Name of Book:  The Vampire Almanac

Author: J. Gordon Melton, Ph.D

Publisher: Visible Ink Press

Price: $29.95

Reviewed by: Paul Dale Roberts, HPI's Esoteric Detective

 

Comments:  Whoa!  This is a smorgasbord of vampire information.  I mean you get everything in this book about vampires. Let's open the book and take a look inside to see what we will find.  In the beginning of this book, the author explains his fascination with vampires which gave birth to his first book called The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead.  And now we have The Vampire Almanac: The Complete History.  Walking into this vampire universe of every vampire imaginable, we get the origins of the vampire.  How did it all begin? Find out in this book!  If you want to know how the crucifix plays a role in the vampire mythology, all of the info is in here.  What I really enjoyed about this book is that the author discusses the crucifix and how some vampires are not affected by the power of the crucifix.  There is information on Miyu a manga heroine that is similar to Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  You get all of the intel about mirrors, garlic, vampires turning to dust, etc.  There are historical figures mentioned in this book from Henry Steel Olcott, founding president of the Theosophical Society to Mary "Mollie" Flancher known as the Brooklyn Enigma.  The connection of the Goth culture to vampirism is documented in this book. There is info on Elizabeth Bathory who bathed in virgin blood to maintain her youthful appearance; the Vampire of Croglin Grange; Vlad Dracul; Blacula; Kali the Hindu Goddess that was known to consume blood; the Penanggalan who could release her heart and entrails so she could fly and seek out her victims; the Aswang - Filipino shapeshifter; Gilles de Rais - famed knight that was a companion to Joan of Arc; Mona the Vampire (animated character); Barnabas Collins (one of my favorite vampires from the Dark Shadows soap opera); Saint Germain (immortal and possible vampire - real character); Vampira (Horror Host and vampire); Vampire Hunter D (one of my wife's favorite characters); Blade (bad axx vampire killer); Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Underworld; The Queen of the Damned; Lestat; Edward Cullen; The Munsters (was grandpa really Count Dracula?); True Blood; Carl Kolchak: The Night Stalker; Stephen King's Salem's Lot; Penny Dreadful; Batman (yes, even Batman is included in this book!); Morbius - the Living Vampire by Marvel Comics; Preacher by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon; Vampirella and much much more!!  If you are into vampire movies or vampire TV shows, I truly suggest that you get this book for your library, it is filled with informative vampire information.  The author really did his research in putting this book together.  As a paranormal investigator, I had to deal with a few vampires.  I interviewed real vampires in San Francisco.  I investigated the murder sites of Richard "The Vampire of Sacramento" Trenton Chase" and if I had this book during those interviews and investigations, I would have been 10 steps ahead in the game.  This is a vampiric bible of information.  If vampires fascinate you, then get this book!!  If you need more information on where to find this book, email Rockelle Henderson at:  Press@RockInked.com