In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the virus continues to evolve and the
world’s new normal involves vaccines and masks in public places, the discussion
surrounding viruses and their effect on the general population has become a part of
our daily discussion as a society. In an effort to be able to come to terms with the
impact this pandemic has had, as well as the concern surrounding viruses as a whole,
many have turned to fiction to try to express the fears and worries that have arisen.
In author Don W. Hill’s Vampiro Trilogy: Volume I: The Night Crawler Protocol, the
author explores the fears and worries that a virus outbreak can have on a small-town
community through the horror genre. In a small southwestern town, an outbreak of

human vampirism begins to spread every two decades or so, when one of the ghouls
of the bloodthirsty undead roam into town, devastating the community once more. The
last event took place a few years earlier, when Lorena Pastore was only 25 years old.
Expecting to be middle aged when next dealing with the outbreak, she is shocked
when a powerful new outbreak arrives less than a decade later, and shows up on her
very own doorstep.
The author did a great job of balancing out the terrifying horror elements of this
narrative with the more thematic and culturally relevant discussions this narrative
brings up. The exploration of the spread of a virus is certainly felt through the act of
vampirism, especially human vampirism, and the idea of this being a legitimate virus is
definitely a terrifying thought. Add to that the authors unique and expert infusion of the
Hispanic culture, especially in Southwest America, and the authors ability to weave in
story elements and characters from his previous series (The DNR Trilogy), while not
making this a direct sequel, made this a fantastic and creative story.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy vampire horror storytelling, especially
those which include medical thriller and horror elements, drama, and a twist of
Hispanic culture. As someone who comes from a Hispanic background and a fan of
horror, I loved the authors approach to the vampire genre and the unique twists he
took. The vampire genre always runs the risk of becoming too saturated, and finding
new ways of exploring the storytelling elements of this genre is essential to good
vampire stories in our modern age, and the author’s creativity is definitely on display
with this genre.
Engaging, chilling, and captivating, author Don W. Hill’s Vampiro Trilogy: Volume I: The
Night Crawler Protocol is a must-read vampire horror novel to read in 2022. The perfect
start to a brand-new theme, the author does an amazing job of telling a well-rounded
and thrilling story. The balance of culture and history with vampire lore and medical
thriller storytelling elements make this one story reader are going to be hard-pressed
to ignore.