general

'Blood Canticle' is by far the fastest-reading one of the Vampire Chronicles. I found myself surprised by the pace, as I've been reading Anne Rice for years and am accustomed to their taking a bit longer to get through. This one was a three-nighter.

I'd call this one 'Anne Rice for people who don't really read Anne Rice.' It's a bit lighter fare than some of the others and it's quite playful in places. I for one enjoyed Lestat's opening diatribe chastising readers for not liking 'Memnoch' and found his recent discovery of 'lingo' amusing. I can't understand why so many readers were so violently upset over Lestat's linguistic change - I mean sure, maybe 'yo' and 'dude' and 'shove it' are a little behind the times, but that aside, do some of us have a problem with Lestat entering the 21st century? He is getting on to 300 years old, is he not? He's an immortal, is he not? Hadn't he better get used to the world changing? Hadn't the readers better get used to it too?

It would NOT work for a character like Louis or Armand to be talking that way, but it works for Lestat - he is an always has been completely full of himself and I think that's a fine and funny way to keep things fresh.

It was kind of strange to have Maharet communicating by email! That threw me for a loop but again, it is the 21st century.

Missing from this book are some of the lengthy narrative descriptions - Anne Rice is a master of description and in many of her books this can go on for pages. While it can sometimes be a bit bogged down, I almost found myself missing it in 'Blood Canticle.' It was as if something had been abbreviated.

The characters seemed somewhat abbreviated too - especially the Mayfairs. 'The Witching Hour' is my favorite Anne Rice and one of my favorites, period, and I was delighted with the idea of incorporating Mayfair with Vampire Chronicles. But after the lushness of 'The Witching Hour,' these characters return in 'Blood Canticle' somewhat diminished. I forgot Michael Curry was even in the room on several occasions - wouldn't even know he was there until he spoke some line of dialogue. The same went for Quinn, who also disappeared almost completely in this book. I liked him in 'Blackwood Farm' (and yes, I liked 'Blackwood Farm'!) but in 'Blood Canticle' he's rather reduced to a vehicle for shushing and comforting distraught females. Oncle Julien didn't seem quite himself either, although putting him in the book was throwing a great bone to the readers. I never really understood why it was Stella who appeared with him, of all the Mayfair witches to choose from, and it occurred to me that if you hadn't read 'The Witching Hour,' you'd have no idea who Stella was.

The Rowan/Lestat thing made sense to me. They've both done some unspeakable things in their lives and they're both seeking redemption in some way. They each see the goodness in the other and they're drawn to one who sees their goodness. However, I found their teenager-like encounter at the base of the oak tree unnecessary. This thing existed in the book on a much loftier, almost metaphysical plane until that happened and I was a bit grossed out.

The whole Taltos thing was rushed and needed more explanation for readers who haven't read the Mayfair books. I totally understood what was going on because I have, but I imagine that someone who hadn't wouldn't cotton at all to the Taltos business, and some of the reviews I've read here are obviously by readers who haven't read 'Taltos,' 'Lasher,' or 'Witching Hour.' Those three books are the perfect example of suspension of disbelief and they are great.

I did feel sad at the end knowing that this is the last of the Vampire Chronicles because for all these years I've been reading them, but I suppose we can all just use our imaginations from here on out and hope that Anne Rice will continue writing, even if it's something completely different. Subject matter aside, she is an excellent writer and while I don't necessarily love each and every one of her books, I'll always continue to read them.

I'm shocked by some of the mean-spirited reviews I've read here. Everyone's entitled to their opinion and that's why this is a great website, but to be so destructive in attacking Anne Rice only deters people who have never read any of her books, and now never might.

No, it's not 'The Witching Hour' or 'Interview with the Vampire' or 'The Vampire Lestat', but 'Blood Canticle' is fun. It's a good time reading it. It's entertaining and it's good escapism. What else are you looking for if you just want to enjoy yourself with a book?

Sure, I would have loved to see Louis but it looks like Louis has moved on with his life so more power to him and let the rest of us take his example.

... and not in a good way. The whole book was one long cringe from beginning to confused end. It felt like a really badly written Mayfair/Vampchron crossover spec with a bit of supernatural James Bond thrown in for the 'big climax'. I seriously cried at the end, because this IS the last of the Vampire Chronicles and I can not believe that one of the most beautiful, eloquent series of novels I have ever come across has ended in such a pathetic attempt at ...... well, I'm not sure WHAT it was an attempt at actually. Not worth any stars whatsoever, but Amazon demands minimum one. I am so disappointed. Merrick was bad, Blackwood Farm was OK but definatly not up to par ( Why bring Lestat or the Mayfairs in at all ? Why not bill it as one of the 'New Series' like 'Vittorio' ?) but Blood Canticle was a farce. What did we die-hard fans do to deserve THIS finale ?

I've read each of Rice's books, save for the Sleeping Beauty Trilogy. If I didn't like her work I would have never done this. If Blood Canticle truly is the coda to the Vampire Chronicles (and, by implication, to the Mayfair Chronicles as well) then her audience has been rudely cheated. Rice can't live in a vacumn; surely she knew the Blackwood Farm setting was not the source of her greatest inspiration. The inhabitants of that dire old mansion are self-indulgant and silly to the point of farce. And their insipid nature all but nullifies the semi-high bearing of her finest creation: Lestat.

I know this novel was, at best, written under the duress of grief for the loss of a spouse. The author would earn nothing but plaudits for simply taking up both Chronicles as if BC never happened, ala an Ira Levine like "it was all one long bad dream" and finishing each series in a way befitting the obvious merits of both.

In the mean time nothing is left to me but her full foray into erotica to quell my taste for blood. "Mon Dieu!"