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The Mammoth Book of Vampires
The masters of the macabre bring the dead to life in these never-before-collected stories and short novels of the vampire in all its frightening forms. Authors include Clive Barker, Robert Bloch, Ramsey Campbell, and David J. Schow. Includes the first publication of Red Reign, by Kim Newman, author of Bad Dreams and The Night Mayor.
CONTENTS
Introduction: The Children Of The Night by Stephen Jones
Human Remains by Clive Barker
Necros by Brian Lumley
The Man Who Loved The Vampire Lady by Brian Stableford
For The Blood Is The Life by F. Marion Crawford
The Brood by Ramsey Campbell
Hungarian Rhapsody by Robert Bloch
Ligeia by Edgar Allan Poe
Vampire by Richard Christian Matheson
Stragella by Hugh B. Cave
A Week In The Unlife by David J. Schow
The House At Evening by Francis Garfield
The Labyrinth by R. Chetwynd-Hayes
Beyond Any Measure by Karl Edward Wagner
Doctor Porthos by Basil Copper
Dracula's Guest by Bram Stoker
It Only Comes Out At Night by Dennis Etchison
Dracula's Chair by Peter Tremayne
The Better Half by Melanie Tem
An Episode of Cathedral History by M.R. James
Chastel by Manly Wade Wellman
Der Untergang Des Abendlandesmenschen by Howard Waldrop
The Room In The Tower by E.F. Benson
Laird of Dunain by Graham Masterson
Midnight Mass by F. Paul Wilson
Blood Gothic by Nancy Holder
Yellow Fog by Les Daniels
Vintage Domestic by Steve Rasnic Tem
Red Reign by Kim Newman
Vampire Sestina by Neil Gaiman
CONTENTS
Introduction: The Children Of The Night by Stephen Jones
Human Remains by Clive Barker
Necros by Brian Lumley
The Man Who Loved The Vampire Lady by Brian Stableford
For The Blood Is The Life by F. Marion Crawford
The Brood by Ramsey Campbell
Hungarian Rhapsody by Robert Bloch
Ligeia by Edgar Allan Poe
Vampire by Richard Christian Matheson
Stragella by Hugh B. Cave
A Week In The Unlife by David J. Schow
The House At Evening by Francis Garfield
The Labyrinth by R. Chetwynd-Hayes
Beyond Any Measure by Karl Edward Wagner
Doctor Porthos by Basil Copper
Dracula's Guest by Bram Stoker
It Only Comes Out At Night by Dennis Etchison
Dracula's Chair by Peter Tremayne
The Better Half by Melanie Tem
An Episode of Cathedral History by M.R. James
Chastel by Manly Wade Wellman
Der Untergang Des Abendlandesmenschen by Howard Waldrop
The Room In The Tower by E.F. Benson
Laird of Dunain by Graham Masterson
Midnight Mass by F. Paul Wilson
Blood Gothic by Nancy Holder
Yellow Fog by Les Daniels
Vintage Domestic by Steve Rasnic Tem
Red Reign by Kim Newman
Vampire Sestina by Neil Gaiman
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
28 people are currently reading
878 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Jones
276 books345 followersStephen Jones is an eighteen-time winner of the British Fantasy Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
April 22, 2010
And well does this anthology deserve its “mammoth” title! Another in a series of huge, themed compendiums from reliable editor Stephen Jones, this is an able mix of classic and contemporary vampire fiction.
It begins well with Clive Barker’s weird HUMAN REMAINS, about a rent boy haunted by a doppelganger. Fans of the author will know to expect the gruesome stuff in this one. Brian Lumley’s NECROS is less inspiring and more predictable, winning points for the craft evident in the author’s writing style rather than the plot, but Brian Stableford’s THE MAN WHO LOVED THE VAMPIRE LADY is an excellent and worthwhile effort, a 17th century horror/romance that never disappoints.
FOR THE BLOOD IS THE LIFE, by F. Marion Crawford, is one of the best here, a chillingly atmospheric take on the old legends. It’s slow paced and lengthy, set in old world Italy, and stands as one of my favourite vampire stories of all time. Ramsey Campbell’s THE BROOD is also well written, full of the author’s trademark urban decay and hard to fault. Robert Bloch’s HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY isn’t bad, mixing gangsters and bloodsuckers, but shows that there’s only so much you can do in this overworked genre.
Poe’s LIGEIA is one I didn’t care for: it’s a nostalgic piece but the horror feels diluted and the story overwritten, not up to his usual standard. Still, STRAGELLA, by pulp veteran Hugh B. Cave, is top-of-the-genre stuff, a fast-paced vampire pulp full of unique little touches (a Crucifix tattoo, for instance) that I loved.
David J. Schow’s A WEEK IN THE UNLIFE, about a vampire hunter, is morbid and depressing, and gory with it, but it has a great climax that lifts it from the mundane. THE HOUSE AT EVENING is by Frances Garfield (Manly Wade Wellman’s wife) and a somewhat erotic, subtle variant on the theme. R. Chetwynd-Hayes delivers THE LABYRINTH, an old “couple takes refuge in ancient house on the moors” type tale full of graphic horror and grim humour that really works.
Karl Edward Wagner is the man behind BEYOND ANY MEASURE, a weird work of social realism full of goth parties, drug abuse and lesbians. It’s shocking, but oddly engaging with it. But it pales in comparison to Basil Copper’s monstrous DOCTOR PORTHOS, a short, short effort with a thick, thick atmosphere, a feat that few authors can aspire to achieve.
DRACULA’S GUEST, by the ubiquitous Stoker, was originally a chapter excised from DRACULA as it was felt to slow the tale down too much. I’m glad it survived through the years because it stands well as a story in its own right, an excellent description of a barren countryside populated by malignant creatures. Dennis Etchison’s IT ONLY COMES OUT AT NIGHT is at the opposite end of the spectrum – a couple touring a US desert visit an eerie rest stop – but just as scary, with the chills of a heart-stopping variety here.
DRACULA’S CHAIR, by Peter Tremayne, is a lesser effort, with the title speaking for itself. It’s a little too normal to register much. But Melanie Tem comes up trumps with THE BETTER HALF, a superb story full of atmosphere and suspense that I can’t rightly describe; the level of growing dread here is tremendous. Equally good is M. R. James’s AN EPISODE OF CATHEDRAL HISTORY, about an evil spirit residing within an ancient tomb. The antiquary background is perfect for this story involving red-eyed demons lurking in the streets and weird screams in the night; one of the author’s lesser-known, but best, tales.
Manly Wade Wellman created a psychic detective in Judge Pursuivant and CHASTEL sees him tackling a vampiric creature. Written in 1979, this isn’t as strong as the author’s older pulp efforts, but it’s great to see the character back in action and the story is reminiscent of Seabury Quinn at his best. For a totally ‘outre’ experience, try Howard Waldrop’s DER UNTERGANG DES ABENDLANDESMENSCHEN, about two cowboys hunting a German bloodsucker. It’s jokey, anecdotal and full of knowing references; I had a ball with it.
E. F. Benson’s THE ROOM IN THE TOWER is yet another favourite of mine: a subtle, powerful nightmare captured on paper. This is up there with the best of M. R. James. Graham Masterton’s LAIRD OF DUNAIN is pure gristle, packed with the author’s trademark grue and little else. But F. Paul Wilson’s MIDNIGHT MASS is a lot better: lengthy and straightforward, action-focused and always entertaining. A Jewish priest and an alcoholic minister team up to battle a plague of the undead, and a siege in a desecrated church is tremendous stuff.
BLOOD GOTHIC, by Nancy Holder, is a dark romance, and not really my cup of tea. But Les Daniels writes a blinder in YELLOW FOG, a Victorian horror story that’s great fun. His London feels real and the story ably mixes together grave robbers, vampires, séances and psychopaths into an enthralling mix. Coming after this, Steve Rasnic Tem’s VINTAGE DOMESTIC is a sickening letdown.
Kim Newman was on to a great idea in his novella RED REIGN – what if Dracula survived his novel and took over England? It’s an alternate history effort full of spellbinding spectacle, and was expanded into the equally good novel ANNO DRACULA; both are worth a read. The anthology finishes on Neil Gaiman’s little poem, VAMPIRE SESTINA: tragic, atmospheric, and rather moving.
For the most part, this is a splendid collection that I can’t recommend enough in terms of pure enjoyment.
It begins well with Clive Barker’s weird HUMAN REMAINS, about a rent boy haunted by a doppelganger. Fans of the author will know to expect the gruesome stuff in this one. Brian Lumley’s NECROS is less inspiring and more predictable, winning points for the craft evident in the author’s writing style rather than the plot, but Brian Stableford’s THE MAN WHO LOVED THE VAMPIRE LADY is an excellent and worthwhile effort, a 17th century horror/romance that never disappoints.
FOR THE BLOOD IS THE LIFE, by F. Marion Crawford, is one of the best here, a chillingly atmospheric take on the old legends. It’s slow paced and lengthy, set in old world Italy, and stands as one of my favourite vampire stories of all time. Ramsey Campbell’s THE BROOD is also well written, full of the author’s trademark urban decay and hard to fault. Robert Bloch’s HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY isn’t bad, mixing gangsters and bloodsuckers, but shows that there’s only so much you can do in this overworked genre.
Poe’s LIGEIA is one I didn’t care for: it’s a nostalgic piece but the horror feels diluted and the story overwritten, not up to his usual standard. Still, STRAGELLA, by pulp veteran Hugh B. Cave, is top-of-the-genre stuff, a fast-paced vampire pulp full of unique little touches (a Crucifix tattoo, for instance) that I loved.
David J. Schow’s A WEEK IN THE UNLIFE, about a vampire hunter, is morbid and depressing, and gory with it, but it has a great climax that lifts it from the mundane. THE HOUSE AT EVENING is by Frances Garfield (Manly Wade Wellman’s wife) and a somewhat erotic, subtle variant on the theme. R. Chetwynd-Hayes delivers THE LABYRINTH, an old “couple takes refuge in ancient house on the moors” type tale full of graphic horror and grim humour that really works.
Karl Edward Wagner is the man behind BEYOND ANY MEASURE, a weird work of social realism full of goth parties, drug abuse and lesbians. It’s shocking, but oddly engaging with it. But it pales in comparison to Basil Copper’s monstrous DOCTOR PORTHOS, a short, short effort with a thick, thick atmosphere, a feat that few authors can aspire to achieve.
DRACULA’S GUEST, by the ubiquitous Stoker, was originally a chapter excised from DRACULA as it was felt to slow the tale down too much. I’m glad it survived through the years because it stands well as a story in its own right, an excellent description of a barren countryside populated by malignant creatures. Dennis Etchison’s IT ONLY COMES OUT AT NIGHT is at the opposite end of the spectrum – a couple touring a US desert visit an eerie rest stop – but just as scary, with the chills of a heart-stopping variety here.
DRACULA’S CHAIR, by Peter Tremayne, is a lesser effort, with the title speaking for itself. It’s a little too normal to register much. But Melanie Tem comes up trumps with THE BETTER HALF, a superb story full of atmosphere and suspense that I can’t rightly describe; the level of growing dread here is tremendous. Equally good is M. R. James’s AN EPISODE OF CATHEDRAL HISTORY, about an evil spirit residing within an ancient tomb. The antiquary background is perfect for this story involving red-eyed demons lurking in the streets and weird screams in the night; one of the author’s lesser-known, but best, tales.
Manly Wade Wellman created a psychic detective in Judge Pursuivant and CHASTEL sees him tackling a vampiric creature. Written in 1979, this isn’t as strong as the author’s older pulp efforts, but it’s great to see the character back in action and the story is reminiscent of Seabury Quinn at his best. For a totally ‘outre’ experience, try Howard Waldrop’s DER UNTERGANG DES ABENDLANDESMENSCHEN, about two cowboys hunting a German bloodsucker. It’s jokey, anecdotal and full of knowing references; I had a ball with it.
E. F. Benson’s THE ROOM IN THE TOWER is yet another favourite of mine: a subtle, powerful nightmare captured on paper. This is up there with the best of M. R. James. Graham Masterton’s LAIRD OF DUNAIN is pure gristle, packed with the author’s trademark grue and little else. But F. Paul Wilson’s MIDNIGHT MASS is a lot better: lengthy and straightforward, action-focused and always entertaining. A Jewish priest and an alcoholic minister team up to battle a plague of the undead, and a siege in a desecrated church is tremendous stuff.
BLOOD GOTHIC, by Nancy Holder, is a dark romance, and not really my cup of tea. But Les Daniels writes a blinder in YELLOW FOG, a Victorian horror story that’s great fun. His London feels real and the story ably mixes together grave robbers, vampires, séances and psychopaths into an enthralling mix. Coming after this, Steve Rasnic Tem’s VINTAGE DOMESTIC is a sickening letdown.
Kim Newman was on to a great idea in his novella RED REIGN – what if Dracula survived his novel and took over England? It’s an alternate history effort full of spellbinding spectacle, and was expanded into the equally good novel ANNO DRACULA; both are worth a read. The anthology finishes on Neil Gaiman’s little poem, VAMPIRE SESTINA: tragic, atmospheric, and rather moving.
For the most part, this is a splendid collection that I can’t recommend enough in terms of pure enjoyment.
November 1, 2021
2.5 actual
I was disappointed in a lot of the stories.
I was disappointed in a lot of the stories.
July 22, 2023
Before the Vampires had become sparkling, they were gritty, violent, and utterly deadly. This superb anthology reminded me of those days. It's probably the best example of vampires as portrayed by Universal and Hammer, while remaining loyal to the literary heritage.
The book, at par with any other anthology, contains several duds. But the number of stunners, penned by Modern Masters, that are present here, is staggering.
Excluding some of the most-repeated stories like Stoker's "Dracula's Guest" or that by M.R. James, my favourites were~
1. F. Marion Crawford's "For the Blood Is the Life";
2. Robert Bloch's "Hungarian Rhapsody";
3. Richard Christian Matheson's "The Vampire";
4. Karl Edward Wagner's "Beyond Any Measure";
5. Basil Copper's "Doctor Porthos";
6. Manly Wade Wellman's "Chastel";
7. Kim Newman's "Red Reign"— the story that was the genesis of entire Anno Dracula universe.
Apart from these, there are plenty of tales to suit almost every Vampire-lover's taste. I use the word 'almost' because the followers of 'Twilight' would hate this anthology like anything.
Don't go for the new edition with different contents. Rather, try to find out the old one.
Recommended.
The book, at par with any other anthology, contains several duds. But the number of stunners, penned by Modern Masters, that are present here, is staggering.
Excluding some of the most-repeated stories like Stoker's "Dracula's Guest" or that by M.R. James, my favourites were~
1. F. Marion Crawford's "For the Blood Is the Life";
2. Robert Bloch's "Hungarian Rhapsody";
3. Richard Christian Matheson's "The Vampire";
4. Karl Edward Wagner's "Beyond Any Measure";
5. Basil Copper's "Doctor Porthos";
6. Manly Wade Wellman's "Chastel";
7. Kim Newman's "Red Reign"— the story that was the genesis of entire Anno Dracula universe.
Apart from these, there are plenty of tales to suit almost every Vampire-lover's taste. I use the word 'almost' because the followers of 'Twilight' would hate this anthology like anything.
Don't go for the new edition with different contents. Rather, try to find out the old one.
Recommended.
November 30, 2021
Really 2.5 stars.
It was okay; a big, fat volume of vampire stories. Several of them were good, a couple were bad, and some were over familiar from previous anthologies (Dracula's Guest, for example). These were all pitched at the vampire as bloodsucking monster end of the spectrum (good!) rather than the vampire as tortured boyfriend that seems to (still!) be the type in urban fantasy novels.
If you haven't read much vampire short fiction, it would be a good purchase. If you already have several anthologies, have a flick through to see what's new and what isn't.
It was okay; a big, fat volume of vampire stories. Several of them were good, a couple were bad, and some were over familiar from previous anthologies (Dracula's Guest, for example). These were all pitched at the vampire as bloodsucking monster end of the spectrum (good!) rather than the vampire as tortured boyfriend that seems to (still!) be the type in urban fantasy novels.
If you haven't read much vampire short fiction, it would be a good purchase. If you already have several anthologies, have a flick through to see what's new and what isn't.
January 22, 2011
Four stories really stood out from the crowd in this anthology:
* Necros by Brian Lumley
* Beyond Any Measure by Karl Edward Wagner
* The Better Half by Melanie Tem
* Midnight Mass by F. Paul Wilson
Each one had at least one twist to the vampire lore that I had never seen before and enjoyed immensely. Unfortunately, while those four stories were exceptional, the remaining 25 were not. While none of the stories were bad, they all seemed to lack something new or different. They failed at grabbing my attention. 75 pages of some of the best vampire fiction I've ever read just isn't enough to carry the rest of this book.
* Necros by Brian Lumley
* Beyond Any Measure by Karl Edward Wagner
* The Better Half by Melanie Tem
* Midnight Mass by F. Paul Wilson
Each one had at least one twist to the vampire lore that I had never seen before and enjoyed immensely. Unfortunately, while those four stories were exceptional, the remaining 25 were not. While none of the stories were bad, they all seemed to lack something new or different. They failed at grabbing my attention. 75 pages of some of the best vampire fiction I've ever read just isn't enough to carry the rest of this book.
June 5, 2009
Many well-known authors contributed short stories to this book. It's a great read. These are well and truly vampire stories, not the current vampire romances that are so popular. Fun to read!
October 31, 2021
Like every other anthology, it was a hit or a miss. Some stories were really good, others not so much. I enjoyed:
Humans Remains by Clive Barker
The Man Who Loved the Vampire Lady by Brian Stableford
The Legend of Dracula Reconsidered as a Prime-Time TV Special by Christopher Fowler
The House at Evening by Frances Garfield
Investigating Jericho by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (my personal favorite)
Blood Gothic by Nancy Holder
Yellow Fog by Les Daniels
Fifteen Cards From A Vampire Tarot by Neil Gaiman
Vintage Domestic by Steve Rasnic Tem
Humans Remains by Clive Barker
The Man Who Loved the Vampire Lady by Brian Stableford
The Legend of Dracula Reconsidered as a Prime-Time TV Special by Christopher Fowler
The House at Evening by Frances Garfield
Investigating Jericho by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (my personal favorite)
Blood Gothic by Nancy Holder
Yellow Fog by Les Daniels
Fifteen Cards From A Vampire Tarot by Neil Gaiman
Vintage Domestic by Steve Rasnic Tem
February 19, 2020
4.2 stars!
I've yet to stumble upon a five star vampire anthology. That said, Mammoth is one of the best vampire horror anthologies I read. I prefer evil scary vampires to sexy ironic blood suckers. Mammoth provides a decent number of the blood type of stories I like. It's a solid read and a valuable reference book for scanning horror authors previously unknown to me.
Excellent addition to any serious horror or vampire collection.
I've yet to stumble upon a five star vampire anthology. That said, Mammoth is one of the best vampire horror anthologies I read. I prefer evil scary vampires to sexy ironic blood suckers. Mammoth provides a decent number of the blood type of stories I like. It's a solid read and a valuable reference book for scanning horror authors previously unknown to me.
Excellent addition to any serious horror or vampire collection.
September 8, 2012
The book gave me a paper cut...like it wanted my blood...enough said.
March 12, 2020
This collection of short stories is, in itself, a tribute to something quite remarkable, in that over the past one hundred and twenty years the Vampire has become such powerful favourite among fictional characters that it has spurned its own sub-genre. There are vampire movies just as there are cowboy movies and there are vampire stories just as there are detective stories. Other mythical monsters have come and gone, from Frankenstein to the Alien, but none has been so enduring, so universally loved as the vampire.
So many tales have been written of this nocturnal revenant, then, that it should come as no surprise that a bumper collection, such as the Mammoth Book of Vampires, should grace our bookshelves, feeding the public appetite for horror, if not for blood.
I found the tales to be well chosen, well introduced and well written. This is a good book. In fact, for those who like short stories and also like vampires, it is a very good book and excellent value for money,though it did, ultimately, cause me to question my own long term fascination with the genre.
The stories were 'interesting.' They were well written. They were professional. That said, I did not find them horrifying, thrilling, or fascinating and I found myself wondering why. Looking back and reading some of them for a second, or even a third, time I began to realise that these were 'good' stories even though they were not 'good stories'. They were well written, with rich language and colourful descriptive passages, they had style and they colour and they had clearly come from the labours of very competent authors. They were good to read.
They were well done, well written, but they just weren't good stories. The plots were all much too familiar, strange man lives in old house with beautiful young woman: we know from the start that this will not end well. I cannot say that any of them had a surprising ending, not even an interesting ending.
For readers who enjoy the quality of good prose, and those who love to bury themselves in all things vampiric, this really was a good book, and superb value for money, but don't expect to feel the tingle of fear up your spine, nor a moment of heart-wrenching empathy for a star crossed Gothic lover. It needs more bite.
So many tales have been written of this nocturnal revenant, then, that it should come as no surprise that a bumper collection, such as the Mammoth Book of Vampires, should grace our bookshelves, feeding the public appetite for horror, if not for blood.
I found the tales to be well chosen, well introduced and well written. This is a good book. In fact, for those who like short stories and also like vampires, it is a very good book and excellent value for money,though it did, ultimately, cause me to question my own long term fascination with the genre.
The stories were 'interesting.' They were well written. They were professional. That said, I did not find them horrifying, thrilling, or fascinating and I found myself wondering why. Looking back and reading some of them for a second, or even a third, time I began to realise that these were 'good' stories even though they were not 'good stories'. They were well written, with rich language and colourful descriptive passages, they had style and they colour and they had clearly come from the labours of very competent authors. They were good to read.
They were well done, well written, but they just weren't good stories. The plots were all much too familiar, strange man lives in old house with beautiful young woman: we know from the start that this will not end well. I cannot say that any of them had a surprising ending, not even an interesting ending.
For readers who enjoy the quality of good prose, and those who love to bury themselves in all things vampiric, this really was a good book, and superb value for money, but don't expect to feel the tingle of fear up your spine, nor a moment of heart-wrenching empathy for a star crossed Gothic lover. It needs more bite.
April 6, 2022
I didn't care for a lot of the stories (due to writing style or too much grittiness) but it was worth a read for these:
- “Necros” by Brian Lumley
- “Root Cellar” by Nancy Kilpatrick
- “The Labyrinth” by R. Chetwynd-Hayes
- “The Better Half” by Melanie Tem
- “The Devil’s Tritone” by John Burke
- “Red as Blood” by Tanith Lee
- “A Trick of the Dark” by Tina Rath
- “Blood Gothic” by Nancy Holder
- “Necros” by Brian Lumley
- “Root Cellar” by Nancy Kilpatrick
- “The Labyrinth” by R. Chetwynd-Hayes
- “The Better Half” by Melanie Tem
- “The Devil’s Tritone” by John Burke
- “Red as Blood” by Tanith Lee
- “A Trick of the Dark” by Tina Rath
- “Blood Gothic” by Nancy Holder
November 15, 2023
There's a few misses and some repeats I recognize from other anthologies but there are some absolute GEMS in this one. I tend to pick through out of order and read whatever strikes my interest and holds it, and a good 80% of these stories are either excellent or at least interesting.
It does run a little pulpy and some of the stories are pretty standard structurally but overall, a blast to read.
It does run a little pulpy and some of the stories are pretty standard structurally but overall, a blast to read.
November 29, 2021
Good light reading,
I would have liked to see greater originality and more surprise endings, but I suppose its difficult for authors to come up with a lot of original ideas when the Vampire trope is so clearly defined in the public consciousness.
I would have liked to see greater originality and more surprise endings, but I suppose its difficult for authors to come up with a lot of original ideas when the Vampire trope is so clearly defined in the public consciousness.
November 24, 2018
This compilation of vampire stories allows you to see vampires as you never would have thought
January 1, 2021
very hit and miss as the first 9 stories were pretty average but it did get better in the end and the stories to the end of the book were a lot better,
July 28, 2021
Disappointing!
I had such high hopes for this book but so many of the stories were whimsical and lightweight.
I had such high hopes for this book but so many of the stories were whimsical and lightweight.
March 26, 2024
Prachtige Gothic Novels! Graag gelezen 😀
June 10, 2025
I've read all or parts of this anthology many times, though not recently, it still sits on my shelves because it gave great pleasure. I am sure I will return to it again.
July 7, 2025
All kinds, inc Harlan Ellisons one who does not require blood.
But really the only one I really liked was Clive Barkers Human Remains.
But really the only one I really liked was Clive Barkers Human Remains.
September 19, 2025
Halloween 2025 Marathon, Book 9/13.
January 15, 2019
This might be the single best collection of vampire stories I've read thus far. It has a lot of the truly great stories from the Vampire Archives book, such as Human Remains, Doctor Porthos, and Midnight Mass while being in a much more manageable (though sadly out of print) package. It also has some truly great vampire tales I haven't encountered before. There are two tales that consider the vampire on film, one about a man's attempt to create a new adaptation of Dracula in which the film itself feeds upon it's hopeful creator, and a story by Kim Newman that mixes Andy Warhol's real Dracula film and countless other works with a continuation of the Anno Dracula universe. There are clever and fun variants on vampires, stories where the heroes don't realize they've already become vampires, the occasional psychic vampire, and other such riffs. There's a great one that mixes vampirism and reincarnation, allowing a woman to effectively fight herself as the vampire spirit inhabiting a corpse is pitted against the reincarnated soul of who the corpse was in life. There's a vampire who was only sort of killed and has effectively become a vampiric haunted house. There are vampire rockstars not in the Lestat mold. There's a wonderful story called Investigating Jericho which is basically the IRS versus Salem's Lot post vampire takeover. It builds up the horror nicely and it's one of the stories that I'd love to see a follow up to.
There's a rather strange tale the combines cowboys, vampires, and Hitler, and Tanith Lee has yet another vampire story (I swear I read a new vampire story by her in every vampire anthology) in which Snow White is a force of darkness, much as in one of my favorite Neil Gaiman stories. He's here too with his Vampire Tarot, and though it isn't my favorite of his stories it's still a nice choice for this collection. I also enjoyed A Trick of the Dark, where a sickly woman becomes a vampire to escape her life, a theme I like - it's nice to see some sympathetic vampire stories in the mix. And there's a great contrast in Blood Gothic, another story that may or may not have an actual supernatural element. Another woman wants to have a vampire lover and become a vampire herself, but it seems that all her longing and waiting accomplishes nothing more than driving her insane. It's probably one of the most horrifying stories in the collection. There's a nice mix of lengths of stories here, with novellas like Midnight Mass and stories that pack a huge emotional punch into just a few short pages.
It was a great collection for picking up and putting down, though in the end I raced through to the finish to see just what kinds of horror and blood it could throw at me. I can't call this the definitive vampire collection since it's focused almost entirely on relatively recent authors (or at least those from the early 20th century and later), but it's definitely one of the best I've ever read, and it's well worth tracking down for any vampire fan. I've already started Jones's anthology focused solely on Dracula, and I also look forward to reading his book of vampire tales by women. Judging by this and his Frankenstein book, I think he's an excellent horror anthologist and I will have to track down more of his collections.
There's a rather strange tale the combines cowboys, vampires, and Hitler, and Tanith Lee has yet another vampire story (I swear I read a new vampire story by her in every vampire anthology) in which Snow White is a force of darkness, much as in one of my favorite Neil Gaiman stories. He's here too with his Vampire Tarot, and though it isn't my favorite of his stories it's still a nice choice for this collection. I also enjoyed A Trick of the Dark, where a sickly woman becomes a vampire to escape her life, a theme I like - it's nice to see some sympathetic vampire stories in the mix. And there's a great contrast in Blood Gothic, another story that may or may not have an actual supernatural element. Another woman wants to have a vampire lover and become a vampire herself, but it seems that all her longing and waiting accomplishes nothing more than driving her insane. It's probably one of the most horrifying stories in the collection. There's a nice mix of lengths of stories here, with novellas like Midnight Mass and stories that pack a huge emotional punch into just a few short pages.
It was a great collection for picking up and putting down, though in the end I raced through to the finish to see just what kinds of horror and blood it could throw at me. I can't call this the definitive vampire collection since it's focused almost entirely on relatively recent authors (or at least those from the early 20th century and later), but it's definitely one of the best I've ever read, and it's well worth tracking down for any vampire fan. I've already started Jones's anthology focused solely on Dracula, and I also look forward to reading his book of vampire tales by women. Judging by this and his Frankenstein book, I think he's an excellent horror anthologist and I will have to track down more of his collections.
October 13, 2024
A pretty fair assortment of classic and (at the time) new tales of vampires.
I've highlighted the ones I've particularly liked. This includes:
Human Remains by Clive Barker
Necros by Brian Lumley
The Man Who Loved the Vampire Lady
For the Blood is the Life by F. Marion Crawford
The Brood by Ramsey Campbell
Hungarian Rhapsody by Robert Bloch
Ligeia by Edgar Allan Poe
Vampire by Richard Christian Matheson
Stragella by Hugh B. Cave
A Week in the Unlife by David J. Schow
The House at Evening by Frances Garfield
The Labyrinth by R. Chetwynd Hayes
Beyond Any Measure by Karl Edward Wagner
Doctor Porthos by Basil Copper
Dracula's Guest by Bram Stoker
It Only Comes Out at Night by Dennis Etchison
Dracula's Chair by Peter Tremayne
The Better Half by Melanie Tem
An Episode of Cathedral History by M.R. James
Chastel by Manly Wade Wellman
Der Untergang Des Abendlandesmenschen by Howard Waldrop
The Room in the Tower by E.F. Bensen
Laird of Dunain by Graham Masterton
Midnight Mass by F. Paul Wilson
Blood Gothic by Nancy Holder
Yellow Fog by Les Daniels
Vintage Domestic by Steve Rasnic Tem
Red Reign by Kim Newman
Vampire Sestina by Neil Gaiman
I've highlighted the ones I've particularly liked. This includes:
Human Remains by Clive Barker
Necros by Brian Lumley
The Man Who Loved the Vampire Lady
For the Blood is the Life by F. Marion Crawford
The Brood by Ramsey Campbell
Hungarian Rhapsody by Robert Bloch
Ligeia by Edgar Allan Poe
Vampire by Richard Christian Matheson
Stragella by Hugh B. Cave
A Week in the Unlife by David J. Schow
The House at Evening by Frances Garfield
The Labyrinth by R. Chetwynd Hayes
Beyond Any Measure by Karl Edward Wagner
Doctor Porthos by Basil Copper
Dracula's Guest by Bram Stoker
It Only Comes Out at Night by Dennis Etchison
Dracula's Chair by Peter Tremayne
The Better Half by Melanie Tem
An Episode of Cathedral History by M.R. James
Chastel by Manly Wade Wellman
Der Untergang Des Abendlandesmenschen by Howard Waldrop
The Room in the Tower by E.F. Bensen
Laird of Dunain by Graham Masterton
Midnight Mass by F. Paul Wilson
Blood Gothic by Nancy Holder
Yellow Fog by Les Daniels
Vintage Domestic by Steve Rasnic Tem
Red Reign by Kim Newman
Vampire Sestina by Neil Gaiman
Want to read
March 10, 2016Human Remains by Clive Barker
Necros by Brian Lumley
The Man Who Loved The Vampire Lady by Brian Stableford
A Place To Stay by Michael Marshall Smith
The Brood by Ramsey Campbell
Root Cellar by Nancy Kilpatrick
Hungarian Rhapsody by Robert Bloch
The Legend of Dracula Reconsidered as a Prime-Time TV Special by Christopher Fowler
Vampire by Richard Christian Matheson
Stragella by Hugh B. Cave
A Week In The Unlife by David J. Schow
The House At Evening by Francis Garfield
Vampyrrhic Outcast by Simon Clark
The Labyrinth by R. Chetwynd-Hayes
Beyond Any Measure by Karl Edward Wagner
Doctor Porthos by Basil Copper
Straight To Hell by Paul McAuley
It Only Comes Out At Night by Dennis Etchison
Investigating Jericho by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Dracula's Chair by Peter Tremayne
A Taste For Blood by Sydney J. Bounds
The Better Half by Melanie Tem
The Devil's Tritone by John Burke
Chastel by Manly Wade Wellman
Der Untergang Des Abendlandesmenschen by Howard Waldrop
Red As Blood by Tanith Lee
Laird of Dunain by Graham Masterson
A Trick of the Dark by Tina Rath
Midnight Mass by F. Paul Wilson
Blood Gothis by Nancy Holder
Yellow Fog by Les Daniels
Fifteen Cards From a Vampire Tarot by Neil Gaiman
Vintage Domestic by Steve Rasnic Tem
Try A Dull Knife by Harlan Ellison
Andy Warhol's Dracula: Anno Dracula 1978-1979 by Kim Newman
Necros by Brian Lumley
The Man Who Loved The Vampire Lady by Brian Stableford
A Place To Stay by Michael Marshall Smith
The Brood by Ramsey Campbell
Root Cellar by Nancy Kilpatrick
Hungarian Rhapsody by Robert Bloch
The Legend of Dracula Reconsidered as a Prime-Time TV Special by Christopher Fowler
Vampire by Richard Christian Matheson
Stragella by Hugh B. Cave
A Week In The Unlife by David J. Schow
The House At Evening by Francis Garfield
Vampyrrhic Outcast by Simon Clark
The Labyrinth by R. Chetwynd-Hayes
Beyond Any Measure by Karl Edward Wagner
Doctor Porthos by Basil Copper
Straight To Hell by Paul McAuley
It Only Comes Out At Night by Dennis Etchison
Investigating Jericho by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Dracula's Chair by Peter Tremayne
A Taste For Blood by Sydney J. Bounds
The Better Half by Melanie Tem
The Devil's Tritone by John Burke
Chastel by Manly Wade Wellman
Der Untergang Des Abendlandesmenschen by Howard Waldrop
Red As Blood by Tanith Lee
Laird of Dunain by Graham Masterson
A Trick of the Dark by Tina Rath
Midnight Mass by F. Paul Wilson
Blood Gothis by Nancy Holder
Yellow Fog by Les Daniels
Fifteen Cards From a Vampire Tarot by Neil Gaiman
Vintage Domestic by Steve Rasnic Tem
Try A Dull Knife by Harlan Ellison
Andy Warhol's Dracula: Anno Dracula 1978-1979 by Kim Newman
books-i-own
June 11, 2016I am already reading the story by Clive Barker's "Human Remains" from The Books od Blood so I will skip reading this story.
Necros by Brian Lumley: so far this story is very slow, I don't particularly care about the obsessive detail about the way the female character looks (it's seems to be perversely obsessive) The story was boring, slow paced and predictable, I figured out who was the vampire in the story is (even though it isn't specifically mentioned)
Hopefully the rest of the author's work is more interesting to read. I prefer visceral gory vampire stories.
Necros by Brian Lumley: so far this story is very slow, I don't particularly care about the obsessive detail about the way the female character looks (it's seems to be perversely obsessive) The story was boring, slow paced and predictable, I figured out who was the vampire in the story is (even though it isn't specifically mentioned)
Hopefully the rest of the author's work is more interesting to read. I prefer visceral gory vampire stories.
November 7, 2011
First off, hats off to these writers, because there were a LOT of scary vampires in this book! Some of the stories were of course better than others, and a few I just really could not get into, but this book definitely offered a wide range of vampirism, and I appreciated that most of all! Every story was different. Some of them even incorporated actual events and history into the stories, which added to it for me. I really enjoyed the majority of this collection.
April 19, 2016
A fun fact: this was one of the first books I can ever really remember reading as a child, and it was one of the various vampire books I read when I was a kid that really cemented my love of vampires and the supernatural. My mum had the older copy (with the vampire lady on the cover) and I think I must have consumed all the stories a fair few times over by now. It's been quite a few years now since I re-read this collection and I'm thinking I will definitely need to do one soon.
February 23, 2014
Like most anthologies it's some good, some bad. Quick highlights:
Clive Barker's story is good but very non-traditional as far as vampires go.
Richard Matheson's was more an experiment than a story and it offered me nothing short of 30 seconds to read it. Disappointing because I expect more from him.
Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite story-tellers. This story was, hmmm, a taste...? Short. Interesting. Well worked even if not what I was hoping for.
Clive Barker's story is good but very non-traditional as far as vampires go.
Richard Matheson's was more an experiment than a story and it offered me nothing short of 30 seconds to read it. Disappointing because I expect more from him.
Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite story-tellers. This story was, hmmm, a taste...? Short. Interesting. Well worked even if not what I was hoping for.
March 16, 2015
Collection of short stories and novellas by Clive Barker, Les Daniels, Brian Lumley, F. Paul Wilson and oodles more. Especially notable for the many little-read or little-known stories such as "Dracula's Guest" by Bram Stoker or "Stragella" by Hugh B. Cave. The novella "Red Reign" by Kim Newman included in this collection was later expanded to a full-length novel and published under the title "Anno-Dracula."
November 13, 2011
I absoultely loved this collection of Vampire Stories, there's something for everyone, and amazingly, I loved them all. There were no "dud ones". I was very impressed. I have read this collection many times over, and will no doubt read them many times again in the future. A book I will not part with.
February 10, 2011
I liked this collection way more than the Mammoth book of Zombies. "Midnight mass" and "Red Reign" were revelations, and I got the opportunity to revisit classics like "For the blood is the life" and "Ligeia". There are tales here that I will definitely read again in the near future.
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