Novellas, Short Stories, Novels
Introduction
If you say vampire literature, the first story that pops into people's minds (or the one that SHOULD come first) is Dracula by Bram Stoker. Which is understandable, as it has set the literary and cinematic bar for all stories after it. While Bram Stoker and his Dracula are probably the most famous, they are not the first fictional vampire story to come to the masses. He was preceded by many authors, of which we will discuss three here now.
Pre-Dracula
The Vampyre
The first of the the three stories we are going to discuss is called The Vampyre. The Vampyre actually shares a history with Mary Shelley's masterpiece Frankenstein.
On a night in May, 1816, a group of four people were gathered on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. They were staying at the Villa Diodati. On their way to Italy, but stopped due to bad weather, was the English poet Lord Byron, his personal phsycian John Polidori, poet Percy Shelly, and his future wife Mary Wollstonecraft Goodwin. According to history, the group decided to hold a little competition and go around, telling a ghost story to the others. While Mary Shelley's story and how it led to Frankenstein is fascinating, the key to focus on here is on Lord Byron and Jon Polidori. Polidori's relationship with the Lordship was imperfect- first he was blindly infatuated with Lord Byron, but later he despised for his cruelty. During the trip, Lord Byron produced a partial tale about a vampire and Polidori concocted a story about a woman with a skull-head.
In 1819, The Vampyre: A Tale was written by Polidori. He used the framework of Byron's vampire story and published it in The New Monthly Magazine. The short story tells of the sinister bloodsucking Lord Ruthven, who resembled Lord Byron. This would create a vampire genre called Byronic vampires, which were vampires that possess characteristics that were similar to a character in Byron's body of work or his physical appearance. (The unnatural lack of color, the bloodlust, eroticism, arrogance, and ability to manipulate are all characteristics of a Byronic vampire.)
Surprisingly it was originally written under Byron's name. Polidori fought for the credit. which Byron did eventually deny authoring The Vampyre and Polidori admitted to Byron having initially creating the vampire but was credited as the author.
It is needed to be remembered that this story was recognized as the first true work of vampire fiction. It is also needed to be said that the character of Lord Ruthven set into motion the sinister effects of vampires. He was also the first handsome, evil aristocratic vampire and not like the folklore vampires.
Varney the Vampyre
Of course, there were other vampire stories between 1819 and the mid 1840s, but none of them are worth mentioning, as they were all spun off of Polidori's vampire. However, in the mid-1840s, James Malcolm Rymer created a different kind of vampire, (and the person who illustrated the stories is still unknown) which appearance and wildness goes back to the vampires of folklore. Rymer created Sir Francis Varney in the novel Varney the Vampyre or the Feast of Blood. Sir Francis Varney is said to be the corpse of Marmaduke Bannerworth. This vampire is said to be the epitome of cruelty and banality. He is said to be corpselike and to stalk young girls, described by one of the victims as "...a tall gaunt form- there was the faded ancient apparel- the lustrous metallic looking eyes- its half opened mouth, exhibiting tusk-like teeth!"
Varney the Vampyre started out as an epic that was played out over 109 separate publications and was later put into a novel with 220 chapters and 860 pages. This vampire represents another stage of vampires that draws from the dark side of folklore while keeping the traditional characteristics of the "drawing room" vampire in general.
Carmilla
Another thirty or so years passed before out next vampire story came to play. Our next vampire addition was written in 1872 by an Irishman named Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. He entitled his novella "Carmilla," which appeared as a part of his novel called In a Glass Darkly. What makes Le Fanu's vampire different from the past ones, is that his vampire was not a man, but actually a woman named Carmilla. His vampire also reinforced or established many of the vampire traits used in stories and films for decades to come.
Carmilla can shapeshift into an animal, and would often take animal form to bite her victims. Carmilla's actual name is Countess Mircalla Karnstein. Her coffin is opened in the story, showing Carmilla perfectly preserved, with no smell and covered in blood. It is obvious that Le Fanu was channeling the folklore while writing Carmilla. Today, she is the mother of all female vampires.
Dracula
Dracula. What can't be said about this story? A whole class could be taught of just Dracula, and we still wouldn't touch more than the tip of what is Dracula. Because of this, we will only briefly discuss Bram Stoker's novel, which was originally called The Undead.
Dracula pretty much set in stone the figure of the drawing room vampire. In today's world, it is possibly the most famous vampire story. However, during it's own days, it was not as popular. The novel is said to be based on Vlad the Impaler, although recent research has come out against this. Dracula's physical characteristics, however, are said to be based on Stoker's business associate Henry Irving. Henry Irving is one of England's classical stage actors during the late 1800s- one of the most respected actors of the era. He took over the job as manager in 1878 after the former manager died. He brought Stoker on as the stage manager the same year.
Dracula is not just the story of a vampire. It also shows the politics of the aristocracy bleeding into the lower classes. It shows the suppression of an era. It is ultimately a battle of good versus evil. It is the stand alone book that influenced vampires in literature and cinema for decades to come. In fact, we still have yet to shake Dracula's influence.
1970s
Even though there was clearly vampire literature from the time of Dracula in 1897 to the 1970s, the time between is usually remembered for the beginning of the vampire films, which we will discuss next lesson. However, the 1970s found the revival and renewal of vampire literature.
Anne Rice
Anne Rice is quite possibly responsible for the most influential vampires since Bram Stoker. She released a family of vampires known mostly by singular names (Lestat, Mauris, Louis, etc) made well known by her 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire where we are introduced to Lestat de Lioncourt. Unlike Dracula, Lestat has this deep emotion matched only by the wisdom he desperately wants.
It is said that Lestat was based on both Anne Rice and her husband Stan, which the idea of Interview with the Vampire coming from her five-year-old daughter Michelle who died of a rare form of leukemia.
Rice's la famille de vampires are certainly the most revered in history. There are ten books in the series, as well as some crossovers in her other series. Rice can live easily, knowing that her vampires are truly just as immortal as they seem.
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Yarbo began in 1978 writing the series Saint-Germain. Her vampires are impossibly human, and are still being written today. The series begins with Hotel Transylvania, which is set in King Louis XIV in the mid-1700s and features Count of Saint-Germain. He has been a vampire for hundreds of years, and manages to maintain a sense of superior humanity over his bloodlust. He is suave, sophisticated, and really is concerned about other humans. In all technicality, he is a vampire with a soul, long before the days of Angel and Spike. (And certainly Edward.)
Count of Saint-Germain is based on a mysterious character of the same name who "lived" from roughly 1710-1784 in France. Lily is known about him. He is thought by some to have possessed magical powers and have been a millennia old.
Just as stated before, the series is still on going. The twenty-second book in the saga was published in September 2008.
Stephen King
Who doesn't know Stephen King now a days? Well, in 1975, he published his second novel, a novel called Salem's Lot. This novel is based on the question "What would happen if Dracula re-emerged in twentieth-century America?" So he set his story in the sleepy town of Salem's Lot, Maine. The story discusses missing children after Kurl Barlow shows up in the town. Soon after, the entire town is overrun by vampires as the town people are turned one by one. It was originally called "Jerusalem's Lot," but publishers feared the original title carried too many religious connotations.
Present Day
Whitley Strieber
Strieber created one of the most coldly calculating vampires in The Hunger. This vampire isn't just a vampire, but it is the last of a bloodsucking ALIEN race. Her name is Miriam Blaylock. She has lived for thousands of years, and constantly is taking a new lifelong companion- well at least for the length of their lives. She has the power to turn them into vampires, but cannot give them a similar everlasting life as hers. She can just make them live a few extra centuries.
This was the only vampire book Strieber wrote for years, as he switched to more fiction and aliens books, after his own alleged contact with aliens. However, twenty years later, he returned to Miriam Blaylock and added two more books to the trilogy.
Laurell K. Hamilton
1993 brought about the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series with the publication of Guilty Pleasures. Anita lieaves in a parallel universe, where she reanimated the dead (necromancer) for a living. She raises and heals long-dead zombies, vampires, and werewolves. The series havs 16 novels, the latest being written in 2008.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris began writing a series in 2001 about Southern Vampires and Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie is a young telepathic barmaid in southern Louisiana who has an unfortunate ability to attract the unwanted attentions of supernatural beings. The series is dedicated to Sookie solving mysteries. So far the series has 11 (with number 12 coming in 2011) books and has been made int a television series.
Elizabeth Kostova
One of the best selling novels of 2005 goes back to the days of Dracula. First-time novelist Kostova writes about a teenager girl living in Amsterdam who discovers in her father's library an ancient book that is blank, except for the word "Drakulya". She begins her search for Dracula and Vlad. With a shocking twist, it is learned that Vlad is not only the inspiration for the Dracula novel, but he is still alive.
Mary Janice Davidson
I at least just want to mention this series, to show that there are other genres of vampires besides creepy. Some writers like to show the comedic side of life, such as Christopher Moore (who writes about all sides of supernatural in a comedic light. And Jesus too.) However, the reigning matriarch of this genre is definitely Mary Janice Davidson who wrote the Undead/Queen Betsy series. Theses are books about irrepressible Betsey Taylor- a former model and recently unemployed single woman who gets flattened by a SUV and comes back as a vampiress. Instead of being an evil vampire, Queen Betsy attempts to resume her life existence by stocking up on designer shoes and trying to find a job. There are seven books in this series.
A quick mentioning of Young Adult Vampires If the vampire genre for adults was vast enough, we haven't even touched on the young adult world. And, we really won't right now. It is a huge world- a class that could possibly be taught on it's own. Several series will be mentioned in other lessons (Vampire Diaries, for example.) Most modern young-adult stories feature teens as the major characters. Of course, the most popular series of all vampire young-adult literature is Twilight which was written by Stephanie Meyers. It is more of a love story than anything sinister, as Meyer's wanted to create an innocent world.
And thanks to Meyer's we will surely not see vampires leaving the young-adult world anytime soon. Which is fine, because vampires. are. cool. But if you are looking for some recommendations for decent Young Adult series to read that aren't Twilight, here are a another series to try.
The Last Vampire
This is a series of six (being compiled into two collection books, as it seems to be popular with Vampire series.) books written by Christopher Pike. It revolves around a 5000 year old vampire named Sita. She's the last vampire of her kind that she knows of, and she is not the typical vampire. She gets strong as she ages, she can go out in the sun, garlic, mirrors, etc have no effect on her. She still has to eat normal food. Sita joins high school, changing her name to Alisa. She takes on several partners as she battles different fights. However, by the fourth book, (not to completely spoil book three) she has been made human as is expecting a child. This poor vampire has to suffer losing friends and partners left and right. However, it's definitely worth the read.
Dramas
Dracula as a Play
Just to quickly mention, Stoker himself did write Dracula into a play. However, it was a complete bombing. Even Henry Irving wouldn't recommend seeing it! However, it was then done by Hamilton Deane, a theatre producer, playwright, and actor.
He got the permission from Florence Stoker, the wife of the now deceased author. In 1924 it debuted in Derby, England at the Grad Theater. Deane himself starred as Dr. Van Helsing. Critics of the time were nice very kind to the play, but it didn't matter. The masses loved the story, especially Florence Stoker. The first appearance of Dracula on stage is important, as it marks his first transformation as a proper gentleman of royal blood who posses the mortal grace to interact with his victims and not the fiend that Stoker professed.
It was brought to the Americas in 1927, staring the future famous Draculas, Bela Lugosi.
Le Vampire
Le Vampire is a stage melodrama, adapted by Charles Nodier from Lord Ruthwen ou les Vampires which was written by Cyprien Bérard, not Nodier as many falsely believed. It was written in 1820, which was then adapted into The Bride of the Isles. It was the first one ever written, although four other version popped up in the same year. It's also the bases for Der Vampyr, a Romantic opera by Heinrich Marschner. (Who knew that Polidori's short story would have such a snowball effect? Yes- Lord Ruthwen ou les Vampires is based off of Polidori's short story.) The opera is still alive in a sense (it's still performed) although I believe it was recently "revamped" into a modern opera. No pun intended.
The Vampyre
The first of the the three stories we are going to discuss is called The Vampyre. The Vampyre actually shares a history with Mary Shelley's masterpiece Frankenstein.
On a night in May, 1816, a group of four people were gathered on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. They were staying at the Villa Diodati. On their way to Italy, but stopped due to bad weather, was the English poet Lord Byron, his personal phsycian John Polidori, poet Percy Shelly, and his future wife Mary Wollstonecraft Goodwin. According to history, the group decided to hold a little competition and go around, telling a ghost story to the others. While Mary Shelley's story and how it led to Frankenstein is fascinating, the key to focus on here is on Lord Byron and Jon Polidori. Polidori's relationship with the Lordship was imperfect- first he was blindly infatuated with Lord Byron, but later he despised for his cruelty. During the trip, Lord Byron produced a partial tale about a vampire and Polidori concocted a story about a woman with a skull-head.
In 1819, The Vampyre: A Tale was written by Polidori. He used the framework of Byron's vampire story and published it in The New Monthly Magazine. The short story tells of the sinister bloodsucking Lord Ruthven, who resembled Lord Byron. This would create a vampire genre called Byronic vampires, which were vampires that possess characteristics that were similar to a character in Byron's body of work or his physical appearance. (The unnatural lack of color, the bloodlust, eroticism, arrogance, and ability to manipulate are all characteristics of a Byronic vampire.)
Surprisingly it was originally written under Byron's name. Polidori fought for the credit. which Byron did eventually deny authoring The Vampyre and Polidori admitted to Byron having initially creating the vampire but was credited as the author.
It is needed to be remembered that this story was recognized as the first true work of vampire fiction. It is also needed to be said that the character of Lord Ruthven set into motion the sinister effects of vampires. He was also the first handsome, evil aristocratic vampire and not like the folklore vampires.
Varney the Vampyre
Of course, there were other vampire stories between 1819 and the mid 1840s, but none of them are worth mentioning, as they were all spun off of Polidori's vampire. However, in the mid-1840s, James Malcolm Rymer created a different kind of vampire, (and the person who illustrated the stories is still unknown) which appearance and wildness goes back to the vampires of folklore. Rymer created Sir Francis Varney in the novel Varney the Vampyre or the Feast of Blood. Sir Francis Varney is said to be the corpse of Marmaduke Bannerworth. This vampire is said to be the epitome of cruelty and banality. He is said to be corpselike and to stalk young girls, described by one of the victims as "...a tall gaunt form- there was the faded ancient apparel- the lustrous metallic looking eyes- its half opened mouth, exhibiting tusk-like teeth!"
Varney the Vampyre started out as an epic that was played out over 109 separate publications and was later put into a novel with 220 chapters and 860 pages. This vampire represents another stage of vampires that draws from the dark side of folklore while keeping the traditional characteristics of the "drawing room" vampire in general.
Carmilla
Another thirty or so years passed before out next vampire story came to play. Our next vampire addition was written in 1872 by an Irishman named Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. He entitled his novella "Carmilla," which appeared as a part of his novel called In a Glass Darkly. What makes Le Fanu's vampire different from the past ones, is that his vampire was not a man, but actually a woman named Carmilla. His vampire also reinforced or established many of the vampire traits used in stories and films for decades to come.
Carmilla can shapeshift into an animal, and would often take animal form to bite her victims. Carmilla's actual name is Countess Mircalla Karnstein. Her coffin is opened in the story, showing Carmilla perfectly preserved, with no smell and covered in blood. It is obvious that Le Fanu was channeling the folklore while writing Carmilla. Today, she is the mother of all female vampires.
Dracula
Dracula. What can't be said about this story? A whole class could be taught of just Dracula, and we still wouldn't touch more than the tip of what is Dracula. Because of this, we will only briefly discuss Bram Stoker's novel, which was originally called The Undead.
Dracula pretty much set in stone the figure of the drawing room vampire. In today's world, it is possibly the most famous vampire story. However, during it's own days, it was not as popular. The novel is said to be based on Vlad the Impaler, although recent research has come out against this. Dracula's physical characteristics, however, are said to be based on Stoker's business associate Henry Irving. Henry Irving is one of England's classical stage actors during the late 1800s- one of the most respected actors of the era. He took over the job as manager in 1878 after the former manager died. He brought Stoker on as the stage manager the same year.
Dracula is not just the story of a vampire. It also shows the politics of the aristocracy bleeding into the lower classes. It shows the suppression of an era. It is ultimately a battle of good versus evil. It is the stand alone book that influenced vampires in literature and cinema for decades to come. In fact, we still have yet to shake Dracula's influence.
1970s
Even though there was clearly vampire literature from the time of Dracula in 1897 to the 1970s, the time between is usually remembered for the beginning of the vampire films, which we will discuss next lesson. However, the 1970s found the revival and renewal of vampire literature.
Anne Rice
Anne Rice is quite possibly responsible for the most influential vampires since Bram Stoker. She released a family of vampires known mostly by singular names (Lestat, Mauris, Louis, etc) made well known by her 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire where we are introduced to Lestat de Lioncourt. Unlike Dracula, Lestat has this deep emotion matched only by the wisdom he desperately wants.
It is said that Lestat was based on both Anne Rice and her husband Stan, which the idea of Interview with the Vampire coming from her five-year-old daughter Michelle who died of a rare form of leukemia.
Rice's la famille de vampires are certainly the most revered in history. There are ten books in the series, as well as some crossovers in her other series. Rice can live easily, knowing that her vampires are truly just as immortal as they seem.
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Yarbo began in 1978 writing the series Saint-Germain. Her vampires are impossibly human, and are still being written today. The series begins with Hotel Transylvania, which is set in King Louis XIV in the mid-1700s and features Count of Saint-Germain. He has been a vampire for hundreds of years, and manages to maintain a sense of superior humanity over his bloodlust. He is suave, sophisticated, and really is concerned about other humans. In all technicality, he is a vampire with a soul, long before the days of Angel and Spike. (And certainly Edward.)
Count of Saint-Germain is based on a mysterious character of the same name who "lived" from roughly 1710-1784 in France. Lily is known about him. He is thought by some to have possessed magical powers and have been a millennia old.
Just as stated before, the series is still on going. The twenty-second book in the saga was published in September 2008.
Stephen King
Who doesn't know Stephen King now a days? Well, in 1975, he published his second novel, a novel called Salem's Lot. This novel is based on the question "What would happen if Dracula re-emerged in twentieth-century America?" So he set his story in the sleepy town of Salem's Lot, Maine. The story discusses missing children after Kurl Barlow shows up in the town. Soon after, the entire town is overrun by vampires as the town people are turned one by one. It was originally called "Jerusalem's Lot," but publishers feared the original title carried too many religious connotations.
Present Day
Whitley Strieber
Strieber created one of the most coldly calculating vampires in The Hunger. This vampire isn't just a vampire, but it is the last of a bloodsucking ALIEN race. Her name is Miriam Blaylock. She has lived for thousands of years, and constantly is taking a new lifelong companion- well at least for the length of their lives. She has the power to turn them into vampires, but cannot give them a similar everlasting life as hers. She can just make them live a few extra centuries.
This was the only vampire book Strieber wrote for years, as he switched to more fiction and aliens books, after his own alleged contact with aliens. However, twenty years later, he returned to Miriam Blaylock and added two more books to the trilogy.
Laurell K. Hamilton
1993 brought about the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series with the publication of Guilty Pleasures. Anita lieaves in a parallel universe, where she reanimated the dead (necromancer) for a living. She raises and heals long-dead zombies, vampires, and werewolves. The series havs 16 novels, the latest being written in 2008.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris began writing a series in 2001 about Southern Vampires and Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie is a young telepathic barmaid in southern Louisiana who has an unfortunate ability to attract the unwanted attentions of supernatural beings. The series is dedicated to Sookie solving mysteries. So far the series has 11 (with number 12 coming in 2011) books and has been made int a television series.
Elizabeth Kostova
One of the best selling novels of 2005 goes back to the days of Dracula. First-time novelist Kostova writes about a teenager girl living in Amsterdam who discovers in her father's library an ancient book that is blank, except for the word "Drakulya". She begins her search for Dracula and Vlad. With a shocking twist, it is learned that Vlad is not only the inspiration for the Dracula novel, but he is still alive.
Mary Janice Davidson
I at least just want to mention this series, to show that there are other genres of vampires besides creepy. Some writers like to show the comedic side of life, such as Christopher Moore (who writes about all sides of supernatural in a comedic light. And Jesus too.) However, the reigning matriarch of this genre is definitely Mary Janice Davidson who wrote the Undead/Queen Betsy series. Theses are books about irrepressible Betsey Taylor- a former model and recently unemployed single woman who gets flattened by a SUV and comes back as a vampiress. Instead of being an evil vampire, Queen Betsy attempts to resume her life existence by stocking up on designer shoes and trying to find a job. There are seven books in this series.
A quick mentioning of Young Adult Vampires If the vampire genre for adults was vast enough, we haven't even touched on the young adult world. And, we really won't right now. It is a huge world- a class that could possibly be taught on it's own. Several series will be mentioned in other lessons (Vampire Diaries, for example.) Most modern young-adult stories feature teens as the major characters. Of course, the most popular series of all vampire young-adult literature is Twilight which was written by Stephanie Meyers. It is more of a love story than anything sinister, as Meyer's wanted to create an innocent world.
And thanks to Meyer's we will surely not see vampires leaving the young-adult world anytime soon. Which is fine, because vampires. are. cool. But if you are looking for some recommendations for decent Young Adult series to read that aren't Twilight, here are a another series to try.
The Last Vampire
This is a series of six (being compiled into two collection books, as it seems to be popular with Vampire series.) books written by Christopher Pike. It revolves around a 5000 year old vampire named Sita. She's the last vampire of her kind that she knows of, and she is not the typical vampire. She gets strong as she ages, she can go out in the sun, garlic, mirrors, etc have no effect on her. She still has to eat normal food. Sita joins high school, changing her name to Alisa. She takes on several partners as she battles different fights. However, by the fourth book, (not to completely spoil book three) she has been made human as is expecting a child. This poor vampire has to suffer losing friends and partners left and right. However, it's definitely worth the read.
Dramas
Dracula as a Play
Just to quickly mention, Stoker himself did write Dracula into a play. However, it was a complete bombing. Even Henry Irving wouldn't recommend seeing it! However, it was then done by Hamilton Deane, a theatre producer, playwright, and actor.
He got the permission from Florence Stoker, the wife of the now deceased author. In 1924 it debuted in Derby, England at the Grad Theater. Deane himself starred as Dr. Van Helsing. Critics of the time were nice very kind to the play, but it didn't matter. The masses loved the story, especially Florence Stoker. The first appearance of Dracula on stage is important, as it marks his first transformation as a proper gentleman of royal blood who posses the mortal grace to interact with his victims and not the fiend that Stoker professed.
It was brought to the Americas in 1927, staring the future famous Draculas, Bela Lugosi.
Le Vampire
Le Vampire is a stage melodrama, adapted by Charles Nodier from Lord Ruthwen ou les Vampires which was written by Cyprien Bérard, not Nodier as many falsely believed. It was written in 1820, which was then adapted into The Bride of the Isles. It was the first one ever written, although four other version popped up in the same year. It's also the bases for Der Vampyr, a Romantic opera by Heinrich Marschner. (Who knew that Polidori's short story would have such a snowball effect? Yes- Lord Ruthwen ou les Vampires is based off of Polidori's short story.) The opera is still alive in a sense (it's still performed) although I believe it was recently "revamped" into a modern opera. No pun intended.