Great article. I was at the library last week and found a series of Dracula books written by Bram Stoker's descendant, Dacre Stoker. Checked out the first book, Dracula the Undead, but haven't started it yet, premise is 25 years after the events of Dracula the survivors are being hunted one by one so they start to wonder, had Dracula survived? Think there are a couple more books in the series as well.
Last time I read a book from one of Stoker’s descendants the bozo had Mina pining after Dracula, and actively indifferent over Jonathan’s death. Hated that volume, so that I won’t touch any of the written unofficial sequels.
hhhmmnm, maybe I won't waste my time on this book then, had misgivings about checking it out and now you're telling me this. May give it a couple of chapters but the more I think about it the more it seems like a money grab by one of Stoker's descendants.
It might be, I don’t know if it’s the same book but I was disgusted. The book I read also had Quincy be Dracula’s son somehow (I don’t know how that could even work), and really seemed to have it in for Jonathan.
It was really subversive stuff so I came to hate it. I love the novel by Bram Stoker and plan to only ever stick with it. My own Varcola novel written with my brother is a love-letter to the Dracula novel by Stoker.
Dracula is a true masterpiece of horror. The first part of the book stands out the most to me, Jonathan’s slow realization that he was not a guest but a prisoner in Dracula’s castle; this part still gives me shivers when I think about it.
Oh you should, it is an aweomse novel! I’m sure you’ll love it. It is much more Gone with the Wind than Frankenstein. Much more of a stirring adventure-love story than anything else.
The thing that strikes me most about the intro to the novel is, Harker thinking about how modern things are, and how that matters. He is totally unprepared to encounter this highly efficient ancient evil because he is literally going, "Ah, the trains don't always run on time, but let me get this recipe written down for my fiancee." So he equates scientific progress with spiritual strength, and loses badly.
In the 1931 Dracula movie, it's Renfield and not Jonathan that makes the journey (though at least it gives a plausible reason why Renfield lost his mind), and most of the early part of the novel is boiled down to the superstitious peasants trying to persuade not to visit the "nosferatu", which he ignores...
I love Dracula, particularly those opening scenes, and this makes me want to read it again. There's just so many good things to unpack in that book, and the symbolism it uses.
Great article. I was at the library last week and found a series of Dracula books written by Bram Stoker's descendant, Dacre Stoker. Checked out the first book, Dracula the Undead, but haven't started it yet, premise is 25 years after the events of Dracula the survivors are being hunted one by one so they start to wonder, had Dracula survived? Think there are a couple more books in the series as well.
Last time I read a book from one of Stoker’s descendants the bozo had Mina pining after Dracula, and actively indifferent over Jonathan’s death. Hated that volume, so that I won’t touch any of the written unofficial sequels.
hhhmmnm, maybe I won't waste my time on this book then, had misgivings about checking it out and now you're telling me this. May give it a couple of chapters but the more I think about it the more it seems like a money grab by one of Stoker's descendants.
It might be, I don’t know if it’s the same book but I was disgusted. The book I read also had Quincy be Dracula’s son somehow (I don’t know how that could even work), and really seemed to have it in for Jonathan.
It was really subversive stuff so I came to hate it. I love the novel by Bram Stoker and plan to only ever stick with it. My own Varcola novel written with my brother is a love-letter to the Dracula novel by Stoker.
Dracula is a true masterpiece of horror. The first part of the book stands out the most to me, Jonathan’s slow realization that he was not a guest but a prisoner in Dracula’s castle; this part still gives me shivers when I think about it.
With good reason as it is one of the best written pieces of literature ever!
The only novel to have given me a nightmare.
Really? Was it Harker’s imprisonment that did the job? Cause that part is really creepy and well written.
I have not read it!! Adding to my must-reads. Terrible omission really....
Oh you should, it is an aweomse novel! I’m sure you’ll love it. It is much more Gone with the Wind than Frankenstein. Much more of a stirring adventure-love story than anything else.
What a lovely overview.
The thing that strikes me most about the intro to the novel is, Harker thinking about how modern things are, and how that matters. He is totally unprepared to encounter this highly efficient ancient evil because he is literally going, "Ah, the trains don't always run on time, but let me get this recipe written down for my fiancee." So he equates scientific progress with spiritual strength, and loses badly.
Very good assessment Iris, that is it exactly! And how wrong he is proven to be.
In the 1931 Dracula movie, it's Renfield and not Jonathan that makes the journey (though at least it gives a plausible reason why Renfield lost his mind), and most of the early part of the novel is boiled down to the superstitious peasants trying to persuade not to visit the "nosferatu", which he ignores...
Yep, I’ve seen that movie and remember that part well, it is I suppose a good explanation for why he went nuts.
Love this book. Glad your doing commentaries on it
Thanks
I love Dracula, particularly those opening scenes, and this makes me want to read it again. There's just so many good things to unpack in that book, and the symbolism it uses.
Agreed, on every point X)