Continuing in my efforts to bring out some good popular fiction ideas in time for that last minute Kindle gift giving, I’ve made it through another batch of surprisingly good books I’d never heard of before. In what I can only assume is a completely bizarre connection to the holiday season that I was previously unaware of, I was urged by enthusiastic readers to highlight the following recommendations! It’s clearly still one of the hottest trends in popular fiction, so today I present you with a Vampire-themed gift collection:
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter – Seth Grahame-Smith
This is the second work by the author of the popular Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. As with that one, it’s impressive how well he managed to mix the new supernatural additions with the period-specific information and tone. I was impressed to the point of grabbing myself a dead-tree copy too.
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what it would be like if one of our favorite presidents was actually an axe-wielding defender of humanity with motives for gaining the presidency beyond simple politics(and really, who doesn’t wonder that from time to time?), then this one will fit quite well. It’s subtly done, shows a great deal of historical research, and doesn’t go over the top in the slightest. Strongly recommended.
The Kindle Edition is $9.99
Night Pleasures – Sherrilyn Kenyon
This is an early installment, if not the first, in Kenyon’s popular supernatural romance series. The underlying conceit is that vampires are real, originating in a conflict among the greek deities, and that some of the greatest (and most handsome) heroes in history have been recruited to be the super-powered immortal protectors of humanity against them.
Once these heroes agree, their jobs are their lives until such time as they manage to find true love. Seems like a great deal at the time, I’m sure, but after a few hundred years it gets old, setting the stage for all sorts of action, romance, and drama.
The Kindle Edition is $7.99
Dracula – Bram Stoker
I questioned adding this one to the list at first. Not because it isn’t a great idea, but because it is free and therefore un-giftable in the usual sense. That said, I think it’s worth pointing out as something worth grabbing, especially when buying for a kid who finds the usual “classics” to be more than a little but boring or unapproachable.
Let’s face it, this is where it all started as far as the Vampire craze. Everybody has heard of it, but how many people have gone further than seeing the movies? It’s a good read, even today, and will provide an interesting counterpoint to the popular conception of everybody’s favorite form of undead monster.
The Kindle Edition is FREE
Hopefully this opens up some ideas for you in time to do some good! Kindle lovers definitely provide some great opportunities for last minute buying that don’t involve driving all over town. I know it’s made my life easier, and with luck I’m not the only one. Remember, the person you’re buying for doesn’t have to be a Kindle owner since the apps are everywhere these days! As always, if you have any recommendations you want to share, let me know and I’ll see what I can do!
I’m currently reading Tim Powers’ “The Stress of Her Regard” on my Kindle. It’s about 20 years old, but it gives a really creepy take on vampires and their prey/fans, along with a healthy supporting cast of, ah, re-imagined early 19th-century literary giants (Keats, Shelley, Byron).
Appreciate the info! Nothing wrong with a book that’s 20 years old. Half my reads are closer to 200. I’ll pop that onto tomorrow’s (well, technically the day after tomorrow’s, given the timing) reading list. It looks interesting, to say the least.