The House of the Vampire

First published in 1907, "The House of the Vampire" by George Sylvester Viereck, a German-American poet, writer, and pro-German propagandist is one of the first psychic vampire novels of its time—where the vampire feeds off of more than just blood—The House of the Vampire is an early classic in its genre. Republished in this new edition, this Victorian novel operates in the continuum of life and death. What has been can be again, though often terribly transformed. Energetically inventive and infused with a relish for the supernatural, especially the trappings of the dark, The House of the Vampire delivers a horror that we know does not—but nonetheless conceivably might—exist and threaten ourselves. Blurring the lines between fact and fiction, it is considered a classic among Victorian Gothic stories.
George Sylvester Viereck is remembered today chiefly for his contributions to fantasy literature. He was the editor of the magazine ‘The Fatherland’, and author of ‘Confessions of a Barbarian and Glimpses of the Great’.

George Sylvester Viereck (1884–1962) was a German-American poet, novelist, and publicist known for both his literary talent and controversial political views. Born in Munich, Germany, he immigrated to the United States as a child and was raised in New York. He showed early promise as a writer, publishing his first book of poetry, Nineveh and Other Poems, in 1907, which gained critical acclaim and established him as a rising literary figure.
In his early and middle years, Viereck wrote both poetry and fiction. His works included romantic and mystical themes, often influenced by German literature and culture. His novel The House of the Vampire (1907) is considered one of the earliest modern vampire novels, notable for its psychological depth. He also published biographies and political essays, including a controversial biography of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
However, Viereck's career took a darker turn in the 1930s and 1940s due to his strong pro-German and pro-Nazi sympathies. He wrote and spoke in favor of Adolf Hitler and was later convicted in 1942 under the Foreign Agents Registration Act for failing to disclose his activities as a propagandist for Nazi Germany. He served 5 years in prison. Viereck died in 1962, his literary legacy overshadowed by his political affiliations.