The current wave of vampire fiction is almost over and rightly so, English author Neil Gaiman opines in a brief interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“Vampires go in waves, and it kind of feels like we’re now finishing a vampire wave, because at the point where they’re everywhere it’s probably time to go back underground for another 20 years or another 25 years,” states Gaiman. At this point the interviewer asks him if society has reached “saturation point” for vampire fiction.
“I think so,” he adds, “and it definitely sort of feels like classical vampires have been around enough that if they could go back in their coffins 25 years and come out the next time as something really different, that would be cool.”
Adds Gaiman later on his blog:
“(And note that I’m not saying there’s anything bad about vampires, quite the opposite. Just that in a world in which a dozen people immediately write to me on Twitter to point out that I’ve got it wrong, as they are all writing Vampire stories, in which Vampires are now everywhere, is a world in which High Vampire Season is coming to an end). You shouldn’t be glutted with vampires: they should be a spice, not a food group.”
There is no doubt that the popularity of fiction, particularly romantic fiction, utilising vampires in modern day life has increased dramatically over the past few years; the popularity of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series being just the most obvious example. And of course Joss Whedon’s Buffy and Angel series did much to bring vampire ideas back into the popular consciousness.
There are Facebook books devoted to Meyer fans trying to find the next vampire romance book series, and it’s common in mainstream book stores to see one or another series of books advertised as being “the next Twilight“. In fact, some stores have whole shelves of such series.
Interestingly, alongside the Gaiman story, Entertainment Weekly is also running an interview with former head of Warner Books Larry Kirschbaum, who says he was skeptical about Twilight when Meyer was first signed:
“I called the editor and said basically, ‘Are you crazy? This is a first author, no platform, just a housewife, books about vampires. Do people really want to read that?”
Commentary
I don’t think we’ve reached saturation point yet, and in fact I think we’ve still got a fair way to go, judging by how interested Meyer fans are in the vampire romance genre, and how many new authors are focusing on it. I’m hoping, though, that that focus will throw up some real literary gems that will stand the test of time, along with the pulp.
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5 Responses to Vampire fiction wave almost over: Gaiman
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What this fails to mention is how poorly written, executed and otherwise conceived the majority of this vampire fiction is. Especially Twilight. I wouldn’t mind the trend if the books were half decent but they’re all such wastes of paper.
I don’t know what circles this writer travels in but he is so wrong. There are numerous people I know of writing these books. They may or may not be published but many nowadays get published by small publishers or self-publish. They may not get on the best sellers list but via certain small publishers some get picked up for films. Look at the movie Day Breakers. I don’t know why people pick on Stephanie Meyers…that movie was horrible. I don’t know if there was a book behind it but I didn’t take the time to find out. Not all who have degrees in creative writing and associated fields feel the same way about her books as far as quality. I know I have talked to them. It isn’t so much about the quality of the writing because the average person who reads horror/fantasy will not notice things an English teacher might notice. It is for entertainment. It is not a college thesis. I think some of the adults going on about this are as bad as the teens who are doing things because of the movies…they all should know better. There is nothing wrong with Twilight and I am a senior who has been writing for years. If you haven’t read all the books or at least watched the movies, you should not be critiquing them, because then it is just a matter of interest. If people aren’t interested in these stories I think that is fine, many don’t like horror tales but its also okay if others do like the movies and books. I am sure she is laughing all the way to the bank. I think she has been very gracious about all the rude people on the internet.
I SHALL AGREE WITH MR.LEMAY CONCERNING TO THE FACT THAT VAMPIRES WILL INVEVITABLY DISAPPEAR AND REMAIN FAR FROM NOVELS FOR A BUNCH OF YEARS. EVERY TOPIC THAT IS MASSIVE EXPLOITED TURNS OUT TO BECOME OLD FASHIONED AND CORNY. SO AFTER SOME TIME PEOPLE WILL TEND TO LAUGH AT YOUR FACE WHEN U MENTION VAMPIRES!
Please, God, let Gaiman be right and Lemay be wrong. I have had it up to HERE with vampires *indicates a point three miles above head*
Heh I think most people have — I certainly have!