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Average Customer Rating:

Make Sure You Already Know a Lot on Vampires...

Customer Rating:

That book covers a lot, and honestly if you are unfamiliar with the topics dealt with, then you will feel lost at times; but that is hardly avoidable considering the quite impressive span of the work in question. This being said, the style is very humorous and punny, so provided you're familiar with the material discussed there, you'll like this book. Yet, if you hate Psychoanalysis and/or Freudism (cheap psychoanalysis) then you may have some issues. Of course, the book doesn't discuss psychoanalysis, since it's not its point, but it's essentially a Freudian reading, and if you disagree with Freud's theories (the primal tribe and stuff like that) then you may shake your head now and then. But that won't be a problem at all if you're looking for deepened analysis of Vampire-ness.

An interesting book, but consider this before you read it...

Customer Rating:

Lawrence Rickels has a very particular writing style that is often frowned upon because the 'average' reader cannot really handle it. It is jargonistic, self-inflating, self-validating, and extremely complex. Like many other writers of critical theory, Rickels is engaging in a discourse for those 'in the know.' This is not an introductory book on the subject of vampyrism, and I would not recommend it to any reader if they are not at first familar with contemporary psychoanalytic theory. I enjoy reading Rickels' writing because he loves to play around with word puns in a very witty way. Perhaps a better introduction to Rickels' writings would be his many short articles in various art exhibition catalogues (check your local university library). I do not think I would have enjoyed this book had I not had the opportunity to listen to Rickels' lectures. This book requires an active reader who is willing to struggle with the text (that is the beauty of theory, right? A sort of painful pleasure). That said, it can be rewarding if you are up for a challenge.

invitation	Customer Rating:
This book made me feel like I was being drained for the change. The author's language or way of thinking took me by surprise, put the bite on me, and then left me there. I am thinking his thoughts! As the title admits, this isn't another book about vampirism; it participates in vampirism: vampire lectures. Enter free willingly.

this was a bad book

Customer Rating:

When you first read this book you think to yourself how insightful and unique its contents were. Upon further analysis, however, you realize how absurd and useless the information really is. Lets give credit where it's due, this book captures you, so much in fact that you forget to question anything being written and assume as truth whatever Rickels is trying to say. This author makes it seem as though he is just trying to "sound smart" if I may resort to grade school type critique. The analysis is ridiculous and the complexity of the style in which it was written is unnecessary. I do not recommend this book to anyone studying vampires unless they are insane.

Technical but True

Customer Rating:

I bought this book along with several others because I was researching vampires. This is a great book but very technical. I believe it is written more for college students and people who would understand university 'lingo'. The book goes in depth into the psychological theories concerning vampires, why people believe in them, and even certain books like Dracula! I would recommend this book for any college or university level student or graduate who is interested in vampires.