Vampire stories

I said a couple of days ago that I'd look in a couple of anthologies for good vampire stories. I can't remember what thread I said it in, though, but I do see that frahealee has had enough of vampires, for a while at least, after Dracula. But anyway.

I thought it would be easier to photograph the contents pages than to transcribe them. It wasn't exactly easy (or quick!).

The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories (1987) edited by Alan Ryan:













Children of the Night:Classic Vampire Stories (2007) edited by David Stuart Davies:



The Vampire of Croglin Hall is by Augustus Hare
There's only a short excerpt from "Varney", of course
The Curse of the Vourdalak is by Alexis Tolstoy (filmed by Mario Bava and featuring Boris Karloff)
"Dracula and the Three Brides" is an excerpt from the novel
The Horla is by Guy de Maupassant
Bewitched is by Edith Wharton
The Welcome Visitor...is by the editor, David Stuart Davies.

I had to go fetch my copy of Frankenstein to check, as it has a couple of these in the appendix. I remember reading Byron's "Fragment" back when I read the rest of the book, but Polidori's tale is here as well. I never did read that, but I know a play was made of it and it has quite the following. It's also credited as the birth of the "Ricean" vampire; the noble, foppish aristocratic figure that suspiciously resembles Byron himself. Apparently he wasn't too pleased with Polidori's adaptation of his attempt.

I wonder if that Matheson is the same Richard that wrote I Am Legend. I though that was an interesting take on the lone human against wtf story. The movie with Will Smith has only minor resemblance to it, so I would recommend people read the novella if they are at all interested.

#2

Yes it's the same Matheson, he has quite a few vampire stories.

#1

Speaking of which, another author known more for his sf but who wrote a very unusual vampire story (and more) was Theodore Sturgeon. "Some of your blood" is the title i think

I should star this thread.

I've started going over my old writing and am considering resurrecting my old vampire. Research time! Starting with Polidori if it's short enough. Then, I can say I've read my entire Frankenstein copy with all ends notes, introductions, and appendices!

>2 WeeTurtle:

I agree that the original story outshines all the movie adaptations.

>4 frahealee: There's Robert Aickman again

I found I got a lot from Aickman's Pages from a Young Girl's Journal having read Polidori's Vampyre first.

By the way, I just love Aickman's stories. Just saying.