Vampire books please!

[TheCountessOlenska]

I'm two books into a trilogy - The Strain and The Fall - after hearing about them on the post-apocalyptic thread further down. I've enjoyed them but the the vampires in them are a bit grim! (ickky extending stingers in their throats, worms etc. You wouldn't want to shag them basically)

However, the vampires in Twilight are a bit too pretty. Those books make it seem like there's not much of a down side to being undead (you look hot and you get to bonk Edward Cullen for all eternity, and you can still see your Dad for a cuppa)

I loved The Historian and it inspired me to re-read Dracula which is a cracking read and a lot more scary than I remembered!

Salem's Lot was terrifying (good old SK) but I felt there were a lot of plot holes.

What else is there? Is Ann Rice any good? Any suggestions welcome!

I liked the first few books in anne rice's vampire chronicles. After five or so they start to go downhill. But the first four are great.

Came onto thf thread to suggest the historian- fabulous book.

Have you read, 'The Passage' by Justin Cronin?

Also, not vampires but a v good book about Vlad The Impaler is 'Vlad: The Last Confession' by C C Humphreys. Really interesting because it actually makes you sympathise with him even as you read the horrors he committed.

If you're up for a v long read, King's Dark Tower series features vampires and Father Callahan from Salem's Lot is in it from book 5. They are not 'vampire books' overall though.

I didn't get on with Ann Rice but lots of people on here rate her, I think.

Pmsl at 'you wouldn't want to shag them' too. :)

I also loved, "The Historian' - must re-read.

Thanks all!

Just looked up The Passage - looks like I would enjoy it!

Keep seeing The Dark Tower series recommended on here - I always think I'm not that into fantasy genre but TBF my tastes seem to be going more that way!

I forgot to mention Let the Right One In - VERY weird, but in a good way I think!

Yes, I enjoyed 'Let The Right One In' too - except for the silly ending. I read another of his, 'The Harbour' iirc but it was absolutely rubbish.

Oh - just remembered, 'I Am Legend' but didn't think much of it tbh.

I quite liked I Am Legend. Probably wouldn't re-read it.

Interview With A Vampire not available on Kindle!!! How rude!

You have to read Interview With The Vampire. As someone else said, the first few sequels are pretty good, too.

Interview With The Vampire kindle format on amazon.fr

Lost souls and drawing blood by poppy z brite.

I'm reading the black dagger brotherhood, am on book 3 and loving them.

They have tough sexy vampires and cool ass-kicking female characters.

Fevre Dream by George RR Martin (Game of Thrones author)

The first four/five Anne Rice books (but really the first three)

What about the Southern Vampire novels by Charlaine Harris. They are the ones made into True Bood. Definitely sexy vamps.

True Blood and the Mercy Thompson series are excellent. the True Blook TV series is good but nowhere near as good as the books.

The sookie stackhouse series which its the tv series true blood now. (but stop reading at around book 8)

Um - depending on how much sex you like in your vampire fiction, there's always Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series.

It starts off pretending to have a storyline but a few books in just becomes soft porn really

Anne Rice is okay.

I second Fevre Dream - I never got into George R R Martin's Song of Ice and Fire books, but Fevre Dream is a good, solid, satisfying book to read.

My personal favourite vampire book is Sunshine by Robin McKinley. It's lyrical and beautiful and is on a knife edge between the main vampire as hero and villain (plus the vampires dont sparkle ). I highly recommend reading it.

'A discovery of witches' by harknett, they are as pretty as the cullens but at least the heroine is not just a sappy human who can't look after herself!

Why the sudden craze for vampire stories? Suddenly they're everywhere. I don't get the attraction.

I dunno PercyFilth (tis a somewhat guilty pleasure!) but thanks so much for suggestions everyone, have done wishlist on Amazon!

My all time favourite paranormal/urban fantasy is the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. There are vampires in it but unfortunately they're not shaggable ones but they have a lot of hunky shapeshifters and a great kick ass heroine who would like to be on her own because of her family background but she ends up making friends that seem to attach themselves to her. There is romance in it but it builds up with each book and a lot of blood and fighting which Kate is always in the middle of it.

I don't rate Anne Rice tbh - I find her endings very disappointing. They seem to just drop off a cliff, as if she's had enough of this now and buggered off mid flow to get the washing in!

I rather like the Sookie Stackhouse series. Also Morganville vampires (Rachel Cain) are nice and easy to read, if you fancy something not too taxing.

Loved The Historian.

The Radleys by Matt Haig was vg I thought.

I second the black dagger brotherhood series. Have read them all and they become even better as the series goes on - less romance formula, but still v sexy

In fact if it's shaggable vamps you're after there are tons - gena showalter, Christine feehan, sherrilyn Kenton (early stuff) are some of the best. Am not so good on the non romance stuff tho, vamp stories are my 'bit on the side'