Sink your teeth into haunting new vampire anthology this Halloween

Visions of the Vampire is edited by literary vampire experts Dr Sorcha Ní Fhlainn and Dr Xavier Aldana Reyes from the Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies

University Gothic experts have edited a spine-chilling new anthology of vampire tales – just in time for Halloween.

Visions of the Vampire: Two Centuries of Immortal Tales features classic stories from Bram Stoker’s Dracula’s Guest, to the new wave of thrilling vampire fiction and lesser-known depictions of the blood-drinking monster derived from ancient folklore.

The latest release in British Library Publishing’s series on horror fiction, Visions of the Vampire is edited by literary vampire experts Dr Sorcha Ní Fhlainn and Dr Xavier Aldana Reyes from the Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies – Manchester Metropolitan University’s internationally renowned home for study and celebration of Gothic culture.

The anthology reflects a renewed fascination in the vampire in popular culture, after the BBC’s successful adaptation of Dracula earlier this year.

Now at Halloween (Samhain in Ireland), people renew their interest in vampires because they remind us of renewal (of the seasons, and the changes in our daily lives, and our bodies) and celebrate the fixity of the vampire experience (to remain unchanged in the face of time) especially when the days darken into winter

Dr Ní Fhlainn, author of Postmodern Vampires: Film, Fiction and Popular Culture, said: “Vampires in various guises are a touchstone in folklore and have continued to represent fascination with life after death in the human imagination.

“Readers of Visions of the Vampire will note their ascension into a variety of powerful roles in the tales, from aristocrats to barristers, to influential friends, patrons and neighbours. They are consistently with us in a variety of guises.

“Now at Halloween (Samhain in Ireland), people renew their interest in vampires because they remind us of renewal (of the seasons, and the changes in our daily lives, and our bodies) and celebrate the fixity of the vampire experience (to remain unchanged in the face of time) especially when the days darken into winter.”

She added: “We long for vampiric certainty in the face of time, enjoy their flirtations with power and influence, but also know that it comes at a terrible cost!

“Vampires have always been the more flamboyant and more beautiful of Gothic creatures – I think this speaks to their lasting influence in popular culture.”

Along with classic vampire fiction, Visions of the Vampire also draws upon rarer stories from the British Library’s vaults to offer a new and exciting take on the vampire anthology.

From the genre-defining stories of John Polidori and Bram Stoker to experimental and freshly thrilling takes by Angela Carter, Anne Rice, and John Ajvide Lindqvist, this new collection sets out to present the enrapturing range of the vampire story and our undying fascination with the monster at its heart.

Dr Aldana Reyes said: “We decided we wanted to create a collection that would work as an introduction to vampire short stories for the general reader, but also appeal to the horror aficionado. We have therefore included classic writers like John William Polidori, Bram Stoker, Anne Rice and Angela Carter alongside lesser-known ones like Ernst Raupach and P. Schuyler Miller.

“Visions of the Vampire spans two centuries, from 'The Vampyre' (1819) to John Ajvide Lindqvist's 'Let the Old Dreams Die' (2011), which continues his much-loved novel Let the Right One In. We are particularly delighted with the international and gender spread of the stories. We dug up so many stories that we probably have enough left over for an encore.”

We decided we wanted to create a collection that would work as an introduction to vampire short stories for the general reader, but also appeal to the horror aficionado.

As Halloween gets closer, the British Library is hosting a virtual discussion with the two editors discussing how the book came to be, delving into aspects of vampire lore and sharing anecdotes from the selection process for the stories in the volume. Registration is free for the event, which takes place on Friday October 30 at 7:15p.