Sunday May 16th, 2010 Zombies and Vampires and Slayers, Oh My!

Can you keep a secret? We’re being invaded. Whether it’s Vampires or Zombies, the undead are everywhere. On television, films or in books, there has been a huge resurgence of interest in all things supernatural. The shelves of the library are full of books about the undead from spicy romances with Transylvanian princes to modern motorcycle riding bad-boy fang bearers destined to fall in love with mortal women. The Anne Rice “Lestat” books of yesteryear have given way to Stephanie Meyer’s teen saga of true love with the “Twilight” books, as well as a host of imitators. While, I may be old fashioned, dating someone who sees you as the deli counter in Safeway, doesn’t strike me as a good idea. I do enjoy a good giggle and there are a host of fun and nearly plasma-free books about bloodsuckers.

Two current television series, True Blood and Vampire Diaries are based on popular book series. True Blood follows the Charlaine Harris novels about southern waitress Sookie Stackhouse, whose zest for life and ability to read minds results in her falling in love with two vampires, former Confederate soldier Bill Compton and the 1000 year old Eric Northman. The books are light and frothy mysteries while the television series has a dark, sexy edge. The tenth book is the series is Dead in the Family, and is definitely a fun read.

The Vampire Diaries is based on the series of the same name by L. J. Smith and follows the tribulations of a high school girl torn between two vampire brothers and those who seek to control or destroy them. If you have a teen who loved Twilight, this is the series for you.

If you like Chick-Lit and Vampires, the books for you are definitely MaryJanice Davidson’s Undead Series, which follows Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor as she shops, frets about her looks and her boyfriend and her struggles in her job. The laugh-out-loud books are Bridget Jones for the pulse-less set.

For straight laughs, satirist Christopher Moore has joined the fray with a series of modern gothic novels about teen vampires, their minions and the band of grocery store checkers who are out to destroy them. The books being with Blood Sucking Fiends: A Love Story is Mel Brooks meets Bram Stoker.

Zombies and zombie slayers are also in vogue. Beginning with the quirky release “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, there have been a bundle of new books about historical and literary characters that secretly have saved the world by being destroyers of evil.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies feature the Bennett sisters not only in search of suitable husbands but also ridding England of the zombie surge with their martial arts and ninja training. Elizabeth Bennett attracts Mr. Darcy’s attentions with her charm, wit and slaying skills. Grahame-Smith version of events finally has Mr. Wickham receiving the ending, which he so richly deserves.



Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter is also by Seth Grahame-Smith is based on the highly imaginative “secret diaries” of the 16th president. Lincoln’s interest is based on a need for justice following a family tragedy and his assassin, John Wilkes Booth is actually a thwarted vampire bent of revenge.

George A. Romero the famed director of Dawn of the Dead is entering the zombie bestseller seller list with his new release, Living Dead, which will be release this summer

With the new release of Queen Victoria, Demon Hunter by A.E. Moorat and Jane Slayre by Charlotte Bronte and Sherri Browning Erwin just hitting the shelves, the literary mash-ups of silly and supernatural are still a hit. So slip a little garlic behind your ears and I’ll meet you in the stacks of the library.

Lori Kauzlarick, Public Services Assistant at the Brodie Resource Library