Source: Pixabay
Our popular culture would be nothing without horror. So many aspects of the entertainment world have been shaped and inspired by a host of nightmarish creatures and things that go bump in the night.
Werewolves and ghosts have played a memorable role in many stories through the years, but few entities have had an impact quite like vampires.
Real fascination
Bloodsucking fiends have been part of horror and our culture in general for an incredibly long time, with History.com suggesting that superstitions and stories related to the creatures came to the fore in the Middle Ages.
The entities remain a source of real fascination and continue to have a major impact across a range of media. Movies including Twilight have featured the creatures, while TV shows such as True Blood and Buffy the Vampire Slayer also enjoyed major success. Elsewhere, vampires have shown up in many forms of gaming, including the Vampire: The Masquerade series. They are also a key theme in online casino gaming too, with NetBet featuring slots such as Immortal Romance and Blood Suckers. Both feature many elements of vampire mythology, with the latter even including a bonus round where players have to search for the creatures in coffins.
Of course, vampires have a famous and long legacy in literature too. However, if you’re looking for some classic novels to sink your teeth into, where should you start? Here is a trio of suggestions.
Dracula
How could we begin anywhere else? Regarded by many as the seminal text related to the monsters, Bram Stoker’s novel includes a number of the pieces that make up the vampire puzzle. The lead character is probably the most famous of them all.
Interview with the Vampire
Jumping forward in time, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire was published in 1976 and arguably offered up a fresh take on the creatures. In it, a vampire outlines his remarkable life story and tells tales of the characters that he has encountered. The novel inspired a famous big-screen adaptation featuring an impressive cast including Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise.
The Vampyre
Before Dracula and other renowned vampire tales such as Carmilla, there was The Vampyre. As The British Library outlines, the tale published in 1819 was written by John Polidori and based on an idea from Lord Byron. The latter apparently came up with the concept after challenging some friends to write ghost stories. The group included Mary Shelley, who started writing Frankenstein as a result of the contest.
Dive into some key texts
Horror is a much-loved genre and vampires have played a key role in it since arguably the very beginning. While there are many books related to the creatures, the titles referenced above should be a good starting point if you want to get to grips with some key texts.
Whether you’re a massive horror fan keen to read some classics or a complete beginner in this world, we’re sure you will find plenty to enjoy.