 Horrify
me softly
Famous books about the mythical undead creatures
* The Vampyre by John William Polidori
* Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu
* Dracula by Bram Stoker
* I am Legend by Richard Matheson
* The Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker
* For the Blood is the Life by F Marion Crawford
* Bewitched by Edith Wharton
* Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice
* Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer
* Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth
Vampire myths, legends and folklore have existed throughout the ages
all over the world. They have appeared in some shape or form in almost
every culture and society. Vampire myths are as old as human
civilization itself. The myths change from culture to culture and from
geographical area to geographical area and the myths have evolved along
with the times.
The short German poem, The Vampire (1748) by Heinrich August
Ossenfelde, is often cited as being the first major work to mention
these mythical undead creatures but vampires really became a popular
phenomenon in the 19th century.
  Dracula
by Bram Stoker is the quintessential vampire book which was published in
1897. The book mixed medieval myths and previous vampire fiction with
sex, blood and death to create a novel that struck a chord with late
19th century Britain. Stoker’s vampire hunter, Abraham Van Helsing,
helped to create a trend for heroes willing to fight the undead.
I am Legend by Richard Matheson popularizes the use of vampires in
science fiction in his post-apocalyptic vision of a world crippled by a
disease that induces vampirism. The book has been adapted into multiple
films over the years. I am Legend is often referred to as the first
modern vampire novel. It was published in 1954.
Anne Rice publishes her Vampire Chronicles and things start to
change. The book also steps away from vampires being treated as
intrinsically evil and portrays them as romantic anti-heroes caught in a
poetic and tragic web. Gothic subculture and vampirism merges. Rice’s
popularity inspires many romance writers to delve into fantasy helping
push the paranormal romance craze which has become one of the largest
sub-genres in romance publishing.
Vampires used to be rooted in the past, representing something
primitive in the earlier stage of Vampire literature. But, in modern
Vampire literature, they are set in modern culture, living in cities,
listening to punk music and embracing technology. Sometimes they are
strange as they can be as some Vampires are depicted as vegetarians.
That change reflects the fact that vampire stories mirror the
anxieties embedded in modern-day culture. As critics point out, Vampires
teach us to come to terms with our desires and the fact we have a darker
side. In the 1980s, a lot of vampire films and books tackled disease and
corruption – it was a way of talking about Aids.
The topic du jour of our modern Vampires is the sexualisation of
young adults. Our modern vampires are a metaphor for young adults’ wider
anxieties about their bodies and their first stirrings of desire.
They provide a safe way to acknowledge these desires.
Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer is one of the most popular modern
day vampire stories.
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