I Am Dracula...Know Me.

by C. Dean Andersson

Told over a series of long winter nights to master horror author C. Dean Andersson, here is the shocking, mesmerizing account of Dracula's history that renders all other versions anemic by comparison.

Genres: Horror, Vampires, Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy

350 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1993

About the author

C. Dean Andersson writes Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. His day-jobs (and night) have included rock band drummer, television graphic designer, US Air Force band percussionist, robotics programmer, and technical writer. His Swedish-born father inspired the Viking Age studies he uses in his tales about the warrior Bloodsong, collected in HELx3: Warrior Witch of Hel, Death Riders of Hel, and Werebeasts of Hel. He is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and was a Horror Writers Association Bram Stoker Award finalist for his story about a modern encounter with the Goddess Hel, "The Death Wagon Rolls on By."
Website: www.cdeanandersson.com
Wikipedia, C. Dean Andersson: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._Dean_...
New interview with C. Dean Andersson: http://uparoundthecorner.blogspot.com...
Interview about writing the Hel Trilogy: http://kingsofthenight0.tripod.com/de...
facebook: Bloodsong: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bloods...
Wikipedia, Bathory's "One Rode to Asa Bay," dedicated to C. Dean Andersson in honor of Bloodsong: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_rode...

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Here's what happens in this book...

Dracula meets a girl and they become vampires.
They engage in a satanic orgy.
They engage in a satanic orgy.
They engage in a satanic orgy.
They engage in a satanic orgy.
They engage in a satanic orgy.
Then he briefly tells you about his days as Vlad the Impaler in two or three sentences and says "Go read one of the history books on the subject if you really want to know about that".
They engage in a satanic orgy.
They engage in a satanic orgy.
They hang out with some ghosts.
They engage in a satanic orgy.
They engage in a satanic orgy.

They break into a house and touch a crucifix, just to prove those two superstitions about vampires aren't true.

They engage in a satanic orgy.
They engage in a satanic orgy.

Brief bout of Amnesia caused by Satan. Dracula comes out of it and gets his wife back.

Dracula tells you that Bram Stoker's book started out as a joke his wife came up with.

THE END

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Am Dracula tries so hard to entertain but the entire book goes North in the last forty pages or so. I suppose the author’s last name (Andersson) should have been a clue. Of course this book was wonky from page one but despite clunky dialogue and general insanity it still did what it was supposed to do: it kept me reading and enjoying myself. Just don’t pick this up if you are expecting anything you can seriously relate to the character in Bram Stoker’s novel-this us more like a comic book version of Dracula written by particularly bright fourteen year olds.

[Michelle Mendoza-Aguilar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had higher expectations for this book. I was really looking forward to reading a book about Dracula in first person, told from his standpoint, but this book had a lot of useless blabbering on between Dracula and his life story. There were quite a few dragging conversations. Just wasn't what I expected.

[Jaden Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. The way Dracula is brought about to his immortality is fresh in its sensuality. It made me long for a Tzigane to come into my life and bring me to the world I have longed for since my childhood.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty tawdry, but entertaining enough that I finished it rather quickly. The ending was pretty sloppy; reading the last bits felt like I was reading a different story, a different narrator's perspective. I enjoyed reading about Dracula's occult education, but after he became a vampire, the narrative quickly dwindled. If you're looking for a new take on the vampire mythos, or a thought provoking story, this isn't it. If you enjoy lots of mildly described sexual encounters and do not require a story that makes you think in any way, give this one a go.

[Sally Bisbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Am Dracula/Know Me. An account of how the fifteenth-century Vlad the Impaler became the legendary Count Dracula covers his struggle with Satan, five centuries of terrorizing evil, and his present-day activities.

[Lydia · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Oh god. Worst romance novel I’ve read in a while.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

A ridiculous and chaotic novel, but I can't deny I was entertained by it.

The dialogue is clunky and full of... far... too... many... ellipses... but the narrative writing gets the job done, even if it is a little exposition-heavy.

It's kind of amusing that the author complains about the previous edition of the story being marketed as a romance, because this IS romance novel, complete with a happy ending.

The story primarily concerns the author's - I mean Dracula's - dream goth vampire GF, who more or less falls into the Count's lap when he comes of age and spends the majority of the book having sex with him and teaching him magic tricks.

Everything is smooth sailing and devoid of any real conflict until about three quarters of the way through, when Dracula takes a massive bong rip and opens his Third Eye and goes on a vision quest to save his dream vampire GF. The climax is a ludicrous sequence of mythologies and metaphors and spiritual forces crashing into each other, characters gaining and losing powers as the plot demands. By the end I find myself wondering why the name Dracula is attached to this at all, but also not really caring.

[Ben Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great nostalgia trip

It's been a long time since I read this novel. It's a silly, fast-paced romp through history. By fast-paced, I mean the book is a blur. If you're dedicated, You can blow through it in a few hours time.
Though fun, it's not the greatest writing: You will get sick of the word "passion", and much of the dialogue is laughable to the point that if you saw it exit an actor's mouth on a movie or show you would absolutely try to find something else to watch immediately. The love scenes are saccharine -sweet drivel, but descriptive enough they could be counted among above-mediocre smut novels.
This novel is a good Y/A jump-off point for one of the most contentious war-leaders in history, and a good enough introduction to one of the most famous villains in fiction.

[ASReads · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's been quite a while since I read a book that I wanted to finish as soon as possible, not because of how great it was, but because of how incredibly boring and poorly written it was. I picked up the book expecting a first-person insight into one of my favorite monsters. However, what I found was a weak character that seemed to have been written for young adults, with an unnecessary amount of sex. Take away the "romance" and the sex, and this book would be half its size; the novel could have been a short story. Dracula comes across as a sex-crazed idiot rather than a powerful, highly intelligent monster. Tzigane is the single most annoying character in the book, with as much personality as a boiled chicken. Overall, so much potential was wasted, and a great character was ruined. If I could give it zero stars, I would.

[Sean · Rating 1 out of 5]

Christians who are thinking about reading this novel should be aware that it contains some highly offensive theological content. The story portrays the Judeo-Christian God as an evil entity who is at war with the "good" deities of pagan mythology, who are led by the devil and the Norse god Odin. The God of the Bible is written as a cruel, manipulative being who has deceived millions regarding his true nature and Dracula eventually becomes an important figure in the ongoing battle against him. I know that many potential readers will not be put off by this, but I certainly wish someone had warned me before I purchased this book.

[puck · Rating 3 out of 5]

was not expecting the last twenty pages to suddenly throw in odin attempting to kill the christian god out of the blue

[Zippity do Dah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is barely a book about vampires, and if you’re expecting it to be about Bram Stoker’s Dracula: don’t. It doesn’t follow that story at all.

[Kairi Aethyr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the deeper message of this book and the writing style, really beautiful!

["Nico" · Rating 2 out of 5]

. . .

Well. That was a twist. it's a fun, I have nothing to do on a rainy day read, but unless you are REALLY into both Vampires and twisting modern stories to fit neo-pagan themes, perhaps not for you. I'm pretty damn neo-pagan myself, and this was a little out there even for me. I know several friends for whom this book would be one of a few on their "I HATE THIS TRIPE" list, and a few more for whom this would make them go off into a dark room to weep for a while. ;_;

That said, It's a unique place that they take a Dracula story- they start out with twisting the story of Vlad the Impaler, then they add Satan worship with a tiny mix of some examples of how we get various perspectives of vampire through cultures and histories, Then turn the ENTIRE thing on it's head by adding in Ancient Pagan Gods and goddesses who decide to take back what has been denied them for ages. And I don't mean pantheons, I mean quasi druidic deities who's identity goes beyond name here. Freaky.

Definitely not for purists on a historical, vampire, or Dracula fan level.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so I awarded this book four stars...but why? I love all things "Dracula," and this books definitely satisfies that love (full of steamy vampire goodness); but it gets sloppy towards the end as the author tries rushing the introduction of a new subplot. Oh, and the dialogue can be hokey at times. However, the originality of the overall plot is commendable, and the story made me want more and more and more. Despite some flaws, I really became enthralled in the lives of the two main characters, and experienced suspense as they entered into perils of their own. If you are one of those readers who can look past the mechanical flaws in writing, and can focus solely on the story being told, then I would recommend reading this novel.

[Zee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really had high hopes for this book and was sucked in at the begining, but the last third or so of the book seemed a little rushed to me. I feel this story maybe would have worked better as a trilogy or series instead of trying to fit it all in one book; or even just making the book a little longer. It was entertaining though

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this a long time ago, but I must have liked it a lot since I didn't get rid of it. I know my brother-in-law borrowed it a couple times. He seemed to really enjoy it. I need to read it again, but there are so many other books on my shelf that have never been read.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book who knows how many times and each time I loved it even more. I wish I hadn't lost it during one of the many moves I had made over the years.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first vampire books I ever read which contributed to my love of all things vampire. IT is still one of my alltime favorite vampire books.

[Tazma Bennet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this book years ago, then I lost it when my son and I moved. I've been searching for this book for years now I've found it yay.

[Cornelia Queen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cool book! I love it so!!!!

[Stacy Croushorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really like the emphasis on Satanism in the book. Yes, we know there is a link between Dracula and the Devil, but I really didn't like all the ritualistic stuff in this. Take that out and you have a better story.