problems with Anne Rice

As one should know ones classics, I started Interview with the vampire, but I lost interest after a hundred pages or so. The breathless mock 19th Century tone got to me. Anne Rice has neither the vision nor the talent to succeed anything as overwritten as this. Besides, the characters have no life in them (no pun intended).

A very interesting take on the vampire legend, and she deserves to be remembered for that, but that vampire keeps droning on.

Am I alone in this appreciation?

No, you're not alone. I read Interview with the Vampire, because at the time there was very little vampire fiction around. Because it was sort of standing alone at the time, it was enjoyable. I haven't been able to get into any of her other books though. I also have no interest in going back to Interview for a reread.

I've read Interview With The Vampire as well and I loved the book. I have to admit it's been a long time since I read it the first time and probably is long over due for a re-read. Because of the book I went on to buy al the other books in her Vampire Chronicles series and also New Tales of the Vampires series too. How it compares to Stephanie Meyer's books I can't say since I don't own any of her books, yet. I also haven't gotten around to reading them either. I know I eventually will it's just a matter of time whenever I finally get around to doing it.

beatles1964

I think Anne Rice is a great writer and had been one of my three favorite Horror Writers, Stephen King and Clive Barker being my other two. I was upset with her when I first learned she had decided not write any more of her Vampire Chronicles books just because she found Religion again. While I think that is great but to me it doesn't make sense to bite the hand that made her a house hold name to begin with. She became famous for her Vampire novels and then later on her Mayfair Witches Trilogy. I just don't understand why she can't satisfy her long time fans who have been with her from the very beginning and continue to write her Horror Novels and also write her fictional life of Jesus Christ Novels for her much newer fans. That way she will keep everyone happy.

But she has stated she will never write any more of her Vampire Chronicles books.
And has devoted the rest of her life to wiritng about Jesus Christ. I wish she would reconsider her decision not to write any more Vampire Novels. I know I will miss them. Because of this decision I no longer consider myself a fan of hers except for her all of her earlier stuff. I bet she lost a lot of fans like myself because of her decision to only write about Jesus Christ and not Vampires too.

I plan to still keep all of The Vampire Chronicles, Mayfair Witches Trilogy, New Tales of the Vampires and her books under her other names. I don't plan on tossing them out, giving them to my local library, selling them at a yard sale or giving them away just because she made a decision I didn't like. At least I will still have them on my book shelves and can go back and read or re-read them as the case my be any time I feel like it.

I have been looking for a new Horror Author to replace her as one of my favorites, at least an Author that is new to me. I don't know if anyone will consider this to be sacrilege but for years I considered Stephen King, Anne Rice and Clive Barker to be my Unholy Trio of Horror Novelists. So maybe Stephanie Meyer is a good candidate to replace Anne Rice in my Unholy Trio of Horror Novelists.

beatles1964

I don't care for her writing style, either. I don't like the overly descriptive, wordy style of hers. Just get to the point already. I read Interview and then Vampire Lestat, but I swore never to read the rest. They just get longer and longer.

If you're in the market for some good vampire fiction, I recommend Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake series.

OK, Thanks for the advice, I'll have to see if I can sink my teeth (Pun intended) into her books and let you know how I like them.

beatles1964

While she was never my very favorite writer, I still enjoyed her vampire chronicles. Like beatles, I was very dismayed to hear that she wouldn't be writing any more of them. I'm really not interested in the Jesus Christ books at all.

I can see where the vampire chronicles might not be for everyone. Honestly there were places in the stories that I thought were really boring, but then again there were moments that I absolutely loved.

As for Laurell K. Hamilton, I was a big fan of the stories until they turned into 90% porn and 10% plot. It was very disappointing too, because Hamilton really had some great ideas and is obviously a talented writer.

When I read Interview I enjoyed it greatly, but I was in middle school at the time. I still adore Pandora. But I haven't really tried for a reread of Interview. I enjoy some of her books while others I can't get into at all. In my opinion she tends to be very hit or miss with me, I know others that don't feel that way at all, though and love everything she writes.

I don't find her overly overwritten, at least not compared to the older vampire stuff I read. Pretty much all Victorian stuff is at least as dense, and Montague Summers' books on vampire folklore make Rice look like she's writing for toddlers (in terms of density, not subject matter). But I can definitely see how, compared to normal modern fiction, she's pretty wordy (and insufferably pretentious).

I also feel like Louis is more dry and whiny and has less personal flair than Lestat. The style The Vampire Lestat was written in cracked me up, because it's a combination of old-fashioned overwritten pretentious garbage, and a childlike (but still pretentious) revelry in the discovery of modern American English words and phrases, like "whatever."

You kind of have to have a strong appreciation for crack to get through a lot of the series.

Beatles: I'd question your categorization of Stephenie Meyer as a "horror" novelist. She refers to her vampires as "vampires," but they're rarely portrayed as actually scary, or dangerous, or monsters, or dead. Meyer throws in the occasional tribute to the vampires' horror legacy once every couple hundred pages, at max, but the series is pretty solidly recognized as YA, urban fantasy, and romance. You're the first person I've heard call them "horror".

Well, I stand corrected about Stephanie Meyer then. I just assumed since she writes about Vampires that makes her a Horror Novelist. I have never read any of her books before. However, the fact remains I am still looking for a new Horror novelist to start reading and collecting. Like I said before a Horror novelist that might be new to me any way.

beatles1964

I did think Intervirw with a vampure was a bit long winded but as she is a Christian again and wont write anymore vampire stories, I have learned to take it in stride. Thank god or whatever I found Laurell K Hamilton.

I read and reread Interview with the Vampire and I didn't think it was overly long or pretentious or boring. In fact, I think it is her best in that series. I thought The Witching Hour was her best of the Mayfair Witches series. And I also enjoyed her first novel about the life of Christ.

I second the suggestion for the Anita Blake series. I've only read up through Bloody Bones and haven't found it pornographic at all, so I guess I have that to look forward to. :)

As for other vampire series I've enjoyed, the novels of the Darkyn by Lynn Viehl is one. I know I've read others, but for the life of me can't recall what they are just now.

ETA that I don't think Interview can be put in the same category with the lighter romantic horror vampire novels that are all over the bookstore shelves just now. It was more like an historical vampire novel, sort of like Dracula, which is a classic but not something I would reread for fun.

Charles,

THANK YOU for your thoughts on Rice. I have felt like there was some unspoken rule about speaking against her Vampire Chronicles. I felt like they were aimed at 12 year olds (not the horror, the writing style) and could not stay interested. I think a lot of people get caught up in her goth mystique and let that prevent them from noticing the poor writing.

Keg, you hit the nail on the head about LKH and Anita Blake. It is indeed 90% porn and 10% plot. Once I got the book where Anita had to have sex with two men simultaneously in order to increase her power and LKH was foreshadowing that it would soon require three men, I quit the series.

I guess my favorite series would have to be Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's books on Saint Germain. I enjoy the history lessons and the epistolary technique.

I will admit some of the later LKH books are mostly porn. But the first 10 books in the series are still pretty good.

Another series I enjoy is Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series.

I love Charlaine Harris. Completely different vampire world though from Anne Rice.... closer to LKH- with less sex and more humor.

I agree. Not an Anne Rice fan. Reading Interview with a Vampire was like trying to wade through deep water. With combat boots on.

Did anyone like the movie version more than the book?