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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I've always been a fan of del Toro's work, so I wasn't surprised to find the opening premise of this vampire novel a wholly refreshing and fun take on the traditional myth: bio-toxic vampirism.
From here, we get a great opening investigation, some political posturing over the degree of the threat to New York where a plane (no wooden ship for London!) has landed with its undead passenger. This is not the disco vampire of Fright Night or the glittery messes of Twilight and teen horror romances. This is the real thing: old and merciless.
But after these initial pages, what were clever takes on the tradition simply fell to rehashes of tradition: an old German (Jewish) vampire killer, coffin hunting, and the like. And to rehashes of all B-level horror stories: government conspiracies, secret cabals, the son endangered, the wife kidnapped to torment the hero, the inevitable journey into the dark to confront the Master . . . and absolutely no surprises or innovations along the way. Stoker's Count who visits London has more nuance (and varied character responses to him) than del Toro's ghoul (whose name has already escaped me). In other words, a solid premise turned very, very lazy.
To say that it reads like it is filmed is too easy. It does. What again is initially some interested character wrestlings with challenges resolves to a long (long, long) series of action sequences as they track down the Critter. The TV series has only the advantage of the space to expand the storytelling (which it does well) and the ability to visualize everything as the author (also del Toro) intended: and since these are mostly action sequences anyway, nothing is really lost.
To argue that the book is the first of a trilogy is not to defend this volume, which many readers have argued is actually the best of the three in terms of its plausibility. I'll take their word for it. This was thankfully a quick read, asking very little of readers but escapist pleasure, but it was not so quick (400 pages) that I will finish the series.
From here, we get a great opening investigation, some political posturing over the degree of the threat to New York where a plane (no wooden ship for London!) has landed with its undead passenger. This is not the disco vampire of Fright Night or the glittery messes of Twilight and teen horror romances. This is the real thing: old and merciless.
But after these initial pages, what were clever takes on the tradition simply fell to rehashes of tradition: an old German (Jewish) vampire killer, coffin hunting, and the like. And to rehashes of all B-level horror stories: government conspiracies, secret cabals, the son endangered, the wife kidnapped to torment the hero, the inevitable journey into the dark to confront the Master . . . and absolutely no surprises or innovations along the way. Stoker's Count who visits London has more nuance (and varied character responses to him) than del Toro's ghoul (whose name has already escaped me). In other words, a solid premise turned very, very lazy.
To say that it reads like it is filmed is too easy. It does. What again is initially some interested character wrestlings with challenges resolves to a long (long, long) series of action sequences as they track down the Critter. The TV series has only the advantage of the space to expand the storytelling (which it does well) and the ability to visualize everything as the author (also del Toro) intended: and since these are mostly action sequences anyway, nothing is really lost.
To argue that the book is the first of a trilogy is not to defend this volume, which many readers have argued is actually the best of the three in terms of its plausibility. I'll take their word for it. This was thankfully a quick read, asking very little of readers but escapist pleasure, but it was not so quick (400 pages) that I will finish the series.
I'm reading this series after having seen most of the TV show, and honestly, if I didn't see the show first, I would have abandoned it. This book starts slow. The main character isn't even introduced until about thirty pages in, and the story itself doesn't really get going until about one hundred pages in. Knowing what was to come was the only thing that got me through that.
As it stands right now, I think the TV show was better, but that might change as I read more.
Series Review: I abandoned the series about 85 pages into the second book. I couldn't stay interested. I like the TV adaptation, but the books just aren't my cup of tea. Maybe some day I will try again, I doubt it, but you never know.
As it stands right now, I think the TV show was better, but that might change as I read more.
Series Review: I abandoned the series about 85 pages into the second book. I couldn't stay interested. I like the TV adaptation, but the books just aren't my cup of tea. Maybe some day I will try again, I doubt it, but you never know.
“Night is real. Night is not an absence of light, but in fact, it is daytime that is a brief respite from the looming darkness…”
It was only a like, not a "really like," although it was still quite good. I like the angle of vampirism being an actual biological virus (see Scott Westerfeld's [b: Peeps|186103|Peeps (Peeps, #1)|Scott Westerfeld|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327892877s/186103.jpg|1641139] for another example) and the scary bits were properly scary.
Took about 100 or so pages to get into the action. And then it quickly fell back into the short cliff hanger chapter, rinse, repeat structure. Great writing, but too much of the same.
If you enjoyed The Stand or Salem's Lot you will enjoy this book. If you are a fan of horror you will enjoy this book. You will not be able to put it down.
You WON'T be able to sleep. You WON'T have pleasant dreams after reading this book. You WON'T be able to stand waiting for the second book of the trilogy.
You WON'T be able to sleep. You WON'T have pleasant dreams after reading this book. You WON'T be able to stand waiting for the second book of the trilogy.
“Night had again taken the sky.”
Hogan and Del Toro are truly a powerhouse combination for this thrilling vampire epic. Unique in concept and chilling in execution, it’s hard to find any critique.
A stunning beginning to a horror trilogy that will definitely leave you, dear reader, enthralled.
Hogan and Del Toro are truly a powerhouse combination for this thrilling vampire epic. Unique in concept and chilling in execution, it’s hard to find any critique.
A stunning beginning to a horror trilogy that will definitely leave you, dear reader, enthralled.
2.5
I really wanted to like this book. GDT gave me two things I absolutely adore in Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth. I pushed myself through this hoping that eventually it would get better. Unfortunately, it didn't. In a time of absolutely terrible vampire stories, I hoped this would be a shining light. Thankfully, I only paid $3 for a hardcover of this at Big Lots. It's at least worth that much. How much over that though is a question I can not answer.
I really wanted to like this book. GDT gave me two things I absolutely adore in Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth. I pushed myself through this hoping that eventually it would get better. Unfortunately, it didn't. In a time of absolutely terrible vampire stories, I hoped this would be a shining light. Thankfully, I only paid $3 for a hardcover of this at Big Lots. It's at least worth that much. How much over that though is a question I can not answer.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated