Looking for a non-romantic vampire story

efreysson · Jun 2, 2013

Let me clarify: I can handle a romantic subplot, as long as it's more a vampire story than a romance story with supernatural trappings and the vampire isn't a smarmy-sexy bad boy.

Modern, historic, future, fantasy, I don't care about the setting as long as it's got a proper dark atmosphere. I can handle a vampire protagonist just fine as long as vampirism is more a curse than an awesome deck of superpowers.

Also, I've grown rather tired of over the top vampire stuff where they get slaughtered by the dozen; it kind of detracts from the threat.

Basically, I'm looking for an old fashioned vampire story with... well, fangs.

Oh, and I've read Dracula, Salem's Lot, The Light at the End (very good), and I'm not interested in the Anne Rice stuff.

*Ahem*. Hope I'm not too particular. Any recommendations?

firedrake · Jun 2, 2013

Until I saw the last line of your post I was going to recommend 'Interview with a Vampire'. Forget the rest of Rice's vampire books, because none of them come close to the first.

Introversion · Jun 2, 2013

George R.R. Martin's "Fevre Dream"?

"Let the Right One In"?

redfalcon · Jun 2, 2013

I am Legend, Cirque Du Freak (middle), The tax code.

Marian Perera · Jun 2, 2013

I once read a great short story called "Dress of White Silk", though I can't remember who wrote it. Was it Richard Matheson?

And there's Brian Lumley's vampire novels - Necroscope, Vamphyri and the rest.

Cathy C · Jun 2, 2013

<tentatively raises hand> You might like my co-authored Thrall trilogy. Touch of Evil is the first. You can read a review by vampire lovers here. You can also read about other books on their favorites list. Touch of Madness the second and Touch of Darkness is the third. While they're in the paranormal romance section, the vampires are the villains and are a very unique spin on vampirism. Touch of Evil was shy only a few votes for the Bram Stoker award short list (not exactly the best thing for a romance novel. :ROFL:

)

Parametric · Jun 2, 2013

I loved Guillermo del Toro's THE STRAIN.

Cairo Amani · Jun 2, 2013

Fledgling is my ALL time favorite vampire book. It's by the fantastic, late Octavia Butler

There is a love story subplot--the twist is that the vampire is an 11 year old black girl in love with an adult white male--and they live in a racist town. She also has a love affair with a woman.

But the book isn't ABOUT the love story. It's fantastic.

ULTRAGOTHA · Jun 2, 2013

Try the St. Germaine books by Chelsea Quinn Yarborough.

She was writing vampire books before vampire books were popular.

Also The Darkangel Trilogy by Meredith Ann Pierce.

mizor · Jun 2, 2013

Fred Saberhaughen wrote a few vampire books. One of them, sorry I cant remember the name of it, was Dracula written from the count's point of view.

Jess Haines · Jun 3, 2013

There's a thread full of great recommendations in the Horror section you might find of interest.

BethS · Jun 3, 2013

How about Sunshine by Robin McKinley? I haven't actually read it, but I've heard good things about it (McKinley is an excellent writer), and if there's romance in it, it's understated and not the point of the plot.

Wilde_at_heart · Jun 3, 2013

There's one called Whitechapel by a Niagara Falls writer called Wayne Mallows. I haven't read it yet, but met him once and it's a Jack the Ripper story with a Vampire twist.

Here's his website: http://waynemallows.com/reviews

jjdebenedictis · Jun 3, 2013

BethS said:
How about Sunshine by Robin McKinley? I haven't actually read it, but I've heard good things about it (McKinley is an excellent writer), and if there's romance in it, it's understated and not the point of the plot.

Well, the relationship is actually a pretty big part of that book, but it's lovely because it's not necessarily a romance--although it could be.

The vampire's shy, quiet, and kind of ugly. The woman has a bull-in-a-china-shop personality and a bakery. He refuses to drink human blood. There's no lust-at-first-sight, and they don't have sex. In fact, by the end of the book, you aren't even sure they're going to wind up being anything other than friends. It's just a nice, realistically-depicted relationship between two people who like each other.

And, y'know, who really need to save their skins from the bad vampires.

It is a great book. I particularly liked how wraithlike and fluid the vampires seemed; they're quite unlike the stock characters we've gotten used to.

hillaryjacques · Jun 3, 2013

Tanith Lee's Blood Opera Sequence has a very interesting take on vampires. There's nothing smarmy about it and I would definitely not call it romantic.

Seconding the good things said about McKinley's Sunshine. I very much enjoyed the book and the complex relationship.

efreysson · Jun 3, 2013

Jess Haines said:
There's a thread full of great recommendations in the Horror section you might find of interest.

Yes, started my me. I just thought I'd try again in the fantasy section.

yttar · Jun 5, 2013

I'd also recommend The Last Vampire series by Christopher Pike and Amelia Atwater-Rhodes' Den of Shadows books. I only read the first two volumes of The Last Vampire and I don't remember any romance in them. And while there might be some romance in the Den of Shadows books, it's not the main focus of the stories. They would also be classified as young adult, even though some of the later Den of Shadows books take place post high school.

Yttar

Paint it Pink · Jun 5, 2013

Surprized that no one has mentioned John Steakley's Vampire$

Filigree · Jun 5, 2013

Another vote for Yarbro, whose vampires would make the current generation of fangirls run away screaming.

Myrealana · Jun 5, 2013

I don't recall any overtly romantic plots in Barbara Hambly's vampie novels - Those Who Hunt The Night, Traveling With the Dead and I think there are others.

Also Fred Saberhagen's Dracula books.

JRehnay · Jun 5, 2013

Brian Lumley's Necroscope series is exactly what you're looking for. Very little romance (if any, in some books) and those vamps do NOT f^#@ around...In that series, vamprism is a result of a parasitic infection (the vamp is a parasite, sort of). You'd love it.

Alexys · Jun 5, 2013

mizor said:
Fred Saberhaughen wrote a few vampire books. One of them, sorry I cant remember the name of it, was Dracula written from the count's point of view.

The one you're thinking of is The Dracula Tape. He wrote several others, including An Old Friend of the Family and The Holmes-Dracula File.

Myrealana said:
I don't recall any overtly romantic plots in Barbara Hambly's vampie novels - Those Who Hunt The Night, Traveling With the Dead and I think there are others.

The third one is Blood Maidens. I believe there's also a fourth. (Brought to you by Trivia 'R' Us.)

gambit924 · Jun 5, 2013

I am going to be that person and recommend a movie, but watch "Moon Child" the Japanese vampire flick written by musicians, LOL. On one hand you could almost call it a love story, but mostly it is angst and tragedy. Featuring HYDE and Gackt, this film is truly interesting.

sarahdalton · Jun 6, 2013

What about Anno Dracula?

It's a bit pulpy, but there are some really cool aspects to it -- vampires, Sherlock Holmes references, Queen Victoria -- it's like a Victorian Gothic, Jack the Ripper mystery, and dystopian world all in one book!

Cathy C · Jun 6, 2013

Completely forgot about a couple of older series that are some of my favs! Have you tried the Sonja Blue series by Nancy Collins, or any of the series by P.N. Elrod? Elrod has several--Jonathan Barrett, Gentleman vampire, The Vampire Files & Quincy Morris, Vampire. I especially like The Vampire Files. Very noir detective style. Think vampires vs. gangsters.

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