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Recommendations

2020 Book Review: Dracula by Bram Stoker

This is undoubtably a horror classic that has spawned a ship of a thousand novels. Dracula has spawned movies, television shows, and books with romantic vampires and oceans of times. Dark, sexy, and ominous this book without hesitation made the list for reviewing and just in time for Halloween. Unlike the many books, television, and even movies it is a slow read. It grasps you and pulls you deeper into it with the formatted style of diary and journal selections. The only movie version that has ever captured the book visually for me is the 1992 film Bram Stoker’s Dracula with actors Gary Oldman, Keanu Reeves, and Winona Ryder. Of course the movie differs from the book it still captured the darkness I envisioned in my imagination from the book.
Dracula is without a doubt one of my favorite reads and one of the few books I’ve ever read and re-read many times since I was young. My original copy has been gone for a long time, but I regained a copy years ago and kept it safe since. It’s a slow burn and is a book that must be read over many nights, yes at night. This is a must read during the night book as it best sets the tone of which the world is set. Maybe it’s my mind making the world of vampires and darkness romantic yet horrifying to recommend that it be read at night, but that’s how I read it.
The book may not be the best to read for those that want quick action or to get deep into an adventure quickly, since its told through journal entries and letters it takes time to get into. So for that it’s not the best book for someone who can’t give the book the time it deserves to enjoy. I could easily get into the theories of where the idea for the story spawned, how the writer was considered being a homosexual writing by the inspiration of his lover or even the connection to famous female author Mary Shelley, but these are, I think for now, best reserved for another post down the road.

This review is a part of my 2020 yearlong self-challenge to read and review. I have reread some books for the purpose of reviewing them on my website whereas I have read others for the first time. Check out Book Reviews and Recommendations to find other book reviews, book recommendations, and more information about the books I’m reading, have read, or are sharing.

Have you read this book? What were your thoughts? Do you agree with me? Do you disagree? Let’s have a conversation about it.

Interesting Reads and Related Content

The Blasphemer Series

DELETED SCENES FROM THE BLASPHEMER SERIES: MAXWELL DEMON PART 2

Throughout the writing process, Maxwell Demon underwent many changes. I’ve shared that when I was back writing it I was just about finished and deleted the entire last chapter and part of the chapter before that one because it simply didn’t feel right. Along with this over time I have shared other things that have changed. This is part two of the two part post sharing some of these differences.

Some changes happened during professionally editing forever being lost for a great story and some never made it past the drafting phase. For readers, you may recognize names or scenes, but remember them differently or names being completely different from the version you read. Things change a lot during the writing process.

I hope you enjoy!

Deleted Scenes

In the book, the published work, there is a scene that’s dramatic of Adele being shown her past through what Maxwell had seen, but this scene was originally written earlier in the manuscript and took place in the backroom of the bar she was working and where Maxwell found her. It was so traumatic to her to be shown so much history, lives, and things that a human’s mind is not complex enough to understand it caused her nose to bleed.

Another scene that not only didn’t make it, but altered an entire character was one that involved Yeqon. He’s a manipulative character, but I couldn’t help but rewrite him as compassionate as well. A scene that got deleted was that of him battling Maxwell on the road. The final product as Kokabiel doing this, this is what felt right instead of Yeqon. Yeqon’s influence over others led, in the original scene, him glamouring other demons, not his own minions, to do things against their will.

Removed completely was Maxwell finding Adele in Hollywood, she originally had an apartment down the street from a bar she worked at. After the nosebleed and her sharing that she had felt followed with Maxwell he escorts her home so that she can gather things before they start traveling toward The Bishop’s home. Upon arriving at her apartment, Adele finds the door ajar, and her apartment is how she left it except a wooden box holding something very special to her was taken. Also upon entering,

Maxwell sees for a moment, Adele doesn’t see this, a shadowy demonic creature jumping out of the window. Adele shuts this window believing that she had forgotten it to close it before she left for work earlier in the evening.

Though I liked this scene, writing it was smooth, it began leading myself and characters into a direction plot-wise I hadn’t prepared for. I have planned on in future works that involve Adele talking about her apartment, but in this book I didn’t want it and it gave her a softer feeling that I felt was better after she had relaxed. It didn’t make sense to me to have her soft then hard after a life of running from demons that she had always felt there. I wanted her more experienced when he met her as well. Plus, I found the final product of them meeting more in balance than the scene that was originally written.

Fun Facts

Adele’s original name was Eliza.

Gabriel wasn’t originally planned to be in the series.

Interesting Reads and Related Content

Recommendations

2020 Book Review: The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice

I’ve never hid my love of Anne Rice’s work. Reading Interview with the Vampire is what inspired me to try being a writer, taking it more serious. Her words have given me hope to challenge myself and to grow as I grew in my writing, perfecting my skills. I haven’t been truly excited to do a review as I am of this book.

The Vampire Armand is one of my most favorite books. I have re-read books, but this book along with Blood and Gold I’ve sat and read back to back. As if they’re two pieces broken apart that must be completed together. This review will only cover one of the books, obvious with the title.

This book engulfed me, like all of her work always has to me. I have read it many times and it all began when I was a teenager. The story of Armand, like any good life tales, has its ups and downs. From his creation until the end of the piece I felt like I was right there.

Rice has a style that is a testament to her skill. There is a reason she is a legend; why she is a beloved gem. Many have mimicked her, but no one work can ever be just like hers. This book is one of the ones I can for sure say if I had to compare. It reflects on her research, how you’re drawn into the historical elements in a believable way.

I could ramble for ages on her work, this book, get giddy and excited as my former self bubbles up, but I’ll keep it brief. Her work, this book, has been one I’ve recommended for years. I’ll recommend it again.

This review is a part of my 2020 yearlong self-challenge to read and review. I have reread some books for the purpose of reviewing them on my website whereas I have read others for the first time. Check out Book Reviews and Recommendations to find other book reviews, book recommendations, and more information about the books I’m reading, have read, or are sharing.

Have you read this book? What were your thoughts? Do you agree with me? Do you disagree? Let’s have a conversation about it.

Announcements, Publication, Releases, The Blasphemer Series

Pre-order Now! Harvest is live!

Pre-order on Amazon here

New Synopsis:

Dante’s life consisted of living off of the royalties of commissioned art, and the occasional blackout from something undiagnosed. That is until his grandfather passes. Shortly after, he is approached by an apparent collector, who turns his word much darker than he ever believed. He finds he is not merely a painter but so much more than that. He has a gift of sight beyond what is normal… and he is not the only one.
Briar, one of the chosen gifted, receives a desperate message from a village in another mythical realm that something evil is attacking them. She is to be there only hope of survival with the help of other supernatural beings they must face an evil dark witch and her army of minions.
Imogene has been running away from her gift her entire life and drowns the sorrow of her past in bottles of alcohol. Now with her past coming back to face her once more, she has to pull from her inner strength to survive.
The end has just begun in this exciting follow up to Maxwell Demon.