I must confess, I'm not much of a fan of vampire fiction. There have been a few rare and gleaming exceptions, like I Am Legend by Richard Matheson or the character of Cassidy in Garth Ennis' delightfully debauched Preacher comic book series, but mostly it's a genre that's left me pretty indifferent. I had no interest in Anne Rice's books and even less in the twilight franchise, and I wasn't immediately convinced when C Z Hazard first said he wanted to write a vampire novel. I should have had more faith.
I'm very proud to have worked as editor on Generic Vampire Novel #937. This incisive comedy-horror transcends genre, with its insightful social commentary, wild card humour and savage satire. One of the most layered books I've ever come across, the narrative gets delightfully metatextual as it deconstructs the vampire myth and subjects to brutal scrutiny the real blood-suckers of the modern world: the twenty-four-hour news cycle, the lawyers, the agents, the Hollywood machine and the ever-hungry multimedia leviathan.
Sharp, pithy writing, fully-fleshed, investable characters and a riveting storyline that rapidly gathers momentum all conspire to make this book a genuine joy to read (and even to edit). I can't recommend this highly enough, especially to anyone who has enjoyed World War Z, Ready Player One or The Hitchhikers' Guide To The Galaxy, and fans of clever allegorical satire.
C Z Hazard is a very talented indie writer with two very cool cats. His profile page provides more info, social media links and some free excerpts from his various novels. Do please support a skilled, independent author (and his editor).
