How do you feel about Vampires taking over pop culture?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Stevie on August 28, 2009 at 12:46am

I think it's really interesting that people find the "vampire fad" a new thing. Remember back in the day when Interview with the Vampire came out? EVERYONE was buying Anne Rice books. And on television there was Buffy? And the spin-off, Angel? There was also Bram Stoker's Dracula, with Gary Oldman, which also caused quite a stir. And don't forget the Blade series! Or Underworld! So I don't think it's a new thing at all.

I'm a huge vampire fan, but I will never, EVER open up a Twilight book. The previous books/shows/movies that I mentioned all have quite a bit of substance to them (yes, even Blade and Underworld). I read Stephenie Meyer's "Adult" book called The Host and thought it was horrific. How that woman is a successful, published author is beyond me. Anyway...I don't think it's just a fad or a passing trend at all. The Vamps are here to stay. Oh, and TrueBlood is f-ing AWESOME. Even if you have no interest in vampires whatsoever, check it out. The writing is phenomenal (I'll be reading the Sookie Stackhouse books soon, too) and the casting is perfect. It's one of HBO's best shows.

Permalink Reply by Becky Shaw on September 27, 2009 at 10:14am

Oh my gosh Stevie I completely agree! The vampire fad is definitely not a new thing. And I did read Twilight but had to force myself to get through it. It was one of the worst-written books ever and I don't see the appeal to the masses with it. (The love story isn't even believable and it's ridiculously unhealthy!)

Permalink Reply by Ethony on March 4, 2010 at 10:52pm

Totally agree with you!

Permalink Reply by Lauren Cummings on August 28, 2009 at 11:54am

Remember all trends are repetitive. While in no way is the vampire craze new, there have been past crazes and then there is the present craze. Just like flared pants, they go out and come back. Back in the day Anne Rice had everyone gaga over Interview With A Vampire but then she "found religion" and there were no big vampire movies and no television shows at all until Stephanie Meyer started corrupting our youth (oo wait I was trying to stay impartial). Ok impartiality to the side, I am sick of the vampire trend, because some of it is just fluff being put out just to keep up with the times.

I will say I thought I would hate True Blood and I am a total fanatic now. But I feel True Blood is more a show with vampires in it rather then being about vampires, if you really thing about it. And I love how in TB everyone knows about vampires and there are those for and against their rights etc. It had a really refreshing dynamic. Ive read one and a half of the books, they are ok but the show is better. Probably because some of the shows main characters dont have as big a role in the books. I also feel there are so many similarities in the story line of the True Blood books and the Twilight series that the author should be pissed Stephanie Meyer.

Permalink Reply by Pamela P on August 28, 2009 at 3:39pm

Since when did Vampires all of a sudden become loved by everyone. I remember when I was like 7 or 8 and I told my teacher at school that I wanted to be a vampire (because of a story my dad had told me) and she scolded me. Now all of a sudden vampires glitter and dont die in the sunlight? I liked the Twilight books and totally smitten with Edward Cullen as much as the next girl but I still love Lestat more :)

Permalink Reply by Smart Ass Sara on August 29, 2009 at 9:32am

True Blood is the best damn show on tv. Period. I loved the Twillight series but not for the vamp effect, I'll about twisted love stories. And I'll be watching the movies simply to stare at my beloved Robert. :D But I have to warn you Stevie- if you read the Sookie Stackhouse novels- THEY ARE NOTHING LIKE THE SHOW. I'm on book 6 or 7 now and I love them in their own right. The show follows them somewhat, but they are very different. I love them and I think Charlaine Harris is a very funny writer!

Permalink Reply by Pamela Roach on September 28, 2009 at 4:05pm

I personally am liking the 'fad', if you can call it that. When loads of new romance books hit the shelves people don't get their knickers in a twist about it. I'm of the opinion, if the books are good, well written and enjoyable, who the hell cares if other people think they are only jumping on the band wagon.

I think it is really unfair though, when a new YA novel comes out and happens to feature other worldly stuff, loads of people just assume they are trying to be the new Meyer. When Vampire Diaries hit the TV screen I saw WAAAAAY too many websites that said they books were just cheap Twilight rip-offs. Hard to do, considering Vamp Diaries was written the in 90's.

My particular fav in the Vamp Phenom has to be the Sookie Stackhouse novels. They are fun, sexy, desperately witty and just plain fab. I love the fact the books have been turned into the TV show, and really well done as well.

So my opinion, not that counts for much, is if you like it, read it. If not, don't. Not all that hard really. And just because its on your TV, in your movie theatre and in your bookstores, no one will force you to participate.

Permalink Reply by Phyllis on September 29, 2009 at 8:17pm

I personally love the supernatural fad. Although, I've noticed that with a lot of books, their simply back in print. (The Vampire Diaries, Nightworld, Sweep) I read a lot of these books when they first came out, pre-vampire/supernatural craze, but I love the new ones as much. I finished the last Mortal Instruments book last week - and I love it. Yet another new take on the paranormal. :)

Permalink Reply by RAY J on February 1, 2010 at 5:04am

I agree with Stevie as well.

I did however read the first 3 Twilight books back to back, after my college roommate insisted I read them and let me borrow her books. It took me a bit to get into the first one, although she did give me a heads up that the main character was a bit of an airhead. Once I got into it though I read the second book in under 48hrs and finished the third by the end of the week. The last one (thank God!) I bought the first weekend it was out, as I no longer lived with my roommate (I had finished school and moved in with my fiance back in my hometown when the lease was up since we were getting married that fall) and it honestly took me about 2 weeks to get through it, it was THAT bad - I had to force myself to read it just to see how the series ended. And the movies are terrible, terrible, terrible. I had heard New Moon was better than the first one, so I gave it the benefit of the doubt, but ended up being incredibly bored the whole movie, and I got dear hubby drunk before we went into the theater and even his drunken commentary didn't help it!

True Blood on the other hand... I read the first book as I watched the first season and did the same for the second book. I got hooked and spent this past fall reading the rest of the series (I hate that I have to wait til May for book 10 to come out when I read the first 9 back to back). It's done so much better than Twilight, and the story seems more realistic in a sense and is closer to vampire lore, from what I've read/watched. And while the tv show has been good, I really really enjoyed reading the books much more! Book 5 in the series was the only one that took me awhile to read and I would have to say was my least favorite - all the other 8 books I LOVED! And like Lauren said, this series isn't just about vampires - not to give anything away, but the further you read in the series, the more supernatural beings Sookie comes in contact with. So it's really more of a supernatural series than just a vampire series. I do think the whole timing of New Moon coming out right before the 3rd season of True Blood is horrible though, as in New Moon we learn about the werewolves and in the 3rd Sookie Stackhouse book we're introduced to weres as well... however keep in mind, by the time the first Twilight book came out, there were already at least 4 Sookie books...

Right now, while waiting for the next Sookie book, I'm working my way through the Wicked series and have plans to begin reading my husband's Dhampir books soon after - he says they're about a vampire hunter (which is technically what Bella and Edward's kid should have been if Stephanie Meyer wasn't clueless about vamp lore >< )

Permalink Reply by Elizabeth W - Falling From Prams on February 14, 2010 at 3:57pm

I like anything that gets people reading. I'm a huge fantasy nerd so any mythical creature is great with me. I read Twilight, thought it was ok in the first book then went horribly downhill. I wrote my thesis about Twilight as antifeminist work. ;-)

Permalink Reply by Julie Leung on February 15, 2010 at 2:59pm

All I gotta say is Angel and Buffy did the whole human-vamp relationship so much better. I couldn't get through the first Twilight book — Bella annoyed me that much. I don't understand how people my age, who are perfectly rational beings otherwise, get so obsessed by these horrifyingly trite characters.

Now, True Blood is definitely a different story. Though, I'm not a Sookie & Bill fan. [Every time Stephen Moyer shouts "SOOKIE IS MAH-INE" I suppress the urge to laugh derisively.] I'm far more interested in the adventures of Jason Stackhouse and Sam Merlotte. Yum.

Permalink Reply by Such! on February 19, 2010 at 12:34am

Vampire Diaries suck! Literally Suck! And i'm not trying to pun here.
Sookie Stackhouse and Vampire Academy is way better.
Twilight sucks too, then. Apart from Edward Cullen. Sigh.
Dracula is where it all started. It's a pretty ancient obsession actually.
I like them though, all seductively jazzed up.

http://gubraithianfire.blogspot.com/ <---- That's Me!
Hysteric Drama, and lame legend found here.
I have no justification for why Hysteric Drama is capitalized.

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