Love in Vein: Twenty Original Tales of Vampiric Erotica (1994)

This book, which is a collection of vampire erotica, should have been called "Love in Vain". I have had it on my book self for a few years now, and had only bought it because Poppy Z. Brite was the editor. Mistake, big mistake. But let me elaborate while repenting on the error of my ways.

There are twenty stories in the book, exploring the vampire myth. I'll begin by saying that this book is NOT erotica. The erotic element is almost absent or dealt with in a passing manner. Most stories are about vampires of one sort or another. Two of the stories (In the Greenhouse, Delicious Antique Whore) are about the experiences the authors had when they experimented with drugs; that is the only explanation I can find for the fact they are so disjointed, nonsensical and boring (unless you, the gentle reader, has taken something equally drastic). Sorry about that, but cannot think of another explanation or description.

Another three stories (Queen of the Night, Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu, The Final Fete of Abba Adi) are experiments in writing, as the authors must have aimed at something, but what they have written achieves nothing, not even meaning in some cases. Why choose a narrating style that makes no sense and forces the reader wonder what the hell it is that they are reading, I'll never know. It does not make you, the author, look intellectual or literary talented. It just makes you look like a bad author. Not concluding the story in an understandable manner does not make you a author of dark and mysterious ways but an incompetent one. I swear, all those authors should be condemned to write ONLY for other such authors, as well as EXCLUSIVELY read such "literature". Let me see how they would like it. The genre would be called inimeningitis, as those writing it seem to be in the initial stages of meningitis. This would explain the confusion, continual jumps from present to future and past, (due to fever) lack of understandable plot and endless ramblings. It would also explain why those reading it feel like they have it (meningitis) at full blast, hence the headache and disorientation they feel.

Stories that never managed to be concluded in an adequate manner or pull all the threads together in a satisfying way:
White Chapel, A Slow Red Whisper of Sand. Good material, bad storytelling.

Stories that honestly tried to say something original but were condemned by clichés and bad writing and/or plot:
Empty Vessels, The Marriage, In this Soul of a Woman, Love Me Forever, Elixir, From Hunger.

It should also be noted that many of the previous ones aim at shock value, something that undermines them even more.

And now (thank Gods!) some stories of note:

Geraldine is original and adequately written, although near the end is a little unrealistic and a bit too cheesy for my tastes. Generally speaking, I enjoyed this one, although I did not feel it broadened my literary horizons. Compared of course with some of the previous, it shines like a masterpiece.

Triptych di Amore is pseudo-historical but also one of the few notable stories that have a beginning, a middle and an end, and the ending is left open to possibilities. I wish it was a little shorter though. It tired me at parts.

And the Horses Hiss at Midnight was also interesting although written in an unusual style. Much like a nightly trip under the pale light of the moon. One is not guided by sight as much as touch, and imagination is called upon to fill the gaps vision cannot cover. But its dreamy, vague quality may tire some readers.

The Gift of Neptune is unusual, weird, funny and sad at the same time. I really loved this one although it appears to be inconclusive. In reality it concludes at its very beginning. Sarcasm, care, apathy and cynicism mix in even parts in it and the fantasy element just adds to the whole.

The Alchemy of the Throat deals with castrati that I love as a subject. Well written, blasphemous, tender and at the same time cruel, it speaks about the death of a whole era and of how this ending sometimes is the only thing that can offer meaning.

Cafe Endless: Spring Rain was my second favourite. I loved how it depicts the differences between the Japanese and the American culture and mentality, as well as the language used. The story happens in Japan and the end does not let down the chosen subject.

My personal favourite was Cherry. It has to do with dreams, obsessions, rebirth and discoveries, and how the saviour we yearn for is sometimes none other than ourselves. It's sharp, smart and modern and reeks of the despair of a whole generation, that could neither go back nor move on. Loved this one.

All in all, I was disappointed from this book, and this is why I am giving it for free at http://bookmooch.com/ You can find many books for free there if you're willing to post any books you don't need/ like anymore to people who want them.

They say Love in Vein 2 is much better... But I am not sure if I want to risk and buy it in anything else than a very cheap second hand edition. :-( ( )

It was a little to heavy on the horror for my taste. I was expecting paranormal romance. ( )

This is an anthology of vampire erotica collected by Poppy Z. Brite by invitation, or by those she invited passing on invites to others.

The quality is quite variable. There are a few wonderful stories, there are some odd ones, there are some disturbing ones and one or two downright unpleasant ones. There are odd takes from familiar names, a few of them being blasts from the past a few names of authors I still read avidly.

If you like your vampire fiction all grown up and feisty you will probably find some stories in here you like and it's worth a read just for that, but you probably won't like them all. ( )

A group of stories based around the vampire idea, with the first part generally being a bit better. A variety of monsters to be found, though, however. The majority is not explicit erotica as such, if that is what you were thinking.

Around half of this is on the ordinary side, as far as stories go, so just your average anthology, really, with a 3.2ish average.

Love In Vein : Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu - Norman Partridge
Love In Vein : Geraldine - Ian McDowell
Love In Vein : In the Greenhouse - Kathe Koja and Barry N. Malzberg
Love In Vein : Cafe Endless: Spring Rain - Nancy Holder
Love In Vein : Empty Vessels - David B. Silva
Love In Vein : The Final Fête of Abba Adi - Jessica Amanda Salmonson
Love In Vein : Cherry - Christa Faust
Love In Vein : White Chapel - Douglas Clegg
Love In Vein : Delicious Antique Whore - Wilum H. Pugmire
Love In Vein : Triptych di Amore - Thomas F. Monteleone
Love In Vein : Queen of the Night - Gene Wolfe
Love In Vein : The Marriage - Steve Rasnic Tem and Melanie Tem
Love In Vein : In This Soul of a Woman - Charles de Lint
Love In Vein : The Alchemy of the Throat - Brian Hodge
Love In Vein : Love Me Forever - Mike Baker
Love In Vein : And the Horses Hiss at Midnight - A. R. Morlan
Love In Vein : Elixir - Elizabeth Engstrom
Love In Vein : The Gift of Neptune - Danielle Willis
Love In Vein : From Hunger - Wayne Allen Sallee
Love In Vein : A Slow Red Whisper of Sand - Robert Devereaux

Quincey not dead, Drac not dead, Lucy not dead. Blimey.

4 out of 5

Probably should get a human girlfriend and not kill your dad.

4 out of 5

Flower love.

2.5 out of 5

Japanese club sucker.

3 out of 5

Whore mum emotion sucker hunt story.

3.5 out of 5

Triple talent devouring ritual.

3.5 out of 5

Not a real girl gets rid of bloody real girl.

3.5 out of 5

Monkey God Night.

4 out of 5

Drain me.

2 out of 5

Frack me Amadeus.

3 out of 5

It's a ghoul, ghoul summer.

3 out of 5

Emotional renewal.

2 out of 5

Vampire stripper chat ending.

4 out of 5

Castrati immortal patron sacrifice.

3.5 out of 5

Violet eyed chameleon kill.

3.5 out of 5

Tattooed woman has snaky bit.

3.5 out of 5

Colour blind capture cure.

3 out of 5

Freak show vampire and mermaid.

3 out of 5

"I had to remain in the shape of a bat because my clothes would not rematerialize after I had shrunk so small. It's not like all us vampires are tight with some guy like Reed Richards of The Fantastic Four, and have Spandex outfits made of unstable molecules."

3 out of 5

Lovely suckers.

3 out of 5

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2008/01/love-in-vein-martin-h-greenberg-and.html ( )

A fine collection of erotic, vampiric fiction edited by Poppy Z. Brite. Includes the following stories:

"Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu" by Norman Partridge
"Geraldine" by Ian McDowell
"In the Greenhouse" by Kathe Koja and Barry N. Malzberg
"Cafe Endless: Spring Rain" by Nancy Holder
"Empty Vessels" by David B. Silva
"The Final Fete of Abba Adi" by Jessica Amanda Salmonson
"Cherry" by Christa Faust
"White Chapel" by Douglas Clegg
"Delicious Antique Whore" by Wilum H. Pugmire
"Triptych di Amore" by Thomas F. Monteleone
"Queen of the Night" by Gene Wolfe
"The Marriage" by Steve Rasnic Tem and Melanie Tem
"In This Soul of a Woman" by Charles de Lint
"The Alchemy of the Throat" by Brian Hodge
"Love Me Forever" by Mike Baker
"-- and the Horses Hiss at Midnight" by A. R. Morlan
"Elixer" by Elizabeth Engstrom
"The Gift of Neptune" by Danielle Willis
"From Hunger" by Wayne Allen Sallee
"A Slow Whisper of Sand" by Robert Devereaux

Followed up by the imaginately titled second volume, Love in Vein II (also worth checking out). ( )