Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
An amazing collection, August 31, 2009
This collection is good - this doesn't happen often but I found I enjoyed the book cover to cover. There wasn't a single story that lost my attention or I felt was 'fluff', just a place-holder between the good ones. They were all excellent! Some were funny, some were sad, some were downright heartbreaking, some were cold and cruel. Some were what you'd expect of a vampire story - dark and seductive, while others were completely new. I'm getting my best friends copies for themselves, because I know if I loan them mine I won't get it back. =) I recommend this book without hesitation. The stories are really well done, and engrossing. Now I'm going to check out some of the other collections and see if they're just as good, I hope so!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5.0 out of 5 stars
Vampires, Variety, & Value, February 19, 2009
It is a rare treat to find such an affordable anthology from award-winning editor Ellen Datlow. In fact, the only thing better than the price is the collection itself. This edition includes not one but TWO Datlow anthologies, _Blood Is Not Enough_ (originally published in 1989) & _A Whisper of Blood_ (1991). Stories range in time (the earliest, first published in 1949, is a timeless classic by Fritz Leiber, 'The Girl With the Hungry Eyes'), subject (vampirism in a myriad of forms, everything from classic blood-suckers to modern, even mechanistic vampires of emotions, health, hope, and more), and taste. Never one to shy away from the dark, Datlow has included several cruel tales ('Down Among the Dead Men,' a controversial story set in a WWII death camp 'Dirty Work,' a brutal exploration of emotional pillage & 'The Pool People,' to name a few), as well as more typically seductive stories of vampirism. The vampires themselves range from comically sympathetic (Rose in 'Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep'), to oddly helpful (Davis Hallinan in 'Warm Man'), to remorseless hunters (Sheila Remarque in '...To Feel Another's Woe'). Not all the stories are told from the perspective of the victim 'A Child of Darkness' is a beautifully realistic exploration of how a 'modern' vampire might come to be. 'As Wet As Wet Can Be,' an absolute gem of a story by Gahan Wilson, also takes a more realistic approach, even while it turns a classic children's fantasy tale on its head. At the other end of the spectrum, there are tales of magical worlds ('Varicose Worms,' not to be missed, unless you have a weak stomach), future worlds, and the darkly romantic world of times past ('The Silver Collar'). Some authors you will know- Wilson, Harlan Ellison, Tannith Lee. Many will leave you longing to know them and their works better. Finally, the volume itself is a cybaritic treat. Handsomely produced for the publishers at Fall River Press, it is a lovely, collectable hardcover edition with quality endpapers and a gorgeous dust jacket featuring artwork designed by Jo Obarowski. ALL THIS for less than the cost of 3 lattes!! You can afford two: one for you, and one for the friend who will LOVE it, and who will be sure you must have spent a LOT more on such a cool book.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
|
|
