoyed these books. One has to realize that they are a different genre. Those older books were written for adults. These newer books are sold as Young Adults fiction. They are aimed at adolescent young women, and are all are a crossover between horror and Romance. As such those series do the job well. I am told by my daughter that many of the other series do not rise to the same standard.