The Vampire of Vourla and Other Greek Vampire Tales, 1819-1846

by Álvaro García Marín (Editor)

Vampires are usually associated in the popular imagination with Transylvania and other Eastern European locales. But in this new collection, editor Álvaro García Marín has uncovered the earliest appearances of vampires in English literature, revealing their surprising origin in Greece. This volume includes two seminal classic texts, Lord Byron's "Fragment of a Novel" and John William Polidori's "The Vampyre", together with five other rare and never-before-reprinted vampire tales from the early 19th century, including the important and inexplicably neglected "The Vampire of Vourla". Also featured is a scholarly introduction by Prof. Marín, delving into this forgotten field of vampire literary history and situating it within the larger Romantic era and 19th-century English attitudes toward Greece.

Genres: Horror, Vampires, Gothic, Classics, Short Stories, Fiction, Greece

138 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2024

Reviews

[Theofilos]

"the vampire of vourla" is a hidden gem! Other than that the rest of stories were of folk tale nature. As a Greek I loved these, they were tales of old, and it was nice to read about my ancestors' traditions and beliefs.

[Christina]

Fervently hoping that if I continue to obsessively read about vampires, I will eventually become one

[Vultural]

Various (Editor: Marín, Álvaro García) - The Vampire Of Vourla

A half dozen vampire stories from 18919-1846, predating the Bram era.
All bear Greek origins, though many appear to have come from English writers.
Editor Marín pens a lengthy introduction, explaining the long history of vampires in Greece, their origins which may have gone back to Turkish domination, and the rationale for their erasure from history.

The opener by Lord Byron is a mere fragment, yet reflects the ornate writing of old. Flowery to the point of overripe. Ending mid-sentence, mid-paragraph? Just ending.

“The Vampire: A Tale” picks up from Byron’s story, perhaps copied, perhaps influenced. Written by John Polidori, Byron’s physician, whom I might pigeonhole as a frenemy. The story is of a young man with an older, more experienced, slightly sinister man. He reminded me of Dorian’s mentor, Lord Henry.

“The Story Of Demetrio Gkikas” is less bloodsucker than a restless spirit, an unhappy soul.

In John Bowring’s “Vampires”, we listen in as a father tells his children a spooky bedtime story. The children, while not precocious, easily possess more common sense than many individuals today.

“The Vroucolacas” is a fun little romp with a good mix of characters, a possessive father whose beautiful daughter loves an unacceptable male. Complaining to the local Turkish official is perilous, as the Bashaw would sooner chop off heads than tax himself listening. While the vampire in question disturbs the local community, readers chuckle at the mischief.

An essential book? Probably not. Good for those who want more stories that are off the heavily worn path. The notes and scholarship aid immensely, as well.

[KDS]

What should be regarded as an important and essential book for vampire lovers, this fantastic collection covers a variety of Nineteenth Century vampire tales (all pre-Dracula by at least half a century) all connected in some way to Greek and Turkish influences and one I enjoyed immensely.

The collection includes a mix of well known (Polidori's 'The Vampyre', Lord Byron's 'Fragment of a Novel') and undeservedly obscure titles (the particularly excellent 'The Vampire of Vourla' and 'The Vampire Knight and His Cloud Steed'). Every story though I found to be absorbing and whilst the language was often outdated (as expected from 19thC writing) with a great deal of unfamiliar colloquial and cultural terminology, the extra effort felt incredibly rewarding.

Each story is preceded by a wonderful page long introduction which highlights the connection of each to the turbulent history of Greece under Ottoman rule, through either the medium of the more mythical, classically terror-laden version the Turkish vampire instilled, or the more gothic and romantic style imposed by encroaching western European influences. I love it when editors succinctly cram in so much information on an author with related cultural history and these are perfect.

Anyone wanting to read deeper into vampire fiction whilst learning more about their folklore away from the tropes of modern sources, then give this a go as I cannot recommend this edition high enough.

[Horror DNA]

The Vampire of Vourla and Other Greek Vampire Tales, 1819-1846 a new collection from editor Álvaro García Marín, presents some of the earliest appearances of vampires in English literature. Many are familiar to readers, such as Lord Byron's "Fragment of a Novel" and physician John Polidori's “The Vampyre”. The book contains five rare and never-before-reprinted vampire tales from the early 19th century. The overriding theme is through all of these works, the origin of these myths comes not from Central or Eastern Europe but from Ancient Greece and the Hellenic culture that permeated the Romantic era and 19th-century English attitudes.

You can read Terry's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[Star]

Bite sized but dreamy! This short collection of rare vampire tales caught my eye on a table of horror at the Strand and I knew I needed to make it my next companion. It reminded me of being little, when reading from scary anthologies at sleep overs brought terror and a sense of wonder. I was once again in awe of the myth of the vampire. Of course, Lord Byron and John William Polidori's snippets were, as expected, lovely, but it was the stories that I had not yet met that excited me most. Also fascinating was where the stories were found. As someone profoundly interested in the history of objects and literature, I was interested to read that The Vampire of Vourla was found in a 1845 issue of The Chaplet. That in of itself had me on another literary journey.

The stories were rife with the gothic darkness you would expect from a vampire anthology, and the collection was divinely curated. If you are into the lore of the vampire and want some older stories from which some of your favorite contemporaries are likely derived and inspired by, this one is a perfect bite.

[David López]

Como en toda recopilación, la calidad literaria de los textos es desigual. No obstante, todos son de interés para el aficionado al tema vampírico, sobre todo en sus primeras manifestaciones literarias antes de Bram Stoker. La introducción general de Álvaro García Martín tan excelente como sucinta, lo mismo que las presentaciones que preceden a cada texto.

[Paul]

A collection of stories that gives a different spin on the vampire trope

[Amelia]

Dnf

[rottenrosette]

Logging for the title story but I would like to one day read the rest of the collection!

The titular short story isn't particularly remarkable except for the fact that it features a Greek vampire, which is cool. It has more of a humorous tone throughout than it does a spooky one.

[Rachael]

A good collection of lesser known stories. Worth adding to your collection!