2026 has accidentally turned into the year in which I consume loads of vampire media. I did not intend for this to happen, nor did I realize it until my fifth book which involved a vampire. I’m not complaining at all, mind you. Vampires are very cool, and I like seeing how each author/director treats the lore and restrictions that vampires may or may not have. Vampires as we know them have been around since the 1700s, with a lot of their lore and core characteristics being consistent. They may feed on blood or the essence of living beings, cannot go in the sun, and are harmed by stakes or holy symbols. While some stories may twist their attributes, they typically hold onto the key characteristic that we’ve come to know and love. So today, let’s look at the vampire media I’ve enjoyed this year, and see how each one portrays their dark creatures of the night.
Dresden Files
I finished a reread of the series leading up to the release of Twelve Months earlier this year. Since almost the beginning, the series has had vampires as both enemies and allies. In the Dresden Files, there are three main groups of vampires, divided into courts. The Black court is the most like traditional vampires, hiding in the dark and feeding on the blood of their prey. In fact, in universe, Bram Stoker’s book was published as a guide on how to defeat Black court vampires, until it was considered to be fiction. The Red Court vampires are also very classic, and are highly established. They have a vast underground network and control much of the underworld. They also feed on blood. The White court is the most different. Instead of feeding on blood, they feed on strong emotions, and tend to be the most humane of the courts, though they tend to be anything but humane.
I really like how the different types of vampires include strengths and weaknesses from all sorts of vampire lore and stories, rather than cramming it all into one creature. And the vampire characters in the books are some of the best out there. Thomas and Laira are strong allies, while Mavra and The Red King are powerful foes.
In short, vampires are cool! And while I wouldn’t call this a vampire book, it certainly is a book with vampires and it’s all the better for it.
The Devils
Here is another book with a vampire, but it still has one so I’ll still talk about it! This book features lots of supernatural entities, including elves, werewolves, and magicians, so a vampire fits right into the world. The vampire in question is named Baron Rikard, and he is one of many unwilling participants who are forced to go on a pilgrimage to deliver the long-lost princess to her rightful throne.
Rikard is one of the less-involved members of the party, but when he came out to shine, it was great. He starts off old and decrepit, which we quickly realize is due to his lack of blood to sustain him. As the book goes on, he gets more and more chances to feed, restoring him to the form of a much younger man. He also uses his innate charisma to entrance those around him when the distraction is needed. We don’t see too much more of his powers or vampiricness, but I bet we’ll get to see more in the sequel.
‘Salem’s Lot
This is a true vampire book, which I somehow didn’t know until I started reading it. King does an amazing job of writing in his style, while still including so many classic details of vampire myths. This book is not just about vampires in rural Maine, but it’s also about the death of the small town.
The vampire in this book is classic. He uses thralls to do his will, hides in a coffin in the dark basement of an abandoned house, is harmed by holy symbols and sunlight, and sucks the blood of mortals. Honestly, I can’t say too much more about the vampire here, since King hit the nail on the head. The book is great, perfectly horrible, and ties in reality, religion, and horror perfectly.
A Dowry of Blood
Ava read this book and really enjoyed it, so I knew I had to check it out. This book is delicious and enticing. It features several vampires as they navigate the changing of centuries and the changing of hearts. The main character, Constanta, is a woman who is turned by the very vampire who slaughtered her town. He takes to her, adopting her to be his wife and companion in immortality. As time passes, he takes in another woman, who becomes both her rival and her best friend. And when he find yet another mortal to adopt and make immortal, things will change, as this newest addition to their immortal party makes them question all that they know.
This book is dark and enticing, exploring the ethics and constraints of immortality, the struggles to break free from a love that has soured, and the untold often story of the woman at Dracula’s side. The vampires within are very classically told, remaining in the dark, hunting by night, and keeping up a social circle despite their undead ways. It feels very true to the classic stories while being its own perspective.
Hungerstone
I didn’t know this was a vampire book when I was getting into it. I didn’t know that it is a Carmilla reimagining, nor that I would enjoy it as much as I did. I read this book for Book Bingo as my foreign female author selection. The book is about Lenore, a dutiful wife to her industrialist husband, who is doing her best to support her husband, run a new household, and be the very picture of a perfect wife. On their way to their new estate, they come across a wrecked carriage, wherein they find Carmilla, who is weak and in need of help. Lenore wants to help her, and her husband reluctantly agrees. Overtime, Lenore is disturbed and intrigued by Carmilla, who is frail by day and enticing by night. How will she cope when Carmilla leaves? How will she continue to support her husband, despite her growing doubts about his business and loyalty? And how will she reconcile her lonely past with a future in which, with Carmilla, she wouldn’t be alone?
This book feels very similar to A Dowry of Blood, so if you liked one, you’ll likely enjoy the other. The vampire within is a little different than traditional vampires (despite the story of Carmilla predating Dracula). She is lethargic and languid during the day, but is still able to go outside, but she is still hungry for blood, and will seek it out until she is sated.
Midnight Mass
My last piece of vampire media is actually a show, but I still need to talk about it. It’s not obvious from the get-go, but the creature featured in this show is a vampire, who feels upon a catholic priest, restoring his youth and becoming an angelic icon in the priest’s eyes. The priest returns to his derelict island town, thinking he’s bringing salvation, when he is actually bringing the hunger of something best left behind.
Not only is Midnight Mass a great vampire story, but it’s also a great usage of Catholic symbolism and rhetoric without being overly critical or sympathetic. It works well with the vampires present, which have some interesting characteristics. They are not harmed by the religious symbols in the church, and don’t display other traditional weaknesses like garlic, though sunlight and fire are their main vulnerabilities. There is also a difference between the main vampire, which has wings, pointed ears, and rough wrinkled skin, and those who get turned, who still remain largely human. It could be because they become more like thralls than full fledged vamps. Regardless, the handling of the religion and monster in tandem is expertly done, and it’s a great twist to vampirism, as most of the time it’s presented under the guise of healing miracles from god.
What’s Next?
Obviously I need to keep this going! There are lots of books on my radar, like Carmilla, Dracula, Empire of the Vampire, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, and the Mercy Thompson series. Some of these have been on my TBR for a long time, and others are just books I know I need to read at some point in time.
I really haven’t seen any movies or shows with vampires, other than Twilight, Sinners, Castlevania, and Midnight Mass. So I know I need to see any of the Dracula movies, the Noseferatus, True Blood, Vampire Diaries, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They probably all deserve a try, even if I don’t watch every episode of all those shows.
And there we have it! 2026 is my year of the vampire somehow. I don’t know if I’ll continue with it much, since it started out as a happy little accident, but I’ve had fun with it thus far. Vampires are cool, and they deserve all of the media they’ve gotten. I’m excited to keep expanding my vampire media, and I’m curious to see what creature will pop up in my 2027 watches/reads.
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