Fevre Dream

by George R.R.Martin

Review by Stephen Clark

Originally published in 1982 in hardback by Poseidon Press, we now have a 2004 paperback edition from Bantam. The story begins in the mid 1800’s in St Louis where a rather well off gentleman approaches a down on his luck riverboat Captain with a proposal that cannot be denied. They build a luxury steamboat in the hope of challenging the speediest rides along the Mississippi. 

While the silent partner, Joshua York, spends the days sleeping in his cabin and nights searching newspapers for grisly deaths, the Captain, Abner Marsh, runs the business side of things such as freight and passengers but slowly begins to doubt his partner over his strange behaviour. What follows is a wonderful adventure along the Mississippi where the text delves you into a time long gone.

This is a top-notch tale about vampires and one I urge everyone to read – even if vampires aren’t your thing. A certain Richard Laymon included this in his all-time top-ten vampire story list and rightly so.

Publisher: Poseidon Press (1982)

ISBN: 067145577X - Hardcover (350 pages)

Publisher: Trafalgar Square 

ISBN: 0575032553 - Hardcover

Publisher: Bantam Books 2004

ISBN: 0-553-38305-1 - Paperback  (334 pages)

Publisher: Spectra 2004

ISBN: 0553383051 - Paperback  (368 pages)