Varney the Vampire

Varney the Vampire (1847) is a penny dreadful novel by British writers James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest. Originally serialized in cheap volumes, the novel introduced some of the most recognizable tropes of vampire fiction still used today, including the depiction of fangs and the use of a Gothic setting. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, Varney the Vampire is a story of tragedy, damnation, and revenge that pioneered many of the themes common to horror and pulp fiction today. Sir Francis Varney was condemned to an eternity of vampiric life following his actions during the reign of Oliver Cromwell. Having betrayed a royalist and killed his own son in a fit of rage, Varney was forced to suffer death and resurrection countless times over on his insatiable quest for human blood. In the nineteenth century, he targets the Bannerworths, a once-noble family fallen on hard times in their crumbling estate. Gruesome and tragic, the story manages to humanize the vampire without softening his terrifying actions or features, laying the groundwork for an action-packed romp through such legendary cities as London, Naples, and Venice. Varney the Vampire is a grisly penny dreadful novel, a quick-witted work of horror that has inspired generations of storytellers and readers alike. This edition of Varney the Vampire by James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest is a classic of British horror fiction reimagined for modern readers.

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Author Biography

James Malcolm Rymer (1814-1884) was a British writer of penny dreadfuls, a cheap form of literature popular in the nineteenth century. Born in London, he is best known for his collaborations with Thomas Peckett Prest, coauthoring Varney the Vampire (1847) and The String of Pearls (1847), a novel also known as Sweeney Todd: The Barber of Fleet Street. Of Scottish descent, Rymer wrote over one hundred novels throughout his career for London publisher Edward Lloyd.

Thomas Peckett Prest (1810-1859) was a British journalist, hack writer, and musician. He is best known for his collaborations with James Malcolm Rymer, coauthoring Varney the Vampire (1847) and The String of Pearls (1847), a novel also known as Sweeney Todd: The Barber of Fleet Street. Prest worked as a writer for London publisher Edward Lloyd, earning a reputation for lampooning the novels of Charles Dickens.