Vampires are something Stine barely does anything with. In fact, aside from a short story or a Give Yourself, it's still a medium that Stine hasn't really put any thought into. But hey, at least the original series gave us one, so let's see again what works and what doesn't as we start fangin' and bangin' with Vampire Breath.
VAMPIRE BREATH
FRONT TAGLINE: Open wide and say... mouthwash!
This cover feels more simple than most, but still feels really effective. The design of Count Nightwing works really well, giving us a creepy looking vampire, who is still somewhat weary after his time resting. I like the design of the Vampire Breath bottle, and how the fumes waft into Nightwing's mouth. Also a nice little touch with the wilting flowers. Other than that, good use of color as always. Solid work.
HE'S A DENTIST'S NIGHTMARE!
Tough. That's Freddy Martinez and his friend, Cara. They're not afraid of anything. But that was before they went exploring in Freddy's basement. Before they found the secret room. Before they found the bottle of Vampire Breath.
Poor Freddy and Cara. They should have never opened that bottle of Vampire Breath. Because now there's a vampire in Freddy's basement. And he's very, very thirsty...
STORY
Freddy Martinez likes telling scary stories, regardless on how badly he's scarring the kids he tells them. We open the book with him scaring a six year old boy named Tyler with a werewolf story. You know, maybe for tone sake it should be a vampire story, but the twist... we'll get to it. Despite the joy Freddy gets out of it, his friend Cara Simonetti thinks that he may have gone too far, but she also revels in Tyler's fear because they're awful... I mean they're tough. Real tough kids. This ain't your baby brother's protagonists, nossir. These kids are TOUGH.
So, after that happens, Freddy and Cara are downstairs in Freddy's basement playing air hockey. This turns into roughhousing, which turns into Freddy slamming into a cabinet, which tips over to reveal a door. The two open the door and head down a tunnel where they soon find a coffin. The kids are confused as to why Freddy's parents would have a coffin hidden in the basement, then decide to open it. There's no body inside, but a bottle labeled "Title of the book". They fight some more and accidentally open the bottle of Vampire Breath, releasing a strange fog which turns into an old vampire.
The old vampire introduces himself as Count Nightwing. He's also really thirsty and attacks the kids. Freddy and Cara try to escape, only to have the door shut behind them. Count Nightwing corners them to feed on their necks, only to realize he doesn't have his fangs. The bottle of Vampire Breath was the source of his powers, but he has to go back in time to the 1800s to do so. Sort of a weird vampiric time loop thing. When Freddy and Cara find the bottle, they then suddenly end up in a room filled with coffins. Turns out they warped back in time with Count Nightwing.
The coffins open, as vampires turns into bats to attack the kids. But Count Nightwing saves them in time. He's confused as to why they ended up back in time with him, but no matter, he could just turn them into vampires now, since he doesn't actually know how to send them back to the present. He tells the kids that Vampire Breath is what vampires use to keep from feasting on blood. I guess like a Transylvanian nicotine patch? Back in 1890, the bottle was still full, so he can use that instead. But, woe is upon them, the bottle is missing again.
So now the race is on. Freddy and Cara need to get the bottle before Count Nightwing if they have any hopes to survive the night. They search through the castle, which is just as creepy and gothic as you would expect. They try to go through the window, but see that the castle is like all of these haunted castles, atop a really steep cliff. They almost fall, only for Count Nightwing to save them again. As they search further, they find another coffin and another bottle of Vampire Breath. But they soon find out they're not alone. Instead they get scared by a girl their age named Gwendolyn who totally isn't a vampire or anything. Whatever would give you that idea?
Gwendolyn claims to be a slave of Count Nightwing's, forced to clean the castle constantly. She leads Freddy and Cara to where she claims is an exit, but shocker upon shockers, it was all a trap. Gwendolyn's a vampire too and she led them to a secluded area to feast on them herself. The kids use the bottle, but nothing comes out. It's just an empty bottle. Gwendolyn strikes, but Count Nightwing arrives in time to save the kids once more. Freddy and Cara run off while Count Nightwing... murders Gwendolyn I guess? I mean, this is her last appearance in the book and it seems pretty clear that she just had a trip to wooden stake city.
Freddy and Cara find the bottle room filled with more bottles of Vampire Breath. Count Nightwing enters and says that he remembers that this is the room where he hid his bottle of Vampire Breath. They find the bottle and the three fight over it, but Freddy and Cara's efforts are in vain. Count Nightwing grabs the bottle and opens it, with a fog filling the room. Everyone returns to Freddy's basement in the present time, including a weary Count Nightwing.
TWIST ENDING
Freddy's parents make it down to the basement and see the trio. Instead of shock, they're excited because Count Nightwing is actually Mrs. Martinez's father. So, both of the Martinez parents are vampires. Freddy is too, but won't get fangs, or I guess the weaknesses of a vampire until he's 100. They get Count Nightwing's fangs and the three leave to get a "bite to eat". As Freddy and Cara try to process this revelation, they find another bottle. This time for Werewolf Sweat, which Cara stupidly opens. So I guess full circle to the story? I don't really know.
CONCLUSION
Vampire Breath is okay. Not amazing, but nothing about it really leaves much to complain about. For a vampire story, it's not too bad and I like Stine's concept of the Vampire Breath being sort of this drug to keep vampires from feasting on humans, along with the ability to go back in time to refill the bottle. Though we don't really get much of an answer as to why Freddy and Cara went back as well, though I'm guessing that had to do with the fog of the breath. Other than that, it just seems like plot convenience to take this story to a creepy castle.
And I like the concept of Count Nightwing's castle. Creepy and gothic, the feeling of it being a death trap for the kids, it all works for good atmosphere in a Goosebumps book. Been a while for that. Gwendolyn also works as a good mid-book villain, but enters the story and exits it so quick that she doesn't feel that special. I guess she's meant to represent a vampire more evil than Nightwing, who despite his bloodthirsty nature is at least willing to save the kids, if only for them to find the bottle. Freddy and Cara start with the prankster character types I loathe, but wind up decent by the end.
And that's the best word I can give this book. Decent. Not much needs to change, not much needs to really be added. It's a decent enough vampire story with a solid flow. Maybe make the twist more interesting than just going back to werewolves again. Props to the episode ending on "The kids are vampires too" instead. My feelings on it changed little with this reread. So, it's still just a recommend. While vampires aren't Stine's thing, when he does include them it's a breath of fresh air.
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