Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Every once in a while a reviewer sees a title and instantly thinks, I have to read this. But how to review it? First, the synopsis. As a boy Abe Lincoln lost his beloved mother to illness. Later he learns her sickness was not caused by the perils of frontier life, but by something more insidious: a vampire. His heartbreak turns to rage, and so begins a lifelong quest to annihilate the scourge infecting his country. Along the way he is aided by an unlikely mentor, a series of sidekicks, a few guest stars, and an arsenal of weapons. After starting a family, Abe decides to hang up his axe and fight evil in the political realm rather than the supernatural one—but in Washington DC he finds the two are intertwined more deeply than he could have imagined. The history of vampires in America is as dark as the history of slavery, and both will take a war to eradicate.
At this point likely half of readers have curled their lip in indignation, and the other half are thinking, I have to read this. The bottom line is, if you think you’d like this book, you’ll love it. If you’re sure you’d hate it, you’ll probably prove yourself right. More than a parody but less than a joke, preposterous without mockery, well-constructed but self-aware, equal parts absurd, audacious, exciting, and endearing—this is a book not easily categorized but easily enjoyed. Some devices are repetitious, and the “illustrations” are ridiculous, but the altered history feels authentic and the storytelling is excellent. A book like this either works or it doesn’t—this book works. If you’re up for something different, check out of reality and enjoy the gory, messy, blood-splattered fun.
