Vampire Novel Breaks New Ground

Ron Charles points out in the Washington Post that vampire stories are old, over-done, and generally worn out. He describes the decline of the nosferatu by writing “At this late date can anyone draw more blood from the story? Buffy gave up the ghost in 2003. The WB drove a stake through the heart of her spinoff, Angel, the next year. Dracula: The Musical closed on Broadway in January. Anne Rice now writes about Jesus, for Christ’s sake.”

That makes Octavia E. Butler’s achievement in Fledgling so much more stunning. Butler is the first African American woman to distinguish herself in the science fiction arena and she’s also a winner of the prestigious McArthur genuis grant awards. Her new novel “doesn’t just resurrect the pale trappings of vampire lore, it completely transforms them in a startlingly original story about race, family and free will,” the critic writes.

Sounds like a great book. Read the entire review or buy the book here.