Varney, the Vampire: Or, the Feast of Blood

Rating:
Summary: A significant piece of extremely early vampyric fiction
Review: A reprint of a serial "penny dreadful" of the 1840's, Varney the Vampyre is campy, but significant historically as it is thought to be the earliest published vampire tale in English. Although the two modern reprintings are long out of print and difficult to locate, a current project on GEnie is to bring Varney back to life as an electronic serial text. Volunteers are currently (1995) posting chapters once a week. If you are interested in this 4 year project, you can send email to [e-mail] If you are able to locate a copy for me, I would be interested.

Rating:
Summary: Defines the "Penny-Dreadful"
Review: For its genre, Varney the Vampire is a must-have! The situations are simple, the plot alternates between simplistic and absent, but the writing is matched only in other Penny-Dreadfuls such as "Wagner, the Were-Wolf." It's pure Victorian Gothic, complete with bodice-ripping and dark and stormy nights!

Rating:
Summary: Defines the "Penny-Dreadful"
Review: For its genre, Varney the Vampire is a must-have! The situations are simple, the plot alternates between simplistic and absent, but the writing is matched only in other Penny-Dreadfuls such as "Wagner, the Were-Wolf." It's pure Victorian Gothic, complete with bodice-ripping and dark and stormy nights!

Rating:
Summary: A milestone in the literary history of the vampire
Review: Having read this work in the course of The Varney Project, my attitude towards this work has changed since completion. The early chapters were clearly exciting and interesting, but it does become a bit too bizarre and strange in the later ones. However, in retrospect, it must be viewed in the context of how the vampire mythology has adopted many of Varney's characteristics as the stereotype. In this regard, great respect must be given to Varney and his creator for such a significant creation. Text of Varney can be found at www.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful and Historic Vampire Tale
Review: Varney the Vampire or the Feast of Blood is the definitive story which sets the context of Vampire novels to come including Dracula.This 1840's tale was originally released as a "Penny Dreadful" (one or more chapters printed per week for the cost of only a few pennies - a serial novel like Stephen King's The Green Mile").This reprinted edition reprints the 1840's typeset and lurid illustrations. It is also prefaced with a wonderful case study of the Vampire myth from its roots in Indian mythology to its later incarnation in Europe.Any who read Varney should be warned that the writing style is different from our 20th Century style and the type fonts is, at times, difficult to read for our modern eyes but keep an open mind - the story of Varney, the antihero vampire, is worth the time spent.I have searched for 20 years to find a copy of this book and, now thanks to Amazon.com, that dream has become real.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful and Historic Vampire Tale
Review: Varney the Vampire or the Feast of Blood is the definitive story which sets the context of Vampire novels to come including Dracula.This 1840's tale was originally released as a "Penny Dreadful" (one or more chapters printed per week for the cost of only a few pennies - a serial novel like Stephen King's The Green Mile").This reprinted edition reprints the 1840's typeset and lurid illustrations. It is also prefaced with a wonderful case study of the Vampire myth from its roots in Indian mythology to its later incarnation in Europe.Any who read Varney should be warned that the writing style is different from our 20th Century style and the type fonts is, at times, difficult to read for our modern eyes but keep an open mind - the story of Varney, the antihero vampire, is worth the time spent.I have searched for 20 years to find a copy of this book and, now thanks to Amazon.com, that dream has become real.