These are not romantic vampires. These are vampires that poop. Everywhere. All the time. They are apparently related to rats, or at least share many characteristics with them, namely they can't throw up and they are incontinent...and their urine and feces glows in UV lights (with rats it's black light). Applying this behavior to other vampires is hilarious. Cullen squatting over a toilet constantly, whilst sparkling and dropping nuclear-glow turds definitely appeals to my puerile since of humor.
Another thing I liked about this was the vampires as parasitic viruses. The virus seems to be carried and sustained by a worm, which prolongs the life of the host, but weakens it to sunlight and (for some reason) silver. Somewhat similar to the superior Necroscope series, but I like the semi-scientific explanation of vampires and how they work. On some level, it makes the vampires more and less terrifying at the same time. Less terrifying because if there's a scientific explanation, there's a scientific solution. More terrifying because it puts the phenomena on our level; it makes it real. It makes everyone susceptible to it, because you don't have to do anything stupid like invite a vampire into your house or break a cursed seal on some bottle or be walking out on a full moon.
You know what else makes vampires terrifying? Their humanity. But it has to be that perfect balance of human and depravity. I know for me, I'm not afraid so much of the monster, but of the human, and not knowing where the line is. It's part of the reason I enjoyed the Buffy versions of vampires, the idea that the demon enhanced current underlying violent and hidden tendencies. Even as they were making fun of the vampires (namely Spike), you could imagine them being placed in a different setting and completely wreaking havoc. In the end, what's more horrifying than what we can do to each other? We expect horrible things from monsters. To realize that we are the monster...who is safe from that?
My review can be found on Goodreads.
I love this post! The Fall has been on my wish list for a while now, and I can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteHaha,
ReplyDeleteThanks Trisha. My fiance enjoyed this one too, if only because it mentions glow-in-the-dark poop.
Vampire poop appeals to my sense of humor, too.
ReplyDeleteDid someone say Buffy the Vampire Slayer? I have like a sixth sense for knowing when my beloved show is mentioned. You pretty much nailed why the vamps (and the mythology) was so much better on Buffy than the current abundance of vampire fiction inundating us. They were romantic, in some ways, but there was always the danger, and that was so much hotter. Plus, I mean, Spike...no vampire can top him (though I'm sure there is plenty of fanfic imagining just that scene....).
ReplyDelete