Abraham lincoln vampire hunter

2010 fiction novel

For the film based on this novel, see Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is a biographicalactionhorrormashup novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, released on March 2, 2010, through New York–based publishing company Grand Central Publishing.

Plot summary

The journal-style book is written as a partial "secret" diary of Abraham Lincoln, kept by the 16th President of the United States and given to the author by a vampire named Henry Sturges. Years later, the manuscript is found in a five-and-dime store in the town of Rhinebeck, New York (a reference to Smith's wife's hometown).

At the age of eleven, Abraham Lincoln learns from his father Thomas that vampires are real. Thomas explains that a vampire killed Abraham's grandfather in 1786. Abraham's mother, Nancy, also succumbed not to milk sickness but rather to being given a "fool's dose" of vampire blood, the result of Thomas's failure to repay a debt. Lincoln vows to kill as many vampires as he can. A year later, he lures the vampire responsible for Nancy's death to the family farm and kills it with a homemade stake.

In 1825, Lincoln learns of a possible vampire attack along the Ohio River and investigates, but this time he is no match for the vampire and is nearly killed. However, he is saved by the intervention of the vampire Henry Sturges. Henry nurses Lincoln back to health and explains some of the nature of vampirism, emphasizing that some vampires are good, such as he, and others are evil. Lincoln spends the summer with Henry sharpening his senses and being trained as an expert vampire hunter. Henry sends Lincoln the names and addresses of evil vampires; Abraham tracks them down and kills them.

As a young adult, Lincoln and a friend travel down the Mississippi River to New Orleans on a flatboat to sell some goods. Here, Lincoln's life is changed forever after he witnesses a slave auction. Lincoln fol

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” is without a doubt the best film we are ever likely to see on the subject — unless there is a sequel, which is unlikely, because at the end, the Lincolns are on their way to the theater. It’s also a more entertaining movie than I remotely expected. Yes, Reader, I went expecting to sneer.

The story opens with young Abe witnessing the murder of his mother by a vampire. He swears vengeance, and some years later is lucky to be getting drunk while standing at a bar next to Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper), who coaches him on vampire-killing and explains that it is a high calling, requiring great dedication and avoiding distractions like marriage.

There’s an early scene in which Lincoln tries to shoot a vampire, but that won’t work because they’re already dead. Then whatever can he do? “Well,” he tells Henry, “I used to be pretty good at rail-splitting…” This line drew only a few chuckles from the audience, because the movie cautiously avoids any attempt to seem funny. 

Lincoln’s weapon of choice becomes an axe with a silver blade, which he learns to spin like a drum major’s baton. That he carries this axe with him much of the time may strike some as peculiar. I was reminded uncannily of Buford Pusser, walking tall and carrying a big stick.

Against Henry’s advice, Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) marries Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and the story moves quickly to his days in the White House, where he discovers that the vampires are fighting on the side of the South. This seems odd, since they should be equal opportunity bloodsuckers, but there you have it. Still with him his childhood friend Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie), a free black man whose mistreatment helped form Lincoln’s hatred of slavery. Also still at his side is Joshua Speed (Jimmi Simpson), who hired him in his Springfield general store; Johnson and Speed join Lincoln in Civil War strat

2012 film by Timur Bekmambetov

For the novel, see Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter (novel).

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is a 2012 American action horror film directed by Timur Bekmambetov and based on the novel of the same name by Seth Grahame-Smith, depicting a fictionalized history of the American Civil War with the eponymous 16th president of the United States reimagined as having a secret identity as a lifelong vampire hunter fighting against a caste of vampiric slave owners. Benjamin Walker stars as Abraham Lincoln with supporting roles by Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rufus Sewell, and Marton Csokas.

The film was produced by Tim Burton, Bekmambetov, and Jim Lemley, with Simon Kinberg as an executive producer. Filming began in Louisiana in March 2011 and the film was released on June 20, 2012 in the United Kingdom and then two days later in the United States. The film received mixed reviews; critics praised the visual style, action sequences, originality, Walker's performance and Henry Jackman's musical score, but criticized its screenplay, the overly serious and inconsistent tone, overuse of CGI, and pacing. The film also failed to meet expectations at the box office, grossing $116 million worldwide against the budget of $69-$99 million.

Plot

In 1818, Abraham Lincoln lives in Indiana with parents Nancy and Thomas, who works at a plantation owned by Jack Barts. There, Lincoln befriends a young African-American boy, William Johnson, and intervenes when Johnson is beaten by a slaver. Because of this, Thomas is fired. That night, Lincoln sees Barts break into their home and attack Nancy, who falls ill and dies the next day.

Nine years later, Lincoln attempts to kill Barts at the docks in revenge, but discovers that he is a vampire. Before Barts can kill him, Lincoln is rescued by Henry Sturges, who he had met earlier at a bar. Sturges offers to teach Lincoln how to be a vampire hu