Fevre Dream
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | George R. R. Martin |
| Products | Vampire-themed novel |
Fevre Dream is a vampire-themed novel authored by American writer George R. R. Martin and published in 1982. The story unfolds along the antebellum Mississippi River starting in the year 1857. Martin characterized the book as a fusion of "Bram Stoker meets Mark Twain" and acknowledged the significant inspiration drawn from his experiences in Dubuque, Iowa, a city known for its river steamboat construction.
Initially released in the United States by Poseidon Press in 1982, the novel was followed by mass market paperback versions from Pocket Books in 1983, both editions showcasing cover illustrations by Barron Storey. In the United Kingdom, it appeared as a hardcover via Gollancz and later as a paperback through Sphere Books, also in 1983. A reissue occurred in 2001 through Orion Books as part of their Fantasy Masterworks collection, with additional paperback printings by Bantam Books released in 2004 and 2012.
The work garnered critical acclaim, receiving nominations for both the Locus Award and the World Fantasy Award in 1983.
Plot
Set in 1857, the narrative centers on Abner Marsh, an experienced yet financially troubled captain navigating the Mississippi River. He is approached by Joshua York, a wealthy and reserved gentleman, leading to an unexpected business alliance when Joshua agrees to bankroll a new riverboat—designed to be larger, swifter, and more opulent than any vessel previously built.
This paddle steamer, painted white, blue, and silver and named Fevre Dream after Abner’s struggling Fevre River Packet Company, is jointly captained by Abner and Joshua. While Abner handles piloting duties, he becomes increasingly suspicious of Joshua and his enigmatic companions who shun daylight. His doubts deepen upon finding scrapbooks in Joshua’s quarters chronicling mysterious fatalities.
Joshua then reveals that he and his group are vampire hunters using the Fevre Dream as a mobile headquarters to probe these strange occurrences. He further discloses that he and his associates are vampires themselves—beings who survive by preying on humans—but Joshua has created a potion blending ancient alchemy with chemistry that suppresses their "red thirst." This breakthrough casts him as a vampire messiah, with his followers pledging loyalty to him as their bloodmaster.
When rival bloodmaster Damon Julian discovers Joshua’s mission, he commandeers the Fevre Dream accompanied by his own vampire faction. Abner narrowly escapes and sets out to locate the ship now exploited for Julian’s sinister aims. After an unsuccessful attempt to reclaim it, Joshua advises Abner to abandon the effort.
Subsequently, Abner participates in the Underground Railroad and serves in the United States Navy during the Civil War, all while haunted by memories of the lost vessel. In 1870, he receives correspondence from Joshua and journeys to New Orleans, where he learns that Joshua’s partner Cynthia is expecting—a development prompting Joshua to confront Julian once more. On the deteriorating Fevre Dream, with assistance from Abner and betrayal by Julian’s thrall Sour Billy, Joshua overcomes Julian and reasserts himself as bloodmaster before Abner delivers Julian’s final blow.
The story closes several decades later, implying that Joshua’s potion has liberated vampires from their dependency on blood. They commemorate Abner’s contributions through nocturnal pilgrimages to his gravesite overlooking the river, honoring his crucial role in achieving their emancipation.
Graphic novel adaptation
In 2010, Avatar Press published a 10-issue graphic novel series based on Fevre Dream, scripted by Daniel Abraham and drawn by Rafa Lopez, featuring cover art by Mike Wolfer. This series was subsequently collected into a hardcover edition in 2011, broadening the novel's presence within the comic book industry.