This is a very interesting take on the whole vampy idea. It presents a unique perspective that catches the reader's attention.

The accompanying image, which can be accessed via the provided link, adds a visual element to enhance the overall experience. The animated gif shows something that seems to be related to the vampy concept, perhaps a ninja-bunny slurping blood as indicated by the title.

Although a full review is promised to come soonish, this short description and the image already give the reader a sense of what to expect. It makes one curious to know more about the details of this vampy idea and how it is developed.

The rating of 4 Ninja-Bunnehs-Slurpin'-Blood is an interesting and creative way to rate the concept, adding a touch of fun and playfulness. Overall, this piece has piqued the interest of the reader and left them eager to read the full review when it becomes available.

Yikes. At the beginning, this seemed really promising with some truly dark and grim images and goings-on. It had the potential to be a captivating piece.

However, it quickly took a turn and became overwhelmingly scientific. The medical jargon was just so excessive that it was difficult to follow. In fact, I'm not even sure if any of it was actual facts or if it was just completely imagined.

Conclusion: There was simply too much science and not enough of everything else. It felt as if the author got so caught up in the scientific details that they forgot about the other important aspects that make a story engaging, such as character development, plot, and emotional connection.

Overall, it was a bit of a letdown considering how well it started. Maybe with a better balance between the scientific and the other elements, it could have been a great piece.

Simmons did a truly masterful job with the vampire legend.

This novel takes a hard sci-fi approach to horror, which means it delves deep into scientific concepts to establish a sense of authenticity.

For the average person who is not well-versed in lab work, chemistry, or blood analysis, some of the science in this book can be quite challenging.

However, Simmons does such a great job of establishing verisimilitude that even if you don't fully understand all the technical details, you can still get the general idea.

Personally, I understood some of it, but I was able to follow the story and appreciate the overall concept.

Either you enjoy the technical aspect and the authenticity it brings, or you don't.

If you don't, don't worry because the scientific explanations are not overly long and drawn out. They are presented early in the story and then the focus shifts to the characters and the plot.

If you do enjoy the technical details, then this book will work on many levels for you.

After establishing the plausibility of the story, Simmons creates several tense scenes and likable characters.

He then takes them on a journey that had me reading this book non-stop.

The pace and intensity pick up as the book nears the climax, proving that Simmons is a master at building suspense and finishing a book well.

Certain authors write with the end game in mind from page one, and this book definitely reads like it.

This title made me a Dan Simmons fan. I already liked his sci-fi novels, but I have a particular affinity for hard sci-fi when it is well written, and this book definitely fits the bill.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good horror story with a scientific twist.

Ten nights deal with Romania after emerging from a multi-decade communist dictatorship. The people finally start freely enjoying the flows of capitalism, democracy, and the free market. In this festival of freedom, the ordinary people begin to see the true truth. That is, the truly better future that awaits them. The corpses of the dead, who died for a free and democratic Romania and lie on the streets of Bucharest, have not even cooled yet, and the politicians of the old regime have already changed sides to stay in power. That part of the democratic opposition that sat in the chairs quickly became corrupt with the dollars and marks (German, not postal) of foreign investors willing to invest in a country with cheap labor, lax social laws, and no ecological norms. Former members of the infamous Securitate are now members of a completely democratic secret police that completely legally monitors ordinary citizens and suspicious foreigners, who, by misusing corrupt or bought union leaders, organize workers' demonstrations against disobedient politicians and, from time to time, also know how to, in a democratic way, kill. All for mother Romania.

Even the infamous Count Dracula is portrayed as an American imperialist mogul who returns to his old homeland to subjugate it with his capital.

Does it sound familiar?

The story of vampires is secondary here compared to the story of Romanian society in transition. Descriptions of the conditions in their slums and hospitals, as well as the neglect of medical staff, are what leave the strongest impression on the reader. There are also descriptions of a very inefficient and bloated, but therefore very corrupt, state administration that suffocates the entire society. And sometimes, with its neglect, it even kills some members of that society.

In Serbia, that misfortune that we feel while reading the novel takes on the features of fear and horror when we realize that in Serbia in 2016 we are living through the Romania of 1991. Romania has made some steps forward in the past twenty-five years, skipped some, and Serbia still remains where it is.

Under the rule of a vampire thirsty for human blood.

Forever.

⭐️1,5/5

Until recently, I guaranteed that I would read everything that came out from the pen of Dan Simmons. Literally everything - even erotica or fictionalized "Pilgrim". I take that back! It turns out that the writer who created the work bordering on a masterpiece of the genre "Hyperion" and the almost equally brilliant "Terror" and "Abomination" is responsible for a shockingly mediocre novel, whose level rather indicates the authorship of Graham Masterton than one of the most outstanding creators of ambitious popular literature.

What happened here? By what miracle did this book come out of the drawer? I don't know, I really have no idea. I could still understand if "Children of the Night" were one of Simmons' first works - but no! This book appeared after the excellent "Hyperions", the great "The Terror" and the even better "Summer of Night". So what didn't work in "Children of the Night"? It would be quicker and easier to write what decently came out, because the list of shortcomings and deficiencies is kilometers long. TL;DR: Everything didn't work - except for the author's introduction explaining the circumstances of the book's creation.
"Children of the Night" had great potential - setting the action in Romania just after the fall of Nicolae Ceausescu's regime, incorporating Romanian folklore and legends into the plot, or finally focusing the story around the famous mythical vampires and the figure of Dracula himself. From such ingredients, an original, terrifying and exciting horror novel could have been cooked up. However, an extremely clumsy mess came out. In the plot, absurd chases absurd at the speed of light, clichés and banalities rule, the deeds and decisions of the characters as well as the events are so unlikely and devoid of logic that from constantly rolling my eyes, I got an inflammation of the eyelids, and the unintentional comicality contained in this story as a side effect provided me with a good dose of abdominal muscle exercises. I'll say it again - I have no idea what happened here! In this book, there is at most 5% of Simmons. For most of the novel, it reads like Masterton's literary rubbish, for a couple of chapters, Robin Cook, who is currently in a weak writing form with his medical revelations, sneaks in, and at the end, even Indiana Jones and James Bond (without his passionate toys) show up! One big festival of stupidity and absurdities. The characters also do not save this book even to the slightest degree - none, shallow, soulless, cliched to the point of pain. Closer to dolls than to people of flesh and blood. Character traits? None were found! The main heroine (supposedly) is one of the best hematologists in the United States. If all the medical hopes of medicine in the US can boast of an intelligence and quick-wittedness ratio similar to that of the heroine - I would not want to be treated in an American hospital. Thank you, I don't want to say goodbye to this world so quickly, I want to live a little longer.

And already for all these follies like Dracula with his son - another Damien the "antichrist", the presence on the pages of the book of Hussein and Hitler or Ceausescu serving the King of Vampires, one could more or less close one's eyes and treat "Children of the Night" as a comedy, a kind of literary curiosity, a very entertaining break from more serious readings. Oh, another mediocre, dense novel full of idiocy, nothing new - lately we have a real flood of such. However, Simmons, to which readers were already accustomed by his previous works (only with undoubtedly better execution and result than here), decided to reach for real events from history, the political and social situation of the country that is exactly the "base" of his novel and incorporate these elements into the plot. So we get a book from the series "The American Explains Europe to the European". "Children of the Night" is an encyclopedia of harmful stereotypes, generalizations and lies about Romania. The image of this country and its inhabitants emerging from this novel cries out for revenge to heaven. Simmons' Romania is a dark, dirty, backward country, and Romanians are presented as uneducated, cultureless and with lowly tastes, peasants whose profession is illegal trade in orphans. The end.

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3.5*

This book is very entertaining indeed. The story is engaging and keeps the reader hooked from start to finish. However, for someone like me who loves vampire action, there just wasn't enough of it. I found myself longing for more intense and thrilling scenes involving the vampires. That being said, the author is always a competent story teller. He has a way of creating vivid characters and a believable world. Even though this particular book didn't quite meet my expectations in terms of vampire action, I still enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it to others who are looking for an entertaining read, but perhaps not those who are specifically seeking a lot of vampire action.

Not a good read. When I was complaining about the book, my wife said I should start my review that way, lol. My hypothesis is that Dan took a long research trip to Romania (he refers to this in his afterward), and felt compelled to write the details of each car trip, sight, town, motorcycle, and any other travelog detail he used to justify his trip. There are so many long stretches of car rides, motorcycle rides, and every other means of travel - including crawling and rock climbing. It's really quite bizarre.

As for the story, there was very little to it. It starts as a bit of a medical drama, spends a lot of time in politics and poverty, wallowing in the misfortune of a truly miserable part of the world (historically, in real life - the people refer to their misfortune as being "in the blood"). The plot was weaker than the average game of Resident Evil - or just about on par with one, at least.

Man... I can't recommend this to anyone. It doesn't even read like Dan Simmons wrote it. There are shades of Carrion Comfort that he apparently had yet to get out of his system (I think that's the novel he wrote right before this one). Maybe there were some attempts to take horror fiction in a James Bond route - but, oof: no.

Another great scary read by Dan Simmons.

The descriptions of the horrendous orphanages of Ceaușescu's regime in Romania are truly harrowing. Simmons does an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of the squalor, neglect, and abuse that the children endured.

Despite the disturbing subject matter, the book is a great escapist read. It takes you to a different time and place, and allows you to forget about your own problems for a while.

If you can handle the intense and often graphic descriptions, then this book is well worth your time. It's a powerful and thought-provoking work that will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one.

It truly exceeded my expectations. What really stood out to me was the different path that Simmons took on vampires.

Instead of following the typical and overdone vampire tropes, he brought a fresh and unique perspective to the concept.

The way he developed the vampire lore and the characteristics of the vampires in this story was truly fascinating.

It added a new layer of depth and complexity to the narrative, making it all the more engaging and captivating.

I found myself completely immersed in the world that Simmons created, eagerly turning the pages to see what would happen next.

This book has definitely become one of my favorites in the vampire genre, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a refreshing and original take on vampires.

Not really a review, but just giving a heads up to fans of Summer of Night.

In Children of the Night, we get to see what Michael O’Roarke is up to as an adult. It's quite interesting to follow his journey and see how he has evolved over the years.

Next up, Fires of Eden where we’re reacquainted with another SON character, Cordie. This new installment promises to bring back the magic and mystery that made Summer of Night so beloved. Fans are surely excited to see what adventures Cordie will embark on and how her story will unfold.

Both of these books offer a unique opportunity for fans to revisit the world of Summer of Night and explore the lives of its characters further. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just discovering the series, these books are definitely worth checking out.

So, keep an eye out for Children of the Night and Fires of Eden, and get ready to be immersed in the captivating world of Summer of Night once again.

Well, it is truly remarkable to leave it to Dan Simmons to bring a refreshing twist to a rather stale genre.

When Mr. Simmons is not engaged in extensive historical research for his mammoth works like 'Drood' or 'The Terror', it seems he delves deep into extremely descriptive and complex scientific research for his vampire tale, 'Children of the Night'.

Nearly every vampire story has some element of "cheese" within its pages. This genre has often veered towards being a bit more hokey rather than坚守 its initial horror roots. However, 'Children of the Night' and its author Dan Simmons have decided to maintain those roots and add something extra to the mix: realism. Simmons weaves scientific research into his take on Dracula, effectively tricking the reader into believing that this fiction is anything but. With 'Drood' and 'The Terror', Simmons introduced readers to his "Historical-Horror". Now, with 'Children of the Night', Simmons showcases his other genre, "Scientific-Horror".

Think of vampire stories as a triangle. The bottom left corner is Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot', the top point is Bram Stoker's 'Dracula', and the bottom right corner might just be Dan Simmons' 'Children of the Night'. This unique placement emphasizes the distinctiveness and innovation that Simmons brings to the vampire genre.

This is one of those books that I knew early on I wasn't going to like much. And as it turns out, I was right.

If you have a penchant for traditional vampire stories, ones that are set in the Carpathian Mountains and feature a bad guy with roots in Vlad Tepes' family tree, then chances are you'll probably enjoy this book. However, for me, it simply didn't hold much appeal.

I have to admit, though, that I do dig the pulpy cover. It has a certain charm that catches the eye and makes you curious about what lies within. But unfortunately, in this case, the cover was more interesting than the actual content of the book.

Perhaps if I had a different taste in vampire literature or if I was more inclined towards the traditional aspects of the genre, I might have had a different opinion. But as it stands, this book just didn't do it for me.