honestly i just wanna say what?
had to dnf, i just god confused with everything. the writhing is weird, every sentence made me more confused and lost. i can’t even explain the few 50ish pages i’ve read. i thought it would be a fun read but i guess it isn’t made for me ):

Unfortunately this is my first NetGalley DNF. The concept of this novel was perhaps too good to be true.

The grammar made reading the novel difficult, leading to multiple rereads of the same sentence. And what I read appeared more as an accumulation of vignette style fragments placed alongside one another. I think the novel is trying too hard to be intelligent, which appears more as regurgitation than integration of subject matter, philosophy, and complex vocabulary. Having read many outwardly pretentious works at university, I can grasp the inspirational matter used as a framework, but I struggle to see how this will engage a modern audience without a deep understanding of obscure vocabulary, excessive adverb usage, and strange grammar. Truly disappointing as this could have integrated those complex ideas and repackaged them as part of the plot instead of being fed it overtly, falling victim to ‘telling’ the reader rather than showing the reader.

This is a properly brilliant fever dream fused with queer brilliance. There's some great writing in this and there's certainly some bending of rules too! There's bits that didn't agree with me, but I enjoyed it overall.

Was very enticing, however I feel like I was massively missing something. Reading through other reviews I believe this is part of a series? I'm interested enough to find the the first book.

I love this cover, and the synopsis of the story sounded very interesting! Unfortunately I could not get past the first chapter, due to the writing style. Hopefully this book will find its readers, but for me it was just not it…

I anticipated this to be a good read by the description and the cover. GAY PULP FICTION? SIGN ME UP. But—— I was left confused more than I was satisfied. Did I miss some chapters or something?

It was really upsetting to find out after receiving this that it is the third book in a trilogy. Nothing on netgalley mentioned this and I was very lost and confused at first until a friend did some research and pointed this out. I ended up giving up very early on.

I found this kind of a slog to read mostly because it’s not what I was going in expecting. The writing was strange and hard to follow which really irritated me. Then the story just was meh.

The writing on this was hard to understand, to the point of which I don't think this will be a generally successful read. The "avant-garde" in the description is important– the literature often functions more poetically and strangely than a traditional narrative. I think the intention is fascinating and some of the language on it's own is beautiful. The execution was not exactly as I would hope or really enjoyable to me personally, but I respected the intention and the risk taken by the author. I think this will find its audience and has the chance to become a cult classic novel, with the strangeness that a lot of readers are craving these days.

I expected suspense, I expected heavy atmosphere filled with erotic disgusting syrupy air and it didn't disappoint. The book was far from perfect and I wouldn't be surprised if many people didn't finish reading it. I have to admit I had a great time tho. I have to mention I was not the biggest fan of the writing. At times I thought to myself "the author is trying to create the literary masterpiece using mighty vocabulary", it just didn't work for me. But I think if Ulrich Baer develops those skills I won't be against reading more from his pen.

I like the prose mostly, some of it loses me though. It's a quick read, but also one to think about and I do wonder if in a few weeks it'll pop back into my head and really resonate afterward.

DNF @ 27%

The cover looked SO COOL, but unfortunately this was just ... huh? What am I reading?? Too convoluted to make sense and honestly my brain was working overtime. I finally said NOPE I QUIT.

Beyond the Planet of the Vampires was a DNF for me. I think there’s a specific target audience for this book and I unfortunately was not it.

This book sounded like something I could really enjoy and honestly, I would have picked it up just for the cover art alone because, wow! But unfortunately I really couldn’t get into this one. The writing style was pretty much unreadable to me which meant that I had to DNF pretty early on. It was confusing and had far too many big words that I didn’t understand, (I’m not stopping to google the definition of a word every two seconds, sorry) which basically meant that I was very lost and had little idea what was going on. Majorly disappointed that this wasn’t really for me because damn that cover is just so cool!!

I do think there’s people out there for this book, so if you like poetic, queer stories that are a bit confusing, then definitely give this one a chance!

described as speculative avant garde, queer vampire horror
the grammar was TERRIBLE but poetic and fun to read
written in an old school 1950s drive in horror style, the narrative is erratic, lose and moves in an out of a constructive storyline
the before, during and after of a vampire alien invasion searching the universe for new and future victims
4/5 spicy peppers for the experienced reader

Great book! It had all the fears of growing up. Make a choice. Turn the page or close the book. Enter the darkness if you wish!.it was super cool and odd.

DNF at 20%

This book is the third of a trilogy, which I learned from GoodReads. I am honestly surprised there are three books, if the other two are like this one. I am not often turned off of books due to form, but I found this book incomprehensible. There is no narrative that I could piece together, despite my best efforts. There are shifting, barely connected scenes with some strong imagery and poetic wording -- which only got more irritating the longer I read. I tried really hard to push past the 20% mark, but I just couldn't force myself to read it anymore.

I am sure there is an audience for this work, particularly those interested in avant-garde and more experimental writing, but otherwise I cannot recommend it.

Ulrich Baer's Beyond the Planet of the Vampires is a daring foray into avant-garde queer horror, seamlessly blending speculative fiction with philosophical introspection. Scheduled for release on June 17, 2025, this novel challenges conventional genre boundaries, offering readers a unique and immersive experience.

The narrative thrusts readers into an apocalyptic scenario where psychic vampires traverse intergalactic distances in search of victims. Baer's prose is both erratic and mesmerizing, intentionally disorienting as it mirrors the chaos of the unfolding invasion. This stylistic choice demands active engagement, encouraging readers to lose and regain narrative consciousness alongside the protagonist.

Drawing inspiration from avant-garde cinema and literature, the novel evokes the surreal imagery reminiscent of Jodorowsky's films and the existential musings found in Genet's works. Baer intertwines Joycean wordplay with Kantian philosophy, creating a rich tapestry that explores themes of identity, alienation, and the nature of evil. The result is a narrative that is as intellectually stimulating as it is viscerally haunting.

Beyond the Planet of the Vampires is not merely a novel; it's an experience that challenges perceptions and invites readers to explore the depths of avant-garde horror. Baer's work stands as a testament to the power of speculative fiction to probe profound philosophical questions while delivering a narrative that is both unsettling and captivating.

a little too weird for me to fully grasp it, but the vibes were immaculate. full of weird imagery and tangible word play, it's definitely one you have to read slowly, but it's worth the push!

it reads more like abstract poetry than anything else, which is unlike anything i've ever read, so im not sure i can accurately describe what i think, but its certainly unforgettable!

This was fun! The cover initially drew me in and it's an honestly weird read, but in a good way. I'm not sure how review it without spoiling it. I can speak to how flowery the language is. It leans into the literary fiction side of horror and makes an interesting blend. The formatting of the book itself is interesting and in some pages it's almost novel in verse.

A beautifully lyrical horror novella with a bite. Go into this with an open mind, and be patient as you adjust to the writing style, but the story is worth the effort. Also, I NEED a print of that cover artwork. What a stunner!

I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my review.