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153 reviews for:
Powers of Darkness: The Lost Version of Dracula
Bram Stoker, John Edgar Browning, Dacre Stoker, Valdimar Ásmundsson
3.63 AVERAGE
153 reviews for:
Powers of Darkness: The Lost Version of Dracula
Bram Stoker, John Edgar Browning, Dacre Stoker, Valdimar Ásmundsson
3.63 AVERAGE
Interesting rewriting/translating of the story, which seems to have come from Stoker's original notes, but wildly uneven: the initial half of the book, set in Transylvania, is full of mood and menace, and pretty near to the original story; but the second half, set in England, is basically just a listing of incidents (and not even all of those from the original book), and cut down to no more than a quarter of the length of the original.
Look to the original if you want the full story.
Look to the original if you want the full story.
I refuse to subject myself to this further. It’s so terrible. I don’t recommend, it’s way worse than Dracula which says a lot considering it has its own problematic themes that remained beyond this version. Just stay with Dracula, or don’t. Do whatever you please. I cannot stand this book any longer I abandon it forever 😭🙌🏻
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Antisemitism
Moderate: Incest
I didn't find the story in this book that great in and of itself. There are plot holes, unfinished points, typos, and other issues. The author of this translation did not fix these issues in order to stay true to the original.
That being said, I rated this book highly because I still greatly enjoyed it as an academic exercise comparing it to the Dracula we know and love. It is less polished and has many of Bram's ideas from his early drafts of Dracula in their whole form. It also has many of Valdimer's own ideas included.
The book itself (not the story) is very well done and the first 58 pages are history and thoughts about this version compared to the original. I honestly didn't read all of them as I was more interested in the story.
The book is filled with annotations during the story, including lots of interesting linguistic notes about the translation from Icelandic and points about how the plot differs from the Dracula we know.
Very good execution, I just recommend approaching it as an interesting look at the history and ideas behind Dracula.
That being said, I rated this book highly because I still greatly enjoyed it as an academic exercise comparing it to the Dracula we know and love. It is less polished and has many of Bram's ideas from his early drafts of Dracula in their whole form. It also has many of Valdimer's own ideas included.
The book itself (not the story) is very well done and the first 58 pages are history and thoughts about this version compared to the original. I honestly didn't read all of them as I was more interested in the story.
The book is filled with annotations during the story, including lots of interesting linguistic notes about the translation from Icelandic and points about how the plot differs from the Dracula we know.
Very good execution, I just recommend approaching it as an interesting look at the history and ideas behind Dracula.
The introduction giving the assumed backstory of this version got a bit long & unwieldy. I often don't enjoy reading the intros of books first because I find they often give too many spoilers of the story &/or don't make a lot of sense in what they are referring to because you (the reader) don't yet know the story & the framing around it. In this case, though, I felt it was important to read the intro so that I would have the proper background of the story going in (plus I already know the story of Dracula). I think the intro could have been shortened & parts perhaps put into an appendix instead. Minor quibbles, I know.
As for the story itself.... It's been a few years since I have read the original version of Dracula. This one is definitely different in quite a few ways & there are some intriguing changes. Here, the footnotes are excellent & very informative, just as fascinating as the story itself in many cases. This Icelandic version spends the bulk of the story focusing on Harker's stay/imprisonment at Dracula's castle; the second part of the story is almost a Cliff Notes version of the original -- an outline with a page or two for many of the major plot points that happen in England, but nothing more. So it's kind of a weird, off-kilter variation on the Dracula mythos.
In an interesting twist, I found an article that speculates that the Icelandic version is not so unique as it's possibly based off an earlier Swedish version of Dracula.
Definitely worth a read for Dracula fans, if just for the comparison/contrast of it all. Would also be of interest for those with an interest in the Icelandic language as some of the footnotes go into specific detail regarding grammar, alliteration, etc., along with comparisons to similar structure in other Nordic languages.
It was fun to add this one to my ever-growing list of Dracula-related books.
As for the story itself.... It's been a few years since I have read the original version of Dracula. This one is definitely different in quite a few ways & there are some intriguing changes. Here, the footnotes are excellent & very informative, just as fascinating as the story itself in many cases. This Icelandic version spends the bulk of the story focusing on Harker's stay/imprisonment at Dracula's castle; the second part of the story is almost a Cliff Notes version of the original -- an outline with a page or two for many of the major plot points that happen in England, but nothing more. So it's kind of a weird, off-kilter variation on the Dracula mythos.
In an interesting twist, I found an article that speculates that the Icelandic version is not so unique as it's possibly based off an earlier Swedish version of Dracula.
Definitely worth a read for Dracula fans, if just for the comparison/contrast of it all. Would also be of interest for those with an interest in the Icelandic language as some of the footnotes go into specific detail regarding grammar, alliteration, etc., along with comparisons to similar structure in other Nordic languages.
It was fun to add this one to my ever-growing list of Dracula-related books.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
OK, I definitely prefer this to the original version. Fanfic FTW.
❤Para empezar el libro tiene una edición genial que cuenta con una basta documentación sobre el texto, alli te adentraras y descubrirás los misterios que conllevó su descubrimiento.
.
❤Tiene un prefacio de Dacre Stoker (Sobrino bisnieto de Bram Stoker) donde cuenta como el investigador de Roos lo contacta y le comunica sobre el hallazgo.
.
❤Una de mis cosas favoritas del libro son los planos del castillo, y es genial por que podras seguir los pasos de Harker y su intento por escapar del castillo.
Te adentras más en la historia y no te sientes perdido mientras lo lees.También cuenta con pequeñas anotaciones donde hace las diferentes aclaraciones sobre la trama y personajes.
El libro esta dividido en dos partes
❤Su primera parte me gustó mucho, esta narrada en forma de diario.Logras sentir la angustia, el encierro y la desesperanza que vive nuestro protagonista.
Aqui Harker se enfrentara a nuevas situaciones y a nuevos personajes , estos elementos le dan un aire más escalofriante y tenebroso. Es absorbente y esta muy bien logrado.
De la segunda mitad hacia arriba fue mi momento de lectura menos favorito. Tuve la sensación de estar leyendo un resumen, las cosas pasan demasiado rapido y
su final fue algo precipitado para mi gusto. .
Como dato curioso nunca se desarrolla ese enamoramiento o deseo extraño entre el Conde y Wilma como pasa en la historia original. Pero si vemos ese toque erótico y de tension entre Harker y una vampiresa.
Un giro que me gusto bastante.
¿Si recomiendo leer o ver Drácula antes de leer este libro?
Si, asi logras identificar las diferencias entre el Drácula original y esta nueva versión islandesa. ❤En conclusión es un libro entretenido , lleno de datos curiosos muy interesantes.
Esta lleno de toques goticos y oscuros.
.
❤Tiene un prefacio de Dacre Stoker (Sobrino bisnieto de Bram Stoker) donde cuenta como el investigador de Roos lo contacta y le comunica sobre el hallazgo.
.
❤Una de mis cosas favoritas del libro son los planos del castillo, y es genial por que podras seguir los pasos de Harker y su intento por escapar del castillo.
Te adentras más en la historia y no te sientes perdido mientras lo lees.También cuenta con pequeñas anotaciones donde hace las diferentes aclaraciones sobre la trama y personajes.
El libro esta dividido en dos partes
❤Su primera parte me gustó mucho, esta narrada en forma de diario.Logras sentir la angustia, el encierro y la desesperanza que vive nuestro protagonista.
Aqui Harker se enfrentara a nuevas situaciones y a nuevos personajes , estos elementos le dan un aire más escalofriante y tenebroso. Es absorbente y esta muy bien logrado.
De la segunda mitad hacia arriba fue mi momento de lectura menos favorito. Tuve la sensación de estar leyendo un resumen, las cosas pasan demasiado rapido y
su final fue algo precipitado para mi gusto. .
Como dato curioso nunca se desarrolla ese enamoramiento o deseo extraño entre el Conde y Wilma como pasa en la historia original. Pero si vemos ese toque erótico y de tension entre Harker y una vampiresa.
Un giro que me gusto bastante.
¿Si recomiendo leer o ver Drácula antes de leer este libro?
Si, asi logras identificar las diferencias entre el Drácula original y esta nueva versión islandesa. ❤En conclusión es un libro entretenido , lleno de datos curiosos muy interesantes.
Esta lleno de toques goticos y oscuros.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
fast-paced