Vampires in a new, dystopian kind of light.

So I have this idea for a new book that I might start working on some time soon. Basically, I'm a total vampire freak, can't get enough of them. And lately my new love is dystopian-type worlds. So I wondered if there was a way to combine the two?

I had an idea about vampires being scientific, rather than supernatural. A new drug has been developed that can either lengthen your life by around 100 years, or promise immortality. The government is selling it to wealthy citizens, few of which can afford it. But the few who can afford it take the drug. But it backfires, and instead changes the way that the human body works, forming a sort of virus, putting a kind of freeze on aging and other bodily functions and feeding on red blood cells. The people who take the drug turn into vampires.

But then I also have the issue of whether it would be acceptable to write vampires in this way, a few hundred years in the future, and also whether or not the rest of the human world has even heard of vampires before?

This, admittedly, is very basic and I haven't done too much research/thought into it as of yet because I thought I'd get some feedback from you lovely people first. :)

The first that came to mind was the last Resident Evil movie, Extinction I think? It was set on a dystopian future, although it had zombies instead of vampires (the way the MC, Alice, played by Milla Jovovich, was experimented on, she gives me the idea of being a vampire instead of a zombie albeit with cooler powers). Then there's also that vampire movie starring Paul Bettany and Maggie Q.

It's entirely up to you if you want "vampires" to be a common household name or not, although if there are already many victims to the drug in your story, it could either be a common household name ("vampires") or you'd have to call them something else entirely.

I'm thinking in a dystopian vampire world, humans (regular ones) would be in hiding unless the government has been monitoring the created vampires and registering/collecting them (think Ultraviolet).

That's all I can come up with right now. Sorry.

It depends if you want to do 'our' world, or an AU. Most people in the West know what a vampire is and would use the word. Many people not in the west also know what a vampire is - films and novels are so prevalent that not using the word vampire would see artificial. Although, depending on how you want to play it, the word 'vampire' could become taboo - as in, "It's not right to call those people vampires, they can't help it," so there is a politically correct term, with vampire as a term of abuse.

In an AU, well, it depends how well you write it. Again, vampire is so common a word in our world that it might be a little tricky to pull off not using it, but I suspect it can be done.

Sounds like a fun idea, anyhow.

Two things come to mind; the "Priest" comics (manhwa) made into a movie and "Red Blooded American Girl".

"Priest" presents an alternate history wherein vampires are spreading all over the place and humanity has had to lock themselves away in cities to defend themselves.

"Red Blooded American Girl" presents vampirism as a disease that is being studied, much like the virus-like infection you describe. If I remember correctly, the MC in that movie eventually creates an injection for himself that gives him all the upsides of a vampire, again like your concept.

Your concept sounds like it could be pretty cool.

The idea of a dystopian future involving vampires and other monsters isn't that uncommon. Heck, my next project involves a dystopian alternate-history wherein werewolves and vampires have forced humanity to create walled cities to keep out the monsters. City 13 though, is unknowingly run by vampires and their werewolf allies. But a new species of monster is lurking on the hills though, plotting a way into the city with the intention of killing every moving creature inside . . .

K, i'm not a huge vampire fan, though i've seen a few movies and read a few books. At first your idea reminded me of Ultraviolet where the "Vampires" come out as a virus that is quickly contagious. That too has a futuristic setting.

I think your idea is pretty good and a different spin on the vampire myth. If anything write it out and explore where it would take you. You may be surprise at the outcome.

Cezza, if they are immortals that feed by drinking the blood of the living, then they are vampires. Have fun with it. Maybe they call themselves something like the Gifted or the Ascended, but common people just call them what they are. Vamps.