The Queen of the Damned
Published: 12, September 1988
Author: Anne Rice
The Vampire Chronicles, Book 3
Genres: Family, Fantasy, Fiction, Gothic, Horror, LGBTQ+, Literary, Occult, Paranormal, Psychological, Saga, Vampire
Check the summary of this book here:
The Queen of the Damned Summary
The Review:
Anne Rice's The Queen of the Damned is a multi-character drama that stands alone and has its own class. I've searched and haven't found anything that has as many fast-paced narratives, each with its own unique twists and turns. This book is a stunning tapestry woven from a perfect amount of story threads: a must-read for Anne Rice's lovers and everyone searching for a fast-paced cerebral novel.
This work is without a doubt one of the most fast-paced and complicated stories of our time. I was not expecting to be thrown into the world of Anne Rice's vampires when I picked up this book, thinking it to be simply another low-energy serial novel that would put me to sleep at night. This novel contains so many plots that it's difficult to imagine how they'll all fit together.
Anne Rice crafts a whole universe and entire characters with all of the plots: no gaps, no unresolved questions. Anne Rice demonstrates that she can describe a poor southern rape victim with just as much emotion and vivid detail as she can a billionaire vampire falling in love with another vampire.
I enjoyed being whisked from one corner of the world to another. Anne Rice's world encompasses the core of ours, including both what we value and what we'd prefer to leave out.
In The Queen of the Damned, the Children of the Darkness have their "Baltimore Catechism," as Anne Rice calls it. The novel does an excellent job of getting a new reader up, but it's best to start with The Vampire Lestat and before that The Interview with the Vampire.
The books appear as characters in this novel, much as they did in The Vampire Lestat. The characters are given significant depth, such as Daniel, the original writer of "The Interview with the Vampire," who aspires to be a vampire and follows Armand about until Armand agrees.
Jesse, a redhead who appears to be related to the original Twins who dealt with the Queen in 5000 B.C., is one of the new characters presented.
The novel starts out sluggish, with a lot of explanations about what's going on in Louis' life, New Orleans, the mystery organization Talamasca, and other mystical nonsense that was at times difficult to comprehend.
Midway through the story, all of the individuals we've met assemble at a cabin in Sonoma to discuss what they'll do about the Queen, who actually just wants to destroy the whole male half of the human race, since males are so terrible. In this regard, I thought Anne Rice's writing to be really engaging.
At times, Lestat appears to be behaving out of character, acquiescing to his Queen and even participating in the carnage instead of opposing. That was a major disappointment.
I won't give away the finale, but after all the build-up, I thought the final encounter was rushed and unsatisfactory.
The concluding pages were entertaining: Lestat revels in his newfound power, and Anne Rice lays the stage for the next novel The Tale of the Body Thief.
In the end, it's entertaining, but you'll need the patience of an Exorcist to get there! Best character: Jesse, despite the fact that she was largely absent from the tale from the start. Worst of all would have to be Mael, who didn't have much of a part in the last act.
Final Thoughts:
Great novel, deserving of its place in the Vampire Chronicles. I like learning about "how it all began" and imagining those tremendously strong entities. It genuinely immerses you in the scene; I could smell the desert air and see palm trees. If you like Anne Rice's other vampire novels; you must read this one also.
In my opinion, this is the most compelling of the Chronicles. Mostly because it includes other vampires who either get to share their own stories or have their stories told to us.
It's a shame that the movie ostensibly based on this book misrepresents the plot of the book. This should have been the simplest of the series to adapt for the big screen. This is, without a doubt, the greatest of the group, and it could easily stand alone from the rest of the series.
Synopsis:
““With The Queen of the Damned, Anne Rice has created universes within universes, traveling back in time as far as ancient, pre-pyramidic Egypt and journeying from the frozen mountain peaks of Nepal to the crowded, sweating streets of southern Florida.”—Los Angeles Times
In a feat of virtuoso storytelling, Anne Rice unleashes Akasha, The Queen of the Damned, who has risen from a six-thousand-year sleep to let loose the powers of the night. Akasha has a marvelously devious plan to “save” mankind and destroy The Vampire Lestat—in this extraordinarily sensual novel of the complex, erotic, electrifying world of the undead.
Praise for The Queen of the Damned
“Mesmerizing . . . a wonderful web of dark-side mythology.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“Imaginative . . . intelligently written . . . This is popular fiction of the highest order.”—USA Today
“A tour de force.”—The Boston Globe”
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Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
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Interview With the Vampire (1994) (R):
Queen of the Damned (2002) (R):
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