''The Hunger'' (1981) is a novel by

Whitley Strieber Louis Whitley Strieber (; born June 13, 1945) is an American writer best known for his horror novels '' The Wolfen'' and '' The Hunger'' and for '' Communion'', a non-fiction account of his alleged experiences with non-human entities. He has mai ...

. The plot involves a beautiful and wealthy

vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deat ...

named Miriam Blaylock who takes human lovers and transforms them into vampire-human hybrids. The novel is unusual in that it deals with the practical considerations of vampirism, such as the difficulty in obtaining victims and concealing frequent murders. ''The Hunger'' suggests a science-fiction explanation for vampirism, that vampires are a species that bears a resemblance to humans. They are not immortal but do not age after reaching physical maturity and are extremely strong and difficult to kill. Miriam discovers that some vampire traits, such as prolonged youth, can be transmitted to humans by performing a

blood transfusion Blood transfusion is the process of transferring blood products into a person's circulation intravenously. Transfusions are used for various medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood. Early transfusions used whole blood, but mo ...

. Strieber wrote two sequels to the novel: ''The Last Vampire'' in 2001 and ''Lilith's Dream: A Tale of the Vampire Life'' in 2003.

Plot synopsis

Miriam Blaylock is a vampire whose life began in ancient Egypt: her mother

Lamia LaMia Corporation S.R.L., operating as LaMia (short for ''Línea Aérea Mérida Internacional de Aviación''), was a Bolivian charter airline headquartered in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, as an EcoJet subsidiary. It had its origins from the failed ...

was also a vampire, which overlaps with some attributes of the figure from Greek mythology sharing the same name. She has taken human companions ( male or female) to ease her loneliness. While her blood will grant them greatly expanded lifespans, they (unlike her) eventually begin to age, a process that cannot be halted. Eventually they wither to dusty shells but unfortunately for them they remain conscious. Unable to bear the thought of murdering her lovers, Miriam imprisons them in steel-encased chests to keep with her for eternity. The novel begins when John, her most recent companion suddenly begins to age. Miriam is surprised at the brief amount of time that John lasted (only about 200 years). She has been secretly following the work of Dr. Sarah Roberts, a brilliant young physician whose research may hold the key to immortality for her lover. John becomes too uncontrollable for Miriam to deal with and she soon sets her sights on another companion, Sarah.

Film adaptation

The 1983 film ''The Hunger'' was directed by

Tony Scott Anthony David Leighton Scott (21 June 1944 – 19 August 2012) was an English film director and producer. He was known for directing highly successful action and thriller films such as '' Top Gun'' (1986), '' Beverly Hills Cop II'' (1987), ''D ...

, starring

Catherine Deneuve Catherine Fabienne Dorléac (born 22 October 1943), known professionally as Catherine Deneuve (, , ), is a French actress as well as an occasional singer, model, and producer, considered one of the greatest European actresses. She gained recogni ...

as Miriam Blaylock,

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

as her husband John, and

Susan Sarandon Susan Abigail Sarandon (; née Tomalin; born October 4, 1946) is an American actorMcCabe, Bruce"Susan Sarandon, the 'actor'" ''Boston Globe''. April 17, 1981. Retrieved January 21, 2021. and activist. She is the recipient of various accolades, ...

as Dr. Sarah Roberts.

International titles

* French: ''Les Prédateurs'' (The Predators) * German: ''Der Kuss der Todes'' (The Kiss of Death) * Spanish: ''El ansia'' (The Craving) * Brazilian Portuguese: ''Fome de Viver'' (Hunger for Life)

References

1981 American novels 1981 fantasy novels 1980s LGBT novels American horror novels American LGBT novels American novels adapted into films American vampire novels Novels with bisexual themes Novels by Whitley Strieber LGBT speculative fiction novels LGBT-related horror literature William Morrow and Company books {{1980s-specf-novel-stub