I want!
RENFIELD: Slave of Dracula by Barbara Hambly
Hambly has retold Bram Stoker’s Dracula in the voice of a minor character, Renfield, the madman who becomes the vampire’s slave-agent in England. In Stoker’s original, Renfield is a harbinger, extremely strong and violent, given to an unnatural diet of flies. When Dracula occupies the estate next to the asylum in which he is confined, Renfield attempts several escapes, claiming that his master is calling him. Hambly creates a past for this possessed man via his diaries and letters to his wife and gives him occasional lucid moments. When Dracula imposes himself on Renfield’s deteriorated mind, he, bound to an active purpose, becomes yet more lucid. When Dracula orders him to kill Van Helsing, he isn’t strong enough to refuse, but on the journey from London to Transylvania, he develops the strength to resist the count, find allies, and eventually retrace his journey back from lunacy to sanity. Hambly superbly weaves Stoker’s plot and style with her own, producing one of the best recent vampire yarns. (Booklist)
Canadian author Watts (Starfish) explores the nature of consciousness in this stimulating hard SF novel, which combines riveting action with a fascinating alien environment. In the late 21st century, when something alien is discovered beyond the edge of the solar system, the spaceship Theseus sets out to make contact. Led by an enigmatic AI and a genetically engineered vampire, the crew includes a biologist who’s more machine than human, a linguist with surgically induced multiple personality disorder, a professional soldier who’s a pacifist, and Siri Keeton, a man with only half a brain. Keeton is virtually incapable of empathy, but he has a savant’s ability to model and predict the actions of others without understanding them. Once the Theseus arrives at the gigantic and hideously dangerous alien artifact (which has tellingly self-named itself Rorschach), the crew must deal with beings who speak English fluently but who may, paradoxically, not even be sentient, at least as we understand the term. Watts puts a terrifying and original spin on the familiar alien contact story. (Publisher’s Weekly)
(From the comments of the talkingsquid review — don’t miss the Flash slide show of the vampire study Peter Watts made — funny and odd.)
I want that Hambly, too. The Peter Watts looks fun. I’m reading Kim Harrison right now–how come it’s only vampire hunters who get to be in first person without anyone giving them crap?
I want to write a Regency chick-lit, that’s why I’m thinking about it.
I have the Barbara Hambly book. Just need to read it. I love her books.
The Hambly sounds ‘interesting’ (she rights the mystery series with the protagonist who is the freed coloured man, right? I read one of these and keep meaning to read more.) but to be honest it’s the Watt’s that has my full attention. Thanks for the heads up.
Oh, I tried ‘Renfield’ only last weekend! I thought it was so-so. I started reading it, but half-way through I stopped reading and skimmed to the end. I think it’s because I don’t agree with Hamley’s interpretation of Renfield.
MJ, I just got a copy of Twilight and its sequel.
Btw, have you ever read the Uglies by Scott Westerfield? he also writes a pretty cool vampire book called Peeps. It’s pretty awesome.
Megan — I haven’t read any Harrison, but partially it’s because of the first person. I have a hard time getting into it sometimes.
Keishon — I’d love to hear what you think of it — it’ll be some time before I actually get a chance to pick it up. Sigh. but when I do, I’ll post my thoughts.
jaq — I’ve heard incredible, amazing things about it. The first time at Starbucks, by a fellow sci-fi fan/writer who got an ARC, then at … I think? Elizabeth Bear’s blog.
Maili — ah, crap! … urgh. I think I will still have to pick it up, though. I’ll just keep in mind that it might veer a bit more from the original than I might have thought *crossing fingers that Hambly’s writing will carry me through*
Bam — I’ve heard such good things about Twilight that I finally picked it up … but I still have to read it. I’ll probably wait until after to buy the sequel (and, cough, when it’s in paperback). I’ve seen the Uglies on the shelves, picked it up to read the back (because what a fantastic hook!) but haven’t seen Peeps. Will have to look for it.