I've been on a bit of a reading frenzy lately. I feel like I've read more in the past year than I was required to read in 4 years of college. Well, maybe not that much but then again Cliff Notes aren't that long. Anyway, ever since I picked up Twilight books last spring, yes "the" Twilight series (stop laughing), I haven't stopped reading, and the trend seems to be that most of the books contain a similar, undead subject matter. I might add, though, that I did manage to slip Dan Brown's, The Lost Symbol, in between because sometimes you need a little governmental and religious conspiracy to break up all the blood sucking.
You can't say that I'm a bandwagon vampire fan. I remember my very first experience with the undead. I was about 12 years old and Bram Stoker's Dracula, the one with Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, and Gary Oldman, had just come out on video. I was staying at my 19 year old cousin's apartment and after a trip to the video store, I had picked out this vampire classic . I remember my cousin being skeptical about my choice and asking me repeatedly if I was sure that movie was what I wanted. Honestly, I'm not sure what it was about that movie that interested me so much. I'm sure I saw some scary previews on TV and thought I could brag to my friends about watching it, after all how else to you gain status in the 6th grade? It was either that or the fact I knew my parents would never let me watch at home, and what pre-pubescent kid doesn't like the thought of slipping one by their parents? So, we brought the movie home, and I was glued to the TV and enjoying every minute, except for the occasional sex scene. Then, I tried to act like it was no big deal to see a wolfman, bat thing and a lady humping in the garden. All the while, I'm sure my cousin was seriously squirming in her chair and wondering if she was going to be in deep shit if someone found out what she had let me watch. All went well, though, and I remember being absolutely infatuated with that movie.
That being said, my current interest in vampire novels might make a little more sense. I will say, that I not a fanatic. I enjoy these books (and the movies that are made from these books), but I'm not attending the conventions if you know what I mean. Not that there is anything wrong with that! It's just that my level of devotion doesn't go that high.
This brings me to my latest read, Christoper Moore's "Bloodsucking Fiends - A Love Story". I just finished the book yesterday, and I'd have to say I loved it. It was a more humorous take on the vampire story. I'd even say that his version of vampire life is a bit more realistic. As Christopher Moore states on his website:
"I wondered, much as Im sure you have: How come vampires always seem to look well-groomed, but none of them ever seems to bathe or do laundry? How is it that they seem to come out of the grave knowing exactly what to do? What if a vampire had all the same insecurities in death that shed had in life, but she hadnt gotten the instruction book for the care and feeding of a vampire?"
It's comical. It's fresh, and I'd absolutely recommend it to anyone that's into reading vampire stories. I'd even recommend it to those that think that vampire books are silly being that this is more of a non-traditional vampire story. Check it out and see what you think, and meanwhile I'll be ordering the next book in the series.
http://www.chrismoore.com/fiends.html
Buy it @:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060735414/christophermooreA
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