The 5 best Vampire novels

[Kurben]

The 5 best Vampire novels.... There are many contenders through the years. Also i started this thread as a response to the rather bloated best 100 horror novels. Much too many for a list IMO. Here are my five picks!!!
1. Salems Lot - Stephen King
2. Let The Right One In - John Ajvide Lindqvist
3. Dracula - Bram Stoker
4. I am Legend - Richard Matheson
5. The Historian - Elisabeth Kostova

I am sure you disagree. What have i missed. Make your own list!

 

[Dana Jean]

The 5 best Vampire novels.... There are many contenders through the years. Also i started this thread as a response to the rather bloated best 100 horror novels. Much too many for a list IMO. Here are my five picks!!!
1. Salems Lot - Stephen King
2. Let The Right One In - John Ajvide Lindqvist
3. Dracula - Bram Stoker
4. I am Legend - Richard Matheson
5. The Historian - Elisabeth Kostova

I am sure you disagree. What have i missed. Make your own list!

I'd throw Interview with a Vampire into that list.

 

[Dana Jean]

I've never read The Historian, I'll have to put that on my list of need-to-reads.

 

[Kurben]

I'd throw Interview with a Vampire into that list.

It was one of my two contenders together with Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu but i decided that they were top ten material but not top 5. My opinion of course.

 

[GNTLGNT]

 

[RichardX]

I would add "The Delicate Dependency" by Michael Talbot. An interesting take on the vampire legend and good read. Another pitch for Whitley Strieber with "The Hunger" also made into an artsy film with Bowie.

 

[doowopgirl]

I'd throw Interview with a Vampire into that list.

I was going to add Interview myself. A must read for me.

 

[Dana Jean]

I was going to add Interview myself. A must read for me.

This will always be one of my favorite books in general for sentimental reasons.

I had a granddad who was just brilliant. I don't say that because he was my granddad, but because it's true. His curriculum vitae is lengthy and impressive. He was just so scholarly, engaging, passionate about life, work, learning. I miss him terribly every single day and so wish he was here now for me to pick those massive brains.

Anyway, one day as a kid, I asked him, "granddad, if you could recommend a book to me to read, what would it be?" And he said, "Have you read, Interview With a Vampire?"

I was floored by this. I figured he would throw out some heavy-duty classic or book of poetry (a love of his), but no. He threw out Anne Rice. I immediately got it and read it. And that sentimental connection to my granddad is priceless.

And looking back at that now, he was so smart. He knew what my passion was. What interested me. And he chose the perfect book for ME.

I love that guy.

 

[doowopgirl]

This will always be one of my favorite books in general for sentimental reasons.

I had a granddad who was just brilliant. I don't say that because he was my granddad, but because it's true. His curriculum vitae is lengthy and impressive. He was just so scholarly, engaging, passionate about life, work, learning. I miss him terribly every single day and so wish he was here now for me to pick those massive brains.

Anyway, one day as a kid, I asked him, "granddad, if you could recommend a book to me to read, what would it be?" And he said, "Have you read, Interview With a Vampire?"

I was floored by this. I figured he would throw out some heavy-duty classic or book of poetry (a love of his), but no. He threw out Anne Rice. I immediately got it and read it. And that sentimental connection to my granddad is priceless.

And looking back at that now, he was so smart. He knew what my passion was. What interested me. And he chose the perfect book for ME.

I love that guy.

That's lovely. I had the same thing with my mom. She handed me Gone With the Wind when I was 12 and I'd gone to her for books ever since. In fact she handed me Carrie when I was 16. She was a voracious reader and passed that to me. She always knew what you'd like to read.

 

[Dana Jean]

That's lovely. I had the same thing with my mom. She handed me Gone With the Wind when I was 12 and I'd gone to her for books ever since. In fact she handed me Carrie when I was 16. She was a voracious reader and passed that to me. She always knew what you'd like to read.

They knew us, didn't they?

My mom also recommended Gone With the Wind. Love that book too.

 

[GNTLGNT]

...great memories ladies.....makes me miss my grandparents even more....

 

[Wayoftheredpanda]

‘Salem’s Lot would be a definite 1, I’ve never finished Dracula but I enjoyed what I did read of it before kind of forgetting about it. I liked Bunnicula and this pop-up book about Dracula’s birthday I had when I was younger, and I also had some book about the Count from Seseame Street. That’s 5 vampire books right there.

 

[Doc Creed]

The 5 best Vampire novels.... There are many contenders through the years. Also i started this thread as a response to the rather bloated best 100 horror novels. Much too many for a list IMO. Here are my five picks!!!
1. Salems Lot - Stephen King
2. Let The Right One In - John Ajvide Lindqvist
3. Dracula - Bram Stoker
4. I am Legend - Richard Matheson
5. The Historian - Elisabeth Kostova

I am sure you disagree. What have i missed. Make your own list!

I like these subgenre threads you've started but, honestly, I don't read enough of these kinds of books to even scrape together five books. I did like these three:
1. 'Salem's Lot
2. I Am Legend
3. Dracula

 

[Kurben]

I would add "The Delicate Dependency" by Michael Talbot. An interesting take on the vampire legend and good read. Another pitch for Whitley Strieber with "The Hunger" also made into an artsy film with Bowie.

Havent read any of these. Thanks for the tip!! Seen the Bowie movie though. Didn't think much of it to be honest.

 

[do1you9love?]

‘Salem’s Lot would be a definite 1, I’ve never finished Dracula but I enjoyed what I did read of it before kind of forgetting about it. I liked Bunnicula and this pop-up book about Dracula’s birthday I had when I was younger, and I also had some book about the Count from Seseame Street. That’s 5 vampire books right there.

I loved that book as a kid!!

 

[osnafrank]

The only Vampire Book i have read was Salems Lot but only, this was SK Book.

I don't like Vampire Storys/Movies

Except, the Series the Strain...but hey are not really Vampires

 

[do1you9love?]

Nice thread topics Kurben! I like to recommend this series, but it's not exactly a Vampire novel until about book 2. Necroscope by Brian Lumley. Now, I have read the first 5 books in this series, years ago. Just looking to make sure I had the author right and discover there are 15 novels in all. So now I get to find a way to get them and add to the TBR pile.

Short synopsis: Harry Keogh is a Necroscope, which means he can talk to the dead. They willingly help him and share their secrets with him. He soon discovers there is a necromancer (who rips the secrets from the dead - causing pain to those who have forgotten pain) that he must stop. The vampire part is a trapped master vampire who is working beyond his unlife, and again, the vampires and the unique way that the vampire "essence" is passed on starts in book 2. I do remember that there is some sex in these books, Dana Jean. It's probably not needed or essential to the story and not exceptionally graphic that I recall, but just as an FYI, it can easily be skimmed over.

As for the top 5 you listed, Kurben , I have only read your top 3, and of course Interview. So, for me, this and Interview would round out my top 5. I will put Legend and Historian in my ever-growing virtual pile!

 

[Wayoftheredpanda]

I loved that book as a kid!!

I couldn’t believe I had forgotten about it before I really considered what vampire books have I read before, considering how much I read it when I was 6.

 

[Dana Jean]

Nice thread topics Kurben! I like to recommend this series, but it's not exactly a Vampire novel until about book 2. Necroscope by Brian Lumley. Now, I have read the first 5 books in this series, years ago. Just looking to make sure I had the author right and discover there are 15 novels in all. So now I get to find a way to get them and add to the TBR pile.

Short synopsis: Harry Keogh is a Necroscope, which means he can talk to the dead. They willingly help him and share their secrets with him. He soon discovers there is a necromancer (who rips the secrets from the dead - causing pain to those who have forgotten pain) that he must stop. The vampire part is a trapped master vampire who is working beyond his unlife, and again, the vampires and the unique way that the vampire "essence" is passed on starts in book 2. I do remember that there is some sex in these books, Dana Jean. It's probably not needed or essential to the story and not exceptionally graphic that I recall, but just as an FYI, it can easily be skimmed over.

As for the top 5 you listed, Kurben , I have only read your top 3, and of course Interview. So, for me, this and Interview would round out my top 5. I will put Legend and Historian in my ever-growing virtual pile!

Oh, I never skim. I read every word of every graphic scene.

Again, I don't mind the sex stuff if it is important. When it's just thrown in, that's when I have the problem. And, most of the time, I don't think we need Debbie Does Dallas and the Greater Metropolitan Area details.

Less is more I think.

 

[doowopgirl]

They knew us, didn't they?

My mom also recommended Gone With the Wind. Love that book too.

One of my favorite memories