The Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories by Women (Mammoth Books)

From Publishers Weekly Got garlic? Silver bullets? A handy stake or a cross? Vampire fans take heart. Despite naysayers who believe the genre has been literally sucked dry of all creativity and originality, British horror maven Jones has assembled an impressive volume packed with period classics and fresh takes before and after the 21st century. This toothsome anthology opens with Anne Rice's only vampire short story, "The Master of Rampling Gate," a traditional romantic piece from 1986; other selections meet, or surpass, this fine beginning. One of the best original tales is "Outfangthief," a stylish debut from Gala Blau, about lost children, a topic also brilliantly explored by Roberta Lannes's "Turkish Delight." Melanie Tem's "Lunch at Charon's" and Nancy Kilpatrick's "La Diente" feature biting social commentary. "Forever Amen," by Elizabeth Massie, provides a magical time-traveling twist. Outstanding reprints include "Jack," by Connie Willis, exploring WWII; "Aftermath," by Janet Berliner, a dark biblical piece; Kathryn Ptacek's "Butternut and Blood," a Civil War horror; and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's elegant Saint-Germain tale, "A Question of Patronage." But the most exciting reprint has to be Mary Elizabeth Braddon's "Good Lady Ducayne," an 1896 novella published a year before Bram Stoker's Dracula. Apart from a few anemic originals and dubious reprints, this is a robust anthology sure to satisfy even the most jaded blood thirst. (Nov. 1)Forecast: The misleadingly cheesy jacket art may attract Buffy fans, who will discover the rich, literary tradition of which the teenage female vampire-fighters on the small screen form only the latest popular manifestation. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From Booklist This Mammoth anthology, unified only by subject and the authors' gender, is broad in scope and very lively. Victorian "sensation" author Mary Elizabeth Braddon puts in an appearance with "Good Lady Ducayne," in which a young woman becomes a companion to a strange older woman whose previous companions have fallen ill under mysterious circumstances. In Yvonne Navarro's "One among Millions," a vampire stalks a young mother, wanting her to be the mother of his children. The collection concludes with Jane Yolen's eerie poem "Vampyr," in which the vampires "Drink the night. / Rue the day." Fun, ghoulish stuff. Kristine Huntley Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Horror Tales; English,Vampires,Anthologies (Multiple Authors),Mystery & Detective,Horror,Women Sleuths,Horror Tales; American,General,Horror & ghost stories,Occult & Supernatural,Horror Stories,Horror Fiction,Fiction,Juvenile Fiction,Horror Tales

Featuring the only vampire short story by Anne Rice, the undisputed queen of vampire literature, and an autobiographical introduction by Ingrid Pitt, star of the films The Vampire Lovers and Countess Dracula, this Mammoth collection brings together thirty-four uncanny and erotic tales by women who have redefined the genre of vampire fiction. From classic stories of the undead by writers like Edith Nesbit, Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman, and Mary Elizabeth Braddon to the work of such acclaimed contemporary authors as Poppy Z. Brite, Nancy Kilpatrick, Tanith Lee, Caitlin R. Kiernan, and Pat Cadigan, this terrifying and tantalizing volume turns the conventions of vampire fiction on their head and inside out as it refashions, and revamps, Bram Stoker's urbane Count Dracula in smart, modern, sexy terms. Original and inventive, the tales in this anthology offer a wide and varied range of undead heroines and doomed heroes, from the tormented good to the unspeakably evil. At large among them in the gardens of literature's longest night are Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Byronic vampire Saint-Germain, Nancy A. Collins's Vampire King of the Goth Chicks, Tanya Huff's vampiric detective Vicki Nelson, and Freda Warrington's age-old lovers Karl and Charlotte. In all, the quest continues—for blood to drink, for souls to steal, for life among the undead.

Publishers Weekly

Got garlic? Silver bullets? A handy stake or a cross? Vampire fans take heart. Despite naysayers who believe the genre has been literally sucked dry of all creativity and originality, British horror maven Jones has assembled an impressive volume packed with period classics and fresh takes before and after the 21st century. This toothsome anthology opens with Anne Rice's only vampire short story, The Master of Rampling Gate, a traditional romantic piece from 1986; other selections meet, or surpass, this fine beginning. One of the best original tales is Outfangthief, a stylish debut from Gala Blau, about lost children, a topic also brilliantly explored by Roberta Lannes's Turkish Delight. Melanie Tem's Lunch at Charon's and Nancy Kilpatrick's La Diente feature biting social commentary. Forever Amen, by Elizabeth Massie, provides a magical time-traveling twist. Outstanding reprints include Jack, by Connie Willis, exploring WWII; Aftermath, by Janet Berliner, a dark biblical piece; Kathryn Ptacek's Butternut and Blood, a Civil War horror; and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's elegant Saint-Germain tale, A Question of Patronage. But the most exciting reprint has to be Mary Elizabeth Braddon's Good Lady Ducayne, an 1896 novella published a year before Bram Stoker's Dracula. Apart from a few anemic originals and dubious reprints, this is a robust anthology sure to satisfy even the most jaded blood thirst. (Nov. 1) Forecast: The misleadingly cheesy jacket art may attract Buffy fans, who will discover the rich, literary tradition of which the teenage female vampire-fighters on the small screen form only the latest popular manifestation. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Featuring the only vampire short story by Anne Rice, the undisputed queen of vampire literature, and an autobiographical introduction by Ingrid Pitt, star of the films The Vampire Lovers and Countess Dracula, this Mammoth collection brings together thirty-four uncanny and erotic tales by women who have redefined the genre of vampire fiction. From classic stories of the undead by writers like Edith Nesbit, Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman, and Mary Elizabeth Braddon to the work of such acclaimed contemporary authors as Poppy Z. Brite, Nancy Kilpatrick, Tanith Lee, Caitlin R. Kiernan, and Pat Cadigan, this terrifying and tantalizing volume turns the conventions of vampire fiction on their head and inside out as it refashions, and revamps, Bram Stoker's urbane Count Dracula in smart, modern, sexy terms. Original and inventive, the tales in this anthology offer a wide and varied range of undead heroines and doomed heroes, from the tormented good to the unspeakably evil. At large among them in the gardens of literature's longest night are Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Byronic vampire Saint-Germain, Nancy A. Collins's "Vampire King of the Goth Chicks," Tanya Huff's vampiric detective Vicki Nelson, and Freda Warrington's age-old lovers Karl and Charlotte. In all, the quest continuesfor blood to drink, for souls to steal, for life among the undead. CONTENTS Introduction: My Life Among The Undead by Ingrid Pitt The Master Of Rampling Gate by Anne Rice Homewrecker by Poppy Z. Brite When Gretchen Was Human by Mary A. Turzillo The Vengeaful Spirit of Lake Nepeakea by Tanya Huff La Diente by Nancy Kilpatrick Miss Massingberd and the Vampire by Tina Rath The Raven Bound by Freda Warrington Vampire King of the Goth Chicks by Nancy A. Collins Just His Type by Storm Constantine Prince Of Flowers by Elizabeth Hand Service Rendered by Louise Cooper Aftermath by Janet Berliner One Among Millions by Yvonne Navarro Luella Miller by Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman Sangre by Lisa Tuttle A Question of Patronage by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro Hisako San by Ingrid Pitt Butternut and Blood by Kathryn Ptacek Sleeping Cities by Wendy Webb The Haunted House by E. Nesbit Turkish Delight by Roberta Lannes Venus Rising on Water by Tanith Lee Year Zero by Gemma Files Good Lady Ducayne by Mary Elizabeth Braddon Lunch At Charon's by Melanie Tem Forever, Amen by Elizabeth Massie Night Laughter by Ellen Kushner Bootleg by Christa Faust Outfangthief by Gala Blau My Brother's Keeper by Pat Cadigan So Runs The World Away by Caitlin R. Kiernan A North Light by Gwyneth Jones Jack by Connie Willis Vampyr by Jane Yolen A collection of vampire tales by distinguished women authors features thirty-four works by Anne Rice, Edith Nesbit, Tanith Lee, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Tanya Huff, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Nancy Kilpatrick, Poppy Z. Brite, and other outstanding authors. Original.