Rating: 
Summary: Book left lasting impression
Review: I read this book when it first came out and have always been surprised that no one ever made a movie out of it. I loved the unlikely friendship that developed between Abner and Joshua.
The author brilliantly weaved a tale of horror with 19th century
riverboats as the background. For me, this story magically came to life and I could almost smell the stench of stagnant water when the two protagonists caught up with the evil vampires in a deteriorating southern mansion.
I have often mentioned the plot of this book to acquaintances over the years as one of the best treatments of vampires vs humans.
The ending of the book was satisfying to me also. I read "Interview With a Vampire" by Anne Rice at about the same time and while I enjoyed the book, this one appealed to my emotions in a more positive way. Great read.
Rating:
Summary: HOT STUFF
Review: As an avid collector of vampire novels (75 at last count), this is by far the one I would grab if my house was on fire. Mr. Martin has most definitly captured the essence of the Old South and mixed in a believable vampire backstory. He's created a literary gumbo that you want to devour again and again. If you have never read this book, then you are not a true vampire lover. Unfortunately "Fevre Dream" is currently out-of-print...
so if you want a fangtabulous treat your going to have to go hunting. GOOD LUCK
Rating:
Summary: The only good vampire story I have ever read
Review: Dracula was boring and Interview with a Vampire was sordid. George R.R. Martin shows that you can write a good vampire story without soggy melodrama or dodgy sexual fantasies. It is Mark Twain's Life on the Mississipi with the most beautiful adventure and greatest characters added to it.
Rating:
Summary: A "Different" Vampire Novel
Review: Fevre Dream is a wonderful twist on the vampire mythos. Taking place during the time of riverboats on the Mississippi (think Mark Twain!), Martin spins a tale of suspense and horror that is incredibly original, rich, while focusing on the human spirit. Highly recommended, along with Martin's recent A Game Of Thrones.
Rating: 
Summary: A great early piece from "for-mid-able" author, Martin
Review: Fevre Dream was a good quick read. It does not contain the epic quality, huge range of characters (major and minor), and intricate twisty plot that A Song of Ice and Fire does, because it's a single novel. However, this book has Martyn written all over it. The characters are strong and the main character, Abner Marsh is an overweight, ugly, "for-mid-able", steamboat captain, who has the language and good looks of Night Watch recruiter Yoren (for those familiar with A Song of Ice and Fire), and the same hidden strength and morals. The other main character is Joshua York, a "young" sophisticated, elegant vampire, who has dreams of uniting vampires and the human race.
The plot kicks off in my hometown of St. Louis on the Mississippi River, when Abner Marsh is confronted by Joshua York with an interesting proposition. Marsh's steamboat company is currently in bad financial condition after he lost several boats to ice in the Mississippi. York has money and resources and wants to build Marsh the steamboat of his dreams, a huge, fast, luxurious, side-wheel steamer that will be able to pass the Mississippi's current queen, "The Eclipse". York has a hidden agenda of finding the vampires who have migrated to America and cure them of "The Thirst", in the hopes of bringing peace between vampires and humans. Thus, "The Fevre Dream" is built, and York's quest begins, as well as Marsh's to become the fastest boat on the Mississippi. To York's dismay he will soon find out that not all vampires want to be cured of The Thirst.
The strong points of this book are Martin's descriptions of the steamboats, how they work and how they're captained. He brings prestige to the old steamboat business, and he does a fantastic job of detailing their appearance, and bringing you into the rivalry between captains and the excitement of the race. After you read this book, you will actually feel like you know a little something of how steamboats ran and how the business was run. The river towns are also brought to life well. Martin fans will recognize his fondness of imagery by the way he describes the newly built boat, similar to his ability of describing unique heraldry, armor, and newly forged swords. The grittiness, although not quite as strong, is still there. There is some gore, and one scene involving a baby that really makes your stomach turn. The element of sex and violence is also apparent when Martin explores the seedier sides of New Orleans and other river towns. The plot, although somewhat unique of vampires and steamboats, doesn't contain many twists, and comes to somewhat of an anticlimactic conclusion. In Martin's style the ending is bittersweet, and no one gains anything without losing a lot. Martin continues his ability to introduce a character in short fashion, giving little details that immediately give them substance. ASOIF readers will recognize a pock-faced "Sour Billy" as a character very similar to Chett of the Night Watch. He also has the ability to put a little chill in you by introducing spooky folklore similar to some of the tall tales of the Night Castle at the Wall.
In summary, I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. Don't expect ASOIF, but it is a good, quick read. I think the strongest writing was done around the steamboat races, and the weakest centered on the vampires. It possibly could have been a better novel, if it just dealt with a story of a steamboat captain and left the supernatural part out.
Favorite passage from Fevre Dream:
Karl Framm pushed through the crowd, a brandy in his hand. "I know a story," he said, sounding a little drunk. "'S true. There's this steamboat named the Ozymandias, y'see..."
"Never heard of it somebody said.
Framm smiled thinly. "Y'better hope you never see it," he said, "cause them what does is done for. She only runs by night, this boat. And she's dark, all dark. Painted black as her stacks, every inch of her, except that inside she's got a main cabin with a carpet the color of blood, and silver mirrors everywhere that don't reflect nothing. Them mirrors is always empty, even though she's got lots of folks aboard her, pale-looking folks in fine clothes. They smile a lot. Only they don't show in the mirrors."
Someone shivered. They had all gone silent. "Why not?" asked an engineer Marsh knew slightly.
"Cause they're dead," Framm said. "Ever' damn one of `em, dead. Only they won't lie down. They're sinners, and they got to ride that boat forever, that black boat with the red carpets and the empty mirrors, all up and down the river, never touching port, no sir."
"Phantoms," somebody said.
"Ha'ants," added a woman, "like that Raccourci boat."
"Hell no," said Karl Framm. "You can pass right through a ha'nt, but not the Ozymandias. She's real enough, and you'll learn it quick and to your sorrow if you come on her at night. Them dead folks is hungry. They drink blood, y'know. Hot red blood. They hide in the dark and when they see the lights of another steamer, they set out after her, and if they catch'er they come swarming aboard, all those dead white faces, smiling, dressed so fine. And they sink the boat afterward, or burn her, and the next mornin' there's nothing to see but a couple stacks stickin' up out of the river, or maybe a wrecked boat full of corpses. Except for the sinners. The sinners go aboard that Ozymandias, and ride on her forever." He sipped his brandy and smiled. "So if you're out on the river some night, and you see a shadow on the water behind you, look close. She don't show no lights, that Ozymandias, so sometimes you can't see her till she's right behind you, her black wheels kicking up the water. If you see her, you better hope you got a lightnin' pilot, and maybe some coal oil on board, or a little lard. Cause she's big and she's fast, and when she catches you by night you're finished. Listen for her whistle. She only sounds her whistle when she knows she's got you, so if you hear it, start countin' up your sins."
"What does the whistle sound like?"
"'Zactly like a man screaming," said Karl Framm.
"What's her name agin?" a young pilot asked.
"Ozymandias," said Framm. He knew how to say it right.
"What does that mean?"
"Abner Marsh stood up. "It's from a poem," he said. "Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair."
Rating:
Summary: Martin never fails to impress
Review: First off, I have to say that George R.R. Martin is one of my favorite authors. I have read several of his novels and short story collections, and have been very pleased with all of them. The novel Fevre Dream is no exception.
The novel is set, primarily, in the 1850's and is the story of a steamboat captain named Abner Marsh. In Marsh's recent past he went from a successful owner of five boats to a nearly-ruined owner of one after a harsh winter destroyed his four best steamboats. Because of this tragedy he is picked out by a Mr. Joshua York to help construct and run a new boat, which becomes known as the Fevre Dream. Mr. York is a trifle eccentric, and it does not take Marsh long to discover that his new partner is a vampire.
I don't want to give too much away about this novel, but I feel I have to say that this is not a typical vampire story. The vampires are not your usual undead blood-drinkers. In fact, that aren't undead at all. Martin has taken a very old subject and given it an original twist.
The story is wonderfully crafted and the setting is painted with the vividity that I've come to expect from Mr. Martin. As usual, his characters are real and have a depth to them that leaves you feeling as though you actually know them.
It is obvious that Martin did his research on what life was like for a member of a steamboat crew, as well as on steamboats themselves. I came away from the book having learned the major differences between side- and stern- wheel boats (one of which being the much higher level of manueverability that side-wheel boats possessed). While I may not have ever really wanted to know, the information was conveyed in an interesting way that kept the story moving forward.
If I was to have one gripe with this book, it would be that the story wasn't very suspenseful in the horror sense of the word. While there was definite suspense involved in the fate of certain characters, there wasn't much about the novel that left me feeling like I might have trouble sleeping. Which, as we all know, is the sign of a truly great horror novel.
Despite this, though, fans of both horror and historical novels should enjoy this book thoroughly, even if it's only because of the interesting combination of the two genres.
Rating:
Summary: Martin's genious brings vampires to life
Review: I admire Martin's work, but I'm not a Horror fan, so I was skeptical when I opened the book at the book shop. after two pages, I wasn't skeptical. after 5, I was ashamed of my doubts. Martin tells a brilliant, strong and powerful tale, and tells it extreamly well.The only problme is that the first one hundred fifty pages are kinde' slow... but it picks up and is alot of fun. The ending was very touching. Don't miss Martin's greatest creation, A Song of Ice and Fire
Rating:
Summary: Not what you'd expect
Review: I am not a fan of the vampire mythos, having seen only one vampire movie and never read any novel on the subject prior to this one. Like many who have read or are considering reading "Fevre Dream", I would not even have looked at it twice if it was written by any other author. But George R. R. Martin is the man, as they say, and I would gladly read anything he produced.
With that said, "Fevre Dream" is not your typical Martin novel. To put it as simply as possible, this book doesn't have the same attitude as his other stuff. There are no tough-as-nails fighters strutting their hilarious one-liners before entering a fight scene. "Fevre Dream" focuses on atmosphere. While it packs plenty of action, gory fight scenes and dramatic riverboat chaces, the book's reason for existence is the personalities that drive the story. The main characters dominate every scene, and their conflicts are truly larger than life. Regrettably, most minor characters are left drifting without much personality.
The writing is mid-range, again below the standard you'd expect from Martin. At this early point in his career he hadn't yet become a true master of dialogue. While the exchanges come across as mostly competent and believable, they lack that special zing you'll find in Martin's later books.
As always, Martin does in for details. I have to applaud him for the tremendous amount of research that must have gone into this work. For instance, he mentions the Galt House hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, a place where I've actually stayed, and he even gets the color of the roof tiles right. After finishing "Fevre Dream", you'll certainly know quite a bit more about life on Mississippi riverboats than you did at the start. And you'll have read a pretty good story, all things considered.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliant vampire trip
Review: I am not much of a fan of vampire novels. I do not read Ann Rice or any other authors of the undead. I happened to get this book just so that I could close out my book club membership. It was quite a surprise that I liked this novel so much. I thought it was brilliantly written. The characters were extremely well defined. So much so, that I could so clearly see all of the characters and their actions and behaviors in my head. The author takes the stereotypic vampire, and puts a whole new set of clothes on him. I find it very unique how he placed vampires on the Mississippi river. The entire journey they had taken over the years. The rule of the bloodmaster, and the reason for why vampires are the way they are. A very good twist indeed to the old vampire myths. The author had me enthralled with every page I turned. The novel was so good that when I turned the last page, I wanted the story to continue. It was so excellently told. Rarely do I rate books as 5 stars unless they are so good that I'm replaying parts over and over again in my mind, and this novel does that for me. The last 100 pages I never wanted to stop, and got upset if I was so much as interrupted by anything. I liked it that much. If you get the chance to obtain this book, then I would say that you will not be disappointed, it is as good as all the reviews say that it is.
Rating:
Summary: An Enjoyable Read
Review: I discovered Martin a few years back with the Song of Ice and Fire Trilogy. I don't believe there is a comparable author today that can match his brilliant writing style. He keeps you hooked, adds enough description and plot to satisfy many readers. This effort was as pleasing, even though a very different setting. You find yourself visually there every step of the way and once you start reading it, you will NOT be able to put it down. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys adventure, mystery, the supernatural, U.S. History and just a plain good time. You will not be disappointed and will think about the book for days after you finish.
|
