Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter [Hardcover]

 

 

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I was a little apprehensive about reading this book, but am very glad that I did. It is very well written while being kind of creepy and hard to believe at the same time. I can't imagine that Abraham Lincoln was ever a vampire hunter, but after reading this book - who knows? Anything is possible! This is definitely a story worth reading - but maybe not right before going to sleep!

I've seen the various titles and covers and had avoided this mash up genre up til now. I think the cover of Seth Grahame-Smith's previous best seller Pride and Prejudice and Zombies scared me off.

But you know, I was pleasantly surprised and entertained! The premise is that Seth has stumbled upon the secret journals of Lincoln, not seen for 140 years. From these personal journals, Seth retells the true story of Lincoln's life.

I think this was the neat part. Historically the tale is factual. Lincoln's accomplishments, family and history are all there. It's the reason behind those achievements and drive that is the twist. Lincoln's mother was killed by a vampire and this is reason he has sworn to rid the country of this scourge. Armed with his trusty axe, Abe cuts a path through many vampires on his way to the presidency. (Reader and listener beware - there are some slightly graphic descriptions) Grahame-Smith is very creative in his retelling of this iconic American figure, exposing the real history behind the Civil War and the truth about John Wilkes Booth.

I listened to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter in audio format. The reader, Scott Holst, was very good. He captured the sonorous tones of Lincoln and the oddly formal tones and language of the vampire Henry equally well. I was able to easily differentiate between the various characters.

I don't think I'll become a die hard fan of the mash up, but I did find it to be an entertaining listen.

I must admit that I didn't really know what to expect when my contact at Hachette sent this one my way. Like many, I had heard about this author via the noise made by the popularity of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. My gut kept telling me that this novel wasn't quite up my alley, but my curiosity was piqued in a way that prevented me from giving it a pass.

Since I needed light and entertaining stuff to keep me from opening my veins out of boredom during my 26 hours of transit to get to and from Southeast Asia, and during my long bus rides across Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, I decided to bring Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter with me.

Here's the blurb:

Indiana, 1818. Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother's bedside. She's been stricken with something the old-timers call "Milk Sickness.""My baby boy..." she whispers before dying. Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother's fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire. When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, ""henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose.".." Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House. While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon "The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln," and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years. Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the "true" life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.

Seth Grahame-Smith's rewriting of American history turned out to be a fun read. At times, the author stretches the limits of credibility while incorporating vampires in the great tapestry which forms the backdrop for what became the Land of the Free. And yet, if you can do with a little suspension of belief here and there, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter makes for an entertaining read. History buffs could likely take this book apart, sure. But truth suffers from too much analysis anyway. . .

The novel follows the steps that saw Abraham Lincoln go from a young man to the President of the United States of America. Though I know enough of American history, I'm not conversant enough on the topic to say whether or not the author did a great job in his portrayal of Lincoln and the events which led to his becoming president. Making vampires the driving force behind every significant event of that epoch is a bit much, mind you, yet people buying a book titled Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter are probably prepared to deal with a few fantasy elements.

The characterization is a bit crooked at times. Abraham Lincoln, although a great man whose deeds have echoed down the centuries, may not have been the most endearing of men. Hence, it's a good thing the narrative doesn't necessarily rely on him to carry the story on his shoulders, because he can be a bit on the lame and boring side. Henry Sturges, on the other hand, was a very interesting character. Sadly, we don't get to learn much about the man.

Readers know the outcome of this one, as everyone has heard of Lincoln's fate. You feel like you can see the ending coming from a mile away. And yet, the author throws an unanticipated curveball toward the end that took me completely off-guard, and which brings this novel to a satisfying close.

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter is a light and compelling read. Probably not a work that people will be talking about in years to come, but a fun read nonetheless.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Honest vampire-killing Abe
Seth Grahame-Smith is well known for having turned Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" into a zombiefest, so what would he turn his gruesome imagination to next? Read more

Published 21 months ago by E. A Solinas

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