Tampa Book Buzz

book buzz:eternally yours by s.l. juers

Eternally Yours by S.L. Juers, ISBN 1420811770

It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed reading a book as much as I did Eternally Yours by S.L. Juers. If the term “vampire fiction” turns you off, I implore you to read further, because Eternally Yours is so much more than that.

This book is a suicide note, written because “I need someone to understand. My death holds as much purpose as my life. I want it understood, I was rational and justified in the end.” The author of this suicide note is Rudolph Sonthofen, who was a normal child growing up in late 18th century North Carolina until a vicious animal attack changed his life forever.

Rudolph doesn’t change into the sadistic and thirsty vampire often found in these stories; he merely develops a sensitivity to the sun, ages far slower than normal and has the overwhelming need to consume blood whenever the moon is full. For a few decades, Rudolph lives an almost-normal life, carefully tracking the lunar cycles to make sure he has animal blood available and periodically moving to different parts of the country to avoid questions about never looking any older. Then he learns what his future holds for him: watching friends and loved ones grow old and die, continually having to assume new identities and relocate to begin a new life, and never finding a cure for his curse.

Juers has created an amazing story that is impossible to put down. Eternally Yours is a fascinating first-hand look at our nation’s history by a fictional character in the position to live through it all. Rudolph was a hunter and trapper, an outpost store owner, a California gold miner, a participant in the Underground Railroad, a member of two Native American tribes, a New York factory owner, a photographer and much more throughout his 228 years.

It’s also a heartbreaking, touching story of friendship, love, loss and loneliness. And, finally, it’s a fresh look at the familiar genre of vampire fiction. Rudolph embraced modern medicine so that his vampirism could be studied and hopefully cured. He embraced the new visual art of cinema and used movies to forget about his life, all the while hating the portrayal of vampires on the movie screen. “I was in tears while I watched the dramatic and, somewhat romantic portrayal, recalling parts of my life and reliving the anguish of my need…I knew the word ‘vampire’ would be known to all who dared to purchase a ticket to the affordable experience.”

To S.L. Juers, let me say that this fan is “eternally yours.”

Book Buzz Barometer: A+