Varney the Vampire (1847) is a penny dreadful novel by British writers
James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest. Originally serialized in
cheap volumes, the novel introduced some of the most recognizable tropes
of vampire fiction still used today, including the depiction of fangs
and the use of a Gothic setting. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, Varney
the Vampire is a story of tragedy, damnation, and revenge that
pioneered many of the themes common to horror and pulp fiction today.
Sir Francis Varney was condemned to an eternity of vampiric life
following his actions during the reign of Oliver Cromwell. Having
betrayed a royalist and killed his own son in a fit of rage, Varney was
forced to suffer death and resurrection countless times over on his
insatiable quest for human blood. In the nineteenth century, he targets
the Bannerworths, a once-noble family fallen on hard times in their
crumbling estate. Gruesome and tragic, the story manages to humanize the
vampire without softening his terrifying actions or features, laying the
groundwork for an action-packed romp through such legendary cities as
London, Naples, and Venice. Varney the Vampire is a grisly penny
dreadful novel, a quick-witted work of horror that has inspired
generations of storytellers and readers alike. With a beautifully
designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of
Varney the Vampire by James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest is
a classic of British horror fiction reimagined for modern readers.
