Review by Peter Syslo
V3: THE VAMPIRE VIGNETTES REVAMPED (2007) is a novel by author G.L. Giles, which is available through Xlibris Publishing (www.xlibris.com). As described by Giles, it is a re-working or reorganization of two of her previous vampire novels, THE VAMPIRE VIGNETTES and V2:B4 (THE VAMPIRE VIGNETTES PREQUEL). In a nutshell, the novel is about several different vampires and several different humans, whose paths cross on the night of a South Carolina fair. In my opinion, Giles has crafted a thought-provoking and thoroughly satisfying vampire novel, which also brings a lot of originality to the iconic, blood-drinking character.
When it comes to horror characters, monsters, etc., the vampire is definitely my favorite. I've always loved the character and I enjoy seeing the character develop and change with the times. That "changing with the times" is what I feel Giles has accomplished in this novel. What I loved most about the story was Giles' amazing, intelligent, and highly-detailed explanation of the vampire as a "species". She explains that there a various kinds of vampires: the strongest and original "bloodline" vampires are called Vampyres; next there are Water Vamps, who I picture as being dark mermaid types of characters (they came into being from Vampyres mating with Sirens); next, there are puberty-born vampires who are the strongest of the "vampire-with-an-i" type; then you have vampires who are made, through the well-known bite on the neck; and lastly, you have the Sanguine and Psychic vampires, who are human and are the lowest on the food chain. That is the heirarc hy Giles has laid forth and a lot of the story is contingent upon the understanding of that.
I thoroughly enjoyed Giles "rules" for her vampires. Yes, they are a lot "in line" with the classic/traditional concepts, but there are a few twists. Sunlight can still kill a vampire (I will just use that term to mean all and any kind of vampire in the novel), but strong, direct moonlight can kill a vampire as well (it is a reflection of sunlight). She explains how and why vampires sleep under beds and not in coffins. She includes a side story about the use of synthetic blood and notably, these vampires can drink from a victim after death. Also, Giles goes into uncharted territory by delving into the area of Quantum physics, suggesting that vampires contain matter and anti-matter, within their bodies (there is a strong theme, throughout the novel, of energy and nature). What Giles does is bring some very fresh ideas to the table but still remains faithful to the vampire that we have come to love.
Speaking of which (and another thing I love about the book) is the fact that she preserves the vampire as a powerful, mysterious, complex, passionate, and feared entity. I think that is important in any portrayal of the vampire (that is one of the things I enjoy about the character). For instance, the vampire at the heart of the story, Vladina, is written as a vampire from the Old World, who is a vicious killer and who uses long-outdated (and frowned-upon) killing methods. But, she does have a past and she has a human side to her which still feels. Vladina visits her ancestral, human mother's grave to pay tribute and she reminisces about past events in her life. Giles includes that level of "depth" in each of the vampires in the novel and I feel that that "depth" is what makes a great vampire tale (for me, at least).
Overall, I like Giles' writing style and I thought that the whole organization of the book was unique. I liked that she built a small subplot around each character, developed each character, and set up scenarios where each character would become a victim or a victor. One of the main themes of the book is the principle of Karma and the way that energy works in The Universe. The novel truly embodies that principle of "what you give is what you receive" . There is a whole Karmic "leveling" which takes place and culminates in the climax; I thought it was a nice touch to a very deep story. Some of the characters get what they deserve, some prevail in the face of defiance; Giles sets up a whole universal justice system that governs humans as well as vampires. Also, I must note that she includes a little social commentary in all of her characters - from the drug subculture to abusive, deadbeat parents - there is a subtext that is present but, thankfully, it d oesn't keep beating you over the head.
Gnawing through the flesh: I really liked Giles' approach to the vampire and I feel that she has taken the character to some new levels. In a lot of ways, Giles remains faithful and respectful to the classic vampire and it is nice that she maintains that iconic "identity" of the character. Also, the illustrations in the novel were superb and added to the overall experience of the story. The only thing that I questioned, about the novel, was the interweaving storylines of the multiple characters. At certain points, I did feel momentarily "lost" and it took me a page or two to get back into the swing of things. There is a lot going on in the novel and occasionally I felt that the vampires (the stars of the show) took a bit of a backseat to their human counterparts. But, that's just me; I loved Giles' vampires and I wanted as much of them as I could get. In essence, Giles has created a vampire tale which brings fresh life to a well-loved, but still unexpl ored character. I will be reading it again and I highly recommend it to any fan of the vampire genre. I give it a 9/10.