Literature of Horror, Fantasy & Sci-Fi

"Interview With the Vampire" I've always been fascinated by the mythology and legends of vampires and have seen all various takes on the creatures: from Nosferatu to Guillermo del Toro's TV show The Strain , and watching other shows discussing the history of the vampire. "Interview With the Vampire" has got to be among my new favorites. I've read the book and watched the movie as well for a visual experience, and I enjoyed both. It was certainly a take on the vampire story that I hadn't seen before. I grew up believing all the stereotypical lore--stake through the heart, crucifixes, garlic, etc. Not only did Anne Rice's story turn these "facts" into nothing but silly human superstition, but it also showed another sight to the vampire characters themselves that I hadn't seen in any other adaptation: the ability to love. The main characters Lestat and Louis end up raising a little girl named Claudia and turn her into a vampire ...

"The Fall of the House of Usher" Edgar Allen Poe is well known for his writings of the macabre and supernatural. When people think of gothic literature, Poe is what many instantly picture. His work in poetry and short fiction was perfect in creating senses of dread and madness. That is essentially what "The Fall of the House of Usher" is about. The story is as gothic as it comes--with a dark and depressing atmosphere recognized by our unreliable narrator (a classic in Poe's writings) that lingers evermore throughout the story and seems to worsen as the story itself progresses. Our narrator is deemed unreliable because the negative energy within the House of Usher has an effect on him to the point he's unable to differentiate reality with fantasy. So how are we, the readers, supposed to know what he says is true? Indeed supernatural elements are used throughout the story, evident as to how the House of Usher seems to deteriorate along with twins Roderick--...