Varney, the Vampyre Vol. 1
Gelesen von LibriVox Volunteers
Thomas Peckett Prest
(4,356 Sterne; 45 Bewertungen)
This is volume 1 of 3.
Originally published as a penny dreadful from 1845 until 1847, when it first appeared in book form, Varney the Vampyre is a forerunner to vampire stories such as Dracula, which it heavily influenced.
Flora Bannersworth is attacked in her own room in the middle of the night, and although her attacker is seemingly shot dead, the body is nowhere to be found. The discovery of two small bite marks on Flora's neck leads Mr Marchdale, an old friend of the family, to the conclusion that she was bitten by a vampire. While Flora recovers, her brother Henry and Mr Marchdale begin their hunt for the vampire. Their suspicions soon fall on the mysterious Sir Francis Varney, who has just bought an old abbey near Bannersworth Hall, and who bears an uncanny resemblance to Marmaduke Bannersworth, a long-dead ancestor of the family. (Summary by Annika Feilbach)
Note that the original text does not have chapters labeled 41-43. The chapters have been renumbered to be consecutive in this project. (21 hr 5 min)
Chapters
Bewertungen
null
(5 Sterne)
You have to consider when a work is written. There was Polidori's Byronic vampire, some romantic poems, mostly in German or translated from the German into mediocre English verse. There was no dracula, much less the modern vampires of horror movies or paranormal romance. We also should remember this story was published in weekly installments over years. The subplots help engage readers short term--not everybody read every issue. In the end, you either embrace victorian melodrama and purple prose or you don't. This is literature for the masses in an age before tv--Dark Shadows for the 1850s
Varney the Vampire, Vol 1 Review
May Jones
(4 Sterne)
The story is interesting but after 62 chapters is beginning to drag a bit. I'm starting to wonder what preternatural powers Varney is supposed to have? It appears he's NOT a vampire but, instead, a human acting like one and he is merely full of sideshow trickery and all word of mouth! His accomplice seems more "evil" than he is. This makes me wonder what can possibly be in a WHOLE TWO MORE VOLUMES? Is Varney a detective, in disguise, trying to catch ir round up a gang in murderes and bandits? I'll keep listening and hopefully not get bored and quit. Also, I'm not too keen on the narrators changing. Maybe one narrator per series would be more "relaxing" as some narrator voices are "annoying" and some accents are too thick.
Dreadful Penny
BoloResartus
(5 Sterne)
I have to do this....grin I had heard of this tale but never found it until later years. After reading it I was amazed at the level of possibility in mangling english prose. Buried in the bizarre syntax is a passable vampire story but the true horror lies in way the author uses language. Eldritch terror cannot match the feelings conjured by this...enjoy
fabulous
Jeff in Boston
(4 Sterne)
I really like this book. It basically is like a soap opera because it's written to be serialized so they're always introducing new things or characters and it has a narrator. The main character is a Varney, who is a vampire, but lives his life among the people.it is actually a very interesting story and I can't wait to read the rest.
Varney the Vampire
(5 Sterne)
this is only volume one of three. so far this is the best vampire story I have listened to. forgive me Bram Stoker. I love Dracula but this is better.
censorship
offsetairplane
(1 Sterne)
you censor words like damn and ithe so called blasphemysbut don't censor out the racist stuff? I'd rather you leave it all in or at least be consistent.
(5 Sterne)
Please, I beseech you; don't use Librivox to practice speaking English... it's excruciating to listen to you. Other readers were wonderful.
varney the vampire vol1
ronzed
(5 Sterne)
most enjoyable story and well read by all readers