The very first novel in the The Southern Vampire Mysteries, also known as the Sookie Stackhouse series…And also known to most of you as the TV series called True Blood. If you watch the series, I don’t need to tell you too much about Eric, or this series. However if you aren’t a self-proclaimed ‘Fang Banger’ who has avoided all of the madness: Eric is the owner of a bar called Fangtasia, and ends up getting involved with the main protagonist, Sookie Stackhouse. The entire series is YA and silly, but they do have their charm for sure.
Vampire Knight is another manga with interesting vampire characters that all have their charm. Yuki is the main female protagonist of the series, and has absolutely no memory of her past life at first, later regaining them when she awakens as a Pureblood vampire. Vampire Knight is a wonderful series of manga (and anime adaptation) with gorgeous artwork and characters that are worth checking out.
Choosing just simply ONE vampire as a character from the Anita Blake series was actually fairly tough. If you are unfamiliar with the series, there are many, many characters and a lot of them are involved enough to be considered major. Jean-Claude however is one of the main love interests of the novel main character Anita Blake, and is exactly what you would expect from a series such as this one. Attractive, intelligent, and deadly.
I will admit that I actually have not seen even one episode of the Vampire Diaries TV series, but I have heard a lot about both it and the novels that sparked the adaptation. Damon is the brother of the main protagonist of the series, and is the general antagonist. He’s the essential dark, moody, and obviously attractive character that we all love in steamy vampire novels.
Necroscope is personally to me, one of the most underrated series involving vampires. It’s difficult to explain properly without being entirely confusing. There are speaking to the dead, Wamphyri, pronounced “Vam-Fear-Eee”, and part of a super-secret Soviet spy agency, you have the necromantic Boris Dragosani. There are 16 books in the series, and there are all worth the read. Go get them.
So lovely readers, that is my list of top 20 vampires in literature. Tell me in the comments if there are any you think I missed or who you would choose as your top picks!
I’m surprised you didn’t include Chelsea Quinn Yarbro’s vampiric Comte de Saint-Germain, based on a historical personage and a precursor to Anne Rice’s beautiful, sexy vamps.