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I, Vampire #4
The Vampire Virus
"God has forsaken this place..... This is a province for the damned." The mysterious death of an archaeologist lures disease-control researcher Dr. Bailey Harrison deep into the jungles of Costa Rica. There, in the hot zone, an unknown and potentially devastating new virus has made its first lethal appearance. Yet a more horrifying evil awaits Bailey at the end of her quest. For in a lavish estate carved from the savage wilderness, an extraordinary man rules, the master of a forbidding world. And he himself is slave to a centuries-old hunger.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 26, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 9, 2008
I read this book in one day. I started it on a Saturday morning and finished it that night. I can't remember the last time I did that.
It's not like I planted my butt in the couch all day. I got other stuff done. I worked around the house. Did some writing. Finished a first draft of a short story. Grilled steaks for dinner. Yet I somehow found time to read 291 pages. Go figure.
So why did I read this quickly? That's a good question. Maybe it was so good I couldn't put it down. Maybe the writing was excellent and flowed so well it was a pleasure to read. Maybe I read too much.
It's the latter two reasons, actually, because the book itself isn't that good. But Romkey is a good writer and I enjoy his style, so it was still an enjoyable read.
But about the book itself. It's his fourth vampire novel and only loosely tied to the previous three. There's no David Parker, no Mozart, no Medusa. Beethoven is in it, though. He's the only Illuminati vampire to make an appearance.
The plot is simple. A centuries-old vampire lives in the Central American rain forest, guarding over ancient ruins. This vampire owns a sprawling estate and employs local Indians to run it and serve his every need. An American archaeologist babe is killed by a mysterious virus when exploring the ruins, thus prompting another American CDC babe to investigate.
There are other characters, as well, too many in my opinion. The priest who is losing his faith (gosh, never encountered that character type in a horror novel before), a sorcerer type guy who hates the vampire and wants to kill him, and the owner of the only hotel in the nearby town.
That's all I can bear to describe, because the story is rife with inconsistencies and twists that make no sense.
It's not Romkey's best book.
It's not like I planted my butt in the couch all day. I got other stuff done. I worked around the house. Did some writing. Finished a first draft of a short story. Grilled steaks for dinner. Yet I somehow found time to read 291 pages. Go figure.
So why did I read this quickly? That's a good question. Maybe it was so good I couldn't put it down. Maybe the writing was excellent and flowed so well it was a pleasure to read. Maybe I read too much.
It's the latter two reasons, actually, because the book itself isn't that good. But Romkey is a good writer and I enjoy his style, so it was still an enjoyable read.
But about the book itself. It's his fourth vampire novel and only loosely tied to the previous three. There's no David Parker, no Mozart, no Medusa. Beethoven is in it, though. He's the only Illuminati vampire to make an appearance.
The plot is simple. A centuries-old vampire lives in the Central American rain forest, guarding over ancient ruins. This vampire owns a sprawling estate and employs local Indians to run it and serve his every need. An American archaeologist babe is killed by a mysterious virus when exploring the ruins, thus prompting another American CDC babe to investigate.
There are other characters, as well, too many in my opinion. The priest who is losing his faith (gosh, never encountered that character type in a horror novel before), a sorcerer type guy who hates the vampire and wants to kill him, and the owner of the only hotel in the nearby town.
That's all I can bear to describe, because the story is rife with inconsistencies and twists that make no sense.
It's not Romkey's best book.
August 25, 2024
2 stars because it's entertaining. written like it was adapted from a soap opera screenplay, but i don't consider that wholly bad. i felt the scenes of gratuitous violence against women were completely unnecessary. father xavier was completely unnecessary. i wanted better for/from ludwig; it seemed like the writer wanted the lazaro/harrison/ludwig love triangle to be more of a thing, but realized he couldnt resolve it and sort of let it flounder, probably to be rekindled in the next book....which i will not be reading <3
April 30, 2024
Not great, but not terrible. I got this in a used bookstore fir a couple of bucks. There's a bunch of weird stuff that happens. I wouldn't pay full price for it 🤷♂️
January 22, 2025
So weird....honestly a bit silly in the end...
An interesting take on vampires, but the characters were honestly ridiculous!
An interesting take on vampires, but the characters were honestly ridiculous!
November 2, 2023
One of the early novels in the I, Vampire cannon to stray from the Anastasia/David Parker storyline, this book travels to other parts of the canonical world, questioning what is possible in the realm of magic and mayhem understood by mundane mortals living city life.
It is fun and fascinating. If you're waiting for David Parker and his cast of friends to show up, you'll be disappointed. If you're able to let that go, you'll enjoy the story.
I subtract one star based purely on the fact that the writing feels slightly less refined versus the first three novels. But only slightly. And because, arguably
Ultimately, this book is an example of what one would expect from any Romkey horror. Existing, living, doing . . . discussing philosophy and politics. Trying to navigate life, looking for sense and purpose, in a world of entropy.
Not a bad vampire novel to pass a few leisurely hours on an October afternoon. Fine for an every day casual read.
It is fun and fascinating. If you're waiting for David Parker and his cast of friends to show up, you'll be disappointed. If you're able to let that go, you'll enjoy the story.
I subtract one star based purely on the fact that the writing feels slightly less refined versus the first three novels. But only slightly. And because, arguably
Ultimately, this book is an example of what one would expect from any Romkey horror. Existing, living, doing . . . discussing philosophy and politics. Trying to navigate life, looking for sense and purpose, in a world of entropy.
Not a bad vampire novel to pass a few leisurely hours on an October afternoon. Fine for an every day casual read.
November 21, 2013
Very simply written. Many cool ideas that don't really bear fruit as the author plows ahead through the plot, missing the dramatic potential of the pulp craziness. It's a matter-of-fact book. Characters are thinly defined. Mostly notable for being described as one or two key things.
He is the vampire overlord. He is the vampire musician. She is the archaeologist. You get the picture.
Decent enough to read on a plane or to mine for RPG ideas, the latter of which was my drive to keep reading after the cover grabbed me but the interior content proved blah.
He is the vampire overlord. He is the vampire musician. She is the archaeologist. You get the picture.
Decent enough to read on a plane or to mine for RPG ideas, the latter of which was my drive to keep reading after the cover grabbed me but the interior content proved blah.
August 4, 2014
For some reason, this was harder to get into than some of his others. It seemed like the story was repeating itself in different areas of the jungle and the author didn't know how to end the book. I still have the rest of the series on my shelf, but none have been as good as the first book. I think I may be losing interest.
November 16, 2007
read 03.05.06
June 20, 2008
this was good too.
September 13, 2008
Even though it's been years since I read this book, it is really interesting and grips your imagination. Great for vampire and anthropology fans.
February 1, 2014
This book had very little character development, and a very choppy plot. Compared to the other Vampire books I've read by Romkey this one is not even in the same league.
February 22, 2019
A little strange, but kept me interested
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews