Skip to main content

Fevre Dream - George R.R. Martin



The vampire novel "Fevre Dream" by George R.R. Martin has only a few things in common with his "Game of Thrones" series - character development and setting. Everything else about the book is a far cry from the fictional world of Westeros. First published in 1982, "Fevre Dream" precedes the famous book and now television series by a few years and yet I only just read it.

Set in 1857 along the Mississippi River, Martin brings to life the world of riverboats and vampires.
Abner Marsh is a struggling riverboat captain longing for a fast steamboat to race along the Mississippi. Joshua York, a wealthy, pale stranger, is his answer. Though at the time, Marsh believes York to be aspiring steamboat captain, he soon learns that York isn't what he seems. He never comes out during the day and drinks only from his supply locked away in his cabin. He also has been collecting newspaper clippings of disappearances along the river. When Marsh confronts York about these mysteries, he is taken off guard when York explains what he truly is and what he is trying to accomplish. York is a vampire, and not just any vampire, he is known as the "Pale King" to those of his kind who believe that he could be the savior of their people and an end to the "blood lust." Though York has quenched his desire to drink blood and has gained some followers, others are still content with draining innocents, and none more than Damon Julian.

I don't want to give away the whole story line, but if you like vampire novels then this book is for you. If you enjoy "Game of Thrones" you might be a little disappointed as some parts are slow and drawn out, but the book does put another twist on vampire folklore that I have never seen before. It's also a good read if you enjoy historical novels about the south, the slave trade and the Mississippi River. As always, Martin does not disappoint in his attention to detail.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Last night I watched Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close , the 2011  film starring Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock and newcomer Thomas Horn. I knew the film was going to be about September 11th, but I was not expecting this - a 9 year old's journey through New York City to find the lock to a key left by his father who died in the World Trade Center, is what the previews said, but it was a lot more than that. It was a sons struggle to find himself and cope with the loss of his father in his own way. Not only does he meet many different people of different backgrounds, but along the way he realizes that his father left him one great life lesson and that he can make it on his own without him. It could have done with more mother-son time, because Sandra bullock is barely in the movie, but I think that was the point. The son didn't need his mother, though she was there, in the background. He knew she was there and so did the viewer, but not until the end. The major role definitely goes ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shadow of Night

So I finished the book Shadow of Night ...it was amazing! I can not wait until the third installment comes out and I hope that its soon. The character development of Matthew and Diana is great. Throughout the book they find out more about themselves and each other, even though they are decades in the past. Matthew, because he lived in that time period, has to revert back to his old ways and the reader can see how different was in the past compared to the present. When time traveling, you learn that you are not supposed to alter time. Matthew and Diana left an important mark on Elizabethan London and the rest of history. Historical figures come and go throughout the book, such as Christopher Marlowe, Walter Raleigh, Queen Elizabeth and a brief mention of William Shakespeare. Diana was there to learn more about her magic, but only developed her power towards the end when a surprising character appears and helps rid her of her fear of magic. There are plenty more characters in the book, ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Witchy Tiaras

I'm almost done with Shadow of Night ...I won't give a run down of the book until I'm done, so instead I'm going to discuss a little show called Toddlers and Tiaras - some may be aware of this show as it has been on for a few years now on TLC. I watch this show on a regular basis - 1. Because I can't help watching a train wreck happen 2. Because there's nothing else on and reality tv can be pretty entertaining 3. I can't understand how some parents can put their children through something so grueling and cruel as a beauty pageant. Now, you may think that because I watch the show I condone this sort of behavior and in turn I am one of the many viewers that keep shows like this on tv. But, let me explain a little bit. My mind works in ways that make it attracted to things that I can not explain or understand - for example I'm fascinated by the Holocaust, beauty pageants and witches, vampires and werewolves (not the Twilight kind either). Beauty pageants ...
Post a Comment
Read more