7 Vampire Novels You May Have Missed.

In the almost 120 years since Bram Stoker’s Dracula was published, the notion of gothic immortality has both fascinated and terrified us in equal measure.

However, that dark romanticism has lent itself to many different genres since then and vampires have appeared in such unusual locations as the American Civil War with Seth Grahame Smith’s Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, as predators from outer space in Colin Wilson’s The Space Vampires, and as world conquerors and civilization builders in Brian Stableford’s The Empire of Fear.

Some other vampire novels that immediately come to mind include Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice, Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist, Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin, They Thirst by Robert R. McCammon; I am Legend by Richard Mathisen (Not strictly vampires!) and Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite.

However, there have also been many vampire novels, including recent releases, which have not received the attention they deserved and should be on every readers list of works to track down and buy.

The Delicate Dependency by Michael Talbot.

The Delicate Dependency is a rewarding novel for anyone who has also read Michael Talbot’s non-fiction work pertaining to quantum physics and spirituality.
There are hints relating to his philosophy and scientific studies within the tale and these add a very unique and original element to the story and character of the book.

The initial story is reminiscent of Interview with the Vampire in terms of setting and time period. There are also parallels when it comes to the decadence and boredom of the vampire life and how living for centuries might affect a persons mind and outlook.
Some of these speculations can be found in The Holographic Universe, possibly Michael Talbot’s more important legacy. 

Purchase The Delicate Dependency here.

The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman

The Lesser Dead is a fast moving and well researched thriller with a twist...or two!
Much like the achievement of previous novel, Those across the River, Buehlman reshapes rather than reinvents a popular mythos and injects fresh blood (Ahem.) into it.
Readers of vampire fiction will particularly enjoy the detail and quirks that they may not have thought about before, such as a slower rate of ageing which still catches up on characters over vast expanses of time.

Rather than set the novel in one particular place, Buehlman takes us back and forward from 1978 to the background of characters in the 1920's and 30's allowing us to get to know the circumstances in which they ended up living beneath the New York subways.
The story itself alludes to a rich and interesting vampire history and society and it is satisfying to pick out moments where the characters mentioned events and histories which later became relevant to the story.
Again, the research and honing of the novel is very apparent in the rhythm and flow of the narration.
For a novel that is set so much in darkness there are haunting and vivid descriptions of colour and beauty that illuminate the nightscape of this world. Some of the images are as equally arresting and I often found myself rereading particular paragraphs describing strange and unexpected sights.

If you are looking for a novel of gothic tropes and forlorn souls this vampire novel might not be for you but if you are curious as to what an early Scorsese horror movie might have been like then throw on a Tangerine Dream CD, pull on a pair of flares and read this by the glow of a lava lamp!

Purchase The Lesser Dead here.

The Light at the End by John Skipp and Craig Spector

Shockingly, this novel was published over thirty years ago. The great news is that it is still as fresh and surprising as it was back in 1986.

This fast moving and violent story is noted as one of the first of the Splatterpunk genre and it wears its heart on its sleeve, sometimes literally! 

We move through New York’s subways and underground art scene following the exploits of Rudy, who is not a nice person at all, and the motley crew who come together to try and stop his blood lust.

In many ways this book is very much of its time; the pre-internet dependence on phones is one stand out but this nostalgia is purely from a viewpoint of someone who read the novel first time round and has an affinity for the Near Dark/ Lost Boys era.

Purchase The Light at the End here.

The Quick by Lauren Owen

The Quick is an excellent thriller which reminds the reader of the best parts of From Hell and The Vampire Chronicles.
The grime and physicality of London at the turn of the 19th century is brought to life beautifully and the characters are rich and complex.
The story itself is unpredictable and savage and the vampires themselves are interesting in that they are always slaves to their needs no matter how decent they want to be.
This lack of trustworthiness means that the reader can never assume a motivation or consequence which adds great tension to the novel even in its quieter moments.

The tone of the writing is brisk and the balance between dialog, description and psychological motivations is perfectly balanced.
The changing character perspectives add nuance and social subtext in bringing the reader from the upper class town houses down through the back alleys and slums, showing us the tapestry of lives which were worlds apart in terms of social standing but geographically bound and connected.

With all of this highly detailed background you might expect the novel to sag somewhat with the weight of so much structure but it doesn't at all. The violence is fast, bloody and brutal and the characters are all very memorable.

Purchase The Quick here.

Enter Night by Michael Rowe

Michael Rowe’s poetic Enter, Night is a dark and often intimate entry to the vampire genre and blends traditional vampire idea’s with Canadian folklore to create a particularly unique interpretation of the undead.

At times the book reminds the reader of Poppy Z. Brite’s often nihilistic vampire works as well as combining a freshness that compensates by surprising the reader over and over again when it comes to the fate of the main characters.

If you are looking for a well written tale combining the ingredients of a family drama, a thriller and literate horror then Rowe’s debut novel is the perfect read.

Purchase Enter Night here.

Already Dead by Charlie Huston

Already Dead is the first book in Charlie Huston’s Joe Pitt series and follows the exploits of NY private investigator Joe Pitt. In this universe vampires have organized themselves into various clans and throughout his investigations Pitt must negotiate their turf and demands as he searches for a missing girl. But things become complicated quickly as there is also a zombie on the loose and Pitt must find out where it has come from.

Entangled within the main adventure are Joe Pitt’s own personal troubles; his girlfriend is sick and doesn’t know he’s a vampire, some of the clans aren’t too happy about the way he doesn’t commit to serving one clan only and someone has stolen his supply of blood and now he is starving and becoming weaker by the hour.

This is a great series for readers who like a tough, gritty edge to their horror.

Purchase Already Dead here.

Stargazer (The Dark Instinct Series.) by Miguel Conner

Is ‘Gnostic-Science Fiction-Noir’ a genre? Well, if Miguel Conner’s novel is anything to go by, it certainly should be.

Actually, we can add dead-pan humor to that categorisation as well, come to think of it!

This novel takes place in a dystopian nightmare where human beings exist to be purely a food source for a race of high-tech vampires.

The story outline might lead you to believe you are in for a Dark City/ Matrix type story-arc but the authors writing style is unusual for this genre and he lends his philosophical cynicism to the characters leading to a very fresh read.

Purchase Stargazer here.