The Vampyre by John William Polidori

A collection of fifteen stories featuring ghoulies, ghosties, long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night. Expect shivers up your spine, the stink of human flesh, and the occasional touch of wonder.

[jrabele]

It's very interesting that Polidori was known to me only as a footnote in the story of the origin of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. I thought that he was Lord Byron's middle aged doctor who he called Polly-dolly. He died before he was 26. The story is well written and seems to anticipate Bram Stoker's Dracula.

[janeaustencentre]

There's more about Polidori, The Vampyre, and the false accreditation of this story to Lord Byron at:

[opticrainbow]

Very awesome story. Thank you for reading! I totally picked up on your Maine accent by the way, am I right? I live in Maine and it sounds very similar.

[enjoythyhorror]

The vampyre came 78 years before the more famous Count Dracula, who took the aristocratic, noble side of vampires from Lord Ruthven. The novella is much more well written in my opinion. Bram Stoker’s writing isn’t very distinctive from books from the late 19th century or early 20th. Gaston Leroux has the same writing style, as well as H.G. Wells. It tells you that Bram Stoker is not very distinctive in writing. Plus, Dracula always felt too long, with incredible pacing issues. The characters (for the most part), were not very strong, notably one noted. Vampyre feels much more simple, from a much simpler time. Much more scary and enthralling.

[lowspark]

how i wish this reading was done by Vincent Price or Anthony Hopkins even Jeremy Irons...oh, well..

[rachweatherilll]

Blah, Blah, Blah, drone. Sorry, you lost me