5 vampire books you should read before they become TV shows
Fans of the undead are grinning about V-Wars and other vampire tales in development. Here are 5 books to sink your teeth into before they hit our TV screens.
Just when you thought zombies were monopolizing all the undead screen time on our small screens, the vampires are rising out of the coffin and taking back their place. Media giants, including Netflix, Starz, AMC and the BBC, are all set to offer vampiric adaptations of novels in the not too distant future. Here is a selection of a books currently in development – plague, romance, historical, spy and horror – take your pick.
V-Wars – Jonathan Maberry
Fans of the The Vampire Diaries are flat-out thrilled to hear their beloved Ian Somerhalder has landed a lead role in V-Wars. Somerhalder will play a non-vampire in a new Netflix adaptation of Jonathan Maberry’s IDW comics. Somerhalder has been cast as Dr. Luther Swan, a human who tries to understand a vampiric disease that has been unleashed from the polar ice.
While we would not say no to seeing Somerhalder being cheeky and dancing around again, this vampire tale is set to be a dark and grisly one. The book is a compilation of various related stories. It will be interesting to see how they are all tied together.
A Discovery of Witches – Deborah Harkness
If you prefer a little more romance in your vampire caper, then start with Deborah Harkness’ first novel in her All Souls Trilogy. Teresa Palmer plays Diana Bishop, a historian and a witch, who discovers a strange manuscript in the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Library. Romance and mystery arrive in the form of geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont, played by Matthew Goode. The 8-episode series is expected to air in late 2018 on Sky One in the U.K.
The Vampire Lestat – Anne Rice
Paramount TV has purchased 11 of Anne Rice’s novels from her Vampire Chronicles series. Rather than start with book 1, and the familiar tale of Interview with a Vampire, the series is expected to start with book 2, The Vampire Lestat. This prequel book features Lestat as the narrator, detailing his life in France as a human and his transition into a vampire. So, while we wait anxiously to see who will take over Tom Cruise’s role as Lestat, we may have to wait until season 2 to see who takes over Brad Pitt’s sentimental Louis.
The Rook – Daniel O’Malley
Myfanwy Thomas wakes up in a park to find she is suffering from amnesia. The only clue to her identity is a cryptic note in her pocket. She soon discovers that she is a member of a secret organization that investigates and battles supernatural foes. This quirky tale brings together a unique cast of characters including a vampire, an alchemist, a contortionist and a dream manipulator. Twilight author Stephanie Meyer has been developing the TV series, and it has been picked up by Starz.
NOS4A2 – Joe Hill
The zombie-loving folks at AMC are veering into vampire territory with their adaptation of this Joe Hill novel. If the title seems odd at first, it makes more sense when spoken: Nosferatu. NOS4A2 is the number-plate of the Rolls-Royce owned by Charles Talent Manx, aka “The Wraith.” He cruises around town looking for young children, seeking to feed off their souls and discard them in “Christmasland.” Considering Hill’s father is the infamous Stephen King, it’s not surprising that this creepy tale is so unsettling.
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