some ill-formed thoughts re: vampire books

[anotheranon]

Disclaimer: I like vampire novels. Historic ones, comic ones, erotic ones, crap ones - I'll usually give anything with two fangs in it a look, no matter how awful - they are my "junk food" reading. Having said this:

Evidently some conservative is trying to frame a YA vampire romance series as promoting traditional gender roles. I've not read the novels in question, but the synopsis, while sounding kinda predictable angsty teenage romance (think I will give this one a miss, despite disclaimer), it doesn't sound exactly traditional - love triangle with vampire/werewolf/human?

I think that Amanda @ Pandagon hits closer to the mark when she suggests that vampires are a tidy stand-in for repressed sexual longing, but even that doesn't get to why I enjoy the genre so much. I started reading Anne Rice at 14 and while sexy blonde vampires are exciting for the obvious reasons I always wanted to be Lestat more than be bitten by him.

This is largely because I was a stressed out teenager with little autonomy being taught to be afraid of the world, so there was real appeal in being the thing that others fear. Even as a competent adult who has long outgrown Rice, it's the power and freedom that's alluring. One of the things I enjoyed about Bloodsucking Fiends (besides the turkey bowling) was the vampire Jody's realization that she can walk around alone at night without fear.

Comments

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recommendation - looks like it could be a fun twist, besides, it looks like there's mystery and that adds another dimension.

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

I was going to say, if you like the idea of vampires + mystery, you should read (if you haven't) Barbara Hambly's "Those Who Hunt the Night" ... as it's been recommended below and I see you haven't read it, I'll second the recommendation and add one for the excellent sequel, "Traveling with the Dead".

Another fine'n'fun vampire book is Fred Saberhagen's "The Dracula Tape" ... the Count tells his side of the Bram Stoker story (Mr. Saberhagen has some very interesting notions about the sex lives of vampires ...)

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

Hambly = noted. And I have read "The Dracula Tape" and may even still have a battered paperback around here somewhere - needless to say, I liked the sympathetic take on Stoker's "monster"...