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A People's History of the Vampire Uprising
A virus that turns people into something somehow more than human quickly sweeps the world, upending society as we know it.
This panoramic thriller begins with one small mystery. The body of a young woman found in an Arizona border town, presumed to be an illegal immigrant, walks out of the town morgue. To the young CDC investigator called in to consult the local police, it's a bizarre medical mystery.
More bodies, dead of a mysterious disease that solidifies their blood, are brought to the morgue, and disappear. In a futile game of catch-up, the CDC, the FBI, and the US government must come to terms with what they're too late to stop: an epidemic of vampirism that will sweep first the United States, and then the world.
Impossibly strong, smart, poised, beautiful, and commanding, these vampires reject the term as derogatory, preferring the euphemistic "gloamings." They quickly rise to prominence in all aspects of modern society: sports, entertainment, and business. Soon people are begging to be 're-created,' willing to accept the risk of death if their bodies can't handle the transformation. The stakes change yet again when a charismatic and wealthy businessman, recently turned, decides to do what none of his kind has done before: run for political office.
This sweeping yet deeply intimate fictional oral history--told from the perspectives of several players on all sides of the titular vampire uprising--is a genre-bending, shocking, immersive and subversive debut that is as addictive as the power it describes.
This panoramic thriller begins with one small mystery. The body of a young woman found in an Arizona border town, presumed to be an illegal immigrant, walks out of the town morgue. To the young CDC investigator called in to consult the local police, it's a bizarre medical mystery.
More bodies, dead of a mysterious disease that solidifies their blood, are brought to the morgue, and disappear. In a futile game of catch-up, the CDC, the FBI, and the US government must come to terms with what they're too late to stop: an epidemic of vampirism that will sweep first the United States, and then the world.
Impossibly strong, smart, poised, beautiful, and commanding, these vampires reject the term as derogatory, preferring the euphemistic "gloamings." They quickly rise to prominence in all aspects of modern society: sports, entertainment, and business. Soon people are begging to be 're-created,' willing to accept the risk of death if their bodies can't handle the transformation. The stakes change yet again when a charismatic and wealthy businessman, recently turned, decides to do what none of his kind has done before: run for political office.
This sweeping yet deeply intimate fictional oral history--told from the perspectives of several players on all sides of the titular vampire uprising--is a genre-bending, shocking, immersive and subversive debut that is as addictive as the power it describes.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published May 29, 2018
About the author
Raymond A. Villareal
2 books53 followersRaymond A. Villareal is a practicing attorney in San Antonio, Texas. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University and the University of Texas School of Law. His first novel, A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising will be published on June 5, 2018. Film rights have been optioned by 20th Century Fox and 21 Laps Entertainment.
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June 18, 2018
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
I liked this better the first time I read it when it was called World War Z . . . .
I liked this better the first time I read it when it was called World War Z . . . .
December 29, 2021
Man, this book was a mess. Based on the book description as an oral history, I was expecting World War V. Instead, nothing read like an interview and it's basically just conspiracy theories about the vampire illuminati trying to take over. Major plot threads just seemed to be forgotten about or ignored so we can spend more time talking about vampire rights (but don't call them vampires, because that's offensive).
It started out decent, but then dragged on for too long with nothing happening. A little over halfway thru, I thought it was going to pick up when everyone starts do the "if I only knew then, what I knew now" type comments, but then nothing ever happens.
An editor should have forced the author to abandon the whole interview concept. It's clear they were trying to copy World War Z, but this was a bad imitation at best. None of the characters had a clear voice and they all felt like the same character. Then, one of the interviewees dies at the end of the story he is recounting. He isn't turned into a vampire, he's just flat out killed. Apparently that interview was conducted via ouija board.
I almost quit this book a number of times. I had to take a few breaks where I just read different book before I could come back and read another 100 pages or so.
It started out decent, but then dragged on for too long with nothing happening. A little over halfway thru, I thought it was going to pick up when everyone starts do the "if I only knew then, what I knew now" type comments, but then nothing ever happens.
An editor should have forced the author to abandon the whole interview concept. It's clear they were trying to copy World War Z, but this was a bad imitation at best. None of the characters had a clear voice and they all felt like the same character. Then, one of the interviewees dies at the end of the story he is recounting. He isn't turned into a vampire, he's just flat out killed. Apparently that interview was conducted via ouija board.
I almost quit this book a number of times. I had to take a few breaks where I just read different book before I could come back and read another 100 pages or so.
June 6, 2018
Just didnt work for me. Started off well, with the CDC and others investigating the virus. Then each chapter became too similar in the POVs, I really couldn't distinguish any different emotions or peronal feelings. They all sounded the same. The story became a little boring after all the time jumps, and the little footnotes seemed out of place. Disappointed as I had high hopes. I think we've had an explosion of zombie novels along this line but nothing with vampires with the style and tone. Unfortunately it wasnt pulled off, and personally I'm not sure it mattered whether it was a zombie virus or vampire virus it wouldve been the same either way.
June 14, 2018
Okay, this book was kind of a mess and I'm mad because I had been looking forward to it for months. It started off pretty well but then devolved into one of the most boring and vampire books I have ever read.
Structurally, the book was poorly organized without a cohesive plot to hold things together. It was very confusing since things progressed linearly at times and not linearly at others. All of the narrators have a promising start but don't go anywhere as people. They all have the same "if I had known then what I know now..." narrative, except there isn't any big turning point or major reveal or literally anything at all to change them. Many characters just sort of vanish too. And one character shows up in the second half and contributes nothing to the story in her two chapters.
The plot... there isn't one. There's no "uprising." There are these vampire type creatures who need human blood to survive and a few of them might be nefarious? Or not? Maybe they're trying to harvest people? Or not? But they sure are snobs and that's bad. Any threat peters out in a great wet fart at the end. In fact, one of the biggest moments of the entire narrative is relegated to a footnote. There's so much built up tension - shit, from the title alone - and zero payoff.
There are also little things throughout that should have been caught by editors. Discrepancies in character, for example. Or an entire chapter dedicated to how an organization got on a terrorist watch list that ending in the POV character saying a different incident got them on the watch list. Or major events getting mentioned once and never coming up again; for example the main scientist goes on about how she's discovered a cure for the vampire virus but oh, if only she had known the consequences of that cure! We never find out what they were.
I'm tempted to demote this to one star because I'm so disappointed. If you're going to tease some world altering mega-disaster, especially in the style of World War Z, you better deliver.
Structurally, the book was poorly organized without a cohesive plot to hold things together. It was very confusing since things progressed linearly at times and not linearly at others. All of the narrators have a promising start but don't go anywhere as people. They all have the same "if I had known then what I know now..." narrative, except there isn't any big turning point or major reveal or literally anything at all to change them. Many characters just sort of vanish too. And one character shows up in the second half and contributes nothing to the story in her two chapters.
The plot... there isn't one. There's no "uprising." There are these vampire type creatures who need human blood to survive and a few of them might be nefarious? Or not? Maybe they're trying to harvest people? Or not? But they sure are snobs and that's bad. Any threat peters out in a great wet fart at the end. In fact, one of the biggest moments of the entire narrative is relegated to a footnote. There's so much built up tension - shit, from the title alone - and zero payoff.
There are also little things throughout that should have been caught by editors. Discrepancies in character, for example. Or an entire chapter dedicated to how an organization got on a terrorist watch list that ending in the POV character saying a different incident got them on the watch list. Or major events getting mentioned once and never coming up again; for example the main scientist goes on about how she's discovered a cure for the vampire virus but oh, if only she had known the consequences of that cure! We never find out what they were.
I'm tempted to demote this to one star because I'm so disappointed. If you're going to tease some world altering mega-disaster, especially in the style of World War Z, you better deliver.
July 23, 2018
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/07/23/...
Three and a half years ago, a body of a seemingly dead woman walks out of an Arizona morgue, confounding everyone from the local police to scientists at the CDC. And so begins what this novel calls a “people’s history” of vampirism—or at least a disease that leads to symptoms that resemble what our popular culture considers vampire-like. This disease, the Nogales organic blood illness (or designated the NOBI virus), changes its victims’ physiologies in drastic ways, including giving them super strength, an aversion to sunlight, and extending their lives by hundreds of years. And yes, it also gives them a thirst to feed on human blood.
In just a short period of time, the infection spreads across the United States, but in a very unprecedented pattern for a disease. This is in part due to NOBI’s unconventional process of transmission. Gradually, becoming a “vampire” is something seen as much desired, and those who have been “recreated” quickly become the nation’s elite, rising in prominence in their respective fields. Calling themselves the “gloamings”, they begin to use their increasing influence to demand more rights and legal protections in the midst of rising death and chaos sweeping across the country. People are literally dying to become gloamings, with the transformation success rate estimated at only fifty percent.
Offering readers a glimpse into different sections of the population to see how the gloaming invasion has affected society, A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising follows several key characters including a CDC researcher named Lauren Scott, a Catholic priest named Father Reilly, an FBI agent named Hugo Zumthor, and a political campaign manager named Joseph Barrera. These perspectives come together to form a narrative that spans several years, following the course of the NOBI epidemic from its inception to its outbreak, and subsequently how its effects have changed the world.
Have you ever wondered while reading those urban fantasy series which feature humans and vampires living side by side, in precarious but relative peace, how that status quo might have come about? As readers, I think we take a lot of those dynamics for granted, never questioning the myriad problems such a monumental event—that is, accepting vampires into the general population—would cause our society. In a way, A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising serves to fill that gap, viewing this “what if” situation through a realistic and modern lens. The author Raymond A. Villareal delves into the nitty-gritty details, addressing the political and social turmoil and the growing pains of a country taking steps to accommodate a growing population of gloamings. What economic consequences are there, for example, when a good chunk of your workforce can’t work the typical 9-to-5 day? What effects would today’s social media have on the image of gloamings? What would happen if a high-profile gloaming ran for political office? How much is the average citizen willing to take?
As fascinating as these questions are, sometimes the minutiae gets in the way of the overall narrative. Villareal is a practicing attorney, and so it’s not surprising when you get the occasional chapter steeped in legalese and other jargon in favor of the clear and simple. Calling this a “panoramic thriller” might also be a stretch, as are perhaps the comparisons to World War Z. The format of the book may call to mind Max Brook’s epistolary novel about zombies, but it has nowhere near the scope nor presence. A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising failed to grip me the way I thought it would, and its presentation was also a little messy.
That said, the novel has its fascinating moments and flashes of insight. The different characters were interesting and enjoyable to follow. Overall the premise is a good one, even if the execution isn’t as strong as I’d hoped. I would recommend it, but with caveats. Don’t expect a thriller of epic proportions, but there’s admittedly plenty in A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising to stimulate and capture the imagination of any vampire fiction aficionado, and it’s certainly not conventional or average.
Audiobook Comments: Fans of full-cast audiobooks will enjoy the audio version of A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising which features multiple narrators portraying the roles of all major characters in the novel. For a story that is told mostly through interview transcripts and other documentation, the multi-cast format is also perfect for emphasizing the different narrative voices and personalities.
Three and a half years ago, a body of a seemingly dead woman walks out of an Arizona morgue, confounding everyone from the local police to scientists at the CDC. And so begins what this novel calls a “people’s history” of vampirism—or at least a disease that leads to symptoms that resemble what our popular culture considers vampire-like. This disease, the Nogales organic blood illness (or designated the NOBI virus), changes its victims’ physiologies in drastic ways, including giving them super strength, an aversion to sunlight, and extending their lives by hundreds of years. And yes, it also gives them a thirst to feed on human blood.
In just a short period of time, the infection spreads across the United States, but in a very unprecedented pattern for a disease. This is in part due to NOBI’s unconventional process of transmission. Gradually, becoming a “vampire” is something seen as much desired, and those who have been “recreated” quickly become the nation’s elite, rising in prominence in their respective fields. Calling themselves the “gloamings”, they begin to use their increasing influence to demand more rights and legal protections in the midst of rising death and chaos sweeping across the country. People are literally dying to become gloamings, with the transformation success rate estimated at only fifty percent.
Offering readers a glimpse into different sections of the population to see how the gloaming invasion has affected society, A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising follows several key characters including a CDC researcher named Lauren Scott, a Catholic priest named Father Reilly, an FBI agent named Hugo Zumthor, and a political campaign manager named Joseph Barrera. These perspectives come together to form a narrative that spans several years, following the course of the NOBI epidemic from its inception to its outbreak, and subsequently how its effects have changed the world.
Have you ever wondered while reading those urban fantasy series which feature humans and vampires living side by side, in precarious but relative peace, how that status quo might have come about? As readers, I think we take a lot of those dynamics for granted, never questioning the myriad problems such a monumental event—that is, accepting vampires into the general population—would cause our society. In a way, A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising serves to fill that gap, viewing this “what if” situation through a realistic and modern lens. The author Raymond A. Villareal delves into the nitty-gritty details, addressing the political and social turmoil and the growing pains of a country taking steps to accommodate a growing population of gloamings. What economic consequences are there, for example, when a good chunk of your workforce can’t work the typical 9-to-5 day? What effects would today’s social media have on the image of gloamings? What would happen if a high-profile gloaming ran for political office? How much is the average citizen willing to take?
As fascinating as these questions are, sometimes the minutiae gets in the way of the overall narrative. Villareal is a practicing attorney, and so it’s not surprising when you get the occasional chapter steeped in legalese and other jargon in favor of the clear and simple. Calling this a “panoramic thriller” might also be a stretch, as are perhaps the comparisons to World War Z. The format of the book may call to mind Max Brook’s epistolary novel about zombies, but it has nowhere near the scope nor presence. A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising failed to grip me the way I thought it would, and its presentation was also a little messy.
That said, the novel has its fascinating moments and flashes of insight. The different characters were interesting and enjoyable to follow. Overall the premise is a good one, even if the execution isn’t as strong as I’d hoped. I would recommend it, but with caveats. Don’t expect a thriller of epic proportions, but there’s admittedly plenty in A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising to stimulate and capture the imagination of any vampire fiction aficionado, and it’s certainly not conventional or average.
Audiobook Comments: Fans of full-cast audiobooks will enjoy the audio version of A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising which features multiple narrators portraying the roles of all major characters in the novel. For a story that is told mostly through interview transcripts and other documentation, the multi-cast format is also perfect for emphasizing the different narrative voices and personalities.
July 4, 2018
I found myself wondering if I was suffering from some strange new illness which infects the mind as pretty much every review I've read of People's Uprising has been positive, if not gloaming - er, glowing.
However, the members of my book club have reassured me I am not crazy - this book is bad. Badly written and even worse, badly edited.
The biggest problem is in its structure. To all writers out there thinking about creating their own version of a multi-account fictional history: if you don't know how to write in different styles and character voices don't pretend to. I only wish someone explained this to Villareal before they stroked his ego with a film deal. For example, people do not typically deliver great streams of descriptive prose when being interrogated by an unknown Government organisation. Nor do newspaper articles overlook the classic pyramid structure that has been used to deliver current events news for decades. This is not a collection of different accounts - it's one person changing the font.
And I'm sorry, but Taylor Swift is not giving up her Instagram account to become a vampire! No photographs or video can be taken of you once you're a vampire - yeah, sounds really appealing to today's social media darlings.
Do not give into the extraordinary hype surrounding this gross waste of time.
However, the members of my book club have reassured me I am not crazy - this book is bad. Badly written and even worse, badly edited.
The biggest problem is in its structure. To all writers out there thinking about creating their own version of a multi-account fictional history: if you don't know how to write in different styles and character voices don't pretend to. I only wish someone explained this to Villareal before they stroked his ego with a film deal. For example, people do not typically deliver great streams of descriptive prose when being interrogated by an unknown Government organisation. Nor do newspaper articles overlook the classic pyramid structure that has been used to deliver current events news for decades. This is not a collection of different accounts - it's one person changing the font.
And I'm sorry, but Taylor Swift is not giving up her Instagram account to become a vampire! No photographs or video can be taken of you once you're a vampire - yeah, sounds really appealing to today's social media darlings.
Do not give into the extraordinary hype surrounding this gross waste of time.
June 20, 2019
DNF'd @ 10%
This just wasn't working for me and I couldn't get interested.
This just wasn't working for me and I couldn't get interested.
June 23, 2018
Although I'm not into vampires so much I do love a good epistolary novel so I was intrigued enough to pick this one up. I was hoping for a unique take on such an overdone trope. The pacing was uneven, alternating between being really interesting and even exciting and really, really boring. I didn't find it especially clever or engaging but it was alright. One element that I did appreciate was the political aspect. When monsters run for public office and you vote them in, don't be surprised when they turn out to be monsters. Seems relevant somehow.
June 9, 2018
Full RTC - I finally finished a book! 😅
May 18, 2018
As soon as I heard about this book and saw the colourful but creepy cover, I was very interested in checking it out. After all, I'm a sucker for anything vampires.
The story starts with Dr. Lauren Scott from the CDC. When she goes to a border town in Arizona, she discovers people are disappearing from the morgue, which leads her to a new blood virus and the Gloamers...
I have to admit that the book started out pretty well. It was interesting, and I was definitely intrigued. I was enjoying Lauren's POV, but then too many technical terms started to be thrown around. A priest is introduced, as well as other political figures, and an FBI agent... and before I realised what I was doing, I'd skimmed a chunk of the book.
My gosh, this was so boring. I couldn't get into it. I didn't connect with any of the characters.
Usually, I like books that are formatted and presented differently, but this read like a really slow procedure manual. I honestly didn't think a book about vampires could be such a yawnfest.
The story didn't go anywhere. There's literally no action. And definitely no excitement. Plus it's way too long. I ended up skimming to the end, and didn't find the conclusion to be worth the dull ride.
Ugh.
The story starts with Dr. Lauren Scott from the CDC. When she goes to a border town in Arizona, she discovers people are disappearing from the morgue, which leads her to a new blood virus and the Gloamers...
I have to admit that the book started out pretty well. It was interesting, and I was definitely intrigued. I was enjoying Lauren's POV, but then too many technical terms started to be thrown around. A priest is introduced, as well as other political figures, and an FBI agent... and before I realised what I was doing, I'd skimmed a chunk of the book.
My gosh, this was so boring. I couldn't get into it. I didn't connect with any of the characters.
Usually, I like books that are formatted and presented differently, but this read like a really slow procedure manual. I honestly didn't think a book about vampires could be such a yawnfest.
The story didn't go anywhere. There's literally no action. And definitely no excitement. Plus it's way too long. I ended up skimming to the end, and didn't find the conclusion to be worth the dull ride.
Ugh.
June 5, 2018
📣 A People's History of the Vampire Uprising is available NOW!
A People's History of the Vampire Uprising is a fictionalized oral history of the discovery and uprising of Gloamings - vampires. It started in Nogales, Arizona and is investigated by a new CDC agent Dr. Lauren Scott, who is one of the main voices of this novel. I was gripped by the boots-on-the-ground recounting of a new virus from a multitude of perspectives. Lauren's chapters were by far my favorite and they reminded me of The Hot Zone by Richard Preston (which began a lifelong obsession with microbiology).
I liked the plausible, scientific explanations for the supernatural. While this book is written from the perspective of "in the middle of the uprising," the reader is taken along for the ride as the characters/newspaper reports/etc discover them and the events unfold. This makes for an interesting read that is fast paced in action as things are slowly becoming more developed.
This book does use footnotes which lends to the feeling of reading an academic or scholarly account, although I can imagine will frustrate some readers. I found them worth perusing for the most part and once I figured out the anchors brought you back to the narrative after reading the footnote in the ebook I was even more happy to read them, especially so as to not miss gems like these:
But this book is not just a vampire book, or a science-y book. It also is satire and has lots to say about current society. References to current media outlets and social media accounts root this story eerily in our present, and as much as this is about discovering where the vampires come from and trying to find as cure... it is about how the people react as a whole. This is as much about how American society would respond to a new minority population emerging and the friction caused as those without power seek it. It's incredibly eerie because everything discussed I can actually see happening - for better or for worse. And that's what is so great about satire - it makes you think.
One thing that I did struggle with was I did find near the last third of the book that I was overwhelmed by the number of characters/perspectives and had difficulty recalling a couple of people easily. I almost wish there was a character list to reference either at the front or back of the book that I could refer to as more narratives are added into the mix.
Had I reviewed this at like 85-90% it would have easily been 4 or 4.stars. I found the "ending" rather dissatisfying in a way that doesn't ring true to the Forward of the book. I know that things are still ongoing but the lack of a proper wrap-up or an ending analysis was just an anticlimactic ending for me personally, and a low point to end a great book.
Movie rights were secured for this book in 2017 - a full year before publication! - I think this will lend itself really well on screen. This is a really interesting piece of satire for the United States right now in addition to being imaginative origin story for vampires. This is truly a genre-bending read. I really disliked World War Z, and this book, even with its faults, is exactly what I wished that book would have been.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Mulholland Books, for providing me with an electronic copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Blog | Twitter
"It's exactly these changing conditions - we are still trying to figure out how we got here - that caused me to realize: now is the perfect time to compile the beginning, middle, and... if not the end, then that place that occupied the in medias res of our current conflicts."3.5 stars, enjoyable read that was (almost) everything that I wish World War Z was... only with vampires!
A People's History of the Vampire Uprising is a fictionalized oral history of the discovery and uprising of Gloamings - vampires. It started in Nogales, Arizona and is investigated by a new CDC agent Dr. Lauren Scott, who is one of the main voices of this novel. I was gripped by the boots-on-the-ground recounting of a new virus from a multitude of perspectives. Lauren's chapters were by far my favorite and they reminded me of The Hot Zone by Richard Preston (which began a lifelong obsession with microbiology).
I liked the plausible, scientific explanations for the supernatural. While this book is written from the perspective of "in the middle of the uprising," the reader is taken along for the ride as the characters/newspaper reports/etc discover them and the events unfold. This makes for an interesting read that is fast paced in action as things are slowly becoming more developed.
This book does use footnotes which lends to the feeling of reading an academic or scholarly account, although I can imagine will frustrate some readers. I found them worth perusing for the most part and once I figured out the anchors brought you back to the narrative after reading the footnote in the ebook I was even more happy to read them, especially so as to not miss gems like these:
But this book is not just a vampire book, or a science-y book. It also is satire and has lots to say about current society. References to current media outlets and social media accounts root this story eerily in our present, and as much as this is about discovering where the vampires come from and trying to find as cure... it is about how the people react as a whole. This is as much about how American society would respond to a new minority population emerging and the friction caused as those without power seek it. It's incredibly eerie because everything discussed I can actually see happening - for better or for worse. And that's what is so great about satire - it makes you think.
One thing that I did struggle with was I did find near the last third of the book that I was overwhelmed by the number of characters/perspectives and had difficulty recalling a couple of people easily. I almost wish there was a character list to reference either at the front or back of the book that I could refer to as more narratives are added into the mix.
Had I reviewed this at like 85-90% it would have easily been 4 or 4.stars. I found the "ending" rather dissatisfying in a way that doesn't ring true to the Forward of the book. I know that things are still ongoing but the lack of a proper wrap-up or an ending analysis was just an anticlimactic ending for me personally, and a low point to end a great book.
Movie rights were secured for this book in 2017 - a full year before publication! - I think this will lend itself really well on screen. This is a really interesting piece of satire for the United States right now in addition to being imaginative origin story for vampires. This is truly a genre-bending read. I really disliked World War Z, and this book, even with its faults, is exactly what I wished that book would have been.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Mulholland Books, for providing me with an electronic copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Blog | Twitter
May 10, 2018
A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising is the first novel by American attorney and author Raymond A Villareal. CDC research physician Dr Lauren Scott is called to Nogales, an Arizona border town, to examine a body showing unusual signs, but when she arrives at the morgue, the body has vanished. A second body which she does examine also goes missing, and witnesses have a strange tale to tell. Lauren has just encountered the first case of what she later terms Nogales organic blood illness virus (NOBI).
When that missing body is identified as Liza Sole, investigators follow a trail to her eventual, if short-lived capture. While in custody, Liza displays remarkable physical signs, and her blood sample is puzzling. In fact, plenty of strange things surround this case, but other victims found drained of all blood, with apparent bite marks on the neck seem to indicate something thought to be the stuff of horror fiction.
The survivors of the NOBI virus, who prefer to call themselves Gloamings, are endowed with desirable physical attributes: strength, speed, beauty, Intellect and apparent longevity, leading to their success in many fields. Others soon clamour to be re-created, despite the high risk of death during the process, and the fatal effects of sunlight thereafter. And from where these re-created people will obtain the fresh blood that they need to survive is a question that ought not to just be ignored.
When politicians of various stripes (congressmen, senators, cardinals) decide to re-create as Gloamings, it really gets interesting. How do you conduct an election campaign if you can’t emerge during the day? What does it mean for the Church if the Pope lives for a few centuries?
This People’s History covers about four years and does not just detail the arrival of vampires into modern society but also examines how we react to a new variant of our human species; how accommodating (or not) we are to the different needs of a section of the population, against the current “enlightened” background of tolerance, acceptance and equality. Do goodwill and charity overcome discrimination and xenophobia?
As well as straight narratives, Villareal uses a variety of other means to convey his tale: media articles (newspapers, gossip magazines, law journals, theological review), interview transcripts, email, blog, obituary, testimonials and even three appendices. Through these, Villareal examines, from different perspectives, the ramifications (practical, legal, economic and political) of such a massive and unforeseen change in society.
While Villareal’s legal background is particularly apparent in some parts, the narratives don’t lack action and excitement, and if things don’t end with a bang, that makes it seem all the more realistic. This is not your average vampire tale: it’s interesting, utterly plausible and definitely thought-provoking. An impressive debut novel.
This unbiased review from an Uncorrected Proof copy received from Hachette Australia.
When that missing body is identified as Liza Sole, investigators follow a trail to her eventual, if short-lived capture. While in custody, Liza displays remarkable physical signs, and her blood sample is puzzling. In fact, plenty of strange things surround this case, but other victims found drained of all blood, with apparent bite marks on the neck seem to indicate something thought to be the stuff of horror fiction.
The survivors of the NOBI virus, who prefer to call themselves Gloamings, are endowed with desirable physical attributes: strength, speed, beauty, Intellect and apparent longevity, leading to their success in many fields. Others soon clamour to be re-created, despite the high risk of death during the process, and the fatal effects of sunlight thereafter. And from where these re-created people will obtain the fresh blood that they need to survive is a question that ought not to just be ignored.
When politicians of various stripes (congressmen, senators, cardinals) decide to re-create as Gloamings, it really gets interesting. How do you conduct an election campaign if you can’t emerge during the day? What does it mean for the Church if the Pope lives for a few centuries?
This People’s History covers about four years and does not just detail the arrival of vampires into modern society but also examines how we react to a new variant of our human species; how accommodating (or not) we are to the different needs of a section of the population, against the current “enlightened” background of tolerance, acceptance and equality. Do goodwill and charity overcome discrimination and xenophobia?
As well as straight narratives, Villareal uses a variety of other means to convey his tale: media articles (newspapers, gossip magazines, law journals, theological review), interview transcripts, email, blog, obituary, testimonials and even three appendices. Through these, Villareal examines, from different perspectives, the ramifications (practical, legal, economic and political) of such a massive and unforeseen change in society.
While Villareal’s legal background is particularly apparent in some parts, the narratives don’t lack action and excitement, and if things don’t end with a bang, that makes it seem all the more realistic. This is not your average vampire tale: it’s interesting, utterly plausible and definitely thought-provoking. An impressive debut novel.
This unbiased review from an Uncorrected Proof copy received from Hachette Australia.
January 22, 2018
I LOVED this book. I am not one for history or even historical fiction but I was so intrigued by this book because...vampires. I was not disappointed with how amazing this book is. If you even kind of like history, historical fiction, science fiction, vampires, adventure, science...whatever your reading preference, give this one a shot. I think it just might surprise you.
When you read this, lose yourself to it. Take yourself into the book and imagine you're in this world where vampires really do exist. Where vampires are damn near smarter than humans. Where Taylor Swift, Kanye, and Justin Bieber are becoming fucking vampires and living for 300 years! Kill me now. Anyway...dive into a world where humans are no longer at the top of the food chain...
Villareal has researched and labored over this. And no I don't know him. Haven't researched anything about him. But there is no way that I could read this book and not see how well researched and thought out every aspect and angle were. The biological processes were so well worded that I'm surprised it isn't in an actual scientifically peer reviewed paper. The timeline of events. The politics. The issues such as civil rights with the court documents and rulings. The citations in the court documents. It was all planned out so beautifully. I am in awe and thoroughly impressed with the dedication.
I love that I was never once bored because of the switching view points from chapter to chapter. I also love that everything was able to be circled back around and brought together in a way I never saw coming. And for God's sake...even if you don't like footnotes, read the fucking footnotes. You'll learn a lot, and especially with Hugo they're sometimes humorous. I'll step off my soap box about footnotes now.
I was easily able to follow the timeline of events and I got lost in this book...in a good way. It seriously felt like I could have been reading a piece of our very own history. I am utterly blown away by what an amazing book this is. I had an ebook version and I can't wait to get my hands on a hardback because I have a feeling it would have been an even more enjoyable reading experience with a physical book in my hand.
Excellent concept. Fantastic characters. Realistic and twisting plot. TWO thumbs up. Give me a sequel and let me know what happens in the next 5 years of this history. I have to know what's going to happen in this wild and crazy world where vampires and humans are trying to co-exist. Tell me what happens next when vampires are now the top of the food chain. Bravo on your first novel. BRAVO.
When you read this, lose yourself to it. Take yourself into the book and imagine you're in this world where vampires really do exist. Where vampires are damn near smarter than humans. Where Taylor Swift, Kanye, and Justin Bieber are becoming fucking vampires and living for 300 years! Kill me now. Anyway...dive into a world where humans are no longer at the top of the food chain...
Villareal has researched and labored over this. And no I don't know him. Haven't researched anything about him. But there is no way that I could read this book and not see how well researched and thought out every aspect and angle were. The biological processes were so well worded that I'm surprised it isn't in an actual scientifically peer reviewed paper. The timeline of events. The politics. The issues such as civil rights with the court documents and rulings. The citations in the court documents. It was all planned out so beautifully. I am in awe and thoroughly impressed with the dedication.
I love that I was never once bored because of the switching view points from chapter to chapter. I also love that everything was able to be circled back around and brought together in a way I never saw coming. And for God's sake...even if you don't like footnotes, read the fucking footnotes. You'll learn a lot, and especially with Hugo they're sometimes humorous. I'll step off my soap box about footnotes now.
I was easily able to follow the timeline of events and I got lost in this book...in a good way. It seriously felt like I could have been reading a piece of our very own history. I am utterly blown away by what an amazing book this is. I had an ebook version and I can't wait to get my hands on a hardback because I have a feeling it would have been an even more enjoyable reading experience with a physical book in my hand.
Excellent concept. Fantastic characters. Realistic and twisting plot. TWO thumbs up. Give me a sequel and let me know what happens in the next 5 years of this history. I have to know what's going to happen in this wild and crazy world where vampires and humans are trying to co-exist. Tell me what happens next when vampires are now the top of the food chain. Bravo on your first novel. BRAVO.
October 10, 2019
En definitiva un libro con un inicio interesante que despierta la curiosidad del lector, que leer poco a poco, la gran cantidad de testimonios y personajes hacen complicado sentir empatía por alguno en concreto, pero a términos generales es una buena historia.
Reseña completa: https://atrapadaenunashojasdepapel.bl...
Reseña completa: https://atrapadaenunashojasdepapel.bl...
April 8, 2020
No es un libro de terror al uso. Es la historia desde múltiples perspectivas, parecida a similar a la Guerra Mundial Z, sobre cómo un virus vampiro se propaga y se apodera de la sociedad. Muy interesante la forma en que los humanos y los vampiros coexisten y cómo los vampiros entran en política y exigen igualdad de derechos. Espero que haya película o serie.
May 21, 2018
HORROR
Raymond A. Villareal
A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising: A Novel
Mulholland Books
Hardcover, 978-1-3165-6168-6 (also available as an e-book and audio book), 432 pgs., $27.00
June 5, 2018
“These pages are compiled for everyone: those who lived through this time, and those who did not survive. I hope … they give you meaningful perspective.” (signature redacted)
A body exhibiting the sort of intradermal contusions affiliated with hemophilia, but no other signs of trauma, is discovered outside Nogales, Arizona. When the state crime lab reports unidentifiable substances in a hair sample from the body, the town coroner, fearing something Ebola-like, reports the curious findings to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). When Dr. Lauren Scott, a research physician with the CDC, arrives in Nogales, the first body is gone but another has been found with identical symptoms. Dr. Scott discovers two tiny puncture wounds in the neck of this second body.
What happened to the first body, you ask? It got up and walked out.
A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising: A Novel, the first book from San Antonio attorney Raymond A. Villareal, is apocalyptic dystopia, a very popular genre. Unfortunately, it reads like a mashup of “The Walking Dead,” “True Blood,” and The Da Vinci Code.
Villareal begins with a decent concept. The vamps in Villareal’s world are called “Gloamings,” presumably because twilight is the time of day when it’s safe for them to emerge. They are carriers of what the government calls the Nogales organic blood illness (NOBI). The Gloamings possess all of the classic vampire traits—speed, strength, hypnotic abilities. The author does an admirable job of relating current societal ills to the vampires: fake news, social media, polarized politics, and conspiracy theories. Law enforcement is accused of unnecessary force. Lobbyists appear. An equal-rights bill is passed. Certain religious denominations excommunicate members who become Gloamings, but the Buddhists are cool with it.
Consider: Should vampires, with their enhanced physical attributes, be allowed into the Olympics? Would their lifespans make them the ultimate astronauts? Do they qualify as a protected class under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the American with Disabilities Act? Naturally, celebrities (Taylor Swift!), tech billionaires, and hedge fund managers “re-create” intentionally. Pursuits take place in Texas locales like Marfa and Houston, though with little local detail to reward the reader’s interest.
Though wildly imaginative, A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising is enamored of its own cleverness, including footnotes and appendices, an affectation for which I blame David Foster Wallace. Clumsy execution hampers Villareal’s creativity. The dialogue is mundane and odd word choices and nonsensical similes are distracting. Vampire Patient Zero “moves like a cat” while “lurching” toward Dr. Scott. The handcuffs snap off “like wet paper.”
A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising failed to hold my attention. The story is related in a compilation of various newspaper reports, magazine articles, blog posts, congressional testimony, interrogation transcripts, and interviews of eyewitnesses. Because the story is told in bits and pieces, the narrative arc is nonexistent. On the other hand, the obstructed narrative flow does mimic the process by which information is disseminated, and images created, in the twenty-first century. The staccato style also precludes any emotional investment in Villareal’s characters. I was briefly cheered when Buffy (the Vampire Slayer) appeared but, fierce and entertaining as she is, she can’t rescue the story alone.
If you like horror, and vampires in particular, I recommend In the Valley of the Sun (Skyhorse Publishing, 2017) by Andy Davidson. The anonymous compiler of this history, whose note began this review, hopes in vain.
Originally published in Lone Star Literary Life.
Raymond A. Villareal
A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising: A Novel
Mulholland Books
Hardcover, 978-1-3165-6168-6 (also available as an e-book and audio book), 432 pgs., $27.00
June 5, 2018
“These pages are compiled for everyone: those who lived through this time, and those who did not survive. I hope … they give you meaningful perspective.” (signature redacted)
A body exhibiting the sort of intradermal contusions affiliated with hemophilia, but no other signs of trauma, is discovered outside Nogales, Arizona. When the state crime lab reports unidentifiable substances in a hair sample from the body, the town coroner, fearing something Ebola-like, reports the curious findings to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). When Dr. Lauren Scott, a research physician with the CDC, arrives in Nogales, the first body is gone but another has been found with identical symptoms. Dr. Scott discovers two tiny puncture wounds in the neck of this second body.
What happened to the first body, you ask? It got up and walked out.
A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising: A Novel, the first book from San Antonio attorney Raymond A. Villareal, is apocalyptic dystopia, a very popular genre. Unfortunately, it reads like a mashup of “The Walking Dead,” “True Blood,” and The Da Vinci Code.
Villareal begins with a decent concept. The vamps in Villareal’s world are called “Gloamings,” presumably because twilight is the time of day when it’s safe for them to emerge. They are carriers of what the government calls the Nogales organic blood illness (NOBI). The Gloamings possess all of the classic vampire traits—speed, strength, hypnotic abilities. The author does an admirable job of relating current societal ills to the vampires: fake news, social media, polarized politics, and conspiracy theories. Law enforcement is accused of unnecessary force. Lobbyists appear. An equal-rights bill is passed. Certain religious denominations excommunicate members who become Gloamings, but the Buddhists are cool with it.
Consider: Should vampires, with their enhanced physical attributes, be allowed into the Olympics? Would their lifespans make them the ultimate astronauts? Do they qualify as a protected class under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the American with Disabilities Act? Naturally, celebrities (Taylor Swift!), tech billionaires, and hedge fund managers “re-create” intentionally. Pursuits take place in Texas locales like Marfa and Houston, though with little local detail to reward the reader’s interest.
Though wildly imaginative, A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising is enamored of its own cleverness, including footnotes and appendices, an affectation for which I blame David Foster Wallace. Clumsy execution hampers Villareal’s creativity. The dialogue is mundane and odd word choices and nonsensical similes are distracting. Vampire Patient Zero “moves like a cat” while “lurching” toward Dr. Scott. The handcuffs snap off “like wet paper.”
A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising failed to hold my attention. The story is related in a compilation of various newspaper reports, magazine articles, blog posts, congressional testimony, interrogation transcripts, and interviews of eyewitnesses. Because the story is told in bits and pieces, the narrative arc is nonexistent. On the other hand, the obstructed narrative flow does mimic the process by which information is disseminated, and images created, in the twenty-first century. The staccato style also precludes any emotional investment in Villareal’s characters. I was briefly cheered when Buffy (the Vampire Slayer) appeared but, fierce and entertaining as she is, she can’t rescue the story alone.
If you like horror, and vampires in particular, I recommend In the Valley of the Sun (Skyhorse Publishing, 2017) by Andy Davidson. The anonymous compiler of this history, whose note began this review, hopes in vain.
Originally published in Lone Star Literary Life.
January 14, 2020
Me encantan las novelas de vampiros pero esta... uhmmm, no ha hecho clic.
Por supuesto que tenía ingredientes para hacerlo porque:
a) Conserva el halo del vampiro romántico (pese a que su génesis se deba a un virus) con todos sus requisitos e incide en la psicología de los mismos. Bien es verdad que la mayoría de los protagonistas son humanos mortales pero ¿cómo no vas a hablar de vampiros en una novela de vampiros?
b) La semiología estaba bien adaptada al vampirismo, de un modo que me parecía incluso creíble, con sus consecuentes explicaciones bioquímicas. Podía aceptarlo aunque no sea mi versión favorita de esta fantasía.
c) Aplica muy bien realidades del siglo XXI y me parece que se acerca bastante a como respondería el mundo si se sobreviniese un levantamiento vampírico. El uso de redes sociales, de la prensa, del movimiento del mundo... parecía original.
PERO LA MANERA DE EXPLICARLO ES REALMENTE CONFUSA.
No sé qué quiere contar. El libro está estructurado en diferentes capítulos con diversos puntos de vista y en ocasiones intercala artículos periodísticos o informes policiales, buscando credibilidad. Pero la novela empieza contando una cosa y acaba... en otra movida muy distinta.
Hay demasiados personajes. Decenas. Algunos aparecen lo suficiente para acordarte de ellos y otros apenas una vez, incluso como narradores, que no aportan absolutamente nada a la historia. ¿Quién era tal, a qué se dedicaba, a cuento de qué me estás contando que vivía en California y que fumaba mucho y cantaba por las mañanas? Me da igual.
Hay numerosísimas explicaciones sobre el funcionamiento de la política americana en una aplicación teórica a la sublevación de esta simpática especie. También me da bastante igual, sobre todo si lo explica un mortal. Si el vampiro quiere partir la pana y ser el embajador de Nuevo México, deja que el vampiro me lo explique, no su... asesor político mortal y aburrido.
Y hay muchísimas movidas religiosas sobre Papas que tienen cardenales que se han convertido en vampiro que de repente empiezan a aparecer cuando llevas 200 páginas y vale, felicidades, gracias por venir.
Lo peor es que todas estas tramas no parecen acabar integrándose bien en una única historia que de sentido a todo lo que me ha querido contar este señor.
También hay descripciones de reuniones vampíricas de seres celestiales que visten bien y se preguntan el sentido de su existencia. Creo que era lo que quería leer, pero ya estaba tan confundida que lo único que quería era que se acabara.
Está bien escrito.
Es original.
Pero he estado más perdida que un pulpo en un garaje y no ha captado mi atención en absoluto.
¿Para cuándo la Anne Rice del siglo XXI, por favor? ♥
Por supuesto que tenía ingredientes para hacerlo porque:
a) Conserva el halo del vampiro romántico (pese a que su génesis se deba a un virus) con todos sus requisitos e incide en la psicología de los mismos. Bien es verdad que la mayoría de los protagonistas son humanos mortales pero ¿cómo no vas a hablar de vampiros en una novela de vampiros?
b) La semiología estaba bien adaptada al vampirismo, de un modo que me parecía incluso creíble, con sus consecuentes explicaciones bioquímicas. Podía aceptarlo aunque no sea mi versión favorita de esta fantasía.
c) Aplica muy bien realidades del siglo XXI y me parece que se acerca bastante a como respondería el mundo si se sobreviniese un levantamiento vampírico. El uso de redes sociales, de la prensa, del movimiento del mundo... parecía original.
PERO LA MANERA DE EXPLICARLO ES REALMENTE CONFUSA.
No sé qué quiere contar. El libro está estructurado en diferentes capítulos con diversos puntos de vista y en ocasiones intercala artículos periodísticos o informes policiales, buscando credibilidad. Pero la novela empieza contando una cosa y acaba... en otra movida muy distinta.
Hay demasiados personajes. Decenas. Algunos aparecen lo suficiente para acordarte de ellos y otros apenas una vez, incluso como narradores, que no aportan absolutamente nada a la historia. ¿Quién era tal, a qué se dedicaba, a cuento de qué me estás contando que vivía en California y que fumaba mucho y cantaba por las mañanas? Me da igual.
Hay numerosísimas explicaciones sobre el funcionamiento de la política americana en una aplicación teórica a la sublevación de esta simpática especie. También me da bastante igual, sobre todo si lo explica un mortal. Si el vampiro quiere partir la pana y ser el embajador de Nuevo México, deja que el vampiro me lo explique, no su... asesor político mortal y aburrido.
Y hay muchísimas movidas religiosas sobre Papas que tienen cardenales que se han convertido en vampiro que de repente empiezan a aparecer cuando llevas 200 páginas y vale, felicidades, gracias por venir.
Lo peor es que todas estas tramas no parecen acabar integrándose bien en una única historia que de sentido a todo lo que me ha querido contar este señor.
También hay descripciones de reuniones vampíricas de seres celestiales que visten bien y se preguntan el sentido de su existencia. Creo que era lo que quería leer, pero ya estaba tan confundida que lo único que quería era que se acabara.
Está bien escrito.
Es original.
Pero he estado más perdida que un pulpo en un garaje y no ha captado mi atención en absoluto.
¿Para cuándo la Anne Rice del siglo XXI, por favor? ♥
April 12, 2019
So I received this novel as a gift with the statement that it sounded like a very ‘me’ book. Obviously I was intrigued and I really enjoy anything that has to do with vampires, aside from a couple exceptions. I also really love multiple perspective novels, getting into the different character's head so that the reader knows what the players in the novel don’t is always entertaining. The nontraditional formatting of interview transcripts, newspaper articles, and legal cases from the time of the Uprising, not following a linear fashion, to create this really rich false history. However, while we get very in depth with a couple chapters, the legal cases being the one that comes to mind, there was a lot about what is going on during the years that this novel spans that is only hinted at. It got to the point that I felt as if I wasn’t getting the whole story, which was annoying since the whole point of the novel was to highlight the uprising and how it happened.
This novel is broken up into different voices that intertwine, so it's isn’t exactly a short story collection, but sometimes it doesn’t feel like a cohesive novel either. We spend the most time with Dr. Lauren Scott, who works for the CDC, and Hugo Zumthor who heads the FBI Gloaming Crimes Unit. While both are in first person viewpoints, you really never get to know much about them outside of how it intertwined with the Gloaming research and threat. It just makes them seem rather flat, which is unfortunate since we spend so much time with them. Other voices, that we get far less time with, are far more compelling.
That being said, Dr. Scott was at “ground zero” or “patient zero” of the vampire outbreak and reflects on her work from then on, medically, to understand the NOBI virus was interesting. While I didn’t mind Dr. Scott as a character, the prose felt very rushed and a little choppy. Also, and maybe this is just because I am a woman, but when a male author uses a female voice to describe another woman always sounds wrong to me. It takes me out of the story because I have never heard, seen, read, or thought about a woman the way that men describe women looking at women. I can’t blame Villareal too much, however, since this is a very common problem.
The interviews with Father Reilly were extremely entertaining and compelling, probably my favorite sections of the novel. His voice was believable and while I am not an overly religious person, I was very interested in his explanation of Catholic practices and how that affected his relationship with the vampires. It is also evident, since he is being interviewed by that he has done something and you’re hooked into the story to find out what, given tidbits such as a theft, as it goes along. By the time we get to the end of the novel and the evidence that he finds about Gloamings history, it kind of turns everything on its head.
I appreciate the world building that went into this novel, the legal cases that were developed and the details about the religious and religious climate. However, there is no real conclusion to the novel, so it hard to feel that this novel is more than showing off this world that Villareal created. I am not saying that everything needs to be wrapped up in a neat little bow, but none of the characters come to any sort of satisfying character arc. There are so many unanswered questions, so many tidbits of information that are just left for the reader to interpret how they seem fit. The stories in the novel just didn’t seem complete, which is annoying when you follow them for all these pages.
Overall, this story is a great study in world building, but a bit disappointing in terms of characters.
This novel is broken up into different voices that intertwine, so it's isn’t exactly a short story collection, but sometimes it doesn’t feel like a cohesive novel either. We spend the most time with Dr. Lauren Scott, who works for the CDC, and Hugo Zumthor who heads the FBI Gloaming Crimes Unit. While both are in first person viewpoints, you really never get to know much about them outside of how it intertwined with the Gloaming research and threat. It just makes them seem rather flat, which is unfortunate since we spend so much time with them. Other voices, that we get far less time with, are far more compelling.
That being said, Dr. Scott was at “ground zero” or “patient zero” of the vampire outbreak and reflects on her work from then on, medically, to understand the NOBI virus was interesting. While I didn’t mind Dr. Scott as a character, the prose felt very rushed and a little choppy. Also, and maybe this is just because I am a woman, but when a male author uses a female voice to describe another woman always sounds wrong to me. It takes me out of the story because I have never heard, seen, read, or thought about a woman the way that men describe women looking at women. I can’t blame Villareal too much, however, since this is a very common problem.
The interviews with Father Reilly were extremely entertaining and compelling, probably my favorite sections of the novel. His voice was believable and while I am not an overly religious person, I was very interested in his explanation of Catholic practices and how that affected his relationship with the vampires. It is also evident, since he is being interviewed by that he has done something and you’re hooked into the story to find out what, given tidbits such as a theft, as it goes along. By the time we get to the end of the novel and the evidence that he finds about Gloamings history, it kind of turns everything on its head.
I appreciate the world building that went into this novel, the legal cases that were developed and the details about the religious and religious climate. However, there is no real conclusion to the novel, so it hard to feel that this novel is more than showing off this world that Villareal created. I am not saying that everything needs to be wrapped up in a neat little bow, but none of the characters come to any sort of satisfying character arc. There are so many unanswered questions, so many tidbits of information that are just left for the reader to interpret how they seem fit. The stories in the novel just didn’t seem complete, which is annoying when you follow them for all these pages.
Overall, this story is a great study in world building, but a bit disappointing in terms of characters.
July 24, 2018
Disclaimer: The author is a former co-worker whom I met right out of law school. We were both working as attorneys at the Dallas Court of Appeals. This was many years ago - and I seem to remember catching Raymond on more than one occasion with a novel stuck inside a briefing notebook he was supposed to be reviewing!
I had no idea that Raymond was capable of writing such a creative, original, well-researched horror story. I loved the format of the book and the myriad points of view. I hear this may someday be a movie since the rights were purchased by 20th Century Fox. I think it will translate very well to the big screen, so I'm looking forward to that.
Well done, my friend!
I had no idea that Raymond was capable of writing such a creative, original, well-researched horror story. I loved the format of the book and the myriad points of view. I hear this may someday be a movie since the rights were purchased by 20th Century Fox. I think it will translate very well to the big screen, so I'm looking forward to that.
Well done, my friend!
June 11, 2018
(originally reviewed at
thelibraryladies.com
)
I want to extend a special thanks to Mulholland Books for sending me an ARC of this novel.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read vampire fiction. I don’t know if it’s because the pop culture fascination with vampires has waned again and not much has come out, or if I have just been oblivious to what new offerings are out there. But when I saw that “A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising” was about to come out, I was immediately interested by the premise. I liked the book “World War Z” by Max Brooks, which is a similar premise, but with zombies, and was curious to see how such a thing would be done with vampires.
“A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising” feels like an amalgamation of “World War Z”, “The Strain”, and Charlaine Harris’s “Sooki Stackhouse” series, a brew that comes together to make a fairly unique new vampire mythos. We follow a few different perspectives and plot points as the rise of the NOBI Virus is laid out on the page. Once a person is infected with NOBI, they have a fifty fifty chance of transforming into a ‘gloaming’, a being that has gained a longer lifespan and other supernatural abilities, but cannot survive in the sunlight and must feed off of blood. This story postulates less of an immediate vampire apocalypse, and more of a slow shift as they appear to try to integrate into modern society. It’s a more in depth analysis than the “Sookie Stackhouse” books gave, and a bit more cynical as well. Villareal is far more interested in how this kind of shift would affect the laws and civil liberties of modern societies, and he has a number of characters who fall on either side of the gloaming ‘issue’. These characters include CDC Investigator Dr. Lauren Scott, the woman who was on the scene when Patient Zero, Liza Sole, is found along the U.S.-Mexican Border, only to escape into the night. Another is Father John Reilly, a Catholic Priest who is going through his own journey regarding the rise of ‘gloamings’ and how it’s changing society. We also follow Joseph Barrera, a political wunderkid and spin doctor who is approached to run the gubnatorial campaign for Nick Claremont, a gloaming who wants to become Governor of New Mexico, and Hugo Zumthor, and FBI Agent whose field is mostly gloaming issues. Along with various perspective sections with these characters we get newspaper articles, message board posts, transcripts, and interviews that slowly show how NOBI rises and changes society over the course of a few years. My favorite parts were definitely the ones that involved Lauren, as the description of the NOBI virus was fascinating and reminded me of “The Strain” series in the virology of this kind of vampirism.
I also enjoyed the various ethical and philosophical debates that Villareal brings up in this book that have been glossed over in other similar stories. The debates of gloamings being able to have similar rights as humans, and the question of tolerance and equity and how to accommodate for this new population, are addressed and waxed poetic in this book, and the legal and cultural perspectives were in depth and well laid out. I enjoyed that Villareal made it a complex and grey issue, with various likable characters having deep prejudices, but also having fair questions and reservations about gloamings and what their ultimate motivations are. Especially as they start coming into positions of power, and what that power does and what it means for the shared space between humans and gloamings alike. Villareal dives a bit deeper into the legal and policy aspects of this quandary than “World War Z” did in its ‘history’, and while it was mostly fascinating sometimes it felt a little bloated, as did some of the medical aspects that come with the description of the NOBI virus. Because of this, at times I was thinking that it was a bit tedious to get through, though overall it was neat that Villareal went the extra steps into the philosophy behind it all.
Overall I enjoyed reading “A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising”, and it’s a notable contribution to modern vampire lore. You will need to go in expecting a deeper dive than what you usually find in the genre, but ultimately it’s worth taking a look if you are a fan of vampires and vampire mythos.
I want to extend a special thanks to Mulholland Books for sending me an ARC of this novel.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read vampire fiction. I don’t know if it’s because the pop culture fascination with vampires has waned again and not much has come out, or if I have just been oblivious to what new offerings are out there. But when I saw that “A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising” was about to come out, I was immediately interested by the premise. I liked the book “World War Z” by Max Brooks, which is a similar premise, but with zombies, and was curious to see how such a thing would be done with vampires.
“A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising” feels like an amalgamation of “World War Z”, “The Strain”, and Charlaine Harris’s “Sooki Stackhouse” series, a brew that comes together to make a fairly unique new vampire mythos. We follow a few different perspectives and plot points as the rise of the NOBI Virus is laid out on the page. Once a person is infected with NOBI, they have a fifty fifty chance of transforming into a ‘gloaming’, a being that has gained a longer lifespan and other supernatural abilities, but cannot survive in the sunlight and must feed off of blood. This story postulates less of an immediate vampire apocalypse, and more of a slow shift as they appear to try to integrate into modern society. It’s a more in depth analysis than the “Sookie Stackhouse” books gave, and a bit more cynical as well. Villareal is far more interested in how this kind of shift would affect the laws and civil liberties of modern societies, and he has a number of characters who fall on either side of the gloaming ‘issue’. These characters include CDC Investigator Dr. Lauren Scott, the woman who was on the scene when Patient Zero, Liza Sole, is found along the U.S.-Mexican Border, only to escape into the night. Another is Father John Reilly, a Catholic Priest who is going through his own journey regarding the rise of ‘gloamings’ and how it’s changing society. We also follow Joseph Barrera, a political wunderkid and spin doctor who is approached to run the gubnatorial campaign for Nick Claremont, a gloaming who wants to become Governor of New Mexico, and Hugo Zumthor, and FBI Agent whose field is mostly gloaming issues. Along with various perspective sections with these characters we get newspaper articles, message board posts, transcripts, and interviews that slowly show how NOBI rises and changes society over the course of a few years. My favorite parts were definitely the ones that involved Lauren, as the description of the NOBI virus was fascinating and reminded me of “The Strain” series in the virology of this kind of vampirism.
I also enjoyed the various ethical and philosophical debates that Villareal brings up in this book that have been glossed over in other similar stories. The debates of gloamings being able to have similar rights as humans, and the question of tolerance and equity and how to accommodate for this new population, are addressed and waxed poetic in this book, and the legal and cultural perspectives were in depth and well laid out. I enjoyed that Villareal made it a complex and grey issue, with various likable characters having deep prejudices, but also having fair questions and reservations about gloamings and what their ultimate motivations are. Especially as they start coming into positions of power, and what that power does and what it means for the shared space between humans and gloamings alike. Villareal dives a bit deeper into the legal and policy aspects of this quandary than “World War Z” did in its ‘history’, and while it was mostly fascinating sometimes it felt a little bloated, as did some of the medical aspects that come with the description of the NOBI virus. Because of this, at times I was thinking that it was a bit tedious to get through, though overall it was neat that Villareal went the extra steps into the philosophy behind it all.
Overall I enjoyed reading “A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising”, and it’s a notable contribution to modern vampire lore. You will need to go in expecting a deeper dive than what you usually find in the genre, but ultimately it’s worth taking a look if you are a fan of vampires and vampire mythos.
May 30, 2018
You may also find this review on Books, Vertigo & Tea.
My Thoughts
A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising appealed to me with the promise of science fiction encapsulating a tale of the paranormal. I have and probably will always hold an affection for vampires and their mythical abilities and immortality. So when a book promises exactly that merged with one of my favorites genres, it is sure to be my cup of tea. And I have to admit, it went down pretty smooth!
The skinny..
Hard to fully summarize, this is an interesting timeline that follows the evolution of a disease and the impact it has on society. When a young woman’s body is discovered and then disappears from a local town morgue, a CDC investigator soon realizes there is something mysterious happening. As more bodies begin to surface and then also disappear, the CDC, FBI, and Government find they have a new virus and epidemic on their hands that can only be described as vampirism. As infected individuals that are now known as Gloamings emerge, they soon begin a campaign to stake their claim within a society that is equally terrified and mesmerized by them. A battle for power and control is brewing.
What I appreciate..
As a debut novel, this is one of the most ambitious I have encountered. Villareal has left no stone unturned, brilliantly covering all potential facets of an uprising.
The writing is knowledgeable and thorough, providing evidence of the author’s dedication and labor to the craft that sets a significantly high standard.
World building is solid and very reminiscent of the present, crafting something frighteningly familiar and viable.
Alternating perspectives, cleverly inserted footnotes and mixed media carve a concise and clear timeline of events that offer the reader a complete and fully engaging experience.
The author successfully combines elements of the paranormal and science providing something innovative and new, daring to examine humanity from every imaginable angle. This is an all-encompassing story ranging from religious and political viewpoints to the effects of a virus on the lives of everyday people and society.
Challenges some may encounter..
Multiple points of view can detract from establishing a solid connection with specific characters.
The pacing fluctuated greatly between specific perspectives.
The Gloamings were a fascinating new race that warranted more spotlight than they are given within the story. I craved more development than what we are shown.
During the last 25% or so the timeline takes an odd shift and the waters finally become muddled.
An abrupt ending felt incomplete.
Ultimately, A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising is a highly motivated read that offers something incredibly thorough and complex. The author leaves no avenue unexplored, covering every thinkable aspect (I know I have said this, but I cannot stress it enough). Fans of science fiction and the paranormal will easily devour its pages, but perhaps find themselves needing just a little more. If you do not mind alternating PoVs and the shifting pace, I highly recommend this one!
*I would like to thank Mulholland Books for this advanced copy. The above review is my own, unbiased and honest opinion.
Serves well with a nice Pu’erh or favorite caffeinated blend to settle in for a long, gripping read.
My Thoughts
A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising appealed to me with the promise of science fiction encapsulating a tale of the paranormal. I have and probably will always hold an affection for vampires and their mythical abilities and immortality. So when a book promises exactly that merged with one of my favorites genres, it is sure to be my cup of tea. And I have to admit, it went down pretty smooth!
The skinny..
Hard to fully summarize, this is an interesting timeline that follows the evolution of a disease and the impact it has on society. When a young woman’s body is discovered and then disappears from a local town morgue, a CDC investigator soon realizes there is something mysterious happening. As more bodies begin to surface and then also disappear, the CDC, FBI, and Government find they have a new virus and epidemic on their hands that can only be described as vampirism. As infected individuals that are now known as Gloamings emerge, they soon begin a campaign to stake their claim within a society that is equally terrified and mesmerized by them. A battle for power and control is brewing.
What I appreciate..
As a debut novel, this is one of the most ambitious I have encountered. Villareal has left no stone unturned, brilliantly covering all potential facets of an uprising.
The writing is knowledgeable and thorough, providing evidence of the author’s dedication and labor to the craft that sets a significantly high standard.
World building is solid and very reminiscent of the present, crafting something frighteningly familiar and viable.
Alternating perspectives, cleverly inserted footnotes and mixed media carve a concise and clear timeline of events that offer the reader a complete and fully engaging experience.
The author successfully combines elements of the paranormal and science providing something innovative and new, daring to examine humanity from every imaginable angle. This is an all-encompassing story ranging from religious and political viewpoints to the effects of a virus on the lives of everyday people and society.
Challenges some may encounter..
Multiple points of view can detract from establishing a solid connection with specific characters.
The pacing fluctuated greatly between specific perspectives.
The Gloamings were a fascinating new race that warranted more spotlight than they are given within the story. I craved more development than what we are shown.
During the last 25% or so the timeline takes an odd shift and the waters finally become muddled.
An abrupt ending felt incomplete.
Ultimately, A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising is a highly motivated read that offers something incredibly thorough and complex. The author leaves no avenue unexplored, covering every thinkable aspect (I know I have said this, but I cannot stress it enough). Fans of science fiction and the paranormal will easily devour its pages, but perhaps find themselves needing just a little more. If you do not mind alternating PoVs and the shifting pace, I highly recommend this one!
*I would like to thank Mulholland Books for this advanced copy. The above review is my own, unbiased and honest opinion.
Serves well with a nice Pu’erh or favorite caffeinated blend to settle in for a long, gripping read.
September 13, 2018
A People's History of the Vampire Uprising by Raymond A. Villareal may be one of the better vampire novels to come about in some time. This is not a teenage pop culture tale of love lost, but a story told very much in the format of a documentary. Like World War Z and The Andromeda Strain.
The tale begins in a southern Arizona border town where the body of a young woman is found, nearly drained of blood. Only to later, walk out of the town morgue. Pursued and tracked she shows signs of enhanced strength and speed. A young CDC investigator is sent to the border town to work in conjunction with the local police and she begins to unlock a strange and terrifying medical mystery. The reanimated woman will only move during the night and seems to crave a need for blood. When they regroup and go back to where the woman had initially been found, they find a mass grave where many of the bodies are now missing. The warnings from the police and the CDC investigator go unheeded until it is too late and the CDC, the FBI and the whole US government find themselves in the grip of an epidemic.
People are being changed. Dying and coming back to life. They take to themselves the name of Gloamings, as they consider the term vampire to be archaic and offensive. They apply for rights and find among the youth of the United States and some politicians, support. Soon, this new type of humanity is protected by law. Soon people are offering themselves up to be changed, wanting to part of this new race. But not every transformation takes and the results are deadly and terrible.
The Gloamings begin to take over many aspects of life. The Government and the Church and business. But as they assimilate into everyday life, they cannot hide for long their hunger and soon the dead begin to become noticed.
Now the FBI and local investigators must fight to convince the world that the Gloamings are not some kind of evolution of humanity. But are instead, predators.
I understand for some readers that this one may be a difficult read. First person accounts of events as they transpire does not always flow. With several different narrators, it does not always seem to be a single tale but many smaller ones, each with their own agenda. This is somewhat like the original tale of Dracula where the story is told in journals and diaries and letters.
What I found ingenious and timely is that the possibility that vampires would be looked upon as another form of humanity and that their rights would be fought for. In fact to speak out against the vampires became a form of racism. In this easily offended world of today with all its narcissistic fake causes, this could easily happen. Instead of being seen for the deadly creatures they are, they become social media victims of an oppressive church and government. I found that line of the story to be brilliant.
A People's History of the Vampire Uprising is in itself, a snapshot of much larger events. The scale is that of a place and time, but the event itself is much larger, going on all around them. It is a terrific read but it is also an accounting. A tale written down as an event and so does not always build tension or passion but instead, passes on the information of the events that are happening.
It is a very different kind of book from what is currently in the marketplace and for that alone I enjoyed it. Add to it, a really good story and you have a book that will keep you company for the weekend.
The tale begins in a southern Arizona border town where the body of a young woman is found, nearly drained of blood. Only to later, walk out of the town morgue. Pursued and tracked she shows signs of enhanced strength and speed. A young CDC investigator is sent to the border town to work in conjunction with the local police and she begins to unlock a strange and terrifying medical mystery. The reanimated woman will only move during the night and seems to crave a need for blood. When they regroup and go back to where the woman had initially been found, they find a mass grave where many of the bodies are now missing. The warnings from the police and the CDC investigator go unheeded until it is too late and the CDC, the FBI and the whole US government find themselves in the grip of an epidemic.
People are being changed. Dying and coming back to life. They take to themselves the name of Gloamings, as they consider the term vampire to be archaic and offensive. They apply for rights and find among the youth of the United States and some politicians, support. Soon, this new type of humanity is protected by law. Soon people are offering themselves up to be changed, wanting to part of this new race. But not every transformation takes and the results are deadly and terrible.
The Gloamings begin to take over many aspects of life. The Government and the Church and business. But as they assimilate into everyday life, they cannot hide for long their hunger and soon the dead begin to become noticed.
Now the FBI and local investigators must fight to convince the world that the Gloamings are not some kind of evolution of humanity. But are instead, predators.
I understand for some readers that this one may be a difficult read. First person accounts of events as they transpire does not always flow. With several different narrators, it does not always seem to be a single tale but many smaller ones, each with their own agenda. This is somewhat like the original tale of Dracula where the story is told in journals and diaries and letters.
What I found ingenious and timely is that the possibility that vampires would be looked upon as another form of humanity and that their rights would be fought for. In fact to speak out against the vampires became a form of racism. In this easily offended world of today with all its narcissistic fake causes, this could easily happen. Instead of being seen for the deadly creatures they are, they become social media victims of an oppressive church and government. I found that line of the story to be brilliant.
A People's History of the Vampire Uprising is in itself, a snapshot of much larger events. The scale is that of a place and time, but the event itself is much larger, going on all around them. It is a terrific read but it is also an accounting. A tale written down as an event and so does not always build tension or passion but instead, passes on the information of the events that are happening.
It is a very different kind of book from what is currently in the marketplace and for that alone I enjoyed it. Add to it, a really good story and you have a book that will keep you company for the weekend.
August 17, 2018
A panoramic thriller that begins with a missing body from a small town morgue, A People's History of the Vampire Uprising was a title that I was anticipating when I heard about it. As soon as my summer semester wind down, I reached for this, unable to wait any longer, but after a few chapters, I lost the momentum to continue on. A crafty plot that had a lot of potential that unfortunately fell flat in execution. Told through multiple POVs, this story started off strong, beginning with Dr. Lauren Scott from the CDC investigating the virus, but each chapter with a different narrative became dull, repetitive, and echoed the thoughts and emotions of each character with the virus overrunning the nation.
I don't consider this a vampire "uprising" but rather an overview of the NOBI virus that is at times intriguing but often felt unorganized without a real plot. About a third of the way through, I started to skim the remainder because even at that point, I didn't feel the thriller factor, there was no action and not much progress with the story to keep my attention. It felt like a premise that came to the author's mind–which was unique and clever–without much time put into planning before the writing process began. Two aspects that I liked included Dr. Lauren Scott's POV, which I preferred out of the rest, and the format of the novel with eyewitness reports, magazine articles, blog posts, congressional testimony, and interrogation transcripts. However, it was just too long and by the end, it didn't feel much like a conclusion to what was supposed to be A People's History of the Vampire Uprising.
I received a copy in exchange for an unbiased review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I don't consider this a vampire "uprising" but rather an overview of the NOBI virus that is at times intriguing but often felt unorganized without a real plot. About a third of the way through, I started to skim the remainder because even at that point, I didn't feel the thriller factor, there was no action and not much progress with the story to keep my attention. It felt like a premise that came to the author's mind–which was unique and clever–without much time put into planning before the writing process began. Two aspects that I liked included Dr. Lauren Scott's POV, which I preferred out of the rest, and the format of the novel with eyewitness reports, magazine articles, blog posts, congressional testimony, and interrogation transcripts. However, it was just too long and by the end, it didn't feel much like a conclusion to what was supposed to be A People's History of the Vampire Uprising.
I received a copy in exchange for an unbiased review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
September 2, 2018
I think I'm being a bit generous with the 4 stars here, but I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked the oral history format, filled with real-life details that could help you imagine things really happening the way that they happened, and the characters were interesting. The book powers down in the last third, though, skipping around considerably in time, introducing new characters late in the game, and the ending left a LOT of plots hanging, making me assume this had to have a sequel - but it appears it does not and this book is meant to stand alone in its narrative. Still, I really loved reading it.
April 18, 2018
I liked this book but I did get bogged down at times. It is the story of the CDC investigating the unusual occurrence of dead bodies disappearing from morgues. Before long the gloamings are everywhere. It is a much more polite term than vampire. The book is narrated by characters from all areas, researcher, FBI agents, CDC investigators and of course the vampires. There is a little dry humor scattered throughout the book. Didn't understand the ending all that well. Vampire fans will enjoy. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
October 29, 2023
The premise of this book is so fun, I just couldn't resist picking it up. Vampires plus pandemic? Sign me up! It really gave me a lot to chew on during our long drive home.
I have to say, I was totally immersed as I started reading this. Villareal's law experience makes for an engaging look into how a new, vampiric sector of the population would fit into our current legal system. Plus, I'm a sucker for any book that uses a compilation of different mediums to tell a story (like Night Film by Marisha Pessl).
For the first ~75% of this book, I was trying to figure out if the vampires were meant to be an allegory for something else (what, exactly, I was unsure of). I did a deep dive into interviews from the author, and it seems that his goal with writing this book was to face-value explore what our modern society would look like if vampires were introduced, so I'll take him at his word.
A few major things stood out that didn't work for me. For starters, there's just no way that Taylor Swift would opt to be re-created as a vampire ("Gloaming")! I'd think that for a musician like herself, not being able to record new songs would be a huge issue. The recent Eras tour does indicate that she puts on a hell of a show, but I find it hard to believe that she would want to shift her career to being solely performance based (especially since it seems like there are potential issues with Gloamings using microphones, like in the gubernatorial race).
The characters did all share a pretty similar voice, which I didn't mind for the most part (generally speaking, I liked their shared sense of humor), but it got a little difficult to ignore towards the end of the book. Speaking of the conclusion, I feel like the ending of this was very rushed. There were a lot of interesting threads that were touched on earlier (like the vampires wanting to create a nuclear winter so that they would be able to go out in the daytime???) that I don't think were really addressed, and I think that a lot of the "action" sections towards the end went from one plot point to the next, almost like they were part of a checklist.
There's probably more that I could type up about this, but in all, I really, really enjoyed thinking about the concept of this book. That being said, I felt like there were certain aspects that weren't quite working.
I have to say, I was totally immersed as I started reading this. Villareal's law experience makes for an engaging look into how a new, vampiric sector of the population would fit into our current legal system. Plus, I'm a sucker for any book that uses a compilation of different mediums to tell a story (like Night Film by Marisha Pessl).
For the first ~75% of this book, I was trying to figure out if the vampires were meant to be an allegory for something else (what, exactly, I was unsure of). I did a deep dive into interviews from the author, and it seems that his goal with writing this book was to face-value explore what our modern society would look like if vampires were introduced, so I'll take him at his word.
A few major things stood out that didn't work for me. For starters, there's just no way that Taylor Swift would opt to be re-created as a vampire ("Gloaming")! I'd think that for a musician like herself, not being able to record new songs would be a huge issue. The recent Eras tour does indicate that she puts on a hell of a show, but I find it hard to believe that she would want to shift her career to being solely performance based (especially since it seems like there are potential issues with Gloamings using microphones, like in the gubernatorial race).
The characters did all share a pretty similar voice, which I didn't mind for the most part (generally speaking, I liked their shared sense of humor), but it got a little difficult to ignore towards the end of the book. Speaking of the conclusion, I feel like the ending of this was very rushed. There were a lot of interesting threads that were touched on earlier (like the vampires wanting to create a nuclear winter so that they would be able to go out in the daytime???) that I don't think were really addressed, and I think that a lot of the "action" sections towards the end went from one plot point to the next, almost like they were part of a checklist.
There's probably more that I could type up about this, but in all, I really, really enjoyed thinking about the concept of this book. That being said, I felt like there were certain aspects that weren't quite working.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2018
I pretty much always love a genre-crossover but this one pushed even my limits. Imagine reading World War Z with every 4th or 5th chapter replaced with a chapter from An Introduction to International Criminal Law and Procedure. No offence meant to the legal profession, but even lawyers skip at least some legalese.
Having said that, the story is meant to be told after the fact, and is written from the perspective of a person having thoroughly researched many sources, so of course legal transcripts are going to form a part of that.
I adapted.
But even putting the clashing genres aside, I was pulled out of the story too many times: a segment supposedly occurring in Australia’s Melbourne was entirely American—complete with cowboy hat; an interviewee’s recall of a meeting at least two and a half years ago not only details the exact meals both of them ate but also recalls information about the feral pigeons cruising the cafe (I’m a bird-nerd and even I ain’t gonna be able to remember those details unless it was a particularly life-changing meeting); and odd emotional reactions such as the occasional unwarranted shouting in mid-conversations or an ultra-quick recovery from the murder of a much-loved relative.
And as for one particular unwitnessed murder towards the end, how do we know what they whispered? No-one else was there! Unless the murderer is the writer (which doesn’t match up with what we know) this is all guesswork. And yet the introduction clearly states that ‘other accounts’ are negligent at best, their prose too concerned with the salacious details of irrelevant events (not that I’m accusing said pigeons of being salacious exactly).
Possibly the most annoying of all is that the uprising of the title hasn’t actually happened, so don’t expect any closure. None. Come on! You can’t have all that build-up and hint-dropping like we never had a chance or many people would point to that day as the last time the human majority felt any sympathy with the Gloaming minority without something actually happening afterwards to look back from.
And yet I couldn’t put the book down. Despite its inconsistencies, A People’s History is compelling reading.
I can imagine it being found a couple of hundred years from now—considering its ‘expert’ feel, would people treat it as truth? Or would our future selves, knowing it be fiction, wonder what else we faked? The holocaust? Vietnam? Trump?
A movie version would lose a lot of that, but at least it would have to contain an actual uprising!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
Having said that, the story is meant to be told after the fact, and is written from the perspective of a person having thoroughly researched many sources, so of course legal transcripts are going to form a part of that.
I adapted.
But even putting the clashing genres aside, I was pulled out of the story too many times: a segment supposedly occurring in Australia’s Melbourne was entirely American—complete with cowboy hat; an interviewee’s recall of a meeting at least two and a half years ago not only details the exact meals both of them ate but also recalls information about the feral pigeons cruising the cafe (I’m a bird-nerd and even I ain’t gonna be able to remember those details unless it was a particularly life-changing meeting); and odd emotional reactions such as the occasional unwarranted shouting in mid-conversations or an ultra-quick recovery from the murder of a much-loved relative.
And as for one particular unwitnessed murder towards the end, how do we know what they whispered? No-one else was there! Unless the murderer is the writer (which doesn’t match up with what we know) this is all guesswork. And yet the introduction clearly states that ‘other accounts’ are negligent at best, their prose too concerned with the salacious details of irrelevant events (not that I’m accusing said pigeons of being salacious exactly).
Possibly the most annoying of all is that the uprising of the title hasn’t actually happened, so don’t expect any closure. None. Come on! You can’t have all that build-up and hint-dropping like we never had a chance or many people would point to that day as the last time the human majority felt any sympathy with the Gloaming minority without something actually happening afterwards to look back from.
And yet I couldn’t put the book down. Despite its inconsistencies, A People’s History is compelling reading.
I can imagine it being found a couple of hundred years from now—considering its ‘expert’ feel, would people treat it as truth? Or would our future selves, knowing it be fiction, wonder what else we faked? The holocaust? Vietnam? Trump?
A movie version would lose a lot of that, but at least it would have to contain an actual uprising!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
October 22, 2018
Not a bad book, but not an especially good one either. Another multi-narrative account of a "world ending" event--here vampires, but not to worry too much, because they don't take over the world entirely. Just the Catholic church and a good portion of Congress it seems.
A lot of the narratives had almost the same voice and as crazy as news is now, didn't ring entirely true. Sure, if vampires did get outed as a thing, it would be big news and plenty would sign up for it. The premise in the book of only the 1% getting chosen to become vampires, and outrage over the low numbers of minorities getting "re-created" were few and far between. I would have actually enjoyed a book that centered primarily on that, instead of mildly touching on it to center far more on vampires upset that DMVs aren't open 24/7.
As much as I like the World War Zish accounts, it can also be used as a way to avoid plot or any kind of resolution and can easily drift into lazy, which is what pretty much happens here. There is also no Uprising and this isn't a "History" at all--so the title is not accurate.
A lot of the narratives had almost the same voice and as crazy as news is now, didn't ring entirely true. Sure, if vampires did get outed as a thing, it would be big news and plenty would sign up for it. The premise in the book of only the 1% getting chosen to become vampires, and outrage over the low numbers of minorities getting "re-created" were few and far between. I would have actually enjoyed a book that centered primarily on that, instead of mildly touching on it to center far more on vampires upset that DMVs aren't open 24/7.
As much as I like the World War Zish accounts, it can also be used as a way to avoid plot or any kind of resolution and can easily drift into lazy, which is what pretty much happens here. There is also no Uprising and this isn't a "History" at all--so the title is not accurate.
January 28, 2018
This was an enjoyable read. I was completely immersed in the world the author created. The author obviously spent a great deal of time thinking about the implications of the rise of vampire-creating virus and how many facets of society would be impacted- politics, religion, civil rights legislation, science and medicine. The story is told from many points of view over a long time period, very much like World War Z. I greatly enjoyed the first 80% of the book, but the last bit was a bit jarring- the time line wasn't purely linear for the first time, and things jumped back and forth in a confusing way, and the ending was a bit unsatisfying. Despite these flaws, overall I think this is a very interesting read.
July 10, 2018
I was really excited for the premise of this book. Unfortunately, this book is poorly written, meandering, and boring. The POV chapters were so similar I often could not tell which undeveloped character was speaking. The storytelling from the POVs is strange and often moves around in style from First to third person and doesn’t read like an I perspective. The “articles” in the book also did not do a good job of reflecting the tone of the publications they were mimicking. Full disclosure, I skimmed a lot of this book and skipped entire chapters like the very long judicial rulings because they were intolerably boring.
The architecture of the story is good but not well executed. Save yourself some time and skip this one.
The architecture of the story is good but not well executed. Save yourself some time and skip this one.
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