Bookverdict.com

Literary interest in vampires never dies. Adams, assistant editor at the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and anthologist (Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse), has assembled a superb mixture of modern vampire tales that range from humor to horror, from poignant to romantic. Neil Gaiman begins the volume with a macabre retelling of the Snow White fairy tale, "Snow, Glass, Apples." Barbara Hambly's "Sunrise on Running Water" is the hilarious story of a vampire who chooses to sail on the unsinkable Titanic. And in the chilling "One for the Road," Stephen King revisits Salem's Lot. Other authors include Kelley Armstrong, Lilith Saintcrow, Carrie Vaughn, Joe Hill, and Brian Stableford. Unfortunately, editor Penzler's compilation disappoints. Owner of New York City's popular Mysterious Bookshop and editor of The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps, Penzler gathered 84 stories in a volume of more than 1000 unwieldy pages. Present are well-known, nicely wrought stories like Sheridan Le Fanu's "Carmilla" and Bram Stoker's "Dracula's Guest," but missing are significant tales like Suzy McKee Charnas's "The Unicorn Tapestry" and the Saint-Germain stories by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. Included is an extensive bibliography of vampire novels and short stories. Verdict Highly recommended for all vampire fiction fans. Only libraries with large horror collections should consider purchase of The Vampire Archives.-Patricia Altner, BiblioInfo.com, Columbia, MD Copyright 2009 Media Source Inc. Copyright 2009 Media Source Inc. ...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Adult/High School This collection of more than 80 tales and poems has been meticulously compiled for rabid vampire-lit fans to sample and enjoy. The book is divided into 13 distinct sections. Stories predating "Dracula" include Edgar Allan Poe's "Ligeia" and Sheridan Le Fanu's "Carmilla." "Classic Tales" features Bram Stoker's "Dracula's Guest," published posthumously and edited from the final draft of "Dracula". Unexpectedly include...Log In or Sign Up to Read More