Description
Red and Bottled
Book Summary
A satirical detective fantasy that imagines a world where vampires and humans have signed a peace treaty. However, coexistence is anything but idyllic. When a serial killer sows chaos in the perfect vampiric city of New Transylvania, an overworked human police officer with unorthodox methods must solve the case alongside a vampire partner. Sergi Escolano combines the noir genre with dark humor, social criticism, and fantastical elements to offer a fast-paced novel loaded with irony about tolerance, the established order, and second chances.
What is it about?
Peace has arrived between vampires and humans, but each species inhabits its own territory. Vetusta, the human city, is a hotbed of decay and crime. In contrast, New Transylvania is a model vampire metropolis: sustainable, cultured, and crime-free, though its main headache is the illegal immigration of werewolves, zombies, and humans. This balance is broken when a serial killer begins to strike, challenging the perfection of the system.
The investigation falls to Julián Van Helsing, an alcoholic and disillusioned human cop who is a descendant of a legendary lineage of vampire hunters. Forced to collaborate with Rebolledo, an efficient and upright vampire agent, Van Helsing must leave behind his prejudices and his self-destructive way of life to catch the criminal. The plot follows their peculiar investigation, his family conflicts, and his difficult adaptation to a world that appears perfect but hides dark secrets beneath its facade of high technology and ecological urbanism.
Main Themes
- Social criticism and political satire: a parody of modern societies, racism, xenophobia, and urban utopias.
- Detective and mystery genre: a classic detective investigation with twists and a serial killer as the central axis.
- Fantasy and dark humor: the fusion of vampires, zombies, and werewolves with an acidic tone and comic situations.
- Redemption and prejudice: the personal journey of an antihero who must overcome his own demons and ancestral hatred.
- Coexistence and otherness: the conflict and the need for understanding between radically opposed species and cultures.
Who is it recommended for?
For readers looking for a crime novel with an original approach, who enjoy social satire and intelligent humor. It is ideal for those who like vampire stories and urban fantasy with an adult treatment, far from juvenile romanticism, and for followers of authors who mix genres like detective fiction, horror, and black comedy.
What this book offers
- A solid, well-constructed mystery plot within a fantastical and satirical setting.
- Complex and dysfunctional characters, with an antihero protagonist who evolves throughout the story.
- A biting social critique wrapped in an agile, entertaining narrative full of sharp dialogue.
- An original proposal that refreshes the vampire genre by moving it into a context of science fiction and political critique.
Technical Details
- Author: Escolano, Sergi
- Publisher: Editorial Pez de Plata
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY FICTION, DETECTIVE AND MYSTERY GENRE, HORROR AND GHOST STORIES, FANTASY, HUMOR
- Collection: LA RISA FLOJA
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication Date: June 2020
- Page count: 264
- Weight: 344 g
Editorial Review
Red and Bottled is a refreshing and stimulating proposal for the reader who seeks more than just a simple vampire novel. Sergi Escolano demonstrates great skill in weaving a classic detective story within a futuristic social satire, ensuring that criticism and entertainment go hand in hand. The character of Julián Van Helsing, a drinking and cynical antihero, brings a layer of depth and humanity to a plot that, without losing its humorous tone, addresses topics such as integration and prejudice. It is an agile, intelligent read highly recommended for those who appreciate dark humor applied to the fantasy and mystery genre.