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The Vampire's Apprentice
Awakening to find himself embalmed and buried in his own grave, David Brent clawed his way to the surface to find himself transformed, a walking corpse, abandoned by his mentor, and tortured by a relentless thirst...
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR...
This was not what Carter, the charming vampire, had promised David before biting him. Where was Carter now...and who was going to teach David how to feed his insatiable hunger, use his new immortal powers, and stay out of harm's way?
FOR IT MIGHT JUST COME TRUE!
Abandoned and betrayed, dead to everyone he'd ever loved, David loathed and feared his savage new existence...But his rage would not let him perish. An inhabitant of the darkness, a bloodthirsty, nightstalking monster, David found his own way, teaching himself the answers to the ancient myths he was no heir to...and when he finally mastered his many powers, David went looking for Carter - because David was dying again, but this time he was dying for revenge.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR...
This was not what Carter, the charming vampire, had promised David before biting him. Where was Carter now...and who was going to teach David how to feed his insatiable hunger, use his new immortal powers, and stay out of harm's way?
FOR IT MIGHT JUST COME TRUE!
Abandoned and betrayed, dead to everyone he'd ever loved, David loathed and feared his savage new existence...But his rage would not let him perish. An inhabitant of the darkness, a bloodthirsty, nightstalking monster, David found his own way, teaching himself the answers to the ancient myths he was no heir to...and when he finally mastered his many powers, David went looking for Carter - because David was dying again, but this time he was dying for revenge.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
6 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
About the author
Richard Lee Byers
198 books371 followersA resident of the Tampa Bay area, Richard spends much of his leisure time fencing, playing poker, shooting pool and is a frequent guest at Florida science-fiction conventions. His current projects include new novels set in the Forgotten Realms universe and the eBook post-apocalyptic superhero series The Impostor.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 9, 2020
An interesting twist on a rather well worn horror trope. David is a loser, working at a new age book store and living with his parents at age 24. He meets Carter, a mysterious but suave guy who takes him under his wing. Turns out, Carter is a vampire, and he offers to make David one as well (hence the title of the book). Once David is turned, he finds out Carter lied. Carter, it seems just wants someone to torment who can really appreciate it from an undead perspective. Byers was never very clear why Carter wants to torment David, but so it goes. David tries to only feed on terminally ill patients in hospitals and nursing homes, but Carter finds out and starts killing these types of people in droves to force David elsewhere. Further, Carter starts feeding on David's old friends and family.
Quick and fun read, but really pretty mindless. 2.5 stars.
Quick and fun read, but really pretty mindless. 2.5 stars.
December 11, 2018
Абстрахираме се от потресаващо грозната корица; преглъщаме куция на моменти превод (може да се усети още от анотацията на гърба, която собственоръчно съм набирал, докато качвах изданието тук); приемаме и печатните грешки (начи май досега не бях срещал в книга да се бърка "които" с "коЙто", ама тука го съзрях поне три-четири пъти...)... това все пак си е класическо родно остросюжетно издание от 90's, каквито лакомо продължавам да събирам, воден от носталгия.
НО историята беше абсолютно малоумна, а героите ми стояха като изрязани от хартия (представете си щом го казвам аз, чиито литературни герои са най-повърхностните копелета на света)... Единственото ценно нещо вътре май беше любопитната трактовка на вампирите - създания, постоянно гниещи и разлагащи се, но с т.нар. си месмеризъм контролиращи умовете на хората и обвиващи се в илюзия....
Тройката да се чете като звезда и половина :)
НО историята беше абсолютно малоумна, а героите ми стояха като изрязани от хартия (представете си щом го казвам аз, чиито литературни герои са най-повърхностните копелета на света)... Единственото ценно нещо вътре май беше любопитната трактовка на вампирите - създания, постоянно гниещи и разлагащи се, но с т.нар. си месмеризъм контролиращи умовете на хората и обвиващи се в илюзия....
Тройката да се чете като звезда и половина :)
October 24, 2020
I thought the first four chapters of this were actually really good, and I got my hopes up. Unfortunately, I found the rest of the book a bit of a slog to get through. I do love the so-bad-it's-good cover, but I'll be donating this.
August 4, 2017
2,5/5. По-скоро не бих препоръчал.
October 9, 2012
A vampire tale with a difference...
The Vampire's Apprentice is an interesting book, in so much that it doesn't follow the popular trend of 'romantic' vampire novels. The vampires in this book (of which there are only 2) are depicted as half rotten walking corpses who only appear human by the power of illusion.
Be warned, this book is rather depressing mainly due to the main character (David Brent) who constantly doubts himself and struggles with inferiority (even as a vampire!). The start of the book is decent enough with our vampire crawling out of his own grave as a new member of the undead. We then quickly go into a flashback of his meeting with Carter, an ancient and powerful vampire, who turns him. This part of the book doesn't nearly last long enough for me and there doesn't really appear to be much justification as to why Carter turns him apart from the fact that he likes to prey on the weak and watch others suffer.
The middle of the book largely dwells on David's self loathing and inability to control his new vamphiric powers which leads to another confrontation with Carter who begins to torment not only him, but all his friends and family. What saves this book is that it actually has a pretty strong and interesting ending which sees David eventually track down and battle Carter.
This might not be the best vampire novel you come across but it is well worth a read if you are bored with vampires being romanticized.
The Vampire's Apprentice is an interesting book, in so much that it doesn't follow the popular trend of 'romantic' vampire novels. The vampires in this book (of which there are only 2) are depicted as half rotten walking corpses who only appear human by the power of illusion.
Be warned, this book is rather depressing mainly due to the main character (David Brent) who constantly doubts himself and struggles with inferiority (even as a vampire!). The start of the book is decent enough with our vampire crawling out of his own grave as a new member of the undead. We then quickly go into a flashback of his meeting with Carter, an ancient and powerful vampire, who turns him. This part of the book doesn't nearly last long enough for me and there doesn't really appear to be much justification as to why Carter turns him apart from the fact that he likes to prey on the weak and watch others suffer.
The middle of the book largely dwells on David's self loathing and inability to control his new vamphiric powers which leads to another confrontation with Carter who begins to torment not only him, but all his friends and family. What saves this book is that it actually has a pretty strong and interesting ending which sees David eventually track down and battle Carter.
This might not be the best vampire novel you come across but it is well worth a read if you are bored with vampires being romanticized.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2016
Not a bad vampire book and not the same old same old (as so many books of this genre are).
My only real issue is with Carter's motivation, which is never clearly explained. WHY does he hate David so much? WHY does he go so out of his way to make David's life (and death) so horrible and set out to destroy everyone David loves? It can't just be because Carter is evil because even though he kills, etc. he is never focused on anyone else with the kind of intensity of his vendetta against David. I kept expecting an explanation for the depth of Carter's hatred towards David but it was never provided. The closest thing is when, in a letter, Carter says, "I've never wanted to crush someone's spirit as badly as I do yours." BUT WHY????
My only real issue is with Carter's motivation, which is never clearly explained. WHY does he hate David so much? WHY does he go so out of his way to make David's life (and death) so horrible and set out to destroy everyone David loves? It can't just be because Carter is evil because even though he kills, etc. he is never focused on anyone else with the kind of intensity of his vendetta against David. I kept expecting an explanation for the depth of Carter's hatred towards David but it was never provided. The closest thing is when, in a letter, Carter says, "I've never wanted to crush someone's spirit as badly as I do yours." BUT WHY????
October 21, 2011
This one was hard to read not because it was a bad story or poorly written, but because the main character was just so disgusted with himself the entire time that it got very depressing. Halfway through the the book I kept wanting him to just trap himself outside during the coming dawn so the sunlight could end his misery.
April 1, 2019
A story of betrayal and revenge, with vampires. This was pretty fun. It was a light and short read.
July 3, 2020
Най-слабото ми попадение за тази година. През цялото време имах чувството, че книгата е писана и превеждана под действието на силни наркотици. В половината история въобще няма смисъл, стотици правописни грешки, слаб сюжет...
Не я четете! Пълна загуба на време е.
Не я четете! Пълна загуба на време е.
August 20, 2018
Some clever variations on the vampire theme, none of which really gel.
June 27, 2020
3,5*
Интересна вампирска история за два вампира - Дейвид и Картър.
Понеже аз обичам да чета за вампири и всякакви други чудовища, си запълних добре времето до Хасково и обратно. Не беше като Дракула ("Сейлъмс лот" все още не съм я чел).
Беше ми интересно да чета книга от гледната точка на вампир, въпреки че не беше от първо лице, но след агне само неговите действия и мисли.
В книгата вампирите имаха странни способности и слаби места. И книгата си беше малко странна, де.
Вампирите не умират от сребърни предмети и чесън, но пък могат да се трансформират в други хора и да стават невидими - забележете - и ще умрат ако попаднат във вода, както и на слънце.
Не беше нещо уникално, но си заслужава да се прочете. Все пак е тънка книжка.
Интересна вампирска история за два вампира - Дейвид и Картър.
Понеже аз обичам да чета за вампири и всякакви други чудовища, си запълних добре времето до Хасково и обратно. Не беше като Дракула ("Сейлъмс лот" все още не съм я чел).
Беше ми интересно да чета книга от гледната точка на вампир, въпреки че не беше от първо лице, но след агне само неговите действия и мисли.
В книгата вампирите имаха странни способности и слаби места. И книгата си беше малко странна, де.
Вампирите не умират от сребърни предмети и чесън, но пък могат да се трансформират в други хора и да стават невидими - забележете - и ще умрат ако попаднат във вода, както и на слънце.
Не беше нещо уникално, но си заслужава да се прочете. Все пак е тънка книжка.
October 12, 2021
Fairly basic take on the "loser becomes a vampire and has to learn undead stuff as he goes along" trope. Twists are that, not only is he essentially abandoned by the vampire who changed him, but that the original vampire lied to him about pretty much everything. Also, that, in this version of vampirism, being the undead pretty much sucks - you're a rotting, animated corpse and you can feel every ache and and pain of your existence. The protagonist is pretty much a self-absorbed incel before his death, and mostly a monster afterwards; he pretty much only looks good compared to the vampire who turned him. The author pretty much stereotypes all of the subcultures that he uses in this book. 2.5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews