Descent into Chaos, the follow up novel to A World Torn Asunder (part of the Vampire Apocalypse series written by Irish author, Derek Gunn) is now available to preorder from the publisher and will be released in the Fall. Chapters are now available at the author’s website.

Vampire Apocalypse: A World Torn Asunder (released in September 2006) was Derek’s debut novel. It received rave reviews, was optioned for film by producer/screenwriter Richard Finney. Finney and screenwriter, Franklin Guerrero Jr., recently penned a script based on the book. Their adaptation led to a recent partnership on the project with producer, Robert Lawrence (Die Hard: With a Vengence, Clueless, The Last Castle). Currently the project is being represented by the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) who is packaging the project for the studios.

According to the author, the stories are set in the near future in a world grown insular after a brief war has left the world depleted of resources. Fuel is rationed, States close their borders, communities die and technology stagnates. It’s not too improbable anymore either. As the world struggles to cope with such problems the vampires come from the shadows and quietly begin to take over community after community. They offer power to those who will join them and death to those who don’t. It doesn’t take long and, after a brutal but brief war, they take control. They use a serum and Thralls to control the population, wall the cities off and breed humans as stock. The Thralls are humans who have been bitten but have not fully become vampires. They have enhanced speed and strength and guard the vampires during the day when they could be vulnerable.

Says Gunn on vampire genre fiction: “There’s something about vampires that seems to have been lost in recent years. They are not like any other monster. They look like us, can hide among us and yet are so fundamentally powerful that they are terrifying. Something clicked in me and I wanted to create my own interpretation.”

Producer Finney says that he was attracted to Gunn’s twist on the rather played-out vampire genre. “It seems like we’ve [already] seen everything, but this novel puts forth a [new] take on the universe. The original concept will allow us as filmmakers to explore new terrain in the subgenre. Gunn’s story also takes the sexy posturing out of vampires and turns them back to what they are: bloodsucking animals that feed on humans.” – Fangoria

With regard to what readers can expect from the second book: “Descent into Chaos, is much bigger (than the first). The characters have more time to develop in the story lines, new characters are introduced and, of course, there is loads of action. There’s a few twists that I don’t think anyone will be expecting”, according to Gunn.

Chapters of the first VA book, A World Torn Asunder are also available at the author’s site (www.derekgunn.com).

Tags | derek gunn, permuted-press, post-apocalyptic, vampires