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Nightlife
Our fascination with vampires seems never to die -- just look at the continuing popularity of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". Now, fans of this hit TV show and its book spin-offs, as well as Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, will devour "Nightlife". In his blood-chilling tale, Richard Carnitch cruises the streets in a limousine with plush curtains that block out the sun...feeding on society's outcasts and loners. But a band of survivors is about to fight back -- and confront an evil more unspeakable than death itself.
384 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1996
3 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 29, 2022
Jack Ellis (AKA Stephen George) puts a neat spin on the vampire genre with Nightlife, and the cover art by Zebra is fantastic! How many ways can people reinvent vampires? The vampire here, Richard Carnitch, is unique; both in the sense that he knows of no other vampires, but also because he consumes his victims, leaving only a few gallons of water behind. Carnitch basically 'folds' himself around his 'prey' and thousands of tiny hooks/teeth whatever inject something that dissolves the body, even the cloths, except for the pesky shoes which always seem to fall off...
This, as many George novels, is set in the Twin Cities. Our main protagonist, Simon, is 20 something, a college dropout, and basically getting by working in a used bookstore. He knows a homeless guy named Phil, for whom he checks out books from the library after they would not renew his own card. One day after walking home from a party he finds a terrified Phil in an alley, who promptly returns the latest book. Simon goes to get some food and when he comes back, Phil and SOMETHING DARK is holding Phil tightly. Scared, Simon splits, but what to do when Phil is surely missing?
Nightlife does play with some old tropes for sure, but in a self-conscious way. Simon, along with some other characters (and really a super supporting cast!) decide to find out what is going on and basically we have a posse consisting of homeless people, hookers, social workers and so forth. Good stuff from Ellis/George! This was at times very witty, funny, and also a little spooky 😁 Great Spooktober reading!
This, as many George novels, is set in the Twin Cities. Our main protagonist, Simon, is 20 something, a college dropout, and basically getting by working in a used bookstore. He knows a homeless guy named Phil, for whom he checks out books from the library after they would not renew his own card. One day after walking home from a party he finds a terrified Phil in an alley, who promptly returns the latest book. Simon goes to get some food and when he comes back, Phil and SOMETHING DARK is holding Phil tightly. Scared, Simon splits, but what to do when Phil is surely missing?
Nightlife does play with some old tropes for sure, but in a self-conscious way. Simon, along with some other characters (and really a super supporting cast!) decide to find out what is going on and basically we have a posse consisting of homeless people, hookers, social workers and so forth. Good stuff from Ellis/George! This was at times very witty, funny, and also a little spooky 😁 Great Spooktober reading!
March 23, 2015
Richard Carnitch is not the usual vampire: he has a large teeth-sewn opening on the front of his body, and by embracing his victims he sucks them in completely, leaving of them only a puddle of water. One night when his feast on a homeless named Bookman he is discovered by a man, Simon. Simon flees and finds refuge in a homeless shelter, where he meets Becky of the staff. She takes him to an old reporter who believes Simon, because he heard the same story long ago. Searching for a trace of the missing Bookman Simon and Becky are joined by two friends of Simon, a taxi driver, a transsexual and a prostitute. Together they start to hunt the vampire. Using crosses and holy water they are able to frighten Carnitch away, who in revenge conjures the animals in town to attack his enemies. Although the group is diminished little by little they are able to track down Carnitch for a final battle. Not the banal splatter the cover would suggest, but indeed a good and exciting story.
Carnitch also has some depressive moods, believing to be the only one of his kind and thus condemned to hide away and stay alone forever. But fortunately these moments are very short and never completely overwhelm the evil nature of this creature, which would have made the story shallow. If you are looking for another typical vampire story don't read this book. But if you like a good horror story and don't mind the vampire being really evil you will like this one.
Carnitch also has some depressive moods, believing to be the only one of his kind and thus condemned to hide away and stay alone forever. But fortunately these moments are very short and never completely overwhelm the evil nature of this creature, which would have made the story shallow. If you are looking for another typical vampire story don't read this book. But if you like a good horror story and don't mind the vampire being really evil you will like this one.
January 29, 2017
It is epic!!
Read
December 6, 2019Summary:
A cold wind blows through the alleys and back streets as a homeless man seeks shelter from the rain. Unknown to the man a monster stalks the streets looking for its next meal. The being is named Richard Carnitch and he is not quite a man. He prefers the darkness and the effects of the misery he spreads to those who are unfortunate enough to cross his path.
Tonight will end the same for his victim, but it will end differently for Carnitch. His victims are usually those that have fallen off of society’s radar and no one misses them. This time though Carnitch has picked a man that had one thread left connected to the normal world. That thread is a man named Simon and he was helping the homeless man. That night Carnitch makes his move and Simon catch’s him in the act. Terrified by what he had seen Simon runs away but he feels obligated to report what he saw in the hopes that the authorities might do something.
When that fails Simon turns to the homeless community to try and find out if his friend might have survived some how. Simon won’t give up until he has an answer and now Carnitch’s food supply is drying up as the word spreads that a killer is hunting on the streets. He has to do something, something that he hasn’t had to do for years: fight the humans that dare challenge the master of the night.
This the tale of a ragtag group of people that band together to fight a creature that has inspired legends around the world and no one believes exists. Using knowledge from old fairy tales and plain old stubbornness they go toe to toe with a being of almost unimaginable power. Who will survive?
My Thoughts:
This was a little bit of a different take on the what a vampire may actually be and what inspired all the legends surrounding them. The story itself moves at a pretty good clip and is interesting. Most of the characters are not one note and none of them are perfect. So it actually had an impact on the story when one of them didn’t make it. This book was written in the 90’s so some of the story has commentary on issues of the time that may or may not have aged well depending on your view, but it’s not like the issues brought up are much different than what goes on now just switch a few terms around. All around I recommend this book to anyone who likes vampire stories with different takes on them or anyone that is looking for an interesting adventure thriller book. m.a.c
A cold wind blows through the alleys and back streets as a homeless man seeks shelter from the rain. Unknown to the man a monster stalks the streets looking for its next meal. The being is named Richard Carnitch and he is not quite a man. He prefers the darkness and the effects of the misery he spreads to those who are unfortunate enough to cross his path.
Tonight will end the same for his victim, but it will end differently for Carnitch. His victims are usually those that have fallen off of society’s radar and no one misses them. This time though Carnitch has picked a man that had one thread left connected to the normal world. That thread is a man named Simon and he was helping the homeless man. That night Carnitch makes his move and Simon catch’s him in the act. Terrified by what he had seen Simon runs away but he feels obligated to report what he saw in the hopes that the authorities might do something.
When that fails Simon turns to the homeless community to try and find out if his friend might have survived some how. Simon won’t give up until he has an answer and now Carnitch’s food supply is drying up as the word spreads that a killer is hunting on the streets. He has to do something, something that he hasn’t had to do for years: fight the humans that dare challenge the master of the night.
This the tale of a ragtag group of people that band together to fight a creature that has inspired legends around the world and no one believes exists. Using knowledge from old fairy tales and plain old stubbornness they go toe to toe with a being of almost unimaginable power. Who will survive?
My Thoughts:
This was a little bit of a different take on the what a vampire may actually be and what inspired all the legends surrounding them. The story itself moves at a pretty good clip and is interesting. Most of the characters are not one note and none of them are perfect. So it actually had an impact on the story when one of them didn’t make it. This book was written in the 90’s so some of the story has commentary on issues of the time that may or may not have aged well depending on your view, but it’s not like the issues brought up are much different than what goes on now just switch a few terms around. All around I recommend this book to anyone who likes vampire stories with different takes on them or anyone that is looking for an interesting adventure thriller book. m.a.c
January 15, 2022
A wild deviation from the traditional vampire. Enjoyed the read!
May 5, 2012
Not the best book I've ever read. It was an ok storyline but you get a little confuse when you try to figure out who the author wants you to sympathize with in the book. one minuet you think "that rat bastard" then you think, "poor little monster all alone"...and that cycles throughout the entire time reading it.
I finished it thinking I hate stopping when I've started a book and it's got to get better...not so much.
I'm just glad it's over and I am not keeping the book.
It is well written though, it's just the story that's not up to my standards for the kind of book it is. The descriptions are wonderful, most everything was done right...so it wasn't a complete waste, but unless I get sucked in by the blurb on the back of the book again, not sure if I'm gonna read another one by Jack Ellis.
I finished it thinking I hate stopping when I've started a book and it's got to get better...not so much.
I'm just glad it's over and I am not keeping the book.
It is well written though, it's just the story that's not up to my standards for the kind of book it is. The descriptions are wonderful, most everything was done right...so it wasn't a complete waste, but unless I get sucked in by the blurb on the back of the book again, not sure if I'm gonna read another one by Jack Ellis.
August 2, 2011
Great book.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews