Customer Reviews

Fevre Dream

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm an obsessed horror fan and I read everything I can get my hands on, but oddly enough I don't care for vampire fiction all that much. It's a subject that's been done to death in my opinion and as a rule it kind of bores me. (With some exceptions, of course.) For years, I passed over Martin's FEVRE DREAM, thinking it was just "another vampire novel". But if you are lucky to come across a copy of this novel, don't make the same mistake I did. FEVRE DREAM is far more than just a vampire novel. It is a brilliant novel, period. I was so spellbound by this book, my house could have fallen down around me while I was reading it, and I probably would not have noticed. By the time I turned the last page, it had ranked itself as one of the best novels I have ever read. George R.R. Martin skills as a storyteller are unparalleled. I'm actually jealous of the fantasy and sci fi fans who've had his attention over the years. FEVRE DREAM has all the elements of the great classics of literature: larger than life characters, a perilous journey, and a story that sweeps you away like the river it is set upon... In a nutshell, it is a tale of vampires clashing on a steamboat in the 1850's. Two "bloodmasters", Joshua York and Damon Julian, are on a collision course of ideals and philosophy, and God help all those who are witness to it. The river will run with blood before it is all over... I'll never forget the cast of characters: the cruel and sick Sour Billy, the beloved curmudgeon Cap'n Abner Marsh, Hairy Mike Dunn, Joshua York, or Tobey the cook. I have never used the word "masterpiece" in a book review, but this book merits the term. Highest recommendation. You'll never forget this book once you turn the last page, I guarantee it.

This unique novel is definitely one of the best I've ever read. It's a completely different take on the legend of vampires. Martin's vampires are not undead humans, but rather the remains of an ancient warrior species similar to, but, in some ways different from, man. His vampires don't sleep in coffins, nor are they vulnerable to things like garlic and holy water. They are, however, light sensitive, and, most importantly of all, they have a thirst for blood. It's the struggle of one of these vampires to lift the curse of that thirst that drives the story. "Fevre Dream", though, isn't really about vampires, it's about the struggle for acceptance, and, most of all, friendship. It's the friendship between the crusading vampire and an old Mississippi riverboat captain named Abner Marsh that is the center of this fast-moving tale. Martin creates a wonderful sense of atmosphere throughout, with his story racing through a background of life on the Mississippi river in the 19th Century. The author keeps us interested throughout with a series of twists and turns that throw our two friends together, tear them apart, then toss them together again as they join the struggle to end the thirst and bring vampires as much into the human world as possible. And, the last few pages are simply some of the most touching prose I've ever read. A super read. If you can get a copy, do so, though I'm certainly not giving up mine. Oh, and I e-mailed the author a few years ago to complement him on this work. I was shocked that he wrote me back and said that he's been considering a sequel to "Fevre Dream". We'll have to wait, though, as he mentioned that he would be tied up with a fantasy series, which turned out to be the excellent "Song Of Fire And Ice." We'll wait, George, and thanks.

I probably first read this book about 16 years ago or so. Picked it up on a whim at the library and it has been on my recommended list ever since(although the publisher seems to have thought otherwise.) I am fascinated with the vampire myth and this novel was the first to make me realize how adaptable the myth was - Anne Rice's often brillant concepts aside. Every thing changes so why not the vampire's legend? Being 1999 I can't remember the specifics , I just remember it was a rousing read that caused me to ignore all my mundane duties at the time and read it straight through. I was greatful that it also made George R.R. Martin a name that I would look for in the future when looking for a good read. My wife and I became fans of the early television episodes of Beauty and the Beast and imagine my surprise when I realized my favorite episodes were penned by George R.R. Martin ( the episodes that dealt with character developement and ambiance, not the ones given to unadulterated trash romance.) I soon made sure I read all that Martin had written and I'm looking forward to the to reading the Clash of Kings follow-up. Fevre Dream is an atmospheric cruise down the nether regions of the Mighty Muddy. I also want to thank Amazon for the chance to expound on an out of print novel. Service and appreciation of the medium, whether it be print or audio is a commendable trait seldom found in today's retail world.

The year is 1857. Joshua York is a member of a race of beings that have existed long before humanity arrived, who have an irresistible urge to drink fresh blood once a month - preferably ours. Joshua, who has discovered a harmless way of assuaging this raging bloodthirst, wishes to gather his people together, and in his role as the new 'bloodmaster', lead them out of hiding to live peacefully with human beings. His main opponent will be Damon Julian, the current bloodmaster, who is extremely old, insane and depraved beyond belief. The 'Fevre Dream', Joshua feels, is the perfect cover for travelling in search of his kind.

Abner Marsh is a Mississippi steamboat owner, whose fleet (except for one old lug) has been destroyed. His last hope of regaining his prestige rests entirely on accepting Joshua York's offer to build the largest, fastest and most beautiful steamboat on the river, in which he will be a co-partner. Abner respects Joshua almost immediately (and vice versa) - despite sensing he is not being entirely truthful, and that something is very wrong. Only his natural courage, and love for the river, allow him to suppress his misgivings.

The novel is excellent but rarely brilliant. The author supplies a great deal of historical colour and atmosphere throughout the book which - fascinating and entertaining as it all is: mid-nineteenth-century Mississippi steamboat trade routes, the ships' fierce competitiveness, including night races on the river, the slave trade conducted in buildings linked to grand hotels, the New Orleans 'dance-halls', reeking with corruption - reduces the tension and the potential for terror.

In his characterisation, however, he does much better. Abner Marsh is a grittily realistic, larger than life, yet sympathetic individual. Joshua York's inner strength and idealism immediately arouses our respect and admiration, which grows as he is disillusioned and, after much suffering, learns to face reality. The two evil personages are truly evil - I won't be forgetting Damon Julian or Sour Billy Tipton (Damon's utterly degraded dogsbody) for a while. Joshua's girlfriend Valerie provides the only truly frightening moment.

It is Abner that makes the novel really work for me. His courage and will in pursuit of his dreams, his total commitment to protecting his beloved ship (mirroring Joshua's commitment to the welfare of his people), revealing the good man beneath the gruff exterior - making thoroughly believable the to-the-death alliance finally between York and himself. Joshua's recognition of, and love for, Abner's true worth makes for a deeply moving epilogue.

Fevre Dream is as much 'adventure' as 'horror'. It is a very good novel, well worth reading. Three-and-a-half stars.

I first discovered Martin in his recent fantasy work, "A Song of Ice and Fire". Having an interest in vampire literature, I dicovered his out of print book, "Fevre Dream". It took awhile to track down a copy, but it was well worth the effort. Now that it's been reprinted, I hope that many others will be exposed to this unique take on the vampire myth.

The setting is perfect, the Mississippi River during the steamboat era... New Orleans. The descriptions are less clinical, and much more 'sensory'. You can quite easily imagine being in the scenes described. The vampires in the book are given a more 'natural' feel than in most vampire myths and in many ways this adds to the horror of the story. Make no mistake, this is a horror novel. It is dark and at times very hard to read due to the imagery which oftentimes is made more shocking due to focusing on a different sense than would be expected. A sound or smell instead of sight.

The sideplots are almost as compelling as the overarching one, such as the attempts to make the steamboat of the story a famous name on the Mississippi. Martin has a knack for ending a story with an indelible image (something he did in "Dying of the Light", also a recent reprint), and he has done so here.

Very highly recommended.

Taking place in 1857, this story is about Abner Marsh, who is owner of the Fevre River Packet Company, and once held a profitable steamboat business upon the Mississippi River. But one foul winter and a freezing river crippled his fleet and left him with nothing but his reputation as a formidable captain, and honest tradesman, and the ugliest man on the river. He is down to one lowly boat that travels only on the Illinois, and that one fading fast, when he is approached by Joshua York, a pale, enigmatic businessman who makes an offer of partnership with Abner.

York makes an offer far above what the Fevre River Packet Company is worth, but tells Abner that it is because of his desire to own and operate a real steamboat, and be captain though Abner would run the daily functions and pilot the boat. With Abner's experience and York's money, they come to an agreement to build the finest steamboat on the Mississippi, The Fevre Dream. Crewed with the best, she sets out from New Albany towards New Orleans, stopping first in St. Louis. Abner had not batted much of an eyelash when York first mentioned that he and his "guests" would be traveling up and down the river with him, his lust for owning a large, luxurious steamer that could beat The Eclipse's speed driving away the warning from York that he could be a bit...peculiar.

For York is a vampire, and is on a quest of his own. He has developed a drink that staves off the Vampire's hunger for flesh, and has a dream of turning his people away from the killing of humans. But working against him is Damon Julian, and his pack of hungry followers, who believe that the old ways are the good ways. Also with Julian is Sour Billy Tipton, their human servant who assists them in acquiring what they need and protecting them.

Little by little, things begin to unravel, and by the time Julian and Sour Billy join up with Joshua York on The Fevre Dream, Abner has come to realize his dream of running the biggest and fastest steamer on the Mississippi was nothing more than a dream, and that his desires had blinded him to the reality of York's mission.

This is a unique vampire story, appropriate for both vampire purists and vampire modernists; actually staging a battle between the two factions. Should vampires want to mingle amongst the human population, or should they retain their status as feeders and monsters? By taking this approach and placing it in the 1850's South amid the lively steamboat trade up and down the Mississippi River, Martin has created a creepy and exceptional tale of languid horror in a lush backdrop. This is a not to be missed novel whether you love vampire books or creepy southern tales. Highly recommended. Enjoy!

I waited two long years for this book to roll into my favorite used sci-fi and horror bookstore. The day it came I raced home and read it until I was finished. It is a well crafted story. This book takes place on a boat on the Mississippi river--prehaps an unexpected place for a vampire tale. The characters a fueding an almost good against evil--it works wonderfully in this story. The characters in this novel are well constructed and enjoyable to get to know. The plot is well defined, complex, and detailed. All I can say is that this is a great story. I urge anyone to try to get a copy if they can. I often feel like so many times like Fevre Dream was unfairly put out of print. If you can find it, I hope you enjoy!!

As an avid collector of vampire novels (75 at last count), this is by far the one I would grab if my house was on fire. Mr. Martin has most definitly captured the essence of the Old South and mixed in a believable vampire backstory. He's created a literary gumbo that you want to devour again and again. If you have never read this book, then you are not a true vampire lover. Unfortunately "Fevre Dream" is currently out-of-print...
so if you want a fangtabulous treat your going to have to go hunting. GOOD LUCK

I'm like many readers who know George R.R. Martin from his fantasy books. I think he's one of the best fantasy writers currently active-- the series Song of Ice and Fire is one of the best going at the moment. I picked this book up because I was curious to see what his take would be on vampires, and while I don't find that it has all the strength of his fantasy novels (_Fevre Dream_ is a very early novel for Martin) it still doesn't disappoint.

_Fevre Dream_ is a historical novel, set in the grand days of the Mississippi steamboat captains. The experienced but unlucky captain Marsh takes a strange business partner-- Joshua York. York is an intelligent book-reading man who has the unusual habit of sleeping by day.

Anticipates the better-known Rice vampire novels in the idea of a vampire at war with its own nature. _Fevre Dream_ is intelligent and well-written-- well worth reading for both established Martin fans and fans of the vampire novel in general.

Kudos to George R. R. Martin for blending the chilling legends of the vampire with the romantic-yet-quite-spooky Southern setting of the lower Mississippi. The smokestacks and articulated bannisters of the Mississippi steamboats are a marvelous substitute for the gothic towers of European vampire novels, and Martin has done his research into both the steamboat life and vampire lore in his efforts to produce a darn good thriller.

The novel opens in 1857, as Abner Marsh seeks to rebuild his shattered fortune - his budding steamer fleet has been all but wiped out by the vicious ice of the Mississippi. Down to one small steamer, Marsh receives what should be a gift from the gods - a rich partner who is willing both to invest massive sums of money in Marsh's company to build the finest, fastest steamer on the river (the titular Fevre Dream), and also to leave Marsh in charge. But while the heavily-warted Marsh may be the ugliest man on the river, he is one of the canniest, and he knows that his new partner, the pale and mysterious Joshua York, is going to bring some troubles.

And indeed, the young-old Mr. York does bring a heap of troubles down on Mr. Marsh, in the form of his dreams of saving his people . . . who just happen to be vampires. Martin has great fun tweaking the reader's conceptions of vampires -- much of the common lore of vampires is fiction, but the vampires do have the same basic characteristics of most vampire stories. They shun sunlight and drink blood, and most have the nasty habit of referring to humans as "cattle."

But York is the exception, and dreams of bringing his people into harmonic existence with humans. Of course, many vampires don't like this idea, and the biggest, baddest vampire of them all is Damon Julian, living in southern gothic splendour outside of New Orleans. York knows he must topple Julian, the bloodmaster, if he is to bring about his revolution, and Julian is only to eager to take on this upstart.

In a novel that has thrills, chills, horrors, and blood to spare, Martin makes an unexpected choice, and one that I didn't really like. For reasons that should not be explained here, a 13-year gap occurs late in the book before the climactic final act. This gap feels out of place in this otherwise lean, mean novel (the hardcover version clocks in at an entertaining 350 pages), and the gap really doesn't need to be there. It does allow for great scenes where Martin shows the ravages of time on both a steamer as well as a dastardly henchman. The ultimate conclusion also feels oddly truncated, as a couple of villains don't get the comeuppance they deserve.

But these are relative quibbles about an enjoyable read. Perhaps it's because I've come to "Fevre Dream" after reading the first three novels in Martin's five-star epic series, "A Song of Ice and Fire." I admit having unfairly high expectations for "Fevre Dream," and the fact that they were not quite met probably says more about me than Mr. Martin or "Fevre Dream." Nevertheless, this novel is one fun read and will keep you up in the wee hours as the plot drives you onward, just like the big river itself.