What do you think?
Rate this book
van Helsing's Diaries #1-3
Nosferatu
Vampires walk among us, using folklore to hide, and relying on superstitions to discredit the very notion of their existence. Lurking in the shadows, and remaining in the background, they have preyed on humanity for thousands of years. Bram Stoker came close, revealing the presence of Dracula, but even he misunderstood the true nature of the vampire.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 23, 2017
247 people are currently reading
456 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 24, 2024
Loved it! A must read!
Sooooo good! I wanted the book to continue, I couldn't put it down the entire time of reading. This book was so exciting and had me captivated from page one. Highly recommend and I will read more of Peter's books as I have purchased several more. Thank you so much for such a different take on my favorite horror classic!!!!
I read this novel a few years ago but I felt I needed to add a few more thoughts so more horror and vampire lovers will check this book out.
This book has been unforgettable for me and I hope I can read it again one day. I highly, highly recommend it to anyone who wants a different yet current twist on a fantastic and wonderfully written vampire book! Please don't miss out on a very well-written dark, scary, brooding horror story!
Peter Cameron is an extremely talented writer!!
Sooooo good! I wanted the book to continue, I couldn't put it down the entire time of reading. This book was so exciting and had me captivated from page one. Highly recommend and I will read more of Peter's books as I have purchased several more. Thank you so much for such a different take on my favorite horror classic!!!!
I read this novel a few years ago but I felt I needed to add a few more thoughts so more horror and vampire lovers will check this book out.
This book has been unforgettable for me and I hope I can read it again one day. I highly, highly recommend it to anyone who wants a different yet current twist on a fantastic and wonderfully written vampire book! Please don't miss out on a very well-written dark, scary, brooding horror story!
Peter Cameron is an extremely talented writer!!
October 5, 2017
This was a neat little twist on the traditional vampire story (and thank goodness nothing was sparkling). Cawdron, as always, puts his own unique spin on something and makes it better. What if vampires are real, but we've gotten so blinded by the mythos that we can't see what's right in front of us. This story was done in the style of Bram Stoker, full of suspense and riddled with the unknown. I recommend it to any horror or sci-fi fans out there (along with everything else the guy writes which is all gold), and I sincerely hope there are many more sequels in the works. I love the way this one went, and I'd love to read much more of this story.
October 15, 2017
Wow excellent read!!
I initially downloaded this book because (lets face it, because it was free and) it was about one of my favorite subjects, Vampires!
I was pleasantly surprised and immediately engrossed in this story. A totally different take on the subject, but yet ties so close to the original Dracula story as told by Bram Stoker.
I loved the way the author concentrated on the other aspects of vampires, not just the fangs and the drinking blood, but on the fear and the melancholy that evil brings.
This book is definitely worth your time reading. I cannot wait to check out other works by this author.
I initially downloaded this book because (lets face it, because it was free and) it was about one of my favorite subjects, Vampires!
I was pleasantly surprised and immediately engrossed in this story. A totally different take on the subject, but yet ties so close to the original Dracula story as told by Bram Stoker.
I loved the way the author concentrated on the other aspects of vampires, not just the fangs and the drinking blood, but on the fear and the melancholy that evil brings.
This book is definitely worth your time reading. I cannot wait to check out other works by this author.
October 11, 2017
A beautiful surprise!
At the start of the book I was interested enough to continue reading and thank goodness I did! Drawing from Bram Stoker's original Dracula was ingenious. The more I read, the harder it was to put down at all! A different take from blood sucking vampires, but one that will have you thinking. This is my first book read by Mr. Cawdron, but I don't think the last!
At the start of the book I was interested enough to continue reading and thank goodness I did! Drawing from Bram Stoker's original Dracula was ingenious. The more I read, the harder it was to put down at all! A different take from blood sucking vampires, but one that will have you thinking. This is my first book read by Mr. Cawdron, but I don't think the last!
June 18, 2017
A tremendous ending to Peter Cawdron's dramatic vampire saga, rushing through the dark streets and lush theaters of Berlin, secret Russian military bunkers and ending in the harsh winter landscape of Romania!
(Note: now collected together with parts 1 & 2, which originally were available as individual novella)
(Note: now collected together with parts 1 & 2, which originally were available as individual novella)
July 27, 2017
A fresh extension of a classic story
May 23, 2020
I wanted to give this book 3 stars - in no small part because it was free - but "Nosferatu" did not live up to standard of other books I've read that I rated as such. A decidedly disappointing read overall despite an enormous amount of potential and writing that was not poor per se, just poorly executed. I've been wanting to try out Peter Cawdron's work for some time now and though, as I mention, this was not what I'd call a convincing start, I will be reading more of his works. I had flip-flopped on which book to pick up first but as I'd been on a vampire kick lately and as mentioned it was a no-cost/no-risk offer, I went with this vs. some of the interesting titles he has in the truer scifi genre.
It is painfully apparent after reading this book that the author slapped 3 novellas together... and after this I have to wonder why. They did not fit well together and the flow is certainly uneven from one chapter to the next. The entire book reads much quicker than it's total number of pages suggests it should, a fact that I attribute to the overall unevenness and incomplete plot development throughout. There are just too many rushed jumps and hanging details in the story to make it a successful book.
That being said, it is also at least as frustrating if not moreso that the book(s) had so much potential. The initial pages reminded me very positively of the first book in the fantastic "Laura Caxton" series by David Wellington - and the faithful connection to the Bram Stoker classic is truly fascinating. However, even with the latter book in hand - and a reincarnated Renfeld staring her dead in the eyes - the jump by the resident psychologist to almost immediately suspect vampirism was at play is both ludicrous and utterly unconvincing.
Even with the unique take on how and roughly when vampires came to be, we are left with only brief glimpses into details that are rushed by and not filled out nearly enough to satisfy readers that picked up this book to learn more. In short, it's novella formatting through and through and should have been left like that, even if the publisher might not have made as much money. The entire exercise is not succinct and to the point enough to be a short-story and its definitely too poorly fleshed out to be novel length. Finding myself thusly stuck - if you'll forgive the pun - in dead man's land led me to be more than disappointed in this one-sitting read than anything else.
Again though, Cawdron remains on my list of authors to delve into and with his books being so conveniently offered via Kindle Unlimited, I won't give up on him just yet.
It is painfully apparent after reading this book that the author slapped 3 novellas together... and after this I have to wonder why. They did not fit well together and the flow is certainly uneven from one chapter to the next. The entire book reads much quicker than it's total number of pages suggests it should, a fact that I attribute to the overall unevenness and incomplete plot development throughout. There are just too many rushed jumps and hanging details in the story to make it a successful book.
That being said, it is also at least as frustrating if not moreso that the book(s) had so much potential. The initial pages reminded me very positively of the first book in the fantastic "Laura Caxton" series by David Wellington - and the faithful connection to the Bram Stoker classic is truly fascinating. However, even with the latter book in hand - and a reincarnated Renfeld staring her dead in the eyes - the jump by the resident psychologist to almost immediately suspect vampirism was at play is both ludicrous and utterly unconvincing.
Even with the unique take on how and roughly when vampires came to be, we are left with only brief glimpses into details that are rushed by and not filled out nearly enough to satisfy readers that picked up this book to learn more. In short, it's novella formatting through and through and should have been left like that, even if the publisher might not have made as much money. The entire exercise is not succinct and to the point enough to be a short-story and its definitely too poorly fleshed out to be novel length. Finding myself thusly stuck - if you'll forgive the pun - in dead man's land led me to be more than disappointed in this one-sitting read than anything else.
Again though, Cawdron remains on my list of authors to delve into and with his books being so conveniently offered via Kindle Unlimited, I won't give up on him just yet.
October 30, 2017
A SIMPLE MAN'S REVIEW:
This is basically a cross between the book, The Lives of Tao, and the movie, Fallen. If you haven't read/seen either, then I haven't spoiled anything for you!
The story is divided up into different "books" and I'm not sure if this was done all at once or if the author added to it after a while. The first "book" was a fun read and had a great "psychological thriller" vibe to it. Had the story ended there, I can see there would be a bit of confusion over the last scene, but a few more paragraphs could have cleared everything up. (4 stars for this part).
The second book picks up a bit after the first one ended, and within a few pages, the whole story makes sense again. This book brings more of the "vampire" mythology to the story along with what you'd expect from a vampire book. The ending was solid and the whole thing should have ended there. (3 stars for this part).
And then there's book three. This felt more like the movie, Blade, but not in the good way you're remembering a movie that did not age well. Ridiculous scenes and a ridiculous "twist" at the end. Sometimes a pitcher goes to the fastball one too many times, and that is what this final part of the book felt like. I had seen it done, by this author, to a much better effect, and it soured the rest of the book. (2 stars for this part).
If there's a saving grace for this book it's that it got me to grab Bram Stoker's Dracula from the library - a book I'd never had an interest in reading before.
This is basically a cross between the book, The Lives of Tao, and the movie, Fallen. If you haven't read/seen either, then I haven't spoiled anything for you!
The story is divided up into different "books" and I'm not sure if this was done all at once or if the author added to it after a while. The first "book" was a fun read and had a great "psychological thriller" vibe to it. Had the story ended there, I can see there would be a bit of confusion over the last scene, but a few more paragraphs could have cleared everything up. (4 stars for this part).
The second book picks up a bit after the first one ended, and within a few pages, the whole story makes sense again. This book brings more of the "vampire" mythology to the story along with what you'd expect from a vampire book. The ending was solid and the whole thing should have ended there. (3 stars for this part).
And then there's book three. This felt more like the movie, Blade, but not in the good way you're remembering a movie that did not age well. Ridiculous scenes and a ridiculous "twist" at the end. Sometimes a pitcher goes to the fastball one too many times, and that is what this final part of the book felt like. I had seen it done, by this author, to a much better effect, and it soured the rest of the book. (2 stars for this part).
If there's a saving grace for this book it's that it got me to grab Bram Stoker's Dracula from the library - a book I'd never had an interest in reading before.
February 9, 2024
Vampires from space! (Gothic Scifi)
Although not a hard Scifi like other first contact novels, I thoroughly enjoyed the story as a well written thriller with twists and protagonists swapping. I have read Brahm Stokers Dracula and enjoyed Cawdrons' extrapolation of the original. Especially terrifying are villans so intelligent that they create this nagging uncertainty. Be they extraterrestrials or paranormal entities of demonic nature make little difference. I recommend reading Dracula beforehand if you haven't already. You'll appreciate the references made. I promise no sparkly teen angst or modern Hollywood clichés. Seems vampires get more ridiculous over the decades. I read Anne Rice, and I'm old enough to remember Forever Knight, Buffy, and Angel. Joss Whedon humor carries Buffy. Twilight? Well, hard pass on that one! Went way too far. Anyway, Nosferatu is well written and engaging, just like all the other first contact novels I've read.
Although not a hard Scifi like other first contact novels, I thoroughly enjoyed the story as a well written thriller with twists and protagonists swapping. I have read Brahm Stokers Dracula and enjoyed Cawdrons' extrapolation of the original. Especially terrifying are villans so intelligent that they create this nagging uncertainty. Be they extraterrestrials or paranormal entities of demonic nature make little difference. I recommend reading Dracula beforehand if you haven't already. You'll appreciate the references made. I promise no sparkly teen angst or modern Hollywood clichés. Seems vampires get more ridiculous over the decades. I read Anne Rice, and I'm old enough to remember Forever Knight, Buffy, and Angel. Joss Whedon humor carries Buffy. Twilight? Well, hard pass on that one! Went way too far. Anyway, Nosferatu is well written and engaging, just like all the other first contact novels I've read.
May 22, 2023
This is one of 'First Contact' 24 book series. The premise is very interesting, different ways that humankind has been invaded by aliens. In this case the invaders are vampires. The method of infection is not the Bela Lugosi cinematic type but an exchange of bodies (or souls?). Because of this the narrator changes throughout the book, some more reliable than others. By the end of the book the vampire hunters conclude that the vampires must have arrived on earth from outer space in ancient times and launch an international search for the spacecraft. This story has tense moments and seems well worth the read.
June 24, 2023
Very interesting interpretation of the Dracula legend.
This is my second "First Contact" volume and Peter Cawdron is proving to be a fantastic story teller. He has mastered weaving in the old with the new to create a unique adaptation of the Dracula legend.
Hiding in plane site, just on the periphery, Nosferatu has adapted to his/her environment for thousands of years, living and feeding on those around us. The origin theory has changed though....
Dispelling Hollywood myth, come follow the step-wise migration of this super predator.
Enter the descendants of Professor Abraham van Helsing, still in the Vampire hunting game and still the arch nemesis of Nosferatu.
This is my second "First Contact" volume and Peter Cawdron is proving to be a fantastic story teller. He has mastered weaving in the old with the new to create a unique adaptation of the Dracula legend.
Hiding in plane site, just on the periphery, Nosferatu has adapted to his/her environment for thousands of years, living and feeding on those around us. The origin theory has changed though....
Dispelling Hollywood myth, come follow the step-wise migration of this super predator.
Enter the descendants of Professor Abraham van Helsing, still in the Vampire hunting game and still the arch nemesis of Nosferatu.
April 27, 2020
This a difficult book to review. I am a big fan of the author and this is a unique and fascinating take on the Dracula legend. However, even allowing for the subject matter, there are too many unbelievable elements to the story line. For example (and this is not a spoiler) the section dealing with Jane/Alan as an opera singer - really! From being a doctor to a lead opera singer in such a short space of time just to do one surprise kill.
I did like, and fell for, the unreliable narrator trope though!
I did like, and fell for, the unreliable narrator trope though!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2018
I like Cawdron’s style and imagination and this book again managed to grab me and make me read the book in one go. I like especially how he has reimagined the whole vampire story line. Nevertheless, like with most of his book they are just too short, I would love a bit longer books with more background, just a tiny bit more depth and more body around the story. Still I would recommend this book any time.
January 4, 2019
Riveting.
I hate vampire novels. If it wasnt for the fact that it was a Peter Cawdron novel, I would've hardly even glanced at the cover. I opened the first page thinking that this would be the book he wrote where I'd get a few pages in and get bored and move on.
I was wrong. Dead wrong. Pun intended. Thankyou for another brilliant, unputdownable read.
I dont do spoilers. Do yourself a favour, read Peter Cawdron.
I hate vampire novels. If it wasnt for the fact that it was a Peter Cawdron novel, I would've hardly even glanced at the cover. I opened the first page thinking that this would be the book he wrote where I'd get a few pages in and get bored and move on.
I was wrong. Dead wrong. Pun intended. Thankyou for another brilliant, unputdownable read.
I dont do spoilers. Do yourself a favour, read Peter Cawdron.
May 8, 2020
Great take on vampire genre
Skeptical at first but that disappeared quickly. I had not realized that over the course of 2 months I had read 3 previous books by the author. I appreciate how he brings Bram Stoker’s Dracula into modern context through the characters readings. Nosferatu is a great read and I had to put it down several times to get some sleep. Recommend this highly as well as 3zekial, my sweet Satan and Anomaly
Skeptical at first but that disappeared quickly. I had not realized that over the course of 2 months I had read 3 previous books by the author. I appreciate how he brings Bram Stoker’s Dracula into modern context through the characters readings. Nosferatu is a great read and I had to put it down several times to get some sleep. Recommend this highly as well as 3zekial, my sweet Satan and Anomaly
May 10, 2020
Nosferatu grabbed me in the opening pages with high-tension action and held me in it’s grasp throughout. The many twists, turns and leaps kept me reading when I desperately needed to sleep (week old twins seem to be disrupting my entire way of life, lol but WOW do I love them). The conclusion surpassed all of my expectations -INCREDIBLE! I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.
October 21, 2022
An interesting take on a vampire story. I wish there had been a little more elaboration with This last book had the same issues as the other two, the characters were pretty 2 dimensional and boring, but I understand why it is that way when the books are all short novellas. 3 out of 5 stars.
May 7, 2023
Ambitious but doesn't really work
Bit of a slog this one. The floating, very unreliable narrator rarely works as it just undermines the story. The reworking of dracula is a promising idea but the execution is lacking. This feels like a story which could have done with more work and a clearer structure or even to have just been given up as a fun to write failed experiment. Would not recommend.
Bit of a slog this one. The floating, very unreliable narrator rarely works as it just undermines the story. The reworking of dracula is a promising idea but the execution is lacking. This feels like a story which could have done with more work and a clearer structure or even to have just been given up as a fun to write failed experiment. Would not recommend.
August 16, 2023
While I sometimes had issues with the narrator viewpoint, I thoroughly enjoyed this exploration of Bram Stoker's novel as a historical document, not fiction. Maybe we've misunderstood the true nature of vampires, and maybe that's exactly what they intend. Four stars only because of some narrative concepts that didn't work for me. Very imaginative storyline, and as usual with Cawdron's work, you never know quite where it's headed.
December 24, 2023
I just love Peter Cawdron's writing style, this is the sixth book I've read of the First Contact series. Each one has a scientific take on what first contact could be, but Nosferatu is not based on science but on a retake of Bram Stroker's Dracula and it had me captivated from the first chapter. I think the story line and characters are well thought out and well developed; lots of twists and turns.
Just do it! You will not be disappointed.
Just do it! You will not be disappointed.
April 4, 2024
Surprisingly good!
I say "Surprisingly" only because I don't generally read Vampire novels at all, my curiosity was piqued however by the author as I've read a couple of other " First Contact" novels by Peter and really enjoyed them.
Pleased to say I wasn't disappointed and as the story grew became really engrossed and found myself reading for longer and longer spells.
Thoroughly enjoyed this and would not hesitate in recommending it.
I say "Surprisingly" only because I don't generally read Vampire novels at all, my curiosity was piqued however by the author as I've read a couple of other " First Contact" novels by Peter and really enjoyed them.
Pleased to say I wasn't disappointed and as the story grew became really engrossed and found myself reading for longer and longer spells.
Thoroughly enjoyed this and would not hesitate in recommending it.
August 13, 2018
I enjoyed this book, which reminded me of Anne Rice's Tale of the Body Thief. There were a couple of errors that I noticed: the state of Idaho is not a Midwestern state and in U.S. English we say "going to the hospital ", not "going to hospital ". That's a British saying. If the author wants to portray his viewpoint from a U.S. citizen, please try to talk as we do.
May 21, 2023
Twists and turns
This story started a little slow and I was not sure I wanted to continue, but being a fan of Peter Cawdron I knew he wouldn't disappoint. Stick it out. The twists and turns will have you rethinking what you read and didn't see. His First Contact books always take you to places you didn't know you were going.
This story started a little slow and I was not sure I wanted to continue, but being a fan of Peter Cawdron I knew he wouldn't disappoint. Stick it out. The twists and turns will have you rethinking what you read and didn't see. His First Contact books always take you to places you didn't know you were going.
September 3, 2020
Quite Enjoyed It
Three novella in one volume, reads as a complete sequence. I got a bit confused as the main character often changed, but this this was by design. I liked the references to Bram Stoker's original Dracula work. Not bad, a new twist on an old theme.
Three novella in one volume, reads as a complete sequence. I got a bit confused as the main character often changed, but this this was by design. I liked the references to Bram Stoker's original Dracula work. Not bad, a new twist on an old theme.
November 11, 2020
What a great takeoff!!!
Read the original years ago and while the writing wasn't inspirational as I remember the story line was classic. This author is a great new sci-fi author and has delivered a gem
Read the original years ago and while the writing wasn't inspirational as I remember the story line was classic. This author is a great new sci-fi author and has delivered a gem
March 21, 2023
This is a first contact novel, so I knew it wasn’t going to be your typical vampire story. Instead it was a super unique concept with an interesting plot and plenty of violence. I spent some time in the Carpathian Mountains 20 years ago and it was fun to reminisce on my time in Romania.
June 1, 2023
Utterly gripping
It's been awhile since a book has gripped me this tightly and held me captivated for the full day it took to read it.
More so with Kindle Unlimited books that typically follow a tight story line that must authors use on here.
Peter yet again wins out.
It's been awhile since a book has gripped me this tightly and held me captivated for the full day it took to read it.
More so with Kindle Unlimited books that typically follow a tight story line that must authors use on here.
Peter yet again wins out.
November 9, 2023
Peter consistently delivers !!!
PC’s vision to bring his First Contact perspective to the age-old legend of Dracula is simply brilliant, and more than that, entirely plausible in its logic and delivery. A great addition to his FC repertoire.
PC’s vision to bring his First Contact perspective to the age-old legend of Dracula is simply brilliant, and more than that, entirely plausible in its logic and delivery. A great addition to his FC repertoire.
December 23, 2023
Not a First Contact novel
You'll find yourself wondering if maybe vampires are real after all.
The difference in writing style from Cameron's more recent books is quite apparent, but this is still a page-turner that will keep you reading until sunup.
You'll find yourself wondering if maybe vampires are real after all.
The difference in writing style from Cameron's more recent books is quite apparent, but this is still a page-turner that will keep you reading until sunup.
July 2, 2024
Should Be Six Stars
The author has presented a most excellent new version of the classic vampire legend of Dracula. This modern version is cleverly delivered in a very plausible science fiction package such that now I have one more thing to worry about, Vampires.
The author has presented a most excellent new version of the classic vampire legend of Dracula. This modern version is cleverly delivered in a very plausible science fiction package such that now I have one more thing to worry about, Vampires.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews