As a reminder, I was really interested in reading vampire fiction before Halloween, and this book of short stories, cobbled together by Paula Guran, was a really wonderful sampler. There are about 25 stories ranging in eras from the early 1600s with Catherine of Aragon and Henry VII, vampire slayers, to a dystopian future where teenagers decide to ‘just do it’ and become vampires to rush the inevitable. The anthology is organized by era and showcases a wide variety of world-building concepts, tones, geographies, and philosophies of vampirism, so there are likely several good matches for any reader. There are psychic vampires and body horror vampires, vampires who ‘save’ others and vampires who corrupt absolutely, vampires who look are fabulously attractive humans and vampires with very little in terms of form; basically, if there is a vampire-type you like, you will likely find at least one in this collection.
There were several stories I really liked. A Princess of Spain, by Carrie Vaughn, imagined the betrothal of Catherine of Aragon to Arthur, a consumptive prince, as a tale of politics, seduction, and vampirism. Catherine and Henry VII must band together to drive the vampire-spy from the household. It also paints a picture of the stifling environment in which Catherine and Henry operate with great effectiveness.
On the other hand, Needles, by Elizabeth Bear, embraces wide open spaces and road trips to escape (inner) demons. Mahasti and Billy break into a tattoo parlor so Mahasti, a Persian princess turned lamashtu, can get a lotus tattoo. While there is some action, for me, this story underlined the inexorable time of immortality. The desert setting suggested preservation and timelessness, but through desiccation. As Mahasti drives with Billy in the trunk, as he can’t bear sunlight, she notes: “Nothing changed them. She could touch the world, but the world never touched her.”
As with any anthology, there were some stories that didn’t work for me, but I enjoyed the exposure and, since they were short stories, I didn’t mind the fact that they weren’t to my taste. I also jotted down a few authors to seek out more work. I recommend this book if you want a grab bag of vampire stories.