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The Vampire Chronicles is a series of vampire novels written by Anne Rice that began publication in 1976. Since their humble beginnings, the books have sold tens of millions of copies.
Order of The Vampire Chronicles Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interview with the Vampire | 1976 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | The Vampire Lestat | 1985 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | The Queen of the Damned | 1988 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | The Tale of the Body Thief | 1992 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Memnoch the Devil | 1995 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | The Vampire Armand | 1998 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Merrick | 2000 | Description / Buy | |
| 8 | Blood And Gold | 2001 | Description / Buy | |
| 9 | Blackwood Farm | 2002 | Description / Buy | |
| 10 | Blood Canticle | 2003 | Description / Buy | |
| 11 | Prince Lestat | 2014 | Description / Buy | |
| 12 | Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis | 2016 | Description / Buy | |
| 13 | Blood Communion | 2018 | Description / Buy |
Order of New Tales of the Vampires Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pandora | 1998 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Vittorio, The Vampire | 1999 | Description / Buy |
They have also become the blueprint that other authors have used to create vampires in fiction over the decades. The stories Anne Rice tells within this series primarily follow the exploits of a French Nobleman by the names of Lestat de Lioncourt who became a vampire in the 18th Century and now spends his days traversing the world and causing mischief.
When he is first introduced in Interview with the Vampire, the first book in the Vampire Chronicles series, Lestat isn’t quite as prominent.
Rather, the emphasis is given to Louis, a gentleman that was turned into a vampire by Lestat and who must come to terms with his new life. It isn’t until later books that the truth about Lestat is revealed.
Ann Rice delves into his humble beginnings as the son of an aristocratic family whose fortune was squandered and the circumstances that saw him journey to Paris where the ancient vampire Magnus abducted Lestat, turned him into a vampire and bequeathed him his fortune before committing suicide.
With inexhaustible wealth to match his endless appetites, Lestat began to traverse the globe drowning in all the wonders and pleasures that life had to offer.
Lestat boasts all the abilities that are imputed to most vampires, this including telepathy, enhanced physical attributes and regenerative powers. And despite his grim origins, Lestat is not evil
More of an anti-hero than anything else, Lestat is extremely altruistic. He spends a surprising amount of time hunting and fighting evildoers, though his reasons are often selfish.
Vampire Chronicles Awards
Anne Rice was nominated for the World Fantasy Award in 1986 for The Vampire Lestat. She was also nominated for a Lambada Literary Award in 2000 for Merrick.
Vampire Chronicles Books into Movies
Interview with the Vampire, the first book in the Vampire Chronicles, was turned into a film in 1994. The adaptation featured Tom Cruise (Lestat) and Brad Pitt (Lois).
In 2002, elements of The Queen of the Damned and The Vampire Lestat were combined to create Queen of the Damned, a film starring Stuart Townsend (Lestat) and Aaliyah (Akasha).
Best Vampire Chronicles Books
Anne Rice’s novels have become a mainstay of literature, defining the horror genre and the portrayal of vampires in all forms of entertainment, with some of the best books in the series including:
Interview with the Vampire: This is Louis’ story. Louis was a man, a human. Then he encountered the sinister Lestat who not only enthralled him with his teachings but also turned him into a vampire. Now the words in Louis’ diary tell the story of his journey into life after death.
He speaks of his encounter with Claudia, the lost young child who he turned into a vampire in an attempt to comfort her. He makes mention of the struggles that assaulted Claudia as she attempted to understand herself.
They both hate Lestat. They also want to learn about their kind, so they cross the world looking for other vampires. Claudia and Louis just want to belong, to be understood. But the world is a harsh place and there are no easy answers.
This book, the first in the Vampire Chronicles, is very reflective. Anne Rice works to insert readers into the mind of the vampire Louis as he asks poignant questions about his existence, the nature of life, the purpose of good and evil and the idea of God.
The book is written from Louis’ first-person perspective.
The Vampire Lestat: Before Lestat became the brat prince, he was just another aristocrat trying to find his way through 18th Century France. This book charts his course from what he might call humble beginnings, delving into the events that saw him become a vampire and then exploring Lestat’s journey through the centuries.
Lestat is haunted by questions about his immortality and the origins of his kind.
This is the book that fleshes out the world of the Vampire Chronicles, providing answers about the origins of vampires and hinting at their potential future.
Other Book Series You May Like
Another interesting read is “The Infernal Devices” Series by Cassandra Clare. These books tell the story of Tessa Gray, a girl who learns that she has the power to shapeshift. She must explore the nature of her power to understand where she belongs in her world.
Another good supernatural read is “The Caster Chronicles” Series by Kami Garcia. Lena Duchannes is a girl that moves to the small town of Gatlin, learns the truth about her supernatural family and catches the eye of Ethan Wate, a boy with secrets of his own.
What Is The Next Book in The Vampire Chronicles Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Vampire Chronicles Series. The newest book is Blood Communion and was released on October, 2nd 2018.