I did enjoy this book. I felt that it was very beautifully written. Although, it seems that sometimes Anne rattles on and on about absolutly nothing, somehow in the end she finds a point.
In this book Lasher is finally in human form. And he must find another mayfair witch to create a being called the "Taltos". But to get to this point and understand it, you pretty much need a reference book of scottish history.
It would have been better if AR would have stuck to the witch format, instead of the Taltos. But you get hooked and you have to find out what happens.If you've read "The Witching Hour", then you will probably read this just to find out what happened to Rowan.

I liked this book. It was the first Rice novel I read and prompted me to delve into her dark world even more. While it's not a short book it held my attention and I finished it in no time. I did like INTERVIEW better--it's right up there with my other two favorites: BARK OF THE DOGWOOD by McCrae and THE LOVELY BONES by Sebold.

A rare occurence of a sequel being almost as good as its predecessor. Lasher returns to haunt the Mayfairs, only this time he's in the flesh, and as deadly as ever. Now he's frantically trying to find the Mayfair women who can bear his child, leaving a trail of death in his wake. Readers who loved Rice's richly detailed chronicle of the Mayfairs' history in The Witching Hour will relish Julien's ghostly narrative of his struggles with Lasher and Lasher's own tale of disillusionment and desperation. More suspenseful than The Witching Hour, this book gave me nightmares one night the first time I read it, something that almost never happens to me! Excellent, although not quite as good as The Witching Hour (my personal Rice favorite), but better than Taltos, the third book in this series.

I read the Sleeping Beauty trilogy a few years ago and could not stop blushing. This was my first brush with erotica. The Sleeping Beauty triology is about the awakening of sexual desire Beauty's as much as yours. But the Abridged audio version was quite watered down. It consisted of a few tame sex scenes that anyone who read the book remembers a little more vividly than reader relays them. But what makes this tape pale in the shadow of the written version is the things that were left out. Points that I found piviotal to Beauty's character developement. Namely when Prince Alexi steals her away for the evening and makes love to her then explains the Queens court from a slaves point of view. This exchange explains the person she becomes in the next two books.
Reader Amy Brennman has soft seductive voice that portray's Beauty's world with tenderness, even the most graphic of scenes. She was the perfect choice for this job.
My advice is to read the book and skip the audio if you are truely interested in the growth of Beauty and exploring your views on sexuality. If you are just looking for a bedtime story for you and your partner pick it up. But remember, you are missing a lot and some of what you are missing is important.

I had read the reviews of this book before I purchased it myself. I am quite glad I did because it somewhat warned me for want I was getting myself into. This is definately one of those books where the population that reads it will be clearly devided in the middle between love and hate. Personally, I loved it. In fact, I cannot wait to read the next 2 of the trilogy. Definately be prepared for graphic sexual acts and very carefree sexuality. That is what about 75% of what the book is about. The storyline is simple, but the characters go through complex emotions as what happens in the story goes on. If you have just a hair of freakiness in you somewhere......you will enjoy it. Its not a story about love.....its definately a story about sex. Those with just that little bit of interest in this type of book will definately be hooked. I was quite please and definately reccommend it.....but not for the more "conservative" type. Give it a try though....might spark something up in you....then again....it might freak you out. Definately worth it. Enjoy your reading!

Time and again I've been told that I needed to read the Sleeping Beauty trilogy by my friends, especially being such an Anne Rice fan. I said I'd get around to it, but being the poor college student I am - I never had the money to go buy the books. Finally, last year my friend leant me her copies of the series - and told me to read them. So the books sat around on my bookshelf for six months, while so many other things took precedence - shows, homework..and finally I said I needed a little time for myself - and opened the first book.

I found myself spirited away into the whirl of this world (a plus for me, who usually puts a book down after the first chapter and never finishes it). In reviews I've read readers complaining about the lack of description of characters. However, I found this helpful - it became easy to realize Beauty's point of view. Instead of looking at the situation from an omnipotent view you see everything through her eyes (and I doubt she ever got to sit down with any of those people and shoot the breeze). I found myself turning each page in anticipation of the next new punishment.

Each new punishment wasn't the same monotonous thing, instead it was more of a game - each was different in it's own way, each elliciting it's own form of pleasure. Different games with a similar touch. The common thread to teach complete obedience, and eventual love of the master - what is expected of a slave.

I enjoyed this book thouroughly and intend to keep on reading until I finish the next two books, eagerly awaiting each new twist.

I admit, when I first sat down to read this book, I didn't know what to expect; I had heard so many different opinions of it.
And I will say one thing: this is not for someone just starting the Vampire Chronicles! It is meant for the readers who have followed Lestat through his life, and feel a close connection with him.
While I personally feel betrayed by this book, I can't think of a better way Rice could have written it.
Now, I don't feel betrayed because I disliked the book, rather, I feel betrayed for the lack of ending she gave us...what happens to Lestat??? I know that others, like myself, are eager for Rice to write more of our favorite Vampire.
I can't remember another book so deeply affecting me that I sat for hours just pondering what she wrote...and this book is by no means for readers who like fast-paced action! It is for those who appreciate the more philosophical aspect to Rice's work, which has always been there, from the first pages of Interview With the Vampire. Memnoch truly does tug at your heart with his sympathetic retelling of Creation and Christian lore. I found myself, although already knowing the ending, wanting to believe in Memnoch, wanting his story to be true...or hoping maybe that he had been misinformed by God, that he had misunderstood...because I didn't want Memnoch to be a bad guy!
Memnoch is a perfect reflection of our own dear Lestat. Lestat admits to being evil, and we can't help but love him all the more for it, because we know that his heart isn't evil!
Personally, while reading this, I was reminded strongly of Lestat's journeys with Akasha during Queen of the Damned. Lestat was being told by someone whom he loved, yet was also inherently evil, that they were good, and that they had a plan for goodness, if only Lestat would help them!
A truly heart felt book, I think. I wonder...did Anne cry when she finished it? I would have...

I have had mixed emotions about the entire Vampire Chronicles. As in the first four books of the series, I found the language almost poetic, the story fascinating, the characters 3-dimensional, and yet, I wasn't satisfied. Most of our old friends make cameo appearances, including David, Louis and Armand. I was pleased to see that the author did not worry about negative press regarding Memnoch's views on Christianity, etc. She definitely pulled no punches. At a minimum, this novel serves as a commentary on the world's religious history and at least should make readers think about the bloody history of organized religion in our world society. I found some parts of the novel a little too poetic in that the language threw me off track. But I suppose it is quite difficult to create believable dialogue when you are using God and the Devil as your characters. Occasionally I was lost and found myself daydreaming. The threads of the story line were so long though, that I didn't seem to have missed much. Still, the book is worth reading, whether for the religious viewpoint or the continuing story of the Vampires.

I must confess that I hated this book the first time I read it but after reading the entire book a few more times, I grew to love it. I thought Anne's concept of the character Memnoch (aka Satan) was believable. Just like all human beings, he is flawed as is the almighty God who was portrayed as ruler who rules heaven with an iron fist. As I have read this book over and over, I have come to a conclusion that God isn't all that Christianity has made him to be and he is just as fallible as the Lucifer but this is just my humble opinion. I find this book exceptionally compelling is that it brings up the subject in subtle tones the relationship of God and Memnoch. I personally didn't find the scene of Lestat taking a drink of God's blood shocking as most people would. I thought it was just part of the storyline of the battle between God and Memnoch. Whether Anne Rice meant it to be shocking or not is difficult for me to say. Only Anne would know. In conclusion, Anne Rice has remained my favorite author to this very day. She has proven with this book her articulate writing abilities and obviously shows the readers the amount of research she put into her stories like "Memnoch the Devil".

First off I must say that like all of Anne's books this is beautifully written. Anne is a wonderful story teller. But, I think that it is time to get back to the Lestat story line. Although I liked this book, it was not as good as some of the previous vampire chronicles. I would recommend this to Anne Rice fan's only because I love the vampire chronicles so much. But this book falls short of being one of Anne's best. I felt that it moved extremely slow. If you read the previous books in the chronicle you already knew a lot of the events that take place.
Over all I would have preferred to have another one of Lestat's adventures, then listen to Marius drone on and on.

Having read each and every book in the chronicles, I cruised along the last several. In fact, nothing since book #3, Queen of the Damned, grabbed me as did this one. Blood and Gold fills in the gaps of old stories, gives you different perspectives on the events that we've read. The tales of the vampires, seen through my favorite vampire, Marius, was compelling and a very exciting read. I've always preferred reading the ancient histories and this book contains all the familiar faces, Maharet and Mekare for a short while, Pandora, Armand, Mael, Santino and of course Those Who Must Be Kept.

A short portion in the middle was all too similar to a recent novel, The Vampire Armand. While she spun her tale from the eyes of Marius, it felt all too familiar, and I spent several chapters saying, 'I KNOW!' However, this was brief, and I was soon thrust back into the story. Other tales are recounted with the familiarity one might have after reading the first half dozen or so novels, but all was done carefully and I found myself recalling so many little things from prior stories. Putting the pieces together, seeing it all as I had never seen it prior. Construcing an even larger, more complete world of these vampires!

Perhaps this is only for those who have kept up with the series, or at least read the first 3 novels of the Vampire Chronicles. You needen't have read the later entries to get into this book. I would recommend the first 3 though, the classic tales! It might be confusing if you haven't read those, but everything since isn't necessary.

If you've gotten through the recent books, Vampire Armand, Pandora, Vittorio and want more, then get this. If you were at all losing interest in these stories as I was, I still recommend Blood and Gold. I won't spoil the ending at all, but I was certainly moved and emotionally affected by the tale. Perhaps I've become too involved in Marius, as I said, he's my favorite vampire to read...but overall I think this is Rice's best work in many many years!

I was suprised to find so many negative comments about this book. I thought it was an amazing tale from beginning to end, and Marius has always been one of my favorite vampires. I think some readers do not give him enough sympathy for the kind of life - and the unbelievable length of life - that he has. You can follow his growth and development throughout the story and it is one of the most interesting of all the vampire chronicles. Yes, part of the book is basically a repeat of the Vampire Armand, but it is from a different point of view so you can compare the two, which I thought was very cool. Overall I loved this book and recommend that if you are debating on getting it, don't give much credit to those who are giving it negative reviews. Decide for yourself. I think if you like the vampire stories at all, you will like this one, if not love it!

From the very start,I could not put this book down.Anne Rice's words connect with the reader's imagination,building a world of enchantment and demonic delight.I liked how Rice was able to effectively weave various aspects of art,literature references,and fourteenth century life into a masterful and very visual story.Vittorio is a character of great depth,taking the reader through this journey of love,religion,and revenge.There are so many active moments throughout this book where Rice shows her true command of imagery.When Vittorio's family is slain,Rice displays her use of horror and witnessed devastation.When Vittorio and his mate-to-be,Ursula,are together,Rice writes passionate prose for their meetings,with the "love story" being very obvious to the reader,even from the first few chapters.Some of the best imagery and dialogue occurs in and around the Court of the Ruby Grail,the surrounding streets near Vittorio's home,and of course Florence...where this story truly flourishes and shines with vivid conclusion.

I was somewhat saddened that the book had to end because I felt like there was so much more I would like to read about.However,I was very impressed and satisfied how Rice closes this tale.It is powerful,engaging,and thought provoking.The back-notes from the author herself also provides a great source of info for the reader to further research and study.A definite must read because it is simply....masterful.

Vittorio is a neatly zipped story - maybe a novelette by Witching Hour standards; you can finish it in a few days if you have little else to do. Anne Rice is famous for those huge and luscious sagas of the Vampires and the Witches, yet this one is not like them. Fans of her old style may become dissatisfied with Vittorio because it departs from the familiar. But don't let that stop you (or you, Mrs. Rice). This is a worthwhile book to say the least, glowing with the beauty of God's angels and flowing with fresh blood as usual. The chapters about the sons of God from Fra Filippo's paintings are quite inspiring and moving. There is strong morality and spirituality here. Who cannot identify with Vittorio as he is caught up between love and desire, honor and faith? Although I was disappointed by his choice in the end (why I don't give it 5 stars), I was not disappointed with the book. Neither will you.

This New Vampire book is spectacular! It's my new favorite vampire book, because Vittorio is a breath of fresh air! He's a warrior, he's loving and he had a beautiful existence, plus he never felt sorry for himself the way Lestat and Louis always did. Don't get me wrong, Lestat is my hero, but Vittorio is my passionate love. He actually has a woman companion for 500 years, and he never became lonely and travel the world in search of the others. He liked the solitary life. This book is beautifully discriptive and exellantly written. I enjoyed every single word in this new book, and like most would say; It's typical Anne Rice horror! Long live Anne Rice!

Merrick is the story of a young woman of color who belongs to the infamous Mayfair family and, although far removed from the so-called "white Mayfairs," is quite the witch in her own right. I enjoyed reading this book because it brought together many of the characters from Rice's previous vampire novels, such as Louis, Lestat, David, and Claudia. For someone who is not an Anne Rice fan, you will definitely want to read some of her previous books before reading this one. If you don't, you may be a little confused. For those of us who are Rice fans and have read many of her books, it's like old home week when you open the pages of this book. The basic plot of the story is that Louis is feeling sorry for himself and pining for his vampire companion of old, Claudia. In an attempt to make Louis happy, David contacts his ex-lover and old friend Merrick, a very powerful Voodoo witch, to ask if she will conjure up the spirit of Claudia for Louis to see one last time. To find out what happens from there, you must read the book, because I will not give away the rest of the story! The story does not encompass a very lengthy period of time; however, the story is told in flashbacks by David, and these flashbacks tell the story of who Merrick is and how she came to be associated with David and the Talamasca starting in her childhood and ending in the present time. While this book is not quite as lavish in its language and descriptions as some her previous novels, Anne Rice nevertheless does a fine job with this story. I would recommend it to all!

Admittedly, Anne Rice has been one of my favorite authors for all of my adult life. Even so, there have been those books in the Vampire Chronicles that have taken my breath away (The Vampire Lestat, the Queen of the Damned), and those that seemed more artificially crafted at the publisher's request than an honest story honestly told (Pandora). So it was with some trepidation that I began to read Merrick. From the opening pages, the experienced Vampire Chronicle reader is immediately engaged by the language and tone of an old friend, David Talbot, the Talamasca investigator-turned body switcher-turned Vampire. As narrator, he retells the story of Merrick Mayfair (not of the "white Mayfairs" from "uptown", but another branch of the family altogether), a woman whom he loves deeply, although he fears and respects her power. This is mainly the story of Merrick, although Lestat and Louis do figure into the story as well. Merrick's Mayfair powers are rooted deeply in Voodoo and the magical aspects of Roman Catholicism, a dynamic combination.

This latest entry to the vast Vampiric dialogue is as sumptuous and dark, sexual and historically sweeping as those early books in the Chronicles. The ending gave new life and identity for Louis, the chronically melancholy vampire, and gave us a new character whom we could easily learn to love as much as the rest of Anne's core players.

I read Merrick in its entirety over a weekend, and considered it a great weekend. I gave it 4 stars only because I never give anything a 5 unless it's so good it knocks me unconscious (like Queen of the Damned).

If you are already a fan of the Vampire Chronicles, you'll love this one. If you're new to the Vampire Chonicles, I do recommend you read the companion books prior to reading Merrick.

I truly enjoyed Merrick more than recent Anne Rice novels dealing with characters of the past. The challenges David Talbot, Lestat (TVL) and Louis face in the present day are compelling. With the new millennium upon us, it is time for the ancient ones and the young ones to deal with modern realities of the world. Perhaps that is why Lestat awakens in this book. Anne hints at advanced genetic technologies that threaten to unravel the vampire's secret world. By uniting a Mayfair witch with the vampire blood, Anne promises to take us into new gothic explorations. The Talamasca continues to provide an interesting dimension to the plot of Anne's books. While this book is obviously a prelude to other vampire chronicles, it offers an engaging tale of transition for the characters. There are a few editorial errors that should have been caught before this book was published, but these did not deter my enjoyment. Rather, they made me wonder about the author's real intent and meaning for those particular sentences. I'm an admitted fan, and I intend to keep reading. I just wish these books about witches and vampires would be filmed, as was Interview With The Vampire.

I have been reading over the other reader comments and I am a bit surprised. For me, reading Anne Rice is a delve into a forbidden sensual world that allows me to escape into something that I will never know in this reality. It is entertainment, a good quick read, an exciting story. I am not looking for anything too deep, and perhaps that is why I wasn't disappointed with this latest effor, "The Vampire Armand." It was exactly what I thought it would be - it tied in elements from the other cronicles (which if you haven't read them, you are really missing a lot of the point of this book), explained the history of the character and why he is what he is and why he has done the things he has, was incredibly sensual and didn't really make me think too hard to learn any great life lessons, but did allow me to go on a wonderful journey for a short time. Lighten up, people! If you are looking for something deep and intricate on the lessons of life, you are reading the wrong author! Anne - thanks again for a wonderful tale.

Having read the entire Vampire Armand book standing up in a bookstore for hours, I'll just have to say that the book was not worth the pain I had from all those hours of standing. I mean I used to love Armand the way Lestat saw him; a young vampire boy who had the face of a choirboy, so innocent and yet so ethereal. But Rice has destoryed the innocence of Armand by letting him annouce to the whole world that he is gay/bi.Not that I have anything againest gays but having painted Armand previously in such angelic light, it is hard to stomach that he is just another impressionable vampire, so shallowly concerned with the surface beauty of things just like Lestat was.

However, even if Rice's sense of preceptive of Armand has changed here, her ingenious pace of storytelling has not deserted her yet. Just as I have read many of the reviews, the reason why most of the reviewers read her books is simply because of her reputation to write the most vivid stories. Her use of imagery has not failed her yet and she has produced another Anne Rice signature novel (which did not quite make the standards in Memnoch and Violin)

Au contaire to give the woman credit, she does display some new ideas in the book which did not quite meet up with the taste of everyone. But afterall she is Anne Rice and even if her preceptive of the Vampiric World changes, one thing does not and that will always be her sense of asthetics which are so severely displayed in the book and I thought she had lost when she wrote Memnoch.

In the end, I'll still have to admit that I am a true Anne Rice fan even if she has sorely disappointed in the Vampire Armand.Just don't attempt a book about David in this current frame of mind, it is just not worth it and David is first and foremost a Man of the scientific age.

This is one of the chronicles best. I have just started reading this book I am half way thru and i just cant seem to put it down. It is the most interesting book. I finally get to know more about Armand. He has always been the most mysterious one. You hardly ever know anything more than when Lestat or when Louis are with him. The begining chapter captures your attention and then when Armand begins to tell his tale it literally transports your mind and your vision to a poor little Russian boy from Kiev. He is described to have the face of a Boticelli Angel with dark curly,long ,and auburn hair. He has brown eyes. He is unfortunately kidnapped and forced to travel to find his master which eventually becomes his saviour Marius. Marius saves Armand and introduces him into a life of luxury which Armand has never known. He is refined and educated with Marius. This book is excellent and if you are a true Vampire Chronicle fan of Anne Rice I recommend that you read it. It will captivate you!

Imagine being handed over to the torture of being boiled in a cauldron of gold by your father. Azriel went through this in Anne Rice's The Servant of the Bones. This is a story told by the spirit from ancient Babylon. Azriel has been condemned to being the Servant of the Bones for all eternity. After defeating his strongest master, Gregory Belkin, Azriel goes to the mountain to find Johnathan, a college professor hiding from reality. Once he finds Johnathan, he insists on sharing his entire life story from before his horrible death , to his life with his two favorite masters Zurvan, and Samuel of Strasborough. He then tells in great detail how he defeated his strongest master, and became a free spirit. This book has a slow beginning, then it works it's way into a compelling story of one spirits fight to freedom. Anne Rice does a magnificent job bringing her spirits to life and telling details of their past, and present situations. I recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers, suspense or even drama; there's a bit of each in this masterpiece.

I am very young, and I love books. Anne Rice is my favorite, and is a god-send to book readers. Her latest tale is about a ghost, phantom, whathave you, Azriel. He tells a gripping story about the gods of Babylonain, and how he was chosen by the god, Marduk. It is a very well paced, and thought out plot, that leaves the reader gasping for more. I hope that this will become a trilogy, for it is superbly written and gripping. The only complaint that I have, is that she goes on and on about the scenery and what he's thinking, and she's thinking. Well, that's a very minor flaw, and I tried my best to find another, but to no avail!!!! Hurray for Mrs.Rice, for she is the best writer of our time. -Ben Petiprin, age 13.

This is another great masterpiece by my favorite author, Anne Rice. Again, she weaves a world rich with life and death, joy and sorrow.

Azriel is the main narrator of this heart wrenching tale. A story that begins in our time line, taking us back through Ancient Babylonian time and ending in modern day New York City. Azriel tells us of his days as a Hebrew mortal, and his time as Servant of the Bones. A genie if you will, but not exactly. A gentle born Hebrew who was forced to make the ultimate sacrifice to save his people. Refusal would have meant that death would surely flow. Azriel would be forsaken and than deceived. Living from one master to the next, Azriel does their bidding until becoming his own master, controller of his own great power.

Asleep for centuries, Azriel is awakened to witness a horrific murder. Unbeknownst to him, he would take action that would change the future of mankind. Who is this Servant of the Bones, who was created out of madness, with the purpose to serve evil?

Contrary to the opinion of most reviewers, this is an excellent story. This is TYPICAL Anne Rice, but even better. I recommend this book immensely. You will be bewitched.