Bram Stoker. Dracula: The Rare Text of 1901. White Rock, BC; Transylvania Press, Inc., 1994. hb. vi, 387 pp. Slipcase. Foreward by Robert Eighteen-Bisang. Introduction by Raymond T. McNally. 500 copies.
Dead of Night. (Fall,
1994). #10. p. 33.
Robert Eighteen-Bisang, editor of Transylvania Press, a small, limited-edition
house in Canada, has reprinted Stoker's abridged horror classic. This is an
expensive volume-$65.00-but the black hardcover with red lettering is beautifully
appointed and comes in a classy slipcase. Noted vampire researcher Raymond T.
McNally provides an interesting introduction, and Eighteen-Bisang has also printed
an enameled frontispiece of Constable's original paperback cover, depicting
the Count himself climbing down the outer wall of the castle while a dumbfounded
Jonathan Harker stares, non-plussed, as the British would say. Dracula, The
Rare Text of 1901 is well worth the money.
Library Journal.
(May, 1994). no. 9.
As the subtitles states, this edition of the classic is based on Stoker's own
moderately abridged and corrected manuscript published in 1901. Though many
felt the approximate 15 percent reduction of text made this version far more
pleasant reading than the sometimes slow-paced and overdone 1897 original it
nevertheless vanished into the night. Here, that rarity has been brought back
from the dead in a beautiful slipcased edition by new publisher Transylvania
Press, which gets off to a classy start with this first offering.
Library Journal.
(Jan. 1995) no. 1. Best Books of 1994.p. 48.
The "rare text of 1901" of the classic vampire tale was abridged by
Stoker himself from his 1897 original. Though the approximate 15 percent reduction
made the book far more readable, the shortened version nevertheless vanished
into the night. It was appropriately brought back from the dead in this beautiful
slipcased edition by newcomer Transylvania Press.
The Overlook Connection.
(Dec. 1994). no. 26. p. 7.
Thanks to Transylvania Press for bringing us this rare edition of Dracula 1901!
This is truly a rare opportunity for the Dracula and Vampire fan. Includes introductions
by Robert Eighteen-Bisang (the man who knows all when it comes to Dracula and
vampirism), and Raymond T. McNally. Only 500 copies have been produced, and
I expect them to go quickly at the publisher.
Prisoners of the Night.
(Oct. 1994). Letter from Alayne Gelfand, editor.
What an excellent Halloween surprise. The book is absolutely breath-taking,
beautiful, a true piece of art. I am, more than ever, honored to be taken under
wing by Transylvania Press!
Vampire Junction.
(199?). # 12. n.p.
By Transylvania Press, this book is self explanatory as to what it is. However,
you really have to see it to believe the care that went into making it. Like
Love Bite, it is printed on the most expensive of acid-free paper and
also like Love Bite, you could pretty much run over the damn thing with
a truck and it would survive. A must for any Dracula collector.
Whitby's News. (Fall
1994).
... a brand new edition of Dracula has recently been published by White
Rock-based Transylvania Press. Canadian Dracula literature buff, Robert Bisang,
has given Stoker fans a real gift.... Bisang's reprint is a handsomely produced,
black cloth-bound and gold-stamped boxed edition of 500 copies.... So many of
the high achievement so specialty publishing are labours of love, and this is
justifiably so.