Are ALL vamp books the same? - Writers Forum

comma127 · 09-24-2008, 01:38 PM

Okay, so recentIy I've gotten into the habit of downloading illegal ebooks and I've basically been reading through series' of vampire books. While some of you might say illegal ebooks are sacriledge, especially in this forum, I'm lazy and its cold outside. Okay, so I'm just lazy but that's not the point of this thread.

I got into vamp books through Kim Harrison and the Rachel Morgan series which I loved but ever after, every book I come across seems to be written about an insanely sexy or unwittingly sexy woman who meets a vamp that's attracted to them for their smell and eventually gets bitten.

Plus every book has some sort of rational explanation for vampirism, be it "we are were descended from demons"(Morgan series) or "they put nanos in us back in Atlantis (Argeneau series) or, we are a diverged evolutionary form of humans (Half of all vamp books I've read so far). And every bite is a sexually charged experience that's milked for three pages.

I get that their main target audience is sexually repressed teenagers but can anyone tell me of a book that doesn't fit two or less of those parameters?

moderan · 09-24-2008, 01:50 PM

They Thirst-Robert McCammon
Dracula-Bram Stoker
'Salem's Lot-Stephen King
for starters

Sir Twilight · 09-24-2008, 01:51 PM

Vampire novels are used to express the sensual pleasures brought about by the smell of the opposite sex's skin, blood, etc. Vamps are portrayed as extremely horny dudes (or babes)... and it's usually a plot device used as a sexual outlet. Ahem, just my opinion. I for one don't mind them too much, but when I use vamps in my stories they are more like demons, the embodiment of evil sort of thing.

moderan · 09-24-2008, 02:01 PM

Here's more-Carmilla-Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
Some of Your Blood-Theodore Sturgeon
Children of the Night-Dan Simmons
Avoid anything by Rice, Meyer, Brite, Yarbro, etc.
Most vampire yarns are targeted toward a not-very-discerning YA audience and are designed to titillate.

alanmt · 09-24-2008, 02:06 PM

you say that like titillation is a bad thing, moderan

moderan · 09-24-2008, 02:09 PM

In this case I believe it is...think about the reality of what vampires are supposed to be doing. How is that in any way titillating or gratifying, let alone sexy? *shakes head* I never got that. Vampires to me mean Nosferatu not some pretty boy with big teeth.

Sir Twilight · 09-24-2008, 02:10 PM

Exactly... why do we sensualize them?

comma127 · 09-24-2008, 02:55 PM

Because demons are too scary to be sexy, werewolves are too sexy to be scary, which leaves vamps and witches. hmm,any good witch stories around?

moderan · 09-24-2008, 03:11 PM

Conjure Wife, by Fritz Leiber. Best witch story EVER.
Incubi and Succubi are demons. Werewolves, vampires, etc, are far too old hat and way too trivialized to be scary. The readership of these books have no idea of what sexy is, and they never will if that's the class of examples they get. Sexy is NOT heavy breathing on a top 40 hit with some scantily-clad babe doing the video. There's very little real sensuality or involvement in that activity-it's just recreation. No feeling. Kinkiness is no substitute. Painting the cardboard characters in day-glo colors is just gilding the lily.
If I did a werewolf story I'd have the MC constantly humping people's legs or wagging his tail, wanting to play catch. A vampire would be robbing blood banks or be doped up from the crap he sucked out of people's necks. He'd be passed out on the front stoop and be caught by the sun in the morning. Incubi would have stds. There's just no way to take that juvenile garbage seriously.

Sir Twilight · 09-24-2008, 04:04 PM

Wow, moderan... you have some very good opinions... I have to agree totally with almost all of them...

Vamps, with their whole "immortal" thing make them intriguing, which in turn is twisted into "sexy"... Same with elves... no one can convince me that they haven't had at least one fantasy in their minds about elves...

MiloDaePesdan · 09-24-2008, 04:23 PM

Quote:

If I did a werewolf story I'd have the MC constantly humping people's legs or wagging his tail, wanting to play catch. A vampire would be robbing blood banks or be doped up from the crap he sucked out of people's necks. He'd be passed out on the front stoop and be caught by the sun in the morning. Incubi would have stds. There's just no way to take that juvenile garbage seriously.

Moderan,

Can I have your permission to write a story with all those ideas combined?

WriterDude · 09-24-2008, 04:28 PM

How can you have a thread about vamp books and not mention Anne Rice? Kids these days...

Or if you are really lazy, watch the movies. "Interview with the vampire" and "Queen of the Damned". But be warned "Queen..." is based on the second and third book in the Vampire Chronicles, so you really should read the books instead.

SparkyLT · 09-24-2008, 04:30 PM

Not all vampire stories are the same...the subject has been sadly tracked through so much mud it's nigh on impossible to find the good stories, but they are out there.

Quote:

I got into vamp books through Kim Harrison and the Rachel Morgan series which I loved but ever after, every book I come across seems to be written about an insanely sexy or unwittingly sexy woman who meets a vamp that's attracted to them for their smell and eventually gets bitten.

Plus every book has some sort of rational explanation for vampirism, be it "we are were descended from demons"(Morgan series) or "they put nanos in us back in Atlantis (Argeneau series) or, we are a diverged evolutionary form of humans (Half of all vamp books I've read so far). And every bite is a sexually charged experience that's milked for three pages.

Read some bad romance novels. Minus the blood\bite\etc., they're the same thing At least the vampires add a little spice.

Seriously? You don't want a rational answer for vampirism? Hell, I do. I'm responsible for one, wanna hear it? (Thought not.)

Meh. I really hate it when people run down vampire stories. If you don't like'em, stop reading them and stop bitching about them. Me, I enjoy even the cliche ones as long as they're well-written.

Wildcard · 09-24-2008, 04:37 PM

Vampires are always intriguing, no matter how they are conceptualized. If possible I'd be one. A day-walker though.

Ilasir Maroa · 09-24-2008, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SparkyLT

Not all vampire stories are the same...the subject has been sadly tracked through so much mud it's nigh on impossible to find the good stories, but they are out there.

Read some bad romance novels. Minus the blood\bite\etc., they're the same thing At least the vampires add a little spice.

Seriously? You don't want a rational answer for vampirism? Hell, I do. I'm responsible for one, wanna hear it? (Thought not.)

Meh. I really hate it when people run down vampire stories. If you don't like'em, stop reading them and stop bitching about them. Me, I enjoy even the cliche ones as long as they're well-written.

I'm bolding this for irony.

But on topic, there are some very good vampire novels out there if you look. Most likely not in the YA section, though.