What do you think?
Rate this book
Bottomfeeder
Trapped in a dead-end job, Philip finds his life taking a most unusual detour after he tangles with a vampire and finds himself trying to maintain some kind of normal life as his bloodlust drives him to hunt for prey, in a debut prose novel by the creator of the comic book series Minimum Wage. Original.
268 pages, Paperback
First published January 3, 2006
5 people are currently reading
171 people want to read
About the author
Bob Fingerman
155 books101 followersRecent releases are From the Ashes, a satirical "speculative memoir" set in post-apocalyptic New York (IDW, March 2010) of which The Onion wrote, “As a blitz of astringent satire, an unabashed love letter to his wife, and a love-hate manifesto aimed at the whole human race, From The Ashes is a gem; as an addition to the often-staid canon of post-apocalyptic pop culture, it’s a revelation… A“
In August 2010 my second novel, Pariah (Tor Books), a Pinteresque zombie tale, was released. It rec'd a starred review from Publishers Weekly and an A- from Entertainment Weekly and was Fangoria's Book of the Month selection. The mass market pocket edition came out in 2011.
My most recent release is the deluxe oversized hardcover collection Maximum Minimum Wage, from Image Comics (April 2013), which made Entertainment Weekly's Must List and received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.
In August 2010 my second novel, Pariah (Tor Books), a Pinteresque zombie tale, was released. It rec'd a starred review from Publishers Weekly and an A- from Entertainment Weekly and was Fangoria's Book of the Month selection. The mass market pocket edition came out in 2011.
My most recent release is the deluxe oversized hardcover collection Maximum Minimum Wage, from Image Comics (April 2013), which made Entertainment Weekly's Must List and received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 23, 2013
You know that scene at the end of Interview With the Vampire's film version where Lestat takes over the journalist's car? As he adjusts his lace sleeves, he notices Louis's voice on the cassette tape, and says, "Oh, Louis, Louis. Still whining, Louis. Have you heard enough? I've had to listen to that for centuries." That's the way I felt about Bottomfeeder. Oh, Philip, Philip. Still whining, Philip. For 200+ pages. It's safe to say that I've heard enough.
Bottomfeeder tells the story of Phil Merman, a Jewish vampire who is suffering a midlife crisis. Turned at 27 by an unknown attacker, Phil is now 54--half of his life spent as a mortal, half amongst the undead. After his inability to explain his new lifestyle to his wife or his (now deceased) parents, Phil has led a circumspect, solitary existence. He works at night for a photo archive (typically archiving photos of grisly crime scenes), lives in modest accommodations, and only hunts for the criminal and deviant elements among the homeless population. He's never sought out others like him and has rejected all human relationships--with the exception of Shelley, a sad alcoholic whose friendship Phil can't quite shake.
All of this changes when Phil meets Eddie Frye, another vampire who introduces Phil to vampire society--from bacchanalian bloodbaths, to a home for special needs vampires, to vampire group therapy. Suddenly Phil finds himself craving something other than blood: interaction with his own kind. As the friendship between Phil and Eddie solidifies, his relationship with Shelley deteriorates with potentially dangerous consequences.
I get what Fingerman was going for here--a vampire novel that is not the prototypical, romanticized vampire story most audiences have come to expect. And I do admire him for challenging these traditions. The lives led by his vampires are probably more realistic in terms of what vampirism would really mean. The isolation, loneliness, and compromised moral code are the tip of the iceberg (or fang, however you want to look at it). There's also the heightened senses, which are not pleasant. With heightened smell, sight, and taste, Phil becomes uncomfortably aware of how disgusting humans are. He can smell the unpleasant odors beneath the deodorants and fragrances; see the dry skin, stray hairs, and pimples as though through a magnifying glass; he can taste the layers of I-don't-want-to-tell-you-what-but-Fingerman-will on the necks of his unwashed victims. It would be like if you were put in a pen full of shit-smeared cattle and told to wander around until you found one you actually wanted to eat for dinner.
And that was an aspect of the novel I did not enjoy in the least. This novel triggered my gag reflexes far more often than I care to admit. I'm not talking about the blood and gore--that I can take. But Fingerman takes great joy in describing every ashy ass crack, every piss sodden newspaper, every used condom. I swear that every 10 or so pages he would bring in some hygienically challenged crazy person just to catalog every disgusting bodily function possible. Or he would have the main character step on a fluid filled condom. Apparently, New York is a condom-strewn wonderland.
The one thing that did keep my attention is the dark humor throughout which made Phil's voice engaging, when he wasn't whining about his circumstances. And I must say that, although I had one major plot twist figured out that factored into Phil's unnatural origins, it still led to an amazingly apropos ending.
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder
Bottomfeeder tells the story of Phil Merman, a Jewish vampire who is suffering a midlife crisis. Turned at 27 by an unknown attacker, Phil is now 54--half of his life spent as a mortal, half amongst the undead. After his inability to explain his new lifestyle to his wife or his (now deceased) parents, Phil has led a circumspect, solitary existence. He works at night for a photo archive (typically archiving photos of grisly crime scenes), lives in modest accommodations, and only hunts for the criminal and deviant elements among the homeless population. He's never sought out others like him and has rejected all human relationships--with the exception of Shelley, a sad alcoholic whose friendship Phil can't quite shake.
All of this changes when Phil meets Eddie Frye, another vampire who introduces Phil to vampire society--from bacchanalian bloodbaths, to a home for special needs vampires, to vampire group therapy. Suddenly Phil finds himself craving something other than blood: interaction with his own kind. As the friendship between Phil and Eddie solidifies, his relationship with Shelley deteriorates with potentially dangerous consequences.
I get what Fingerman was going for here--a vampire novel that is not the prototypical, romanticized vampire story most audiences have come to expect. And I do admire him for challenging these traditions. The lives led by his vampires are probably more realistic in terms of what vampirism would really mean. The isolation, loneliness, and compromised moral code are the tip of the iceberg (or fang, however you want to look at it). There's also the heightened senses, which are not pleasant. With heightened smell, sight, and taste, Phil becomes uncomfortably aware of how disgusting humans are. He can smell the unpleasant odors beneath the deodorants and fragrances; see the dry skin, stray hairs, and pimples as though through a magnifying glass; he can taste the layers of I-don't-want-to-tell-you-what-but-Fingerman-will on the necks of his unwashed victims. It would be like if you were put in a pen full of shit-smeared cattle and told to wander around until you found one you actually wanted to eat for dinner.
And that was an aspect of the novel I did not enjoy in the least. This novel triggered my gag reflexes far more often than I care to admit. I'm not talking about the blood and gore--that I can take. But Fingerman takes great joy in describing every ashy ass crack, every piss sodden newspaper, every used condom. I swear that every 10 or so pages he would bring in some hygienically challenged crazy person just to catalog every disgusting bodily function possible. Or he would have the main character step on a fluid filled condom. Apparently, New York is a condom-strewn wonderland.
The one thing that did keep my attention is the dark humor throughout which made Phil's voice engaging, when he wasn't whining about his circumstances. And I must say that, although I had one major plot twist figured out that factored into Phil's unnatural origins, it still led to an amazingly apropos ending.
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder
March 13, 2016
I really liked the thought of the story but the way it was told was garbage. This would have been a great book if it wasn't for the pathetic attempts at being edgy by pointlessly describing people in shitty ways. I get it, author dude, you probably hate pc culture or whatever.
March 26, 2009
I've been a fan of Bob Fingerman's comic artwork since first discovering it in Heavy Metal magazine in the '80s. He's a genius at creating painfully-recognizable characters, and putting them in painfully grotesque (or just plain painful) situations. So it should come as no surprise that his debut novel, Bottomfeeder, is as gruesomely funny as it is. It's a vampire story about how bloody annoying it is to be a vampire, which is something I've been waiting to hear for a long time. Seriously, why would a vampire give a damn about looking cool? Did you ever work the night shift?--it sucks. Fingerman taps into the angst of a guy whose entire life is roaming the city streets and subways after last call, feeding on smelly bums and deviants. It's funny, it's ugly, it's classic Fingerman!
May 20, 2018
DNF page 55. Weird stream of consciousness writing style that I don't particularly care for. Main character's narration comes off whiny and dickish at once, and the plot has failed to prove itself compelling. Cannot recommend.
April 4, 2019
I enjoyed this book, maybe more than I should based on the the fact that every black character was homeless, a junkie, or an assailant of some sort. There were also a lot of references to retards and mongoloids, so if either of these puts you off, this might not be the book for you. Having said that, this book does look at the downside of immortality in a relatively clever way. It does seem to drag on a bit, with action scenes feeling too brief and infrequent, and the twist ending comes and goes to quickly for my taste
June 15, 2010
Bottomfeeder by Bob Fingerman was gritty, grotesque, laugh-out-loud funny, and somehow (despite the supernatural underpinnings) believable. I originally discovered this book when looking for something to suggest to my boyfriend for reading on a plane trip, and as he's a fan of Bob Fingerman's graphic novel work, I thought this would be good for him. Then I ended up having it re-recommended to me by him. The circle of stories, or some-such...but I'm glad to have read it.
Halfway through, I expected I'd be awarding the book five stars, but the ending blindsided me. After such detailed, enjoyable character development, the last few pages of the story seemed a bit disconcertingly abrupt and thus out of balance with the rest of the narrative. It occurred to me that perhaps this was intentional, sucker punching the reader upside the head with the same sort of out-of-left-field "whahappnd?" feeling the protagonist himself must have felt - both at the end of the story and on several previous, eventful occasions in his existence. But as this is pure speculation on my part, I feel compelled to go with my gut and chop a little off the top due to the jarring effect of the final bits of the book.
Perhaps I'm being unfair. Fingerman told a great story, and while I suppose it makes me sound unsavory and not fit for polite company, I genuinely liked Phil, the protagonist. Monster that he was, he was a likable monster. Phil acted sensibly and realistically. Phil, for all his inhumanity, was extraordinarily human. Unlike so many characters in unusual circumstances, Phil acted like I thought a person should act, given those circumstances. Phil was smart, at least most of the time. Phil had a personal code and his own set of standards and practices which he tried to follow - something I value greatly in a person and which is all too rare. So yes, I liked Phil immensely and wished him well throughout the story, although his situation didn't always afford him the simple luxury of wellness.
I appreciated the different angle of this story; I like a rousing undead yarn as much as the next gal, but let's just say I'm a fan of neither the sexpot fiend slinking through many "urban fantasy" stories nor of the soulless sparkle of the powdery ever-teen moping about the fantasies of every girl and her grandmother of late, either. Fingerman has a much more realistic ride in store for ol' Phil, and while glamorous it's not, at least it didn't leave me feeling adolescent, incredulous, naive or vaguely hypocritical. Phil is a sarcastic, jaded, book-readin', cranky old man in a young fella's body, and I'm very much down with that vibe. Those ethereal, vapid, bloodsucking stereotypes can step the hell off Philip Merman's lawn and learn to like it!
Yes, this was often gory. Gross, even. But it never seemed gratuitous to me. I'm sorry, but you just can't go around making omelets all day and not get your velvet cape eggy, you know? The violence made perfect sense. But I suppose I should shy the sensitive-tummy types away, so here's my good deed of the day: If visceral descriptions of death and dying, in all their sticky variety, bother you, look elsewhere for your reading enjoyment. "Death by misadventure", indeed...
And I laughed. A lot. With unabashed gusto. Fingerman pokes fun at everything - the living, the dead, the undead, society, fashion, fad, perhaps even himself - with the gnarly finger of a practiced curmudgeon, and it's refreshing. If you have a mature attitude, a warped sense of humor, and something of a jaded opinion of humanity in general, this is for you.
Halfway through, I expected I'd be awarding the book five stars, but the ending blindsided me. After such detailed, enjoyable character development, the last few pages of the story seemed a bit disconcertingly abrupt and thus out of balance with the rest of the narrative. It occurred to me that perhaps this was intentional, sucker punching the reader upside the head with the same sort of out-of-left-field "whahappnd?" feeling the protagonist himself must have felt - both at the end of the story and on several previous, eventful occasions in his existence. But as this is pure speculation on my part, I feel compelled to go with my gut and chop a little off the top due to the jarring effect of the final bits of the book.
Perhaps I'm being unfair. Fingerman told a great story, and while I suppose it makes me sound unsavory and not fit for polite company, I genuinely liked Phil, the protagonist. Monster that he was, he was a likable monster. Phil acted sensibly and realistically. Phil, for all his inhumanity, was extraordinarily human. Unlike so many characters in unusual circumstances, Phil acted like I thought a person should act, given those circumstances. Phil was smart, at least most of the time. Phil had a personal code and his own set of standards and practices which he tried to follow - something I value greatly in a person and which is all too rare. So yes, I liked Phil immensely and wished him well throughout the story, although his situation didn't always afford him the simple luxury of wellness.
I appreciated the different angle of this story; I like a rousing undead yarn as much as the next gal, but let's just say I'm a fan of neither the sexpot fiend slinking through many "urban fantasy" stories nor of the soulless sparkle of the powdery ever-teen moping about the fantasies of every girl and her grandmother of late, either. Fingerman has a much more realistic ride in store for ol' Phil, and while glamorous it's not, at least it didn't leave me feeling adolescent, incredulous, naive or vaguely hypocritical. Phil is a sarcastic, jaded, book-readin', cranky old man in a young fella's body, and I'm very much down with that vibe. Those ethereal, vapid, bloodsucking stereotypes can step the hell off Philip Merman's lawn and learn to like it!
Yes, this was often gory. Gross, even. But it never seemed gratuitous to me. I'm sorry, but you just can't go around making omelets all day and not get your velvet cape eggy, you know? The violence made perfect sense. But I suppose I should shy the sensitive-tummy types away, so here's my good deed of the day: If visceral descriptions of death and dying, in all their sticky variety, bother you, look elsewhere for your reading enjoyment. "Death by misadventure", indeed...
And I laughed. A lot. With unabashed gusto. Fingerman pokes fun at everything - the living, the dead, the undead, society, fashion, fad, perhaps even himself - with the gnarly finger of a practiced curmudgeon, and it's refreshing. If you have a mature attitude, a warped sense of humor, and something of a jaded opinion of humanity in general, this is for you.
February 26, 2011
That's not a very poetic title, I know. But neither is the tone of Bottomfeeder - a novel that lingers refreshingly with me right now writing these words. Having just completed it, the positive effect of the book is instantaneous: with this paragraph I sound like Phil Merman, our narrator. Sarcastic. Cynical. But above all, utterly hilarious.
Phil Merman is a vampire. Converted by an unknown assailant years before, he's a fifty-four year old immortal living in the flesh of a young man. He's lost his marriage, his friends, and most other things mere mortals hold dear. Phil spends most nights working a regular job. A semi-regular job. If digitally cleaning up photos of dead people is considered regular. Murders, suicides, drive-by shootings - everything New York's finest has to offer. A vampire still has to pay the bills, and the only down-sides are the hunger pangs that creep in staring at all that spilled sustenance. After knocking off it's time for the hunt to begin. But Phil's still a nice guy; it isn't easy to murder to stay alive. So Phil becomes a bottomfeeder . . . sucking the life out of the lowest common denominator: bums and hobos, addicts and degenerates. At least no one will miss them. And making his dinner appear to be victims of nothing than mere muggings guarantees he'll never get caught . .
Personally, the novel resonated with me. B.H. Fingerman's take on modern life is pessimistic but many of you will nod at his keen observations regarding the boring hum-drum of life: rushing through activities just to look busy in front of others; counting down the hours to fill our voids with food, sex, sleep , or, in the vampire's case, hunting. The truth hurts, but B.H. Fingerman has also made the truth laugh-out-loud funny. And being cynical is just an unpleasant way of telling the truth. Phil's not a God, but he looks down on humanity like one. His nature is supercilious - and a tad too much like this narrators as to be scary.
Bottomfinger is an original take on the vampire novel, with few drawbacks. Like the speech impediment of one our main characters, it stutters a little at the start but slowly builds in crescendo. We journey with Phil as he comes out of his isolated shell, hooking up with others of his tribe and learning valuable lessons on the way. The dialogue is quite realistic, at least, as far as English slang and regular talk is concerned.
The book has already received some high praise from some legends in the genre. Fifty pages in I knew I was dealing with an instant cult-classic.
Phil Merman is a vampire. Converted by an unknown assailant years before, he's a fifty-four year old immortal living in the flesh of a young man. He's lost his marriage, his friends, and most other things mere mortals hold dear. Phil spends most nights working a regular job. A semi-regular job. If digitally cleaning up photos of dead people is considered regular. Murders, suicides, drive-by shootings - everything New York's finest has to offer. A vampire still has to pay the bills, and the only down-sides are the hunger pangs that creep in staring at all that spilled sustenance. After knocking off it's time for the hunt to begin. But Phil's still a nice guy; it isn't easy to murder to stay alive. So Phil becomes a bottomfeeder . . . sucking the life out of the lowest common denominator: bums and hobos, addicts and degenerates. At least no one will miss them. And making his dinner appear to be victims of nothing than mere muggings guarantees he'll never get caught . .
Personally, the novel resonated with me. B.H. Fingerman's take on modern life is pessimistic but many of you will nod at his keen observations regarding the boring hum-drum of life: rushing through activities just to look busy in front of others; counting down the hours to fill our voids with food, sex, sleep , or, in the vampire's case, hunting. The truth hurts, but B.H. Fingerman has also made the truth laugh-out-loud funny. And being cynical is just an unpleasant way of telling the truth. Phil's not a God, but he looks down on humanity like one. His nature is supercilious - and a tad too much like this narrators as to be scary.
Bottomfinger is an original take on the vampire novel, with few drawbacks. Like the speech impediment of one our main characters, it stutters a little at the start but slowly builds in crescendo. We journey with Phil as he comes out of his isolated shell, hooking up with others of his tribe and learning valuable lessons on the way. The dialogue is quite realistic, at least, as far as English slang and regular talk is concerned.
The book has already received some high praise from some legends in the genre. Fifty pages in I knew I was dealing with an instant cult-classic.
July 17, 2007
"Bottomfeeder" by B. H. Fingerman is a book about vampires. But it's not your usual action/adventure stuff, it's more of a psychological thriller about a guy who happens to be a vampire and he is bored and lonely until he meets other vampires and then he is bored together with them and it's all raw and dirty and... very disappointing.
Phil Merman has been a vampire for 27 years. He was turned at the age of 27 but he doesn't know how or why. He feeds of the low-life in the slums, he kills them and simply "lives" from one night to another. He has a rather boring job - he transfers photographs from paper to the electronic form - and he especially loves the murder victims pictures (that are described in vivid details). There is only one guy that he still stays in touch with from the days of his youth, Shelley, but this little guy is getting on his nerves night after night. And then he meets another vampire who brings him into this little vampire circle, all upper ten thousand, and he goes hunting with him, suddenly killing with fervor. Until said vampire is killed by one of his victims and Phil makes a startling discovery...
Okay, my opinion? Boring with a capital B. If you love vampire books with humor, action, adventure etc., you know, the usual vampire books, don't buy this one. "Bottomfeeder" strains too much to be a psychological something, but comes out empty. For dozens and dozens of pages, literally nothing happens, there is no suspense, no real action, just the description of Phil's boring life. Page after page. In the end, I started skipping not only paragraphs but whole pages.
Phil is an un-likable hero, all grey around the edges, there is nothing special about him at all - and maybe that was author's intention, to make him just your normal John in the crowd. But when I read a book, I want to be entertained, not smacked in the face with boredom.
The only interesting thing about this book is the discovery of Phil's vampire origin and the sorta twisted gay romance. But even that wasn't enough to hold my interest. I give it one star out of five, a thing I've never done before. But it's been a long time since I yawned my way through a book like this.
Phil Merman has been a vampire for 27 years. He was turned at the age of 27 but he doesn't know how or why. He feeds of the low-life in the slums, he kills them and simply "lives" from one night to another. He has a rather boring job - he transfers photographs from paper to the electronic form - and he especially loves the murder victims pictures (that are described in vivid details). There is only one guy that he still stays in touch with from the days of his youth, Shelley, but this little guy is getting on his nerves night after night. And then he meets another vampire who brings him into this little vampire circle, all upper ten thousand, and he goes hunting with him, suddenly killing with fervor. Until said vampire is killed by one of his victims and Phil makes a startling discovery...
Okay, my opinion? Boring with a capital B. If you love vampire books with humor, action, adventure etc., you know, the usual vampire books, don't buy this one. "Bottomfeeder" strains too much to be a psychological something, but comes out empty. For dozens and dozens of pages, literally nothing happens, there is no suspense, no real action, just the description of Phil's boring life. Page after page. In the end, I started skipping not only paragraphs but whole pages.
Phil is an un-likable hero, all grey around the edges, there is nothing special about him at all - and maybe that was author's intention, to make him just your normal John in the crowd. But when I read a book, I want to be entertained, not smacked in the face with boredom.
The only interesting thing about this book is the discovery of Phil's vampire origin and the sorta twisted gay romance. But even that wasn't enough to hold my interest. I give it one star out of five, a thing I've never done before. But it's been a long time since I yawned my way through a book like this.
July 19, 2010
For some reason I *want* to only give this book three stars but that would be a lie; I didn't just "like it", I actually "REALLY liked it".
I'm not familiar with Fingerman's other work, but just being aware of his background as a cartoonist/illustrator/writer in Heavy Metal magazine, etc. (along with just his name . . . FINGERMAN) helped put his mildly offensive style of writing into context. It was entertaining and unpretentious. I could totally imagine this guy writing the book and whenever he couldn't think of something really clever, just jotting down some admission from his protagonist of his failure to be witty or think of the right turn of phrase and moving along with the story and cartoonily offensive stereotypes of black people, gay men, etc. I'll admit, I totally LOL'd at Shelley.
I'm also not a big fan of vampire novels so I can't judge the book on the basis of its merit as a supernatural>vampire novel. I just found it entertaining and relaxing from the perspective of a minor misanthropist. Can't say the ending was a big surprise. Or even a small one. But it was a fun, enjoyable read that ummmm . . . I could relate to in some ways (is that what all vamp fans say?).
Edited to add: A couple of hours after finishing this book with bedtime approaching I am wishing it had been twice as long so I could've stretched out reading it longer. Because nothing in the house seems as fun to me. Also? After seeing some of the other reviews I want to make a note that what I found mildly offensive was not the sex stuff or whatever those other prudes found distasteful. I thought all of the dick notes and references to being in dire need of pussy and sex stuff were perfectly timed and spaced out so as to be a natural part of a curmudgeonly Jewish vampire's life.
I'm not familiar with Fingerman's other work, but just being aware of his background as a cartoonist/illustrator/writer in Heavy Metal magazine, etc. (along with just his name . . . FINGERMAN) helped put his mildly offensive style of writing into context. It was entertaining and unpretentious. I could totally imagine this guy writing the book and whenever he couldn't think of something really clever, just jotting down some admission from his protagonist of his failure to be witty or think of the right turn of phrase and moving along with the story and cartoonily offensive stereotypes of black people, gay men, etc. I'll admit, I totally LOL'd at Shelley.
I'm also not a big fan of vampire novels so I can't judge the book on the basis of its merit as a supernatural>vampire novel. I just found it entertaining and relaxing from the perspective of a minor misanthropist. Can't say the ending was a big surprise. Or even a small one. But it was a fun, enjoyable read that ummmm . . . I could relate to in some ways (is that what all vamp fans say?).
Edited to add: A couple of hours after finishing this book with bedtime approaching I am wishing it had been twice as long so I could've stretched out reading it longer. Because nothing in the house seems as fun to me. Also? After seeing some of the other reviews I want to make a note that what I found mildly offensive was not the sex stuff or whatever those other prudes found distasteful. I thought all of the dick notes and references to being in dire need of pussy and sex stuff were perfectly timed and spaced out so as to be a natural part of a curmudgeonly Jewish vampire's life.
February 10, 2011
Slacker-whiney-bored-emotionally-stunted-lonely-guilt-ridden-homophobic-Jewish-vampire-guy wanders through New York City for a quarter of a century and suddenly one day finds a kindred playgroup.
Bottemfeeder reads very much like a graphic novel sans artwork. It’s sort of a gawky-teen-coming-of-age fantasy story even though the protagonist is a fifty-year-old vampire. There’s lots of cartoonish violence and sex, stereotyped supporting characters, involuntary and embarrassing bodily changes, awkward attempts at friendship/intimacy, and an acute introduction to an exotic-bigger-badder world.
I wanted to like this book but it wasn’t really that engaging, or novel or scary. I wasn’t interested in the characters and the violence and gore weren’t that frightening. The attempted hedonistic elements of the story were too caricatured (think back to the days of Friday night Cinemax) to pack much of a punch.
Bottemfeeder reads very much like a graphic novel sans artwork. It’s sort of a gawky-teen-coming-of-age fantasy story even though the protagonist is a fifty-year-old vampire. There’s lots of cartoonish violence and sex, stereotyped supporting characters, involuntary and embarrassing bodily changes, awkward attempts at friendship/intimacy, and an acute introduction to an exotic-bigger-badder world.
I wanted to like this book but it wasn’t really that engaging, or novel or scary. I wasn’t interested in the characters and the violence and gore weren’t that frightening. The attempted hedonistic elements of the story were too caricatured (think back to the days of Friday night Cinemax) to pack much of a punch.
November 29, 2007
One of the best books I've read all year. Really hope there's a sequel!
December 2, 2025
Very gritty and unromantic story about a vampire and his unglamorous life. I liked the take on vampires-it seemed rather believable vs Anne Rice or Twilight vamps. I did not really get into the somewhat stream of consciousness narrative and Philip is rather annoying & whiny. The ending and how Philip was turned were excellent. Turns out vampires have as many problems as vamps as they did when they were human!
(From the book blurb): “In this debut novel by B. H. Fingerman, you will find a comical and creepy foray into the life of a working-class vampire. A man can go missing in New York City. A life can disappear. Teeth can sharpen, skin go pale, eyes reject the sun. One day, you're human. The next, you're a vampire, with an undying taste for blood. Set in the New York of prostitutes, junkies and lonely hearts, Bottomfeeder tells the story of Philip, a smart-ass in a dead-end job, whose life takes an unusual turn after he tangles with a vampire. Now, spurred by a bloodlust stronger than his humanity, he haunts the abandoned streets alone, trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy while looking for prey.”
(From the book blurb): “In this debut novel by B. H. Fingerman, you will find a comical and creepy foray into the life of a working-class vampire. A man can go missing in New York City. A life can disappear. Teeth can sharpen, skin go pale, eyes reject the sun. One day, you're human. The next, you're a vampire, with an undying taste for blood. Set in the New York of prostitutes, junkies and lonely hearts, Bottomfeeder tells the story of Philip, a smart-ass in a dead-end job, whose life takes an unusual turn after he tangles with a vampire. Now, spurred by a bloodlust stronger than his humanity, he haunts the abandoned streets alone, trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy while looking for prey.”
January 28, 2023
Bottomfeeder is a book about a lonely, self-loathing sarcastic vampire who meanders through his day to day life with no social reprieve. That’s the entire story. There is no real antagonist or challenge to overcome until the story’s final pages. Before that it’s just a crude, sex-driven slice-of-life yawner. Just as a semblance of plot began to arrive, it was all over. I’m not going to say too much about this novel, because there honestly wasn’t much to it. There’s some dark humor interspersed with anti-political correctness and not much else.
November 27, 2016
In Bottomfeeder, the debut novel by B.H. Fingerman, we meet Phil Merman, a vampire living in New York City. He doesn't know how he became a vampire or why. He just knows that he hasn't aged a day since it happened, can't survive exposure to sunlight, and needs to feed regularly, which means killing an awful lot of people.
Bottomfeeder is sort of like Interview with the Vampire, only the vampire in question is an otherwise unremarkable, white-collar Jewish guy with a lousy job, lousy wardrobe, and a positively depressing social life. Like Rice's protagonist, Phil doesn't know much about how vampires came to be or what their limitations are, is conflicted when he finally encounters more of his kind, and struggles with the morality of what he has to do in order to stay alive. Unlike Rice, however, Fingerman explores these concepts with wry, self-deprecating humor, sarcasm and razor-sharp dialogue instead of brooding and melancholia. Bottomfeeder is not as over the top funny as Christopher Moore's vampire novels, but has a similar feel.
I loved the pace, tone and language in this book. It was a quick read, made me laugh out loud at times, and when it ended I simultaneously wanted more and knew it was the perfect place to say goodbye. Fingerman knocked it out of the park on his first at-bat. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
Bottomfeeder is sort of like Interview with the Vampire, only the vampire in question is an otherwise unremarkable, white-collar Jewish guy with a lousy job, lousy wardrobe, and a positively depressing social life. Like Rice's protagonist, Phil doesn't know much about how vampires came to be or what their limitations are, is conflicted when he finally encounters more of his kind, and struggles with the morality of what he has to do in order to stay alive. Unlike Rice, however, Fingerman explores these concepts with wry, self-deprecating humor, sarcasm and razor-sharp dialogue instead of brooding and melancholia. Bottomfeeder is not as over the top funny as Christopher Moore's vampire novels, but has a similar feel.
I loved the pace, tone and language in this book. It was a quick read, made me laugh out loud at times, and when it ended I simultaneously wanted more and knew it was the perfect place to say goodbye. Fingerman knocked it out of the park on his first at-bat. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
December 2, 2010
This book takes a look at the vampire genre and shows us what happens to vampires who are very young and therefore haven't amassed any type of wealth or fortune and can't really care for themselves. It also give us a look a who aren't flawlessly beautiful like the vampires in the Anne Rice novels.
What goes on with vampires who are stuck in dead end menial jobs? What happens when people who are say homeless are accidentally turned?
What goes on with vampires who are stuck in dead end menial jobs? What happens when people who are say homeless are accidentally turned?
Read
March 29, 2007This was a lot of fun. I've forgotten how long it's been since I've read a fun, easy read. It only took about 3 hours to read, so it's good airplane food, so long as you don't mind reading about middle aged depressed vampires while flying.
April 18, 2007
What I've learned from this book: People who are turned into vampires get to live a lifestyle where children are taken from foster homes in third world countries, caged, stuck with tubes that lead to taps, and then their blood is drank like beer.
August 31, 2007
Another one from Phil! I read this book in one day and really enjoyed it! The main character is..., well, I don't want to spoil the surprise, so I'll just say the main character is clever and funny.
November 7, 2012
Inventive and enjoyable. I burned through this book at abrisk pace because i kept wanting to know what would happen next and where the story was going. A different look at vampires.Not revolutionary, but not romantic a less frills more dirty work filled tale.
December 14, 2012
No sparkly, pansy vampires here. Just our guy Phil, who works at night and sleeps in the day. Oh, and drinks the blood of bums once in awhile. That is, until he finds more of his kind. Lots of dark humor here--not a bad little story.
--Leisa
--Leisa
February 6, 2018
I read this years ago but it still stands out as a very unique take on the vampire genre. Very dark and depressing. "Bottemfeeder" had some very hard to swallow moments and some great twists. I will definitely pick this up for another read someday.
February 11, 2008
I didn't like the main character's voice, but it wasn't enough to keep me from reading. Overall it was all right.
September 3, 2008
I tried this book out just because I enjoy the authors forays into graphic novels. It kept my attention, but not one of my favorites. Kinda Palahnuk does vampires.
August 26, 2009
Although I liked the writing style of this author, I did tire of his never ending sexual references! Every two or three pages - and usually gross! However I did like the ending.
June 12, 2011
This is by far one of the best and most realistic vampire novels I've ever read. I couldn't put it down and highly recommend it.
June 26, 2011
Damn strange look at being a vampire sans the glitzy lifestyle. Anti-heroic, often sickly hilarious and ultimately one fuck of a bummer but well worth the read.
January 2, 2014
The author's zoombie book was so unique and intriguing that this vampire book felt extremely flat, predictable and disappointing. Really too bad - I was so ready to be impressed.
June 5, 2012
pretty funny throughout, the ending was great!
May 4, 2014
Depressing. Gross. And some more depressing. Skipped to the end, and even that was bad.
May 7, 2015
Very good take on the vampire plotline.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews