Author of the widely successful classic monster mash-up Pride & Prejudice & Zombies,Seth Grahame-Smith chose not to rest on those ghoulish laurels but rather to share with fans and fiends alike another original tale of amusing terror. This time,his focus is on an iconic American president and his adventures in battling the undead.
Abraham Lincoln,Vampire Hunter begins with our author being chosen by a mysterious stranger to read the secret journals of Lincoln and permitted to reveal their contents to the world via his writing. Truly a daunting and perhaps deadly challenge for any writer but one that our trusty narrator couldn't resist embarking on:
It turns out that Honest Abe came into contact with vampires early in life(they having caused the death of his mother and grandfather)and vowed to spend his time on earth destroying every vampire in America. His first attempts at vampire slaying soon drew the attentions of those who were just as bloodthirsty as any of their kind yet found Lincoln "too interesting to kill."
Abe reluctantly accepted the alliance of such sympathetic devils and their guidance proved to be useful over the years as he gained the allegiance of other human hunters and political power in order to defeat the vampire menace which extended it's sinister influence on the Southern side of the Civil War. Southern vamps and their mortal minions plotted to continue exploiting the evils of slavery for their own vicious ends,with the ultimate goal being the conquest of all living Americans as livestock for blood slaughter:
This may seem like a really over the top genre piece and in some ways,it is ,yet the creative passion that Grahame-Smith brings to this story is what makes such a frightful fantasy come to life on page. Lincoln,along with many of his real and imagined supporting players in this historical horror show,is a compelling character whose life and death challenges hold true suspense for the reader,even with the inevitable conclusion to his life story.
There are quite a few surprises added in along the way,plus quite a bit of gruesome vampire violence. These are not your romantic children of the night here,folks;we're talking some From Dusk Til Dawn/30 Days of Night type of nosferatu. That's fine and fun for me but to those who prefer a less blood soaked rendering of vampire lore,you have been warned.
Abraham Lincoln,Vampire Hunter is now on sale everywhere and I hope it does well,especially since we need a good rousing entertainment during these dreary months before spring starts to lift our spirits. Not to mention that this historical hybrid should unite both vampire fans and Civil War aficionados in learning more about each other's interests.
Like those old Reese Cups commercials used to say,there are two great things that go great together and Abe Lincoln fighting vampires is a scarily sweet treat that's as tasty as peanut butter and chocolate. I'd certainly feel safe following a leader who could take down a vampire at a moment's notice and who knows,maybe we already have-stranger things have happened,folks!:
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