xFrom owner-vampyres@GUVM.CCF.GEORGETOWN.EDU Mon Nov 21 16:23 CST 1994 Return-Path: Received: from jeanluc.quadralay.com by tasha.quadralay.com (5.0/SMI-SVR4) Review by Beverly Richardson - Love In Vein 
                             LOVE IN VEIN
                       EDITED BY POPPY Z. BRITE
                    Published by Harper Prism 1994
                         ISBN 0-06-105312-0
                     Review by Beverley Richardson
This large trade paperback containing "20 original tales of vampire erotica" has stories by Charles De Lint, Jessica Ananda Salmonson, Gene Wolfe Steve Rasnic Tem and Melanie Tem, Nancy Holder, Brian Hodge, Elizabeth Engstrom and others. While Poppy Z. Brite edited it and wrote a 4 page intro, she didn't contribute any stories to the collection.

I found the book interesting, but not really to my taste. They all fit the required criteria of erotica, but many of the stories were so experimental that I had trouble relating to them.

However, some were enjoyable. Starting with the first story in the book "Do not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu" by Norman Partridge. A "continuation" of Stoker's book, this story deals with Quincy Morris' return to Texas. With Lucy's still-staked body in tow. I'd better end here or spoil it for anyone reading this book.

Anyway, the second story, Geraldine by Ian McDowell concerns a lonely woman who just broke up with her boyfriend. She meets an unusual woman and they have an affair. She discovers that the other woman is a vampire, and after a short break up they get back together and come to a rather unusual arrangement. I found this story to be the most interesting in the book.

"In the Greenhouse" by Kathe Koja and Barry Malzberg was one of the stories which was too experimental for my tastes. It tried to relate a vampire to plants and it just didn't succeed for me.

"Empty Vessels" by David B. Silva, on the other hand was very enjoyable. A hooker ends up giving a lot more than her body to one of her johns.

"Triptych de Amore" by Thomas F. Montelione concerns a lamia and some of the men she has vampirized in Italy. Very well done, especially the ending.

"Love Me Forever" by Mike Baker looks at the more sinister aspects of loving a vampire forever.

Anyway, these stories were the high points as far as I was concerned. This will never be my favourite book, but it is well worth buying since it contains stories which are different from the usual vampire story.

Beverley Richardson

 Steve Saunders & Bev Richardson, Blockhouse, Nova Scotia, Canada
 ssaunder@fox.nstn.ns.ca or aa680@cfn.cs.dal.ca