AAR

[JDSilver]

Hello, all,

I'm curious--what is the darkest novel you've read that has a vampire theme?

I realize "darkest" is broad and subjective; what I mean is, how far did the author go with the violence and/or eroticism? Was it too far, for your taste, or did you enjoy the story? Was there a specific scene that stood out for you?

Thanks!

[LFL]

Within the romance genre, Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh. The violence level was so high, I was amazed that it worked for me, but I loved it. Some of the things the characters had been through were both tragic and horrific. I could tell you the scene that most stands out for me but it would be a big spoiler. It's a flashback that reveals what happened
to the hero's family centuries earlier.

Outside the romance genre, probably Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice. There is one scene that takes place in a theater that stands out. It's been so many years since I read it that I can't be sure how I would like it now, but I did love the early books in Rice's Vampire Chronicles as a teen.
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[Linda in sw va]

Beloved Vampire by Joey Hill, one of the most disturbing books I've ever read and I've never sought out another book by this author.
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"The Bookshop has a thousand books, all colors, hues and tinges, and every cover is a door that turns on magic hinges." ~ Nancy Byrd Turner

[xina]

Live Girls..... by Ray Garton. Not romance but horror. Very talented writer, but sort of disturbing.
The Vampire Chronicles.... by Anne Rice. Includes Interview but also Queen Of The Damned. More graphic. Couldn't bring myself to see the movie.
I Am Legend... by Richard Matheson. Book very good and graphic, but the movie did not follow the book
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[xina]

[MEK]

I also read Beloved Vampire by Joey Hill, the only book I've read by her. I'm afraid to read any others! It was beautifully written, but such a dark, dark world and more sexually "free" than I'm interested in. I did appreciate some elements, though.

[JDSilver]

Thanks, all!

[Linda in sw va]

[Audrey]

Susan Squires Companion series seemed pretty dark to me, but then again I've never read Joey Hill or Anne Rice. There is some violence and eroticism but not too much for me, like the evil vampire keeping blood slaves, and what she did with them.

[CD]

Jamie Craig's trilogy starting with MASTER OF OBSIDIAN combines vampirism with m/m hardcore S&M. The violence and the sex were very dark and pretty disturbing - these are not cute Twilight vampires... However, even though I skimmed over the rather more extreme sex scenes, what really worked for me was the m/m love story between the two protagonists. The sex, magnified by several thousand with vampirsm thrown in, showed in relief the huge amount of trust and actual tenderness required to go that far. Sounds contradictory but it really worked.

Also, it was the first S&M erotica that I read that showed that being a submissive in the bedroom does NOT mean being a doormat in a relationship. Something which a lot of recent so-called "erotica" seem to forget...
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[Linda in sw va]

CD, eeeeep, I think I must try it! Not sure if it will be too extreme for me but m/m + vampire + good writing, I've got to peek at it at least.

Linda
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"The Bookshop has a thousand books, all colors, hues and tinges, and every cover is a door that turns on magic hinges." ~ Nancy Byrd Turner

[PWNN]