When going through the archives of the best authors from the 20th century, can anyone ever find a list that doesn’t include Anne Rice? Sadly, she’s been gone from us for 2 years now, but the best Anne Rice books from decades ago still live rent-free in our hearts.
Though a native of New Orleans, Anne Rice made her mark in different regions, from Texas to California to San Francisco, through her travels and, of course, through the many gothic, Christian, and even erotic literature books she published.
Just like her books, Rice wasn’t without her fair share of controversy, owing to her departure and return to Catholicism and then return to the secular lifestyle again. However, Anne Rice was gifted enough to sell well over 100 copies in her time, which included famous texts like Interview with the Vampire from The Vampire Chronicles, Exit to Eden, Feast of all Saints, Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, and so on, with some books getting movie adaptations.
Rice’s literary skills have brought about books too many for this blog post to do great justice to, so why don’t we have a look at seven of the best Anne Rice books that made her the author she was?
Interview With the Vampire
If you want to know what magic Anne Rice created with a pen and multiple sheets of paper, there’s no better text to review than The Vampire Chronicles series, starting with the first book in the series, and her glittering career as well, Interview with The Vampire.
Interview with The Vampire is such a widely acclaimed book that it granted Anne Rice an immediate impact in the literary world. It’s known for its thrilling storytelling and mesmerizing depiction of shock, suspense, love, loss, danger, and the eroticism that comes with the daily lives of vampires.
Thanks to the huge success of this text, Anne Rice began writing sequels to it during the 1980s leading to the birth of The Vampire Chronicles. In 1994, the book was also adapted into a movie of the same name.
The Witching Hour
Welcome to the dynasty of witches, a family of spellbinders where everything goes including the thirst for philosophy, incest, murder, and the occasional poetic inclinations. While the witches haunt, they too dread the powerful and monstrous being that has sought after them for years, and not with good intentions.
After she publicized The Vampire Chronicles, Anne Rice continued with the dark and spellbinding tales of supernatural beings.
The Vampire Lestat
Quick question, where can you find an aristocrat of pre-revolutionary France, who over the years, became a rock star of the 1980s? Truth be told, we don’t know either. But if you think further and look through one of the best Anne Rice books, that’s where you get your answer.
To understand the story of Lestat requires only the dark and rich imagination that Anne Rice carries. Moreover, to understand his journey and search for people like him will require multiple flips through the pages of Anne Rice’s classic penmanship. Discover what it’s like to live through centuries with a complex, mysterious, and terrifying existence in The Vampire Lestat.
Blood and Gold
We doubt you haven’t noticed already, but we might as well tell you that tales of vampires and their thrilling existence are the driving forces behind the best Anne Rice books. And Blood and Gold is no different from what you’ve read so far.
Blood and Gold gives readers a sneak peek into the life and tales of Marius, one of the oldest vampires there ever was, from his origin in ancient Rome to the contemporary days when he encounters another supernatural creature, this time born of snow and ice.
Lasher
What happens when you’re held captive by a brutal but somehow irresistible demon with dreamlike powers? If you’re the queen of the coven, Rowan Mayfair, you find a way to escape. But we all know these things are easier said than done, especially when the demon in question, Lasher, can draw both the queen and innocent readers in with twilights and hypnotic stories.
Rather than just hoping for the queen’s escape, readers will surprisingly find themselves curious about the aspirations and passions of the supposed bad guy in Lasher.
Servant of the Bones
Moving on, this next text takes the readers back in time, as far back as the Old Testament days. It starts with a murder on modern-day fifth-day avenue in New York but soon after, readers find themselves centuries back in time. And what’s more, they get to experience the heroism of Azriel through the thrilling storytelling of one of Anne Rice’s best books.
What are the arcane mysteries of the Kabbalah? What went on in the Fall? What’s the true nature of good and evil? If you’re up for a revisit to the Old Testament world to find these out and more, grab yourself a copy of Servant of the Bones.
Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis: The Vampire Chronicles
Like all thrilling stories Anne Rice told, this list has to come to an end. And in typical Rice fashion, we’ll end our written work with a look into the rich and gothic world of The Vampire Chronicles; this time , with a look at the 12th book in the 15-book series.
This book takes readers for a dive into the great power that thrived for centuries in the great Atlantic Ocean. We’re talking about Atalantaya, the Realms of Atlantis, the great powers that have been considered benign by the vampires for years, and how Lestat and all vampires have to deal with this terrifying force, centuries after its great fall.
Best Anne Rice Books: Conclusion
During her years as a writer, Anne Rice made sure to deliver the most gothic and thrilling stories that could only be found in the darkest and richest imaginations.
We’ve gathered 7 of the best Anne Rice books for you, so you should have no problem getting started on your journey into Anne Rice’s world of vampires, witches, and spellbinding tales.
If you’re captivated by the horror genre purely in the form of literature, then check out the best Stephen King books and make sure you buy your books at the best price with BookScouter.
