Companions of the Night [Paperback]

Vivian Vande Velde (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2002

Kerry's got a tough night ahead of her. What begins as a simple lost-and-found trip to the Laundromat turns into a nightmarish odyssey of murder, vampires, and--quite possibly--true love. Vivian Vande Velde puts a terrifying spin on what should be a typical night in a small town.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The romantic horror genre reaches a new level of complexity in this novel, which manages to be simultaneously thought-provoking and blood-curdling. Kerry becomes the unwitting accomplice of an attractive, mysterious boy on the run, only to discover that he is a vampire. Can she trust her feelings for someone so alien to her? Or has she been "seduced by the glamour of evil"? An ALA Best Book for Young Adults, this was called "a tingly thriller" by Horn Book --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-10?Kerry Nowicki, 16, never dreamed that vampires lived in her little town of Brockport, New York, let alone that she would become involved with a handsome one named Ethan. When she makes a late-night trip back to the laundromat to retrieve her little brother's stuffed bear, she interrupts the murderous plans of a vigilante committee that claims Ethan is one of the undead. Kerry tries to help him, so they assume that she is a vampire, too. When the two young people escape, Kerry's brother and father are kidnapped in retaliation, and a complicated game of cat-and-mouse follows. During the often harrowing experiences that follow, Kerry proves to be an intelligent, level-headed young woman. She recognizes the danger of her attraction to Ethan, but knows that she must trust him to help find her family. Ethan maintains the cunning and duplicity that readers might expect from a vampire. The plot is lively and intriguing, with an unexpected twist at the end. Readers might be tempted to compare this novel to Annette Curtis Klause's The Silver Kiss (Delacorte, 1990), since many of the elements are similar. But the heroine of that story acts from a different motivation, making the books much different in terms of plot, theme, and tone. Companions of the Night should attract a loyal following of its own.?Marilyn Makowski, Greenwood High School, SC
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: Magic Carpet Books; Reprint edition (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152166696
• ISBN-13: 978-0152166694
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (176 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #674,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 83 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I Wish I Could Give It More Stars! August 12, 2002

By M. Smitherman

Format:Hardcover

I've just recently gotten into vampires, and I found Companions of the Night while browsing through amazon.com. Intrigued, I read some of the reviews, and knew that I had to read this book!

It all begins when Kerry's little brother Ian asks her to go to the laundromat to get Footy, his stuffed koala bear, which he'd left there earlier that day. Kerry is reluctant to go, since it's 11:00 at night, she has a test the next day on a book she hasn't finished, and she doesn't have her driver's license yet. But she can't resist her little brother's pleas, so she goes anyway. The action starts when a group of men burst into the laundromat while Kerry is there, dragging a tied-up and bloodied young man who they believe is a vampire. Kerry, knowing there is no such thing as vampires, helps the young man escape.

But the next day when Kerry's dad doesn't pick her up from work, she's worried that it has something to do with the events of last night. But then the young man, Ethan, shows up to give her a ride home... where she discovers that her dad and brother have been kidnapped by a crazed vampire hunter. Having run out of options, Kerry asks Ethan for help in finding her family--and learns that vampires do exist, and Ethan is one of them. Can she trust him to help her rescue her family, or is he using her to get at the vampire hunter? She doesn't know who to trust, or even whether she'll live through the night.

Companions of the Night is filled to the brim with action, suspense, romance, and even a little humor. It instantly became a favorite, and I am looking forward to buying it and reading it again and again. If you like vampires, romance, and a superb hard-to-put-down story, this book is just the thing for you.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Opinion of a College Student June 15, 2006

By Ashley Pittman

Format:Hardcover

While reading through the reviews of for this book, I've come across quite a few really negative ones. The main reasons seem to be because of the simplistic writing and the lack of concrete vampire details. I strongly disagree with those reviews and will have to add my vote to the much greater number saying what a wonderful book this is. I first read this book six years ago when I was 14, and loved it. Just recently I came across it again, and my love has become, if possible, greater. After reading quite a few Anne Rice books since this one, I think I prefer the simple writing displayed here to that of Anne Rice. Don't get me wrong, I love Anne Rice's books passionately, but I don't much like being interrupted at the climax of the story for details of a rain forest for five pages. The writing in CotN is easy to read, but the author did not sacrifice wonderful writing for the simplicity presented. The imagery is still strong, and her characters are brilliantly portrayed. That is in fact probably what I love most about the book: the characters. The plot is interesting, and the dialog is realistic and witty. As for the lack of vampire details; that is part of what gives the book its edge. As the reader you're learning about this world of vampires along with the main character and are forced to keep guessing just like her. The ending does leave a little to be desired, but its realistic and rewarding in its own right.

Basically, whether you're 14 or 20, if you like vampires and are interested in a quick and interesting read, I highly recommend this book.

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Your Ordinary Vampire Tale September 19, 2005

By Jarrod T Thompson VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Several months ago I began reading Cirque Du Freak and got hooked on the vampire genre.

Companions of the night is not your ordinary vampire tale. The mystery of whether Ethan is or is not a vampire at the beginning of the book makes it intriguing. What really makes the novel interesting is that it is hard to tell who Ethan really is, how old Ethan really is, and whether or not he is on Kerry's side, or if she might become a vampire, or half-vampire by the end of the book.

Vivian Vande Velde does a good job keeping the book interesting from start to finish. There are always questions of "what if" all the way through the novel. I always like the different ways authors of these books decide to state what is "real" and fake for vampires and their kind. Vande Velde does this too and it makes you think for the briefest moment that maybe these vampires are for real.

The suspense is good up until the end. Kerry's dreamlike state and curiosity and passsion toward the vampire race makes the end worthwhile. I enjoyed this novel and look to read the other works of Vivian Vande Velde. Good book!