The Vampire's Heart (Paperback)

by Mark Roeder (Author)
Key Phrases: The Vampire's Heart, Uncle Rob, Changed Life (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Ever wonder what it would be like to be fifteen-years-old forever? Ever wonder how it would feel to find out your best friend is not what he seems? Graham Granger is intrigued by the new boy in school. Graham’s heart aches for a friend, and maybe a boyfriend, but is Josiah the answer to his dreams? Why is Bry Hartnett, the school hunk, taking an interest in Graham as well? When strange happenings begin to occur at Griswold Jr./Sr. High, Graham’s once boring life becomes more exciting than he can handle.

About the Author
In addition to The Vampire's Heart, Mark A. Roeder is also the author of Gay Youth Chronicles, a series of books about gay youth, centered in Indiana. Information on his current and upcoming books can be found at markroeder.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 226 pages
• Publisher: IUniverse (April 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595225640
• ISBN-13: 978-0595225644
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #691,106 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It may bite at your heart, but will it tug at your soul, September 17, 2002

By A Customer

I read this over a week's time...and though it held my interest...i wondered about a few things. 1. Why was it necessary to constantly remind the reader that the main character was puny? We figured it out the first few times. 2. Where did the author locate his information on vampire's? 3. Why did the rules change so much regarding how many times it took one to be bitten before turning into a vampire? 4. If Kelly is the main character's best friend, where was she in the entire novel? I understand the author wanted to lead the reader into the heartache of vampire and desired to compare the life of a vampire and a gay boy...all in which I believe was done well, but I hoped to learn more about Josiah...and not just how he became a vampire (which was clumped together all too quickly and finally lost me at the end) but the other part of Josiah..the boy trapped inside. And what were this boy's interests? And why was the main character's gay uncle only assessed at one point in the script...I was hoping to see their bond grow. The ending seemed a bit contrived and wasn't explained in depth. I won't ruin in for other readers, but I'm sure other's could see it. I commend Mark for a smooth read that was delightful at moments. It's nice to see a gay book on the market that isn't all about sex and I loved the innocence surrounding the main character. Mark is definately on his way as a great gay writer...just keep them coming...

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Make That Four-and-a-Half Stars..., May 28, 2003

By	Jerome Y. Hebert (Québec) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you're looking for an Anne Rice clone or have a hankering for blood, cruelty and horror, I don't think "The Vampire's Heart" is for you. However, if you have a taste for "gay teen romance" with a uniquely supernatural flavour, VH is definitely a darned good read.

I have read all of Mark's books, finishing VH last night. In all honesty, I can say that it is not his absolute best. But I include it with "A Better Place" and "Someone Is Watching" as among my top three favourites. Its "defects" (if one can use that misleading term) lie not in any failure in the writing or plot or handling of the theme. Rather, VH's sole shortcoming is that it is ... well ... too *short*. VH seems to be a case where the storyteller does not take quite as long to go into the depth of his tale and its characters as he (and his readers) might have actually wished. To my mind, it is an "abridged" version of a longer story which cries out to be told in full. Perhaps Mark will do us that favour one of these days.

I highly recommend "The Vampire's Heart" to all readers who enjoy positive and ultimately heart-warming stories about gay teens. It is fun; it is suspenseful; it is a thoroughly enjoyable (albeit all too short) adventure.

That said, I must however disagree with Mark on one point. The author states in the book's Introduction that VH is *not* a part of the Gay Youth Chronicles set in and around Verona, Indiana. I believe that other fans of GYC who read "The Vampire's Heart" will understand my rather bold and presumptuous disagreement with the author's disavowal. Based on many "coincidences" in VH and on a plethora of speculations that arise about "what if...", this story definitely *could* be a part of GYC. In my opinion, it *should* be a part of them. In my heart and mind, it *is* a part of them. In other words, if you are a fan of the Gay Youth Chronicles, you will not need to fear that VH is entirely divorced from them. Indeed, if your imagination and love for Mark's other characters and creations matches my own, you will find subtle and perhaps even ethereal links to GYC. And as was the case for me, perhaps these links will make "The Vampire's Heart" an even more enjoyable reading adventure than it already is.

4.0 out of 5 stars great gay romance, May 14, 2008

By	Nightwolf "Kai" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

One of the best romance novels. Very innocent, gay vampire love story, definitely worth reading.