Anyone else tired of romantic vampires in young adult fiction?

[Lemurion]

I just find the whole vampire romance thing very very creepy. It makes me think they've just traded one form of predation for another, and the fact that teen girls are imprinting on this makes it worse.

[C.I.Bond]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

I'm tired of vampires... period. The oh-so-obvious theme of the good and vulnerable human trying to use love to "save" the vampire, essentially an immortal serial killer, was passe decades ago.

Can we please move on to robots, or ghosts, or something?

You can actually have a lot of fun with the theme if you like satire.

“Oh, you kill people.” Clueless female lead looks up in surprise.
“But I’m seeking redemptions.” Handsome but corpse like vampire clasps his hand together and looks earnestly into her face.
“I suppose … or we could just buy a bigger freezer. It’s a lot faster. Sears is right down the road and delivery’s free.”

[Seanette]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Woldwalker, why he falls for her was the first and worst of several cognitive dissonances in that series. When I asked the several people who recommended it, all women if it matters, they seem to accept Edward swooning over Bella because it is love. And love conquers all, yadda yadda. Clearly I missed that train... Oh, I enjoyed the series well enough (say 3 of 5 stars) but I never found Bella to be attractive myself. Too indecisive (the Jacob vs Edward drama made me yell at the book). Perhaps that's fine for YA heroines, so some readers identify with her.

What I can't figure out is why stalking is "oh, SOOOO romantic!" I'm guessing that most of the same adult women gooshing over Twilight would NOT find it a grand romantic gesture if their teen daughter's would-be boyfriend was breaking into said daughter's bedroom at night to watch her sleep. They'd most likely be (quite rightly) involving the police and probably looking into restraining orders.

[shanghaichica]

I don't read young adult books anymore but when I did I loved the vampire books.

[rhadin]

I don't buy or read anything that is focused on vampires or zombies. I find both to be boring. But if having romantic vampires is what it takes to get the young to read a book, I say let's have more. I am much more concerned about declining interest in reading (and of reading skills) in the younger generation than I am about too many vampires and zombies.

[DDHarriman]

I would not read one of those crap “pseudo books” even if it was the unique thing on earth that one could read.

[Seanette]

Originally Posted by DDHarriman

I would not read one of those crap “pseudo books” even if it was the unique thing on earth that one could read.

I'm thinking if "Twilight" were my only reading option, I'd turn to writing my own reading material.

[Worldwalker]

Originally Posted by Jellby

You forget "vampires are Chiroptera"

Chiroptera don't suck, they lick.

(someone who doesn't know what we're talking about could find this to be a very weird conversation)

[C.I.Bond]

Originally Posted by rhadin

I don't buy or read anything that is focused on vampires or zombies. I find both to be boring.

It is only boring because too many authors use a hack approach and don’t do the leg work to develop their own kind of vampire or zombie. You see this a lot with paranormal romances, the author is more concerned with the romance and they just <<insert monster here> > and don’t do any work to make him believable or unique, they don’t give any thought to how he fits in with the rest of the universe. We don’t need another version of what we already have but something with an interesting twist is actually a totally different monster that can effectively hold our attention. The twilight vampires were totally different and for me that made the books worth reading… but not enough to read the last book. Terry Pratchet did something very interesting with Igor, zombie surgeons, funny, unique and worth reading.

[varelov]

Of course, there is a subliminal message hidden into the whole "good vampire" noise, very political and not family friendly...
But who are we to judge...

[idraw22]

Sigh...


That book, once I got in the middle and found they'd changed ALL the rules of vampire-dom, it ticked me off! But a friend said... just finish the book, maybe at least, it'll end good. It did not, well for me anyway.

Vampires are known for sleeping in the day, and living the night life, knowing bloodtypes and partaking in gushing it all over with their fangs and... turning others into walking dead too! I want alll that back!

[Avarwen]

Originally Posted by C.I.Bond

There are some interesting conversations about Edward’s abusive and controlling nature as well. Apparently he hits all 15 signs of a dangerous relationship. Seriously if you found out a grown man was watching you sleep at night, all night, for two weeks would you say “Oh, so sweet.” Or would you nod slowly and reach for the phone to call the police. That being said, teenagers are unrealistic both about the limits of love and why those limits are healthy. Myers does the same thing with the werewolves, this love that transcends age and previous conflict. Love and marriage are heavily sanctified in the Mormon Religion so perhaps this is a natural result of blending Vampires with Mormon theology?

On an adult note I found the Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake books unrealistic as well with regards to fidelity. The later ones where Anita has a huge harem of men following her around who are all straight and yet don’t mind being naked in a room with a bunch of other guys and forsake all other relationships for the honor of sharing her with the Seventh Fleet. Of course that’s more porn than anything else at this point and not even good porn at that.

Vampire Mormons now that's unique.

[Penforhire]

I demand more Joe Pitt-like vampires!

[Lemurion]

I want to see teenagers reading, and for good or ill, those "spampire" romance books are what teenage girls like these days. I think they're mostly insipid crap, but that's alright - the general rule in our house is that anything I like to read or watch the teenage girl can't stand and vice versa.

As a parent, I have serious issues about some of the things one particular series considers "signs of love," regardless of how they are presented in the context of the story. That being said, I don't have a problem with the idea of "teen vampire romance," so long as I don't have to read them. I can even understand why a certain annoying prettyboy predator has spent the last century in high school - since he was "turned" as a teenager his brain stopped developing and he's never fully matured. He's literally a century-old teenager (and if that doesn't scare you, you're not a parent).

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by idraw22

That book, once I got in the middle and found they'd changed ALL the rules of vampire-dom, it ticked me off!

"Rules of Vampire-dom?"

Yo, we are talking about imaginary characters. How can there be a set of inviolable rules for that?

Of course, if you feel the need to rewrite the established conventions of what a vampire is... maybe you should be writing about something other than a vampire...

Please...