Introduction and Notes by Dr David Rogers, Kingston University. 'There he lay looking as if youth had been half-renewed, for the white hair and moustache were changed to dark iron-grey, the cheeks were fuller, and the white skin seemed ruby-red underneath; the mouth was redder than ever, for on the lips were gouts of fresh blood, which trickled from the corners of the mouth and ran over the chin and neck. Even the deep, burning eyes seemed set amongst the swollen flesh, for the lids and pouches underneath were bloated. It seemed as if the whole awful creature were simply gorged with blood; he lay like a filthy leech, exhausted with his repletion.' Thus Bram Stoker, one of the greatest exponents of the supernatural narrative, describes the demonic subject of his chilling masterpiece Dracula, a truly iconic and unsettling tale of vampirism.
Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker was an Irish author best known for his Gothic horror novel "Dracula," published in 1897. His writing style often included elements of supernatural, mystery, and suspense, creating a sense of unease and fear in his readers. Stoker's contribution to literature lies in popularizing the vampire genre and creating one of the most iconic characters in literary history, Count Dracula. His work has had a lasting impact on the horror genre, inspiring countless adaptations and interpretations in various forms of media.
