Weird realization recently

[jenelope]

So, I can't help but notice a big kerfuffle about a particular book recently released. I was trying to figure out if I should read the Twilight series to be in the know, pop culturally speaking. I'd say my Friends list is split about 50/50 between enjoying the books and enjoying mocking the books, so surely I'd find a group to align myself with.

Comments

[petzipellepingo]

If I want to read a vampire book, I'll go with Salem's Lot, where the vampires are gross and creepy, or books by Barbara Hambly, where the vampires are more interested in mysteries and espionage than the seduction of the innocents.

Have you ever read Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin? That's one of my favorites.

[jenelope]

I haven't read any of Martin's work. I read the synopsis on Wikipedia and it sounds interesting.

[rissykay99]

Hahaha. I love this whole post.

I haven't read Twilight yet and I keep telling myself I should, to be "in the know," but I just...can't bring myself to do it. Which I find extra weird because I've been reading The House of Night series about vamps (young adult books) and enjoying them.

[jenelope]

The idea of vampires who sparkle, and all the breathless teen lust and angst just doesn't appeal to me. Emo vampires. Bleah. There was an older teen boy requesting a hold on Breaking Dawn at the library when I was there. They have forty copies and every single one of them has multiple holds. Poor kid might have to wait until Christmas to read it.

[smash23]

Things I like: sunshine, picnics, Disney World. Things I don't like: blood drinking, crypts, people who spend a lot of time brooding and trying to appear romantic.
I love you for this.

And seriously, just because it's popular doesn't automatically make it good. (Personally, I'm drawn to teen angst, so I enjoyed the Twilight series. But the one I liked the most was the book in which the main character was very human and had a chummy best friend. I tolerated the blood and hunting and brooding because I was hooked by the time it came around.) You only read a squillion books this summer! Ignoring these four in favor of something happy-making sounds like a good idea to me.

[astrablue]

I love the series (even with my reservations about the last book, I still liked it overall), and I guess I can just say that the vampires can be sexy in this series because there are no crypts or deadly sunlight or other traditional bits of vampire lore. Yes, they still drink blood, and are broody at times, but the humans are just as broody. Hehe. I don't know... it just hooks you when you read it. I'm not pressuring you to read the series by any means, but I think that, in time when it's all blown over, you might pick up the books and like them.

I just Wikipedia'd the Barbara Hambly books, and they look interesting. I might have to check them out at one point.

[eventide82]

I haven't read any of them either, and don't know if I will. I'm in the same boat as you - huge Buffy fan, but I've never really read any vampire novels and I don't know if I'd enjoy them or just roll my eyes a lot at all the innuendo and brooding.