V XXX: SPECIAL EDITION COMPENDIUM (Alexandrian Archives, 2010)
Review by Dave Wolff
Author: G.L. Giles
When I interviewed G.L. Giles for issue 14 of Autoeroticasphyxium, and she described the imagination and hard work that went into her Vampire Vignettes series, I knew I had discovered something unique to vampire lore. As someone who was fascinated by vampires, werewolves, zombies and space aliens (not to mention The Munsters and The Addams Family) from a young age, I imagine my childhood would have been quite humdrum without these otherworldly beings to explore my own imagination with. I remember perusing a graphic adaptation of Dracula at twelve, being more attracted to the mystique than horrified, and desiring more fiction to satisfy my curiosity. This turned out to be a positive interest in the following years since it gave my imagination a chance to run free. This has continued to recent years when I began to wonder what vampires were like once the tale had reached its conclusion. What is special about Giles’ series is that it presents vampires as real people, so to speak, as opposed to evil creatures bent on the destruction of humankind, as detractors prefer to see them. From the point of view of these night creatures, Giles presents vampires as beings capable of the same emotions and feelings as most human beings. Whether readers are encouraged of offended by this notion will ultimately reveal more about themselves than the author. For those of you who are still unacquainted with the series, it is largely based on Giles’ own background and experiences growing up socially and religiously nonconformist in the middle of the Bible Belt. Taking place in her native South Carolina, the saga chronicles the lives of vampires living unseen among humans, each with their own distinct personality and view of the mortal world around them. The first three books of the series are combined in a special reissue entitled V XXX: Special Edition Compendium, which enhances the epic story with illustrations that provide new perspectives on her vampires and the world they live in. With its uncommon character and plot development and inclusion of Wiccan mysticism, V XXX sheds new light on a series that has already resonated with many readers. V XXX is available online through alexandrianhouse.com and other major internet outlets.