Vampire Hunter D: Demon Deathchase
I wouldn't have even bothered to do this one except that I had it on hand. This is the book that inspired Bloodlust. Bloodlust is an absolutely gorgeous movie in every sense of the word: the animation is top-notch, the plot is tight, there are equal parts action and characterization, and D is attractive without being ridiculously beautiful.
This book is ... not as good as Bloodlust, even though the plot is superficially the same. And I think it's a pretty weak book. If this was the first VHD novel you read, you might stop with this one. And that would be a crying shame.
Title: Vampire Hunter D: Demon Deathchase
Does the Title Make Any Fucking Sense? I ... guess. I mean, there's a chase, and people die, and demons are involved ... It's nothing like Death Race 2000, though, which is what the title sort of brings to mind. Like so much else with this book, the title is neither totally appropriate, nor hilariously inappropriate. It's just kind of there.
Plot: There's a girl in danger, and vampires are involved. Lots of stuff happens, and D is eventually victorious. Also: D is very pretty, and he's Dracula's son.
Overall Impression: This book is full of meh. I'm not sure why. All the ingredients for a good story are there, they're just not cooked up quite right. Nor is it bad enough to be amazing.
The book differs from Bloodlust in several significant ways, ways that make the movie better. The subtle underlying theme of racism that makes the movie so good is present in the book, but not utilized at all. It's like the theme is there unintentionally. Also, the chasing action that plays out so well in animation doesn't hold up in text.
The Marcus brothers are completely unsympathetic in the book. In Bloodlust, they are content with the idea of letting D take down Mayerling and then taking the girl from D. In Demon Deathchase, they are actively trying to kill D, because they always kill their Hunter competition and no other reason. Then there's the little issue of incest.
Finally, the end of the book is completely different, with Bloodlust's bittersweet finale and denouement replaced by Mayerling and his girlfriend finding the Claybourne States spaceport completely trashed and unusable for any purpose. Then, after D is willing to let them go so long as they never show their faces to humankind again, they both die anyway in a completely pointless manner.
Bah. Go watch Bloodlust instead. It's better than this book by every measure.
Let's talk about D: D is finally, fully himself in this book. He doesn't give any Sue-inspired speeches about the Nobility, nor does he randomly talk to himself. It's not like he lacks for dialogue, exactly, but all of his dialogue is purposeful.
And, although he intends to take credit for killing Mayerling, in the end he's too honorable to do it and goes on his way without any proof that would get him paid.
Attempted Rapes: Mashira tries to rape Mayerling's nameless girlfriend. A nameless huntsman then also tries to rape her (Nameless/Nameless OTP?) Caroline wants to rape Mayerling but never gets around to it.
Successful Rapes: Kyle rapes his sister Leila. Actually, in the past all four brothers raped Leila. Including bed-bound Groveck. The one who resembles a mummy. No word on whether or not he needed help getting a mummy hard-on.
How Beautiful is D? We are reminded that D is breathtakingly beautiful a total of 30 times in 171 pages, or an average of once per 6 pages. This equates to a D Beauty Factor of 1.5.
Just in case you thought that all creative ways of saying "D is fucking beautiful" were exhausted in the last book, here are a few of his descriptions:
"cold beauty"
"hair-raising beauty"
"as beautiful as the moon's corona"
"so beautiful he virtually gave off a light of his own"
"the face of that gorgeous young man so full of the void"
"possessed of such intense beauty as to make the moonlight bashful to be around him"
"pretty boy"
Gelidity: In this book, D is gelid only 1 time!
Who Wants D? Kyle, Leila, Caroline. Caroline's desire for D is ... somewhat unique. Read on ...
How Long Does it Take For Someone to Hit on D? Remarkably, nobody hits on D at any point in this book!
Terms That Make Us Wonder What They Were in Japanese: "sarcomata," "cylopean" (again), "harmless radioactive waste."
Trivia Learned from This Book: Ten thousand years into the future, they still use ibuprofin.
Biggest WTF of This Book:
"I'm going to die, aren't I? Caroline thought. Here, on this man's sword ... Caroline gazed absentmindedly at the youth in black raiment approaching her. A strange feeling welled up in her breast. I want to be slain. I want to feel this gorgeous man stab into my bosom. The ecstasy of death enveloped Caroline in its rapture."
Bonus WTF: "His voice seemed pained, like something he'd just managed to vomit up."
Bonus WTF #2: "The silver flecks crumbling dreamlike against his refined brow and graceful nose were moonlight."
Not boogers. Moonlight.
And that's all there is to Vampire Hunter D: Demon Deathchase. Join us next time for the work of art that is Vampire Hunter D: Tale of the Dead Town. That one is way better, I promise.
This book is ... not as good as Bloodlust, even though the plot is superficially the same. And I think it's a pretty weak book. If this was the first VHD novel you read, you might stop with this one. And that would be a crying shame.
Title: Vampire Hunter D: Demon Deathchase
Does the Title Make Any Fucking Sense? I ... guess. I mean, there's a chase, and people die, and demons are involved ... It's nothing like Death Race 2000, though, which is what the title sort of brings to mind. Like so much else with this book, the title is neither totally appropriate, nor hilariously inappropriate. It's just kind of there.
Plot: There's a girl in danger, and vampires are involved. Lots of stuff happens, and D is eventually victorious. Also: D is very pretty, and he's Dracula's son.
Overall Impression: This book is full of meh. I'm not sure why. All the ingredients for a good story are there, they're just not cooked up quite right. Nor is it bad enough to be amazing.
The book differs from Bloodlust in several significant ways, ways that make the movie better. The subtle underlying theme of racism that makes the movie so good is present in the book, but not utilized at all. It's like the theme is there unintentionally. Also, the chasing action that plays out so well in animation doesn't hold up in text.
The Marcus brothers are completely unsympathetic in the book. In Bloodlust, they are content with the idea of letting D take down Mayerling and then taking the girl from D. In Demon Deathchase, they are actively trying to kill D, because they always kill their Hunter competition and no other reason. Then there's the little issue of incest.
Finally, the end of the book is completely different, with Bloodlust's bittersweet finale and denouement replaced by Mayerling and his girlfriend finding the Claybourne States spaceport completely trashed and unusable for any purpose. Then, after D is willing to let them go so long as they never show their faces to humankind again, they both die anyway in a completely pointless manner.
Bah. Go watch Bloodlust instead. It's better than this book by every measure.
Let's talk about D: D is finally, fully himself in this book. He doesn't give any Sue-inspired speeches about the Nobility, nor does he randomly talk to himself. It's not like he lacks for dialogue, exactly, but all of his dialogue is purposeful.
And, although he intends to take credit for killing Mayerling, in the end he's too honorable to do it and goes on his way without any proof that would get him paid.
Attempted Rapes: Mashira tries to rape Mayerling's nameless girlfriend. A nameless huntsman then also tries to rape her (Nameless/Nameless OTP?) Caroline wants to rape Mayerling but never gets around to it.
Successful Rapes: Kyle rapes his sister Leila. Actually, in the past all four brothers raped Leila. Including bed-bound Groveck. The one who resembles a mummy. No word on whether or not he needed help getting a mummy hard-on.
How Beautiful is D? We are reminded that D is breathtakingly beautiful a total of 30 times in 171 pages, or an average of once per 6 pages. This equates to a D Beauty Factor of 1.5.
Just in case you thought that all creative ways of saying "D is fucking beautiful" were exhausted in the last book, here are a few of his descriptions:
"cold beauty"
"hair-raising beauty"
"as beautiful as the moon's corona"
"so beautiful he virtually gave off a light of his own"
"the face of that gorgeous young man so full of the void"
"possessed of such intense beauty as to make the moonlight bashful to be around him"
"pretty boy"
Gelidity: In this book, D is gelid only 1 time!
Who Wants D? Kyle, Leila, Caroline. Caroline's desire for D is ... somewhat unique. Read on ...
How Long Does it Take For Someone to Hit on D? Remarkably, nobody hits on D at any point in this book!
Terms That Make Us Wonder What They Were in Japanese: "sarcomata," "cylopean" (again), "harmless radioactive waste."
Trivia Learned from This Book: Ten thousand years into the future, they still use ibuprofin.
Biggest WTF of This Book:
"I'm going to die, aren't I? Caroline thought. Here, on this man's sword ... Caroline gazed absentmindedly at the youth in black raiment approaching her. A strange feeling welled up in her breast. I want to be slain. I want to feel this gorgeous man stab into my bosom. The ecstasy of death enveloped Caroline in its rapture."
Bonus WTF: "His voice seemed pained, like something he'd just managed to vomit up."
Bonus WTF #2: "The silver flecks crumbling dreamlike against his refined brow and graceful nose were moonlight."
Not boogers. Moonlight.
And that's all there is to Vampire Hunter D: Demon Deathchase. Join us next time for the work of art that is Vampire Hunter D: Tale of the Dead Town. That one is way better, I promise.