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NICHOLAS ADDISON THOMAS
For THE FREE LANCE-STAR
Here's the thing. After reading Charlie Huston's latest novel, "Already Dead," I was tempted to use every existing vampire cliche for this review. However, I am told by the upper echelon of editors that one too many cliches may smother the focus of this composition. So in the spirit of compromise, I'll get the platitudes out of the way: Whether you're batty for vampire novels or not, you'll easily sink your teeth into "Dead," a bloody decent book with not a lot at stake but just enough bite to leave a mark. Whew.
Known for his gritty fiction, Huston ("Six Bad Things") portrays the shady underworld of vampirism in this macabre, albeit humorous, go-round. Garlic doesn't work. Neither do holy water, silver bullets or crosses. According to Joe Pitt, our tough-as-nails narrator, the best way to kill a vampire is to sever its head or pierce its heart. Pitt knows best; he was turned into one back when platform shoes were in style. As a rogue private investigator this side of Phillip Marlowe, Pitt lives the simple life doing odd jobs for the Coalition and its rival, the Society, two powerful vampire clans in hurly-burly Manhattan. For these gigs, Pitt is rewarded with freedom, a luxury he spends with his vivacious girlfriend, Evie, a bartender with AIDS.
But this so-called easy life is halted when Pitt uncovers VOZs (Victims of Zombification for the PC-happy) and learns that the carrier of this zombie-inducing plague still lurks among the shadows. It's up to the smart-alecky PI to find and kill the carrier before the vampire community is exposed. But there's a caveat. Pitt also must recover the runaway daughter of wealthy socialites before she turns into breakfast for brain-eaters. Oh, and let's not forget that annoying thirst for blood, enemy vampire clans, and that pesky thing called the sun. Add to the plot zany characters named Leprosy, Sounds and Hurley, and you've got yourself one freak show of a novel. You don't want to look, but you have to.
If you want to get a good idea of what "Dead" brings to the metaphorical table, think "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" coupled with Bret Easton Ellis' "American Psycho": top-rate Hollywood gore littered with socially disruptive potshots. In an attempt to ride the razor's edge, Huston doesn't steer clear of controversial topics such as homosexuality, pedophilia and rape. Instead, he uses these subjects as fodder for his rag-tag characters to work around. What's even more intriguing is how Huston addresses the dynamics of vampirism and its interaction with AIDS and other human setbacks. Can a bloodsucker mate without giving the vampire virus to its partner? Will the virus eat itself if it is not quenched by fresh blood? Huston flirts with these ideas and more, making this vampire novel a little different from your pre-Catholic Anne Rice novel. The only thing "Dead" lacks is a little life in the structure department. Often the splintered plot twists become confusing, you can't keep track of who is good and bad, and Pitt's own egregious attitude grows tiresome.
All in all, "Dead" is an interesting interpretation of what a vampire's life would likely be if he were to hob-knob with the living in today's superficial society. Off-color topics aside, vampire fans should enjoy sinking their teeth into this one. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Nicholas Addison Thomas is a freelance writer who resides in Fredericksburg. His work can be seen at naddisonthomas.com.
