Dracula in Love (1979)

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 HALLOWEEN REVIEWS 2025

by John Shirley



Vlad Horescu, an employee at a computer company, is contacted by his long-lost father, who happens to be none other than Count Dracula. 



John Shirley’s Dracula is kind of like a Bond villain. 


John Shirley


He wants his son to exploit his position in and knowledge of the tech industry to help him secure a foothold in Brazil, from which he can extend his influence over the world. 



Things become even more complicated when a supernatural being known as Lucifer—but you can call him Bill—also enlists Vlad’s aid in a cosmic struggle against the vampire. This book is weird and messy and rapey, but it’s certainly not boring. Despite his geopolitical ambitions, Shirley’s Dracula is a horrific and powerful figure. Other distinguishing features include a penchant for dressing in military garb and wielding a machine gun, not to mention his unique manly member, which gives new meaning to the term “trouser snake”—you have been warned. My favorite part of the novel is Dracula's minions, the revenants, zombified servants who have a hellish existence. The finale is a metaphysical psychosexual mess, but it’s quite a ride getting there.

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