Fred Saberhagen bibliography

This is complete list of works by American science fiction and fantasy author Fred Saberhagen.

Works

The Dracula Series

Saberhagen was inspired to write the first novel in the series, The Dracula Tape, as a result of "re-reading Stoker's original, and being struck by the fact that this titanic character was hardly ever on stage, though of course central to the book. Naturally in my contrarian way I wondered what he was really doing and thinking while the other characters made their plans to hunt him down, and as soon as I started listening for his voice, I heard it."

Saberhagen's Dracula novels are based on the premise that vampires are morally equal to normal humans: they have the power to do good or evil; it is their choice. The Dracula Tape is the story of Bram Stoker's Dracula told from Dracula's point of view. Saberhagen depicts Dracula as the historical voivode Vlad Ţepeş (known as Drakulya, meaning "Dragon") who, in Saberhagen's stories, became a vampire after being assassinated. According to the character, he refused to die "by a transcendent act of will", but it is apparent that even he is uncertain how he really became a vampire. Most vampires in the series are created when a human drinks the blood of another vampire, which he claims he never did. In this version, Dracula survives the best efforts of Harker, Van Helsing, and company, who are portrayed largely as bungling fools; Van Helsing in particular is seen as sacrilegious, manipulative, and not as knowledgeable about vampires as he believes himself to be. ("Imbecile is one of the most charitable names that I can find for him.")

Dracula is depicted as violent and ill-tempered but nonetheless bound by his own sense of honor and loyalty to his loved ones. Dracula, in his mortal life, fought the encroachment of the Ottoman Empire into Europe.