Here you will find reviews and commentaries on various books that should suite the pallette of any real vampire afficionado. We'll also include reviews and commentaries on books Lestat has read (as seen in the Chronicles) or books he would be interested in. If you'd like to review a book, or reccommend one, please e-mail me. Rating System:
Selection for 10/27/02:
Rating: Most Rice fans are familiar with some of Katherine Ramsland's previous works, particularly her biography on Anne ("Prism of the Night"), and her "Vampire Companion." Ramsland has published other books on vampires that are not as specific or fanatical in their devotion to Rice's contributions to the vampire genre, and "The Science of Vampires" falls into that category. This particular book concerns itself with certain aspects of vampire mythology and folklore, and how said aspects can be viewed within the context of modern science. The reader will find essays on the deconstruction of vampire crime scenes using modern forensics (which, while interesting, come off as slightly laughable), as well as treatises on how one can view the physical transformation a mortal would undergo in becoming a vampire in terms of genetics and biology. This, by far, is one of the more interesting parts of the book because it attempts to shed some truth on how/if it is truly physically possible that vampires are actually out there; you'll atleast be left wondering after reading what Ramsland has to say. Also included are some psychological musings on the vampire myth. Those looking for some hardcore vampire reading might want to shy away because Ramsland tends to get bogged down with the technical jargon from time to time, and while it's certainly engrossing to a point, it can be somewhat distracting. If you one of those that are more enamored of the fantasy and escapist aspects of the vampire legend, you might also want to take this book with a grain of salt, since the subject material is often devoid of any and all romanticism one might find in any modern vampire novel. This makes an interesting addition to the vampire afficianado's library if only for the fact that there aren't many books like it on the market. Previous Selections:
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