I totally agree with nowyat this is a great book. One has to get used to the language of the time it was written in and somewhat put yourself in the mindset of that time. The slight effort is more than worth it. One of the reasons books are in decline these days is that people have no imagination. The have to see their vampires, werewolves etc. in 40 foot tall, 100ft wide screen color dripping with saliva and blood or they're not "real". Given the right attitude Varney is far more real than anything Van Helsing had to face in the movies.