vampires

Despite the long awaited arrival of a new Vampire Chronicle from Anne Rice celebrating the return of the indispensable Lestat, 'Merrick' does not leave the Vampire Chronicle reader satisfied.

Narrated by the former Talamascan well known from the previous novel, 'The Tale of the Body Thief', David returns to tell the story of Merrick, an octaroon Mayfair descendant with designs on the New Orleans vampire coven. Merrick's involvement with all three of Rice's clans - the Talamasca (the investigators of the supernatural), the witches, and of course the Coven of the Articulate.

All this seems to be promising - coupled with Rice's evocative and florid prose, and a breakthrough storyline combining her two strongest series. However, 'Merrick' seems contrived and irregular in written quality. It lacks the depth and understanding found in 'Interview with the Vampire' and the vivacity of Lestat's Chronicles. David Talbot seems to find himself irrevocably lost in useless descriptions of Merrick's appearance and drinking habits, strangely devoting precious key passages to drunken but eloquent?! speech.

Although you would expect to sympathise with Merrick, David's narration does not seem to match the character who we are supposed to follow with at least marginal interest - she neither says anything of much consequence, and her personality is nothing new compared to the earlier voices of the charmingly original Mona Mayfair.

What is refreshing about the book is that it brings back the characters Rice is famous for - Louis de Pointe du Lac, and Lestat de Lioncourt. But expect to find them much changed from the personalities you love in the course of meeting Miss Merrick. One can't help but feel that Rice has devoted a Chronicle to an imposter.

In Anne Rice's new book, "Merrick," the worlds of her vampires and her witches come together in an epic tale that spans the lush streets of New Orleans to the mystical hidden caves of Guatemala. Through the vampire narrator, David Talbot, Rice introduces her newest character; Merrick Mayfair is a powerful witch who works with the Talamasca, an order of psychic detectives, who specialize in the myths and realities behind such creatures as vampires and witches. Rice also reintroduces her classic vampire characters, Lestat, Louis, and even the "dead child" Claudia.

It is easy to get completely lost in Rice's beautiful prose; it is like she has cast a Voodoo spell on her readers. The story begins as the tale of Merrick, but by the final pages it serves to bring the entire Vampire Chronicles full circle from her very first novel. This is a novel of rebirth and redemption for all of Rice's beloved vampires and witches, and it is an excellent beginning to her next vampire or witch saga.

This book was actually worse than Memnoch or Body Thief(which I hated both). Although not the worst book of hers that I have had the misfortune of reading and yes at one time she was one of my favorite authors. My advise avoid this book. It was so badly done that I never want to read another one of her books again. Read the first three books in the series and Pandora. They are actually worth it. The rest are not very good.