The Vampire Lestat

Anne Rice published The Vampire Lestat in 1985, the second book in her Vampire Chronicles. Running 560 pages, it offers a sharp contrast to its predecessor, Interview with the Vampire. Where that novel was told by the brooding Louis de Pointe du Lac, this one hands the mic to Lestat de Lioncourt himself. He is arrogant, flamboyant, and utterly captivating. Rice uses his voice to rewrite the events of the first book, showing that Louis's version was only part of the story. Lestat takes readers from his origins as an eighteenth-century French nobleman to his transformation into a vampire by the ancient Magnus, then leaps forward to the 1980s where he becomes a rock star. Along the way, he hunts for other vampires, including the enigmatic Armand and the primal Marius, who reveals the secret history of their kind. The novel blends gothic horror with rock and roll excess, creating a surprisingly fun and philosophical ride.[edit]