Interview with the Vampire

[Imperfectionist]

I can't remember where I heard about this book, it was somewhere in amongst all the vampire-lovin' caused by Twilight, but it intrugued me.

Most of the reviews i've read are pretty positive, but I wanted to know if anyone on here has read it. What did you think? Would you recommend it?

[Shoeberto]

The idea of the Twilight series being more ubiquitous in vampire fiction than Anne Rice's works is very, very sad to me.

[Imperfectionist]

I'm assuming it's pretty good then? lol

[NorthernChaosGod]

I haven't read the book, but I have seen the movie, which I remember being pretty good.

[TheAbominatrix]

I have yet to read Interview, but I have read its sequel The Vampire Lestat as well as Queen of the Damned and the Vampire Armand and I believe a few others. I have also read all of Twilight.

Rice's books are, for me, often difficult to read (not reading level or anything, but rather difficult to keep interest in and claw my way through said book) especially the entire first half of The Vampire Lestat, which is incredibly whiny and homo erotic. Now I usually like homo eroticism but Lestat's is just boring and tedious (the same idea in the Vampire Armand is much more entertaining) and the 'Brat Prince' is a total bitch.

Queen of the Damned was far better because it showed the history of the vampires and explores the stories of many different characters rather than Lestat, but it's like all of Anne Rice's stories. The best way I can explain them is to look at the Vampire Chronicles goth culture it spawned... that's the feel of those books. Dark, but cheap dark. I'm not sure if that makes sense.

And... that's all I can think of to contribute at the moment.

[Shiny]

I haven't read the book either, but I have seen the film and I can sum up it as just a movie they decided to do with several attractive high profile actors with bad hair extensions and even worse accents. I had trouble paying attention to the plot because it was kinda boring.

There are unfortunately very few vampires movie that are actually worth seeing imo. I can think of only four that were decent: 30 Days of Night, From Dusk Til Dawn, Nosferatu, and Let the Right One in. The last one I haven't seen all of it yet, but it looks pretty good! Anywayz, the director of 30 Days of Night is doing the third Twilight movie so I have hope that that will actually not be utter crap.

[Leeza]

It's been quite a few years since I read the book, but yes, I would recommend it. It is good, as most of Rice's book are.

[Breine]

Haven't read the book, or anything else by Anne Rice. I've always kinda wanted to.

I like the movie, though. I watched it many times as a kid, but haven't seen it for some years now. Claudia is an interesting character.

[Shattered Dreamer]

Awesome book & awesome film if your a vampire fan they are both a must. The Anne Rice books are amazing & put all this Twilight nonsense to shame but I suppose Twilight was written for teen girls!

[FaithWontFall]

I have read Interview with the Vampire but stopped there because it was hard enough to finish it, Louis really annoyed me. I dont know why but something about his attitudes and... he just annoyed me. Lestat freaked me out and Claudia i could sympathise with but didnt like.
The film- alright i suppose. (great words, they do my thought justice, lol)
:)

[TheAbominatrix]

All I know about the movie/book comparison of Interview is that the movie really dropped the ball on the character Armand. He was supposed to be a young waif of a boy, bishie even, and they cast Antonio Banderas (I'm not even gonna bother to look that up and spell it correctly xD) which I feel takes a LOT of the allure away from the character.

I've heard lots of bad stuff about the Queen of the Damned movie, so I wont even try to watch it.

[Rocket Edge]

I haven't read the book either, but I have seen the film and I can sum up it as just a movie they decided to do with several attractive high profile actors with bad hair extensions and even worse accents. I had trouble paying attention to the plot because it was kinda boring.
Have to disagree. Tom Cruise as Lestat was as close to a perfect performance as you'd find. He was that character.

Like most others, I only seen the film, and its great.

[Breine]

I've heard lots of bad stuff about the Queen of the Damned movie, so I wont even try to watch it.

Yeah, it's pretty cheesetastic. I mean, just the whole thing with Lestat becoming a rock star.. wtf was she thinking when she wrote the book?!

[TheAbominatrix]

Well one of the problems is that they combined the Vampire Lestat (in which he becomes a rock star) and Queen of the Damned (in which said rock awakens Akasha and she decides to kill a lot of men and vampires) into one horrible film. The best parts about QotD, I feel, are the parts with everyone aside from Lestat and Akasha, and I don't know how much the movie follows all that.

As for Rice's decision to do the rock star thing in the first place... I think it's a perfect example of her writing, of the world she creates. I really cant think of a good way to sum up how I feel about the entire Vampire Chronicles, but cheap bargain basement goth does fit in there somewhere.

[Imperfectionist]

I'm pretty intrugued by all these mixed reactions :D definately gonna give it a read.

Although I did have a look in the bookshop the other day and they didn't have it :(

[TheAbominatrix]

Try to hit a few thrift stores or the used book store at your local library before you buy it from a chain book store. You'll save a ton of money. It's a pretty popular book and usually easy to find used copies of.

[Imperfectionist]

But I have a voucher for WHSmiths! :(

[TheAbominatrix]

Well it's just a suggestion! xP I usually just prefer to spend $1 on a book rather than $15.

[hitman1984]

i've never read the book although i've always been really interest in doing so after i've watched the movie so many times which is a good movie, even though i'm not the biggest Cruise or Pitt fan in the world the movie was still pretty good.

[rubah]

I've seen Interview with the Vampire and really liked it, and am reading The Vampire Lestat and am really liking it, so between those two, I'd wager that the novel for IwtV would be pretty good!

[Forsaken Lover]

Here's one of the more memorable scenes from the film that doesn't have any spoilers in it.
YouTube - Interview with the Vampire - One scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS5NVPzgXA8)

Both teh book and film are great takes on a sympathetic vampire. In fact, they were some of the first books featuring vampires as "human" protagonists.

Lestat, even with how monstrous he was in the book and film, is still a deeply tormented soul. Louis as well. Claudia...well, Your Mileage May Vary on that. She was very much a demon but a sympathetic one.
I cried when she died. More for Louis than her, though.

Yes Antonio was miscast and didn't fit Armand but everyone else was so perfectly done that I have no qualms about that. The movie did alter the ending, though. keep that in mind.

But apart from that, the characters and story remain true to their book roots.

However, some fans are disgruntled by the point-of-view dilemma. See, Interview is from Louis' perspective. He's talking about his memories from the past. Lestat says in no uncertain terms in the sequel book that Louis was full of it. However, given Lestat's arrogance, it's very much possible he was just conveniently forgetting how bad he was.

I guess it is a literal case of He Said, He Said.

But I highly recommend both the book and film.

[Drift]

film was amazing, never read the book though, vampires and werewolves now suck thanks to twilight :(

[Doomie]

It was a good book, and it's sequel, The Vampire Lestat, is probably one of the best books I've ever read. I'd highly, HIGHLY recommend it. The fact that people are hearing about Anne Rice through Twilight hurts me. Like physically, I think I may have an ulcer.

[Araciel]

The movie was better in my opinion, but I just don't like her style.

[SammieBabe]

The book read like stereo instructions to me. I tried to read it while waiting at jury duty, and got bored.
Enjoyed the movie though. Its when I fell for Brad Pitt. :)
Never tried any other Anne Rice books as that one put me off her, but I can tell you Id rather get a Pap Smear then sit through the Queen of the Damned movie again...