Vampire Faction: under or overrated..?

[randallFlaggfan1]

Earlier this morning, I got to thinking about all the increasingly popular fiction centering around the age-old beings simply known as 'vampires'..
Especially with cult-favorites such as The Twilight saga, The Vampire Chronicles (which has spawned many television tie-in novels,) The Vampire Academy...the list goes on and on..



So what are your thoughts? Under or overrated?
Any and opinions are welcome.


("All things serve the Beam")

[flwrchld]

I enjoyed reading all of the Sookie Stackhouse books and was excited about the tv (HBO) show, "True Blood," based on them... until I saw it. Blech! The books were fun, easy reading - lots of laughs and a few surprises; nothing like the teeny-bopper porn and blood show that is "True Blood."

Twilight - gag! I'm hate to admit that I read them, but I did. That was the most annoying, time-wasting drivel I've ever read.

[Becks19]

I think most of it is well written.........if you don't count Twilight.

[fushingfeef]

I haven't had a chance to read many of them yet, none of them is really calling out to me. Last year I did read Justin Cronin's "The Passage" (in part due to SK's recommendation) which I found to be a bit overrated, particularly the section in the middle where the story just ground to a halt. But depending on the reviews I might read the next book in the series when it comes out.

[Evil Queen]

I love vampires...stories, that is,...but I kind of agree w/you, Randall, it is getting a little overrated w/all the teeny bopper vampire books & shows coming out...I wish they would stop already, & leave this theme to the masters.....

[~Ally~]

Hmm, I like my vamps mean and dirty...no sparkles for me!

Seriously, though, I've always been intrigued by the concept of vampires, and the greatest tales of their existence go back a very long time. That stuff I'm interested in, and feel there will always be a place for vampires, whether in literature or current popular tv shows/movies. However, this newer breed of vamps--a la Stephenie Meyer--have really been done to death, and they suck! Literally. Awful, awful, awful.

Warning: Very long--but not as big as it shoulda been--Twilight Movie rant is in this spoiler. Do not open if you're on team Edward...or team Jacob...or team Twilight. Period.

I have friends who love Twilight, yes these are grown women in their 30's, and the other week they were fawning all over the whole Jacob/Edward debate, which is kinda creepy. I politely refused to comment, except that vampires shouldn't sparkle, since I've not read the books, and three times failed to complete the first movie. Anyhoo, they finally persuaded me to watch the movies, hoping I may be swayed=converted...and they were complete and utter trash! Now believe me, I watched all of those movies in one day, and only out of friendship, but at least now when I slag them off I can really go at it with full fervour!

I kid you not when I say as time went on I slowly felt my braincells freezing, and one by one could feel them crashing to the floor and shattering, never to be recovered again. I've not been fully functional since. I was honestly stupified at the utter nonsense I had just watched...Twishite gave me brain freeze! It wasn't even entertaining, if it was I would have honestly said "Okay, I get why you pervy old women are lusting after teenage boys"...but I don't see the attraction. These are dull movies, with atrocious acting, terrible dialogue and one dimensional main characters. The female lead made me want to vomit, can anybody say attention seeking manic depressive?? But the worst part--out of oh so many--I was pissed off when I knew that vampires sparkled, so you can imagine my contempt when they just shatter and break like glass when you kill them! Paahhh! Ooh you've got me started now...I best step outside before I turn this thread into a "Why Ally Hates the Twilight Movies Blog." Hmm, maybe I'm onto something there.

In short; vampires overall are great...so long as they aren't part of this extremely over~rated new breed that have tarnished their bad reputation.

[randallFlaggfan1]

Admittedly, I have read the Twilight saga, including the novella, The Brief Second Life of Bree Tanner, and (as usual) Sai King's blurb is dead-on. She isn't a very good writer, at all, IMO.

(And though it's slightly off-topic, don't get me started on )


I can't really say enough about The Passage. I highly recommend it, and am very much looking forward to The Twelve!



("All things serve the Beam")

[Liselle]

I have not read many vampire novels myself, but I do think they need to get back to the essence of what a vampire is meant to be. I don't think it is meant to be some teen with impossible good looks being all squeaky clean with lots of yearning and longing. Even The Lost Boys was a better vampire flick than the twilight rubbish, at least that tried to portray them as they should be, not particularly nice and pretty ruthless. The Twilight saga has to much teenage angst (I know its aimed at them) but it puts me off, if I want teenage angst I'll just look at my two teenage sons!!!

If anyone has watched Being Human then the group of Vampires in that were more realistic than most vampire films out at the moment.

So in answer to the question, if you count the teenage vampire drivel thats out at the moment then yes they are over-rated but if film makers can back on track then they won't be over-rated (nice fence I'm sitting on here!!!).

[SharonC]

Give me my good(?) old time vamps. Today's trend seems to run along the lines of romantic vampires, and are written for teenagers. I haven't read Twilight, haven't seen the movies and have no intention of doing either. The only good Vampire movie I've seen lately is 30 Days of Night. Now those are vampires!

[GNTLGNT]

As a reader of graphic novels(comic books-whathehellever)...the series of American Vampire is outstanding, and our own Unca Steve's creation-Skinner Sweet has to be seen and read to be appreciated....