ASMSG Scifi Fantasy Paranormal Emagazine March 2014 | Page 25

you were young, I urge you to give it
another pass and see if you don’t have a
different reaction. Thisone also became a
stylish 80s movie, but to really appreciate
the emotional subtexts in the story, you
really must read the novel.
Honorable Mention: The Vampire Tapestry
by Susan McKee Charnas. This very
unusual vampire tale presents a truly alien
and unique vampire who may well be the
last of his species. Far less romantic and
more pragmatic than most vampires you’ll
ever meet, this book presents a series of
episodes in the life of the vampire Weyland.
This one’s not for all tastes, but certainly
one of the more unique takes on the
vampire idea you’ll find.

I Am Legend
by Richard
Matheson –
The
granddaddy
of
vampire apocalypse novels,
and
maybe
even zombie

apocalypse stories, this grim,
slow burning
novel bears no
resemblance to
the
various
movie adaptations that have been based on it
(with the exception of Vincent Price’s The
Last Man on Earth, which comes close). Some
readers will find it slow, but the horror of the
vampires in this novel lies in their numbers
and relentlessness. Fans of The Walking Dead
and similar fare will appreciate the bleak

atmosphere, but what will truly surprise
readers is the profound philosophical

questions Matheson raises with masterful
understatement.

Honorable Mention: ‘Salem’s Lot by
Stephen King. The master of modern
horror gave us this wonderful modern
vampire classic which is often described
as “Dracula in a small Maine town.”
While that description is accurate, this
novel is so much more. Masterful
characterization of people large and small
makes the town of the title live and
breathe. The setting is so vividly drawn
and lovingly rendered that you almost
don’t notice the absence of the undead
for a large portion of the novel.
Atmosphere and steadily building dread
replace King’s usual shock and awe in this
early masterpiece. Those who like their
vampires monstrous and traditional need
to take a lesson.
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, but
Grave Peril if you have to pick just one Okay, you’re saying, but what about us Urban
Fantasy writers? Jim Butcher has created a
fully-realized and consistent fantasy world
composed of everything you’ve ever heard of
in a fairytale or mythology book. The thing to
read Butcher for is how approachable and
sensible he makes the fantastic seem. By
having a solid foundation to build on and
working to keep the rules clear, his wizard
Harry Dresden strikes a crucial balance
between being powerful enough to handle the
ever-escalating threats he encounters while
never becoming so chock full of powers that
he ceases to be interesting. Who Harry
Dresden is matters much more than the nifty
spells he can cast and the restrictions he
places upon himself elevate him to a
combination of Phillip Marlowe and Harry
Potter