Book Review: VAMPIRE APOCALYPSE: A WORLD TORN ASUNDER by Derek Gunn

By Norman L. Rubenstein



2007, Black Death Books (An Imprint of KHP Industries)



VAMPIRE APOCALYPSE: A WORLD TORN ASUNDER (VA), is Dublin, Ireland based author Derek Gunn's first novel. It offers a bit of a fresh new spin on the Vampire tale, while maintaining most of the recognizable "tropes" usually associated with the genre. The book is a nicely packaged, reasonably priced mass-market trade paperback.



The novel posits that our planet's dwindling and rapidly vanishing supply of fossil fuels leads to a rapid breakdown of human society. Nations and central, federal governments soon are unable to effectively govern and fall, leading to smaller more manageable neo-feudal societies of States and city-states. Those individuals of worth in this new society, such as scientists, doctors, nuclear technology workers, and soldiers quickly abandon homes in resource poor states and areas, and attempt to migrate to natural resource and energy rich regions. Of course, huge amounts of those with no such special skills also seek to similarly emigrate, which leads to strictly controlled, highly militarized domains protected by walls, fortifications, and human protectors, a conglomeration of former police officers, national guard, and armed forces personnel.



As if things weren't bad enough, Author Gunn further posits that Vampires actually have existed alongside humans for Millennia, hiding and biding their time, just waiting for such an opportunity. With humans weakened and demoralized, and the world unprepared and largely unprotected, the Vampires succeed in launching worldwide surprise attacks, quickly seizing power from humans. The vampires, who are, as per most familiar legends, faster, stronger, more vicious, able to shape-shift and to fly in bat-form, and even more intelligent than "mere" humans, are able to take control rather quickly. The vampires are helped by their own army of "Thralls" - humans who have been bitten by the vampires, and have come under their control, but who have not yet been changed over into vampires themselves. Gunn's vampires also have their traditional weaknesses, an aversion to sunlight (only the very ancient and powerful vampires can stand limited exposure to sunlight). Holy water and crosses remain effective, as are beheading and wooden stakes through the heart.



Despite their weaknesses, the vampires, aided by their many Thralls, who can move about and conduct exercises during the daylight hours during which the vampires themselves are asleep, have effectively taken control of the planet, herding their human "cattle" into prison-like cities and compounds, and ruthlessly hunting down and destroying any and all attempts at rebellion or resistance.



After quickly and effectively introducing us to this new world of his, author Gunn also provides us with a fitting protagonist, John Harris, a young human who is among a small but dedicated band of rebels trying to stay hidden and clear of the vampires, free of their control and domination. Certain of the rebels, John included, are frustrated by merely attempting to survive, and wish to actively bring the fight to the seemingly invincible vampires and their Thralls. John is thus brave, but a bit reckless. Author Gunn effectively provides his novel with numerous interesting characters and sub-plots, displaying the tensions occurring both within the group of human rebels, and even within the ranks of the vampires as well. Plans are made upon both sides, crucial discoveries and nasty setbacks are encountered, all leading up to a desperate, last-ditch battle as the vampires, under the leadership of the ancient and powerful, as well as truly evil and vicious Nero, try and obliterate all the remaining members of this regional band of human resistance fighters and the many civilians they have hidden and have been attempting to protect.



The novel, at 215 pages of a nice, easily readable text, is a fast, easy read. The novel delivers upon its promise of action, and no one will be disappointed in the battles that occur, nor of the ending, which is comprehensive in scope and nicely ties up a bunch of sub-plots while also leaving obvious room for sequels. Indeed, author Gunn is currently busily at work writing a sequel to the novel. Anyone who is interested in vampire literature and likes his or her fiction filled with action will enjoy this novel, and it is recommended.