10 great vampire books in 10 minutes
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10 Creepy Horror books: • 10 great atmospheric h...
Books discussed:
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Vivia by Tanith Lee
Anno Dracula by Kim Newman
Vampire Junction by SP Somtow
Woman Eating by Claire Kodha
Throat Sprockets by Tim Lucas
Live Girls by Ray Garton
The Light at the End by John Skipp and Craig Spector
'Salem's Lot by Stephen King
I am Legend by Richard Matheson
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Пікірлер: 158
4 books I would have included are They Thirst by Robert Mccammon, Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice, Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin, and The Hunger by Whitley Strieber
@asherscott3151
4 ай бұрын
Fevre Dream made me care about steamboats 😂
@user-qk4jr7nu5i
3 ай бұрын
Mccammonn edited a vampire anthology called under the fang. Thought it was very good.
@MichaelRomeoTalksBooks
3 ай бұрын
@@user-qk4jr7nu5i I need to track that down
Not a novel, but a novella, and fitting in with Occult Detective month, you can't forget Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. It predated Bram Stoker's Dracula by 26 years.
For those not normally into vampire books I’d recommend: - Fledgling, Octavia Butler - Blindsight, Peter Watts
@Tokayd13
10 ай бұрын
The vampire in Blindsight was creepy as hell. I also wanted more of him...
Would recommend They Thirst, by Robert McCammon. Read it in the early 90's and really loved. Also, Lost Souls, by Poppy Z Brite
The Passage and its 2 follow-ups were some of my favorite vampire novels. I'm a sucker for apocalypse novels and the sense of loneliness here, on a species level, was great.
@Tokayd13
10 ай бұрын
I loved The Passage and its sequels!
@sethkodiak
10 ай бұрын
Oh my gosh no question. Some of the best, most descriptive, poetic writing I’ve ever read while keeping the story moving. My favorite book and trilogy of all time.
Oh, you mentioned Tanith Lee and I do love Tanith Lee! Thank you for highlighting her! (RIP, gone too soon). I have most (but not all) of these, and I've read through the comments. Worth mentioning Chelsea Quinn Yarbrough's Saint Germain series, for those who want to read lots of books about a character. With a historical basis. Not the creepiest, but solid. And btw, what a great idea for the month - a weekly top 10 horrid topics! Love it.
One of my favorite books of all time is Sunshine by Robin McKinley. The main character is a baker and the book is filled with lushious descriptions of food which provide a counter point to all the gristly, bloody vampire scenes. Its about prejudice and consumption and overcoming trama all while being a Really Fun time
Surprised Let The Right One In wasn't on this list. I loved it!
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
I loved it too but forgot about it 😂
@georgebennett1242
10 ай бұрын
@@CriminOllyBlog understandable with the volume of books you read!
@GoranCK
10 ай бұрын
@CriminOllyBlog Hehe,it's tough to do a top 10 list,one always remembers stuff to late😂
The Necroscope series by Brian Lumley is one of the best vampire stories. The Strain series by Guillermo del Toro is also fantastic, and I am a sucker for the Sookie Stackhouse books (aka True Blood) by Charlaine Harris.
@julesf494
9 ай бұрын
Second this!! Absolutely love the Necroscope series
Fantastic list! I hope you do others like this. As mentioned by others here, I recommend Let the Right In. I loved the film and the book even more.
@shalimarlittle8374
5 ай бұрын
Same. My absolute favorite.
Another vote for "Fevre Dream" . Here's one that everyone's forgotten about, the very creepy "Some of Your Blood" by Theodore Sturgeon.
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
I'll check out the Sturgeon one - thank you!
I really enjoyed this video, Olly, and your picks are spot-on. Other novels you should consider in the genre are: 1. Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons - psychic vampires 2. They Thirst by Robert McCammon - vampires infest Los Angeles 3. The Necroscope series by Brian Lumley - H.P. Lovecraft by way of Ian Fleming 4. Let The Right One In by John Alvide Lyndqvist - Lingonberry vampires (extra gory) 5. The Vampyricon Trilogy by Douglas Clegg - epic in scale, sword and sorcery at its best (with vampires) and, of course 6. The entire series of novels by author Les Daniels, featuring Don Sebastien de Villanueva , from the Spanish Inquisition thru the Aztec Empire, and beyond Again, I really dig your channel. P.S. That series of vampire novels by Kim Newman are real corkers. Love them!
Great list Olly! I would recommend Let The Right One In and Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons, as a completely different kind on psychic vampire novel. I also enjoyed a very strange, supposedly YA vampire romance when I was younger: Sunshine by Robert McKimley. I did not see the YA or romance in it but found it quite dark and enjoyable. May give it a re-read for GarbAugust next year.
I would recommend Interview with a vampire by Anne Rice. Only read Dracula this year for the first time x
Underrated and never mentioned vampire books imo are Necroscope by Brian Lumley, and Enter Night by Michael Rowe.
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
Necroscope very nearly made the list! I need to read more of the series
I recommend The Delicate Dependency by Michael Talbot... the most unique vampire book I've read. edited to add a recommendation for a Tanith Lee short story called Bite-Me-Not or, Fleur de Feu
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
Thanks for the recommendations!
Good evening! What about FEVRE DREAM!?!?! George RR Martin. I read it at age 16 in 1989/90. Superb take on Vampires
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
I need to read that! And have done since I was about the same age when I had a copy and never got round to reading it!
@BartlebyScriv
10 ай бұрын
You must say what you think when you do! I’m well intrigued as I love your estimations
@kevinbartlett9499
10 ай бұрын
It's awesome Olly
Great list, and even better idea for a spooky season series. Completely agree that Salem's Lot is one of the great vampire novels.
The Summoning by Bentley Little. Little can be hit or miss, but when he's on, he is great.
"The vampire lestat" by Anne Rice would have been the second book on my list after Dracula
@CleaSelene
10 ай бұрын
Innnnteresting, why Lestat and not Interview? _honest curiosity_
@Tokayd13
10 ай бұрын
I would have chosen both, but I think Lestat is interesting because Lestat is just so gleeful about it all. Louis rejected, Lestat embraced. @@CleaSelene
Interview With a Vampire by Ann Rice is my number one.
I have anno dracula on my shelf an really need to read it. Thank you for talking about it!
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
Hope you enjoy it!
I'd add the amazing The Passage by Justin Cronin. A fantastic book that was a real epic. loved it, though the rest of the trilogy was a bit of a disappointment. Secondly, The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan. A real roller-coaster ride of a story.
Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist is an amazing vampire book and book in general
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
Yeah I really don’t know how I forgot about that one when I made the list 🤦🏻♂️
Ever read the Last Vampire series by Christopher Pike (renamed Thirst)? That’s my favourite.
@CriminOllyBlog
9 ай бұрын
I haven’t! I’ve actually not read any Pike but hoping to remedy that soon
Hi Ollie, have you ever read Blood Sucking Fiends? A truly different creature, a funny vampire novel.
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
I haven't, but have heard good things about it!
Dowry of Blood by S.T Gibson was a five star read for me, beautifully written.
@Kritz_Reads
10 ай бұрын
Agreed!
Awesome list Olly! Salem’s Lot is my favorite Stephen King book. I’ve never read I Am Legend, but I’ve heard it’s a great book.
Great list olly! I have vampire junction on my tbr shelf very much looking forward to reading it. I’ve read all the Anno Dracula series up to Daikaiju they are great reads! I’ve never heard of Vivia but am intrigued so will be looking out for that one. Great video,happy reading 📚💜✨
almost forgotten Vampire Junction, don't know if I even have it now. Other recommendations are Freda Warrington's unofficial Dracula sequel Dracula the Undead, the Vamphyrric series by Simon Clark, They Thirst by Robert McCammon, Fevre Dream by George RR Martin and Sherlock Holmes & Count Dracula by Christian Klaver
The southern book club's guide to slaying vampires by Grady Hendrix...Just the title sold it to me😂But the book is great and super-fun to read.Grady's writing style is just so easy and movie-like and characters are always 👍
@chriscze6153
10 ай бұрын
Fully agree with this!
How about Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin? Mark Twain meets Bram Stoker (not literally!) in an excellent novel that I would love to see filmed one day.
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
I really need to read that! I did almost include it as one I mean to read soon
Fevre Dream is my favourite vampire novel.
@kevinbartlett9499
10 ай бұрын
Great read and very underrated
@emilyo.5224
10 ай бұрын
Same!
great list, I haven't heard of quite a few of these. I recently got a copy of Vampire Junction from a friend, so it was fun to see it on your list.
Not finished The Historian (Elizabeth Kostova) yet, but it's good so far. Also The Keep (F Paul Wilson), Necroscope (Brian Lumley), BlindSight ( Peter Watts).
You've missed the incredible series of books from Michael Romkey, beginning with I, Vampire. Stellar books.
@CriminOllyBlog
9 ай бұрын
Not heard of those - will take a look. Thanks!
Happy to see Anno Dracula on this list! One of my favorite series!
@CriminOllyBlog
9 ай бұрын
Such an entertaining book - I need to read more of the series
@beaniebaby485
9 ай бұрын
It’s pretty fun. I will say the second one was a bit more difficult to get through for me but I had a great time with the other books in the series.
I love these top tens. I can't wait to see what the next one will be about.
This is a great video, so many great recs that I can't wait to dive into!
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
Thank you! Hope you enjoy them
I've decided to go back to vampires recently, as I really want to read Empire of the Vampire and see what the fuss is about. Reread Dracula this month, will reread Interview With The Vampire soon. Salem's Lot I read last year as part of my Dark Tower journey, excellent book. Small Town Stephen King is peak literature.
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
Yeah he does capture that small town vibe brilliantly
Do you have any other suggestions for other books that feature "cursed art"? That sounds super interesting.
@kj4673
4 ай бұрын
Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill
I always loved the Saga of Darren Shan books probably some of my favourite Vampire books. Fevre Dream and The Strain are great also!
Can't go wrong with Dracula! I've heard ups and down about Anno Dracula. And I recently read I am Legend and loved it and need to read both Salem's Lot and Vampire Junction.
Olly have you read Dowry of Blood S.T. Gibson and The Delicate Dependency by Michael Talbot? Dowry of blood was written so beautifully wasn’t a fan of some of the sex scenes- which I don’t mind in books but there are several of them in particular the last scene. But the book was written from a female perspective & is written beautifully. The Delicate Dependency is written by a gay author in 1982, he has since passed on. I loved it because it felt so much like the original Dracula. Thanks for the recs hope this gives u a few more to enjoy! Have Necroscope on my Oct TBR hoping that one is good. Happy fall Olly!
@CriminOllyBlog
5 ай бұрын
I haven't read either of those! Will have to seek them out - thank you!
Great list! I've read Salem's lot and Dracula
Nice fangs. I enjoyed I am Legend movie.
Mick Farren's Renquist quartet is superb. Never hear anything about them but highly recommended. Start with Time of the Feasting.
Bookmarking this video, AND all the comments suggestions. I love me some vampire fiction, but clearly there's a whole lot out there I wasn't even aware of! From your list I've only read Dracula, I Am Legend, and Salem's Lot. Others I've read are Interview with the Vampire and its sequels (Anne Rice) and The Passage and its sequels (Justin Cronin).
Justin Cronin's books (The Passage etc) are fairly good. A fun sarcastic one is Bad Blood by Chuck Wendig. Nothing deep but a quick fun read around the premise of what does a vampire do if most of the human race has become zombies that he can't eat.
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
I did try The Passage years ago but struggled with it. I’ll give it another try sometime
@chrisconnors7418
10 ай бұрын
@@CriminOllyBlog It doesn't work for some. I know The Shades of Orange didn't like it that much, IIRC(?).
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
@@chrisconnors7418well different books often land differently for different readers
I loved that book, Vampire Junction.
@CriminOllyBlog
16 сағат бұрын
Somtow is sadly overlooked as an author nowadays
Think you should have squeezed Let The Right One In as number 10 and a half 😄
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
I really don’t know how I missed that one because I love it!
A cool list! Added to my goodreads TBR! I recently finished reading CODE RED, a very entertaining read, with a very different spin on vampires!
Hi Olly, I love the channel. Great list. I read Erebus by Shaun Hutson years ago and remember really liking it.
That moved at a clip. Curious to see what the following 10s are going to be. I own but have never read Throat Sprockets. I read Tim Lucas' exhaustive/exhausting Mario Bava biography and still need a few years before I go back to the writer.
I am legend is classic and must say I did enjoy salems lot though I’ve only read it once in the 70s when it first came out may warrant a reread for Halloween . Had a copy of the passage for a while just not got to it and carrion comfort is one I must read as I love Dan Simmons. Some interesting choices there 👍🏻
Ray Garton is a favorite of mine, too. Live Girls is a treat.
I remember when it came out, Sunglasses After Dark by Nancy A. Collins was raved to the skies by most of the horror-covering media of the time, yet you never hear it mentioned in Vampire discussions anymore. I remember liking it a lot at the time, must try to find a cheap copy.
These '10 best' vids are great. Please consider doing them on the regular. Some of my fav vampire books, ones that I haven't heard you mention before, are The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, Dracul by JD Barker, A Long Time Dead by Samara Breger and The Taker by Alma Katsu. Plus I'm not embarrassed to admit that I didn't hate Twilight all those years ago when I read the series. Couldn't read them now though.
I just encountered a movie by the director Motton of Dracula -- I wonder what you think of it.
I like this list. Another to consider: "The Finno-Ugrian Vampire" by Hungarian author Noemi Szecsi. It's kind of an urban fantasy coming-of-age vampire novel. It feels like she either didn't learn or didn't care to use urban fantasy tropes and rules, which makes it a refreshing take on vampiric urban fantasy.
Mrs. Amworth by E F Benson. One of my favorite shorter vampire stories. Not sure when it was written but the author died in 1940, and there is a window scene. I’ve wondered if Stephen King was inspired by this story when he wrote ‘Salem’s Lot.
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
I’ll have to look that one up! Thank you
@geslinam9703
9 ай бұрын
Easy to find, it’s in a few anthologies, but I think you can also read it online.
@CriminOllyBlog
9 ай бұрын
@@geslinam9703 good to know!
Love vampires! Definitely my favorite nighttime creeper! I read Dracula in high school, but Anne Rice was my first vampire back in middle school actually. Maybe that’s why I love the creepy 😅
I’m reading Dracula right now too. Only I ordered a bad version on Kindle that skips chapters….I need to look for my hard copy. I loved the novella Carmilla, ‘Salem’s Lot of course, and both Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat. I want to read Whitley Streiber’s “The Hunger”
@MAguilera-qs6fv
5 ай бұрын
The Historian
Not vampires but i just got done watching the original frankenstein and bride of frankenstein. James Whale was some kind of mad genius director. He did two more horror movies after that and then moved on to other genres. At least we got four. I need to watch the movie on his life gods and monsters. Whale killed himself due to pain so a sad ending.😮😮😮
If you enjoy cursed objects/art and strange and (i think) exciting takes on vampire fiction i cant recommend “project vampire killer” by Johnathan rabb who also wrote the book “Camp Ghoul Mountain Part VI: The Official Novelization” his books are truly unique and utterly bizarre
Recently read "Empire of the vampire by Jay Kristoff" and it was a nice vampire story, not so spooky, more adventure and knight like, but still a good vampire story.
Not necessarily a top 10 contender, but what do you/do people think of Hogan/del Toro's The Strain? I really hated where book 2 and 3 went, but I found The Strain itself a really fun ride and I just adored the Van Helsing type character and wanted him protected at all cost ❤
I love the Anno Dracula series.
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
I definitely need to read more of them
Dark Dance from Tannith Lee is great but disturbing
Women Eating went strait to my wish list. The other ones only didnt because they were mostly already known to me. I would also like to mention Matt Haigs "The Radleys" A great and humourus vampire story - at least in my book. 🙂
WStrieber…The Hunger Let the. Right one in DSimmons….Carrion Comfort SClark….Vampiryc BLumley….Necroscope series JCronin…..The Passage trilogy Usually never discussed among horror fans JRollins..The Blood Gospel trilogy
Anyone who liked Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice, will find its sequel The Vampire Lestat fascinating. One of my favourites, even over IWTV.
That thumbnail is the best 😂
@CriminOllyBlog
5 ай бұрын
I think you’re the first person to spot it!
I really liked jay kristoff s empire of the vampire. And the hunger by whitley strieber
Have to recommend a book i;ve red a number of times and always enjoyed,The Journel of Edwin Underhill by Peter Tonkin.Long story short..a timid english teacher turns into a vampire after piercing his skin with a stake after falling into an ancient grave of a vampire...very atmospheric in the Hammer films vein and really exciting too!
"Let the right one In" warrants a mention and possibly "Interview with a vampire" as well. But a great list nonetheless. I need to hunt some of those down.
The suicide motor club and the lesser dead by Christopher Buehlman are pretty good too.
I have to admit I have only read two vampire novels all the way through. One is Dracula which I am re reading now and the other is Salam's lot which I am thinking about re reading. I got half way through Passage by Justin Cronin which is vary different type of vampire novel but couldn't get all the way through it. It starts off soul crushingly bleak and it some how gets worse as it goes along.
Dracula is really fantastic
Vampires by John Steakley is good
I am Legend 👍 It's the only one on the list I've read. 🤭
Surprised to see Empire of the vampire book not this list...
Definitely Anne Rice novels❤️
Great Top 10!😀👍... ....but Where's Necroscope?🤔
@CriminOllyBlog
2 ай бұрын
That did nearly make the list, great book. I need to continue with the series
@StingerXtro
2 ай бұрын
Same here, I only read the 1st book.
The Joe Pitt Casebooks was a really enjoyable vampire series.
I’m surprised that Anne Rice didn’t make your list.
Everyone giving great recommendations, also like to add the Vampire Tapestry by Charnas.
I am also rereading Dracula . My second time. I’m hoping To read Dan Simmons’ vampire books. But one book I’ve read which was very entertaining is Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan’s THE STRAIN trilogy. The first one is a lot of fun giving homage to the arrival of Dracula in London. He arrives on a boat. The vampire in THE STRAIN arrives on a plane. It starts of as a law enforcement investigation, then it blows up from there.
@CleaSelene
10 ай бұрын
Oh, missed this comment when I wrote mine 😅 Then let me ask here, what did you think of The Fall and The Night Eternal, though? I had a lot of fun with the Strain, but really hated the - how do I keep this spoiler free - spin they gave the vampire mythology in the later books, pretty much leaving the innitial sciency approach to the wayside.
@juanmorales9738
10 ай бұрын
@@CleaSelene well I can’t remember exactly why but I got about halfway on the second one and I didn’t finish it or read the third one. But I’ve always wanted to try to read them. Like you I did enjoy the first one. It was great.
That thumbnail 😂🧛♂️👌🏽
Please do top 10 slasher books
Good video!!!
The summoning - Bentley little
VAMPIRES FOREEEEEVEEER/
@CriminOllyBlog
10 ай бұрын
Until you stake them
Dang no Twilight Mercy Thompson Sookie stackhouse Vampire academy Vampire diaries
Yasss ! I love me some vampire fiction
No Anne Rice?
Highly recommend Fevre Dream GRRM
@CriminOllyBlog
Күн бұрын
I have heard great things about that
@ulyssesgonzalez2068
Күн бұрын
@@CriminOllyBlog I have an extra copy, if you would like I can send it to you.
READ: None WANT: Three* NEW WORDS LEARNED: Oneⁿ *I Am Legend *Salem's Lot *Dracula ⁿSplatterPunk
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