book review | Dracember | Draculas – A Novel of Terror by Blake Crouch

Author: Blake Crouch
Title: Draculas – A Novel of Terror
Series: Konrath / Kilborn Collective
Genre: Horror; Thriller
Pages: 326
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

Randomly discovered this book here, “Draculas – A Novel of Terror” by Blake Crouch and a few other authors, who each wrote a character for this one, edge-of-the-seat tale. My second book of Dracember, December with Dracula, brings us to a hospital about to be overrun by vampire infestation.

About the Book: Elderly man who’d fit Stephen King‘s novels, has bought a strange, seemingly human skull. Greatest difference between actual human skull and this is, of course, the set of teeth. Sharp, pointy, and hollow. He even hired an assitant with appropriate knowledge to tell him whether it seems real enough. Really, his only mistake has been not sharing the information with her. For as he pushed those fangs into his neck, he knew what he was doing. While she, unknowing, in shock and fear, took him to a crowded hospital, full of wounded, bleeding patients who can’t escape… For, you see, the skull has likely once indeed belonged to Dracula, whose headless body has been discovered previously.

My Opinion: Action packed humorous horror thriller, an absolute pleasure to read. It’s almost sad to take a point away for where writing left plot or logic holes. You’ve likely seen a movie or a few just like this, and so know, this book is better. Trapped in a hospital, with stalking, mindless monsters hunting them down, protagonists each apply all their wit and skill to survive and inform the outside world of what’s going on, convince them of this unreal reality. Read on the edge of my seat, and occasionally laughed at… well, you’ll see. Lots of lovely nightmare fuel.

Fantastic. A very solid 4 out of 5.

Dracember | First sighting of Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Bram Stoker’s book Dracula was released in 1897, on May 26th. But Dracula first saw the light of day, as miniscule as it was, on May 18th of the same year in Lyceum theater, London.

Theatrical performance, that is, a theatrical or dramatic reading by fifteen resident theater actors was not a play due to some sort of licensing thing, where, I guess, Stoker needed to preserve some rights to his creations. It consisted out of prologue, and four acts of fourty-seven scenes, and was titled “Dracula or The Un-Dead“, as author hadn’t yet decided on the title. On May 24th the title was set for “Un-Dead”, but as we still have Dracula in our shelves it’s not hard to guess there were some changes last minute. This wasn’t a usual way to do things, and that meant Stoker had to adjust, the way publishers adjusted to him.

On the right side you see a page where Stoker jutted down character notes. And below there’s the first page of the theatrical performance prologue, with the then-title visible atop.

book review | Dracember | Children of the Night by Dan Simmons | Seasons of Horror 2

Author: Dan Simmons
Title: Children of the Night
Series: Seasons of Horror 2
Genre: Horror books; Thriller
Pages: 453
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

Dracember (drac-sem-ber) is here, and so, I return to you with a month of Dracula, and a great worry for next year, as there simply aren’t enough of these. But, for starters, read Children of the Night by Dan Simmons, the most boring interesting book I’ve ever read. Yes.

About the Book: Post-communist Romania, still running on not yet uprooted remnants of nasty regime, is where Kate’s source of frustration and salvation lies. A child with supernatural immune system, so powerful that if only she could get the kid out of the country, and into a proper, state of the art lab, there’d be no more incurable illness or disease. But Romania has long since been the cradle of Dark Secrets, and so, forces that serve them are unwilling to give up the child they could use to revive Him with…

My Opinion: The book is told from two perspectives; Kate’s, and Dracula’s, who tells his tale, and explains how he’s learning of things happening around him. Mythos of vampires is well woven, and in general it was a very interesting read. Except that I almost died of boredom when author saw the need to describe bureaucracy in such detail and extent, and then provide all of the characters who just happen to know all the right people, and have all the right skills. Kate was annoying too, unusually so, and her co-workers were the worst by being the best with their praises to Kate, oh, if anyone, you can surely do it. Yes, okay, great, fun. The book is good enough that I’d read sequel if there was one (series is not of connected books, they’re all stand-alones), but bad enough that I wouldn’t recommend it.

It really had its moments, so a firm 3 out of 5.

Dracember | December with Dracula | 2022

Some of you have noticed, some of you have not, but last year during December I’ve only read Dracula books, starting with The Dracula Tape by Fred Saberhagen, that is now one of my favorites. And while this year I’ve found and read quite a few Dracula books too, I didn’t think to save them for Dracember (drac-sem-ber – D-ecember + D-rac-ula). So, I admit, it was a bit tough to find enough material for the book blog this year. And yet I’ve decided to go on with it as is, because the entire point of Dracember is to have fun in December with some Dracula.

• Last year’s intro on Ego Noctis

During the December with Dracula there are two notable dates. One is my birthday, that happens to be the same day Romanian Wikipedia claims Vlad the Impaler has died. And another is Yule, Christmas, other Holidays, or even just simply winter solstice, which isn’t at the same day as Christmas, but let’s not get too deep into the details where we don’t need to. This date I celebrate as a made up birthday of Count Dracula. What better time than the darkest night of the year on which miracles are expected to happen. Not to mention the perfectly fitting meme of Lord and Savior Dracula…

• December 14th – my birthday, Vlad the Impaler’s death day
• December 25th – a winter holiday, and a (belated) solstice, and thus a made up (by me) Dracula birthday.

During this December I plan to finish Fred Saberhagen Dracula series, as I’ve still four books to go, and read Quincy the Demon Hunter omnibus books. I’ve read a few loose ones before, and… I messed up big time. Titles and covers are not for the books I’ve actually read. How did I manage? I do not know. Let’s pretend that didn’t happen, okay?

I really do hope you’d like to join me in this slightly unusual revelry, where’s people go about their Christmas and cozy mysteries (no shade, good stuff), and I’m just here, with Yule and Dracula, like it’s the Wild Hunt in the sky, and not a jolly beardy old man in a red suit. Even one book, one day you’d dedicate for it, a nice movie with Bela Lugosi, Hotel Transylvania for the cozy vibes – is enough. There’s no pressure other than the will to have fun in a Vampire Lord kind of way.

Keywords: #decemberwithdracula #dracember

Other useful links:
– Ego Noctis blog
– Ko-fi so I don’t die (or a little something for my birthday)
– Bookstagram (it’s in Lithuanian, but cards have English titles)
– Romanian Wikipedia on Vlad the Impaler

book review | Pilgrimage of the Sacred and the Profane by Hideyuki Kikuchi | Vampire Hunter D 6

Author: Hideyuki Kikuchi
Title: Pilgrimage of the Sacred and the Profane
Series: Vampire Hunter D 6
Genre: Sci-fi; Vampires
Pages: 206
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

The last Vampire Hunter D book that I had, Pilgrimage of the Sacred and the Profane by Hideyuki Kikuchi is still going strong with great ideas and mediocre execution.

About the Book: Granny Viper is known for her ability to deliver things, even through pretty dangerous places. But the value of the merchandise, and the looming desert ahead make her take precautions and hire extra hands. Among whom is a vampire hunter known only as D. It’s not really a job he’d normally take, no. But the curiosity, and direction too, won the damphir over, as the merchandise in question is a young woman who has been held captive in an infamous castle of the few remaining vampires…

My Opinion: Same old cons. Dull, sometimes even shallow writing, with too high an emphasis on the protagonist looks. But everything else is pretty great. There’s more of the unusual adventures, in unusual place, with some more story on how changed the world is, reminding the reader it’s definitely a science fiction book, as strange and unique as Warhammer 40k, but incomparable even then. D was very, very slightly better written too, as he showed more proper curiosity, and, gasp, almost humanity. Basically, these books are definitely not bad. They’re just not good either.

Will definitely read more when I have more. For now, 4 out of 5.

book review | Vampire Hunter D: The Stuff of Dreams by Hideyuki Kikuchi | Vampire Hunter D 5

Author: Hideyuki Kikuchi
Title: The Stuff of Dreams
Series: Vampire Hunter D 5
Genre: Sci-Fi; Vampires
Pages: 204
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

Read Vampire Hunter D: The Stuff of Dreams by Hideyuki Kikuchi, fifth book in the Vampire Hunter D series. While the plots are woven a bit dully, story itself is always different, always interesting, strange, unusual.

About the Book: D is called into a town that is like a haven of safety in an otherwise dreary and dangerous world. Once even Nobility, the vampires, lived here in peace with humans. Once. Now the townsfolk are on their own, and aren’t harboring the best of feelings for the nobility due to one young woman, who, bitten, fell asleep, and slept like this, not aging, for decades. The fact that everyone here dreamed of D at least once makes the hunter wonder if it’s not the sleeping woman herself who called him here, as no one seems to know who else could it have been, or even why.

My Opinion: It’s not an easy read as it’s pretty dull plot-wise. But I do like the strange ideas, all the unusual visuals written. In this book it’s hard to tell what’s real, and what’s a dream, for the tale is a dream within a dream. So you read and try to keep all of the strings in mind, connecting their ends as someone somewhere wakes up or falls asleep. Pretty good if it wasn’t for the horribly gorgeous D who bothers everyone with his mere presence. I’m really looking forwards to his own history crumbs though, as it seems he’ll be related to Dracula.

A mediocre 4 out of 5 that isn’t yet three.

book review | Animal Farm by George Orwell

Author: George Orwell
Title: Animal Farm
Series: –
Genre: Classics; Politics
Pages: 122
Rate: 5/5 | Goodreads

Read Animal Farm by George Orwell, and I don’t know whether to cry or laugh now. Hope everyone reads it.

About the Book: All animals are equal. Having defeated their human master, they set up amendments of sorts and start working on an utopia, where there’s enough food, less work, plenty of rest, no whip, and no stealing of eggs or the young. But fierce slogans made to stoke the fires of superiority and idealism won’t keep that belly full. Food doesn’t just appear, it needs to be grown. And then processed into actual morsels. Which then might be made better with an egg or some milk. And what about sugar, that could be bought for money if excess could be sold? Oh, and just think, if you didn’t have to share it either… But no. No. All animals are equal. Simply, some are more equal than others.

My Opinion: A masterpiece, so good. First published in 1945, and the stench of totalitarism still lingers in the air. Hopefully it’s a stench of a rotting corpse only. Superbly written book of cogs in the machines, corruption, greed, and disregard for others, where no price is too high to keep the power stable in own hands. No better time to read it either.

A solid 5 out of 5.

book review | The Bookshop from Hell by David Haynes

Author: David Haynes
Title: The Bookshop from Hell
Series: –
Genre: Horror; Paranormal
Pages: 227
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

Forget what I was looking for originally when I discovered The Bookshop from Hell by David Haynes, and won’t likely ever remember now. But this one sounded too intriguing to pass.

About the Book: A new bookshop opens in a small, relatively peaceful town, where a door left unlocked wasn’t a safety hazard. Strange one, with an older gentleman running it, seemingly no electricity, and rarely even open. Yet, despite all that, soon townspeople find themselves with a book in their hands, gifted to them, one they cannot put down, for it’s a tale tailored just for them, a tale that has all the answers…

My Opinion: It’s a very classic kind of a tale: some kind of paranormal thing rolls into a very tidy town, and starts pulling and twisting the darkest strings, causing mass hysteria, mayhem, murder. While it might feel dull reading it, there’s value in the books that aren’t boring, books where you can just sit down and relax, simply read, not thinking what’s ahead, not keeping tabs, or trying to connect the pieces together. So, all in all, pretty good for what it is.

A firm 4 out of 5

book review | Vampire Hunter D: Tale of the Dead Town by Hideyuki Kikuchi | Vampire Hunter D 4

Author: Hideyuki Kikuchi
Title: Tale of the Dead Town
Series: Vampire Hunter D 4
Genre: Sci-fi; Vampires
Pages: 201
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

There is only a handful of novels in Vampire Hunter D series by Hideyuki Kikuchi that I can get, so, yes, I am determined to read them all. Finished the fourth one, called Vampire Hunter D: Tale of the Dead Town.

About the Book: A traveling city, entire metropolis, on an unknown course, and a very strict policy for boarding it or leaving, that almost left D on the other side of the door, except… Against all odds, they have found themselves in need of a vampire hunter, better still if one’s as skilled as D, for who or what could possibly hide here, where every citizen can easily be accounted for?

My Opinion: If I haven’t warned you yet, let me do so now: do not play a drinking game where you take a shot every time D’s described as gorgeous, you will end up in the hospital. Other than this annoying flaw that continues through all of the books, the story was pretty good. An interesting concept of a traveling town, where motion and walls were meant to keep everyone safe from what’s outside. But a single threat on the inside of the walls has turned it into a death trap.

Solid one, a 4 out of 5.

book review | If It Bleeds by Stephen King | Holly Gibney 2

Author: Stephen King
Title: If it Bleeds
Series: Holly Gibney 2
Genre: Horror books; Short Story Collection
Pages: 447
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

Don’t feel like giving up the horror just yet, so, read If it Bleeds by Stephen King, a short, but not so short story collection on various creepy, unnerving, and scary themes.

About the Book: The main story in the book is that of Holly Gibney, and is a stand-alone sequel to The Outsider, which I’ve not read, nor, judging by this book, will I ever want to read. Holly, watching news on tragedies, notices a reporter who seems to be first on the scene in all the worst ones. Not just there before any other reporter, but at times even before the police, before the ambulance. With a bad feeling in her heart, woman starts to investigate the man, dreading he might be a thing from her past, a thing that fed on human misery, sorrow, pain. Because if that is the case, then this creature here just learned how to make himself a meal. And then Holly will have to stop him. Or die trying.

My Opinion: In all the stories present, I highly preferred two. The very first one, with this cybernatural vibe to it, of a young protagonist calling the phone he left in the pocket of his dead friend. And another one that felt almost Murakamish with that Hard Boiled Wonderland tint to it, about a man dying in a coma, and how that death takes effect. The others I didn’t like as much, but none at all bored me. Writing reads easy, but that’s to be expected from such an amount of experience.

A solid 4 out of 5.