The Vampire Lestat

Valmont

Well I read 'Interview...' and it was so brilliant, I was reluctant to pick up 'The Vampire Lestat'. But my misgivings about the sequel were misplaced.

I really enjoyed it, it was one of the most vivid, imaginative, and exciting books I've ever read. It was full of rich examples of world culture and the various historical backdrops just sweetened the story. It was a long and fulfilling tale brimming with originality and the characters that he happens across in his journeys were very colourful. I don't want to go into details as even the most inconspicuous fact could possibly spoil it for someone!

Did anyone love this book as much as I did? I look forward to Queen of the Damned.

sceptre

I've always had a bit of a thing for the same story told from more than once point of view so I rather liked it. It's better written than its predecessor in my view, stretches back past "Interview With A Vampire" and keeps going past it. It's longer, it's got greater breadth. And it's a good ten years and more since I read it.

The single problem I have with it? It's the Empire Strikes Back of the series, it lacks a any ending shy of a panic ridden "oops" one. And what follows it isn't nearly as good - although "Queen of The Damned" ties up the trilogy nicely (which is good as what came after was mostly utter crud) the lack of an ending is something the book lacks to make the difference between a good book of the genre and a great one.

Merrick

Yeah I liked the Vampire Lestat, even though the character Lestat kinda annoyed me. Even so, it's one of the most well written out of all the vampire series or whatever it is.

I agree with Sceptre about the ending, you're left hanging a wee bit, QOTD worth it just for the continuation.

Valmont

sceptre wrote:

It's longer, it's got greater breath.

I really felt satisfied after reading it, it had a lot packed into it. That and we get the little side stories of the two other vampires.

sceptre wrote:

The single problem I have with it? It's the Empire Strikes Back of the series, it lacks a any ending shy of a panic ridden "oops" one. And what follows it isn't nearly as good - although "Queen of The Damned" ties up the trilogy nicely (which is good as what came after was mostly utter crud) the lack of an ending is something the book lacks to make the difference between a good book of the genre and a great one.

I quite enjoyed the ending, I felt it was very climatic and a lot of the things that happened (intentionally vague!) completely surprised me but I see your point.

SCEPTRE wrote:

(which is good as what came after was mostly utter crud)

Ah don't say that!!!!! I'm hoping they'll all be just as brilliant. Seriously though I read the back of one of the series and it was about Ghosts, witches, and bringing certain dead characters back from the dead as spirits. It sounded really bad.

Sleepy

I'll hold my hand up to having read all of the Vampire Chronicles and liked, if not loved, all of them. The Vampire Lestat would be my second favourite of the chronicles, behind Memnoch (the fifth book). I'd recommend reading them all, though be sure to take them in order and persevere beyond 'The Tale of the Body Thief' (the fourth) which is the weakest of the novels by a long way.

Sadly, Anne Rice has gone a little nuts since the death of her husband and is now only 'writing for the lord' :rolleyes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Rice#Bibliography

Valmont

Sleepy wrote:

I'll hold my hand up to having read all of the Vampire Chronicles and liked, if not loved, all of them. The Vampire Lestat would be my second favourite of the chronicles, behind Memnoch (the fifth book). I'd recommend reading them all, though be sure to take them in order and persevere beyond 'The Tale of the Body Thief' (the fourth) which is the weakest of the novels by a long way.

Sadly, Anne Rice has gone a little nuts since the death of her husband and is now only 'writing for the lord' :rolleyes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Rice#Bibliography

Great to hear it sleepy, I'm feeling positive now. I still can't believe it took me so long to find the chronicles

Have you seen Anne Rice's website? When you enter it plays Ave Maria and the main page is covered with advertisements for her new book "christ the lord". After reading Interview and The Vampire Lestat and reading how each character at certain stages flirts with the possibility that god doesn't exist led me to believe she wasn't a die hard christian.

She has also stopped replying to emails related to the Vampire Chronicles.

Lust4Life

I'm posting the link so you can see the list of all of her Vampire Chronicles

I loved Interview with the vampire and also The Vampire Lestat.
But I found Queen Of The Damned to be a bit lacking. She seemed to be a bit over-obsessed with homosexual vampires in that one. But then in the fourth one - The Tale of Body Thief - she found her way back to the subject at hand with fascinating twists.

Memnock The Devil was Okay, as was The Vampire Armand. Merrick was entertaining as well.

I haven't read the last 3 yet. I'd like to start again with the first and read all of them though to the end.

doonothing

having read and definitely loved em all, id say keep goin! armand is my favourite of the vampire chronicles. loved tale of the body thief and blackwood farm too.
the mayfair chronicles are amazing, the witching hour being my favourite anne rice book, the other 2 are great and definitely necessary for the last few vampire chronicles for the full breadth of the story.

price690

I am very interesting in reading the lestat books but can anyone tell me the order in which I should buy them and read them?

Apologies for dragging up such an old thread ?

Permabear

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