Page "Fred Saberhagen" Paragraph 6

Saberhagen's Dracula novels are based on the premise that vampires are morally equal to normal humans: they have the power to do good or evil, it is their choice.

The first in the series, The Dracula Tape, is the story of Bram Stoker's Dracula told from Dracula's point of view.

( Saberhagen depicts Dracula as the historical figure Vlad Ţepeş, who as woiwode of Wallachia was known as Drakulya, who in Saberhagen's stories became a vampire by simply refusing to die, " by a transcendent act of will " as the character describes it in the book.

) As the continuation of the series makes obvious, in this version, Dracula survives the best efforts of Harker, Van Helsing and company, who are portrayed largely as bungling fools, Van Helsing in particular as a fraud and heretic.

Dracula was violent and mean-tempered but nonetheless is bound by his own sense of honor and is loyal to his loved ones.

Dracula, in his mortal life, fought the encroach of the Ottoman Turkish Empire into Europe.

(" There is not an ounce of soil here which has not been enriched by the blood of patriots.

") In later novels, Dracula interacts with other literary characters including Sherlock Holmes.

This series was often listed in Ace promotional materials as " The New Dracula ".

His success with this series was such that he was hired to write the novelization of the 1992 movie Bram Stoker's Dracula.