Interview with the Vampire
discussion
Would you recommend this series?
George R R Martin's "Fevre Dream" and Lucius Shepard's "The Golden" both outrun "Interview With The Vampire" by a mile, Gavin, and I imagine there are about a thousand others I have yet to read that leave it standing also, but you're absolutely right about "Twilight" and the Family Ties comparison. I'm more scared by buttercups and boxes of kittens than I am by "Twilight". (No disrespect to Family Ties though, I quite liked it.)
I finished first one and I am just about to finish The Vampire Lestat. So far I can say that those books are great and worth attention although I heard many people say that next books are absolutely terrible. I am going to try go further... When I want to read book but I am not sure if it is good idea to buy it, first I go to library and read a bit of this book.
I loved this series.
Michael wrote: "George R R Martin's "Fevre Dream" and Lucius Shepard's "The Golden" both outrun "Interview With The Vampire" by a mile, Gavin, and I imagine there are about a thousand others I have yet to read tha..."I have written a better vampire story, may I share it with you? You can tell that it was inspired by Anne Rice. Here it is:
http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/3...
You are welcome :-p
I love this series... all eleven books, and I agree with Sandra's point about Rice's explanation of the origin of all vampires. It is a very acceptable theory, and I don't think anyone else has ever come close to such a plausible scenario.Read one... if you love it, you'll probably love them all.
Plan B... I understand they will resurrect the series on the big screen, starting from scratch, with Robert Downey Jr. Taking on the roll of Lestat.
Reading the entire series a second time is on my bucket list.
I'd say watch the movie. It's probably one of Tom Cruise's best and I've never been a fan of him, but he does an amazing job in it.(I prefer Stuart Townsend as a sexier Lestat and think he does a good job at portraying him aswell but QotD doesn't really stay true to the book it's more 'Hollywood' unlike IwtV) The movie is what really got me into the books and if you're debating whether or not you want to devote your time to reading them I suggest you start with it but keep it mind it is a rather long movie.
I think that movie is extremely boring. I tried to watch it numerous times but no power was strong enough to keep me in settee. Every of my friends don't want to read book because film was boring so book could be as well, and it's so difficult to persuade him.I think that film is just someone's preference. I don't like it because every character look different to what I imagined, huge disappointment :(
Eva wrote: "I think that movie is extremely boring. I tried to watch it numerous times but no power was strong enough to keep me in settee. Every of my friends don't want to read book because film was boring s..."I don't find the movie boring though I do know people who do so yeah it's not for everyone, but having not read the books first I had no real preconceptions on what the characters would look like. Though now it's hard to imagine Armand as a boy and not Antonio Banderas rofl I think everyone paints their own picture in their mind of characters appearances whilst reading and in any film adaption it's not quite what they imagined. In an interview Anne Rice did give her approval of the movie though.
Darshe Aristel wrote: "Eva wrote: "I think that movie is extremely boring. I tried to watch it numerous times but no power was strong enough to keep me in settee. Every of my friends don't want to read book because film ..."yeah i agree with you
I didnt read any interviews of any author.
I just read A. Rice comment about it, so shocking
The series definitely has interesting characters and stories. However, the books are too slow-paced for my tastes. Everything takes a lot of pages to happen, that's why I ended up dropping out the series. If you are patient enough to go throughout it, you will find a great series to read.
I found Interview with the Vampire to be a very slow read. Anne Rice tends to get bogged down in her descriptions, more so in her Mayfair series. The follow-up vampire novels were much better. The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned were both excellent. The Body Thief is also one of my favorites. I lost interest at Memnoch the Devil and switched to the Mayfair series but even then only made it through the first book. I love her writing, I just don't have the patience.
I'd recommend this series to someone who loves a lot of detail in the books they read. Interview with the Vampire was great and I liked the Vampire Lestat but in most of the series she adds too much detail; makes the story drag and causes "sensory over-load".
I read this series quite a long time ago. Even though I finished them, I don't like these types of books, I only read it because they were popular at the time and I wanted to see what it was all about.
Read the first one, then decide.
Yep, own the whole series and I've moved five times since i acquired them. I have read several of the books twice and will read them, again. A definite recommendation.
I remember reading this in my teens on a recommendation from a friend, and then the agonizing wait for each one after. For me, other than Salems' Lot, there is no better vampire novel. The later books don't have the magic and sense of place Interview has, but Rice has a way with words.
I would to the right people if they were open minded enough.It's not everyone's slice of cake.
It's been years since I read this series. I recall that I enjoyed it very much.
I had forgotten about this series. The first book was the best. The books went downhill after that. The movie was a disaster.
Julian wrote: "I think it's pretty close to universally acknowledged that the first two books are the best. I recommend them as worth reading even to fairly snobbish readers.And if you like them, keep going unt..."
I agree. I read the first Twilight book, because my grand daughter loved it. The series is not for adults.
Elia wrote: "Renee wrote: "These are the best traditional vampires! I love Lestat and Armand (oh my!) anyway. These are traditional vampires!!! Not sparkly and touchy, feely (well except sort of Louis in his ..."Great post really sums up the books.
I loved the Interview of the Vampire and the Vampire Lestat, but I did not like the Queen of the Damned. I dropped the series from there. Other than that, I really liked the books!!!!! :D
yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
..so...Elebu, you're going with a 'yes' then?
Alice wrote: "Back in the day, hell yes! I doubt it has the same impact on readers now. This was the ultimate in the genre..a cult kinda thing as the genre was small."Perfectly said. I read these back in high school, early to mid '90s, and they were powerful, so much so that they still stick with me and are the ultimate litmus test when reading books of this genre. I've been thinking about rereading them...
I think it truly depends on what you go in search of. I truly enjoyed more than the characters. Some of the description made me feel the scene was only an arm's length away. I wanted to be right there, learning how to become a vampire, seeing the proof of what no human can understand- The pain and angst of eternal life. Also, I think I love Rice's entire culture of Vampi-rature in whole; each time I had to challenge myself at some point to keep reading throuh the night, or put it down because I needed sleep! Not page turners because the chapters are short, but because the plot compels.
Yes I can recomend these books, all apart from Memnoch the Devil. That was a terrible book, but the only bad one. I read these starting about 13 years ago, and have 're-read them many times. The Mayfair Witch trilogy are worth reading as well, and there is some cross over because of the Talamascer.
Interview is a good book. The Vampire Lestat is great. Queen Of The Damned is awful. I haven't read the others.
Re: the forum's question: "Yes."However . . .
I had assumed the vampire "series" stopped with Queen of the Damned.,. Per a previous post, I see that the "chronicles" seem to go on . . . and on.
For myself, I intend, at least, to complete the trilogy: Interview, Lestat, and Queen of the Damned.
And, despite the series going on, Rice did give us something new: an exploration of many questions readers would have since Stoker's Dracula.
So again, "yes."
I would say yes. Alone for the unique atmosphere Anne Rice creates.The series, which for me ended with 'Tale of the Body Thief', were some of my favorite books when I was in my late teens.
Not sure, however, if they hold up.
I have read the first few, up to the Vampire Armand and started on Pandora at one point. The first three I enjoyed immensely. The rest (that which I have read) not so much. Didn't dislike them, just didn't enjoy them as much. Don't think I got around to finishing Pandora. Although I have been planning to re-read them along with the rest of the series.
Kristin wrote: "The Vampire ChroniclesInterview with the Vampire (1976)
The Vampire Lestat (1985)
The Queen of the Damned (1988)
The Tale of the Body Thief (1992)
Memnoch the Devil (1995)
The Vampire Armand (1998..."
Is this the suggested reading order? Been meaning to re-read the ones I have read, before going on to the ones I have not.
Interview with a Vampire was the first vampire book I ever read ... and I was hooked! I only read the first three of the series but I really enjoyed them.
The first four should be read in order, and Blackwood farm and blood cantical could bee read straight after( missing out memnoch the devil). But the Mayfair witches feature a lot in those two. The others it doesn't really matter, as they deal with each of their back history s.I liked the body thief one and I was saying 'come on Lestat, don't be a fool, your not going to see that guy again. This book also had the Talemascar in it, so I would recommend read the Mayfair witches books. They're good books, and I've also read them a few times as well.
I recommend these books, all of these. I agree that nr 8-9 are less than others, but I think this is the best vampire story ever written. And the same goes for the Mayfair books. My fav are The vampire Lestat and The witching hour.Give it a try, you won't be sorry ;)
Anne Rice was the first, that I know of, to write about Vampires from their point of view, not from the victims or Vampire hunter's POV. I found myself wondering what I would do if I found myself in their situation. Would I take advantage of being immortal, even given what I'd have to do to sustain myself, or kill myself rather than go on. Rice is up there with my favorite authors.
At least her vampires are real vamps, with fangs. I first picked up queen of the dammed, had no idea what was going on and had to rush back into town and buy the first two. This was 13years ago, how much easier it is now, I could of just bought them online. Don't some of her vampires survive on the blood of evildoers, and then when they reach a great age only need a small amount of blood.
The first book is good. The second book "The Vampire Lestat" is one of my favorite books.
I would definitely recommend this series, though the quality can be a mixed depending on the novel. My personal favorite is Queen of the Damned but my least favorite is Memnock the Devil. Outside of the Vampire Chronicles/Mayfair series, my least favorite novel of Rice's is Violin.
I highly recommend this series. Interview with the Vampire was the first vampire book I ever read. My personal favorite in the series was Queen of the Damned my least favorite is Memnock the Devil (sorry for copying you Tashann). I mean Memnock was well written but it left me feeling uneasy. I love anything by Anne Rice though. If you're not too into the paranormal genre I suggest reading her book The Feast of All Saints. It's a historical novel that centers around free colored people who lived in New Orleans before the Civil War.
Ah, you're forgiven. And I too also loved The Feast of All Saints.
Kevin wrote: "Nope...Rice truly destroyed the vicious image of the vampire and opened the door for cheap vampire soft porn novels. "The sexy vampire?" PLEASE!!!!"
I know that this comment is over a year old but I had to comment on it. Rice is not the first author to make vampires sexy. I'd say that trend started with Bram Stoker even though he was much more subtle about it.
Tashann wrote: "Ah, you're forgiven. And I too also loved The Feast of All Saints."Thanks! Lol.
Stoker may be credited with making sexy vampires, but you can't forget Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu or The Vampyre by John Polidori, each of which contained beautiful, alluring vampires. In fact, Stoker was breaking the mold at the time by making Dracula old and decrepit. It wasn't until the 1931 Dracula film came out that people started to see the character as sexy.
I also don't like memnoth the devil. My favourite after the first four is blood and gold. That's marius' s story, there's so much history in it . The feat of all saints is one I enjoyed as well. Are her new books worth reading? They are so different to her vampires that I'm unsure.
Tashann- I've actually never read either of those novellas. They are downloaded on my kindle waiting to be read though. Angie- The Wolf Gift was pretty good but I didn't like her Christ books. The idea behind them was good but she has a rather dark style of writing that gave them a super creepy feel.
It still is one of the best vampire series. Anne Rice writes in a wonderful baroque style and has immense historical knowledge.
Leslie wrote: "Tashann- I've actually never read either of those novellas. They are downloaded on my kindle waiting to be read though. Angie- The Wolf Gift was pretty good but I didn't like her Christ books. Th..."
Which ones are the Christ books?
They are Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt and Christ the Lord: Road to Cana
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Ann Rice's great achievement in "Interview" was creating the characters of Louis, Lestat and Armand: three vampires who broke with every previous literary stereotype of vampire. Ann Rice's vampires had the same fears of aging and death as their human counterparts and Louis actually has ethical conflicts about killing humans to sustain his own immortality.
I'm pretty much fed up with the current glut of bad vampire books. We've actually gotten to the point where the vampires in Twilight are cute and cuddly creatures who resemble the Keaton family in the Eighties sitcom, "Family Ties."
It's been 36 years since Anne Rice wrote "Interview With a Vampire" and it's still a better book than any of the vampire themed books that have followed it.