The Last Days of Christ the Vampire
Review by Salieri, submitted on 9-Oct-1992

If you're looking for that perfect blend of blasphemy, anarchy, revolution, and vampire novel, let me tell you about a recent purchase.It's a small press novel called _The Last Days of Christ the Vampire_ by J.G. Eccarius (full bibliographic details follow this review).

After learning from a student he tutors about a new christian cult in town (converts claim to get personal visitations from Jesus who promises them eternal life, eternal love, and no more suffering), "Professor" Holbach draws parallels between the story of Jesus and the vampire myth:

Christ the Vampire. He was a magician in ancient Palestine. The Romans tried to kill him. ... Only they didn't know to drive a stake through his heart. So he has lived ever since, appearing to people who are weak. Whoever accepts his kiss gets sucked into the whole trip and becomes a mindless zombie wandering around trying to suck in the living by saying things like 'Jesus is the answer.'

Unfortunately for Holbach, the story spreads through the various fringe groups in town, sets off episodes of vandalism and protests, and soon Province's bishop is trying to explain the uprising to the Pope. Organized religion feels threatened and attempts to shut the originators of the story up. They flee and thus begins a traveling guerrilla war of words and spraypaint.

I think that the one-word review quote from _Locus_ ("Bizarre.") about sums this one up. This book is definitely not for the pious or straight-laced, and will get you some very strange looks if you read it on public transportation. Two fangs out of five, and most of that is for the concept, not its execution.

++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Last days of Christ the Vampire / by J.G. Eccarius.
San Diego : III Publishing, c1988. 180 p. ; 19 cm.
ISBN: 0-9622937-0-9 LCCN: none OCLC# 21895645