Archive for March, 2009
Vampire Books Are Big Business
Posted by: | CommentsVampire books = Big Sales. Case in point: two extremely popular vampire books series (Sookie Stackhouse and Twilight) made it from print to TV and film.
The Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mystery Series was made into an HBO series called True Blood. Although the initial ratings were lukewarm the series quickly became a big hit. Anna Paquin even won a Golden Globe award for her portrayal of the lovestruck vampire lover Sookie Stackhouse. This series appealed not only to those of us that have been reading fantasy books for years, but also introduced the genre to a completely new audience. As such the last few episodes in the series were on par with Nielsen ratings for the Sopranos! I’m sure Charlaine Harris never envisioned her fantasy books heading to a big time HBO series. Season 2 of True Blood will air this summer and I’m sure there are millions of fans that can’t wait until the new series begins.
On a similar vein, the vampire fantasy books by Stephenie Meyer have topped the charts. The Twilight Saga Books, aimeed at capturing the young adult audience, has crossed over from print to the big screen. Twilight the Movie did quite well at the box office and the second fantasy book in the series, New Moon, is currently being filmed.
Not only have the book’s authors reaped the successes of their fantasy books, they’ve also become minor celebrities. Charlaine Harris was at the premiere of True Blood in Hollywood and Stephenie Meyer has been making the TV talk show circuit. I saw her on Oprah a few weeks ago!
Although Anna Paquin won the Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Drama Series, the show itself was nominated for the Best Drama series. And the actors and actresses have also benefited from the success of these vampire books. Stephen Moyers (Bill Compton), Ryan Kwanten (Jason Stackhouse), Rutina Wesley (Tara Thornton), and Sam Tammell (Sam Merlotte) are now recognized as B-list celebrities. And who doesn’t know Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette Reynolds), True Blood’s flamboyant and outspoken short order cook? Although last season’s finale alluded to his death, HBO executives should check the wikis, bulletin boards, and blogs: Lafayette has a loyal fan base that won’t take kindly to his departure from the show.
With Twilight The Movie, Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan) and Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen) are also overnight celebrities. Although their names may be more recognizable than the actors from True Blood, the first time I saw Stewart was when she starred (minor role) in Zathura (2005). I remember Pattinson as Cedric Diggory from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire but again, he had a small role in that film. However because of the popularity of Stephenie Meyer’s vampire books and the film they’re both on track to earn more than the reported $2 million they each made from Twilight. It’s quite the money making franchise. There’s even a jewelry line based on the books!
As I’m sitting here reviewing the current best selling fantasy books at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble I can’t help but notice that the popularity of vampires clearly translates into book sales. Take a look at the current Top 10 Best Selling Fantasy Books from both outlets. I’ve specified the books that include vampires as either central or supporting characters:
Amazon.com Fantasy Best Sellers
- Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4) by Stephenie Meyer +V
- From Dead to Worse (Southern Vampire Mysteries, #8 ) by Charlaine Harris +V
- Sookie Stackhouse 7-copy Boxed Set (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood) by Charlaine Harris +V
- Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 9) by Charlaine Harris +V
- Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11) by Jim Butcher +V
- Betrayed (House of Night, Book 2) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast +V
- The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Neffenegger
- Deadly Desire (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 7) by Keri Arthur +V
- Skin Trade (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 17) by Laurell K. Hamilton +V
- World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
Barnes and Noble Fantasy Best Sellers
- One Second After by William R. Forstchen, Newt Gingrich (Introduction)
- Max (Maximum Ride, Book 5) by James Patterson
- Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 9) by Charlaine Harris +V
- From Dead to Worse (Southern Vampire Mysteries, #8 ) by Charlaine Harris +V
- Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11) by Jim Butcher +V
- Sookie Stackhouse 7-copy Boxed Set (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood) by Charlaine Harris +V
- Curse the Dawn (Cassandra Palmer, Book 4) by Karen Chance +V
- Watchmen by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, Barry Marx (Editor)
- The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride, Book 1) by James Patterson
- The Host: A Novel by Stephenie Meyer
As you can see, 8 of the top 10 best selling fantasy books at Amazon.com are vampire books; likewise half of the books on the Barnes and Noble Best Selling Fantasy Books list either focus on vampires or contain elements of vampire lore. I have a friend who wants to write a fantasy book but is having a hard time getting started. Looks like it would be smart of her to include a couple of vampires amongst the characters – you just never know what might happen!
New Fantasy Books for March 2009
Posted by: | CommentsThis month’s fantasy books include new releases by Jim Butcher, Chris Marie Green, J.F. Lewis, Kate Daniels, and LA Banks, as well as an entry from Charlaine Harris that was previously only available in hardback.
Bring It On (Retrievers) by Laura Anne Gilman. Wren Valere used to have a simple life. Her partner Sergei would negotiate the terms of the Retrieval—all right, the theft—and she would use her magical Talent to carry it out. Paycheck deposited, on to the next job. Now? Her relationship with Sergei is even more complicated (sex will do that) and the non-human population of Manhattan is getting fed up with being ignored and abused. Read More
Small Favor (The Dresden Files, Book 10) by Jim Butcher. Harry Dresden’s life finally seems to be calming down-until a shadow from the past returns. Mab, monarch of the Sidhe Winter Court, calls in an old favor from Harry-one small favor that will trap him between a nightmarish foe and an equally deadly ally, and that will strain his skills-and loyalties-to their very limits. Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files fantasy books represent some of the best written contemporary fantasy currently available. Read More
Second Skin (Nocturne City, Book 3) Caitlin Kittredge. When werewolves from Nocturne City’s oldest packs start showing up shot through the head execution-style, police officer Luna Wilder must find out what’s killing them and why…before she becomes the next victim. Read More
A Drop of Red (Vampire Babylon) by Chris Marie Green. Hollywood stuntwoman-turned-vampire-hunter Dawn Madison, along with her comrades, managed to wipe out the Los Angeles Vampire Underground-and uncovered not only her own dark family heritage but also a terrible truth about the man she loves. Now she’s determined to find the next vampire lair, hoping it will help her to make more sense out of her life. Read More
ReVamped (Void City, Book 2) by J.F. Lewis. Eric has lost his strip club, his Mustang, and even Marilyn, the elderly love of his (mortal) life. Even his body was obliterated. In short, they almost got him. But when you’re a vampire, “almost” is a very important word. With a little magical help from his friends, Eric is restored to corporeal form and sets out to save the love of his life from one of Void City’s most powerful soul-stealing demons. But salvation comes at a high price, forcing Eric to venture into his own worst nightmare, Vampire High Society, to uncover the truth about the origin of his powers. Read More
Curse the Dark (Retrievers, Book 2) by Laura Anne Gilman. New Reprint! Once more Wren Valere’s game plan has taken an unexpected direction. She’s off to Italy in search of a missing artifact, without any information other than the fact that it’s very old, very dangerous and everyone who gets too close disappears. Read More
You’re So Vein (The Others, Book 7) by Christine Warren. Ava Markham is beautiful, savvy, chic, and more at home with Kate Spade than with the idea of fangs and fur. She can’t get quite used to the fact that some of closest friends have crossed over to the Other side. Then one night she is attacked by a rogue vampire, and her deepest fears are realized when her body begins a dangerous transformation from human to immortal—a change she cannot survive without the help of an alluring stranger who comes to her rescue . . . Read More
Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready. Recovering con artist Ciara Griffin is trying to live the straight life, even if it means finding a (shudder!) real job. She takes an internship at a local radio station, whose late-night time-warp format features 1940s blues, ’60s psychedelia, ’80s goth, and more, all with an uncannily authentic flair. Ciara soon discovers just how the DJs maintain their cred: they’re vampires, stuck forever in the eras in which they were turned. Read More
Undead on Arrival (Crimson Moon, Book 3) by LA Banks. Just one month ago, secret government operative Sasha Trudeau thought she’d tasted victory. Orchestrating détente between the warring factions of the supernatural world had nearly cost her life—but it also opened the door to a future with Max Hunter, her mate and fellow Shadow Wolf. Until now. A poisonous virus is wreaking havoc on Hunter’s immune system. And the passionate man who Sasha loves has become unpredictable, dangerous—and possibly deadly. Read More
Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, Book 3) by Ilona Andrews. Drafted into working for the Order of Merciful Aid, mercenary Kate Daniels has more paranormal problems than she knows what to do with. And in Atlanta, where magic comes and goes like the tide, that’s saying a lot. But when Kate’s werewolf friend Derek is discovered nearly dead, she must confront her greatest challenge yet. Read More
From Dead to Worse (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book #8) by Charlaine Harris – Now in Paperback!.
After the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina, and the manmade horror of the explosion at the vampire summit, Sookie Stackhouse is safe but dazed, yearning for things to get back to normal. But her boyfriend Quinn is among the missing. And things are changing, whether the weres and vamps in her corner of Louisiana like it or not. In the ensuing battles, Sookie faces danger, death…and once more, betrayal by someone she loves. Read More
Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane) In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to figure out which side she’s on. She’s never brought her work home with her—until now. Read More
The fantasy books released in March include some of my favorite authors. Stay tuned for my reviews of the latest books from Jim Butcher and LA Banks. Check out my review of JF Lewis’ vampire fantasy book ReVamped.
As you can see, Vampire Books Are Big Business
Fantasy Book ReView of ReVamped by J.F. Lewis
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Eric is dead. He’s deader than dead. Hmmn. What do you call a dead vampire? The dead Undead?
In J.F. Lewis’ first urban fantasy book Staked (Void City, Book 1), Eric, a powerful Vlad-level vampire was killed in an explosion masterminded by his ex-business partner. Except, since he’s a tough-as-nails Vlad vampire he can’t really be killed. Again. So he’s hovering around the scene of the crime as a ghost.
His vampire family and friends (as well as a talented mage) realize that Eric’s not permanently gone, but they have a hard time figuring out how to bring him back. Eventually it’s his girlfriend Rachel who discovers the solution:
“Cars eat,” she said. “Cars run on gas. Vampires have different needs but they still require fuel.” Rachel paused and shook the gas can as she spoke, blood sloshing up the side and seeping back down. “Eric runs on blood. Feed the car what Eric needs and you nourish Eric through their connection.”
That (along with one more trick which you’ll have to read about in the book) successfully restores Eric to his body and all is well. Until he learns that the love of his life, a human named Marilyn, didn’t survive the explosion. It appears that his business partner sold Marilyn’s soul to a demon who’s holding it in limbo. Thus begins Eric’s mission to free Marilyn and bring her back to life.
There’s a lot going on in this book and it has several great subplots which center around some of the characters from the first book:
Tabitha: Eric’s estranged ex-girlfriend, has moved into a fancy apartment building owned by a powerful vampire. Although she initially flirted with the idea of a relationship with him she soon discovered that his sexual proclivities were a bit “exotic” and eventually begins a “friends with benefits” relationship with a werecat named Talbot. It’s blatantly clear that Tabitha still loves Eric but she’s too proud and stubborn to admit it. However she can’t help but be concerned about Eric’s current girlfriend, Rachel, who bears a striking resemblance to Tabitha’s dead sister.
Rachel: let’s just say that there’s something odd about this woman. Whenever Eric is near her he hears voices in his head. Voices that tell him to love her, to care for her, to trust her. He knows something’s amiss but can’t seem to figure out what it is. Rachel’s up to something and we’re not quite sure if she’s for or against Eric.
Phillip: the vampire who owns the building where Tabitha is staying, shows Eric that the use of magic isn’t limited to mages. I think of Phillip as a shrewd and manipulative “puppet master.” Phillip knows a lot about the course of events that lead to Eric’s first rebirth as a Vlad vampire.
ReVamped also introduces some new characters:
J’iliol’lth: the demon who trapped Marilyn’s soul. He makes Eric an offer that no vampire could refuse.
Ebon Winter: a powerful vampire with a penchant for singing show tunes. He’s a notorious gambler but his interests don’t lie in cards or horses. Instead his wagers focus on the outcome and fate of others. It’s clear that Ebon knows more about Eric’s near death and Marilyn’s fate than he’s admitting.
Eric’s mission leads to his introduction to vampire society and politics. Because Eric spent most of his vampire life as a loner, keeping primarily to his strip club, he’s not necessarily privy to the subtleties and refinements of the vampire upper crust. He’s very much a brute and doesn’t take fit in with the vampire aristocracy. This makes for some incredibly funny scenes.
The climax of the book is a startling scene full of surprises, deceptions, and betrayals. I like to think that I’m good at figuring out story conclusions but to be honest, I didn’t see this one coming. Just know that there’s a conspiracy afoot that’s much more organized and diabolical than you’d ever guess.
As with Staked, Lewis does a superb job with character development and pacing. Additionally ReVamped has action, mystery, and liberal doses of wit and humor which I’ve come to expect from Lewis. Just like Staked, ReVamped doesn’t glamorize vampirism like some other fantasy books but instead provides a more realistic insight into the violence and inhumanity associated with the undead. I for one appreciate a more candid storyline and think you will as well. Get ReVamped!
See also:
Announcing the Fantasy Book Contest Winners!
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I just selected the First and Second place winners in the White Witch, Black Curse book contest. To recap, the First Place winner gets a hardbound copy of Kim Harrison’s new fantasy book “White Witch, Black Curse”, a t-shirt with the book’s title on it, and tomato seed packets that have the book’s cover on it. The Second Place winner receives a hardbound copy of the new book.
And the lucky winners are:
First Place: Rebecca Sirevaag
Second Place: Heather S.
Congratulations to both winners! I’ve emailed each of you requesting your mailing addresses.
And a big THANK YOU to everyone that participated! I plan to run another contest in 2 weeks so be sure to keep visiting the site!
Fantasy Books for Men
Posted by: | CommentsI sometimes get asked to recommend fantasy books for certain age groups, i.e., (which fantasy books are appropriate for teenagers?). Because I read so many fantasy books it’s not difficult to answer those questions – it just takes time to compile the listings.
Yesterday I got 2 inquiries about fantasy books for men. This gave me pause: would guys like to read about Sookie Stackhouse and her adventures? Would they be interested in reading about Bella and Edward’s relationship in the Twilight books? My gut says no. So I decided to provide a listing of fantasy books that have strong male leading characters which I think will appeal to the Y-chromosome readers out there:
Something from the Nightside (Nightside, Book 1) by Simon R. Green.
John Taylor has a talent for finding things. When he’s asked to find a missing girl (by the missing girl’s mother) he both reluctantly and optimistically looks forward to descending into the Nightside, the dark and dangerous world beneath the city of London where evil and strange creatures reside. John actually feels somewhat at home there. In the Nightside you know what you’re dealing with – there aren’t too many surprises. However many of the creatures are deadly and live by their own moral code so staying alert (and on their good side) is mandatory for survival.
John is a wise-cracking, tough as nails guy who doesn’t mince words and can see through bullshit from 10 yards away. Simon R. Green’s world building techniques are impressive; the Nightside world is brought to life from the very beginning of this book. If you like books full of adventure and all things magical, these are for you.
Staked (Void City, Book 1) by J.F. Lewis.
Eric is a vampire with memory issues – he sometimes can’t remember the simplest things. He’s also got a business partner with a dark hidden agenda, a girlfriend that wants him to bite her, a homicidal daughter, and a murder on his hands. Actually, he’s got a dead werewolf head in his hands but he can’t remember when or why he killed it.
Eric is a no-holds barred, blood and guts, take no prisoners vampire who lives each day to the fullest and makes no excuses for his supernatural tendencies. If this book was to be taken to the big screen I’d see someone like Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, or Jason Patric in the role. You know, the strong, silent and incredibly gorgeous type that happens to have “issues.”
Mr. Lewis does a fantastic job with character building and keeping the storyline appropriately paced. This is one of those books that you’ll find hard to put down. The second book in the series, ReVamped (Void City, Book 2) is now available in bookstores.
Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) by Jim Butcher.
Harry Dresden is a wizard by nature and a detective by trade. He investigates the more, let’s say, “special” cases that the police can’t solve. In this book he’s called in to give his opinion of a gruesome double-murder that points to the use of black magic. Although the pay for this case is significant it comes at a high price: the dark mage responsible for the murders has Harry in his cross hairs.
In my opinion Jim Butcher writes some of the best dialogue you’ll ever find in the fantasy book genre. His words jump off the page. And the character building for Harry is top notch. What I really like about Harry’s character is that he’s smart and a realist. You won’t find him going after a bad guy in a dark alley, with no weapons, and his foot in a cast. No, Harry understands his limitations. Sure, he has a soft spot for children and women-in-need, but he’s no pushover. He’s got street smarts and knows how to survive. I have every one of the Harry Dresden books and love them all. The latest in the fantasy book series,
Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11) will be released in April.
If you know of a good fantasy book that would appeal to men please feel free to add it to the comments section below so I can research it and add it to the list.
