Here is the summary of the book:
Indiana, 1818. Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother's bedside. She's been stricken with something the old-timers call "Milk Sickness." "My baby boy..." she whispers before dying. Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother's fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire. When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, "henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose..." Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House. While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years. Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.
So I first heard of it when the movie trailer released, then found out that it was based on a book...well the trailer looked promising enough so I got it ordered from book depository and viola, I absolutely loved it... This is a review from a non-American and completely book based point of view (since I hate politics, so this review again will be politics free, even if the protagonist is one of the greatest leaders of the world). It was one hell of a ride though.
This is how it goes like - Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter fashioned as an auto-biography complete with excerpts and pictures tells the story of President Lincoln before he enters the political arena and till his assassination. Meaning this story is fashioned behind the supposed secret diaries of Abe Lincoln which states that honest Abe hunted vampires with a burning vengeance and also the fact that the creatures of the night played a much bigger role in the civil war than what is originally known.
The book begins in present day with the author unhappy with his mundane life and then this stranger, Henry who is a regular of his store seeing something in him, drops off a package saying to tread with caution and maybe turn it into a tale worthy of the ages. And this is how the story begins. From infancy, to his first kill, to his first encounter with a vampire, his mother's death, meeting Henry, taking up the axe, hunting the vampires, entering the political life, to meeting his wife and playing a great role in the civil war. This book touches every facts and facets of honest Abe's life otherwise known or shall I say unknown with a grain of truth. For even if vampires play a great role in here, it simply cannot be denied that the book has all the historical facts right. (so you may have noticed by now i'm not following the usual pattern of review writing because simply this is an autobiography(like) and i'm not good with dates)
Abe here is of course the protagonist. He is strong-willed, virtuous, and hates the fang bearers for what they took from him. He wields that axe of his over the heads of the vampires like a samurai wields their sword. Seth Grahame-Smith had wonderfully placed all the characteristics of Mr. Lincoln rather well. Henry is the other prominent character here. He plays the unbidden role of the supporter and teaches all there is about vampire hunting to Abe. A calm and collected person (or vampire), Henry can turn very well vicious in the face of a battle.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire hunter, proves a twist in a major part of American history with the much appreciated (from me!) inclusion of vampires. While many may not agree with what is being done here but they shouldn't be taking this seriously, this is purely a work of fiction and just a form of entertainment.
And the best part is the way the vampires are depicted here (that GOD no sparkly business). The action is also very palpable and hair raising with anticipation whenever Abe is on the hunt for vampires. From the most part I'm definitely excited for the movie now and know what to except.
The book begins in present day with the author unhappy with his mundane life and then this stranger, Henry who is a regular of his store seeing something in him, drops off a package saying to tread with caution and maybe turn it into a tale worthy of the ages. And this is how the story begins. From infancy, to his first kill, to his first encounter with a vampire, his mother's death, meeting Henry, taking up the axe, hunting the vampires, entering the political life, to meeting his wife and playing a great role in the civil war. This book touches every facts and facets of honest Abe's life otherwise known or shall I say unknown with a grain of truth. For even if vampires play a great role in here, it simply cannot be denied that the book has all the historical facts right. (so you may have noticed by now i'm not following the usual pattern of review writing because simply this is an autobiography(like) and i'm not good with dates)
Abe here is of course the protagonist. He is strong-willed, virtuous, and hates the fang bearers for what they took from him. He wields that axe of his over the heads of the vampires like a samurai wields their sword. Seth Grahame-Smith had wonderfully placed all the characteristics of Mr. Lincoln rather well. Henry is the other prominent character here. He plays the unbidden role of the supporter and teaches all there is about vampire hunting to Abe. A calm and collected person (or vampire), Henry can turn very well vicious in the face of a battle.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire hunter, proves a twist in a major part of American history with the much appreciated (from me!) inclusion of vampires. While many may not agree with what is being done here but they shouldn't be taking this seriously, this is purely a work of fiction and just a form of entertainment.
And the best part is the way the vampires are depicted here (that GOD no sparkly business). The action is also very palpable and hair raising with anticipation whenever Abe is on the hunt for vampires. From the most part I'm definitely excited for the movie now and know what to except.
"An interesting turn to the American history - Hair-raising vampire killing action"
Genre : Historical Fiction, Alternate History
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Rate: 5/5 (It was Awesome)
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Rate: 5/5 (It was Awesome)
CHECK OUT THE MOVIE TRAILER BELOW (ohh its going to be an AWESOME MOVIE)
It's my first time seeing this book and basing on your review you really liked it. Adding this on my pile and hopefully could get a copy! Great review :)
ReplyDelete-Jay
We Fancy Books
Oh wow, I didn't know that this movie was based on a book! Even though this doesn't sound like the usual type of books I would read, I might just read it anyway after your review :) It's really fascinating to hear about an alternate sequence of historical events, especially one with vampires (that are not sparkly ^^)!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, if not I would have never heard about this! And also, thanks for commenting on my blog :) Go check out my giveaway *urges* There are some great YA titles up for grabs!
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