Who isn’t interested in a modern day vampire novel where there’s a huge emphasis on the love affair between a vampire and a regular human who is in way over their head trying to deal with the complications that arise from their relationship? While that description may work for part of the Twilight series (and yes, that was intentional) it’s also a decent enough description of Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore.
Book Stats
290 pages
Satire
First book in a trilogy
Characters
There are two main characters in this book, the first is Jody, who was recently turned into a vampire and is struggling to adjust to never aging and having a constant desire for blood. The second is Tommy, a wannabe writer who just recently moved from Indiana to San Francisco. I enjoyed reading about both of the characters, and they seemed quite real in their reactions to what they’re going through. While they’re obviously the main characters of the book, it’s also populated with a wide range of interesting side characters, several of which have appeared in some of Moore’s other books. My favorite side character from this book is the Emperor of San Francisco, he’s so far out of left field, but he works very well within the structure of the story.
Setting
Present day San Francisco.
Plot
After Jody wakes up one night in a dumpster with an appetite for blood, she quickly realizes that she’s been turned into a vampire. All things considered she takes it in stride, but she also quickly realizes that she’s going to need someone to help her adjust to her new life because she can’t go out during the day. Enter Tommy, who she meets outside of the supermarket where he oversees the night crew. After they meet there is a series of murders around San Francisco that keep cropping up around them, and they end up searching for the vampire who is causing all the trouble in their lives.
Enjoyment
Part of the reason that Moore is such a good writer is that he takes strange situations and mixes them with very believable characters. Every character in this book, from the uber-nerd Tommy to the off the wall Emperor come across as being real no matter how strange the story ends up being. Just like in his other books the humor is always present – but never out of place. I’m really interested in reading the sequels to this book, because every other Moore book that I’ve read has been a standalone, but I’m sure I’ll continue to enjoy his books.
Overall Grade
Another fun book from a great writer, and a very interesting start to a series.
8/10
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