Once Bitten is an anthology centering on the character of Dracula. Full disclosure that I was included in this anthology, so this is more of a reflection on the other stories than a typical review.
The editors challenged the authors to be creative when writing their short stories. No retellings of Dracula, no same-old vampire tropes, no fan fiction of copyrighted material. The response was amazing. Nearly every speculative fiction genre was covered in addition to horror: science-fiction, western, historical, comedy, action-thriller, and fantasy. Dracula / vampires could be good or bad, living now or some other time, a humorous victim or a dispenser of terror. The settings vary from North America to a different planet.
Are you seeking romance and less horror? “Love Sucks” will do the trick. Or a twisty tale of a vampire coming back to life? “Fit to Kill” will scratch that itch. For those who like to read about vampires but less about the gore that accompanies them, try “The Pale New Kid” and “Children of the Night, Singing Sweetly.” Perhaps you like action. You’ll find it in old boarding schools (“Secrets in the Shadows”) or out of this galaxy (“Eyes Full of Stars”). You may be in the mood for the misadventures of a bloodsucker in “There Goes the Neighborhood,” laughing at the vampire’s expense. The last four stories fit more squarely in the horror genre. “Blood on the Throne” is historical horror fiction centering on the rise of Dracula along with another powerful figure in the past. “Screeched” continues the strange occurrences in Sardis County as well as deepening the relationship between two of its residents. “Substitutions,” with its unique voice, is truly frightening as the reader is ahead of the characters, watching the results without being able to warn them. And “Moonmist Eve,” builds an eerie world of human slaves to vicious vampires, bordering (but not crossing into) the territory of grimdark.
Once Bitten has something for every vampire lover whether you favor Dracula, Barnaby, Edward, or Grandpa Munster.
Note: The graphic below was created by Jessica Tanner. The sentence is the first line of my offering.
