Part three brings me deeper into The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance, and the anthology continues to be a very mixed bag in the most literal sense. Thirty stories leave room for almost every kind of vampire, but they also make the difference between a satisfying short story and a compressed novel chapter painfully obvious.
I keep responding most strongly to the stories that know exactly what they can accomplish in a few pages. A sharp premise, two or three memorable details, and a relationship with a real point of tension are more effective than pages of mythology delivered before the characters have a chance to become interesting.
The collection also makes a useful sampler. Even when a story feels too crowded, it can reveal an author whose pacing or world building I want to explore at greater length. That may be the best reason to read an anthology this large: it is less a single smooth experience than a shelf of introductions.
My overall opinion remains divided, but never bored. The best entries find something strange or emotionally specific inside a familiar vampire-romance setup. The weaker entries disappear quickly once the next story begins.
The Fangirl Says: Read it for the variety, expect unevenness, and keep a list of the authors whose stories make you want a full novel.