Taking a Bite out of 'The Vampire Diaries'

I have officially become the vampire expert for this wonderful blog. With that...let's begin.

Well, as I finally succumbed to reading "Twilight" a couple years ago, I have now done the same with "The Vampire Diaries." I came out of Borders not only with the "New Moon" DVD, but also the first four books of the first series in "The Vampire Diaries." I'm full of vampires this week.

Wow, was I glad that someone finally convinced me to read this series. I may be crossing a line onto sacred ground that millions of teenage girls will want to murder me for, but I think it's official: "The Vampire Diaries" is better than "Twilight."

Written by L. J. Smith, not only was I impressed with the originality of the story, but where "Twilight" can leave you flat, "Vampire Diaries" lifts you up with intensity, great characters, and shocking reveals. The story of two brothers who were turned to vampires during the Italian Renaissance by the one woman that they both loved, and 5oo years later, find another woman to fight over. Elena is caught in the middle of a supernatural war in her small rural hometown when Stefan Salvatore arrives, searching for a new start.

Only, that never happens.

Followed to Fell's Church by Damon, his older brother searching for revenge, he plans to torture Stefan every way he can. When they are once again caught in the middle of a love triangle with Elena, they find that they are not the only powerful beings in Fell's Church.

The best thing that "The Vampire Diaries" has over "Twilight," other than not making their vampires sparkle, is the change that we see in all the characters, where as the main characters in "Twilight," never change across the entire series.

The best visible character arc is that of the main protagonist, Elena Gilbert. I'm sure I'm not the only reader that began really hating her. There were very few good qualities about her. However, with the arrival of Stefan and Damon, and being pulled into a very adult and mature situation, the 17-year-old is forced to grow up fast.

Even Damon and Stefan, who seeming unchanged for 500 years, have their own character arcs. The part of the story that captured me the most was the relationship between the two vampire brothers. How decayed and destroyed it was in the beginning, from 500 years of hatred between them, and how it changed and eventually began to grow being forced together in dire circumstances against powers greater than themselves. And having Elena between them is a big part of that.

There are no "cookie cutter" characters like we find in many young adult fantasy series today. Each has their own voice and story to progress. And unlike "Twilight," it has the formula of true fantasy with a tragic romance. And where I thought "Twilight" was an original story just written poorly, the further I got into the "Vampire Diaries" series, the more I believe Meyer was inspired by it's brilliance.

Frankly, I could talk for hours on the great things about this series. But I'll wrap up with a few words on the TV series, and let you discover the mystery and magnificence of the books on your own.

Now, even though the story of the CW TV series "The Vampire Diaries" is greatly deviated from the books, it has a great story all it's own. Once again, the best part of its story being the relationship between Damon and Stefan, played by Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley.

In tonight's episode, "A Few Good Men", after Damon discovers his search for Katherine (the vampire that turned the brothers and they fought over) has been in vain for the last 140 years, he begins a path of self destruction. Elena digs deeper into the past of her birth mother, Isobel, and discovers some devastating news. Not only, did she later become the wife of Alaric, a new history teacher at the high school, but was murdered by none other than Damon, whom Elena was finally warming up to.

Not only will this completely deter the progress of his relationships with Stefan and Elena, but his path to redemption is halted when he murders again. Stefan, helpless about his brother's situation once more, is at loss at how to help him. Damon is obsessed, and it seems, nothing will stop him. More mystery and surprise tonight, leading into a new story arch that could very well continue until the end of the season. Another great acting performance for Ian Somerhalder, who channels Damon's emotions better than anyone. I have no doubt that this show will be renewed.

Oh, as for the cliffhanger, which this show has been so great at over the last 14 episodes...you will have to find out for yourself.

I always hated reading spoilers.