Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Why did I have such low expectations of this book? and why was I so surprised to find it well written, fluid and coherent?

I guess the title says it all. If that doesn't set your sights low then I don't know what will unless vampire books form the staple of your diet. This was my first vampire book just as World War Z was my first (and only) zombie book.Back to the book. I am not American so there were no scared cows there for me. I was able to just let myself go and get caught up in it. I was surprised at the depth amidst the gore. I wasn't expecting that. The portrayal of Abraham Lincoln as a compassionate man facing near endless grief was so well done that I had a strong sense of the person inside that show more character.I really liked this book, I like the style, the characterisation and the momentum. I particularly liked the change of narration from first to third person which sounds horrible but was actually a way of anchoring these passages.The evocation of slavery was both well done and painful to behold. The frontier life and its hardships, factual but not sentimental.Later on I caught an interview with Seth Grahame-Smith which gave another view of this wonderful book. He says that the title is a joke but after that everything is deadly serious.Never having read another vampire book I have nothing to compare it to within the genre, but as a book in its own right it is well worth the time and trouble. show less

Holy shit, though, have you guys seen the movie for this book?!

I know it looks like one of those ridiculous stories that you watch once and just forget about, but allow me to explain how great this thing is.

Written by Seth Grahame-Smith of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies fame, the book follows a man who is currently editing the unabridged, never-before-seen diary of Abraham Lincoln, a man who everyone thought they knew. The book is an extremely accurate retelling of the life of Lincoln, from early childhood down to the last few days before his death. Grahame-Smith shows off his amazing research skills here, and gives you the impression that he actually knows what he’s talking about.

Grahame-Smith takes you through Lincoln’s life with show more a different kind of lens this time, though. See, Lincoln’s mother died from a vampire bite, and the young Lincoln becomes a vampire hunter before he’s even eighteen years old, decided to rid his great nation of the scourge of the earth. Everything he does, he does for his mother.

The whole thing is a pretty interesting look at American politics, especially for a person like me, an outsider on all fronts. I’m not very familiar with American politics, and can’t even tell you what party Lincoln belonged to, just that I know he was President. It’s a great way to get a glimpse at American history, and – I’m sure – a great refresher for people who are actually American.

What I loved most about the whole thing is the way Grahame-Smith incorporates things that actually happened into the story to make it seem almost-pretty-believable. Lincoln’s entire anti-slavery campaign is secretly based around the fact that slaves are bought by vampires to feed from. He comes to the conclusion that abolishing slavery would deplete the vampire’s food source, and therefore make more people safe. The whole thing is almost insane enough to believe, and the ending is a bitter-sweet little ‘What if?’ for all of us who know how Lincoln met his untimely demise.

Final rating: 4/5. I’d tell anyone who likes fantasy novels to give this book a shot. show less

Based on its title alone I would have steered clear of this book, but it was recommended in a review on NPR. I was happy I did. The author takes a preposterous premise and makes it seem completely plausible with the way he weaves together historical facts and personalities with fiction. (Or is it?) I liked how Lincoln is portrayed. His character is well developed and quirky. We know his deepest feelings and his life mission. Perhaps he still walks the earth today, seeking out and destroying t he worst vampires.

Surprisingly wonderful. This book features a strong story -- powerful and emotional -- and strong characters. Lincoln is very well-developed as a character, and I was happy to see this book describe not just his political struggles, but also the tragedies in his personal life. A different main character, Henry, who is complete fiction, is nuanced and carefully written. Most importantly, this alternate-history novel approaches the real history and real Lincoln with reverence. Generally, this novel is a rewrite of history with the premise "What if vampires existed and had been involved in Lincoln's life and American politics?" I was surprised at the level of detail and the historical accuracy (which, for the most part, is sound). Best of show more all, although this novel seamlessly blends history with the fantasy of vampires, it also suggests that Abraham Lincoln, the true-life nonvampire-hunter Lincoln, was also heroic, hard-working, and worthy of every accolade and honor that his memory has received. show less

A very enjoyable read and pleasant diversion from the heavier books I usually prefer to read. I have to admit my knowledge of Civil War history and the Lincoln Presidency are bare bones (not like historian FrWilliam Nicholas) so this was an interesting novel just as a history refresher.
This book rests on prior acquaintance with Dracula by Stoker and Interview With The Vampire by Rice which are classics of the genre. There are now a million other vampire books which have flooded the market. I picked this up due to vampires and Lincoln being paired which are both separately interesting to me.
I was not expecting the author to spend as much time on the plot as he did and it was worth reading carefully to the end.
The book is organized as show more mysterious stranger 'Henry' leaving the original journals of Lincoln and his time as a Vampire hunter and as President to Seth, the author. The author then reads them as a way to avoid the Obama-Hillary primary race. The author gives the impression that Obama was divinely ordained to win after what he has read in said journals. This is pure fiction. show less

Though the vampires had robbed Young Abe of much of his family, after his voyage down the Mississippi, he realized he had gotten off easy. They were completely out of control in the South. Why risk discovery hunting down prey when it could be bought down at the slave market? The depravities suffered on their plantations brought him to tears. Abe had dispatched a handful of vampires on his own but now he knew he had to take the fight up a notch. He would not let them take over this new country like they had Europe. He would strike at them any way he could, even if he had to become President, even if he had to drag the country through the ravishes of war... America would be free of tyranny.

"America is thataway, Mr. Lincoln," laughed show more Davis, pointing north. "You're in Mississippi now." He stepped forward, to the very edge of where Abe's ax could reach if he chose to swing it. "And let us speak plainly, sir. We're both the servants of vampires. But when these hostilities are at an end, I will be left to enjoy the peace of my remaining years in comfort and wealth, and you will be dead. And there it is."

I know I've been reading a lot of these mashups lately.... I guess we all have our guilty pleasures. Lincoln is my favorite president so I couldn't stay away and I'm glad I didn't! This one is really captivating. Grahame-Smith took a iconic hero and just upped the ante. I gobbled it all down at once, like a huge Thanksgiving dinner. I heartily recommend it. show less

I would like to make it clear that this rating isn't because the book is trashy. When you pick up a book called Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, you know what you're in for. No, this rating is because the book fails to embrace the inherent trashiness of its premise and deliver the balls-out ridiculous over-the-top vampire slayfest that said premise really calls for. The ratio of historically accurate Lincoln biography to vampire action is unacceptably weighted in favor of the former, especially for the first third of the book or so. Because of this, there's not much in the way of an overarching plot--it's really just a Lincoln biography with a few scenes of vampire-fighting pasted in. There was also a boring and unnecessary modern-day show more frame story. And just to add a slight seasoning of annoyance to my disappointment, the book kept trying build up some kind of suspense, and go "ooh, what could be behind these mysterious and spooky events?" We all know what's behind these mysterious and spooky events. SPOILERS: IT'S VAMPIRES. Every time. So why drag out the vampire reveal? Fortunately the book mostly dropped this about halfway through, but it was kind of too little too late. All in all, a disappointing experience. show less