By Alissa Vecchio
Elm Staff Writer
In Charlie Houston’s “Already Dead,” Manhattan is teeming with Vampyres. Not Vampires, but Vampyres.
Joe Pitt is one of them, and he is not particularly enthused about it, especially because he now has the job of chasing down a flesh-eating, bacteria infested shambler (or rather, zombie) and a snotty little brat that has gotten involved.
Joe is also caught between the undead Clans ruling the seedy underside of the city: a group of Vampyre anarchists have got it out for him, a freakish Vampyre cult is looking to have him join, and the Coalition (Manhattan’s elitist, most powerful Vampyre Clan) is not happy with the decisions he is making.
Unfortunately, Joe is a little more preoccupied with his undead girlfriend, Evie, and the fact that he needs to find some blood to satiate the hunger pangs the Vyrus has plagued him with.
Also, there is the trouble of traveling in sunlight, which tends to put a halt on plans. But Joe cannot afford to let the sunlight dictate his traveling time.
Huston’s writing style is unlike most: curt, firm, strong. He gives detail where detail is needed, and most times it is gruesome and brutally honest; it is definitely not for the squeamish.
Yet, his structure is simple. Sentences are often fragments, which contributes to the quick pace of the story. The plot is always moving, never stalling. Action and tension never cease. At every point in the novel something is happening. Huston does not give readers spare time to process the unfolding events, and instead keeps everything in a whirlwind.
Dialogue is harsh and, when coming from Joe, snappy; most times it resembles quick banter and/or sparring, which more often than not leaves readers guessing as to which character is saying what. Nevertheless, the characters are great – so different from one another that once one is introduced, you crave to know more, whether they are likeable or not.
But really–gangster/religious/biker/businessmen/hippie Vampyres? What’s not to like? Each Clan is characterized to a tee, from their dwellings and appearances down to their speech.
The only problem with having such an extensive list of characters and locations is the resulting confusion. In a matter of a few pages, Huston has Joe jumping from the Bronx, to Queens, to Brooklyn. And although each turf is characterized and dominated by a specific group of Vampyres, the sudden changes in setting can be puzzling.
The change in characters is also off-putting; the number of names and nicknames for each verges on a level of ridiculous, creating a disjointed cast. But to help prevent confusion, Huston includes a nifty map of Manhattan, labeled with each Clan’s respective districts.
Still, Huston’s use of simplicity reigns, giving Already Dead a cutting-edge feel. The incorporation of mystery with the fantastical element of Vampyres works well.
It’s vampires – or rather, Vampyres – in a way you’ve never seen; this is what gives Huston the upper hand. You’ll continuously want to know where his story is taking you.
“Already Dead” is the first book in a five book series.