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Thursday, 15 October 2009
Thursday, 24 July 2008
Trouble in My Paradise
Something bad happened. My home computer died a gory death, taking along all my files to the deepest pits of oblivion. All. Every each one of them. Including over 8000 e-books. To say I was disappointed would be a huge understatement.
Reason – someone greedy and stupid in my apartment building was stealing electricity. They somehow connected the wires making the electricity meter go backwards. Two hours of such activity reduces a month of usage. Very clever, you say? Maybe, for them.
The rest of the building suffered beyond measure. As it turns out, when one person steals in this way, voltage in other apartments goes up several times, burning almost all electric appliances unless they are disconnected from power network, yes, it even doesn’t matter if they are or aren't turned on.
Luckily (well, considering) for me, I’ve only permanently lost my hard drive and TV which I wasn’t watching all that much in the first place. Old lady next doors also lost her TV, but hers went out with a bang – it burst into flames at
If we discover who this pilfering scum is, it’s pretty safe to say he might very well find himself hanging from a high branch in the courtyard. Our house was positively fuming with badly suppressed rage when it happened. The landlord also wasn’t amused. There’s an investigation going on. I really hope they find out who did it.
This is really uncool.
Friday, 27 June 2008
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - TV Series
Compendium of Vampire Typological Traits and General Characterization in Contemporary Fantasy Novels
Part 5
Part 5
Buffy the Vampire Slayer ~ TV Series
Yes, I know it is not a novel. I wanted to do this one, anyway. So there.
What is vampirism?
Vampirism is more like metaphysical possession than a disease. It is said that humans who become vampires loose their souls and are possessed by a demon.
Becoming a vampire
Human who gets bitten by a vampire ‘sire’ and is subsequently given blood of said sire falls in death-like-state/deep coma and rises as a vampire the following night, usually in a very grumpy mood and hungry.
Life expectancy
Immoral unless killed. Metaphysical diseases also apply and can be fatal.
Extermination methods
Many and imaginative. Wooden stake through the heart, beheading, magical means, direct sunlight, fire, holy water, crushing, squashing, stabbing, etc. Resulting corpse disintegrates into ashes.
Sunday, 1 June 2008
Hollows series by Kim Harrison
Compendium of Vampire Typological Traits and General Characterization in Contemporary Fantasy Novels
Part 4
Part 4
Kim Harrison ~ Hollows Series
Please note that I have yet to read the 6th book in the series so this is susceptible to some latter changes.
What is vampirism?
Vampirism is some sort of metaphysical blood disease.
Becoming a vampire
Quite complicated. It seems there are 2 options.
Top-notch vampires are born as regular children with paranormal qualities in vamp clans. Their parents are still alive vampires, too. Living vamps turn into undead after (often arranged) physical death and resume existence in another quality.
The other way is to be ‘adopted’ by vampire clans (usually it includes regular blood donations) and turned directly from human to vampire. These vamps are considered having lower social standing.
Life expectancy
Alive until death for alive vamps. Can fall ill.
Immortal unless killed for real vamps. No physical diseases apply.
Extermination methods
Ordinary methods (natural death or death from illness included) for live vampires although they are a bit harder to kill than average human.
Wooden stake through the heart, decapitation for undead. Silver also works well. Both live and undead vamps can be killed by magical means. No info about what happens to the resulting corpse.
Saturday, 31 May 2008
Twilight series by Stephenie Mayer
Compendium of Vampire Typological Traits and General Characterization in Contemporary Fantasy Novels
Part 3
Part 3
Stephenie Mayer ~ Twilight Series
What is vampirism?
Vampirism is an infection disease.
Becoming a vampire
One bite is enough to turn human into vampire. Occurrence is unusual as vamp victims are in most cases fully drained of blood thus causing imminent death. The experience is described as very painful.
Life expectancy
Immortal unless killed. No physical diseases apply.
Extermination methods
Can be killed only if shredded into tiny bits.
Friday, 30 May 2008
Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance
Compendium of Vampire Typological Traits and General Characterization in Contemporary Fantasy Novels
Part 2
Part 2
Karen Chance ~ Cassie Palmer series
What is vampirism?
Vampirism is considered a metaphysical disease.
Becoming a vampire
Three consecutive bites from a master vampire. Must be performed in controlled environment, otherwise feral vamp can rise, or not rise at all.
In some cases, vampirism can be obtained via curse.
Life expectancy
Immortal unless killed. No physical diseases apply.
Extermination methods
Destroyed heart, chopped off head, burnt body, ashes scattered in running water. Silver and wood don't work any differently from traditional weapons. Can be destroyed by magic. Highly inflammable. The older and more powerful vamp, the harder to kill.
Thursday, 29 May 2008
Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton
Without further ado I humbly present:
Compendium of Vampire Typological Traits and General Characterization in Contemporary Fantasy Novels
Part 1
Laurell K. Hamilton ~ Anita Blake series
Please, note that I stopped reading the series after Book 9 - Obsidian Butterfly. All that smut just became too much.
What is vampirism?
Vampirism is considered a viral blood disease.
Becoming a vampire
Three consecutive bites from a master vampire. Properly unsupervised procedure can result in feral vamp.
Life expectancy
Immortal unless killed. Some metaphysical diseases apply.
Extermination methods
Heart cut out or shot to tiny bits, head chopped off, body burnt and, to be on the safe side, scattered across running water, preferably several.
Wooden stakes work as well as silver bullets and blades in contradiction to regular weapons. Can be destroyed by magic.
The older and more powerful vamp, the harder to kill.
Compendium of Vampire Typological Traits and General Characterization in Contemporary Fantasy Novels
Part 1
Laurell K. Hamilton ~ Anita Blake series
Please, note that I stopped reading the series after Book 9 - Obsidian Butterfly. All that smut just became too much.
What is vampirism?
Vampirism is considered a viral blood disease.
Becoming a vampire
Three consecutive bites from a master vampire. Properly unsupervised procedure can result in feral vamp.
Life expectancy
Immortal unless killed. Some metaphysical diseases apply.
Extermination methods
Heart cut out or shot to tiny bits, head chopped off, body burnt and, to be on the safe side, scattered across running water, preferably several.
Wooden stakes work as well as silver bullets and blades in contradiction to regular weapons. Can be destroyed by magic.
The older and more powerful vamp, the harder to kill.
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
New Project
Well, then.
I somehow have started a new project. It is connected with my current reading material – vampire fantasy novels.
You see, vamps differ in interpretation of various authors. Some traits are almost always constant – immortality, night walking and alike –, others vary. Curiously enough, many of these features are seldom mentioned in folk legends and tales about vampires; the now traditional qualities are mostly formed in 19th century literature. I happen to like some of these modern interpretations more than others.
Out of sheer boredom I started to compile a list of most prominent vampire characteristics in different novels.
Here’s a list of questions I’ve formed so far. If you happen to read this and are a fan of the genre yourself, feel free to suggest more questions. I’d like that very much.
What is vampirism?
Becoming a vampire
Life expectancy
Extermination methods
Character in general
Looks in general
Breathing & heartbeat
Feeding habits, int. al.: 1) solid food, 2) alcohol, 3) intoxicating substances
Sleeping habits
Mating
Abilities & Superpowers
Social structure
Interaction with humans
Popular myths: 1) garlic, 2) holy items, 3) prayers, 4) sun, 5) coffins, 6) fangs, 7) animal form, 8) no reflection in mirror, 9) invitation into homes, 10) mist form? (true/false)
So far I’ve answered these questions for Laurell K. Hamilton, Karen Chance and Stephenie Mayer in what I’ve unpretentiously entitled “Compendium of Vampire Typological Traits and General Characterization in Contemporary Fantasy Novels”.
More coming soon.
I somehow have started a new project. It is connected with my current reading material – vampire fantasy novels.
You see, vamps differ in interpretation of various authors. Some traits are almost always constant – immortality, night walking and alike –, others vary. Curiously enough, many of these features are seldom mentioned in folk legends and tales about vampires; the now traditional qualities are mostly formed in 19th century literature. I happen to like some of these modern interpretations more than others.
Out of sheer boredom I started to compile a list of most prominent vampire characteristics in different novels.
Here’s a list of questions I’ve formed so far. If you happen to read this and are a fan of the genre yourself, feel free to suggest more questions. I’d like that very much.
What is vampirism?
Becoming a vampire
Life expectancy
Extermination methods
Character in general
Looks in general
Breathing & heartbeat
Feeding habits, int. al.: 1) solid food, 2) alcohol, 3) intoxicating substances
Sleeping habits
Mating
Abilities & Superpowers
Social structure
Interaction with humans
Popular myths: 1) garlic, 2) holy items, 3) prayers, 4) sun, 5) coffins, 6) fangs, 7) animal form, 8) no reflection in mirror, 9) invitation into homes, 10) mist form? (true/false)
So far I’ve answered these questions for Laurell K. Hamilton, Karen Chance and Stephenie Mayer in what I’ve unpretentiously entitled “Compendium of Vampire Typological Traits and General Characterization in Contemporary Fantasy Novels”.
More coming soon.
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Question of the Day – Myth or Reality?
Several weeks ago I had this discussion with a colleague of mine. It was about myths and legends about vampires all over the world. It seems there really is little in common among different nations’ perceptions as to what vampires represent. Clearly, they are more than human. In many cases, they drink human blood to keep going. In many cases, they are supernaturally strong. Sometimes, they are shape-shifters.
In most cases, they are plain mean and/or evil. They are often considered a threat that is strongly recommended to eliminate upon sighting; and as often the extermination is very hard to obtain. They are mostly night-walkers. Sometimes, they fear holy artefacts and/or direct sunlight. Mostly, they are a menace unleashed upon poor, unsuspecting society.
Verdict: vampires = horrible, terrible, no good at all.
Also, they do exist in myths all over the world. Question is – why? What misconception has made this particular myth so very popular? We don’t really believe in vampires, do we? People before us, they did. They also believed in leprechauns, faeries, elves, gnomes, trolls, dragons and a whole file cabinet of other creatures. And they thought the world is held by three whales. We believe in gene engineering, space exploration, nuclear physics and internet. To each their own, apparently.
Still, the question remains. Were all these things just a myth, a way to explain the world around our ancestors without a sufficient amount of scientific facts? Were these creatures created in their minds as a way around otherwise unexplainable phenomena? Or perhaps what they saw is what we get, and the whole lot of magical beings just went underground when people started breeding like rabbits and pollute the Earth. Who knows? I most certainly don’t. It’s better to leave this one open to possibilities.
In the meantime, I continue my quest with vamp novels. It was hard not to notice that in most cases vampires in contemporary prose are described as something dangerous but also unavoidably alluring. They are deadly, dangerous but, oh, so sexy. And the heroine always has a love affair with one or more of the ‘dark ones’.
Somehow, they’ve acquired reputation of something desired. If you can win the love of a vamp you are undoubtedly cool, and the world is at your feet. It is the ultimate prize.
Perhaps we have too little danger in our protected, safe lives of civilized people. Thing is, what if these glorified, drop-dead gorgeous monsters suddenly turn out to be all too real? Modern culture has rendered us incautious, unaware to them. Unprotected. Easy prey. I’m not saying anything, I’m not even assuming. It just provokes some thinking.
In most cases, they are plain mean and/or evil. They are often considered a threat that is strongly recommended to eliminate upon sighting; and as often the extermination is very hard to obtain. They are mostly night-walkers. Sometimes, they fear holy artefacts and/or direct sunlight. Mostly, they are a menace unleashed upon poor, unsuspecting society.
Verdict: vampires = horrible, terrible, no good at all.
Also, they do exist in myths all over the world. Question is – why? What misconception has made this particular myth so very popular? We don’t really believe in vampires, do we? People before us, they did. They also believed in leprechauns, faeries, elves, gnomes, trolls, dragons and a whole file cabinet of other creatures. And they thought the world is held by three whales. We believe in gene engineering, space exploration, nuclear physics and internet. To each their own, apparently.
Still, the question remains. Were all these things just a myth, a way to explain the world around our ancestors without a sufficient amount of scientific facts? Were these creatures created in their minds as a way around otherwise unexplainable phenomena? Or perhaps what they saw is what we get, and the whole lot of magical beings just went underground when people started breeding like rabbits and pollute the Earth. Who knows? I most certainly don’t. It’s better to leave this one open to possibilities.
In the meantime, I continue my quest with vamp novels. It was hard not to notice that in most cases vampires in contemporary prose are described as something dangerous but also unavoidably alluring. They are deadly, dangerous but, oh, so sexy. And the heroine always has a love affair with one or more of the ‘dark ones’.
Somehow, they’ve acquired reputation of something desired. If you can win the love of a vamp you are undoubtedly cool, and the world is at your feet. It is the ultimate prize.
Perhaps we have too little danger in our protected, safe lives of civilized people. Thing is, what if these glorified, drop-dead gorgeous monsters suddenly turn out to be all too real? Modern culture has rendered us incautious, unaware to them. Unprotected. Easy prey. I’m not saying anything, I’m not even assuming. It just provokes some thinking.
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