Afterage

Rating:
Summary: Riveting and fun fang tale (mellion108 from Michigan)
Review: How many vampire novels are out there? I can't begin to count the number of them that I've read in the past. Some are fantastic, a lot are really good, and still more are pretty darn bad. Fortunately, Navarro has given us a really, really good vampire novel set in Chicago in the aftermath of a vampiric plague that has ravaged the earth.

A relatively small group of human survivors exists in downtown Chicago. They don't know about each other because they all live in fear simply trying to survive each night while the vampires stalk for food. Anyelet is the queen vampire who decided not too long ago to create more of her kind in order to not have to hide her existence. Unfortunately, this quickly grew out of hand, and now the vampires must scrounge for a food source. Navarro gives us a story telling us what happens when these few humans and these powerful vampires clash, and the struggle the humans face to free themselves from the plague.

This was such an entertaining and creepy novel to read. There were a few passages that actually had me checking over my shoulder to see if anyone was there (I dare you to read the first several pages detailing the doctor's search and discovery mission without shivering). It's no wonder that this novel gained enough attention to warrant a special hardcover release. The story has adventure, vampires, guns, medical experiments, human slaves used as food, and an apocalyptic vision. Afterage is relatively original, well-written, and fun. Sometimes that's exactly what you need in a good, scary read. If you want something refreshing after reading all those other copycat vampire novels, then give this one a try.

Rating:
Summary: A fantastic horror tale; great characters and story
Review: This wonderful novel by Yvonne Navarro features a plague-ridden earth ruled by vampires. The surviving humans are being used as a blood bank by the vampires, who are immune to the plague. But a small group of humans begins to fight back... Yvonne Navarro's characters are excellently drawn, and very believable. And it's a good, scary read as well. If you liked I Am Legend, you'll love this book!!! Currently available only on disc from the author - see her info on this page!

Rating:
Summary: A Great Pos-Apocalyptic Vampire Novel
Review: Vampirism spreads across the world like a plague. As humanity dies out for the exception of a few bands of people that hold out in the city. Scavenging by day and hiding by night. A small group of people come together to fight the cause of the plague, and to save the few survivors that are kept and bred like cattle by the head vampire. A quasi "I Am Legend" like novel with a almost spirtual like ending. The book is a page turner, and was my first introduction to Navarro's works.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Pos-Apocalyptic Vampire Novel
Review: Vampirism spreads across the world like a plague. As humanity dies out for the exception of a few bands of people that hold out in the city. Scavenging by day and hiding by night. A small group of people come together to fight the cause of the plague, and to save the few survivors that are kept and bred like cattle by the head vampire. A quasi "I Am Legend" like novel with a almost spirtual like ending. The book is a page turner, and was my first introduction to Navarro's works.

Rating:
Summary: What Does "EPIC" Mean To You???
Review: What does the word "Epic" mean to you? To me an "Epic" is a tale that has far reaching consequenses for the entire human race. An Epic shows our good traits and faults on a grand scale. AfterAge by Yvonne Navarro very much qualifies as an "Epic."

In AfterAge a plague of Vampirism has taken hold of the world. Angelet, an ancient female vampire caused this plague which threatens the extinction of the human race. She can see that unless she changes the way things are going her kind will become extinct along with the living humans. Too many vampires, not enough people make for a grim future for both.

AfterAge begins after the plague is well underway and life for the few humans left is a constant struggle for survival. Civilization is a thing of the past. The cities are empty shells. During the day the humans have free reign. Food is not too hard to find because of canned goods. But during the night is when the vampires come out to play. Droves of them. Hiding is the most effective survival strategy. Sometimes that is not enough.

The characters in AfterAge stay in your mind long after you've closed the last page. I finished AfterAge about a month ago and sometimes Deb or Jo or Vic pop into my mind for no reason at all. These characers as well as all the others became living breathing people during the story.

You'll fing yourself fearing for these peoples lives. There are scenes in AfterAge that will make your skin crawl and scare the hell out of you and others that make you feel like crying. There was one scene of foreshadowing where I turned to my wife and said, "Damn, I don't think they are going to make it." I was reacting like these were real people. This book is that good.

The structure of AfterAge is one that I've encountered over and over again in Stephen King novels. The story shifts back and forth between several groups of characters, the good guys and the bad guys and it all comes together at the end.

AfterAge takes place in Chicago. The empty dead city, over-populated by blood sucking fiends after dark becomes a frightening character in its own right. Yvonne Navarro painted a dead Chicago perfectly. According to the inside back cover she lives there so all the locations are dead on accurate.

This is without a doubt one of best novels I have ever read. If you really want to be able to say you've read the best that the horror field has to offer then you need to find a copy of Afterage.