Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: This unique novel is definitely one of the best I've ever read. It's a completely different take on the legend of vampires. Martin's vampires are not undead humans, but rather the remains of an ancient warrior species similar to, but, in some ways different from, man. His vampires don't sleep in coffins, nor are they vulnerable to things like garlic and holy water. They are, however, light sensitive, and, most importantly of all, they have a thirst for blood. It's the struggle of one of these vampires to lift the curse of that thirst that drives the story. "Fevre Dream", though, isn't really about vampires, it's about the struggle for acceptance, and, most of all, friendship. It's the friendship between the crusading vampire and an old Mississippi riverboat captain named Abner Marsh that is the center of this fast-moving tale. Martin creates a wonderful sense of atmosphere throughout, with his story racing through a background of life on the Mississippi river in the 19th Century. The author keeps us interested throughout with a series of twists and turns that throw our two friends together, tear them apart, then toss them together again as they join the struggle to end the thirst and bring vampires as much into the human world as possible. And, the last few pages are simply some of the most touching prose I've ever read. A super read. If you can get a copy, do so, though I'm certainly not giving up mine. Oh, and I e-mailed the author a few years ago to complement him on this work. I was shocked that he wrote me back and said that he's been considering a sequel to "Fevre Dream". We'll have to wait, though, as he mentioned that he would be tied up with a fantasy series, which turned out to be the excellent "Song Of Fire And Ice." We'll wait, George, and thanks.
Rating:
Summary: Find this book
Review: This was the book I had hope that Interview with a Vampire would be. I find Ann Rice's vampire tales a little dry and stilted. This is an American vampire tale that you can seek you teeth into .
Rating:
Summary: Certainly One Of The Major Works Of Vampire Fiction
Review: What a shame that this work is out of print! Certainly one of the "classics" of contemporary vampire literature, written with much greater skill than Ms. Rice's novels, this work, first published in 1982, is similarly set in New Orleans and along the Mississippi River and its tributaries during the mid 1800's, as much an ode to the former glory of the steamboat trade as a reworking of the legend of vampirism. Recreating a brief yet important period of our history with an obviously loving and detailed historical and nautical accuracy, George R.R. Martin, while borrowing much from the traditions of vampirical lore, at the same time reinvests those traditions in ways that are fresh and original, eliciting both horror and sympathy with his characters. As is evident in his more recent and popular "Song of Fire and Ice" cycle, Martin's characterizations are complicated and motivated by desires often in conflict with one another, creating tensions and undercurrents that go beyond the confines of the plot, and, along with his skilled prose and attention to detail, bring both his story and his characters to life. And, for anyone that has ever visited historical Galena, I believe you will readily recognize and be transported back to the time-encapsulated beauty of the town at the conclusion to Martin's book.Despite the misfortune of being out of print in the United States, we are fortunate enough to have had the book recently reissued in England as part of the Gollancz/Orion Masterworks of Fantasy series. It is available through amazon.co.uk, and I would highly recommend that anyone interested in horror/fantasy or vampire fiction spend the money to obtain it there. And, hopefully, with all the interest that the author's new series is generating, some publisher in the States will wake up and republish it here. Considering that all of Anne Rice's novels are still in print, this work is certainly and arguably more deserving.
Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC!
Review: When I finished reading this book, I just sat quietly for several moments. I felt overwhelmed by the story and slightly stunned that it had come to an end, and a rather melancholy end at that. Haunting and unforgettable are words that come to my mind when thinking about Fevre Dream. All the characterizations are marvelous. The vampire, Damon Julian, is the very epitome of evil. I was somewhat annoyed that Joshua York, the "good" vampire seemed so weak around Julian, but came to accept it. Of all the vampire novels I've been reading of late, and I've been reading A LOT of them, there is only a handful that I will go back and read again and again. Fevre Dream has joined that handful, and is actually vying for the top spot on my list! Another reviewer wrote that George R.R. Martin indicated to him that he might write a sequel to Fevre Dream. I certainly hope he does; and on the day it comes out, I'll be one of the first in line for a copy! This is a wonderful, wonderful book, if you can manage to find it (I ordered mine on-line from the UK)!
Rating:
Summary: Definitely a memorable dream.
Review: While i admit the first half of the book, about 150 pages, might be slow going and cookie cutter, the book really kicks into steam after that.
The last half blows by and leaves you thirsting for more. The ending to this book, as others have said before me, is extremely sad and its closing lines are truly beautiful.
Sadly though, this book is out of print and might be tough to come by, i ordered mine through Amazon UK.
You might also want to check out Martin's current series, A Song of Ice and Fire, which overcomes Fevre Dreams brilliance in my opinion.
And i also heard Martin is maybe thinking of doing a follow up novel to Fevre Dream...
We can dream cant we?
Rating:
Summary: Definitely a memorable dream...
Review: While i admit the first half of the book, about 150 pages, might be slow going and cookie cutter, the book really kicks into steam after that. The last half blows by and leaves you thirsting for more. The ending to this book, as others have said before me, is extremely sad and its closing lines are truly beautiful. Sadly though, this book is out of print and might be tough to come by, i ordered mine through Amazon UK.
You might also want to check out Martin's current series, A Song of Ice and Fire, which overcomes Fevre Dreams brilliance in my opinion. And i also heard Martin is maybe thinking of doing a follow up novel to Fevre Dream...
We can dream cant we?
Rating:
Summary: A better story line than Rice's vampire books
Review: While living in England, my husband introduced me to this book. Unfortunately, he worked nights at the time and this was definately a keep-all-the-lights-on kind of book. I mailed it to my daughter in Greece who is a big Ann Rice fan and she enjoyed it as well. I am surprised this book is out of print!
Rating:
Summary: Nothing Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Review: While the aforementioned Buffy has a vein of humor running through it, *Fevre Dream* is a more serious story. But don't let that keep you from reading this book! I have to admit, I struggled through the first three or four chapters, and it was kind of touch and go for awhile after that as to whether I would or wouldn't like it. (Once I start a story, I try to finish it no matter what, good, bad, or indifferent.) But I pressed on, and by about the tenth chapter, I was hooked. What hooked me was the 1850s U.S. riverboat milieu which Martin so deftly draws you into (I felt as if I were actually there, plying the Mississippi!); the characters, from the gruff, courageous Cap'n Abner Marsh, to quiet, anguished Joshua York, to loyal Toby the cook, a black man given his freedom by Cap'n Marsh when he agreed to be his cook; and one of the most original plots I've come across in speculative fiction. I mean, who would've thought to put vampires on a U.S. riverboat, plus give a different, interesting twist to the vampire mythos? A small caution: There is some foul language in the book, plus use of the "n" word, which some might find offensive. However, I think it was realistic to the time and place, plus the language came from characters where it made sense, so I came to accept it. I picked this up at the library, and it took me the full 4 weeks to finish it. With the great descriptions, finely-etched characters, and a unique plot, I'm glad I stuck it out.
Rating: 
Summary: Even those "burned out" on horror will love this book!
Review: Years ago, I read almost exclusively in the "horror" genre, until it (and me) just got tired.
A friend recommended this book to me recently, and I was intrigued because she is not a reader of horror fiction generally. To make a long story short, I couldn't put the book down. It is a much more entertaining read than the "Vampire Chronicles."
I was shocked to discover that this title has gone out of print. A fun read for anyone who likes historical adventure.
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