They Thirst
Encyclopedia
They Thirst is a horror novel by Robert R. McCammon
, first published in 1981. It is the author's fourth novel, and is one of the books that he now intentionally keeps out of print. It details the relentless possession of Los Angeles
by vampires, who quickly transform the city into a necropolis
. The City of Angels, however, is only the first step of a planned worldwide conquest by the unholy creatures.
Later Andy is now a detective trying find the Roach who rapes, murders, and then puts cockroaches in the mouth of the women. Andy works leaves him stressed from days and days of work. Meanwhile an albino sociopath killer is making his way to Los Angeles by the calls of someone and visions. At a bar in Texas he kills everyone with a Mauser and makes his way to Los Angeles. Gayle Clark is a reporter and while going to work with her boyfriend they find the Hollywood Cemetery is ransacked. The people who did this left the bodies in a road and stole the coffins. Andy is told this and goes to the watchman to tell him what to do if the men did it again to just stay in the house and close the binds. At the same time Rico, a Chicano gangster, gets his girl and finds she is pregnant. But the girl runs away after asking whether it's his. The girl runs while Rico tries to find her. But she is overtaken by the vampires in a dark street. That same night Wes Richer is having a large party after his successful comedy show. But his wife is a medium and she decides to have a vision with a Ouija board with a non-believer. She is told by a spirit that there's evil and when asked what is this evil it replies, "THEY THIRST"
Before dawn the Prince Vampire is in Disneyland and sees the Headmaster. The Headmaster tells him that endless possibilities will be possible once he conquers Los Angeles. When seen after talking to him by a watchman he turns into a large bat and flies away.
Robert R. McCammon
Robert Rick McCammon is an American novelist from Birmingham, Alabama. His parents are Jack, a musician, and Barbara Bundy McCammon. After his parents' divorce, McCammon lived with his grandparents in Birmingham. He received a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Alabama in 1974. McCammon...
, first published in 1981. It is the author's fourth novel, and is one of the books that he now intentionally keeps out of print. It details the relentless possession of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
by vampires, who quickly transform the city into a necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
. The City of Angels, however, is only the first step of a planned worldwide conquest by the unholy creatures.
Characters
- Andy Palatizin - a Captain with the Los Angeles police department, Palatizin is currently in charge of investigating a serial killer known as "The Roach". Palatizin is also one of the first in the city to suspect that vampires have set up base in L.A., as he had encountered the demonic creatures as a youth in his native Hungary.
- Gayle Clark - a reporter for a sleazy tabloid, Gayle dreams of landing a job with a more respectable news outlet, but gets caught up in the fight against the vampire invasion after her undead boyfriend tries to kill her.
- Wes Richer - a young comedian, Wes' career is just beginning to take off. His new sitcom has gained positive notices and he wants to begin work on a comedy album. He has a live-in lover named Solange, who is a medium and has a strong knowledge of the supernatural.
- Father Ramon Silvera - a Catholic priest in East L.A., Silvera is a former heroin addict and has just been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease.
- Tommy Chandler - a young boy in junior high, Tommy loves to read and is devoted to horror films. He will come to play an important part in the fight against the vampires.
- Prince Conrad Vulkan - a 700-year-old vampire with the impulse-control of the teenager he still resembles, Vulkan was a Hungarian prince and is now the king of the undead. It is he who initiates the war against mankind.
- Kobra - a dangerous 20-year-old Hell's Angel, Kobra is an albino and a cold-blooded murderer. Vulkan calls to him in his dreams and he travels to Los Angeles to take his place as the commander of Vulkan's intended army.
- Walter Benefield - the serial killer known as The Roach, Walter becomes entranced by Vulkan and is chosen by the vampire king to be his next bodyguard during the daylight hours.
- The Headmaster - though he is never named, he is most likely Satan himself. It is the Headmaster who created Vulkan and his kind, and he taught the prince the dark arts.
Plot
The prologue starts in Hungary as young Andy is waiting for his father to come home after a hunting trip. His father comes in late but is different. Andy comes to his father when told to and finds he is pale and cold. Andy's mother suspecting that he is a creature he was hunting for shoots him. His face is blown apart but continues to come after the two. They then run away into the cold blizzard. His father shouts "I'LL FIND YOU" as they run away. Andy and his mother finally go to a house away from their town.Later Andy is now a detective trying find the Roach who rapes, murders, and then puts cockroaches in the mouth of the women. Andy works leaves him stressed from days and days of work. Meanwhile an albino sociopath killer is making his way to Los Angeles by the calls of someone and visions. At a bar in Texas he kills everyone with a Mauser and makes his way to Los Angeles. Gayle Clark is a reporter and while going to work with her boyfriend they find the Hollywood Cemetery is ransacked. The people who did this left the bodies in a road and stole the coffins. Andy is told this and goes to the watchman to tell him what to do if the men did it again to just stay in the house and close the binds. At the same time Rico, a Chicano gangster, gets his girl and finds she is pregnant. But the girl runs away after asking whether it's his. The girl runs while Rico tries to find her. But she is overtaken by the vampires in a dark street. That same night Wes Richer is having a large party after his successful comedy show. But his wife is a medium and she decides to have a vision with a Ouija board with a non-believer. She is told by a spirit that there's evil and when asked what is this evil it replies, "THEY THIRST"
Before dawn the Prince Vampire is in Disneyland and sees the Headmaster. The Headmaster tells him that endless possibilities will be possible once he conquers Los Angeles. When seen after talking to him by a watchman he turns into a large bat and flies away.