The Vampire Chronicles
(aka: My great obsession)

The Vampire Chronicles are the creation of Anne Rice. In these books, she has created a whole other world that lives within our own. These are the sorts of books where one can read them again and again and find something new in them everytime. And what amazes me the most about these books (besides the fact that they just kick total ass) is that after reading them, they seem so alive to the reader in such a way that you have to sit there and ask, "Ok, is this real?" I think many people connect to these books because they understand the characters more than the characters understand themselves sometimes. And even though the vampires are um...vampires, they are still human to the core and in that we all can relate to their triumphs and trials and pain. Which is why it seems so real to many. The characters in The Vampire Chronicles reflect what it is to be truly human and they ultimatly reflect who we are. But that's enough out of me. ::shuts up:: More in the musings section :P~ ::hides::

The Books
**WARNING:Possible Spoilers Ahead**

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (1976) - Louis' story about his first 200 years or so as a vampire, as told to Daniel Malloy.

THE VAMPIRE LESTAT (1985) - The story of Lestat's mortal years and how he became a vampire. And he be a rock staa! ::giggles::

THE QUEEN OF THE DAMNED (1988) - Lestat's music awakens Akasha, the first vampire ever to walk the earth. The history of all vampires is finally told.

TALE OF THE BODY THIEF (1992) - Lestat switches bodies with a mortal because he wishes to be human again. However the horrific truth dawns upon him that he likes being the monster that he was and despite those from his coven turning him away, he pursues the body thief.

MEMNOCH THE DEVIL (1995) - Lestat is being stalked by someone who claims that he is the Devil and he is, in fact, not evil and takes Lestat to both Heaven and Hell and explains why he needs Lestat's help (note from me: Many fans hate this book but I for one thought it was great. ::boos are heard:: Best if read with an open mind :D).

PANDORA (1999) - Pandora writes to David Talbot about her mortal years in Old Rome and how she first met Marius when she was a little girl, and how she found herself living in the world of the dead.

THE VAMPIRE ARMAND (1999) - Armand tells his mortal and immortal story to David Talbot after David persuades him to do so.

VITTORIO(1999?) - I only read this book once, didn't like it much. Vittorio has nothing to do with the other vampires, and just felt compelled to tell his story about early life in Italy. Uh...the end. :) (is sooo not biased, hahaha)

MERRICK (2000) - Louis is haunted by his memories of Claudia and wants to know once and for all if she forgives him for what he and Lestat put her though. David asks an old student of his from the Talamasca, Merrick, to help Louis (Merrick is a witch who can talk to spirits). (Note from me: Have tissues handy, and be on your toes for suprises)

BLOOD AND GOLD(2001) - Marius tells his story to a stranger (another vampire) who just awoke from a looooong sleep. We finally get to know what Marius feels about all that has been going on! Yaaa!

BLACKWOOD FARM(2002) - A newborn vampire named Quinn needs Lestat's help in getting rid of a spirit that has been with him (Quinn) since childhood. It sounds odd, but I loved it. Btw, those who didn't like Merrick will love this book but I for one was sad. LOL! ::Shuts up::

The Characters
(let me know who I missed!)
**WARNING:Possible Spoilers Ahead**

Lestat de Lioncourt - THE Brat Prince and narrator for most of the Chronicles. A rebel at heart, Lestat is one who follows his heart rather than his head. Always one for a good adventure, he is almost always getting into some sort of trouble while breaking each and every rule with style. If you know anyone like him, HOOK ME UP! :D

Louis de Pointe du Lac - Gentle, depressed, and level headed, Louis is the exact opposite of his maker (Lestat). A natural beauty (Mmmm...), Louis is the most human out of the coven where as he refuses to drink the powerful blood of the old (that is until that Merrick bitch comes along).

Daniel Malloy - Daniel first walks into the vampires' world when he interviews Louis. He later comes across Armand who eventually turns him into one of them out of fear of losing him.

Claudia - Doomed in the body of a five year old forever, Claudia grows to hate Lestat for taking away her mortality and attempts to kill him. She is later killed by The Theater des Vampires, Armand's coven.

Madeline - Louis' first fledgling, made to be a companion for Claudia. Madeline was haunted by the death of her daughter and vowed to care for Claudia as if she were her own. She was killed along with Claudia.

Marius - An old Roman vampire, Marius took on the responsibility of caring for Akasha and Enkil, Those Who Must Be Kept. He is also Lestat's first true mentor.

Magnus - Lestat's maker, and an old member of Armand's coven. He choose Lestat because of his nature as well as his looks. He kills himself after turning Lestat, leaving him all his wealth.

Armand - Made by Marius when he was only seventeen, Armand is known as the "Cherub Child". Having come from a broken past, Armand is simply looking to be loved while struggling with his immortality and faith.

Gabrielle - Lestat's mortal mother and first fledgling. She is colder than Lestat and prefers to be alone. She hated her mortal life. The only good thing in it was Lestat, whom she deeply loves although she doesn't always show it.

Bianca - Made by Marius on a whim, Bianca is loved by both him and Armand. She helps Marius after he is burnt but soon goes on her own way.

Nicki - Lestat's mortal violin playing friend whom he loved dearly. After becoming a vampire Nicki grows to hate Lestat and goes mad, throwing himself into a fire. Nicki started the Theater des Vampires.

Santiago - A member of Armand's coven in the theater, Santiago was amongst those who killed Claudia and Madeline. But Louis took care of THAT. ::Grins::

Santino - A member of the old Christian vampires who served Satan. Santino was responsible for brainwashing Armand (poor guy) and leading the attack against Marius. He gets HIS though, the bastard. ::Another grin::

Enkil - First fledgling of Akasha, and King of Egypt. He came off as one of those "Yes dear" kinda people @_@ But he was kinder than his Queen and was more apt to listen.

Akasha - The Queen of the Damned, Akasha awakens when she hears Lestat's rock music (gotta love that) and wishes to purify the earth of violence by killing almost all the males (aka: THE feminist). Being the first vampire in existance as she was, whatever happened to her (physically) happened to all other vampires as well.

Amel - The spirit who set out to revenge Maharet and Mekare by combining himself with Akasha, creating the first vampire. A part of him travels in each vampire made within the blood which is why all the vampires are linked to Akasha.

Maharet - One of the red-haired twins and also one of the oldest and most powerful of the vampires. Her eyes were torn out under Akasha's command when she was mortal. She uses her victim's eyes to see.

Mekare - Maharet's twin sister. She had her tounge cut out by Akasha's soldiers. She kills Akasha and consumes both her heart and her brain, taking into herself the essance of Amel. She becomes the new Queen of the Damned.

Mael - As a mortal he was a Druid priest who kidnapped Marius to prepare him into becoming the new "God of the Grove" (a vampire). He is later turned into a vampire after Marius escapes his fate as the grove god.

Eric - One of Maharet's fledglings. Eric likes to worry and has pretty brown eyes. :P~

Khayman - As a mortal he was one of Akasha's soldiers and was ordered to rape Maharet and Mekare in front of the court. After being made into a vampire by Akasha, he makes Mekare into a vampire so she may have her revenge on Akasha (Mekare then changes Maharet).

Jesse - A member of the Talamasca and a decendent of Maharet, Jesse has dreams of her immortal family and goes to the New Orleans Rue Royal where she sees the ghost of Claudia. Maharet later makes her into a vampire because she would have died otherwise due to a vampire throwing her against a wall at Lestat's concert.

David Talbot - Lestat's seventy year old Talamasca friend who helps him to regain his body from the Body Theif. David is later forced into the mortal body Lestat had and is forcfully turned into a vampire by Lestat.

Pandora - Born in old Rome around Marius' time, she first encounters Marius when she is ten years old and again when she is thirty-five. They both love each other as mortals as well as immortals but petty disagreements soon separate them.

Raglan James - The Body Theif who runs off with Lestat's body and leaves him (Lestat) in the body of a young man.

Mojo - A huge German Shephard that Lestat finds in a house that Raglan James stole. Lestat falls in love with him and keeps him.

Roger - One of Lestat's many victims, but the only one whose ghost came back to speak with him.

Dora - Roger's daughter, a televangelist. She does not fear Lestat, rather she sees him as a messanger of sorts. She takes the veil from him as proof of God.

Memnoch - A being who claims to be the Devil and not evil. He says that he is winning his battle against God who does not love the world he created but rather set it in motion to try and see if the end result will be more beings like him. God wanted to know where he came from. Memnoch takes Lestat to both Heaven and Hell.

Merrick Mayfair - A student of David's from the Talamasca who agrees to help raise the spirit of Claudia for Louis. She dies while helping the newborn vampire, Quinn, rid himself of his doppleganger.

Thorne - Otherwise known as Thor, he arises from a deep sleep only to run into Marius who then shares the story of his life with him. Thor is another one of Maharet's fledglings and gives her his eyes to see with.

Quinn Blackwood - A charming and sincere newborn vampire who seeks out Lestat's help as he tries to rid himself of a spirit that has been with him since birth.

Mona Mayfair - Quinn's love interest who is dying and is turned into a vampire by Lestat. She is a very powerful witch and a member of the Talamasca.

Goblin - The spirit of Quinn's unknown twin brother who died at birth.