I'd have to disagree with those who complain about Desmond being an "anti-vampire" as well as being a "benevolent sugar daddy" to young boy toys. Good grief, folks, where's your *imagination*! Sure, Mr. Dietz has created a vampire that doesn't follow the "old rules" about vampire folklore (which was, basically, a fiction in and of itself, one must remember). And no, Desmond isn't a terribly frightening character, unlike most of his violent, also fictional predecessors.But I really don't think it was Dietz' intent to write a great work of literary horror, so much as to write something that one can sit down and read, laughing at the funny parts, crying at the sad ones and just *enjoying* a very unusually touching story.Which I did.Who needs literary snobbery, anyways?BTW, this one's going on *my* recommendation list, for sure.