Taking a step away from the roleplaying game that swallowed the vampiric subgenre whole (VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE), BLOOD TYPES aims to be the definitive resource concerning the bloodsucking creatures. As with the best of the GURPS sourcebooks, BLOOD TYPES answers every question one could think to ask about the given subject, presenting exhaustive research in one easy-to-digest package. Also as per usual, the rules included are a turgid mess, but that doesn't make BLOOD TYPES any less of an engaging read.

Author Lane Grate seems to realize what a drag the GURPS rules can be, and delays their inclusion until nearly fifty pages into the book. He begins instead with an overview of the symbolic meaning of the literary/folkloric/filmic vampire, and the segues directly into an examination of the development of the vampiric legend in various world cultures, not overlooking "human vampires" like Elizabeth Bathory. His treatment of the Victorian literary vampire is quite interesting, and will likely spur readers of BLOOD TYPES to break out their old copies of Bram Stoker's DRACULA.

Grate does his best to keep the rules portion of BLOOD TYPES as painless as possible. The remainder of the book is occupied with vampiric character types and how to build them. One method presented is to select one of the more than a dozen archetypical vampire types from around the world and use the package of advantages and disadvantages given for them. Another is the DIY approach, where Grate provides a toolkit of "typical" vampiric traits, thereby encouraging GMs to create unique vampire types for their games.

The only real disappointment in BLOOD TYPES comes from the Game Master section of the book. Whereas in many GURPS titles this is a beefy chunk of the text, in BLOOD TYPES it's somewhat slender. After the in-depth discussion of the topic that precedes it - scarcely a topic is left unaddressed in the character-type and historical sections, for example - the GMs' advice seems weak by comparison. In contrast to some of the better GURPS books, Grate doesn't provide extensive suggestions for building and/or maintaining a vampire-centric campaign, but simply hits the high points, addresses crossovers with other GURPS titles in sidebars, and leaves it at that.

Taken as whole, BLOOD TYPES is a worthwhile purchase and a surprisingly entertaining read. As usual, the rules sections aren't useful for anyone but GURPS gamers, but the wealth of background and detailed research on vampires cannot help but inspire and inform GMs looking to create a vampiric campaign, or to incorporate these classic horrors into their existing game. From the stunning Timothy Bradstreet cover to the last page, BLOOD TYPES is good stuff.

Complaint aside, I did find the book rather interesting. I learned a fair amount about feminine figures in myth, history, and literature, although a majority of the figures covered are pretty well-known to most people. I also learned a bit about myself, via the warrior-type quiz at the back of the book.

The final thing I would like to note about this book is that the title is a bit of a misnomer. The authors spend almost as much time discussing male warrior archetypes as they do female archetypes. I understand that this is necessary in order to create a precedent on which to build the female archetypes, but then why is the warrior-type quiz and the chaper explaining how to interpret your results written towards both men and women? If the authors expect men to benefit from this study as well as women, then maybe they should change the title to reflect this.

We all thought nobody was all bad, but that was before Rachel. Rachel is one bad lady. She is a siren calling all men -- who fall under her spell even unwillingly -- and then she uses their addiction against them. She is cruel to anyone who has what she wants and her cruelty knows no bounds.

Katherine, a 65 year old woman just home from surgery to put a pin in her broken leg, can only watch from her window seat as Rachel's evil eats away at relationships like lye. How can Katherine maintain the peace of her home and neighborhood with such a woman as Rachel living under her roof? Why won't they listen to her? How can she protect the children from Rachel's abuse -- even Rachel's own children? Can Katherine even protect herself?

Murder and Mint Tea is not science fiction, but Rachel's evil is expertly woven into the entire plot so that the reader sees no escape, but is drawn ever further into terror until the inevitable happens. A haunting suspense thriller that lurks in the back of your thoughts -- for how long?

Review by Evelyn Gale© 2/2001 Visit me

Rachel is a mean woman who loves her self and what she can get from men. She doesn't care if they are married or not. There are so many people who dislike Rachel ...

I found this book to be very engaging and filled with the most wonderful cast of characters that you will love, especially Katherine who is gutsy even at 65 years of age.

His book though is optimistic as for the « victory » of these ideas and principles. The debate, at times conflictual, is still raging in our school systems that are not enough socialised, i.e. open onto society at large, and that are not based on self-education in a socially structured and stimulating school environment. Too often we relapse in narrow guidance if not replacing the autonomous efforts of the students with the superior frame of learning imposed by teachers. He also does not emphasize enough on the need for a strict and compelling behavior of the teachers who must not in any way accept to substitute their knowledge to the individual and collective search for knowledge among the students, in spite of all resistance that comes from the very second principle of Seguin's method. It is a natural tendency among children and teenagers to resist such a course of action because it is a lot more exacting, it requires a lot greater effort on their part. This natural tendency to do as little as possible is slightly overlooked. Autonomy is costly on the side of the students and is challenging on the side of the teachers who are not the only source of knowledge any more.

A great book that should be the starting point of any educator in any field and at any level because it shows that motivation is the only engine of learning as for students, and that motivation is varied among students and contradictory with the natural tendency to do as little as possible, to rely on a pre-digested source...