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Book Reviews
"In my day, television was called books."
- Grandpa, The Princess Bride
The Society of S
by Susan Hubbard
ISBN number: 1416534570
Type of Book: Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5
Review : The biggest selling point for this novel is that it is unlike any vampire story you have ever or will ever read. Instead of employing the usual in-your-face horror, gore, eroticism, or even (gasp) dark comedy that vampire tales are known for...this story has a certain dark and subtle grace all of its own, and is told in a more personal tone, with beautiful and very detailed diction, and a downright haunting undercurrent running through it. This is the story of Ariella, a sheltered young girl of 13, beginning to explore the possibilities of the world for the first time - but who comes to learn that her world is quite different from any others'. In fact, everything she has been told about her family is a lie- and the reality is that certain members of her lineage are vampires, synesthetes, and those able to see apparitions. And the big question is...what is Ariella becoming...and...does she have a choice? The journey to find out takes her across the States, uncovering fascinating characters and experiences as she goes, contrasting completely different worlds and perceptions, until at last she finds her Mother, and the greatest mysteries are at last solved. Part coming of age tale, part supernatural story, Society of S certainly blurs the lines between fantasy and reality, and will have you turning the pages just to find out what is coming next - sort of like a train wreck, where, you don't want to know what will happen but at the same time, you can't look away. In general, this is a beautifully written book with a very unique plot - but I take half a star off because some people may find it a bit slow (those who want lots of action and gore should steer clear), and also because at times it seems as if nothing matters to the characters in this story. I also had to laugh greatly at a line on page 79 that says how witches "practise spells...and we're into role-playing." I'm still not quite sure if this was meant to come across as being sort of tongue-in-cheek, but in any case, this completely stereotyped line just cracked me up immensely. But other than that...definitely give this story a try, especially if you enjoy the literary atmospheres created by authors such as VC Andrews and Tanith Lee - Subtle, creepy, and getting its hooks into you and under your skin before you even know what hits you...
Click Here to visit author's website
Blood and Gold
by Anne Rice
ISBN number: 0739411543
Type of Book: Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5
Review : The latest and my second favourite of Rice's vampire chronicle novels to date! This is the story of enigmatic, honourable, tormented and ancient Marius. Bittersweet, beautifully told, and completely engrossing...generally fast moving, but in some places a bit slow.
Click Here to buy this book through Amazon.com
Something in The Blood
by Jeff Guinn
ISBN number: 0739411543The Vampire Sextette
Type of Book: reference/documentary
Rating: 4/5
Review : One of the most overlooked, but accurate and relatively non-judgemental looks into the world of real mortal vampirism today. Includes many great in-depth interviews with vampiric community "personalities" and various case studies, but sometimes overly in-depth with personal issues not related to vampirism, that it seems to veer off topic. (Also, as a side note, the book actually also does a good tongue-in-cheek job of pointing out the sometimes overwhelming politics of the vampyric community - the "I'm gothier/vampier than thou art" sort - which are still continuing to this day apparantly, if you read amazon.com's reviews)
Click Here to buy this book through Amazon.com
by Marvin Kaye (Editor)
ISBN number: 0739411543
Type of Book: Fiction Anthology
Rating: 4/5
Review : This is a wonderful collection of all new vampire short stories, written especially for this anthology. Among the popular vampire genre authors within, you will find Kim Newman, Nancy Collins, Brian Stableford, SP Somtow, Chelsea Quinn Yarbo, Tanith Lee. Though half of these stories are totally original stand-alone short pieces, the other half are short continuations of already popular novels/series by some of these authors (Kim Newman's "other side of midnight" continues on where "The Bloody Red Baron" left off, "Some Velvet Morning" by Nancy Collins contains the latest adventure of the infamous Sonja Blue, and Yarbo's "In the Face of Death" is tangentially linked to her famous series on Saint Germaine), but for the most part this collection of stories can be enjoyed by anyone.My, my...to see so many notorious and brilliant, although largely underrated modern authors of the vampire genre in one place...what a dream come true! This little gem was put together by the Science Fiction bookclub, and is supposed to be an exclusive, although since it has an ISBN, I'm sure it is available elsewhere too. But you won't find the stories themselves written anywhere outside this novel. If you're a fan of fictional vampiress/slayer Sonja Blue, or you love Kim Newman's historical vampire stories, then you will not want to miss this book. If you also love the works of Tanith Lee, Chelsea Quinn Yarbo, and SP Somtow, you'll also want to check this book out, for definate. There is also the rather intriguing, refreshingly different story of "Sheena" written by Brian Stableford (who brought us such vamp oddities as Empire of Fear - a fave of mine - and The Hunger). The character of Sheena could be a fairly decent description of a real life, modern vampire, which is why it struck me. "Some Velvet Morning" has Sonja Blue fighting the infamous Elizabeth Bathory, and Newman's "The Other side of Midnight" casts Orson Welles into a vampiric twist, along with the return of Geneviève Dieudonné who was with us in previous novels Anno Dracula and the Bloody Red Baron. Yarbo's "In the Face of Death" meanwhile brings us a new vampire character during the Civil war, and the story is tangentially linkes to her Saint Germain series. Lee's "The Isle full of Noises" and Somtow's Vanilla Blood include some new types of vampires and some original plotline. Lee's story is a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's the Tempest and is written in her own distinct darkly lavish and ambiance decadance and decay, while Somtow's vampires are appropriately nasty.
Finally, there is also an interesting brief commentary on vampires and blood by Marvin Kay who has edited many former vampire and horror collections himself. Overall this is just simply an impressive, very promising and good anthology of vampire short stories, if you enjoy that sort of thing. Also has lovely jacket art designed by fantasy art master Luis Royo. The only problem I can find with this book is, as I've said, should you have never read some of the predecessor books whose sequel stories are contained within The Vampire Sextette, then you may be a little lost and you may lose some of the appeal, because naturally the characters won't seem as well developed to you as they might do otherwise. But if you're looking to get to know some of the top authors out there in the genre without having to wade through a full-length novel, then this is a good sort of "sampler" to consult first. But primarily, it is intended for plain fun...as well as a collection treasure for vamp fiction die-hards (and I'll be the first to admit I qualify for the latter category, hehe).
Click Here to buy this book through Amazon.com~More to come - Stay tuned! ~
Film Review
"I am only looking for the cinematograph;
I understand it is the wonder of the civilized world."
- Bram Stoker's Dracula (1994 Coppola movie)
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
Made in: 2001Dracula 2000
Type of Film: Horror/Anime
Starring:N/A
Rating: 4/5
Review : So, we all know I'm not a terribly big anime fan (hence the lack of the final rating star), but hey...I have a soft spot in my heart for Vampire Hunter D with it's beautiful imagery and interesting characters. "Bloodlust" lives up to and greatly surpasses its predecessor, the original "Vampire Hunter D" . I wish they'd make real movies with these characters and this scenery...Tim Burton, for example, could have a field day creating the nice errie gothic lush settings to mirror the beautiful artwork. The plot is pretty simple, but the direct contrast between our two lead females - the silkily evil Carmilla and the innocent yet soulful Charlotte - is quite gripping. And of course, D's ever the cool, torn lead.
Click Here to buy this movie through Amazon.com
Made in: 2000Ultraviolet
Type of Film: Horror
Starring: Gerard Butler, Johnny Lee Miller, Justine Waddell,...
Rating: 2/5
Review : What can I say about Drac 2000? First off...this is your typical Wes Craven movie...it really is, slightly remeniscent of Clive Barker's "Lord of Illusions", perhaps, only with a vampire of course as the central "bad guy". Lots of blood and interesting slices of horror scenes (I always laugh at the people in the cinema who visibly wince and cringe at the sight of blood being shed or someone getting their head chopped off, etc, hehe). Scantily clad women...a fairly good looking Dracula...lots of amusing, albeit somtimes cheesey lines. I'll say one thing for this movie tho...it has some incredible special effects, some very original ways of slicing and dicing people, and some truly awesome camera shots. Make sure you keep quiet during the movie (or if your cinema has obnoxiously loud people in it, like mine did, to tune them out)so you don't miss some of the lines which can't decide whether they want to be cheesy or funny. Make sure you also revel in the sumptuous backdrops of New Orleans and London as well as some of the other interesting settings. Forgive some of the bad actors (oh well, at least most of them got their accents right...) Root for the vampires (go on, you know you want to...the gals are ...well...vampy, and Drac is just so cool). Try and figure out the plotline as the main characters do. Hang on their every word (believe me, you will need it). Try not to get upset when the whole reason for Dracula's being as well as when the story we all know of Bram Stoker's Dracula doesn't quite gel with this new interpretation. Enjoy the new twist. Lastly, and most importantly. Go to this movie to have fun and enjoy some eye candy, some cheap amusement and a reasonably decent cast of actors and storyline. Go with the expectation of seeing a Wes Craven film rather than a vampire film. Serve cold. Drink. Enjoy (or at least...enjoy)
Click Here to buy this movie through Amazon.com
Made in: 1998Queen of the Damned
Type of Film: Drama Series
Starring: Jack Davenport, Susannah Harker (I), Dr. Angela 'Angie' March, Idris Elba, Vaughan Rice, Philip Quast, Colette Brown, Fiona Dolman
Rating: 3/5
Review : TV series from Britain, originally aired in the US on Showtime and Sci-Fi channels in 2000, now available in aVHS or DVD set. Very stylish drama with a great plot that comes off more as a detective series with the "criminal element" being vampiric. And these vampires are modern, fully integrated into society, taking care of their human food sources (at risk from aids, other diseases, etc) from behind the scenes, and recruiting some into their ranks. A special government team is sanctioned to hunt vampires down and eliminate them...our lead character, played by Jack Davenport, finds himself drawn into this dark underworld and must make his choices which is "good and evil" between the vampires themselves or the government agency hunting them down. I enjoyed the unique plotline, the fully modernized vampires, the acting, although there were some very superfluous, rather dull moments too that distracted rather than enhanced the story.
Click Here to buy this movie through Amazon.com
Made in: 2002
Type of Film: Horror
Starring: Aaliyah, Stuart Townsend, Vincent Perez, Lena Olin, Marguerite Moreau
Rating: 3/5
Review : Ah, the long-awaited combo-adaptation of Rice's novels "The Vampire Lestat" and "Queen of the Damned". My expectations for the movie have been like a roller coaster...at first they were high, then as I discovered news they were "teenifying" and combining the novels hopes became low, and in the most recent months as previews came about hopes gradually rose to the point that ":hmm, this could be actually decent after all". So, it is with ambiguous expectations I finally went to see "QOTD", and with happily surprised, faintly amused results I came out. Do not go to see this expecting it to be faithful to the novel, nor expecting it to be consistent with its film predecessor; "Interview with the Vampire". QOTD instead, is a good film in its own right with some nice effects, overall good acting (especially on the parts of Stuart Townsend and the late Aaliyah), and interesting filmography. The whole rock video style is a great idea that worked very well to set the tone of the movie...the statues of Enkil and Akasha were spectacular, and in general the vampires looked good. There were; however some incredibly cheesy lines and moments (Especially on the part of Vincent Perez who reminded me sometimes of an exaggerated drag queen...no offense, just not exactly what I pictured Marius to be like). Then there were the other elder "main" vampires - Armand, Pandora, Khayman, etc..who got maybe 1% character development each, if they were lucky. The character of David Talbot was very bothersome and seemingly pointless in the film. I also didn't much like the use of flashing scenes of pictures while vamps were drinking blood...there were more artistic, creative ways they could have demonstrated their point, I felt. One thing I really loved was the way this movie was filmed tho; here are many scenes in which the camera moves in such a way as to appear to creep around corners...plus there is truly some unique artistic vision gone into setting up shots (gotta love that scene in the bathtub, and then the pool and beach littered with bodies). I'm not going to take points off for not keeping to the book, (even tho I don't like the ending in this too much)...the film stands up well by itself, although it does give the sense of being hurried and incomplete when all is said and done. Then again, after reading the books, I suppose that's to be expected...perhaps it's different if you watch the movie while never having read the novels. Try not to feel bad for Akasha...cmon, you wanted the "good guys" to win (what good guys?)...but Akasha's just so damned cool, and so terribly drawn to Lestat (hehe, but then who isn't?). Still..In the end, just watch the movie to have fun and expect to want to laugh during the movie at serious moments betimes but still become utterly engrossed with the look and feel of it at overall.
Click Here to buy this movie through Amazon.com
~More to come - Stay tuned!
~
Music Review
"The children of the night, what music they
make!" - Dracula, Bram Stoker
Boo Hoo
by Voltaire
Type of Music: Alternative gothic rockWhere Shadows Lie
Rating:4/5
Review : Voltaire is a well known figurehead in gothic/vampyric alternative music these days. Known for his darkly amusing lyrics, his lively and decadently fun persona, and his theatrical gypsy-violin enhanced tunes, voltaire has brought us such infamous songs as "Ex Lover's Lovers", "Dracula Disco" and the much beloved "when you're Evil". This is an album of gloomy, tragic love songs gone wrong. There is even a warning on the cover to not give this CD to your significant other! With songs such as "Future Ex Girlfriend" and "Hello Cruel World", that't not too hard too imagine why...hehe, can we say "bitter"? :)= While not as clever and entertaining as his former 2 albums, "Boo Hoo" still delivers in Voltaire style, with the melancholy violins, sardonic wit, and Danny Elfman-esque singing. For those of you who are Tori Amos fans, there's a great cover of "Caught a Little Sneeze" here too...and for those of us who take ourselves too seriously within the vampyric community, there is also the very highly amusing "The Vampire Club". Enjoy, and serve on a cold bitter night of unrequited love!
Click Here to buy this album through Amazon.com
by Bella Morte
Type of Music: Alternative gothic rockHow We Quit the Forest
Rating:4/5
Review : Bella Morte is an Alexandria, Virginia-based group which has achieved some fame amongst the current gothic community mostly on the East coast, although they are unfortunately still widely unknown. This is a great tragedy, I feel...for those of you who are fans of the Cure, Joy Division, Bauhaus and other such "old school" 80's gothic classics, Bella Morte is sure to delight. Their lyrics are appropriately dark and moody, melodies melancholic and highly remeniscent of the golden era of goth music (so to speak) with a newer, more snyth-pop type of twist from time to time. This is not a terribly surprising result, when you consider that the album is produced by Cleopatra, and that a song of theirs also appeared on Vampire:The Masquerade's "Succubus club" collection.. In any case, songs such as "Rain within her Hand", "Relics", and "Where Shadows lie" are guaranteed to be a wonderful thrill for those who can't quite bear the fact that the 80's is over (believe me, I know how you feel!). This may be the ideal album to guide you easily from the 80's into the 21st century (wow, you skip a whole decade in between!). "December Dreams" and the Dawning may induce memories of your twisted childhood. In short, buy this album if you're looking for something new, yet old. And if you're looking for something dark and melancholy, emotional and oooohhhh sooooo goth, then you can't go wrong with Bella Morte. The only prob I can find is that the lead singer's voice may start to grate on you after playing the album over and over again, but overall it's a wonderful CD by talented artists with a highly promising future. Keep a look out for Bella Morte...I have the distinct feeling you'll be hearing more about these guys in the future!
Click Here to buy this album through Amazon.com
by Raspuina
Type of Music: Alternative Gothic Cello Rock
Rating: 5/5
Review : Ah, Rasputina. I remember when this all-female cello playing, corset-wearing trio was virtually unknown...my, what a reputation they've gained since then!
Click Here to buy this album through Amazon.com
Batallion
by Sphere Laser
Type of Music: Ambiant rock
Rating: 3/5
Review : New rock music from an independent artist....combines classic darkish rock sounds with synth overtones, talented playing, pleasant vocals, and lyrics that convey a message (mostly political it would appear). Kind of reminds me of Queensrÿche with a more ambiant twist...Copy reviewed was promotional, so sound is a little hollow and needs a better recording to fully do the tunes justice. (And if you're a producer wanting a new, promising group to promote, call 864-859-9356)
Click Here to buy this album through Amazon.com
~More to come - Stay tuned! ~
Club Reviews
"The children of the night, what music they make!" - Dracula, Bram Stoker
Voodoo Lounge
San Francisco, CA - 2003
Type of Music played: Various goth sounds - industrial, 80's, moreRetrolution
Rating: 3.5/5
Address:
Review : The best thing about this club is it's size, since it is fairly large and can accomodate lots and lots of people. There are also many couches, tables and so forth to sit about and socialize. The bar has a decent stock and the lighting and music is good quality and does a good job of creating a pleasant ambiance in that sense. However, the club itself is not very decorated and looks somewhat sterile - much like the interior of a warehouse. It doesn't have a particularily inviting feeling from the outside either, though the staff is friendly enough. The night I visited, there were not many people...and the ones that came tended to drift in and out all night...which often gave the club a little bit of the impression of desertion. Not the greatest of clubs that SF has to offer, but definately not bad. I would recommend going there if you want a relatively mellow club to hang out at for the evening.
Norfolk, VA - 2000
Type of Music played: 80's goth and new wave~More to come - Stay tuned! ~
Rating: 5/5
Address:
Review : ~coming~
Events Review
"The children of the night, what music they make!" - Dracula, Bram Stoker
Lestat, the Musical
San Francisco Curran Theater World Premiere 12/17/05
Music by/story by: Elton John/Anne RiceLe Bal des Vampires
Rating: 4/5
Review : I have the suspicion that this musical will meet with very mixed reviews from people. It is on one hand awesome, on the other hand a definate work in progress....though considering this is it's pre-showing, on opening night, before it hits Broadway, it's not surprising it needs some tweaking.
The best part about this show was the cast. Hugh Panaro, in my opinion, carried this musical - portraying Lestat at Anne Rice envisioned him down to a tee. Carolee Carmello also did an awesome job as Gabrielle. Those were the two standout performances, but everyone else did a fantastic job, also. Singing was great, acting was moving...this aspect of the show was perfect.
Sets were simple yet beautiful, making use of projection screens quite a bit. This was an interesting effect as it invited the audience to perceive the visions of a vampire as he is feeding, being fed from, and so forth. The sets were quite well suited to what one would imagine while reading the original book, with a dark and dream-like quality befitting the storyline. Costumes are also quite lovely - dark and dramatic, with an old world elegance. The overall effect was that the show came out to be very movie-like.
The music itself; however, is where this show begins to fall apart. Not completely, just a little, as I will explain. The show has a weak, slow beginning which does not really draw the audience in. Many musicals begin with a large ensemble performance, lavish sets, and a rousing musical piece that sets the tone and engages the audience. This show basically has Lestat singing a slow-ish tune, as you are drawn back from the present day into the past - as he relates his story via his laptop computer. The next few songs, though they progress the plotline, are so similar sounding and slow paced that I found myself sitting there growing anxious and somewhat bored. Eventually, things pick up about the time Lestat and Nicolas begin to chat about their dreams of going to Paris, which is followed by a very dramatic scene of Lestat being turned into a vampire by Magnus. The show progresses from there and is very true to the books - which is much appreciated - though they did cut out some parts, presumably due to time constraints. Music is haunting and hypnotic, dark and appropriate to the show overall...but some of the songs sound soooo similar, that it did get a bit monotonous. If they cut out a few songs and crunched some unnecessary moments down a bit, this show would be much more enjoable, I think. And yes...it DOES sound like Elton John music...just, Elton John having a dark moment....so it works. The lyrics are beautiful and poignant, though, and there are several very dramatic and showstopping numbers...such as "Crimson Kiss" (sung by Gabrielle), "Origin of the Species" (sung at the Theatre of the vampires), "Welcome to the New World" (sung when Lestat comes to America) and "I want more" (sung by Claudia).
With a little bit of tweaking and crunching, this musical will be awesome. I suspect it will make a great name for itself on Broadway, also, though I consider myself very fortunate to have been a part of it's world debut. I would certainly recommend it to fans of the books, or dark musicals in general.
Pleasanton, CA - November 2004Gathering of the Coven (vampire Lestat fan club)
Sponsored by: http://www.Peers.org
Rating: 5/5
Review : This is a fantastic vampire themed ball put on anually by historic reenacment group, peers.org. Everyone who attends is fantastically costumed...wine and drinks are available...you can dance to courtly dances of various eras (lessons are also available)...and there is a theatrical performance by the Theatre des vampires and an awesome live band specializing in gypsy-style music. Very old-world feeling ball...moderately lavish...and if you like to dance, you definately won't be bored. However, if you're not big on dancing, you may find yourself standing around twiddling your thumbs quite a bit.
New Orleans, LA - October 1998Vampire tour of San Francisco
Sponsored by: The Vampire Lestat fan club (now defunked)
Rating: 5/5
Review : Though now sadly defunked (but recently reborn under new owners!), the Vampire Lestat fan club sure knew how to throw a party. This was such an awesome night...Anne Rice gave a speech, several fabulous bands were playing on 3 different floors, and mostly everyone was nicely attired and having a good time. Photographs, souvenirs, drinks (I had too many Hurricanes that night myself, hehe), and dancing were all available. The location was nicely decorated in several styles and themes and the music was such that it provided a little bit of something for everyone. Only problem I had was based on the fact that this event was spread across 3 floors...and since there was only a small stairwell to access each floor, getting to the different floors was quite challenging. Especially for women in long poofy skirts. Le Sigh. But still....a fun night overall.
San Francisco, CA - 2003
Sponsored by: sfvampiretour.com
Rating: 4/5
Review : A fun little tour of San Francisco...although it's focused more on ghost stories than vampire tales. In fact, the biggest thing related to vampires about this tour is the hostess - Kitty Burns, aka Mina Harker - who relates her story of coming to San Francisco as a vampire. So...in short, it's a bit hokey...but it's all in good fun...and the tour is still very entertaining and informative and worth every penny. Spectacular views of the city and visits to many locations, including haunted hotels and restaurants, make for a fun night out :)= I would definately recommend a trip to anyone visiting San Francisco.