Anne Rice...

Eleasha · 12-07-2006, 07:18 AM

... or not? And why?

WildScribe · 12-07-2006, 07:47 AM

I personally think that she is too hyped, although I might eventually pick up something of hers. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT I THINK SHE'S A BAD WRITER.

Eleasha · 12-07-2006, 07:54 AM

You haven't read any of her stuff?
I can understand that if it's for hype reasons. I try to say away from the bestseller lists myself... but there *is* a reason why bestsellers are bestsellers, lol.

Silver King · 12-07-2006, 07:55 AM

I like wild rice and dirty rice; but she's just...Anne.

WildScribe · 12-07-2006, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eleasha

You haven't read any of her stuff?
I can understand that if it's for hype reasons. I try to say away from the bestseller lists myself... but there *is* a reason why bestsellers are bestsellers, lol.

I realize that, and there are some books on the bestseller list that I have read... I guess my thoughts are that since they are so hyped, I already know the plots! Also, I like to catch midlists as they come out since they might not be around forever. Anne Rice isn't going anywhere soon.

Eleasha · 12-07-2006, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jadezuki

Every year or so I still pick up my tattered copy of The Witching Hour and read it (I have a gorgeous hardbound copy, but I just can't seem to ditch my beaten and scotch-taped paperback).

Oh, I know what you mean about that... my copy of The Vampire Lestat is falling apart at the seams, the biggest spine crack being right in the middle of Lestat trying to rip Armand's head off, but I can't get rid of it.
And ugh, the Mayfair witches. I liked Lasher well enough, or at least his story at the end, but I loathe and despise Mona, and her being made a vampire was one of the most unpleasant and reprehensible things I have ever read. The Mayfair Witches just don't do much for me. They seem too normal or something, hehe.
The first six of the Vampire Chronicles are my favourite, and Blood and Gold... and Violin is absolutely gorgeous, and I'm reading Cry to Heaven and Christ the Lord right now.
I think I've read all of them except the Sleeping Beauty ones, Feast of All Saints, and The Witching Hour. Oh, and Merrick.
I'm just a geek.

Shadow_Ferret · 12-07-2006, 08:10 AM

I tried reading "Interview with the Vampire" to see what all the hype was about, got half way into it, got bored and sold it back to the bookstore.

Eleasha · 12-07-2006, 10:50 AM

Yeah, IwtV is a little hard to read... it's so angsty. And her writing style was different then.

Inkdaub · 12-07-2006, 12:47 PM

I like Anne Rice quite a bit though I must admit I'm not as into her work as I once was.

The Mayfair Witches stories were my favorites and I wish she would have followed them a bit more like she did with the vampires. I wasn't really into the vampires and the witches books but that was mainly me being bratty and wanting the witches to have their own identity. I know the vampires are more popular and I like the vampires...but the Witching Hour is better than any of the vampire books.

I also liked Memnoch the Devil because it was a bit different from the other vampire books. I liked Servant of the Bones as well.

scarletpeaches · 12-07-2006, 04:10 PM

I've only read IWtV (three times so far, and I love it if not for her style then the fact it's a vampire book). Oh, and 'The Mummy' - anyone read that?

I'm remembering more! I've read Cry to Heaven, which I remember loving - but I was about 12 at the time, so I don't know if that makes a difference.

So that makes 4 of her books I've read - the last one being The Vampire Lestat which I hated - it seemed to jump all over the place and be up its own arse. It took me weeks to get through and turning the last page was a relief.

The other three, I would read again. Anything else, I can't seem to get through.

KTC · 12-08-2006, 02:24 AM

I think The Feast of All Saints is one of the most beautiful books ever written. It is Rice's Great Expectations. I've read it about 10 times and never tire of its utter and staggering beauty. It is her opus.

I was in love with the vampire chronicles about 10 years back, but have since tired of them. The Mayfair books were also great for a time...so thorough in their self-history.

Again: THE FEAST OF ALL SAINTS (Utter beauty...I can't say enough about it. I fall back to that old New Orleans era every time I read it and I have to be brutally hauled back to the present.) If you haven't read it, do so.

Celia Cyanide · 12-08-2006, 02:43 AM

I adored every minute I spent reading Interview With The Vampire. Vampire Lestat was a close second. Then I got to Tale Of The Body Thief, and it was just ridiculous!

S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S

Lestat trades bodies with this guy to be mortal for a day. Fun idea. Then the guy never has any intention of giving Lestat his body back, and Lestat is surprised at this...because???? Lestat has already been set up as utterly brilliant, and I'm supposed to believe that he never thought for a minute that this guy intended to use his vampire powers to wreak havoc? If even I figured that out, I think Lestat would have. And the way it was portrayed, it seemed like Lestat only wanted to do it so he could get it on with some people and taste food again. It was a novelty. If it had been established that all Lestat wanted in the world was to be a mortal man, it would have been different. I would believe that he might not think things through, because he wanted it so badly. And maybe he intended to stay a mortal, but then the guy was using Lestat's body to cause trouble. But no, he REALLY BELIEVED that the guy was going to show up the next day and give him his vampire body back! It was not a tedious read, but I found it silly.

aadams73 · 12-08-2006, 02:44 AM

I read her books until I realised she was egotistically insane. At that point her work lost all its charm for me.

Warp · 12-08-2006, 03:34 AM

I was in love with her books when I was 12. Mostly IwtV, Vamp. Lestat and Queen of the Damned. I loved Louis, Lestat and that other one whose name starts with a K or something. Kaman? I don't remember. Anyway, they were perfect for me as an angsty preteen. I even thought vampires were real for a little while and was very paranoid about being bitten by one (I was a lonely little girl w/ no friends that year).
But when I got to Tale of the Body Thief it all fell apart like Celia Cyanide said. Couldn't even read it.

Now, I'm 25 (don't believe in vampires and I do have friends) and I'm very much over her. I cringe when I think of how much I loved her books. Oh well, it was a phase.

WildScribe · 12-08-2006, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamesaritchie

It's been my experience that mislist novels have exactly the same plots, and exactly the same characters, as bestselling novels. . .they just aren't written as well.

As for Anne Rice, you could she already has gone somewhere, at least where any future writing is concerned.

Midlist is just a bestseller waiting to happen

And by not going anywhere, I meant that I can ALWAYS go to the store and pick up an Anne Rice book. It seems like once certain authors hit the bestseller lists, they become lazy. Just my HO.

Inkdaub · 12-08-2006, 01:21 PM

Body Thief was pretty goofy. Memnoch was much better, though.

Eleasha · 12-08-2006, 02:33 PM

Memnoch was totally incredible. I don't get all the people who hate it...
But Body Thief was good *pout*. One of my faves.

KTC · 12-08-2006, 02:39 PM

I enjoyed Body Thief too, Eleasha. The first time I read it was on the beach in South Carolina. I remember buying it when it first came out and being excited about reading it. I found it extremely satisfying. It was exotic. The writing was kind of like her writing in The Mummy. Reading The Mummy was like walking into an early early movie set...it was another beautiful, cinematic work by her.

I can't believe nobody's talking about The Feast of All Saints? I think it's an important piece of American Literature.

scarletpeaches · 12-08-2006, 04:02 PM

So, KTC...what's your favourite Rice book?

Me, I can't stick her now. Her ego gets in the way of any enjoyment of her books; even the ones I've already read. I've just remembered two more. The Vampire Armand and Pandora. I was working long hours at the time and took those books to work for my tea- and lunch-breaks.

I should have taken someone's shopping list instead for all the good it did me. Okay, an author publishes a book you're not so keen on, you give them another chance. I've given Rice a gabillion (yes, that is a word) chances, and I'm done. There are authors out there I like more, and authors who can write...well, just better.

Shadow_Ferret · 12-08-2006, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aadams73

I read her books until I realised she was egotistically insane. At that point her work lost all its charm for me.

Aren't we all? Otherwise why would we put ourselves through all this pain to get published?

Seems like a silly reason to deny yourself a good read.

Celia Cyanide · 12-08-2006, 09:09 PM

For those of you who liked Body Thief, wasn't it hard for you to believe that Lestat would be that dumb?

WriterInChains · 12-10-2006, 04:46 AM

I loved Body Thief, but couldn't stand Memnoch (it started out great, but lost me - too preachy maybe). After Marius' story (Blood & Gold? can't remember right now) I pretty much gave up on her. I loved the Vamp Chronicles & the Mayfair Witches -- everything up to Memnoch really. I think she grew up too much for me . . . or maybe it's the lack of editing, but I stopped reading her before she announced her religious intentions. That would've done it for me if I was still with her, though (not being Christian and all).

I love Lestat, so I tried Blackwood Farm; I read every word, but I'm not sure why.

Celia -- It was his hubris, IMO. One of the things I love about Lestat is his belief that whatever he wants/does/etc. will turn out exactly as he planned. I guess it's true that opposites are attractive!

CBeasy · 12-10-2006, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jadezuki

I mentioned it like twelve posts ago! Has anyone seen the miniseries of Feast of All Saints that Showtime did a few years ago?

I remember hearing about this, but I didn't actually get to watch it. Was it a decent representation of the book, or was it terrible?

blackbird · 12-11-2006, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CBeasy

I remember hearing about this, but I didn't actually get to watch it. Was it a decent representation of the book, or was it terrible?

I watched it just the other day (a local video store had it on sale for a decent price). It's okay, but could have used a good dose of editing. The pacing really drags. I found it mostly uneven, with some parts that are riveting and other parts that bored me to tears. Luckily, since I have it on DVD, I can fast forward through the boring scenes to get to the good parts.

threedogpeople · 12-11-2006, 08:19 PM

I haven't been an Anne Rice fan but did read one of her newer (newest?) books lately, "Christ the Lord, Out of Egypt". WOW! I have recommended it to several friends and they have enjoyed it too.

I haven't read "The Feast of All Saints". Would someone out there give me a quick overview so I can decide if I want to read it? It's set in New Orleans, one of the amazing places I've visited.

In the past I have found her subject material too disturbing (completely personal, since I read at bedtime I don't like reading nightmare fodder).

Judy

12-07-2006, 07:18 AM	#1
Eleasha practical experience, FTW Join Date: May 2006 Location: Canada. All the way from 'eh' to 'zed'..... Posts: 158	Anne Rice... ... or not? And why? __________________ There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all. ~Oscar Wilde MY STORIES!! And my blog, wherein I discuss the everyday mundanities of my charming life. Submitted: 5 Rejected: 2 Accepted: 3

12-07-2006, 07:47 AM	#2
WildScribe Slave to the Wordcount Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Purgatory Posts: 6,138	I personally think that she is too hyped, although I might eventually pick up something of hers. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT I THINK SHE'S A BAD WRITER. __________________ Sowing wicked plot seeds... Words for 2013 so far: 72,046 Sales for 2013 so far: 9 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Word total for 2012: 292,394 Sales total for 2012: 35 Check me out at KathleenTudor.com! *"The first problem of any kind of even limited success* *is the unshakeable conviction that you are getting away with something* and that any moment now 'they' will discover you." - Neil Gaiman

12-07-2006, 07:54 AM	#3
Eleasha practical experience, FTW Join Date: May 2006 Location: Canada. All the way from 'eh' to 'zed'..... Posts: 158	You haven't read any of her stuff? I can understand that if it's for hype reasons. I try to say away from the bestseller lists myself... but there is a reason why bestsellers are bestsellers, lol. __________________ There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all. ~Oscar Wilde MY STORIES!! And my blog, wherein I discuss the everyday mundanities of my charming life. Submitted: 5 Rejected: 2 Accepted: 3

12-07-2006, 08:10 AM	#7
Shadow_Ferret Bowties are cool Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: In a world of my own making Posts: 21,927	I tried reading "Interview with the Vampire" to see what all the hype was about, got half way into it, got bored and sold it back to the bookstore. __________________ Twitter \| G+ \| WordPress \| Tumblr “I love words but I don’t like strange ones. You don’t understand them and they don’t understand you. Old words is like old friends, you know ‘em the minute you see ‘em.” -- Will Rogers Sadly true: "Creating drama, arguments and conflict can wake up the ADHD brain, making us alert and alive… and eventually alone." -- TotallyADD via Twitter

12-07-2006, 10:50 AM	#8
Eleasha practical experience, FTW Join Date: May 2006 Location: Canada. All the way from 'eh' to 'zed'..... Posts: 158	Yeah, IwtV is a little hard to read... it's so angsty. And her writing style was different then. __________________ There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all. ~Oscar Wilde MY STORIES!! And my blog, wherein I discuss the everyday mundanities of my charming life. Submitted: 5 Rejected: 2 Accepted: 3

12-07-2006, 07:55 AM	#4
Silver King Megalops Erectus AW Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Florida (West Central) Posts: 12,385	I like wild rice and dirty rice; but she's just...Anne.

12-07-2006, 12:47 PM	#9
Inkdaub wrapped in plastic Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Past where the river bends, past where the silo stands, past where they paint the houses... Posts: 1,073	I like Anne Rice quite a bit though I must admit I'm not as into her work as I once was. The Mayfair Witches stories were my favorites and I wish she would have followed them a bit more like she did with the vampires. I wasn't really into the vampires and the witches books but that was mainly me being bratty and wanting the witches to have their own identity. I know the vampires are more popular and I like the vampires...but the Witching Hour is better than any of the vampire books. I also liked Memnoch the Devil because it was a bit different from the other vampire books. I liked Servant of the Bones as well.

12-07-2006, 04:10 PM	#10
scarletpeaches Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 48,359	I've only read IWtV (three times so far, and I love it if not for her style then the fact it's a vampire book). Oh, and 'The Mummy' - anyone read that? I'm remembering more! I've read Cry to Heaven, which I remember loving - but I was about 12 at the time, so I don't know if that makes a difference. So that makes 4 of her books I've read - the last one being The Vampire Lestat which I hated - it seemed to jump all over the place and be up its own arse. It took me weeks to get through and turning the last page was a relief. The other three, I would read again. Anything else, I can't seem to get through.

12-08-2006, 02:24 AM	#11
KTC THE REASONS - Now Available! Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 25,239	I think The Feast of All Saints is one of the most beautiful books ever written. It is Rice's Great Expectations. I've read it about 10 times and never tire of its utter and staggering beauty. It is her opus. I was in love with the vampire chronicles about 10 years back, but have since tired of them. The Mayfair books were also great for a time...so thorough in their self-history. Again: THE FEAST OF ALL SAINTS (Utter beauty...I can't say enough about it. I fall back to that old New Orleans era every time I read it and I have to be brutally hauled back to the present.) If you haven't read it, do so. __________________ One-Stop Shopping - My books on Amazon Buy any of my 3 novels between MAY 15-31, 2013 and 100% of my royalties is donated to Male Survivor Weekends of Recovery Scholarship Fund! "I'll have no truck with plots." ~ Sheldon Cooper

12-08-2006, 02:43 AM	#12
Celia Cyanide Joker Groupie Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: probably watching DARK KNIGHT Posts: 12,020	I adored every minute I spent reading Interview With The Vampire. Vampire Lestat was a close second. Then I got to Tale Of The Body Thief, and it was just ridiculous! S P O I L E R S Lestat trades bodies with this guy to be mortal for a day. Fun idea. Then the guy never has any intention of giving Lestat his body back, and Lestat is surprised at this...because???? Lestat has already been set up as utterly brilliant, and I'm supposed to believe that he never thought for a minute that this guy intended to use his vampire powers to wreak havoc? If even I figured that out, I think Lestat would have. And the way it was portrayed, it seemed like Lestat only wanted to do it so he could get it on with some people and taste food again. It was a novelty. If it had been established that all Lestat wanted in the world was to be a mortal man, it would have been different. I would believe that he might not think things through, because he wanted it so badly. And maybe he intended to stay a mortal, but then the guy was using Lestat's body to cause trouble. But no, he REALLY BELIEVED that the guy was going to show up the next day and give him his vampire body back! It was not a tedious read, but I found it silly. __________________ My feature film WHY AM I IN A BOX? is now online! I wrote, directed, and acted in it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzglH...ature=youtu.be my IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2097751/ Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/rachelgrubb add me on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/celiacyanide

12-08-2006, 02:44 AM	#13
aadams73 A Work in Progress Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 9,926	I read her books until I realised she was egotistically insane. At that point her work lost all its charm for me. __________________ Website \| Blog \| Openings That Work \| Twitter \| Goodreads \| Facebook \| Google+ WHITE HORSE, coming April 17 (US/Canada), April 24 (Australia), and April 26 (UK), 2012 from Emily Bestler Books/Atria (Simon & Schuster).

12-08-2006, 03:34 AM	#14
Warp So many boys, so little time Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Across the universe divide. . . . Posts: 56	I was in love with her books when I was 12. Mostly IwtV, Vamp. Lestat and Queen of the Damned. I loved Louis, Lestat and that other one whose name starts with a K or something. Kaman? I don't remember. Anyway, they were perfect for me as an angsty preteen. I even thought vampires were real for a little while and was very paranoid about being bitten by one (I was a lonely little girl w/ no friends that year). But when I got to Tale of the Body Thief it all fell apart like Celia Cyanide said. Couldn't even read it. Now, I'm 25 (don't believe in vampires and I do have friends) and I'm very much over her. I cringe when I think of how much I loved her books. Oh well, it was a phase. __________________ When all else fails, add pirates. It worked for Shakespeare.

12-08-2006, 01:21 PM	#16
Inkdaub wrapped in plastic Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Past where the river bends, past where the silo stands, past where they paint the houses... Posts: 1,073	Body Thief was pretty goofy. Memnoch was much better, though.

12-08-2006, 02:33 PM	#17
Eleasha practical experience, FTW Join Date: May 2006 Location: Canada. All the way from 'eh' to 'zed'..... Posts: 158	Memnoch was totally incredible. I don't get all the people who hate it... But Body Thief was good pout. One of my faves. __________________ There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all. ~Oscar Wilde MY STORIES!! And my blog, wherein I discuss the everyday mundanities of my charming life. Submitted: 5 Rejected: 2 Accepted: 3

12-08-2006, 02:39 PM	#18
KTC THE REASONS - Now Available! Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 25,239	I enjoyed Body Thief too, Eleasha. The first time I read it was on the beach in South Carolina. I remember buying it when it first came out and being excited about reading it. I found it extremely satisfying. It was exotic. The writing was kind of like her writing in The Mummy. Reading The Mummy was like walking into an early early movie set...it was another beautiful, cinematic work by her. I can't believe nobody's talking about The Feast of All Saints? I think it's an important piece of American Literature. __________________ One-Stop Shopping - My books on Amazon Buy any of my 3 novels between MAY 15-31, 2013 and 100% of my royalties is donated to Male Survivor Weekends of Recovery Scholarship Fund! "I'll have no truck with plots." ~ Sheldon Cooper

12-08-2006, 04:02 PM	#19
scarletpeaches Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 48,359	So, KTC...what's your favourite Rice book? Me, I can't stick her now. Her ego gets in the way of any enjoyment of her books; even the ones I've already read. I've just remembered two more. The Vampire Armand and Pandora. I was working long hours at the time and took those books to work for my tea- and lunch-breaks. I should have taken someone's shopping list instead for all the good it did me. Okay, an author publishes a book you're not so keen on, you give them another chance. I've given Rice a gabillion (yes, that is a word) chances, and I'm done. There are authors out there I like more, and authors who can write...well, just better.

12-08-2006, 09:09 PM	#21
Celia Cyanide Joker Groupie Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: probably watching DARK KNIGHT Posts: 12,020	For those of you who liked Body Thief, wasn't it hard for you to believe that Lestat would be that dumb? __________________ My feature film WHY AM I IN A BOX? is now online! I wrote, directed, and acted in it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzglH...ature=youtu.be my IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2097751/ Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/rachelgrubb add me on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/celiacyanide

12-10-2006, 04:46 AM	#22
WriterInChains Feed my eyes Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 938	I loved Body Thief, but couldn't stand Memnoch (it started out great, but lost me - too preachy maybe). After Marius' story (Blood & Gold? can't remember right now) I pretty much gave up on her. I loved the Vamp Chronicles & the Mayfair Witches -- everything up to Memnoch really. I think she grew up too much for me . . . or maybe it's the lack of editing, but I stopped reading her before she announced her religious intentions. That would've done it for me if I was still with her, though (not being Christian and all). I love Lestat, so I tried Blackwood Farm; I read every word, but I'm not sure why. Celia -- It was his hubris, IMO. One of the things I love about Lestat is his belief that whatever he wants/does/etc. will turn out exactly as he planned. I guess it's true that opposites are attractive! __________________ Comfort and Joy, available now (Etopia Press). A Sunday Kind of Love, Amber Allure 7/July 2013 Directing Traffic, Dreamspinner Press, June/July 2013 My prurient alter-ego blogs, chirps, hangs out at Goodreads, and has a shiny new Facebook Author Page!

12-11-2006, 08:19 PM	#25
threedogpeople This is my BEST side! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia Posts: 2,885	I haven't been an Anne Rice fan but did read one of her newer (newest?) books lately, "Christ the Lord, Out of Egypt". WOW! I have recommended it to several friends and they have enjoyed it too. I haven't read "The Feast of All Saints". Would someone out there give me a quick overview so I can decide if I want to read it? It's set in New Orleans, one of the amazing places I've visited. In the past I have found her subject material too disturbing (completely personal, since I read at bedtime I don't like reading nightmare fodder). Judy __________________ Need dating tips....it's been 20+ years and I'm both excited and terrified.

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