Supernatural Fiction Readers discussion

I think we should read and discuss a book. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Hi Dylan,

I am very much in favor if the suggestion, but find myself lacking time for reading something else than I am already reading these days.

But I'll be a devoted lurker, should some of you good people decide to read & discuss a book:-)

As a suggestion, I'm currently reading Saberhagen's 'Vlad Tepes' series. I actually started with the third in the series, "An Old Friend of the Family". I'm now on the 6th & last one that I own, "A Matter of Taste". I'm trying to get the last of the series now. I haven't read them & hadn't read the series in years.

The series is Saberhagen's take on Dracula. It's an interesting one, without all the sex that is currently the rage in the paranormal romances. His Dracula is set in modern day - 1970 or so, when he wrote the books. He does a lot of time tripping, which makes it more interesting. It's historical fiction with a twist. So far, we've visited the mid fifteenth century as seen from Vlad's living perspective & the making of the Arthurian legends. The current book is getting into his evolution to a vampire while dealing with an attack on him in modern times.

If we choose something from this series to read, the most logical pick might be the first one, The Dracula Tape (Warner, 1975). There are actually eight or nine books in the series, written from 1975-1994. (The only one I've read is the second entry, The Holmes-Dracula File, which is set in the 1890s and incorporates Sherlock Holmes into the action; you can read my review on my bookshelves.) Of course, those who've already read the first one will have a leg up in the discussion!

So far, nobody who's posted is per se against the idea of picking a common read; so I'd say let's do it --with the proviso that, as they do in the Horror Leisure Books group (which Dylan moderates, and I belong to), we make it optional: you can join in if you want, but you don't have to. (In that group, we pick a book every month; I don't know if I'd want to do that here --for some of us who don't have as much reading time as we'd like, we'd probably never get to read anything else, unless we opted out of some selections! Maybe every four months or so would work better. But we can try it once and see how we like it, then decide how often to do it again.) If we shoot for October as the month we do this, it'll give everyone who wants to join in a chance to finish up whatever they're reading now (unless somebody just started something like War and Peace ;-) ) and give us a chance to reach a consensus, or majority agreement, on what to read. One proposal is on the table!

In honor of Sidney, I'd have suggested Haunted Lily, but for the fact that it's very new; most libraries won't have it yet, and most of the ones that do will have policies against loaning out new books on interlibrary loan. So, that would put it out of reach for members who can't afford to buy it. (Maybe another time, though!) The Saberhagen book, though, ought to be pretty widely available.

Werner, it's just what I'm currently reading. If anyone else has a preference, go for it. My daughter has me reading lots of steamy paranormal romances. We started out reading Laurell K. Hamilton's 'Anita Blake' series. The early ones are great. I love Merry Gentry's world, too but there's too much sex in it for me. I think all of Hamilton's books are getting shorter, with more sex, less meat. (Ouch - puns!)

Patricia Bray & Kim Harrison are doing a good job, though. So are a dozen others we've read over the past year. Anyway, anything is fine by me.

I haven't been to the Horror Books Leisure group. I'll give it a shot, if I remember, shortly.

When it comes to sex, I'm with Jim in preferring something that's G-rated (or at least in the PG range), especially for a common read --we don't want something that's unnecessarily off-putting to anybody. It might be worthwhile to kick around a few suggestions besides The Dracula Tape, though, since we have time before next month --and especially since that book is 33 years old; some of our younger members might not be initially all that enthused by a book that's older than they are. (Though the supernatural genre has a long, rich tradition, going back even to the 18th and 19th centuries, that I hope some of the newer fans will eventually come to appreciate, too!)

I was thinking of nominating Twilight. It should have pretty wide appeal in this group, and should be fairly easy to get in public libraries. Of course, a lot of members will have read it already; Dylan, were you thinking of the common read as necessarily something nobody in the group has read yet? In a group with 29 members, all of whom are into reading about the supernatural, it might be hard to find a title none of us has read.

Re the Horror Leisure Books Club group (I think that's the official name), it's focused strictly on the horror titles from one publishing house, Dorchester. I haven't actually read any of their output, but Dylan was nice enough to let me into the group anyway. :-)

I am more then willing to go with whatever is decided. I happen to find most of my books by chance so I don't know of anything off the top of my head that I have not read. BTW, I'm young, (well sort of) and since I get most of my books second hand I love older books. I can't remember the last "new" book I have read. Frankly I think anyone that love's to read would not baulk at reading something good, weather it be old or new.

I wouldn't recomend Twilight. It's an o.k. read, but it has minimal vampire action. It is definately a G-PG rated book; but if you wanted something supernatural, I'd probably chose the vampire tapes, or the vampire chronicles. I love that series! Although it's probably more PG-13. Whatever you decide will be fine. :D

Okay, let's scratch Twilight for now. Since I know that Dylan and Ranata have read it, I did move it over to our "read" shelf.

I've read the first novel in Rice's vampire series, Interview With the Vampire, and didn't care much for it --though I know that's decidedly a minority viewpoint among vampire fans, and it's fine with me if the group chooses that book. Having read it already, and since I remember it well, I can discuss it even if I don't re-read it. :-) But I'd lean more to picking The Dracula Tape, especially since Kelly dispelled my concern about whether people would mind the 1975 publication date. Like the others who have posted, though, I'll go along with whatever the rest of you decide!

I'm all for The Dracula Tape, not all for Twilight so thanks for scratching that one off the list. Also I do not mind if the book is more mature in terms of violence or sometimes language, but I could also do without the sex and erotic scenes, anyways, keep me posted Werner.

The Dracula Tape sounds good to me. Also Dylan mentioned the vampire chronicles which I have read years ago but have wanted to re-read. I just have to dig them out of whatever box they are slumbering in. Though to me they are very sexy and erotic it’s not from sex. Does that make since? It’s more the feelings that overcame me as I read this series. Anne Rice has shaped my views on vampires. I also didn't care as much for “Interview with a vampire” To me the series really took shape with Lestat. I really only liked the first three which I believe are the actual chronicles. The Vampire Lestat, Tale of the Body Thief and The Queen of the Damned are by far the best. Ok I’m done with my tangent. Like I said, I’m up for anything.

Yeah, I know what you mean Kelly. I love The Vampire Lestat. The only thing that I didn't get was that Lestat became Gabriel's lover?!? I didn't get that part. Anyway I love that series. Have you seen the movie version of, "Interview with the Vampire"? That was really good IMO. I want to read the book. Why didn't you like the book?

Yes, Kelly, your comment about eroticism in Rice's vampire series makes perfect sense! Interview With the Vampire has no actual sex in it at all, but it evokes those kinds of feelings --almost as if, for Rice's vampires, blood-sucking is sort of an (unwholesome) substitute for sex. Of course, I can't speak to the other novels in the series. (My picture of vampires was more shaped by Barnabas on Dark Shadows).

Okay, we've got two votes for Saberhagen's The Dracula Tape, one vote for something from Rice's Vampire Chronicles, and one endorsement of either one (and everybody who's posted so far will agree with anything the rest want, which is good!) If we go with something from the Rice series, it sounds like Interview wouldn't command the most support. Dylan or Kelly, would you want to suggest a different volume --maybe one of the ones already mentioned? (Are there any where the vampires, in general, don't come across as so ruthless and sadistic? In the first volume of the series, the sheer amount, and viciousness, of the killing was even more of a turn-off for me than the undertones of warped sexuality.)

Anybody else can chime in any time with his/her two cents on either of these ideas --and it's not too late to make another suggestion, either, if you have anything in mind that you're champing at the bit to read and discuss! We've got more than a week until October.

Well, I'm all for reading Queen of the Damned. Kelly what do you think of that one. I've been dying to read it. It may have sexual references but I'm not sure. Does it Kelly?

I have a question for you Vampire Chronicle fans. First, let me say, I read almost three quartes of Interview with the Vampire, and although I liked it I very much didn't like Louie's character. So I was wondering if we started with the second book "The Vampire Lestat" would I be anywhere lost in the story as I didn't finish Interview, although I've seen the movie countless times.

Oh definately not Aaron. At the end of The Vampire Lestat, they explain what happens in the 1st book. :D

How about The hunger by Whitley Strieber, if you're talking vampire books?
http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Whitley-...

Pam

I picked up a book set with Interview, Lestate, and Queen. I'd like to start from the beginning with Interview so my vote lies there...but I'm happy to go along with the group.

Pamela, the book we pick doesn't necessarily have to be a vampire book --the suggestions so far have all been in that subgenre, but that's just a coincidence. I used the link you provided to read one of the customer reviews of The Hunger on Amazon, and I'd have to say that the book doesn't strike me as something I'd care for. Miriam doesn't sound like an appealing protagonist, and the novel has some features I think would be off-putting to a lot of readers. That's just my humble opinion, though!

Ikiwiki has a good point about starting a series at the beginning, if we go that route. In the interest of consensus, I'll cast my vote, at this point, for Interview with the Vampire.

Everybody who wants to comment on this thread, send in your input by noon (Eastern Time) next Monday. I'll sum things up and announce the choice ASAP after that.

(Are there any where the vampires, in general, don't come across as so ruthless and sadistic? In the first volume of the series, the sheer amount, and viciousness, of the killing was even more of a turn-off for me than the undertones of warped sexuality.)

Let me first start off by saying I’m not really a huge vampire fan. These books are really the only books I’ve enjoyed with the vampire theme. Other then “Dracula” that I can think of off the top of my head. But something that you might need to know about me is I’m sick like that. I like the twisted, morbid and sadistic. Still want to be my friend? LOL


I do think that we need to start from the
Beginning if we go with the vampire chronicles. Though Interview with a Vampire was not my favorite I believe it’s an important part of the story.

Aaron I don't think you’re the only one that doesn’t care for Louie, but you will find that after the 1st book Louie falls in the background. It’s really about Lestat. I could never figure out why when they made the movie they put Louie front and center his character is very weak.

As for the sex parts of any of the books, its been years since I have read these and there has been many books in-between but I recall a lot of exoticness. Vampires are passionate. But as someone mentioned above its more about the blood lust and ecstasy. I don't believe any of the vampires actually have "sex". It’s more a seduction of the mind. Though I don't really care for pointless sex scenes and over flowery exoticness and mindless love babble a little doesn’t bother me.

Werner –Barnabas Collins was "is" my favorite vampire of all time. I'm a HUGE dark shadows fan.

Also, we don’t have to stick with the Vampire theme. I’m open for anything.

What about a shapeshifter novel? I haven't read any so I don't have any recommendations to offer. Anyone else have any?

We could always go with a good old-fashioned supernatural horor or ghost story. It's in the spirit of Halloween...

Truthfully, I'm up for just about anything when it comes to reading.

The only shapeshifter novel that I've actually read is Fred Saberhagen's Dancing Bears, which is set in Czarist Russia in the early 1900s and draws on the Russian folklore of were- bears (which are very much like werewolves, but ursine rather than canine). I liked it, for what that's worth.

Ikiwiki mentioned novels specifically; but how do you all feel about short story collections? (Not necessarily as a common read this time --but maybe for a future month?) Short fiction isn't hugely popular in the U.S. today (perhaps surprisingly, given our national penchant for convenience and "instant"-everything); but a lot of supernatural fiction has historically been written in that form, especially because at one time the publishing industry largely relegated it to the pulp magazines.

Kelly, I'm glad to hear you're a fellow Dark Shadows fan! Barnabas is one of my favorite vampires, too --though he's been supplanted as my top favorite by Angel, Buffy's brooding true love. Of course, he's a TV character, too --but there's also at least one spin-off novel, with him as protagonist; it's waiting for me in one of my piles of unread books. (And, no, I don't think any of us minds having a friend who likes the "twisted, morbid, and sadistic," as long as you just like to read about it! :-) )

I would be totally willing to finish Interview With the Vampire and go from there, as long as we dive into the latter books of the series. Although, I am up for anything, I'll say that the Vampire Chronicles seems like a very good place to start for now, but I do like the suggestion for a ghost story, as of now I'm reading Joe Hill's "Heart Shaped Box." I've never been a huge ghost story fan but this one seems promising.

Noooo "Heart shaped box" I'm not a big fan of King and as it turns out I'm not a big fan of his son either. It may start out promising but that’s about all it did for me.

Werner - Nah I'm harmless. I just like to get in touch with my shadow side and have a strong taste for the Macabre.

Werner - Oops. I didn't mean to indicate just novels. I'm also a fan of short stories and other forms of literature.

Aaron - I also am reading The Heart Shaped Box. I'm only about 100 pages in, but I'm completely hooked!

I think I'll try out The Dracula Tape, it sounds interesting, and besides, I've already read all of Anne Rice's vampire chronicles and the Twilight seires and Dracula etc. so I'm ready for something "new". I also love stories with the settings in the 1700's and 1800's they're so much more interesting to me with a much richer language in my opinion. If you want to read a supernatural book, I just got done reading The Hollower. It's not a very long book but I thought it was pretty creepy so I thought I'd suggest it.

I'm all for the either the Dracula Tape or Interview with the Vampire. This isn't a suggestion but if you want a good book about werewolves, then I'd suggest to read The Wolf's Hour by Robert Mccammon. The reason we shouldn't read it as a group is because it has sex, gore, & violence. It's still amazing though.

"Heart Shaped Box" is starting to get dull very quickly, I'm gonna try and rough it out, we'll see.

Thanks for the werewolf suggestion, Dylan. I'll be sure to check it out.

Aaron, how far are you? I've just hit page 144 in the small paperback version.

107 same version....Do you still like it?

Kelly, re #20, Saberhagen doesn't get into graphic gore or sex.

Ikiwiki, Patricia Briggs has an interesting set of novels - 3 so far I think - about werewolves. The heroine can shapeshift into a coyote, but she's not a were. She was raised by werewolves, though. That's the Mercedes Thompson series. I haven't read "Cry Wolf" yet.

Mercedes Thompson
1. Moon Called (2006)
2. Blood Bound (2007)
3. Iron Kissed (2008)
4. Bone Crossed (2009)

Alpha and Omega
1. Cry Wolf (2008)

Have you tried Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Series? She has werewolves & vampires in it. Actually, she dates the leaders of both, after she raises zombies & solves supernatural crimes. The early books are great, but she gets more & more into kinky sex & the books are getting less plot. Still, the first 5 or 6 were very good.

Enjoy!

Aaron brought up the idea of starting with Interview with the Vampire, and then (as a group) diving into the rest of Rice's vampire series. There are at least three more books in that series, though, and I believe several more, depending on how you define the "series." That's going to be a lot of Anne Rice at a stretch, and I could foresee readers wanting to jump ship.

If we do Interview as our first common read, and then do other common reads later (and I think the latter is a given at this point, considering the interest the idea has sparked!), my preference would be not to commit to reading more Vampire Chronicles as a group. The first one will introduce people to the series, if they haven't read it before; afterwards, we can always consider reading another book in the series, and consider other suggestions, too --maybe the majority will want more variety. Any of us can read more of the series on our own; and someone might even want to start a discussion thread on Rice's work (we have threads on a couple of other authors/series).

Sounds good to me Werner.

Aaron - I'm still enjoying it. It's a bit weird, but I'm still going along for the ride. Truthfully, scary stories aren't my first pick, but this one's got it's grip on me.

Thanks for the recommendations, Jim. The Mercedes Thompson series has been on my book list for a while, looks like I should go pick her up. Plus I think I'd really enjoy the Anite Blake series. Looks like I'll have to move it up on my list.

I agree, Werner. Perhaps let's just start with Interview and then bounce around to other authors and such as the group sees fit.

Has anyone read anything by Anne Rice's sister, Alice Borchardt? A few years ago I read "Devoted" and remember enjoying it. She also has some shape shifter novels about wolves that I would like to read. The Silver Wolf, Night of the wolf and The Wolf King.

Jim - I think you mis-read my post re #20 - Though I might enjoy Saberhagen I'm the wierdo that likes the graphic gore and sex. Please tell me I'm not the only one. LOL

Kelly, I think the part of your post #20 that confused Jim was probably the one where you were quoting me. (I'm the one that's not into the graphic gore and sex.) But don't feel too lonely --actually, your tastes probably reflect those of most vampire fans, so I have a feeling that within that group, I'm the weirdo, not you! But this is one group where we both fit in; to borrow a political slogan, it's a "big tent." :-)

I didn't even know Anne Rice had a sister. Thanks for letting us know about her!

How do I change the font? I can't seem to figure it out.

Kelly, I presume you're wanting to know how to italicize titles (I wanted to know that, too, when I was fairly new to Goodreads!). What you need to do is click on any book title on your shelves, and then on the link that says "edit my review." That will bring up a page that has, on the right-hand side (as you face the computer) a long list of "formatting tips." About half-way down, you'll see the hyper-text signs to type to tell the computer that you want the words between them to be italicized in the posted review. They work in typing comments, messages, etc., as well as reviews. (I'd type them here to show you --but they wouldn't show once I clicked "post;" whatever I'd written for an example would just be italicized.) Hope that this helps!

Those "Rice" authors...Anne, her son, and Anne's sister. So much talent in one family!

Don't forget her husband Stan! Of course he only wrote poetry. If you've read Queen of the Damned then you'd know his work.

Oh, you're right, Kelly. I did misread. Well, everyone can see & take what they want. I don't mind sex & violence in books, but they're not why I read a book, so shouldn't be the focus. I want to visit a new world, live a neat plot & escape there. I find too much or graphic of either is just distracting - I tend to skim over it.

That's been my big problem with the latest Laurell K. Hamilton books. They've been very shy on plot & action, very heavy on gratuitous sex & violence. The woman created a couple of wonderful worlds that I'd like to spend more time in. Sex & violence happen in all worlds. I feel cheated.

Thanks Werner!! Let’s try this

Oh, you're right, Kelly. I did misread. Well, everyone can see & take what they want. I don't mind sex & violence in books, but they're not why I read a book, so shouldn't be the focus. I want to visit a new world, live a neat plot & escape there. I find too much or graphic of either is just distracting - I tend to skim over it.

I have to agree. I tend to skim over things that are too descriptive period. Be it sex, violence or the decor of a place.

Though I don't mind sex and violence when reading a little goes a long way.

One of my all time favorite authors, Roger Zelazny, wrote how he describes things. I think he tried to limit himself to 3 descriptive terms per paragraph. If something needed more, he'd slowly add more as the story progressed, but he found that any more than that tended to bog the story line down. I had never noticed that, but I do know his books are a very good read & I rarely get confused or have to look back to find a missing piece.

Over describing decor & dress are two things that lose me quickly, too. I especially hate it when the descriptions are done from the perspective of a character who really shouldn't care or know. It's one of the things authors screw up all the time about the opposite sex.

For instance, I read a story not long ago, written by a female author, who had this macho barbarian describing a woman's dress & used 'chartreuse' for the color & a style name. I don't know any guys that would know that. I tend to know primary colors & go from there - 'yellow-green'. Dress styles are further beyond me. I'm interested in how it shows off, or what it shows of, the girl underneath & would describe that. Curves & skin are worthy of description, cloth is not.

My daughter read the same story & liked it. My wife & I have disagreed on books over similar matters. It's usually only when our sex is misrepresented that it grates so badly that the rest of the story is ruined.

Jim, you brought up some really good points. In general, I think the best rule of thumb for an author on description is to try to supply enough description of important things to allow the reader to create an image of them in his/her mind. The human imagination is an incredibly rich thing; the mental pictures we create as we read, if we're given just enough material, are much more detailed and vivid than anything a writer could verbally describe --unless the description was about 2 pages long, in which case all the readers would be asleep!

Also, I tend to agree that usually people are more worthy of description than clothing --with the qualification that, sometimes, description of clothing and other physical objects associated with someone actually does help to convey something descriptive about who that person is (though I think it's probably easier for women to pick up on this than it is for us guys!). And, especially in settings that are different from our own, sometimes descriptions of the way people dress, etc., help us to feel the ambiance.

Exactly, Werner. If the important details are pointed out, my imagination will generally fill in the rest. If a writer introduces a 'beautiful blond', my mind supplies a basic picture of a woman. I'm sure it wouldn't match yours in height, weight, curves, hair style or voice, but we'd both be happy with our own & we can be.

Too much description can actually ruin the character for me. My idea of 'sexy' & the author's can be different. I might think of a Marilyn Monroe type while the author thinks of Twiggy. Twiggy just doesn't seem very cuddly to me. It's one of the reasons I don't like watching the movie of a book I've read. The director & I don't see the characters the same way.

Some good books are the Dresdan Series by Jim Butcher. Also for ghost stories, The Haunted of Hill House by Shirley Jackson.
Best werewolf novel was The Wolfen by Whitley Streiber, but that's out of print.
Pam

As I promised, I've printed off the comments on this thread so far and tabulated the responses, and we have a winner! Sometimes there was a bit of an interpretive element in deciding what constituted an official common-read "nomination" or "vote," and what were just general suggestions or comments; but I've tried to be fair to everybody's intention as I understood it. (At least we don't have any hanging chads or butterfly ballots, and hopefully the Supreme Court won't have to weigh in! :-) ) Thanks to everybody who participated --this discussion has already sparked more response than any we've ever had before! All the other books nominated or mentioned can be suggested again if we do another common read later. (And Pamela, I've added the first Dresden Files novel to my to-read shelf!)

The results of the "voting" (and some people voted on more than one book) are as follows:
The Heart-Shaped Box --one for, one against
The Hunger --one vote for, one against
The Hollower --one vote for
The Dracula Tape --three votes for
And the winner is --Interview with the Vampire, with five votes for. So, that will be our common read for October!

I'll start a new thread for discussing the book. We can keep this one for deciding what to read next.

As we move into the holiday season, a lot of us will have too much going on to spend as much time on Goodreads as usual. (My wife and I have family coming in on Dec. 9, so for most of the rest of that month, how much computer time I can grab will be dubious.) So, we can expect that our discussion of Interview with the Vampire will wind down for a while, though we'll leave the thread up --I'm sure that book, and Rice's Vampire Chronicles series in general, will continue to inspire new comments in the future. I've enjoyed that whole interchange so far; it's given me new insights and perspective on Rice and her work!

That raises the question: having now tried the idea once, do we want to do more common reads in the future? Both the process of picking a book and the discussion of the book itself generated more posts than any other topic we've had. For myself, I'm certainly open to the idea, if the rest of you want to do it. (Of course, nobody would be required to participate --another group I'm in does a common read every month; I've never taken part in that activity and they haven't kicked me out yet, so none of you need to worry, either! :-)). As I said back in September, I wouldn't recommend doing one every month, though, and our experience with Interview has strengthened that case: some people weren't able to get to the "October" read until November, and the book took longer than a month for most folks to read and discuss.

My suggestion would be to think the idea over during the holidays, and then target February as the theoretical "month" for the next read, if we want one. That will give us all of January to pick a book to read together.

Meanwhile, this group will always be here for any of you who find time during the holidays to drop in and comment, or see what's new on the shelves, posts, etc. For those we don't hear from until January, have a great Thanksgiving, a merry Christmas or happy Hanukkah, and the best of New Years!