Anne Rice - Interview with the Vampire

[andydecker]

Anne Rice – Interview with the Vampire (Alfred A. Knopf, 1976, this edition Ballantine Books, 1977, 346 pages)

When this came out in 1976, who would have thought that it would became a major series and commercial success. This first novel of The Vampire Chronicles as it was named later is indeed a rather straight historical vampire novel. Which is a surprise, because it was not necessarily aimed at the horror market. Alfred A. Knopf published writers like Camus, Chandler, Gorsky, Ross Macdonald and Mencken, to name a few, an up-market publishers back then.

All the well known characters are in this first book, as is the mythology, which would be greatly expanded in the next novels. But while it is the begin of the emoting vampire, it is much more readable (and shorter) than the next ones which incorporated their own hype.

You either like it or hate it, but nobody can deny that it started a trend. One of those works which are the Patient Zero of their fiefdom.

While photo covers are hit and miss, I like this. This is the first edition, and while it is pure kitsch, they put some thoughts into it. Louis, Lestat and creepy Claudia in a white Sunday outfit. You can bet that you won't see something like that from any mainstream publishers in this day and age.

[dem bones]

The UK paperback ...

Anne Rice - Interview with the Vampire (Futura, 1977)

Gordon Crabb

Blurb:
"THE MOST SEDUCTIVE EVOCATION OF EVIL I have ever read. It is enthralling!"
— Detroit Free Press
In a darkened room a young man sits telling the macabre and eerie story of his life ... the story of a vampire, gifted with eternal life, cursed with an exquisite craving for human blood.
'A supernatural thriller raised to the level of literature! — Philadelphia Inquirer
'A spine-chilling nightmare...highly accomplished... an impressive feat of imagination. — Sunday Times
'A voluptuous dream' — Boston Globe
'COMPULSIVELY READABLE... From the beginning we are hypnotized... The reader feels he has glimpsed experiences no mortal ever had.' — Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
'THRILLING...A strikingly original work of the imagination... Sometimes horrible, sometimes beautiful, always unforgettable!' — Washington Post

[ripper]

Only 346 pages? It seemed far longer than that. Not that I finished it, mind. I think I got about 1/2 through the book and gave up. The more I read, the harder it was to continue, like walking through slowly setting concrete. It just didn't hold my attention, and that experience has put me off ever trying any other of Ms Rice's novels.