Scan barcode
wannabekingpin's review against another edition
4.0
The rest of this long review is at Night Mode Reading : Author speaks in a pleasant manner too, a manner that allows a skeptic to remain a skeptic or reconsider, while a believer can continue believing or reconsider too, nothing is pushed, everything is questioned.
susischmolz's review against another edition
3.0
La primera mitad estuvo bastante interesante, después se fue por un lado más espiritual hablando sobre vampiros psíquicos, lo cual no me gustó mucho, ya que yo quería leer más información y antecedentes sobre el vampirismo de las leyendas. La parte donde habla de los vampiros mortales a.k.a personas que se creen vampiros, me pareció super interesante también y me habría gustado leer más al respecto.
thegrimhobbyist's review against another edition
informative
3.0
This book was a trip for me.
At first, I almost DNF'd it. Why? Because he uses the phrase 'later in this book' WAY too many times. Basically spoiling his own book repeatedly. But then spiteful rage made me continue anyways, just so I can count how many times he does say it or phrases like it. I counted 157 times in his 162 page book (technically 172 pages, but there's ten blank pages that were counted in the page count). That is almost one a page. His first chapter? Which is 13 pages. 42 times. 42 times he says 'later in this book' in that chapter alone.
Now, the reason why this somehow got three stars when I was so close to DNFing it at chapter one. Thanks to my spiteful rage forcing me to read on, I calmed slowly to intrigue. Not just from a 'I believe in the occult' standpoint, because I do, but also from a skeptic standpoint as well, because I'm aware not everything is paranormal and can be explained away as something else. I was actively trying to debunk things as he was. There is a lot of good information in here, from old reported supposed vampire attacks to simply detailing vampiric traits known from all over the world.
His closing statement was great too. To paraphrase, he basically said do not believe blindly what you are told but do not disbelieve blindly either. To do your own research, as this book is "only one person's research and ideas". "Information should be analyzed before one's opinions are formed".
So yes, I am glad my spite got me to read this book, despite that one major annoying flaw. Will I read more of his books? On the fence, for fear the others will be just like this. Maybe though.
At first, I almost DNF'd it. Why? Because he uses the phrase 'later in this book' WAY too many times. Basically spoiling his own book repeatedly. But then spiteful rage made me continue anyways, just so I can count how many times he does say it or phrases like it. I counted 157 times in his 162 page book (technically 172 pages, but there's ten blank pages that were counted in the page count). That is almost one a page. His first chapter? Which is 13 pages. 42 times. 42 times he says 'later in this book' in that chapter alone.
Now, the reason why this somehow got three stars when I was so close to DNFing it at chapter one. Thanks to my spiteful rage forcing me to read on, I calmed slowly to intrigue. Not just from a 'I believe in the occult' standpoint, because I do, but also from a skeptic standpoint as well, because I'm aware not everything is paranormal and can be explained away as something else. I was actively trying to debunk things as he was. There is a lot of good information in here, from old reported supposed vampire attacks to simply detailing vampiric traits known from all over the world.
His closing statement was great too. To paraphrase, he basically said do not believe blindly what you are told but do not disbelieve blindly either. To do your own research, as this book is "only one person's research and ideas". "Information should be analyzed before one's opinions are formed".
So yes, I am glad my spite got me to read this book, despite that one major annoying flaw. Will I read more of his books? On the fence, for fear the others will be just like this. Maybe though.
goobertdoobert's review against another edition
4.0
Konstantinos gives a detailed report and leaves nothing out. Recommended to the dedicated.
tardycreative's review against another edition
2.0
I would say this book is not for those who wish to know more about the supernatural being, "vampires", this is not a book on magick on how to become one - it is a book about how to stop psi-vampires in particular with some old European and African folk-lore thrown in.
Basically if you are a vampire fan, this book doesn't tell you anything you wouldn't already know from other books, documentaries or movies; if you are seeking magick to become a vampire with this book, look elsewhere.
Basically if you are a vampire fan, this book doesn't tell you anything you wouldn't already know from other books, documentaries or movies; if you are seeking magick to become a vampire with this book, look elsewhere.
bookishcrafterde's review against another edition
4.0
Awesome resource for camp fans and for writers, gives you enough background to really get your writing going!
dtaylorbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I went into this book thinking it was going to be another campy vampire book that while it had genuine vampire tidbits in it, was told like the rest of the books of its ilk. Thankfully I was wrong although I have to say that while it was refreshing getting away from the camp, Konstantinos was, at times, a little dry in the execution of his point and it was sometimes hard for me to get through. But those spots are pretty few and far between.
What I liked most about the author was that while he takes his subject of vampires very seriously, he doesn't force that on the reader. Throughout he's very insistent that you take what you will from what he tells you, draw your own conclusions and hear the stories with some grains of salt added in. He presents his theories concisely and without pretense and he doesn't force his own conclusions on you but encourages you to come to your own. I liked that.
With that being said, this isn't a book for the girlies looking for more vampire giggles. This is actually a pretty serious reference book for people looking for genuine vampire information not ripped from movies, TV or literature. While Konstantinos does reference those characters, he quickly brushes them away for being far too removed from the "actual" vampires of history. Those vampires are reanimated corpses, ghouls, demons, or thought to be. They're steeped in lore and exist more in the fear of the villages they spawn from than in the air itself. These are not creatures to woo by.
Now I have to say I am a believer of psychic vampires. I have a feeling one of my friends may be one without even realizing it. I'm always so drained when I'm done hanging out with her. If you've ever known someone to be like that, completely draining, chances are they're psychic vampires and they probably don't know it. As for "real" blood drinkers, I'm a little less convinced of those people. The letters that were included in the book just seemed pretty patchwork from movies and TV and whatever else they could grab from. I just think these people are so psychologically invested in the idea that they need blood that they've actually convinced themselves they need it. I'm sure they'd say otherwise but I'd like to see them sit with a psychologist. Not because I think they're crazy but because I think their need is more psychological than physical.
Ultimately this is a pretty good reference book to use if you're looking for some good, genuine vampire lore. You will get accurate depictions of vampires from folklore without all of that Hollywood taint. And if you're looking for genuinely terrifying vampires, you'll need that.
What I liked most about the author was that while he takes his subject of vampires very seriously, he doesn't force that on the reader. Throughout he's very insistent that you take what you will from what he tells you, draw your own conclusions and hear the stories with some grains of salt added in. He presents his theories concisely and without pretense and he doesn't force his own conclusions on you but encourages you to come to your own. I liked that.
With that being said, this isn't a book for the girlies looking for more vampire giggles. This is actually a pretty serious reference book for people looking for genuine vampire information not ripped from movies, TV or literature. While Konstantinos does reference those characters, he quickly brushes them away for being far too removed from the "actual" vampires of history. Those vampires are reanimated corpses, ghouls, demons, or thought to be. They're steeped in lore and exist more in the fear of the villages they spawn from than in the air itself. These are not creatures to woo by.
Now I have to say I am a believer of psychic vampires. I have a feeling one of my friends may be one without even realizing it. I'm always so drained when I'm done hanging out with her. If you've ever known someone to be like that, completely draining, chances are they're psychic vampires and they probably don't know it. As for "real" blood drinkers, I'm a little less convinced of those people. The letters that were included in the book just seemed pretty patchwork from movies and TV and whatever else they could grab from. I just think these people are so psychologically invested in the idea that they need blood that they've actually convinced themselves they need it. I'm sure they'd say otherwise but I'd like to see them sit with a psychologist. Not because I think they're crazy but because I think their need is more psychological than physical.
Ultimately this is a pretty good reference book to use if you're looking for some good, genuine vampire lore. You will get accurate depictions of vampires from folklore without all of that Hollywood taint. And if you're looking for genuinely terrifying vampires, you'll need that.
skyturtles's review against another edition
1.0
Konstantinos would have been better off dedicating the entire book to the letters he received from individuals that claimed or believed that they were vampires. That was truly the most interesting part of this compilation of "vampire knowledge," most of which is neither novel nor well-written. Sorry dude.
silverthane's review against another edition
1.0
This book is 172 pages of whimsical nonsense, I really wish I had not wasted money and effort getting hold of this book.
The author, known only as 'Konstantinos' (most likely real name; Nigel) attempts to convince the reader that Vampires really exist...although not necessarily in the traditional Hollywood sense (yes, of course)
I am interested in Vampires and love films like 'Interview with the Vampire' but as soon as somebody who wishes to be taken seriously suggests to me that they believe Vampires are real I tend to back away slowly then turn and run away as fast as I can.
Konstantinos claims to be a ' Dark Neopagen' whatever one of those is and a practising occultist for 15 years presumably he feels this qualifies him to write about Vampires with authority. Personally I believe it does not. Just because a man claims to worship satan and has long black hair and a name like 'Konstantinos' does not automatically mean he can be trusted to give you all the straight-laced, hard scientific facts about Vampirism. He is far more likely to fill a book full of assumptions, half-cocked theories and stuff he just made up.
His sources are highly dubious, he sites one of them in his bibliography at the back of the book as a text entitled; “Dracula was a woman: In Search of the Blood Countess of Transylvania” this says more than enough for me.
Hippies and stoners will undoubtedly love this book and if you already believe vampires exist I suppose the complete lack of any kind of evidence in this book won't bother you. It certainly didn't bother Konstantinos that people like me will be spending hard earned cash on this rubbish.
For an example of the kind of apocryphal tosh the reader is subjected to on page 17 Konstantinos attempts to demonstrate that the ancient Sumerians believed in Vampires, he said that because they were less technologically advanced than us they were more 'open minded'. I prefer the terms 'ignorant' 'superstitious' and 'gullible' myself. He then went on to say that the creatures the Sumerians believed in were “vampire-like creatures” so they didn't necessarily believe in vampires? What a shock!
Konstantinos then states;
“If the Sumerians were able to create correct mathematical theorems using a different system of thought, then they might also have been right about other things, like their beliefs in Vampires”
This is the flimsiest basis on which to argue the existence of blood-sucking, immortal creatures I have ever heard. He is essentially saying that just because the Sumerians could work out 2 plus 2 then they could be right about the existence of a mythical creature...oh deary me.
My favourite part of the limited segment of book I managed to read before my brain cried “No more please, I can't take it!” was when Konstantinos writes “Now that we've established, to some degree, that the Sumerians believed in Vampires” Have we? Really? I think you'll find that just because you write in your book that the anicent Sumerians believed in Vampires doesn't mean they did. Particularly when you get your research 'facts' from books with titles such as “The Terror that Comes in the Night” which sounds more like the title of trashy vampire fiction than a serious scientific tome. Sorry Konstantinos but this crap does not convince me in the slightest.
The only highpoint of the book for me was when Konstantinos included a letter written to him by a crazy person claiming to actually be a vampire. Priceless stuff!
The author, known only as 'Konstantinos' (most likely real name; Nigel) attempts to convince the reader that Vampires really exist...although not necessarily in the traditional Hollywood sense (yes, of course)
I am interested in Vampires and love films like 'Interview with the Vampire' but as soon as somebody who wishes to be taken seriously suggests to me that they believe Vampires are real I tend to back away slowly then turn and run away as fast as I can.
Konstantinos claims to be a ' Dark Neopagen' whatever one of those is and a practising occultist for 15 years presumably he feels this qualifies him to write about Vampires with authority. Personally I believe it does not. Just because a man claims to worship satan and has long black hair and a name like 'Konstantinos' does not automatically mean he can be trusted to give you all the straight-laced, hard scientific facts about Vampirism. He is far more likely to fill a book full of assumptions, half-cocked theories and stuff he just made up.
His sources are highly dubious, he sites one of them in his bibliography at the back of the book as a text entitled; “Dracula was a woman: In Search of the Blood Countess of Transylvania” this says more than enough for me.
Hippies and stoners will undoubtedly love this book and if you already believe vampires exist I suppose the complete lack of any kind of evidence in this book won't bother you. It certainly didn't bother Konstantinos that people like me will be spending hard earned cash on this rubbish.
For an example of the kind of apocryphal tosh the reader is subjected to on page 17 Konstantinos attempts to demonstrate that the ancient Sumerians believed in Vampires, he said that because they were less technologically advanced than us they were more 'open minded'. I prefer the terms 'ignorant' 'superstitious' and 'gullible' myself. He then went on to say that the creatures the Sumerians believed in were “vampire-like creatures” so they didn't necessarily believe in vampires? What a shock!
Konstantinos then states;
“If the Sumerians were able to create correct mathematical theorems using a different system of thought, then they might also have been right about other things, like their beliefs in Vampires”
This is the flimsiest basis on which to argue the existence of blood-sucking, immortal creatures I have ever heard. He is essentially saying that just because the Sumerians could work out 2 plus 2 then they could be right about the existence of a mythical creature...oh deary me.
My favourite part of the limited segment of book I managed to read before my brain cried “No more please, I can't take it!” was when Konstantinos writes “Now that we've established, to some degree, that the Sumerians believed in Vampires” Have we? Really? I think you'll find that just because you write in your book that the anicent Sumerians believed in Vampires doesn't mean they did. Particularly when you get your research 'facts' from books with titles such as “The Terror that Comes in the Night” which sounds more like the title of trashy vampire fiction than a serious scientific tome. Sorry Konstantinos but this crap does not convince me in the slightest.
The only highpoint of the book for me was when Konstantinos included a letter written to him by a crazy person claiming to actually be a vampire. Priceless stuff!
inlibrisveritas's review
3.0
I must admit that I was disappointed somewhat in this book. I suppose from the way everyone was talking about it I thought it would be on more of the vampire sub culture of today and not necessarily the past tales of vampirc accounts. However I did enjoy reading about what the vampire is considered to be across the world as well as read the tales of what others have seen or heard
More...