Amish Vampires in Space (Book Review)

Review by Nathan James Norman

Generations ago, a group of Amish travelled through the stars to settle the planet of Alabaster. Once there, they continued to live their simple life. But when Jebediah Miller discovers that Alabaster’s sun is dying, he uses forbidden technology to call for help. The transport ship that picks the group up seems to be their salvation. The ship, though, is also transporting something else. Something dark. Something that would make Jebediah Miller and the rest of the Amish wish they had stayed on Alabaster.

If this story sounds like a joke, that’s because it began as one.

The farce is retold in the novel’s introduction. Author Kerry Nietz took the title Amish Vampires in Space and ran with it, though. When I first heard the name of the book, I naturally assumed it was a satire of the over-abundance of Amish romance titles.

It’s not.

Nietz did his best to write a serious novel around the satirical title. And he succeeds, big time.

I became familiar with Nietz’s work through his excellent Dark Trench Saga. I’d categorize his stories as hard science fiction, and he brings that same attention to detail into this novel. He writes about Amish culture (something I’m moderately familiar with) effectively and accurately. He has also crafted a future that is quite believable.

The story feels very natural, in that I was able to believe that a group of Amish had once purchased a ride to a new planet to colonize according to their way of life. I believed the conditions that caused Jebediah Miller to violate the rules against using technology. And I found the situation that led to the vampires on the spaceship well grounded.

Amish Vampires in Space is almost equally character- and plot-driven. The plot takes slight precedence in the story, but the characters (both “Amishers” and “Englishers”) are likable and relatable.

This is a great novel, featuring several clashes of worldview. There are conflicts within both the ranks of the Amish and the space-farers. Explorations of rules versus grace. And, of course, lots and lots of vampires to worry about. (And how do the pacifist-Amish respond to the violent outbreak?)

The only problem with the novel is also one of its strengths… the title. Every time I have mentioned the book to someone, I’ve had to add, “but it’s a serious book.” Indeed, the first time I heard the title I thought it was a farce. Reading the history of how this book came about, though, the title makes sense, and I can’t imagine another title.

Amish Vampires in Space is a solid stand-alone novel. (A few loose strands have left open the possibility for sequels.) Science fiction fans should certainly pick this one up, especially fans of hard science fiction. Readers who also enjoy Amish novels will also find much to enjoy in this book… even if they’re not terribly interested in science fiction. Finally, readers who want to read something completely and utterly unique should be certain not to miss this book.

Relevance: 8/10

Rating: 9/10 (I Loved It)

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