Vampires: A Collection of Original Stories
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Book Summary Information
Editor: Jane YolenEditor: Martin H. Greenberg
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-08-01
ISBN: 0060502223
Number of pages: 240
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Publisher: HarperTrophy
Book Reviews of Vampires: A Collection of Original Stories
Book Review: Vampire Bites
Summary: 5 Stars
Looking for a vampire anthology you can sink your teeth into? Editors Jane Yolen and Martin H. Greenberg have teamed up to deliver a collection of young teen stories that feature bloodsuckers of all types and time streams. If you're a vampire fan or just a fan of short stories in general, you might want to check this one out. While geared for the young-teen market, the quality and variety should be enough to appeal to even adult fans of the vampire genre.
Vampires are a subject matter that has captured many imaginations over the years. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is only one of the latest of this theme. Veteran author Jane Yolen launches off this collection with a brief introduction into the worldwide legends about vampires, giving readers a window into why she has brought together this collection for our reading enjoyment. A scan through of the names in this anthology will reveal some familiar authors: Charles de Lint, Esther M. Friesner, Josepha Sherman, Lawrence Watt-Evans and Jane Yolen herself are a few of the most notable in 13 story collection. Other than having young protagonists and including the theme of vampires, the tone, setting and type of story vary widely.
The book opens with the very brief "Nobody has to Know" by James D. MacDonald and Debra Doyle. The story is told entirely in dialog, and is delightful introduction to the rest of the book. De Lint's "There's No Such Thing" takes place in modern day-a touching story about the bond between sisters, and the real predators that lurk in the world. Not De Lint's best work, but a pleasant read. "Curse of the Undead" by Chuck Rothman is a hysterical look at what happens when our young hero comes back as one of the "undead" and finds things don't work at all like they do in the stories. On a more gothic note is "Blood Kin" by Delia Sherman, a dark and spine tingling story of a young orphan who is taken in by some very frightening cousins. It's a bit long at times, but very atmospheric, and nice touch for this anthology. "Miss Emily's Roses" by Mary Frances Zambreno was my least favorite of the collection, being a vaguely dark story about the bond between two sisters. From that story, we go onto Esther Friesner's "The Blood-Ghoul of Scarsdale" which is a first person account of our heroines encounter with a young vampire at the mall-like, really. While the style of speech gets a bit overblown valley girl at times, and makes the story a bit dated, it's still pretty funny.
"The Magic-Stealer" by Josepha Sherman, would be at home in just about any fantasy story anthology as it weaves a coming of age story in a small village where a young girl must come to grips with her own power to defeat the evil that threatens her. Mary K. Whittington tells the tale of our protagonist facing a very young vampire in "Ahvel". It's a charmingly story that nevertheless has quite a chill to it. Probably the most unusual story in this collection is Phyllis Ann Karr's "A Cold Stake", which opens in a future where there is a curious relationship between the real and the imagined. Karr's story focuses more on the relationship between the young people in the book than on the actual vampirism. "Blood Libel" by Leigh Ann Hussey is one of my favorites of this collection. This is a powerful story of a Jewish vampire who strives to retain his humanity and his faith, in the face of his new nature. Beautiful and poignant. "Aunt Horrible's Last Visit" by Jeff Hecht is a spooky story about a very nasty relative coming for a visit, and how she's thwarted. My hands-down favorite in the collection is Jane Yolen's bittersweet "Mama Gone" which is a beautifully chilling first person narrative from the young heroine who must find a way to defeat evil with her own courage and love. It still manages to bring tears to my eyes to read it. The anthology closes with "Richie" by Lawrence Watt-Evans-a bittersweet look at a modern vampire looking for love, and what that means for him.
There's no story in this anthology that is without some merit, and most of them are great reading. Even though this collection is over ten years old, it still has the same power and impact it had when first published. This is a perfect volume for reading about vampires in small doses-excellent for a young teen reader just discovering horror and speculative fiction. If you enjoy this and are looking for more vampire fiction, be sure to check out THE SILVER KISS by Annette Curtis Klause and COMPANIONS OF THE NIGHT by Vivian Vande Velde. If you are interested in other speculative fiction anthologies, 2041 edited by Jane Yolen is also an excellent collection of stories for young teens.
Curl up with this book for some thrills and chuckles, but be sure to bring a sharpened stake and plenty of garlic!
Happy Reading ^_^ Shanshad
Summary of Vampires: A Collection of Original Stories
...when night falls,there's no telling
who you might meet
You might meet him at the mall, a handsome boy with a gift for finding bargains. You may come across him sheltered in a town's synagogue. You may see her transformed into a bat on her way home from a long night out. You might find him lying in wait beneath a garlic-draped grave. Or, it might be someone you already know...
There's something for everyone in this eclectic collection of thirteen original vampire stories -- some funny, some spooky, all ghoulishly good!
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