Nicole J Simms/ September 16, 2018/ Blog/ 0 comments

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Nancy A. Collins is another author on my female horror author reading list. For the challenge, I read Sunglasses After Dark, which is the first book in the Sonja Blue series.

Nancy is an American horror writer. She has written novels, short story collections, chapbooks, comic books and screenplays. As well as horror, she writes fantasy and science fiction stories. The Sonja Blue books are her most well-known books to date, and the first novel in the series earned her a Bram Stoker Award in 1990. She has since been nominated for other awards, such as the Bram Stoker Best Collection and the International Horror Guild Best Collection.

Sunglasses After Dark is a horror novel about a vampire called Sonja Blue. She escapes from a mental hospital and hunts for the person/people who were responsible for her incarceration. The book also explores Sonja’s life pre-vampire and her early vampire years while introducing the reader to characters known as Pretenders who hide their true appearance from the humans.

Female Horror Authors – Nancy A. Collins - Sunglasses After Dark

[Sunglasses After Dark]

Sonja Blue reminded me of the character Blade in the Blade films, but a female version — I wonder if the Sonja Blue books inspired the Blade films. Sunglasses After Dark was written in a completely different style to the other books I’ve read for this challenge, especially if I compare it to Anne Rice’s book. The books are not for the faint-hearted due to its graphic content, and unlike the Anne Rice vampires, while the creatures appear attractive they are actually hideous, but only other similar creatures or those with the special sight (gift) can see the Pretenders’ true faces — this also reminded me of the TV series Grimm where only a Grimm or other creatures can see a creature’s true form.

I did feel for the main character. She was an innocent girl that was forced into a world of darkness, and even though she does kill brutally, she still tries to do the right thing.

While I did enjoy the story, I did find the different point of views (pov) confusing, and I would have preferred to see more of Sonja’s pov. However, due to the book being part of a series, I suppose the author didn’t want to give away too much in the first book. I also found the ending a little confusing. However, I did often fall asleep while reading, so I might have missed out on some parts.

Overall, Sunglasses After Dark was a good read, and I would be happy to read a book by this author again.

Have you read any of Nancy A. Collins’s novels? If you have, then feel free to comment below with your recommendations.

Keep writing, folks!

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