Review: Two Varkela Stories by Susan C. Petrey

One of my favorite variants in vampire fiction is the idea that vampires are not "undead," but rather a separate race - mutants, aliens, or whatever. I have recently read two wonderful stories by a writer named Susan Petrey titled "The Healer's Touch" and "Leechcraft" that fall squarely in this... vein. Petrey died in 1980, leaving behind a too-short list of short fiction, but I think that she would have become a major name among vampire fans had she lived longer.

Her "vampires" are called the Varkela, and they are apparently a subspecies of human. The stories are set on the steppes of 19th century Russia. One thing that sets Petrey's Varkela apart from the majority of vampires is that they are wholly good and ethical, but are still inhuman enough to be interesting. The Varkela may have been inspired by medical professionals, because they ply their trade as healers in exchange for small amounts of blood; I was reminded of having to have blood taken when I go to the doctor. What is interesting is that many of the Varkela traits are recognizable as vampire traits, but that in this context, they aren't that sinister after all. They have a "sleeping song" that lulls their patients into a trance so the healing arts will not be that painful; the Varkela also have beguiling eyes. The vampire's legendary ability to "command animals" manifests itself as the Varkelan aptitude with horse training. Varkela society is very shamanistic, so while they have some unusual powers, it all comes across as reasonably grounded and believable. The general idea here is that the Varkela are the reality behind vampire legends, and there are hints that some of their cousins were vicious enough to spur the horror tales. As a result, the Varkela are reluctant to reveal themselves to more "cultured" society, though they are acknowledged and generally accepted in more rural areas.

In "The Healer's Touch," a young member of the tribe named Vaylance has to discover a cure for malaria, so he in turn can "purchase" some much-needed blood for his ailing sister. Vaylance's search for the cure allows him to befriend a compassionate doctor. "Leechcraft" finds Vaylance traveling via the "dreamwalk" into 1979 in order to help a friend in need. The dreamwalk is a cross between a vision quest and time travel, but Vaylance acknowledges that the outcome of this ability is hard to control. The characters that Petrey created are likable, and the stories have positive endings. In tone and content, these stories reminded me of a cross between Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Saint-Germain series and George R.R. Martin's Fevre Dream, though not as dark as either of those.

Petrey's stories were collected in a small volume titled Gifts of Blood; it's out-of-print but I am going to look for a copy (nevertheless, I'll use the cover to illustrate this entry). "The Healer's Touch" can also be found in an anthology titled Virtuous Vampires, and I read "Leechcraft" in the anthology Tomorrow Sucks. I'll review Gifts of Blood as a whole once I find it and read it in its entirety. I was impressed by both Petrey's imagination and writing ability, and am saddened that she was not able to explore in more detail this world that she created.