Bram Stoker/ Hans de Roos - The Ultimate Dracula

[dem bones]

Bram Stoker - The Ultimate Dracula. Bram Stoker's Mystery Story Illustrated by Hans Corneel De Roos (Moonlake Editions, Munich, 2012)

Hans Corneel de Roos

Disclaimer
Editor's Note
Cast & Production Teams/ Acknowledgements

A. Introduction & Source Texts
B. The Dracula Maps: Geographical Background & The Castle's Site
C. The Ultimate Dracula: Bram Stoker's Novel & Photo Story
D. Bram Stoker's Vampire Trap: Vlad The Impaler & His Nameless Double
E. References & Movies

Blurb:
With DRACULA, the Irish author Bram Stoker has created one of the best-known fiction characters of all time. Although Stoker was not the first to write about vampires and during his life, his novel was only a moderate success, his uncanny Count is known all over the world now, not in the least by dozens of movie and theatre productions. This edition offers the unabridged text of the first publication, commented by a brilliant photo story especially produced for this book. A bonus Feature is the surprising alternate ending, designed to commemorate the centenary of Stoker's death. Young actors from Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic participated in this first photographic project ever to visualise all the plot’s key moments.
Added is a ground-breaking essay revealing the true location of Castle Dracula for the first time. Until now, scholars have believed that the novelist had no specific site in mind when writing his story. Analysing the novel’s travel descriptions and the writer’s own research notes, De Roos demonstrates that Stoker did pick a precise address - but chose to cover it up. With 17 highly detailed colour maps.

In a final essay the author puts an end to over 50 years of debate about the alleged influence of Vlad III Dracula ,"the Impaler" on Stoker’s novel. De Roos explains how Stoker by a literary trap door trick let the historical Voivoide Dracula disappear from his story, so that the Vampire Hunters in the final chapters pursue a nameless ‘other' instead!

Forthcoming From Hans C. de Roos: “Grimm For Grown-Ups, ” “The Best of Edgar A. Poe”, “Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland”

Ph*t*bucket's flesh-locating bot would have blown a gasket had this extraordinary volume not been too vast to fit under my scanner. Hans Cornell de Roos' labour of love see's Stoker's novel complimented by interesting-looking essays and - especially - a blood-drenched, soft-core photo story. Result is visually stunning. An ideal Christmas present for the globeswatcher in your life.

Thanks to Anna Taborska for such a lovely present!