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Overview
From Dracula to Buffy the Vampire Slayer; from Castlevania to Tru Blood, the romance between popular culture and vampires hearkens back to humanity's darkest, deepest fears, flowing through our very blood, fears of death, and life, and insatiable hunger. And yet, there is an attraction, undeniable, to the vampire archetype, whether the pale European count, impeccably dressed and coldly masculine, yet strangely ambiguous, ready to sink his sharp teeth deep into his victims' necks, draining or converting them, or the vamp, the count's feminine counterpart, villain and victim in one, using her wiles and icy sexuality to corrupt man and woman alike...
Edited by John Joseph Adams (Wastelands, The Living Dead), By Blood We Live gathers together the best vampire literature of the last three decades from many of today's most renowned authors of fantasy, speculative fiction, and horror, including Stephen King, Joe Hill, Garth Nix, Neil Gaiman, Kelley Armstrong, Ken Macleod, Harry Turtledove, Carrie Vaughn, and Tad Williams.
Synopsis
From Dracula to Buffy the Vampire Slayer; from Castlevania to Tru Blood, the romance between popular culture and vampires hearkens back to humanity's darkest, deepest fears, flowing through our very blood, fears of death, and life, and insatiable hunger. And yet, there is an attraction, undeniable, to the vampire archetype, whether the pale European count, impeccably dressed and coldly masculine, yet strangely ambiguous, ready to sink his sharp teeth deep into his victims' necks, draining or converting them, or the vamp, the count's feminine counterpart, villain and victim in one, using her wiles and icy sexuality to corrupt man and woman alike...
Edited by John Joseph Adams (Wastelands, The Living Dead), By Blood We Live gathers together the best vampire literature of the last three decades from many of today's most renowned authors of fantasy, speculative fiction, and horror, including Stephen King, Joe Hill, Garth Nix, Neil Gaiman, Kelley Armstrong, Ken Macleod, Harry Turtledove, Carrie Vaughn, and Tad Williams.
Publishers Weekly
The usually superlative Adams (Federations) delivers a merely solid collection of modern vampire tales. Although most of the stories are reprints, John Langan's novella “The Wide, Carnivorous Sky,” original to the volume, is the highlight, telling the tale of four Fallujah veterans who witness something even more horrific than war. Many of the classic reprints (including Stephen King's “One for the Road” and Jane Yolen's “Mama Gone”) are worthwhile, but the newer reprints are a mixed bag. Bruce McAllister's “Hit” is witty and touching; Lilith Saintcrow's attempted hard-boiled pastiche, “A Standup Dame,” completely flops. Vampire fans might wish for more humor and unusual twists on the theme, but there are enough standout stories—including Gabriella Lee's gorgeous “Hunger” and Michael Marshall Smith's melancholy “This Is Now”—to satisfy and entertain. (Oct.)