Dream of a Hot Night

Name: Dream of a Hot Night
ISBN: 9787572606519

George R. R. Martin / 姚向辉Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaApr 2026

4.4

Word count: 260K words
Chapters: 36
ISBN: 9787572606519

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Summary

Vast rivers, terrifying legends, and the tumultuous abolitionist movement all lie shrouded in a misty, blood-red moonlight.

And within that blood-red light is born humanity's great emotion: friendship and hope.

Editor's review

Fevre Dream is a unique work George R. R. Martin wrote before A Song of Ice and Fire, deftly blending steampunk, vampire lore, and the history of Mississippi River shipping around the American Civil War. It is not a typical horror story but an epic of ambition, friendship, race, and the dark side of human nature. With his signature delicate prose and grand narrative scope, Martin paints a social panorama of the 19th-century American South and the complex, cross-racial bond between two central figures: the vampire Joshua and Captain Marsh. The novel's conception of the "blood king" vampire clan transcends traditional Gothic horror, serving as a profound metaphor for the price of power, immortality, and solitude. The magnificent scenes of steamboat racing on the Mississippi, interwoven with undercurrents of intrigue, showcase Martin's extraordinary skill in world-building and multi-threaded narrative. For readers familiar with his fantasy works, this is a precious opportunity to glimpse the author's early style and the origins of his ideas; for fans of historical fiction or dark fantasy, it is an underrated masterpiece that combines literary depth with reading pleasure.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Fans of George R. R. Martin who wish to explore his creative world beyond A Song of Ice and Fire
Readers of dark fantasy or steampunk who love deep integration of historical settings and supernatural elements
Those interested in 19th-century Southern American social history, Mississippi River culture, or the steamboat era
Readers who appreciate character-driven narrative and complex relationships and moral dilemmas

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking lighthearted entertainment or traditional Gothic vampire romance
Those impatient with a relatively slow pace and a narrative that emphasizes period atmosphere and historical detail

Reading tips

Approach it as a historical social novel with supernatural coloring rather than a pure horror novel to better grasp its core
Pay attention to the evolution of Marsh and Joshua's relationship, the key to understanding the book's themes of trust, betrayal, and redemption
Note Martin's depiction of the Mississippi River and its shipping culture, which forms an indispensable, substantial backdrop

About the publisher

Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1985

Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House is a publisher known for its literary titles, with a catalogue spanning foreign literature, world classics, classical Chinese literature, essays and miscellaneous writings, and mystery and detective fiction. Judging from the more than 1,100 books in the database, the press publishes foreign classics such as Crime and Punishment, Snow Country, The Complete Sherlock Holmes and Letter from an Unknown Woman, as well as Chinese classical and modern literary works including Lu Xun's Wandering and A Madman's Diary and Wu Jingzi's The Scholars. In terms of translators and authors, translations by Cao Guowei and Tan Jinghua appear in its foreign literature titles, and the authors involved include Dostoevsky, Kawabata Yasunari, Conan Doyle and Zweig. Its publishing character lies in introducing Chinese and foreign literary classics side by side, balancing popular and serious works and attending to both readability and literary value. Public information is limited; the above is a brief overview based solely on the books in the database.

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尾声

FAQ

Is this book similar in style to A Song of Ice and Fire?

There are similarities—grand scope, complex characters, and a grimly realistic tone—but the setting is entirely different. This book focuses on a single main narrative, blending a specific history with vampire lore, and can be seen as another early exercise in Martin's construction of unique worlds.

Is the story horrifying or gory?

It contains the darkness and violence inherent in vampire fiction, but Martin's treatment emphasizes psychological impact, social metaphor, and character fate rather than deliberately heightening sensory thrills. Its horror derives more from atmosphere and the exploration of human nature.

Why is the book titled Fevre Dream?

"Fevre" suggests fevered nights—both the sweltering, desire-laden nights on the Mississippi and the characters' burning, even life-scorching ambitions and dreams. The entire story unfolds like a long dream of glory and nightmare within the heat of history.

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About the author

George R. R. Martin Author · American · 1948

George R. R. Martin is an American author, screenwriter, and television producer born in New Jersey in 1948. He is best known for the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, celebrated for its multi-stranded narrative, intricate character relationships, and a world rife with political intrigue. The story centers on the struggle among great families for the Iron Throne, combining grand battle scenes with finely drawn characters. HBO adapted the series into the Emmy-winning show Game of Thrones, further expanding its global influence. His works are often categorized as otherworldly continent fantasy, and the library holds 24 of his titles, including the volumes of A Song of Ice and Fire. Martin has won the Hugo and Nebula Awards multiple times and was named to Time magazine's list of the world's 100 most influential people in 2011.

姚向辉 Author

Yao Xianghui is a prolific Chinese translator, with 63 translated works held in the library's collection, focusing mainly on foreign literature and science fiction. His translations span a range of styles: classic novels driven by character and narrative, such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Godfather and its trilogy; science fiction including The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Illustrated Collector's Edition, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Neuromancer: Count Zero, and the Blindsight & Echopraxia set; works exploring technology and consciousness such as Mind Uploading; and popular science titles. His translations are commonly categorized under foreign literature, science fiction, classics and quality fiction, showing that he works across both genre fiction and serious literature. Public information about Yao Xianghui's personal background, education and awards is limited; he is known to readers mainly through his abundant body of translation work.