A. J. Blakemont

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Embrace the Darkness! Part 1.

October 4, 2015 by AJ 2 Comments

Whether you enjoy books, comic books, movies or TV series, you can’t escape this—“darkness” is everywhere. “Dark”, “darkness”, the words that evoked fear in our ancestors are used nowadays as marketing tools. But what do we mean by “dark” when referring to a work of fiction?

Dark fantasy, horror, dark science fiction

Historically, it was the 18th-century Gothic novel that transformed negative emotions such as fear or melancholy into a source of pleasure (see the Gothic Novel and The Gothic: 250 Years of Success). However, the success of this initial wave of terrifying stories was short-lived, and in the 1820s this genre gave way to a more sophisticated kind of aesthetics—the Romantic movement was on the rise.

During the 19th and the 20th centuries—roughly until the 1970s—horror fiction was little more than an underground culture, although some horror books and movies managed to achieve long-lasting popularity. For example, classic adaptations of Frankenstein by James Whale and Dracula by Tod Browning were successful in the 1930s and remain influential to the present day.

The situation changed dramatically toward the end of the 1970s, when a tsunami of darkness swept away the naïve enthusiasm of the post-war period. This impressive attack of the “dark side” operated on several fronts. In 1974 appeared the first novel by Stephen King, Carrie, and two years later Anne Rice published the first book of her famous Vampire Chronicles (Interview with the Vampire, 1976). In the 80s and the 90s, Stephen King’s popularity was nothing less than phenomenal, and some other authors writing horror fiction enjoyed considerable success.

Darkness does not necessarily equal horror, however. Science fiction and fantasy also grew darker in the 70s and the 80s. Those ugly and often ridiculous monsters who terrorized beautiful girls on the covers of pulp magazines were history—a new breed of monstrosities was about to transform science fiction. In Alien (1979), Ridley Scott created a shocking, futuristic aesthetic of fear. Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982) blended science fiction with film noir, and challenged our perception of human condition in the process. The Terminator (James Cameron, 1984) and Predator (John McTiernan, 1987) introduced us to new, disturbingly realistic sorts of killing machines.

Fantasy also grew darker during that period. Far from innocent fairytales for kids, fantasy drew inspiration from its roots: myths, medieval ballads, and history itself. And God knows human history is a bloody business. Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melniboné, for example, is not your average sword & sorcery hero. He is a sorcerer and a necromancer capable of both heroism and cruelty. Knights in shining armor are no longer fashionable. Readers crave for a different kind of protagonists: anti-heroes (Stephan R. Donaldson’s Lord Foul’s Bane, 1977), torturers (Gene Wolfe’s The Shadow of the Torturer, 1980), assassins (Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice, 1995), and others.

Fantasy grew gritty, brutal, sometimes bleak and pessimistic. No need to insist on the influence of the Game of Thrones (this book had enough publicity already). Let’s mention a few noteworthy authors such as Steven Erikson (Malazan Book of the Fallen), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series), Joe Abercrombie (The First Law Trilogy), Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicle), and Mark Lawrence (The Broken Empire trilogy).

Urban fantasy was not immune to the overwhelming rise of darkness neither. Although the very first urban fantasy stories were relatively light in tone (War for the Oaks by Emma Bull, Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint), horror quickly found its way into this subgenre, starting with Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton, and followed by The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. Those stories are teaming with vampires, ghouls, zombies, necromancers, and the nastiest sorts of black magic.

In your opinion, why are we craving for this sort of terrifying stories? What makes them so appealing to science fiction and fantasy readers?

Filed Under: Books, Fantasy, History, Horror, Literature, Science fiction Tagged With: Anita Blake, Anne Rice, Brandon Sanderson, dark fantasy, fantasy, Game of Thrones, Gene Wolfe, Gothic, history, horror, Jim Butcher, Joe Abercrombie, Laurell K. Hamilton, Mark Lawrence, Michael Moorcock, Patrick Rothfuss, Robin Hobb, sci-fi, science fiction, Stephan R. Donaldson, Stephen King, Steven Erikson, The Dresden Files, vampires

Whitby, in the footsteps of Dracula (Part 2)

July 5, 2015 by AJ 2 Comments

Read the first part here: Whitby, in the footsteps of Dracula (Part 1)

Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey
Ruins of Whitby Abbey

“Perched high on a cliff, it’s easy to see why the haunting remains of Whitby Abbey were inspiration for Bram Stoker’s gothic tale of Dracula,” states the English Heritage website.

The story of Whitby Abbey in itself could be the subject of a book. This story begins in 657 with the foundation of a monastery by Hilda of Whitby. This monastery became one of the most important religious centers in the Anglo-Saxon world. Following the withdrawal of Roman legions from Britain, Northumbria emerged as a powerful independent kingdom. Members of the Northumbrian royal family were buried at the Whitby monastery, which shows the symbolic importance this monastery had at that time. The layman Cædmon, the earliest English poet whose name is known, lived and died in Whitby in the 7th century. The memorial to Cædmon has been preserved and can be seen in St Mary’s Churchyard.

Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey in the fog
Ruins of Whitby Abbey in the fog

Whitby monastery was abandoned in the 9th century, probably because Viking raids. In 1078, when Viking invasions were already history, a monk named Reinfrid founded a new monastic community at Whitby. Initially the monastery was built of wood, but in the 12th century it was rebuilt in stone in the Romanesque style. Later, in the 13th century, the monastery was rebuilt again, this time in the Gothic style. As many Gothic buildings, Whitby Abbey was built in stages, and the work continued with interruptions until the 15th century.

Following the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, the abbey was abandoned and its buildings sold to Sir Richard Cholmley (1578). During the Civil War (1642–51), the Parliamentarian troops captured Whitby and looted the Abbey House. After the war Sir Hugh Cholmley II restored it and added a new wing, known as the Banqueting House.

Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey in the sunrise
Ruins of Whitby Abbey in the sunrise

The Cholmleys abandoned the place in the 18th century. The Abbey House suffered from storms and part of its roof was removed. Weakened by erosion, the shell of the abbey church also started to collapse. The south transept collapsed in 1736, the nave in 1763, the central tower in 1830, and the south side of the presbytery in 1839.

In the 19th century, the Strickland family, descendants of the Cholmleys, entered in possession of Whitby Abbey. At that time, the abbey ruins became a popular tourist destination.

In 1914 Whitby was shelled by a German fleet. The abbey ruins were hit and the west front was damaged. In 1920 the Strickland family handed the abbey over to the Ministry of Works. English Heritage carried out archaeological excavations and surveys at this site between 1993 and 2008. The visitor centre was built during that period.

Such is the story of Whitby Abbey. The symbolic importance of this building changed constantly over the centuries. Place of spirituality and knowledge, place of power, place of violence and tragedy, place of hope, place of leisure, place of artistic inspiration.

Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey
Ruins of Whitby Abbey

Why did Bram Stoker find inspiration here, among the ruins of Whitby Abbey? The past haunting the present—such has always been the main motif in Gothic fiction. Medieval ruins remind us that we cannot break from our history, at least not completely. Dracula is an intruder from our past; he brings with him the memories of troubled times and the ways of our ancestors. Yet we cannot ignore our medieval heritage. Whether it causes awe or fear, the medieval culture is still an important part of our civilization, and it will remain part of our culture for the decades to come.

Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey
Ruins of Whitby Abbey

Read also: Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015 (Part 1) and Part 2.

Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey in the fog
Ruins of Whitby Abbey in the fog

Filed Under: Fantasy, History, Horror, Literature, Travel, UK Tagged With: Bram Stoker, Dracula, Gothic, history, horror, photos, vampires, Whitby

Whitby Goth Weekend: April 2015 (Part 1)

May 22, 2015 by AJ 2 Comments

Twice a year, Goths, steampunks, vampires, and other alternative culture lovers flock to Whitby, a small town located in North Yorkshire, to attend the Whitby Goth Weekend. This festival has been running since 1994 and is one of the largest of its kind in the world. It’s a brilliant opportunity to see some imaginative, wonderfully scary, sometimes phantasmagorical costumes.

Sunday 26 April 2015, Saint Ann’s Staith. Weather—wonderful. Atmosphere—surreal. Mood? Gothic, yet festive.

Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Photo of Gothic men and women in Whitby
Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Gothic parade!

Now let’s cross the Whitby Swing Bridge and venture into Church Street. We meet couples in gorgeous Victorian or steampunk costumes. Some of them are kind enough to pose for the camera!

Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015, photo, Victorian dress
Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015.

The feeling of unreality grows stronger. It’s difficult to believe we are still on Earth!

Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Photo. Gothic gathering.
Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Fantastical gathering in the middle of the street!
Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Photo. Vampires in Whitby
Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Vampire gathering in broad daylight!

What? Vampires gathering in broad daylight! Did they drink fae blood? Call vampire slayers! I dial 913. “Hello, Whitby vampire hunters. How can we help you today?” I tell them what I saw. “Vampires on Church Street? Oh, this is normal, you see. No worries; they are vegetarian.” Ah. That explains a lot. “Good day, sir.”

Vegetarian vampires on the streets at noon? There is something fishy going on in Whitby. I’m glad I brought my vampire slayer kit with me. Just in case.

Okay, now let’s go up the stairs toward the Church of Saint Mary and Whitby Abbey.

Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Photo. Street performance.
Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015.

I would like to thank all the lovely people who allowed me to take a picture of them. Very kind of you indeed!

Also read Whitby, in the footsteps of Dracula (Part 1)

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Filed Under: Alternative cultures Tagged With: fashion, Gothic, photos, vampires, Whitby

Whitby, in the footsteps of Dracula (Part 1)

May 7, 2015 by AJ 5 Comments

The adjective “amazing” was invented to describe the kind of experience I had in Whitby, a small town located in North Yorkshire, UK. This is where Bram Stoker found inspiration for his famous novel Dracula (1897). Now I understand what he felt when he visited this town – I felt it too.

Whitby, UK: Church of Saint Mary and Whitby Abbey
Whitby, UK: 199 steps (bottom right) leading to the Church of Saint Mary and the ruins of Whitby Abbey.

I arrived in Whiby on Wednesday 22 April after a 6-hour journey by train. Went to the B&B where I had made a reservation, checked in, then started my exploration of the famous vampire town. My first destination was Whitby Abbey, or, to be more precise, the ruins of Whitby Abbey. In the footsteps of Dracula, I climbed the 199 steps leading to the Church of Saint Mary and the top of the East Cliff.

Old tombstones surrounding the church greeted me solemnly. I turned to contemplate the setting sun that burned like a molten copper orb, bathing the cemetery in a warm orange glow.

Church of Saint Mary in the sunset
Whitby, UK: Church of Saint Mary in the sunset.

I continued my journey toward Whitby Abbey, its ruins silhouetted against the darkening sky.

Whitby Abbey in the sunset
Whitby, UK: Whitby Abbey in the sunset.
Ruins of Whitby Abbey in the sunset.
Ruins of Whitby Abbey in the sunset.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a cloud of fog appeared to shroud the town in semi-darkness. It hung oppressively – as Edgar Allan Poe would say – over the bay, the valley and the town, eclipsing the last rays of the dying sun.

Sunset over Whitby, East Cliff
Sunset over Whitby, East Cliff
Sunset over Whitby, East Cliff, panoramic view
Sunset over Whitby, East Cliff, panoramic view

The cloud swiftly slid over the ruins of the abbey, as if some malevolent power had cast a spell. Then the cold came, this humid, traitorous, creeping cold that sucks the warmth out of your body. The change in temperature was as swift as the change in luminosity. The warm glow of the setting sun was replaced by an icy semi-darkness. This sight was surreal, as if nature itself had staged it for my benefit. I felt a connection, an inexplicable bond with this place – the ruins, the church, the cemetery, the old stones.

ruins of Whitby Abbey shrouded in fog
Whitby, UK: ruins of Whitby Abbey shrouded in fog

After this moment of awe came the realization that I was freezing. I felt the need to send some hot drink down my throat to expel the cold tentacles of the night. Destination – the nearest café!

Church of Saint Mary in the evening
Whitby, UK: Church of Saint Mary in the evening.

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Learn more about the history of this town in

Whitby, in the footsteps of Dracula (Part 2)

Filed Under: Books, History, Horror, Literature, Travel, UK Tagged With: Bram Stoker, Dracula, fantasy, Gothic, history, horror, photos, vampires, Whitby

Vampires in literature

March 28, 2015 by AJ Leave a Comment

Picture of a female vampire
Female vampire

Vampires have a special place in literature, art, and popular culture. Historically, the myth of vampires resulted from our ancestors’ poor understanding of the processes that occur inside a decomposing body. At a certain stage of decomposition, the corpse inflates, creating the illusion that it fed on the living. Beliefs in creatures feeding on human blood are so ancient that it is difficult to determine their origins, and there is historical evidence showing that these beliefs existed in the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance.

In 18th-century Europe, cases of mass hysteria where people exhumed corpses to burn them forced the authorities to launch scientific investigations into the existence of vampires. Scientists concluded that the bloodsucking undead were only a product of popular superstition and tomb profanations were outlawed.

In Gothic literature, vampires made their first appearance in The Monk by Matthew Lewis before becoming an emblematic character of dark Romanticism. Byron introduced the theme of vampirism in his poem The Giaour (1813):

But first, on earth as vampire sent,

Thy corse shall from its tomb be rent:

Then ghastly haunt thy native place,

And suck the blood of all thy race;

There from thy daughter, sister, wife,

At midnight drain the stream of life;

Yet loathe the banquet which perforce

Must feed thy livid living corse:

Thy victims ere they yet expire

Shall know the demon for their sire,

As cursing thee, thou cursing them,

Thy flowers are withered on the stem.

John William Polidori, one of the closest friends of Byron, created the iconic image of the undead aristocrat in his novella The Vampyre (1819). Female vampires also haunted 19th-century literature (The Dead Woman in Love by Theophile Gautier; Carmilla, In a Glass Darkly, by Sheridan Le Fanu). After Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897), the vampire became associated with the concept of otherness. Dracula comes from Eastern Europe, and he also comes from the past, which makes him not only alien, but also anachronic. He is a reminder of our medieval past, viewed as dark and violent, and he is also representative of a non-Western culture.

The vampire represents the other, the heretic, the deviant, the marginal, the immigrant, the homosexual – anyone who belongs to a minority and is perceived as a threat to the established way of life in a given society.

A text key to understanding the evolution of the vampire as a fictional character is I Am Legend (1954) by Richard Matheson. I would strongly recommend reading Matheson’s book as the film adaptation by Francis Lawrence (2007), despite its qualities, betrays the spirit of the novel. Matheson uses a postapocalyptic setting to portray an extreme case of xenophobia. A pandemic decimates the human population all over the world, and the most horrific aspect of it is that the dead, transformed into vampires, return from their graves to infect the living. Robert Neville manages to survive this apocalypse by barricading himself during the night and, during the day, he hunts and kills the undead. He doesn’t even suspect that, meanwhile, his foes are developing their own culture, and that he, Robert Neville, gained in this culture the status of a legend: he became the incarnation of death.

The theme of vampires enjoyed a phenomenal success after the publication of the Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. An important trend in this type of literature is the humanization of the undead; nevertheless, they always remain a source of fear. Particularly popular are narratives in which vampires revealed their existence to the human society, for example The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris and the TV drama inspired by this series, True Blood (2008-present). This kind of fictional universes allow an interesting commentary on xenophobia, racism, religious intolerance, drugs, sexually transmitted diseases and other burning social problems.

The times when vampires were merely a product of superstition are long gone; nowadays, these beings are part of our popular culture. They represent the liminal state between life and death, the past and the present, the normal and the transgressive. They are “the others”, the barbarians, the Goths who live at the borders of our “civilized world”, who frighten our safety and our way of life; yet they are also our image in the distorting mirror of our collective unconscious. They are projections of our repressed fears and desires.


From The Gothic: 250 Years of Success by A J Blakemont. Copyrighted material.

Filed Under: Horror, Literature Tagged With: Anne Rice, Bram Stoker, Dracula, I Am Legend, John Polidori, Lord Byron, Matthew Lewis, romanticism, Sheridan Le Fanu, Theophile Gautier, True Blood, vampires

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About the Author

A. J. Blakemont is a novelist and essayist interested in speculative and gothic fiction. He is also passionate about music, history and its mysteries. He grew up in Paris where he studied literature. He lives near London and he is a member of the Society of Authors.

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