The Illustrated Dracula
By Bram Stoker
Illustrated by Jae Lee

This is a tactile and visually beautiful edition of the famous novel by Bram Stoker. Dracula was not the first vampire novel, nor was it Bram Stoker's first book. But after years of research, Stoker managed to craft the ultimate vampire novel, which has spawned countless movies, spinoffs, and books - and here, his immortal story is enhanced by the creepy, jagged art of Jae Lee.

Jae Lee's shadowy, sharp-edged pictures are well-suited for this story; a few are in muted colours, but most are black-and-white. Lee creates chilling portraits of the looming vampire, his brides, ships in the mist, and Renfield eating a giant beetle; the most shocking is a bloody-mouthed Lucy clutching a baby.

Dracula is the grandaddy is Lestat and Jean-Claude, but that isn't the sole reason why it is a classic. It's also incredibly atmospheric, and very well-written. Not only is it very freaky, in an ornate Victorian style, but it is also full of restrained, quiet horror and creepy eroticism. What's more, it's shaped the portrayal of vampires in movies and books, even to this day. Intelligent, frightening and very well-written, Dracula is the well-deserved godfather of all modern vampire books and movies - and arguably among the best.