Anyone Here Interested In Things

[The Ringo Kid]

I'm not really into this kind of stuff but the following definately sounds interesting.

There is a trilogy of books that will be released by late summer of 2006. The series is called: Fiends of the Eastern Front and there will be three books in this series.

They are:

1) Operation Vampyre.
2) Blood Red Army.
3) Dawn of the Dead. (or something like that)

The author is from New Zealand but is now living in London, England I believe. His name is David Bishop. Apparently he has been writing for magazines and such for many years and I think has written several other books. Anyway, book Nr 1 is already out and you can get a copy at Barnes & Nobles and or Borders Bookstores if interested.

As it happens to take place during WWII and the war on the eastern front (one of my all-time most favorite subjects) it has caught my attention. I think the book is about a young German Soldier who is stationed somewhere on the eastern front in a unit stationed next to a Romanian unit. I think the Soviet units gave the German's unit a hard time and the Romanians kinda pull their chestnuts out of the fire. After a length of time passes, this young soldier discovers that the Romanians who saved him are all Vampires.

Like I said, i'm not really into this kind of stuff but, this is differrent and sounds interesting.

These are published in paperback for about $6-7 bucks. [[[[[[Geeze, I remember when new paperbacks sold for less than .50 cents.]]]]]]

Regards--Me. :)

[nathan_brittles]

Hi Ringo!

I used to spend a few Summers in Transylvania and I visited the castle that inspired the author of Dracula. If I can dig through my old photos, I'll try to send a pic. The castle is located in a village called Bran. Its a very poor area and the locals really play up the vampire legend for tourism purposes. There really was a person whom the Dracula legend was based on, but he never lived there. Actually, the true history was much more frightening to me than the made-up story.

-ncb

[The Ringo Kid]

Originally posted by nathan_brittles@Jan 24 2006, 07:44 PM
Hi Ringo!

I used to spend a few Summers in Transylvania and I visited the castle that inspired the author of Dracula.* If I can dig through my old photos, I'll try to send a pic.* The castle is located in a village called Bran.* Its a very poor area and the locals really play up the vampire legend for tourism purposes.* There really was a person whom the Dracula legend was based on, but he never lived there.* Actually, the true history was much more frightening to me than the made-up story.

-ncb

[snapback]25879[/snapback]

Thanks Na, I look forward to seeing any photo's you can post on this. I think it was last week when i saw a cable TV program about that castle. The host of the show was acting like the class clown in it. All his kidding aside, the program was pretty interesting to watch.

Best regards--C.

[SXViper]

Originally posted by nathan_brittles@Jan 24 2006, 06:44 PM
Hi Ringo!

I used to spend a few Summers in Transylvania and I visited the castle that inspired the author of Dracula.* If I can dig through my old photos, I'll try to send a pic.* The castle is located in a village called Bran.* Its a very poor area and the locals really play up the vampire legend for tourism purposes.* There really was a person whom the Dracula legend was based on, but he never lived there.* Actually, the true history was much more frightening to me than the made-up story.

-ncb

[snapback]25879[/snapback]

You are correct, Dracula was inspired by a guy called Vlad. Vlad spent his childhood in Sighisoara, Transylvania (now central and northern Romania) with his family, waiting for his coronation. He's father used the emblem for his first two monetary emissions: the symbol of the dragon. He also went by the name "Dracul". In old Romanian dracul means the dragon or the devil (in the contemporary Romanian dracul means only the devil). Being the son of a "Dracul", Vlad was called "Dracula", meaning originary the son of the Dragon.

After being a hostage of the ottomans (1444 -1448) Vlad went to his uncle Iancu de Hunedoara (the ruler of Wallachia), whose daughter Vlad later married, becoming prince of Wallachia on the 22nd of August 1456. Vlad Dracula started organizing the state, the army and the law. He also build several monasteries. He was a respected warrior, ruler and tolerated no crime against his people. In his laws, Vlad applyed the death penalty by impaling to all those he considered enemies (robbers, beggars, etc). Impalement was used also for his war enemyes, the ottomans. Being the one to dare to stand against Mohammed II (the Conqueror), he became known as one of the most feared enemies of the Ottoman empire. His biggest merit is that he succeeded in regaining the country's independence from the Turkish influence. For his people he was a good king, remaining one of the prominent personages of the Romanian history. He was overthrown twice (he ruled for a brief period in 1448 and again between 1456 and 1462). Back to the throne in 1476 with the help of Stefan cel Mare (the ruler of Moldavia), Vlad resumes his fights against the ottomans.

Because of his impalement methods, he became know as Vlad "the impaler". or Vlad Tepes. Tepea is Romanian for impaler.

Towards the end of 1476 Vlad is killed at Snagov (by Basarab who followed him to the throne of Wallachia). According to the rumors, Vlad Tepes Dracula died violently, at the hands of one of his men who was actually an ottoman spy. He was burried at one of his monasteries (on the island at Snagov). Contrary to popular belief, Dracula's castle is not situated in Transylvania. The crumbling ruins still stand in the northern Wallachian town of Tîrgoviste (now central Romania).

I am not a huge vampire fan but that story about Dracula fascinated me awhile back so I looked about the history of how he came to be. Stories were written after his death to keep the myth going because word of the way he killed the people was so gruesome I guess people could not fathom a human doing such things so they made him into a monster.

[Jay J. Foraker]

Hi Carl -
Thank you for that information - it filled in a lot of blanks since I knew some basics about Vlad "The Impaler," but had no details prior to your post!
Cheers - Jay :D

[SXViper]

Originally posted by Jay J. Foraker@Jan 26 2006, 11:02 AM
Hi Carl -
Thank you for that information - it filled in a lot of blanks since I knew some basics about Vlad "The Impaler," but had no details prior to your post!
Cheers - Jay* :D

[snapback]26001[/snapback]

Actually that was me that posted that but ringo can have the honors, that's ok.

[Jay J. Foraker]

Originally posted by SXViper@Jan 26 2006, 12:21 PM
Actually that was me that posted that but ringo can have the honors, that's ok.

[snapback]26009[/snapback]

I'll have to beg your pardon, Viper. The old brain gets befuddled very easily these days. So I'll give credit where credit is due - Thank you, Viper, for that information.
Cheers - Jay

[The Ringo Kid]

Hi Todd, Jay.

Todd, thanks for all that on Vlad. Since I was a kid I too had some interest in that stuff--but not one that made it a priority of sorts.

Anyway, I have partially read book Nr 1 and its not bad, not bad at all.

Please excuse my quick reply--im suffering from a stomach virus of some sort that is rampaging the streets and homes of Corpus Christi, the (City by the sea) :-((

[Jay J. Foraker]

Hi Carl - I hope you're feeling better real quick. This stuff has been going around in the Alamo City as well - I came down with it three weeks ago and felt better in a couple of days, but my wife, who caught it three days before I did, wound up going into the hospital for several days (since she's bedridden, the doctor didn't want to take a chance with her). Everybody has caught something of this stuff over the last month or so.
Cheers - Jay <_<

[The Ringo Kid]

Originally posted by Jay J. Foraker@Jan 30 2006, 06:35 PM
Hi Carl - I hope you're feeling better real quick.* This stuff has been going around in the Alamo City as well - I came down with it three weeks ago and felt better in a couple of days, but my wife, who caught it three days before I did, wound up going into the hospital for several days (since she's bedridden, the doctor didn't want to take a chance with her).* Everybody has caught something of this stuff over the last month or so.
Cheers - Jay <_<

[snapback]26235[/snapback]

Hi Jay, thank you for the nice wishes my Alamo City friend. Sorry that you guys had a run-in with it there and glad you both are feeling better and over it. It has been pure heck on me since early Thursday morning. When I went to bed Wed night--there was no indication what-so-ever, that I was going to be sick the next day. 9 am Thurs--woke-up and even splashing cold water in myface--still felt as if I was about to fall asleep. Had erands to do and felt fine ate lunch at the U & I restaurant and went home. Hrs later-after a light supper--I still felt mostly OK but a bit dizzy. Went to bed--woke up Fri morn--sick as can be. Since then through Sat eve--I could not keep food in me-nor water. The first food that stayed in me was supper on Sunday. Today have to get 3 meds--so hopefully that will make the recovery in the next day or so.

Also--I hope nobody else here is going through this--I highly do NOT recommend getting it if possible.

Take care and see you all when I feel better.

Cheers--C.

[chester7777]

I have to confess that I passed on reading this thread, because I don't have any interest in things vampire, but my curiosity finally got the best of me, and I must say it was worth the look.

Todd, thank you so much for that little history lesson - it was fascinating!

Mrs. C

[SXViper]

Originally posted by chester7777@Feb 3 2006, 10:07 AM
I have to confess that I passed on reading this thread, because I don't have any interest in things vampire, but my curiosity finally got the best of me, and I must say it was worth the look.

Todd, thank you so much for that little history lesson - it was fascinating!

Mrs. C

[snapback]26415[/snapback]

Yeah, I would tend to agree with you, but, I like the history aspect of the legend more then the legend itself. Glad I could enlighten you alittle.

[The Ringo Kid]

Originally posted by chester7777@Feb 3 2006, 11:07 AM
I have to confess that I passed on reading this thread, because I don't have any interest in things vampire, but my curiosity finally got the best of me, and I must say it was worth the look.

Todd, thank you so much for that little history lesson - it was fascinating!

Mrs. C

[snapback]26415[/snapback]

Hi Mrs C. im not much into vamp stuff either but my curiosity got the best of me too on this one. :)