Actual Factual: Dracula, a Compendium of Vampires

I picked up Actual Factual Dracula to supplement running Roleplaying Games and writing stories, and the book has not disappointed. Every page has a new and interesting creature from folklore that can be used to horrify. In addition there are other tidbits of information from folklore dealing with vampires, such as spells supposed to turn vampires back into people and the like.The preface contains some good background. There's an introduction and a quick page on "What is a Vampire?" for the complete novice. There's a quick debunk of the vampire argument and a couple of pages on everyone's favorite vampire, Vlad Dracula, and how he might not have actually been the impetus behind Bram Stroker's famous villain.After this brief but well-written preface is the Compendium of Vampires: 352 pages of vampires and related vampire folklore that would be absolutely invaluable to writers, storytellers and anyone engaged in creative work utilizing these blood-drinking undead.The absolute BEST part of the book, though, is the index. There are no less than 10 separate indexes, listing the entries alphabetically, by ability, appearance, creation myth, frequency of attack, location, origin, prey, type and weakness. If your story calls for an African vampire, you simply go to the "Origin" index and turn to "Africa" where you'll find Adze, Asanbonsam, Asiman, et cetera... Need a vampire that can possess people? Go to the "Abilities" index and turn to "Possession" where you'll find Allu, Arakh, Betail, Bori, et cetera... The index is an absolute boon!My only complaint about the book is a small one. Every once in a while the author includes a creature that isn't really vampiric, by my estimation. Under the "Zombie" entry, for example, she says that a Zombie is "A revenant in the fact that it has returned from the dead, but it is not a vampire." Just to recap, my only complaint is that this book contains TOO MUCH information.I whole heartedly recommend this book for researches of folklore, authors, gamers, horror aficionados or anyone else interested in the vampire myth. Actual Factual Dracula is a labor of love, and it shows!

Theresa Bane does it again with this absolutely masterful work. The writing is clear and concise in spite of how daunting a task the research must have been. Whether you're a writer, looking for believable facts for your next bestseller, or simply a vampire folklore enthusiast, The Actual Factual Dracula will keep you spellbound from start to finish. This isn't just a book on folklore. It also gives you insight on the beliefs and fears of the various cultures mentioned. This reader would even go so far as to say that one looking up his/her heritage might find this to be additional information on one's background. And last but definitely not least, the text is complemented by the fantastic artwork of Theresa's husband, Glenn T. Bane. This book is a real treat......enjoy!!

Any writer of fantasy or science fiction needs to own this volume. When writer's block hits, just open to any page to jump start your imagination. This is a valuable resource for any writer, but especially for those writing about vampires. I can't wait for the rest of the series.

Splendid research source! In depth and obviously deeply devoted to details without being overly wordy or difficult to understand. Cross referenced for ease of comparison. A MUST HAVE for any investigator or hunter!