Top 40 Vampire Posts on Monster Complex in 2022
“I never drink…wine.”
We cover a lot of vampire fiction here on Monster Complex—including novels (from Bram Stoker’s Dracula to Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse series), TV shows (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Kolchak: The Night Stalker to The Munsters), movies (including the likes of Universal Monsters and the Underworld series) and more. As we enter 2023, we thought it would be nice to take a look at the most popular “vampire” articles that folks were reading on Monster Complex over the past year. Take a look at the list and maybe find something you really want to read or watch…
Related: Find the latest Monster Complex articles about VAMPIRE fiction here!
#1 True Blood: Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse Books In Order
The Southern Vampire Mysteries, also known as The True Blood Novels and The Sookie Stackhouse Novels, is an urban fantasy novel series written by Charlaine Harris. that revolves around a world inhabited by supernatural characters, including vampires, werewolves, and magical beings. This post include a complete of the books in the series plus more inside info from interviews with the author about the vampire mystery series.
#2 ‘Hotel Transylvania 4’ Skipping Theaters, Headed For Streaming
In a world where Dracula opened a hotel exclusively for monsters, Van Helsing’s mysterious “Monsterfication Ray” turns Johnny into a monster, while transforming Drac and his monster pals into humans! Find out more about the latest installment in the classic animated film series!
#3 60+ Special Vampire Book Series—from Anne Rice, L.A. Banks, Charlaine Harris, more
Vampire fiction has captivated readers and audiences for more than a hundred years. Some of these vampire novels lean into horror or paranormal romance, while others fall in between. The list includes notable vampire authors like Anne Rice, Kim Harrison, Nalini Singh, L.A. Banks, Charlaine Harris, Kenesha Williams, Stephenie Meyer, Jessica Cage, L. J. Smith, Delizhia Jenkins, Laurell K. Hamilton, P.C. Cast, MaryJanice Davidson, and so many more!
#4 Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Books by Laurell K. Hamilton In Order
“I decided I would try to even things up. I may have overcompensated just a little.” Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter is a series of urban fantasy novels, short stories, and comic books by Laurell K. Hamilton. In these interview excerpts, the author explains where she got the idea for the Anita Blake series, talks about how Anita’s love life has evolved over the course of the series, and reveals why her combination of romance, mystery, and horror is here to stay. Read the Laurell K. Hamilton roundup here!
#5 Kim Harrison Rachel Morgan | Hollows Series Reading Order + Author Q&A
“I like to think that for every act of magic there ought to be a price.” Find the complete reading order of Kim Harrison’s Rachel Morgan AKA The Hollows Series, plus the author on switching from epic fantasy to urban fantasy, why she restarted the Rachel Morgan series, and her scientific approach to magic.
#6 Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson Series in Order
This urban fantasy series from Patricia Briggs stars shape-shifting mechanic Mercedes “Mercy” Thompson, who can take the form of a coyote at will. She lives and works in a version of the Tri-Cities that also includes werewolves, vampires, and an assortment of fae. Mercy is often called upon to use her wits. “I actively avoid power creep,” the author said. “I think that underpowered characters make much better protagonists.” Here’s a complete list to date of Mercy Thompson books.
#7 Monster Mash: 13 Movies Where Frankenstein Meets Dracula Meets The Wolf Man
Here are key movies that team up the iconic Universal Monsters. From the 1920s through to the 1950s, Universal Studios was the go-to place for classic monster movies. However, as the Universal Monsters films latched onto iconic franchise characters that could carry a film series, soon came the urge to have the various monsters meet up. So they did—to varying degrees of success. Read on for a list of 13 monster movies that feature some combination of Frankenstein’s monster, Count Dracula, the Wolf Man, and assorted vampires, werewolves, mummies, and more. Find the list here!
#8 The Vampire Issue: Faith Hunter, L.A. Banks, Anne Rice, Buffy vs. X-Files
Vampire Author Interviews, Features, Lists, Quizzes, and More: We’re thrilled to offer exclusive interviews with urban fantasy authors Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock) and Delizhia Jenkins (Vampire Hunters Academy), our tribute to L.A. Banks (Vampire Huntress Legend), and overviews of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles and Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter. Test your knowledge of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the X-Files, and the Universal Monsters, check out the Top 5 Underrated Vampire Movies, and peruse our list of 50 Vampire Book Series. If you want even more—check out BONUS links to other websites about vampire books, vampire movies, vampires on television, and vampires in comics. Find all the articles on this webpage!
#9 Top 7 Kolchak: The Night Stalker Episodes
Kolchak Best Episodes, Episode Guide, Why Was It Canceled, Watch Episodes Free Online: Best-known to younger TV viewers as one of the inspirations for the X-Files, the short-lived horror TV series Kolchak: The Night Stalker starred Darren McGavin as wise-cracking reporter Carl Kolchak. Somehow he continually stumbled across outrageous news stories that inevitably involved horrific supernatural or paranormal beings like vampires, werewolves and aliens. Unfortunately, his editor never ran his stories—so the public never learned about each close call. However, Kolchak never allowed his lot in life to keep him from seeking out the truth—at whatever cost. Find out more about the show here.
#10 RIP Anne Rice, whose 1976 Interview With the Vampire is “responsible for the image of vampires that dominates pop culture today”
Anne Rice (1941-2021), an author of gothic fiction, erotic literature, and religious literature, was best known for her series of novels The Vampire Chronicles. This post includes a video from CBS Sunday Morning and details about Rice’s career. Find out more about the author here.
#11 Patricia Briggs Complete Alpha and Omega Series
The urban fantasy author talks about the books in her Mercy Thompson spin-off series. Set in the same world as the Mercy Thompson series, the Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs begins with the novella “Alpha and Omega,” found in the collection On the Prowl. To date, the story of mated werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick has continued through six novels. Find the list of books and interviews with the author here.
#12 If You Like Kim Harrison: 25 More Authors
Kim Harrison’s urban fantasy Rachel Morgan / The Hollows series is set in an alternate universe where supernatural beings (vampires, werewolves, witches, what have you) live among the human population. Series star Rachel Morgan is a bounty hunter witch who faces threats (natural and supernatural), and navigates complicated relationships. Want to discover more authors who write about the fantastical among the everyday? Check out the list here.
#13 The Munsters: 13 Secrets Every Fan Should Know
How well do you know 1960s Sitcom The Munsters? In the pantheon of sitcom families, there are few (if any) as memorable as The Munsters. With 70 episodes airing on the CBS network across two seasons (1964-1966), the show featured Herman and Lily Munster (portrayed by Fred Gwynne and Yvonne De Carlo), Grandpa (Al Lewis), Eddie Munster (Butch Patrick), and Marilyn Munster (first by Beverley Owen, then Pat Priest). Despite becoming an iconic show in American culture, here are 13 things you may not have known about the series. Click here to take a look...
#14 Complete Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews in Order + Q&A
The Kate Daniels series from Ilona Andrews takes place in a magical version of Atlanta where the world has suffered a magic apocalypse. Monsters prowl the ruined streets, werebears and werehyenas stalk their prey; and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers driven by their thirst of knowledge and wealth, pilot blood-crazed vampires with their minds. In this world lives Kate Daniels, who likes her sword a little too much, and has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. Find out the book list and quotes from the author team here.
#15 Complete Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh
Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter novels take place in a world where archangels hold sway over both mortals and immortals—with the Guild Hunters caught in between, tasked with retrieving vampires who break contracts with their angelic masters. Nalini Singh is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling, Guild Hunter, and Rock Kiss series. Find out more about the Guild Hunter series here!
#16 Vampire Academy Books by Richelle Mead In Order
Richelle Mead’s YA paranormal romance series Vampire Academy revolves around students at St. Vladimir’s Academy—where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. The first book, Vampire Academy (Razorbill), was adapted into a 2014 movie starring Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky, Olga Kurylenko, Dominic Sherwood, and Gabriel Byrne. The six book series is followed by the spin-off series Bloodlines. Find out more about the books here.
#17 Dracula: Complete Universal Monsters Movies
“Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make.” Since its publication in 1897, Bram Stoker's novel Dracula has enthralled generations of readers with the alluring malevolence of its undead Count, the most famous vampire in literature. In this post, we talk about the original novel, about Bela Lugosi's classic portrayal in 1931’s film Dracula, and offer a complete list of Universal Monsters movies with Dracula. Find out more about the original novel and the Universal movies about Dracula (and his family) here.
#18 Top 5 Underrated Vampire Movies
Filmmakers have been cranking out movies about vampires for nearly as long as filmmakers have been cranking out movies. In fact, Dracula has been the subject of more films than any other fictional character—with the exception of Sherlock Holmes. Over the years, the silver screen has seen vampire films make billions of dollars. But for every blockbuster vampire film, there are scores of films that fell through the cracks—or have fallen out of favor with modern movie audiences. Monster Complex friend Van Barnett offers five vampire movies that deserve a second look. Discover more about these movies here!
#19 Anne Rice’s ‘Vampire Chronicles,’ ‘Mayfair Witches’ At AMC
“It’s always been my dream to see the worlds of my two biggest series united under a single roof.” A look at what Anne Rice calls the the “most significant and thrilling deal” of her career, plus an overview of the impact of The Vampire Chronicles on literature, screen, and the stage—and the future with AMC. Find out more about the books and the adaptations here.
#20 Chloe Neill Chicagoland Vampires Books In Order + Interview
Chloe Neill is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Chicagoland Vampires, Heirs of Chicagoland, Devil’s Isle, and Dark Elite novels. Her urban fantasy vampire romance novels includes many types of supernatural beings, including vampires, angels, demons, trolls, shapeshifters, sorcerers, and more. Read the article for the novels in order and for interview quotes from the author about the books.
#21 True Blood Reboot Still in Early Stages
There's a True Blood Series in the works, but HBO is taking its time. With so many fans of the original show, itself based on the beloved book series Southern Vampire Mysteries from author Charlaine Harris, they’re likely taking it slowly to make sure everybody is happy. Find out more details here.
#22 Complete Vampire Huntress Legend Series by L.A. Banks
Damali Richards is a successful hip-hop artist by day, but come nightfall, she hunts vampires and demon-predators. Author Leslie Esdaile Banks (1959-2011) wrote the Vampire Huntress Legend series under the pen name L.A. Banks. Find out more info from author interviews plus a complete list of books in the Vampire Huntress Legend series.
#23 Complete Jane Yellowrock Novels by Faith Hunter
The Jane Yellowrock series by USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter stars a Cherokee shapeshifter who works as a professional vampire hunter in New Orleans. Through an accident of black magic, her soul is bonded with that of a mountain lion—and she is often struggling to fight for balance. “Jane started out as a sort of ‘paranormal biker chick-meets-Lee Child’s Jack Reacher,’” Faith told Monster Complex. “Then you’ve got the external conflict that Jane, who kills insane vampires who are killing humans—that’s what she does, she tracks them and kills them—by the time we’re in book fourteen, she has not only been working for the vampires to keep peace in the vampire community because that keeps her friends, the witches, and humans safe, but she also has found a position of power among them. She goes from hating them to working with her worst enemy.” Find out more here, including a complete list of books to date in the Jane Yellowrock Skinwalker series.
#24 Count Dracula: 13 versions—from dizzy to daring
The most famous vampire is one of the most adapted characters in history. The title character from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula has been popular over time, and has appeared in so many adaptations, riffs, and parodies in all kind of media. More than 200 films have been made that feature Count Dracula, a number that is reportedly only second to films featuring Sherlock Holmes. Click through to see 13 versions of the Count worth paying attention to from a variety of media.
#25 Universal Monsters Movies: The Original Shared Cinematic Universe
Looking Back at the Film Series That Brought Together the Frankenstein Monster, Count Dracula, and the Wolf Man: From the 1920s through to the 1950s, Universal Monsters was the go-to place for classic monster movies. Over the years, as they latched onto franchise characters that could carry a film series, soon came the urge to have the various monsters meet up. As such, they found ways to combine monster movie icons Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, and the Wolf Man, into a single narrative. It wasn’t always great, but it sure was fun. Find out more information about the Universal Monsters shared universe here.
#26 Complete Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice
The Vampire Chronicles is a collection of novels that spread across three interlocking series by horror writer Anne Rice. At the center of the franchise is Lestat de Lioncourt, a vampire who was a French nobleman in the 18th century. Rice says her vampires are a “metaphor for lost souls.” Find more information and the list of books here.
#27 ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ Fans—16 Vampire Books You Should Check Out
For fans of vampire stories that break into new territory, check out these 16 vampire books that offer their own unique spin on vampire mythology. Including clever anthologies, a Buffy reboot from Kendare Blake, and key titles from Octavia E. Butler, Terry Pratchett, Tanya Huff, Kim Newman, Kenesha Williams and several more authors. See the whole list of books here.
#28 Top 31 Hilarious Vampire Comedy Movies
Vampires are scary monsters a lot of the time (setting aside romantic stories for the moment). But vampires can also turn up in some uproarious comedies, from the 1948 classic Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and 1987’s Lost Boys to more modern gems like What We Do in the Shadows and Hotel Transylvania. Check out our list below starting our countdown of thirty-one comedies with vampires. Each entry includes some behind-the-scenes details for the movie, plus several videos that offer even more info. See a list of all the funny vampire movies here.
#29 Underworld Series: Complete List of Films + Game
Underworld is a series of action horror films revolving around a war between vampires and werewolves. Click through for a compete list of movies and products, as well as more info about the series.
#30 Urban Fantasy Author Patricia Briggs—Walking The Line
In this magazine article, the top-selling urban fantasy author explains how working with animals helps her write about people. (Who are also animals.) Find out abut the origins of the book series, how she keeps the character relatable, and the rules she follows for the stories. Click through for more details.
#31 The Munsters: 5 Best Grandpa Dracula Episodes
Classic sitcom The Munsters (1964-1966) featured a regular, suburban family that just happened to also be related to the Universal Monsters. The family of monsters included the retired Count Dracula, the daughter of Dracula, a version of Frankenstein’s Monster, a werewolf and a niece that was normal. (Granted, the family thought she was the weird one.) Find out more about their version of vampire Count Dracula here.
#32 Urban Fantasy Author Faith Hunter: The Monster Complex Interview
“She goes from hating vampires to working with her worst enemy.” New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter has written more than 40 books in a variety of genres, including urban fantasy, thrillers and mysteries. Her Jane Yellowrock novels are part of a dark urban fantasy series starring a Cherokee who is a shape-shifter and vampire hunter for hire. In this exclusive interview, urban fantasy author Faith Hunter shares how her shapeshifting Cherokee vampire hunter Jane Yellowrock has grown over the course of the books, explains why she doesn’t write sex scenes, and reveals how she’ll know when it’s time to end the series. Read the interview here.
#33 Interview: ‘Anno Dracula’ Author Kim Newman
Kim Newman’s Anno Dracula books are an alternate history series set in a world where the Count survived the events of Bram Stoker’s book—and vampirism is now a normal part of life and society. Here’s a 2017 interview with Newman on the Creator Speaks podcast. They talk about his Anno Dracula books, the Anno Dracula: 1895 Seven Days in Mayhem comic book trade collection, famous film vampires, and more. Watch the interview here!
#34 The Impact of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles And What's To Come
“It’s always been my dream to see the worlds of my two biggest series united under a single roof.” A look at Anne Rice’s comprehensive deal with AMC Networks, which she calls the the “most significant and thrilling deal” of her career. Also, we have an overview of the impact of The Vampire Chronicles on literature, screen, and the stage—and their future with AMC. Read the overview here!
#35 Vampire Q&A: Delizhia Jenkins (Vampire Hunters Academy)
“This book prepares the readers for the next phase in Sanaya’s journey as a Huntress, which will be nothing but total darkness.” Delizhia Jenkins is an urban fantasy and paranormal romance author whose love whose works include The Vampire Hunters Academy series and The Lost Queen: Mercury’s Heir. In this exclusive interview, Miss Jenkins talks to Monster Complex about Vampire Hunters Academy, shares about her inspiration for the series, and explains the problem with loving vampires. Read the interview here!
#36 Vampire Q&A: Kenesha Williams (Blood Debt)
“There’s a cost with each transaction, and I like stories that explore those costs.” Author Kenesha Williams reveals her unique spin on vampires in BLOOD DEBT, names her favorite vampire movies and TV series, and explains what’s wrong with vampires that aren’t scary. Read the interview here.
#37 Who WROTE the Vampire Diaries books? Don’t believe the name on the cover…
Who wrote the Vampire Diaries books? And when did the Vampire Diaries books come out? The novels were written by more than one person, and we don’t even know all the names. Find out more info about the series here.
#38 Quiz: How Well Do You Know The Universal Monsters?
Take this quiz and see how well you know Dracula and the other Universal Monsters! Take the quiz now.
#39 Abbott and Costello vs. 12 Monsters—including Dracula, Mr. Hyde, and the Creature From the Black Lagoon
Visiting both sides of the coin with the great Universal horror icons. Universal Studios had access to one of the world’s greatest comedy teams and several of the most stunning monsters. It made perfect sense to have them meet. Click through for a list of relevant comedy/monster appearances, as the comedy duo were tasked with dealing with some of the most popular monsters of the day.
#40 Holly Black: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown [Spotlight]
A wholly original story of rage and revenge, guilt and horror, love and loathing: Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave. Find out more about the book here.
