Texas Monthly Plans Serialized Novel on Texan Who Killed Dracula

Bram Stoker's original 1897 novel Dracula features a Texan, Quincey P. Morris, who ultimately kills Count Dracula with a bowie knife, a detail often omitted in adaptations but celebrated in Texas Monthly's serialized story "The Bowie Knife That Killed Dracula." Meanwhile, the historical Vlad III Dracula, or Vlad the Impaler, has a complex legacy explored in James M. Donovan's new book, which contrasts Western views of him as a ruthless figure with Eastern European perspectives celebrating his military defense against the Ottoman Empire. Donovan's work examines how political and cultural biases have shaped these narratives over centuries and questions whether Vlad inspired Stoker's vampire character. A Trinidad theater production of Dracula highlights romantic themes, focusing on Mina Murray's relationships and the dramatic conflict with Dracula, offering a fresh take on the classic story. Additionally, discussions around the "real Dracula" frame Vlad as a Christian warlord who fought terrorists, adding to the multifaceted interpretations of his historical persona. These various cultural and historical perspectives deepen the understanding of Dracula's mythos and legacy across literature, history, and performance.