Customer Reviews

Varney the Vampire, or the Feast of Blood

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's about time the truth be known! This is where it all started.

"Varney the Vampyre; or The Feast of Blood" is finally getting its deserve as the great grandfather of all Vampire literature. If not for this tome -- an original Penny Dreadful which was read voraciously by the up and coming readers of the Victorian age of England, paper-littering the streets of London for decades in the 1800's -- Stoker's Dracula, nor ANY subsequent rendition of the legendary horror tale of the Vampire would never have been written or read today.

It bears beyond nostalgia; it is an almanac devoted to not only the mystery of the vampire mystique, but also defines the true, sad psychological quest of this tale's protagonist, Francis Varney, in his search for oneness with the human world while battling his primordial need to kill and drink blood in order to live.

Curt Herr's efforts in bringing "back from the dead" this amazing piece of fiction is a gift for all fans of vampirism and horror literature. It is evident by its enormous -- (and seemingly exhausting, but worth every "penny" word) length -- that the groundwork for our favorite monster had its beginnings through the diligent and noteworthy, yet unbeknownst and forgotten imagination of James Malcolm Rymer, a struggling writer of the age and the original author of this masterpiece.

The work not only reproduces Varney the Vampyre in its entirety -- a painstaking venture considering that the history and archives of the Penny publications is all but lost -- but also includes illustrations of the actual "woodcut" covers of these "rags", and bountiful appendixes of other Penny Dreadfuls from the time period when Penny publications were at their zenith among the reading working classes of Victorian England.

A beautiful and large coffee-table-worthy book that will definitely catch any eye and reveal the hidden truth about VAMPIRES!

This work is a fascinating history of vampiric literature, from whence all others came; and the Penny Dreadful phenomena, enhanced in content by Herr's notes, makes it a true resurrection of one of Western literature's lost gems.

This is an excellent edition of the first Vampire novel ever written in english- Sold by the chapter like a printed soap opera, Varney's tale sold for over two years making it the most famous and talked about Penny Dreadful on the 1840's. This edition is really important for Vampire fans because it explains a lot of Vampires beginnings Pre-Dracula.It is a blast to read and Varney is a much more psychologically developed Vampire than Stoker's Dracula (which was written about 50 years after Varney). It's a BIG book and worth every penny! There are super interesting footnotes linking Varney to all sorts of contemporary issues like Buffy, Angela Carter, Poppy Z. Brite etc. The appendix is filled with interested information about penny dreadfuls- Really cool. Totally worthwhile and belongs on every Vampire lovers bookshelf. Remember, This is a PENNY DREADFUL. It's important to understand the genre- it was never written to be read like a book. It was written to give the Victorian working-class shocks and thrills- which it delivers in abundance! Read it- you'll fall in love with Varney!

Ignore all the talk about Dracula in other reviews, that book and this one are two uniquely different entities. Legends about vampires existed outside of Transylvania, and even Europe for that matter, long before the Victorians tightened their first bodice. My impression of this book is that the writing is closer to Robert E. Howard in its great forward momentum; another apt comparison might be to the movie serials of the '30s-'50s. Thrills and more thrills! The style may be a little underwhelming, but if you can read Ann Radcliffe you can certainly read this. And incidentally, I think the ungrammatical and linguistically oafish reviews for this book are very appropriate for a book written at top speed and with little editorial supervision. Take a trip back in time to a very different world - read this book!

This is a true lost classic that reveals the beginning of the great character of Dracula. The editor's notes add to the interest of the book and build knowledge on the times and elements of Varney. I recommend this reading for any Dracula fan or a fan of interesting reading. A+++ to Herr for bringing this hidden treasure back to the world of literature.

it's so bad that the writer forgets the names of some of the characters, or he forgets the events of previous chapters, or he is forgets certain characters all together for chapters. but that doesn't mean that its not a good story. it has many bad points, such as being long winded or the books title-varney! really!- but it is a good story. and the notes are very helpful in explaining what the writer seems to have forgotten and getting a great idea as to the origins of the modern vampire vs. the old vampires. i would say that this was a really good buy.

This is the most amazing edition of a gothic classic that I've ever seen. Anyone interested in the modern day vampire mythology must own this book. Beautifully bound and completely annotated this book is a must have addition to any coffee table or office. I haven't regretted this purchase for a minute.

If you're interested in Poe, Stoker, or Shelly this book is for you. This book pre-dates Dracula and began most of the vampire lore that we still know and love today. I've read chapters of this book in other versions and online but this version is by far the most comprehensive and intelligent I've yet seen. I don't know how long Herr spent researching every aspect and reference in this book but it must have taken his brilliance to guide a team of researchers for at least three years to make a version this comprehensive. The notations in this version by Herr make this book not only a classic piece of Victorian "penny dreadful" literature that stands alone as a monumental work of Victorian gothic art but now it's linked to contemporary gothic work that is not only poignant but insightful. From Dracula to Buffy and beyond Herr left nothing for any reader to want.

Buy this book. If reading what could be the most influential piece of vampire literature ever written isn't enough it looks really cool on your coffee table. BUY THIS BOOK!!!

I very much enjoyed this book. The victorian style creates a great atmosphere for the antics of a vampire who wins the readers sympathy even as he drains his female victims. The editors notes are at the bottom of the pages for easy reference, like having a friend reading with you. Thank you Curt for such a good presentation of must read vampire fiction.

Varney The Vampire is an important leader in the vampire legacy. And here is the ultimate critical edition. I am so excited about the extras in this book. There are some arcane references in the original text that are finally footnoted and explained. I highly recommend this edition. A+++

I read this book online, though I wish I had the actual thing in front of me with a glass of wine and a fireplace on a stormy night in a gothic mansion.

Cons: The book is absolutely amazing, but still, from time to time, there may be a chapter that one would think "What was the point of that chapter?" For example, a character picks up a book while waiting for someone and BAM- new chapter with that very book that character was reading! I never cared to know what that book was about, never thought someone would actually take the time to do such a thing, but whatever. Anyway, that is the only complaint I have, that a chapter or two may not have been necessary.

Pros: It's been years since I got into a book, I seriously can't remember. I grew extremely fond of this "Varney" person, hell maybe I even have a crush :P They say this inspired other famous Vampire novels, and I believe it. If you loved the style of writing from the very first chapter, then you are in luck! Beautiful, attentive, and clever writing is found throughout. Weighing out the pro's and con's, I simply had no choice but to give it 5 stars, I loved this so much. Definitely will buy in the future.

For those curious, Thomas Preskett Prest "...has also been associated with the authorship of Varney the Vampire, now more often thought to be the work of J. M. Rymer."

I absolutely love this book! An excellent relic from the golden (or shall I say black) age of Gothic Lit. Why this gem has remained hidden for all these years is a mystery to me, but Mr. Herr has finally revived this old Penny Dreadful and brought a new light to this style of writing. A wonderful Gothic novel by the same author who originated the Sweeney Todd story. A must buy!