Kiss of the Vampire

Nancy Baker's debut novel, first published back in 1994, has been re-issued by ChiZine, and good for them! Even if you don't generally read vampire novels -- which this is -- may I suggest you give it a try? If you like thrillers, if you like crime novels, if you like suspense with a bit of dark erotica, this might just be the book for you.

The back of the book says: "Dependable grad student Ardeth Alexander finds herself trapped in a nightmare as the unwilling blood source for a captive vampire. When she discovers that her fellow prisoner is not the worst monster she faces, she realizes the only way to survive is to make an irrevocable choice."

So, we're faced with a philosophical, moral choice at the start of the novel. Lovely. It show more might be any well-written dark thriller without this depth and complexity, which is fine so far as it goes, but Baker goes the extra mile. Although I found myself hurriedly turning pages and reading later into the evening that I'd planned (good things), on top of that pleasure, the story was consistently enhanced by this sort of intelligent reminder. What is one to do with eternity? What is a 'monster'? How does perspective alter morality? Very well done. I will go on to read the sequel -- BLOOD AND CHRYSANTHEMUMS-- at some point, and look forward to her new book, COLD HILLSIDE, to be published by Chizine in 2014. show less

Could very well be my favorite vampire book ever and that is saying a lot because I am a vampire connoisseur.
This book really should be more well known than it is.
(It's also been published as "Kiss of the Vampire"


From Publishers Weekly
"While taking an early-morning walk through the streets of contemporary Toronto, graduate student Ardeth Alexander is abducted by two men and taken to an isolated building, where she discovers to her horror that she has been brought to supply blood to an imprisoned vampire named Dimitri Rozokov. Baker's engrossing debut alternates the present-day story with the 1898 diary of obsessed businessman Ambrose Dale, who drove Rozokov into hiding and a 100-year sleep from which he awoke only to be captured by a show more sadist who keeps him in line with an ultrasound machine and makes pornographic snuff films of the hapless vampire feeding on prostitutes. Learning his story, Ardeth gradually loses her horror of Rozokov and begins to see their human jailers as the real monsters. Their only hope of salvation is to trace the links to Rozokov's Victorian nemesis and discover the person behind his 20th-century captivity. Modern subjects like AIDS and incest mingle with age-old vampire lore as the narrative moves toward a gruesome climax. In prose studded with passages of dark luster, Baker offers a truly original scenario." show less

"The Night Inside" is the Canadian title. "Kiss of the Vampire" the American title.

What is the ultrasound they use on the vampires? All I can picture is the device they rub on a pregnant woman. I guess it must be some portable sound wave???

"Ardeth & Rozokov" I'm not fond of the names.

The vampires are monsters but the story shows us there are worse monsters out there.

My favorite part of the story was how Ardeth took control and didn't let the "monsters" kill her. It reminds me of the strength of humans and it is my wish that we could all find a way to make it through hopeless situations.

I liked it well enough to order the 2nd in the series but don't think I'd ever read this again. I think target audience would be young adult or college show more age. show less

In some ways this is a very typical modern girl meets vampire novel. It features the modern sort of morally ambiguous vampire, humans that are much worse, and a world that does not believe in vampires. Where it improves on the usual formula is not having vampires that can totally overpower any human and for whom being a vampire solves all problems. It also has a very good sense of place being set in the Canadian city of Toronto and surrounding environs by a writer who knows her city very well.

No earth shattering events in this novel, just a well told vampire story.

I really found this a good angle for vampire fiction. Unfortunately although I was able to borrow the sequel from the library I'm still looking for my own copy.

I had high hopes for this but it just fell flat for me.

Thinking man's vampire novel.