Children of the Night

Dan Simmons offers a captivating reexamination of the vampire mythos. He delves deep into the pseudo (blood) science and the Eastern European roots of it all, doing an excellent job. However, this might potentially distract from the overall story and characterizations. Set mainly in Romania, the book follows a leading American blood specialist. As she begins to uncover some truly strange yet wonderful things about the blood of a discarded orphan in Romania, the plot unfolds.

The story seems to have its strengths in its exploration of the vampire lore's scientific and cultural aspects. Simmons' detailed research is evident, which adds an interesting layer to the narrative.

However, some readers might feel that the focus on these elements detracts from the development of the main story and the characters. The book received a rating of 6 out of 12.

2017 read

Iskreno, ovo je za jednu zvezdicu.

However, there were a few moments that I liked.

So, let's not be too strict.

Maybe two stars would be more appropriate.

The overall experience wasn't bad, but it also wasn't outstanding.

There were some aspects that could have been improved.

For example, the service could have been a bit faster.

And the quality of the food could have been better.

But still, there were those few moments that made it worth considering.

Perhaps with a few changes, this could become a really great place.

Until then, two stars will have to do.

I have had an issue over the years remembering which Dan Simmons book I liked and which one I didn't. Was it Summer of Night or Children of the Night?

I had a chance to download a free audiobook, and I chose Children. Oh, how I wish I hadn't.

I first read both of these books as a teen, after devouring the Hyperion series. A significant number of years has passed since then, and because the titles are so similar, I simply couldn't remember which book was which. Well, after about an hour of listening, I realized that this was the book that I did not like. Even all these years later, I still don't have any affinity for it. I truly tried...I really did, but I just cannot endure all this medical jargon; it's mind-numbingly boring.

The narrator is quite fine, and I thought he did an excellent job, especially when reading the portions that were from Dracula's point of view. However, the fault with this audiobook lies with the story itself, not the narrator.

I am changing my rating of this book down to three stars. It's Dan Simmons, so it's clearly well-written. I just think it could have been edited and trimmed a great deal more, and then the pacing would have picked up considerably. As it stands now, I cannot even listen to any more of this tale. I'm throwing in the towel and giving up.

A heartfelt bravo and a cap tip to Danny Simmons for breathing fresh air into the crowded, stale world of the vampire.

Overall, I am giving this one a solid 4 stars. However, there are aspects here that are easily 5 star (or even 6 star) worthy, making this a must read for fans of "classic" vampire fiction. The basic plot involves an American research team traveling to post-Ceaucescu Romania to investigate AIDS cases in orphanages and discovers a child whose unique blood chemistry may hold the cure for both AIDS and cancer.

While I'm not someone who consumes a steady diet of vampire fiction, I have read quite a bit of fang banger fare over the years, including a number of the classics. For the purposes of discussing "classic" vampire stories, I am discounting YA books like the Twilight series and the very popular paranormal romance/urban fantasy novels that may have vampires as characters. Instead, I am referring to stories that explore the origin and evolution of vampires or provide a new/fresh insight into the vampire mythos.

With the above in mind, coming into this book, I had 4 books/series that I referred to as the “benchmark books” for quality vampire fiction.

1. Dracula by Bram Stoker: The first (and arguably the best) vampire story ever written.

2. Agyar by Steven Brust: Arguably the most unique vampire story I have ever read, where the word vampire is never used. This book shows the vampire as a tragic, lonely figure in a contemporary setting and is truly an exceptional work.

3. Complete Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice: I read these books when they first came out. While I would not rate them as highly today, they were revolutionary in creating the popular image of vampires as “sex symbols” while maintaining a dark, violent and very unique mythos regarding their origin and behavior. I would say that these books were the blueprint from which the watered down and commercialized Twilightish stories come from.

4. The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro: I know a lot of people didn't like this book, but it was unique in that it was the very first time I ever came across a vampire story that showed the “transformation” from normal to vampire through the tragic eyes of the newly turned vampire as he/she struggled against the compulsion to kill their loved ones in order to satisfy their bloodlust. I thought these scenes were incredibly compelling and brought a brand new perspective to the vampire mythos.

Honorable mention to I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, Some of Your Blood by Theodore Sturgeon, DRACULAS and Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons.

Children of the Night now joins this pantheon of benchmarks for classic vampire novels for two big reasons. First, is the treatment of the vampire virus as a scientifically explained phenomenon that actually makes sense. The description of everything from how one becomes a vampire to why they must drink blood to why they live so long and have “unique” abilities are all dealt with from a medical/biological viewpoint that I found unique and compelling. Second, and my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PART OF THE BOOK, are the interlude sections told from the viewpoint of Vlad Tepes (historical basis for Dracula). I thought this was the most viciously seductive and brutaltastic portrayal of Dracula that I have ever seen. The “voice” of Vlad is just oozing with power and sadism, and his casual manner of explaining his life and his actions is both disturbing and riveting.

So why “only” 4 stars? Well, there are a few gripe worthy offenses in the book. The plot, while fairly interesting, is not as compelling as I would have liked and drags a bit under its own weight. Plus, except for Vlad Tepes, the rest of the characters were fairly two dimensional, and I wasn't as invested in their fate as I would have liked. That lack of deep connection with characters always kills some of the dramatic tension and thus reduces enjoyment.

Still, this is a novel that I highly recommend. The book is certainly a good read, and the sections dealing with Dracula are stuffed full of amazing.

4.0 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Nominee: Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel

Winner: Locus Award for Best Dark Fantasy/Horror novel.

P.S. I listened to the audio version of this book read by “George Ralph” and I thought he did a good job overall and thought his reading of the “Vlad” sections were truly inspired.

The carefully honed legend of Vlad Dracula grew even sharper, and its reach extended to the hearts of the enemies. 3.75 ⭐

Initial Thoughts
The world always craves more vampire novels, not those sparkly Twilight ones, but the bloodthirsty killers of old. Dan Simmons is a wonderful writer, and I've been a huge fan since reading Summer of Night, The Terror, and the astonishing Hyperion. After enjoying his debut horror novel Song of Kali, it was time for Children of the Night. This one won Simmons the 1993 Locus award for best horror, setting my expectations high.

The Story
This book offers a unique take on vampires, revolving around a rare blood disorder. It begins in post-communist Romania, where an American foreign aid party witnesses the horrors in hospitals, especially for orphaned babies with AIDS. The story then jumps to Kate Neuman, an American hematologist, who becomes enamored with a sickly infant and tries to get him to the States with the help of priest Mike O'Rourke.

The Writing
Simmons is a fantastic writer. The book starts strongly, with great descriptions of the towns and villages. The flashbacks to Vlad Tepes are the best parts, brutally disturbing and beautifully written. However, there are some negatives. There's a lot of complex technical discussion about blood diseases, which might turn off some readers. Also, the book seems to be in two parts. The first half is great, but the second half becomes like a Hollywood action movie with a forced romance, and the story suffers.

The Characters
The main issue with this book is the characters. Simmons' reimagining of Vlad Tepes is well done, but that's about it. The main character, Kate Neuman, starts well but morphs into an action hero who's hard to believe. Michael O'Rourke also starts well but drops off due to a forced romance.

Final Thoughts
I love Dan Simmons, but Children of the Night was mediocre. It started great with a fascinating scientific explanation for vampires, but the narrative unraveled in the second half. After loving Summer of Night, this was a bit of a disappointment, but it was still worth a read for the interesting take on the science behind vampires. I hope to see this continued with a more composed narrative.

And on that note, thanks for reading and...cheers!

Dan Simmons

I quit.

After reading almost 200 pages, I just can't continue with this one anymore. It's simply too boring. There is an excessive amount of science and medical jargon that makes it difficult for me to engage.

I'm certain that lab rats and science enthusiasts would be excited about all the research that Dan Simmons has done for this particular work. However, I'm sitting in the back of the room, thinking, "NO MORE!"

I've reached my limit and I'm done. Goodbye.

It's not that I don't appreciate the effort that went into the research, but the way it's presented just doesn't appeal to me. Maybe if it were more accessible and less technical, I would have been able to stick with it. But as it stands, I'm ready to move on to something else.

4.5 stars.

I find myself constantly fluctuating between a score of 4 or 5 for this book. It's truly a tough one to rank accurately.

"Children of the Night" offers an interesting perspective on vampires. In fact, it's worthy of having its own unique mythos. The book also features an excellent introduction by Simmons himself. In it, he recounts a visit to post-Ceauşescu Romania in search of the real Dracula (Vlad Tepes). During this visit, he comes to understand the true plight of the Romanian people. None are more imperiled than the thousands of sickly and unwanted orphans filling countless hospital wards and orphanages.

Dan Simmons expertly portrays the brutality of this life as he weaves his story of a mother's fight to recover her stolen child.

Kate Neuman is a thirty-something immunologist working in the grim halls of Bucharest's District One Hospital. The grind is taking its toll on her. She cares deeply about every patient she encounters, but the corrupt and unsympathetic still hold sway in Romania. The supply of adequate medical resources is secondary to the needs of the Baroni and their immediate puppets.

Kate's work brings her into contact with a sickly infant. By chance, it's discovered that blood transfusions, even when the wrong blood is given, reverse the child's crippling illness, at least in the short term.

Circumstances lead to Kate adopting the child and then returning home to the United States with her 'new' son. At the CDC center in Boulder, Colorado, it's discovered that baby Joshua has a mutant growth on the wall of his stomach. This strange tumor enables him to digest and flourish on blood. Further investigation shows that Joshua has a recessive gene illness, and it seems likely this flawed gene may be a familial trait. Joshua is not alone.

Shortly after learning the bizarre nature of her son's illness, Kate is attacked and Joshua is stolen away from her. So, with the help of some old friends (including Mike O'Rourke from Simmons' earlier "Summer of Night"), the hunt begins for her child's abductors. It's a journey that will take Kate halfway across the world, leading her through ancient towns and cities towards a confrontation with a figure from history, a man who should not, cannot still be alive. A man who was once feared and revered by his people, even though they knew him to be a strigio.

Dan Simmons is a very literate author, and this makes the book a smooth read. The opening two-thirds of the book is excellent. However, anyone who dislikes being bombarded with scientific facts may not agree. But the science didn't bother me. Neither did the overly descriptive prose that details various routes through and settlements in the beaten-down Romania.

I can overlook such minor flaws because the book is interspersed with chapters titled "Dreams of Blood And Iron." These first-person narratives are beautifully written accounts of historical violence. Well done, Mr. Simmons.

Unfortunately, one area where the book falls short is that D.S. paints the protagonists into such a tight spot that things have to get a little ridiculous. Yes, I know, militarized gangs of fangsters ruling over Eastern Europe is already ridiculous, but there's ridiculous, and then there's really ridiculous.

Seriously, Kate Neuman is more kick-ass than Bourne, Bond, and Bauer combined, stoked on amphetamines and fully armed.

Even with the slightly far-fetched ending, "Children of the Night" is a very good read about vampires. It presents a genuinely fascinating scientific explanation for such creatures while still leaving enough substance to satisfy vampire fans.

With tension-filled scenes and flawed yet believable characters, I'd say it's definitely worth picking up a copy of this novel.

Eto meni se ovo nije svidjelo. I was really disappointed with this. I had expected a more interesting plot. The beginning, when they entered Romania, was both interesting and thrilling. One could imagine the situation of the people there. However, then everything just fizzled out and became dull. There was nothing special at all.

It seems like the story had a lot of potential at the start, but it failed to maintain that excitement and momentum. Maybe the author could have developed the characters more or added some unexpected twists and turns to make it more engaging. As it is now, it just feels like a wasted opportunity.

I hope that in the future, the author will put more effort into creating a more captivating and memorable story. There is definitely room for improvement, and I look forward to seeing what they come up with next.