The Last Vampire Series

Many years ago a man named Christopher Pike wrote a series of books that turned into The Last Vampire series. It was broken into six small novels, and then later turned into two larger volumes. This was how I first encountered it. My dear friend owned the two Last Vampire series collector's volumes. After she read them I was given the chance to enjoy them. I loved them. To say the least. I loved them so much that I committed one of the biggest book lover faux pas' that can be committed, I stole the books from my friend and kept them.

The story follows Sita, alias Alisa Perne, the last vampire on earth. When her "secret identity" is threatened by a local PI her temper gets the better of her and she kills him. Because of the detailed knowledge the detective had Sita worries about who hired him to find out about her. In order to do this Sita must take drastic measures and befriend the detective's son, Ray. And so she enrolls herself into Ray's high school. What begins as a simple, for her, assignment to gain information turns into the adventure of her long life.

Each book brings about a new set of challenges, a new set of rules, and many surprises. The books are all really good. And through it all there are characters that enliven the book even more. Now in order to fully give my real opinion about these books I have to give a little something away. The end of the very last book takes such a turn that the books really and truly end. Sita is able to change the way she lived her life which wraps the books up. It was a good ending.

I have read and re-read this series through out the years. And in many ways they have been a great comfort to me. The thing that I always went back to was Sita's struggle between her desires and doing what was right. I feel that a lot. I know that a lot of people feel that, a lot. So it's a fun thing to read a book about a very powerful creature that struggles just like us mere mortals. The writing is good, the characters real, the adventure is always edge of your seat. And many of the ideas that Sita believes in about Krishna and who God is are different and interesting. It's nice to see a different point of view on those sort of things in a vampire novel of all things. These are just some of the many reasons that I have always loved these books.

Then just within the last couple of years they have reprinted the books and entitled the series "Thirst." They have put annoying pictures on the front covers. It's a little disappointing but what can you do? I am torn about these new reprintings. I am glad that they have come out so now more people will get to read them, but because of the new covers and the new title it looks kind of stupid. Also I have discovered the reason for the reprinting. Christopher Pike has come out with another book about Sita and there is another one coming. Somehow impossibly there is more. I was stunned. I couldn't believe it. And only true fans of old will know what I am talking about. But trust me it is ridiculous that this has happened and is happening.

Because I was so shocked I read the book just to see how Christopher Pike did it. And it was just stupid. For most of the novel I was bored and confused and felt that there were just too many enemies. There was a very small window when it was like the good old books. But even Sita wasn't the same. She was annoying and whiney. I was highly disappointed!

So in conclusion I have to say go and read the first two volumes. Ignore the stupid new name "Thirst" and the really annoying pictures on the covers and go read them. Those are good. The are fun and full of life. Ignore the new ones.