Bitten by Books
Welcome back, lovely readers.
This is the fifth installment in our discussion series leading up to the release of Anne Rice’s new Vampire Chronicles book, Prince Lestat. We will celebrate with a fun Halloween giveaway.
If you would like to check out some of our previous chats they can be found here, here, here, and here.
Today the Vampire Chronicles Convo is going to focus on The Vampire Armand and Merrick.
The Vampire Armand shifts the focus from the large epic narrative that wove the previous novels together to center on one of the more mysterious characters in the series. Armand’s history is one of my favorites, partly because we get a better introduction to Marius, but also due to the changes Armand goes through.
Armand represents an interesting point of view in the Chronicles-playing the devil because without evil there is no good. Did you like how that concept played out in this story? Are there other books where a similar concept worked out well?
Merrick is the first novel where Anne Rice bridges The Vampire Chronicles with The Mayfair Witches. We learn a bit more about David Talbot, the Talamasca, and get a pretty good ghost story. While this is the first novel where the series connect, it does not necessarily impact the overall narrative in the Vampire Chronicles up to this point. Do you enjoy these type of “breather” novels in series?
Hit the comments with answers, questions of your own, or anything else related to these two books. I’ll pop in throughout the week.
“I know nothing, because I know too much, and understand not nearly enough and never will” (from The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice).
The Vampire Chronicles in the order they should be read:
Interview with a Vampire
The Vampire Lestat
The Queen of the Damned
The Tale of the Body Thief
Memnoch the Devil
The Vampire Armand
Merrick (Crossover with Mayfair Witches)
Blood and Gold
Blackwood Farm (Crossover with Mayfair Witches)
Blood Canticle (Crossover with Mayfair Witches)
Prince Lestat
The New Tales of the Vampires series in the order they should be read:
Pandora
Vittorio the Vampire
The Lives of the Mayfair Witches series in the order they should be read:
The Witching Hour
Lasher
Taltos
I didn’t read these ones. How much does Armand focus on the past instead of “present” shenanigans?
If I remember correctly- it is basically his biography so a large part is the past but there is “present action” at the start and end of the book.
Merrick was more present action but also less connected to the “main” storyline (again- If I remember correctly).
Thanks! I think I will check to see if my library has Armand.
I really enjoy when an author bridges over her books from different series. I love reading them all together.
I too totally enjoy when an author bridges her different series books.
I usually do…but I will say that I still don’t know how I feel about this particular bridge. Mainly because I have very different feelings about the Vampires and the Mayfairs.
Still it is always interesting to see how an author does that.
Which Anne Rice series do you think is the must-read for a newbie?
Hands down The Vampire Chronicles. Specifically the 1st three books in the series. You get a fantastic mythology and a sense of Anne’s writing. If you like them- then branch out with the rest of the series and her other books. We will be talking about her other works in a few weeks as well, so you might want to peruse some of those titles.
Vamps stuff is so weird for me they shouldn’t be handsome creatures
Sarit,
Do you enjoy the more horror/folklore driven portrayals of vampires?
No I really don’t there is something repulsive in vamps the movies capture this better but i have weak heart and can’t watch the gruesome scenes
I thought Merrick was an intriguing book that tied together the Vampire Chronicles and the Mayfair Witches. I enjoyed Merrick’s story and how she was transformed into a vampire who retained her supernatural witch powers.
I do enjoy these type of “breather” novels in series.