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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
Five reasons to grab your earbuds and listen to The Last American Vampire
Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
- I love history and Grahame-Smith weaves vampires into some of the biggest events in history from the folks who disappeared at Roanoke to JFK’s assassination. He takes us to London, with Jack the Ripper and introduces us to Tesla, Edison and Mark Twain. It was riveting from his re-telling of the Hindenburg crash to visiting Teddy Roosevelt in the White House.
- The tale is relayed through Henry Sturges the Vampire who hunted with Abe Lincoln. We get a full account of his life as a vampire and his patronage to America. Henry is a likable character and quite noble for a vampire. His friendships, interactions and the path he blazed had me spellbound.
- While Grahame-Smith twists our history to include vampire involvement he did so in such a way that it felt realistic, even dare I say plausible. I love when the lines of reality and fiction blur and he does so seamlessly. Think of this as a memoir of Sturges life with twists, turns, loss and love. At 400 pages/15 hours of audio both my husband and I were never bored. It was broken up into events and stories with an overall threat that kept us both engaged.
- MacLeod Andrews narrates and he has quickly become one of my favorite narrators. From voices to his tone, he adds another level of enjoyment to listening that heightens my reading experience. We came across many characters and I was amazed at his ability to give them each voice and accentuate their personalities through pitch.
- Grahame-Smith’s imagination, writing style and ability to tell a tall tale made the Last American Vampire a story I will long remember. I became attached to the characters and caught up in the overall plot.
Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
See my other reviews at Never Enough Books
Just as certain fictional characters hold a dear place in my heart (Sherlock Holmes being an example); so too do certain types of fictional characters. I admit to having a long time fondness for vampires in all their myriad shapes and forms. From the original vampires in Dracula and Carmilla to the newest incarnations in The Strain novels, I continue to find myself profoundly fascinated by them. So when I learned there was to be a sequel to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and the story would center on the enigmatic vampire Henry Sturges, I was thrilled.
The Last American Vampire by Seth Grahame-Smith follows Henry Sturges immediately following the death of his friend and protege Abraham Lincoln. He is not alone in mourning the death of his friend though as the country also mourns its President. Without Lincoln, Henry must once again try to find some kind of purpose in his undead life.
It is at this time that I am sure some of my readers are going ‘Now wait a moment….’ and believe me, I too had pause when I read the book jacket originally. All I can say is trust me dear Reader, all is explained in time.
With no reason to remain in America, Henry decides to return to his original place of birth – England. However he is soon called back to the States where he learns a mysterious someone has been killing vampires and its only a matter of time before they come after him.
From the Victorian era to modern(ish) day America, Henry sees history happen as only a vampire can; first hand. Along the way he meets friend and foe alike, from Nicola Tesla to Mark Twain, and from Jack the Ripper to Rasputin. If it had a major impact on history, then somehow Henry had a hand in it and a front row seat.
Supposedly narrated by Sturges to Grahame-Smith, the book has a bit of an Interview with the Vampire feel. Something Grahame-Smith himself makes mention of in the opening chapters when he is describing how the book came to be. There is also a tiny side plot with Sturges, his vampire sire and a child that also feels a touch familiar and I am sure the reader will notice it when they see it.
Like his other novels, Grahame-Smith has a gift for weaving stories. Here he seamlessly meshes real history with fantasy in a way that is completely plausible. Real life individuals are true to what history knows of them although admittedly a few have been given a minor tweak or two to fit in with the story line. There are also a few pictures scattered throughout that have been given the same treatment.
Having greatly enjoyed the first book, I was excited to learn of the second. It continues the story in a way that should appeal to a variety of readers. It is a sweeping tale covering decades of history in a most amusing manner. Personally I loved it and will definitely be reading it again.
Just as certain fictional characters hold a dear place in my heart (Sherlock Holmes being an example); so too do certain types of fictional characters. I admit to having a long time fondness for vampires in all their myriad shapes and forms. From the original vampires in Dracula and Carmilla to the newest incarnations in The Strain novels, I continue to find myself profoundly fascinated by them. So when I learned there was to be a sequel to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and the story would center on the enigmatic vampire Henry Sturges, I was thrilled.
The Last American Vampire by Seth Grahame-Smith follows Henry Sturges immediately following the death of his friend and protege Abraham Lincoln. He is not alone in mourning the death of his friend though as the country also mourns its President. Without Lincoln, Henry must once again try to find some kind of purpose in his undead life.
It is at this time that I am sure some of my readers are going ‘Now wait a moment….’ and believe me, I too had pause when I read the book jacket originally. All I can say is trust me dear Reader, all is explained in time.
With no reason to remain in America, Henry decides to return to his original place of birth – England. However he is soon called back to the States where he learns a mysterious someone has been killing vampires and its only a matter of time before they come after him.
From the Victorian era to modern(ish) day America, Henry sees history happen as only a vampire can; first hand. Along the way he meets friend and foe alike, from Nicola Tesla to Mark Twain, and from Jack the Ripper to Rasputin. If it had a major impact on history, then somehow Henry had a hand in it and a front row seat.
Supposedly narrated by Sturges to Grahame-Smith, the book has a bit of an Interview with the Vampire feel. Something Grahame-Smith himself makes mention of in the opening chapters when he is describing how the book came to be. There is also a tiny side plot with Sturges, his vampire sire and a child that also feels a touch familiar and I am sure the reader will notice it when they see it.
Like his other novels, Grahame-Smith has a gift for weaving stories. Here he seamlessly meshes real history with fantasy in a way that is completely plausible. Real life individuals are true to what history knows of them although admittedly a few have been given a minor tweak or two to fit in with the story line. There are also a few pictures scattered throughout that have been given the same treatment.
Having greatly enjoyed the first book, I was excited to learn of the second. It continues the story in a way that should appeal to a variety of readers. It is a sweeping tale covering decades of history in a most amusing manner. Personally I loved it and will definitely be reading it again.
3.5 stars, crudely entertaining: my book club class read this and we've had a field day dissecting it. It was entertaining and silly, a fun light read. I'll recommend it to others, but not sure if I will be rereading it anytime soon.
It would've been five expect for one plot point :)
WOWOWOWOWOWOW THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING
it was so gory and brutal and horrific. i cried HARD and i also had to put the book down because i felt so nauseous from the descriptions of the killings.
if you need them, DEFINITELY look up the trigger warnings because there's A LOT
it was so gory and brutal and horrific. i cried HARD and i also had to put the book down because i felt so nauseous from the descriptions of the killings.
if you need them, DEFINITELY look up the trigger warnings because there's A LOT
I loved the concept and characters. Overall the book was quite well-written. It just got to the point where Henry was responsible for too much history.
3.5 too much history not enough action; the action that there was, was all gore no suspense.
meh
meh
Wow, this one was gripping. I loved the first book and I was honestly worried about this one because I didn't think Henry could carry a book like Abe did but I was thankfully proven wrong. Henry Sturgis is perfectly flawed and loveable, constantly making mistakes but still guided by a heavy moral sensibility. And of course I have to mention the research Seth Grahame-Smith did to involve a century of historic events and figures that weaved in and out so well. The entertaining aspect of this book balanced so perfectly with the educational aspect, I couldn't put it down. My one gripe is that by making the villain a mysterious and shadowy "behind the curtain" figure, it also made them somewhat one dimensional and I wish we got to see more of A Grander VIII. Otherwise this was a fun read and the perfect choice for October.
See my review on 80 Books Blog! http://80booksblog.wordpress.com/2015/01/16/review-the-last-american-vampire-by-seth-grahame-smith/
The perfect blend of American History and fantasy is the best way I can describe The Last American Vampire, which tells the story of the life and times of Henry Sturges, Abraham Lincoln’s closest vampire friend. He’s not someone you would know from the history books, but he has played a role in many defining American moments: Roanoke colony, the American Civil War, and WWII among others.
The Last American Vampire is the sequel to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. [Spoiler Alert] At the end of ALVH, it is hinted that “some people are too good to die.” This is the part of the story that begins LAV. Henry, overcome with grief at the loss of his friend, turns him into a vampire, of which Abraham immediately rejects himself and throws himself out of a window (a bit abrupt). Henry presumes him dead, and is soon called to New York on the orders of the Union (the North in ALVH, but an actual organization of vampires who helped stop the Civil War against the Confederate Southern, pro-slavery vampires).
Henry is told members of the Union overseas are all being hunted and executed in horrible ways. And he’s asked to track the vampire responsible. Leaving New York and coming to London is cathartic for Henry since his life in America has caused him so much pain recently.
We soon learn the story of Henry’s making, a British colonist who goes to the Roanoke with his new wife. Things take a horrible turn when a vampire, Crowley, is discovered. His only natural defense was to murder all of the colonists, but somehow Henry survived to try and fight him off. Crowley takes this opportunity to turn him into a vampire, which Henry is resentful of. The only two people to survive were Henry and a baby named Virginia Dare. Henry is able to escape Crowley and run away with baby Virginia to a Native American tribe. He learns how to be a “good devil.” [Spoilers redacted]. We learn about Henry’s life post- making, living with Natives and post-Civil War, hunting Jack the Ripper with Bram Stoker and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. And when the story matches up to the present, searching for a vampire killer, Henry has met many important American figures: Nicola Tesla, John D. Rockefeller, Theodore Roosevelt, plus his old friend Abraham Lincoln. After a rocky reunion, they are off to fight the Nazis, naturally.
Henry’s life is very epic, and the writing of this book is different than ALVH. While ALVH is more dense with factual information, the author was able to use that premise, but make a completely new character to build around American history, which I found made the story more interesting. I’m sure many people have thought about what it like to live forever, and Henry clocks in around 600 years old, that’s as good as we can ask for.
The perfect blend of American History and fantasy is the best way I can describe The Last American Vampire, which tells the story of the life and times of Henry Sturges, Abraham Lincoln’s closest vampire friend. He’s not someone you would know from the history books, but he has played a role in many defining American moments: Roanoke colony, the American Civil War, and WWII among others.
The Last American Vampire is the sequel to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. [Spoiler Alert] At the end of ALVH, it is hinted that “some people are too good to die.” This is the part of the story that begins LAV. Henry, overcome with grief at the loss of his friend, turns him into a vampire, of which Abraham immediately rejects himself and throws himself out of a window (a bit abrupt). Henry presumes him dead, and is soon called to New York on the orders of the Union (the North in ALVH, but an actual organization of vampires who helped stop the Civil War against the Confederate Southern, pro-slavery vampires).
Henry is told members of the Union overseas are all being hunted and executed in horrible ways. And he’s asked to track the vampire responsible. Leaving New York and coming to London is cathartic for Henry since his life in America has caused him so much pain recently.
We soon learn the story of Henry’s making, a British colonist who goes to the Roanoke with his new wife. Things take a horrible turn when a vampire, Crowley, is discovered. His only natural defense was to murder all of the colonists, but somehow Henry survived to try and fight him off. Crowley takes this opportunity to turn him into a vampire, which Henry is resentful of. The only two people to survive were Henry and a baby named Virginia Dare. Henry is able to escape Crowley and run away with baby Virginia to a Native American tribe. He learns how to be a “good devil.” [Spoilers redacted]. We learn about Henry’s life post- making, living with Natives and post-Civil War, hunting Jack the Ripper with Bram Stoker and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. And when the story matches up to the present, searching for a vampire killer, Henry has met many important American figures: Nicola Tesla, John D. Rockefeller, Theodore Roosevelt, plus his old friend Abraham Lincoln. After a rocky reunion, they are off to fight the Nazis, naturally.
Henry’s life is very epic, and the writing of this book is different than ALVH. While ALVH is more dense with factual information, the author was able to use that premise, but make a completely new character to build around American history, which I found made the story more interesting. I’m sure many people have thought about what it like to live forever, and Henry clocks in around 600 years old, that’s as good as we can ask for.
Excellent follow up. I envy his style of writing.