Fevre Dream
Review by Pandora, submitted on 29-Jul-1991

_Fevre Dream_ by George R.R. Martin. London : VGSF, 1989 (c1982). ISBN 0-575-04492-6L3.50(sorry, no pound sign on this terminal!); $3.95.

Set on the Mississippi River in the second half of the 19th century, _Fevre Dream_ is the story of Abner Marsh, owner of a steam packet company recently gone bust because of a freeze on the river that destroyed three of his four boats; and Joshua York, a man who wants to get into the business as captain and part owner of a beautiful new steamboat. Marsh agrees to the arrangement and manages the day-to-day running of things, mainly to have a chance to race the _Eclipse_ - the fastest boat on the river. Despite Marsh's promises to not interfere or question York's strange habits and even stranger friends, curiosity gets the better of him. York finally admits to being a vampire hunter who needed a steamboat as the perfect base: all decorated in silver and mirrors, and traveling in running water.

York is hunting vampires, but not for the usual reasons. He is one himself - one of a race living parallel with humans: stronger, longer-lived, but slow- breeding and requiring blood to assuage "the red thirst," a monthly bloodlust. The strongest-willed individual of a group of vampires is called the " bloodmaster" and all obey his/her wishes until a stronger leader comes along. York has managed to formulate, after years of study, trial and error, a mixture that relieves the need for human blood. He is trying to collect all of the remaining vampires to himself, become their bloodmaster, and stop them from preying upon humans so that humans and vampires can collaborate on saving the dying vampire race. Unfortunately, there are some vampires who like the hunter/prey relationship between vampires and "cattle" just the way it is and want no part of a "cure."

The book has an interesting premise and is well-written - kind of a cross between a vamp book and Twain's "Life on the Mississippi." It has great 19th century atmosphere, good depiction of New Orleans in the late 1850's and a fair amount of suspense as well. I thought the background story of the vampire race was very well thought out and well done, and the book has, for a change, a vampire who spends his time trying to study to become a expert in something useful.