# What do you like about vampires in fiction?



## Amaryllis (Mar 14, 2014)

If you like even just a tiny bit the Vampire Myth in fictional works (whether they are books, movies, TV shows...), what exactly do you like about it? What makes you think "Yes, this is how vampires ought to be represented!" 
How do they fascinate/intrigue/interest you?

You can say whatever comes to your mind really, that is why I'm asking. And you can also add examples of fictional works if you wish.


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## aendern (Dec 28, 2013)

They are either
A. Ridiculously unfathomably rich
B. In no need of money

Also, they are *almost* always very attractive. And visually young.


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## Euclid (Mar 20, 2014)

Nothing.


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## Amaryllis (Mar 14, 2014)

Euclid said:


> Nothing.


I said "*If you like* even just a tiny bit the Vampire Myth." :tongue:


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## Euclid (Mar 20, 2014)

Amaryllis said:


> I said "*If you like* even just a tiny bit the Vampire Myth." :tongue:


HAha.. didn't read that, I just saw the thread title and replied. I generally don't like the whole genre because it's disgusting. But for the sake of qualifying your "tiny bit" I'll correct myself. I remember something about a vampire who did feed on rats rather than humans, which I thought was noble.


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## Mr. Demiurge (Jun 18, 2014)

During the course of my life, I have witnessed the steady decline of the vampire. They began as monstrous, inhuman creatures enslaved to the Devil, a terrible fate to be avoided at all costs and a grave threat to the living that had to be purged, and the steady progression has been to make them increasingly more of a wish fulfillment fantasy where you get to be young and beautiful and rich forever with hardly any real drawbacks. 

The stereotypical modern vampire is boring. I don't necessarily need vampires to be evil incarnate, but it should not be an enviable fate.

I'll give a good example of a modern vampire done right: Eli from the Swedish film/novel _Let the Right One In_. In that world, being a vampire is portrayed as an isolated and unpleasant existence punctuated by the occasional need to murder someone and drink their blood. Also, you can't enter someone's house without being invited or you'll start bleeding from every orifice. Most vampires commit suicide shortly after they turn because it's a really lousy state to find yourself in.


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## Amaryllis (Mar 14, 2014)

Euclid said:


> HAha.. didn't read that, I just saw the thread title and replied. I generally don't like the whole genre because it's disgusting. But for the sake of qualifying your "tiny bit" I'll correct myself. I remember something about a vampire who did feed on rats rather than humans, which I thought was noble.


It's Louis from Interview with the Vampire (the book was written by Anne Rice and a film was made by Neil Jordan).


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## Euclid (Mar 20, 2014)

Amaryllis said:


> It's Louis from Interview with the Vampire (the book was written by Anne Rice and a film was made by Neil Jordan).


I can't remember either seeing the film or reading the book although the author's name sounds familiar. Not sure where I got it from but it's definitely very long ago.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

I like how vampires are depicted in the World of Darkness, they still have some human qualities but are also beasts and monsters, and rarely romantic (though possible). I think it's overall the best as they suffer a lot and struggle to keep their humanity and not turn to beasts completely.
As a second/third preference I liked them in Stephen King's, they were total monsters and quite terrifying, and Dracula was okay too.


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## Guest1234 (Jun 3, 2014)

I like a human vampire. A creature that still thinks and acts like us, but has to deal with a lust for blood and the problems of immortality on top of all the shit humans have to deal with. I like struggle within the vampire.

I think that with such a story a vampire can go many ways. Will he embrace his newfound powers and turn into something like Dracula? Will the vampire exile himself from society so he wouldn't hurt anyone in a fit of starvation? Will the vampire lock himself somewhere and refuse to feed completely? Or maybe he'll just commit suicide due to how shitty his life has become?

Oh and I have a few minor preferences. I like a vampire that goes insane if he fails to feed himself for too long and just to spice things up I like a vampire that can only feed on people (or atleast find humans to be tastier and more filling).


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

SciVoid said:


> I like a human vampire. A creature that still thinks and acts like us, but has to deal with a lust for blood and the problems of immortality on top of all the shit humans have to deal with. I like struggle within the vampire.
> 
> I think that with such a story a vampire can go many ways. Will he embrace his newfound powers and turn into something like Dracula? Will the vampire exile himself from society so he wouldn't hurt anyone in a fit of starvation? Will the vampire lock himself somewhere and refuse to feed completely? Or maybe he'll just commit suicide due to how shitty his life has become?
> 
> Oh and I have a few minor preferences. I like a vampire that goes insane if he fails to feed himself for too long and just to spice things up I like a vampire that can only feed on people (or atleast find humans to be tastier and more filling).


you are describing World of Darkness (if you're not familiar with it)


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## Guest1234 (Jun 3, 2014)

Red Panda said:


> you are describing World of Darkness (if you're not familiar with it)


I know I am. It's awesome. All hail Clan Tremere!


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

SciVoid said:


> I know I am. It's awesome. All hail Clan Tremere!


okay  the description was so similar it would be funny if you didn't know about it 
gangrel ftw


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## Swordsman of Mana (Jan 7, 2011)

Amaryllis said:


> If you like even just a tiny bit the Vampire Myth in fictional works (whether they are books, movies, TV shows...), what exactly do you like about it? What makes you think "Yes, this is how vampires ought to be represented!"
> How do they fascinate/intrigue/interest you?
> You can say whatever comes to your mind really, that is why I'm asking. And you can also add examples of fictional works if you wish.


because vampires are
1) extremely attractive
2) ETERNALLY attractive (like, they look between 18-22 for eternity)
3) dark and sophisticated (in a culture where the norm is screaming sports fans, bright, trendy outfits, false friendliness and all manner of other gaudy things, these traits are most welcome)
4) it makes me laugh thinking about how they are blatantly sexually predatory but no one seems to care :laughing:
5) rich
6) sexual (ranging from rough and animalistic to subtle, intimate and tender)


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## FearAndTrembling (Jun 5, 2013)

Well, there are so many manifestations. Some are really cheesy. I like Interview with the Vampire for example. Really Good. 

I like that they have lived through many ages. Someone said that human history is one immortal man who continually learns. 

I don't like horror in general. But I like the underlying idea that these monsters are metaphors for the bad part of human nature. And there is historical/religious narrative as well. You'll notice that things like vampires are often hurt by holy things. So, the entire genre could be seen as an allegory of Christ taming our animal instincts. That is who beats vampires historically, the holy. And this is how individuals rid themselves of their animals instincts, by accepting the reasoning power of Christ. He tames the animal in us all.

I'm an atheist, but find that interesting.


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## Amaryllis (Mar 14, 2014)

SciVoid said:


> I know I am. It's awesome. All hail Clan Tremere!





Red Panda said:


> okay  the description was so similar it would be funny if you didn't know about it
> gangrel ftw


Malkavian clan yay!


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## Amaryllis (Mar 14, 2014)

Swordsman of Mana said:


> 4) it makes me laugh thinking about how they are blatantly sexually predatory but no one seems to care :laughing:


You mean the fact that a lot of vampires tend to enjoy entering the bedroom of beautiful sleepy ladies to penetrate them with their.... fangs? :tongue:


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## Amaryllis (Mar 14, 2014)

FearAndTrembling said:


> I don't like horror in general. But I like the underlying idea that these monsters are metaphors for the bad part of human nature. And there is historical/religious narrative as well. You'll notice that things like vampires are often hurt by holy things. So, the entire genre could be seen as an allegory of Christ taming our animal instincts. That is who beats vampires historically, the holy. And this is how individuals rid themselves of their animals instincts, by accepting the reasoning power of Christ. He tames the animal in us all.
> 
> I'm an atheist, but find that interesting.


Yes I've always liked vampires being represented as a former human being now disinhibited and driven by their Id! I really like your theory! (And I'm an atheist too by the way).


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## Amaryllis (Mar 14, 2014)

Lord Shang said:


> During the course of my life, I have witnessed the steady decline of the vampire. They began as monstrous, inhuman creatures enslaved to the Devil, a terrible fate to be avoided at all costs and a grave threat to the living that had to be purged, and the steady progression has been to make them increasingly more of a wish fulfillment fantasy where you get to be young and beautiful and rich forever with hardly any real drawbacks.
> 
> The stereotypical modern vampire is boring. I don't necessarily need vampires to be evil incarnate, but it should not be an enviable fate.
> 
> I'll give a good example of a modern vampire done right: Eli from the Swedish film/novel _Let the Right One In_. In that world, being a vampire is portrayed as an isolated and unpleasant existence punctuated by the occasional need to murder someone and drink their blood. Also, you can't enter someone's house without being invited or you'll start bleeding from every orifice. Most vampires commit suicide shortly after they turn because it's a really lousy state to find yourself in.


I totally see what you mean, a lot of vampire characters nowadays happen to be "Cursed with Awesome" as TV Tropes puts it. I actually like when vampire characters have a lot of the awesomness granted to vampires like attractivness and several powers such has strenght and hypnosis, but also a lot of drawbacks like being forced to kill not every time but regularly, being able to feed only on human blood, loosing their morality as decades go by or struggling to keep it, feeling somewhat really lonely, being barely able to control their bloodlust and failing easily, being cast away from sunlight and people's home when uninvited... I also like when they are really morally ambiguous (meaning for example not appalled by murder or violence on anyone).


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## Amaryllis (Mar 14, 2014)

SciVoid said:


> Oh and I have a few minor preferences. I like a vampire that goes insane if he fails to feed himself for too long and just to spice things up I like a vampire that can only feed on people (or atleast find humans to be tastier and more filling).


Yes! I always found it cheating when vampires are able to feed on animal blood, it's not "fun" (if I can put it that way).


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## Aya the Abysswalker (Mar 23, 2012)

Wontlookdown said:


> I blame Twilight for fucking up vampires.


It depends how you see vampires really. I don't really like Anne Rice's vampires really and with that said I think Hellsing is cool but I don't it's vampires. However I like Anne Rice's stories and I really enjoy Vampire Hunter D.










But I think that's a side effect of liking Amano's drawings so much, though the stories and universe of the novel and movie are great.


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## Max (Aug 14, 2014)

Aya Saves the World said:


> It depends how you see vampires really. I don't really like Anne Rice's vampires really and with that said I think Hellsing is cool but I don't it's vampires. However I like Anne Rice's stories and I really enjoy Vampire Hunter D.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah. Just to be awkward and annoying, I made my one of my fictional twins I'm writing about, a dhampir and the other a glowing pink mutant. It does depend on what you consider to be a 'vampire'. I don't consider that Edward Cullen abomination to be anything of the sort.


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## Aya the Abysswalker (Mar 23, 2012)

Wontlookdown said:


> Yeah. Just to be awkward and annoying, I made my one of my fictional twins I'm writing about, a dhampir and the other a glowing pink mutant. It does depend on what you consider to be a 'vampire'. I don't consider that Edward Cullen abomination to be anything of the sort.


Glowing pink mutant? Unless it's a satire I wouldn't read it knowing that.


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## Max (Aug 14, 2014)

Aya Saves the World said:


> Glowing pink mutant? Unless it's a satire I wouldn't read it knowing that.


Yeah, well, that's what he gets for pink being his fave color


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## Aya the Abysswalker (Mar 23, 2012)

Wontlookdown said:


> Yeah, well, that's what he gets for pink being his fave color


Nice?


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## Max (Aug 14, 2014)

Aya Saves the World said:


> Nice?


Yeah, the superpowers are more a satire approach, but I might make them permanent, for a proper plot twist.


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## He's a Superhero! (May 1, 2013)

Sparkles! 


(Not a serious answer...shhh!)


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## Aya the Abysswalker (Mar 23, 2012)

Wontlookdown said:


> Yeah, the superpowers are more a satire approach, but I might make them permanent, for a proper plot twist.


Satire is always nice, I like it.


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## Max (Aug 14, 2014)

Aya Saves the World said:


> Satire is always nice, I like it.


I know right? I was originally planning one book, but now it seems to be a series.


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## Aya the Abysswalker (Mar 23, 2012)

Wontlookdown said:


> I know right? I was originally planning one book, but now it seems to be a series.


Hope is not too long, I get bored when thing take too long to happen.


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## Max (Aug 14, 2014)

Aya Saves the World said:


> Hope is not too long, I get bored when thing take too long to happen.


I know right? Depends on how many ideas I get.


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## Aya the Abysswalker (Mar 23, 2012)

Wontlookdown said:


> I know right? Depends on how many ideas I get.


I hope you don't fall on that mistake.

Off-topic: how did you get that gif on your sign?


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## Max (Aug 14, 2014)

Aya Saves the World said:


> I hope you don't fall on that mistake.
> 
> Off-topic: how did you get that gif on your sign?


Same.

I just re-sized it and uploaded it onto my signature.


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## Aya the Abysswalker (Mar 23, 2012)

Wontlookdown said:


> Same.
> 
> I just re-sized it and uploaded it onto my signature.


Really? I cannot find a way to upload images into my sign any more.


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## Max (Aug 14, 2014)

Aya Saves the World said:


> Really? I cannot find a way to upload images into my sign any more.


Go to your settings and edit your signature. Then scroll down to where it says signature picture and upload one there.


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## Aya the Abysswalker (Mar 23, 2012)

Wontlookdown said:


> Go to your settings and edit your signature. Then scroll down to where it says signature picture and upload one there.


OH! Thanks!


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## Max (Aug 14, 2014)

Aya Saves the World said:


> OH! Thanks!


No problem at all


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## Serenade (Sep 9, 2014)

Wontlookdown said:


> I blame Twilight for fucking up vampires.


Diamond skin vampires!!!!

Ooooh. Sparkly :crazy: Let me cut off some skin and wear it on me finger! 

IMO, the super-power bit went too far. Turning into mists, mind-control over certain animals, hypnosis, animal metamorphism was better than mind reading. And vampires already have super-strength by sucking blood.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

Serenade said:


> I Turning into mists, mind-control over certain animals, hypnosis, animal metamorphism was better than mind reading.


Ahhhh Beckett <3


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