My take on the whole fascination with vampire is that the vampire is an analogy to the elites: they’re rich, powerful, usually from royalty, and they feast on human’s blood (literally and/or figuratively?). Once I had that epiphany, everything seemed to make more sense.
Cool, that’s actually an idea I’m playing with in the book I mentioned without ever being all that conscious of it! It makes a ton of sense—vampires are usually wealthy, clean-cut, powerful. And who doesn’t want to be part of the ‘chosen few’?
Melissa, though it is not my interest I know many who are, I believe it may be because we know the Predator/Parasites utilize Vampires (Energy Suckers) against us.
Interesting point… I guess that follows with the idea that it resonates on some deeper level. I guess the question then is why so many people enjoy it.
I don't read/like romance novels, nor am I enamored with vampires. However, I suspect that if some loves vampires, it's because they either hold that archetype in their psyche...or have a sacred contract with it (as a victim?). Great video from Caroline Myss explaining that dynamic: https://youtu.be/IyqX5x7ozQw?si=ZLF0VWiLGr0sx8SQ 🙂
I think women like men who can kill other men. Vampires, by prerequisite of blood drinking, are predators of men. Same with werewolves, evil noble princes, serial killers and even doctors and lawyers are butchers and hunters of men in a more modern context.
The next question, confronted with a man-killer, is how do you avoid getting killed? That's where the woman's specialty of acting in a combination of demure feminine and coyly obstinate serves to keep the man from exploiting and killing her as he has done to all others. The fiction is a self-imagining of using all of their natural skills to their max to survive the unsurvivable. It's the kitten using all her tricks to keep the lion chief from tearing them apart and the heroine was born to play the part.
The male equivalent is survival or combat fiction where the man uses his natural speciality of preparation, strength and will to stay alive in situations that would kill other men (war, environmental survival, etc).
The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice is one of the most philosophical book series I’ve ever read, especially The Tale of the Body Thief and Memnoch the Devil. First read these books almost 30 years ago and still pick them up from time to time to reread. The movies, and now tv show, do zero justice to how good these books are. Lestat is in my top 5 literary characters of all time, a tortured soul whose passion for life just cannot be suppressed.
I absolutely agree with your assessment of Anne Rice and her historical vampires. I read the series as it came out, and did the same for the Witch series. Both tv and movies have grossly misrepresented her characters and plot lines.
After this I just read everything she published. Did you know she published the dark side of romance well before 50 shades. Her Sleeping Beauty series is haunting. Violin is the same way. I don’t know if they came out with new editions, if not try Abebooks. Mine are actually worth money after all these years.
Whoever decided to cast Tom Cruise as Lestat should be relegated to casting director for kindergarten plays, absolutely atrocious. Not as bad as the TV Show turning the character of Louis from a 18th century Frenchman to a 20th century black man. One of my biggest peeve's in this world is the media taking a book that someone poured their passion into and deciding that they know better as to who and what the characters should be, if they want to do that write their own damn books, fucking creative leeches is all they are.
I’m with you on everything. After I saw the casting and world of IWAV the tv series, I promptly changed the channel. I don’t like Mr. Cruise. Him as Lestat is a crime. The lisping French accents were horrible— I guess the vampire teeth were too big. What a waste. Some of the more uncommon films based on Rice’s work were better, but not adequate.
I watched 1 or 2 episodes and stopped, though the actor playing Lestat was actually pretty damn good. I just couldn't get past them moving it from 1790s French New Orleans to the 20th century; honestly, any show/movie based on a book will always be a disappointment. I saw they turned the Tom Ripley novels into a series on Netflix and I refuse to watch it despite my absolute love of Patricia Highsmith's character Tom Ripley(all the movies based on these books are truly awful as well, for the record Tom Ripley is not gay as he has a wife in 4 of the 5 books, had to say that due to the Matt Damon movie).
Absolutely fabulous! I have guilty pleasures that include: romance novels, Warmaster 40k stories, hair metal music and anything cashmere & butter rich cookies. Just a few things that I revel in.
Like you, I started reading them when I was young, and I read them on my phone, as no one can tell. This is far preferable to the bodice ripper covers that adorned the older books from authors like Rosemary Rodgers.
The Black Dagger Brotherhood by J. R. Ward is the ultimate Buff vampires with secret hearts of gold; looking for that one woman who completes them. Enchantingly attractive, manly beyond compare, and they come in groups! If you were dedicated, you could plow through the numerous books in the series in 1 - 2 months.
I find that almost any supernatural hero will do - with the exception of talking animals and tentacled aliens. I read romance novels back-to-back for about two weeks then read other things for a few months more. Rinse and repeat.
Stephenie Meyer also wrote The Host, which was not only a pretty good sci fi concept and novel, but also translated reasonably well into film. William Hurt was great as was some of the cinematography (I especially liked the sequence with the mirrors).
I would be willing to bet that most of the writers on Substack have their guilty pleasures when it comes to the types of fiction they like. The mistake is feeling guilty about it.
My take on the whole fascination with vampire is that the vampire is an analogy to the elites: they’re rich, powerful, usually from royalty, and they feast on human’s blood (literally and/or figuratively?). Once I had that epiphany, everything seemed to make more sense.
Cool, that’s actually an idea I’m playing with in the book I mentioned without ever being all that conscious of it! It makes a ton of sense—vampires are usually wealthy, clean-cut, powerful. And who doesn’t want to be part of the ‘chosen few’?
Right. My guess is it gives a glimpse into the esoteric which we know is there but can't physically prove it . . . yet.
Melissa, though it is not my interest I know many who are, I believe it may be because we know the Predator/Parasites utilize Vampires (Energy Suckers) against us.
Interesting point… I guess that follows with the idea that it resonates on some deeper level. I guess the question then is why so many people enjoy it.
I don't read/like romance novels, nor am I enamored with vampires. However, I suspect that if some loves vampires, it's because they either hold that archetype in their psyche...or have a sacred contract with it (as a victim?). Great video from Caroline Myss explaining that dynamic: https://youtu.be/IyqX5x7ozQw?si=ZLF0VWiLGr0sx8SQ 🙂
Thanks for sharing this! Interesting thought.. maybe the fascination is a bit ‘darker’ than I realized.
Fascination (with anything) usually indicates some kind of archetypal connection. 🙂
I think women like men who can kill other men. Vampires, by prerequisite of blood drinking, are predators of men. Same with werewolves, evil noble princes, serial killers and even doctors and lawyers are butchers and hunters of men in a more modern context.
The next question, confronted with a man-killer, is how do you avoid getting killed? That's where the woman's specialty of acting in a combination of demure feminine and coyly obstinate serves to keep the man from exploiting and killing her as he has done to all others. The fiction is a self-imagining of using all of their natural skills to their max to survive the unsurvivable. It's the kitten using all her tricks to keep the lion chief from tearing them apart and the heroine was born to play the part.
The male equivalent is survival or combat fiction where the man uses his natural speciality of preparation, strength and will to stay alive in situations that would kill other men (war, environmental survival, etc).
Love this analysis—especially the comparison to combat/survival fiction. I think you’re spot-on.
The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice is one of the most philosophical book series I’ve ever read, especially The Tale of the Body Thief and Memnoch the Devil. First read these books almost 30 years ago and still pick them up from time to time to reread. The movies, and now tv show, do zero justice to how good these books are. Lestat is in my top 5 literary characters of all time, a tortured soul whose passion for life just cannot be suppressed.
I absolutely agree with your assessment of Anne Rice and her historical vampires. I read the series as it came out, and did the same for the Witch series. Both tv and movies have grossly misrepresented her characters and plot lines.
After this I just read everything she published. Did you know she published the dark side of romance well before 50 shades. Her Sleeping Beauty series is haunting. Violin is the same way. I don’t know if they came out with new editions, if not try Abebooks. Mine are actually worth money after all these years.
Good call RG!
I certainly second the recommendation of Rice's Sleeping Beauty series.
Whoever decided to cast Tom Cruise as Lestat should be relegated to casting director for kindergarten plays, absolutely atrocious. Not as bad as the TV Show turning the character of Louis from a 18th century Frenchman to a 20th century black man. One of my biggest peeve's in this world is the media taking a book that someone poured their passion into and deciding that they know better as to who and what the characters should be, if they want to do that write their own damn books, fucking creative leeches is all they are.
I’m with you on everything. After I saw the casting and world of IWAV the tv series, I promptly changed the channel. I don’t like Mr. Cruise. Him as Lestat is a crime. The lisping French accents were horrible— I guess the vampire teeth were too big. What a waste. Some of the more uncommon films based on Rice’s work were better, but not adequate.
I watched 1 or 2 episodes and stopped, though the actor playing Lestat was actually pretty damn good. I just couldn't get past them moving it from 1790s French New Orleans to the 20th century; honestly, any show/movie based on a book will always be a disappointment. I saw they turned the Tom Ripley novels into a series on Netflix and I refuse to watch it despite my absolute love of Patricia Highsmith's character Tom Ripley(all the movies based on these books are truly awful as well, for the record Tom Ripley is not gay as he has a wife in 4 of the 5 books, had to say that due to the Matt Damon movie).
I’ve heard great things about it! Thanks for the tip, this comment definitely bumped them up the reading list.
Absolutely fabulous! I have guilty pleasures that include: romance novels, Warmaster 40k stories, hair metal music and anything cashmere & butter rich cookies. Just a few things that I revel in.
Like you, I started reading them when I was young, and I read them on my phone, as no one can tell. This is far preferable to the bodice ripper covers that adorned the older books from authors like Rosemary Rodgers.
The Black Dagger Brotherhood by J. R. Ward is the ultimate Buff vampires with secret hearts of gold; looking for that one woman who completes them. Enchantingly attractive, manly beyond compare, and they come in groups! If you were dedicated, you could plow through the numerous books in the series in 1 - 2 months.
I find that almost any supernatural hero will do - with the exception of talking animals and tentacled aliens. I read romance novels back-to-back for about two weeks then read other things for a few months more. Rinse and repeat.
Appreciated your article immensely.
I’m glad I’m not the only one!! Reading them on the sneak on my phone is definitely part of the fun, haha.
Thanks for the recommendation ;)
Stephenie Meyer also wrote The Host, which was not only a pretty good sci fi concept and novel, but also translated reasonably well into film. William Hurt was great as was some of the cinematography (I especially liked the sequence with the mirrors).
I would be willing to bet that most of the writers on Substack have their guilty pleasures when it comes to the types of fiction they like. The mistake is feeling guilty about it.
I read The Host when I was younger—I don’t remember it too well, but I think I liked it. I didn’t even know it was made into a movie!
You’re right—getting over the ‘guilt’ aspect is fun, but worth it. It’s all in good fun!
I don't love vampires, so is my opinion valid or not?
Haha, not the response I was expecting, but totally valid!
Well, I'm not the usual person. Have had an interesting life.
Mostly good, but some was mind bending
Haha, the books are a complete mess. You hit the nail on the head—it’s wish fulfillment, the epitome of a “guilty pleasure.”
It sure is a lot of fun, though.