Afterage

by Yvonne Navarro

As a plague of vampires creeps across the country--reducing thriving cities to ghost towns--a few scattered survivors hide behind fortified walls and raid deserted stores for supplies as they plan to fight back. Original.

Genres: Horror, Vampires, Post Apocalyptic, Fiction, Audiobook, Apocalyptic, Paranormal

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 1, 1993

About the author

Yvonne Navarro is the author of Concrete Savior, Highborn, AfterAge, deadrush, Final Impact, Mirror Me and a bunch of other books, plus Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels and tie-in novels for Hellboy, Elektra, and others."

Reviews

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

AFTERAGE was a whole lot of freaking fun!

The vampire apocalypse has already occurred and entire cities have been decimated. With isolated survivors cut off even from each other-how could a premise this good go wrong? The good news is, it didn't.

What I liked most was the...I guess I'll put it as...different levels of vampire. They have differing levels of energy and power. I won't even get into the Queen. (That's what I'm calling her.)

I also liked how the story of each survivor, (or surviving group), was introduced. I think it takes a special skill and confidence to jump into a story with a large cast and Yvonne Navarro did it deftly and with panache. I never felt that the story was lost or unwieldy. It all came together in a most satisfying way.

With a lot of strong female characters populating the landscape of vampire-ridden Chicago, how could I not enjoy this book? I especially liked Louise and her little dog, Beau, and of course, I had a fondness for Jo as well. (Though I could not help being reminded of Swan, a character in another GREAT post apocalyptic tale. Bonus points if you know what character and/or book I'm talking about.)

AFTERAGE was written in the 90's but it doesn't feel dated. I think that's because there's no electricity in this world, so phones and the internet would be out of the picture anyway. Even though decades have passed since this was written, the characters and themes involved are timeless. They still worked their way into my heart, and perhaps if you let them, they'll work their way into your heart as well.

Highly recommended!

You can get your copy here, (but read my 2nd note below first!): https://www.amazon.com/AfterAge-Yvonn...

*I read this book because of THE HORROR SHOW WITH BRIAN KEENE podcast. (They're doing an online book group and this is the second book they're reading.) I probably wouldn't have made time to read it otherwise, so thanks to the HORROR SHOW crew for bringing it to my attention. *

**This is not the edition I read. I read the copy included in A Haunting of Horrors: A Twenty-Novel eBook Bundle of Horror and the Occult. The individual novels therein do NOT come up in a search of one's Kindle library, but luckily I pulled up the book and happily discovered AFTERAGE was in there. I only mention this in case you have this volume as well. **

[Laurie (barksbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book I had kicking around since the 90’s but just got around to reading when my horror loving friend Char created a buddy read at Goodreads.

A vampire apocalypse has occurred. Navarro starts things off after it has happened. The few remaining humans must struggle to survive in a wasteland ravaged by monsters both vampiric and human. And, as usual, the human monsters are always the worst! Only the suicidal dare venture out after dark because the vampires are fast, ravenous and deadly.

The book follows a rather large cast of survivors, most of them eking out a life by themselves but eventually they come together to save a group of humans being kept hostage by a vampire called Anyelet for reasons that are gross, disturbing and so, so awful

I loved the fact that the Big Bad was a woman! She was vicious and selfish and so perfectly evil and so much better a villain than Anne Rice’s whiny creatures. I don’t think she had even one “poor me” moment. She was lonely so she changed her situation. It created an apocalypse but thems the breaks! Her human henchman was a vile man and she surrounded herself with lesser vampires that she could easily boss around. There’s some nasty stuff insinuated within these pages!

The survivors are all pretty well fleshed out and, despite the high number of them, I miraculously didn’t find myself terribly confused which is usually the case. I think it’s because the chapters were short and I tried to read big chunks of the book at each sitting so it was easier to remember who was who and what they had done a few chapters earlier.

This reads like old school horror because, well, it is! It reminds me of those long lost days when I was able to spend an entire day under a tree reading King and McCammon until the sun went down. It’s not quite at the emotional level of those two but it comes close at times and it isn’t overly wordy as some books of that time were. These characters were in peril from start to finish but they find time to love and help each other. The baddies are BAD but there are a few who haven’t totally lost their humanity and I appreciated that.

If you’re into nasty vampires that aren’t romanticized you should give this one a try.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tired of urban fantasy vampires, or one's like Love at first bite ? Looking for a vampire novel that bends the genre? Look no further, for Navarro's Afterage is unique and the vampires rock! Set in Chicago (and published in 1993), this is Navarro's first novel, but it does not show any noobie errors.

The end of days has come and the vampires have won. The few humans that remain hole up during the night as vampires roam unimpeded. We learn that 'the end' happened only a year or so ago, when an ancient vampire decided she had had enough slinking around and created an army of new vampires to rule the world. Unfortunately for her, however, the vampires were almost too good, wiping out humanity across the globe. Why unfortunate? Well, what do vampires eat? When the novel starts, most vampires are slowly starving and dying, living (at least in Chicago) on rats and birds.

The head vampire, however, has a plan-- a human 'breeding' farm-- where she and a handful of her closest can dine at their leisure. They even have a quisling human to guard them during the day and (ugh) 'breed' the women. The entire story takes place in about a week, as our POV rotates between the vampires and (of course) a rag-tag band of survivors eking out a living in the Loop. Navarro does a nice job with the characters here, by-passing the typical stereotypes (for the most part). We have a doctor working on a way to infect/kill the vampires, a former welder, a few women on their own, and a band of about 20 holed up in a court house. We also have Jo, a young teenager who seeming has found the lord or is some divine angel of death to vampires (she is a mystery).

Lots of slinking around and some nice action scenes to boot. Each chapter starts off with quotes from the Book of Revelations to good effect. The vampires are nasty, especially the 'degraded' ones living on rats and such. Well written with some dark humor along the way, Afterage reads very nicely. If you are into vampires, or dark post-apocalyptic reads in general, check this one out. Lots of fun. 4.5 stars!!

[Elke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this book by accident, browsing the horror shelves of a great little genre bookstore in SF while on vacation. I did not like the flashy cover, though considered up close it really should have appealed to me, being scary and a little gory and all. But the summary had me convinced immediately to buy the novel. At home, I put the book away and did not touch it for some years, always glimpsing the cover and thinking "nah, not now, it's not time yet". So when I was looking for new reading stuff some days ago I found Afterage, and despite the cover (yeah I know, I really have a thing with that picture) I decided now was the time to give it a try.

I was sucked into the story right away and I couldn't believe I shunned this great piece of writing for such a long time just because of its exterior shell...shame on me!
Of course, Afterage reminded me of I am Legend and other post-apocalyptic stories where a bunch of humans tries to survive the overpowering threat of some or other undead and always hungry things.

I liked that the author did not follow just one stereotype where all vampires are pure evil, where mankind survives because of some miracle performed by some spiritual savior, or because of a scientific genius inventing that special serum. Instead, the author manages to put in all of these varieties, and in such a brilliant way that it really works without seeming undecisive or "crowded" with differing ideas.

Also, you have to face several losses regarding characters you came to like, but imho that's just another example why it works so well - it's not just a comfortable little story, but something with substance which surprises and entertains and keeps you turning the pages at rocket speed.

Highly recommended not only to fan(g)s of the genre.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Afterage is one of my favorite vampire novels. It's set after the vampire apocalypse, and was one of the first novels showing vampires as vicious, nasty predators farming humans for food. It's a very well done book, and I became very engaged with the characters and their desperate struggle for survival. Anyone who got as tired as I did of effete Victorian vampires who dress very well or occasionally sparkle should definitely give it a try. After over twenty-five years I'm still hoping for a sequel to explain one of the characters.

[Latasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best vampire book I've read in a while.

I really enjoyed this one! There is a lot of characters to keep up with and I did forget who was who at times but it's worth sticking with it. The story is well written and the characters are great and likable. Around 80/90% the intensity ramps wayyy up. Once you get to that point, plan on finishing it cause you won't be able to put it down.

[WendyB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good vampire tale with characters you care about.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The vampire apocalypse has wreaked havoc across the globe and handfuls of survivors hide out in various locations in an effort to avoid being killed for food...or worse. Set entirely in Chicago, this epic novel follows a group of survivors, who ultimately are brought together and given a chance to hopefully end the vampiric horror that has befallen the world. While the author left a few things for the reader to decide (what was Jo really? and how did Anyelet become what she was?), Navarro's brisk pacing and short chapters made for an engaging read.

Highly recommended.

[Weston Ochse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book begins with the conceit that the world has already been destroyed by vampires. Sounds like Daybreakers? A little bit, although Afterage was written seventeen years before the movie came out. Although a decent movie, where it fails, Afterage wins, detailing the hard scrabble life of human survivors with aching portrayal. This book was a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award and it's clear why.

[Иван Величков · Rating 3 out of 5]

Макар да ми се влачеше необяснимо бавно в първата си половина, в последствие се оказа, че няма нищо излишно в историята. Е, аз бих слял няколко двойки персонажи, за да увелича динамиката, но това е много тенденциозно мнение така и така, но – първа забележка.
Да пишеш във вампирския жанр е чисто литературно самоубийство oт поне тридесет години. Тропите са толкова брутално прее��сплоатирани, че даже са изгубили първоначалните си замисъл и заряд. Това не спира г-жа Наваро да се хвърли с главата напред и първият и роман (именно този) да стане финалист за Стокър. Модерната визия н�� един цялостен поствампирски апокалипсис се съчетава доста добре с класическото „чудовище” и добре изразява сексуалния заряд и дори чисто християнското му противостоене. Вътре науката много добре се преплита с „чудото.” Втората ми забележка, нещо което забелязвам и при доста други автори, не успява убедително да прехвърли локалното действие в глобален мащаб.
И все пак, финалът си заслужава не чак толкова разтегнатите завръзка и среда. Ама сравнението със "Сейлъмс Лот" е абсурдно при всички положения, това е ориентирано в съвсем друга ниша.
В един обезлюден Чикаго малка група останали хора се опитват да оцелеят и дори да помогнат на себеподобните си срещу огромното вампирско нашествие.
Същевременно, едно гнездо вампири, запазили разсъдъка си благодарение на човешката ферма, която държат, са изправени пред сериозния екологичен проблем с недостига на храна, както и пред кабинната треска в собствените си редици.
Тунелите на метрото бъкат от озверели мъртавци, загубили разум, поради липсата на достатъчно кръв.
В една църква млада жена сякаш вижда какво трябва да се направи, за да се възроди човечеството.
Един доктор е готов на всичко, за да успее да „излекува” заразата.
Мъж и жена, вярващи, че са последните оцелели се намират един друг в празния град.
Всички герои и сюжети се усукват и навръзват за по-малко от две седмици книжно време, за да доведат до експлозивен и доста драматичен финал.
Като за вампирска книга направо си е супер. Като постапокалиптична леко издиша.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yvonne Navarro’s 1993 debut novel AFTERAGE is a well-crafted...

http://sleaze-factor.blogspot.ca/2016...

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scariest vampire novel that I ever read!

[Alondra Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This was a great vampire tale set in a dystopian world, that they created. Humans; too few in number; trying to win the war against an enemy that is much stronger and cunning. Luckily, the humans have Jo on their side. I wished the author had fleshed out this character and her "abilities", a little more. Hence, the .5 star downgrade; otherwise, this was a great story. Great pacing, characters you cared about and at least one that you despise. Great plot and more info on our favorite villains.

TW: Sexual assault mentioned/hinted at. The author handled this characters crimes very well. If there were an apocalyptic event, we can guarantee, many deviants would still wonder around. Possible spoiler - It was the disgust and outright hatred for this character that gave me hope that he would die a horrible death. Sorry, not sorry.

[Genesis Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a little bit to get into the story because there are a LOT of different characters. Each has their own storyline in the beginning of the book, which is a little confusing. Fortunately, the names were easy to remember (unlike some books that do the same jumping around thing) and once I'd read a ways, it was not hard to keep them separate. Later, the storylines start to pull together as survivors meet each other and band together or separate.

Basically, the world is overrun by vampires and they've all but eliminated their food supply. The story focuses on Chicago, but the rest of the world is the same. Little pockets of survivors, one or two at a time, huddle together in the cold buildings, trying to stay alive until dawn. There are two types of vampires here, the regular ones and the Outcasts. The regular or more elite vampires, have themselves a food source . . . a stable of humans that they feed from in cycles and are attempting to breed to create more stock. The Outcasts are unable to find food, except from rats and sucking second hand blood from other vampires.

Each of the survivors has his or her story. Some are just trying to stay alive on their own. Dr. Perlman is alone, but he's working hard to find a cure for vampires . . . or at least a way to destroy them. Another group of survivors keeps to themselves in an apartment building, waiting for the vampires to starve to death.

As the characters begin to come together, driven by a common cause, the story picks up speed and is more interesting. It's definitely worth reading. The one thing I didn't like at first was the fact that there are a couple of people with supernatural powers, but then again, it IS about vampires, so I guess that fits!

[Carol Collett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apocalyptic Vampires Done Right

Hands down the best post apocalyptic vampire story ever. Second only to Bram Stoker’s Dracula as my favorite vampire novel ever. If you’re a writer, this book is a workshop in building suspense and characterization.

[Netanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

So it's the vampire apocalypse, and Chicago doesn't need a calculator to figure out how long humanity can last. You could count it on your fingers. If you have any left.

Humanity collapsed within months, apparently. The vampires rose so suddenly and quickly that their bloodlust has all but destroyed their food source. Most humans and animals are dead, and those that survive hide in the night and scavenge for food during the day. And the vampires, too, are depleted, having exhausted their food supply and trying desperately to create a human breeding program.

It's a desolate landscape, and author Yvonne Navarro pens an epic tale of good versus evil in a style that reminded me of Stephen King's The Stand. The tale is told through multiple characters, both human, vampire, and other, as they navigate the empty streets and buildings of Chicago. I was impressed with the writing, the tight pacing, the story line. For fans of horror, this is a definite great read!

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

A plague of vampirism has taken over, reducing cities to ghost towns. Chicago, scattered survivors hide, raiding deserted stores for dwindling supplies.A hungry vampire population also struggles for survival as their prey grows scarce, forcing them to capture alive the last remaining humans as breeding stock for the blood farms that will ensure their future. Now a small band of humans makes a desperate last stand against their vampire masters, fighting back with the only weapon that can kill the dead.

[Cassandra Glissadevil · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.6
Took me by surprise. Navarro knows the crucial elements that make vampire stories scary. Race against time and nightfall. Disgust at your body drinking blood to survive. Top 40 all-time vampire novel.

Excellent addition to any vampire horror collection next to Salem's Lot, Dracula, and Light at the End.

[Kim Hawkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story but too many loose ends, vague hints at how it all happened and not enough information about some characters.

[Gav Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apocalyptic vampires v humans. Great book and story. Good v Evil , fantastic characters and lots of gore.

[Johann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story Done Right

This is the end of the world thanks to a vampire named Anyelet who has drank her fill. Groups of humans are scattered around waiting to scrounge for resources when the vamps are asleep. But everything changes when a strange 15 year old girl walks around without fear both at night and day. And the vampires are getting as desperate as the humans. Will the earth belong to the vampires that are starving from a dwindling food supply or will the humans find a way to stay at the top of the food chain?
Great story and a brilliant vision within the vampire universe...highly recommend!

[Don Gillette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started off brilliantly, got just a bit bogged-down about 60% in, and finished off as brilliantly as it began. A really interesting take on the vampire mythos that gave a perfect explanation for the creatures causing an apocalypse. I would have liked the characters to have been a bit more two-dimensional and would have liked their back-stories to have been a bit more in-depth, but other than that, I had no complaints whatsoever.
Recommended reading for anyone looking for a great horror story.

[Adam James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Afterage is a first novel from the 90’s, that’s the books biggest strength and most glaring weakness. It’s fast paced, has a large cast of characters which means that the character development is somewhat lacking at times. The book at times feels a bit vignetted.

Overall it’s a good book and won’t feel like wasted time, but feels more like you’ve read a collection of short stories rather than a novel.

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As good as I remember but....

I really enjoyed revisiting this classic vampire apocalyptic novel. I even got the author to sign my paperback copies at WHC 2015 in Atlanta. But there were a lot of typos that were easy fixes, not the author's fault but the typos unfortunately pull you out of the story frequently.

[Tim J Spadoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book three times over the years and finished my last read two days ago. It's my favorite vampire book. About a quarter of the way through, I realize the whole novel takes place in a matter of days following multiple characters as they meet and interact. It's a quality book I have a hard time putting down.

[Eddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable vampire book!

Firstly, there are a great deal of spelling mistakes in the kindle version.
Having said that, I really enjoyed this post apocalyptic vampire story. Some great characters and brilliant moments.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great novel. The author presents a dying world in combat with a vampire menace. Will the survivors regroup and defeat the deadly scourge?

[Dani · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very 90s and not in a good way. The concept is neat but poorly executed overall. Didn't work for me.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Physical book

[Chris Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read.

Anyelet could be any woman on TikTok doing the “Buss It” challenge.