The Tale of the Body Thief (Rice, Anne, Vampire Chronicles, Bk. 4.)
by Anne Rice

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Book Reviews of The Tale of the Body Thief (Rice, Anne, Vampire Chronicles, Bk. 4.)

Book Review: Lestat's interminable angst
Summary: 3 Stars

The protagonist of this dark fantasy is the Vampire Lestat, a recurring figure in Rice's series "The Vampire Chronicles". To make a 435-page epic short, Lestat wants to be mortal again after centuries of being Undead. The old adage is "Be careful what you wish for." It's not surprising, then, that Lestat soon regrets a too hasty career move that he's talked into making by the Body Thief. And, in a subplot, his life is complicated by a relationship with a nun that would likely cause the Pope to issue an edict or two. As the frenetic storyline unfolds, Lestat is helped out of a desperate situation by his long-time human friend, David Talbot, the Superior General of the Talamasca, a semi-secret order of scholars dedicated to the study of the occult. (And what good pot-boiler doesn't benefit from an inscrutable organization?) In any case, after a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth, our anti-hero discovers perhaps a universal truth - that a man's and vampire's best friend is a big, shaggy dog. As a general rule, I prefer cats.

I'll never be one to appreciate blood-sucking demons or Anne Rice. Therefore, my three-star rating of THE TALE OF THE BODY THIEF is severely skewed and will undoubtedly cause fans to howl. Rice's prose is richly descriptive and a magnificent achievement. Lestat's first person testimony of his re-acquisition of human frailties was understatedly comic. ("But, if you eat, you know what will happen? You'll have to go back in that bathroom again ... The thought almost made me gag.") Unfortunately, that doesn't make up for a story that was, for me, excessively long and tortuous to the point that I just wanted to get to the end and move on. As a matter of fact, I wished Lestat would just move on. His angst and loneliness was tiresomely endless from start to finish no matter what form he took. And he's not the sort of character that inspires my sympathy or admiration - he's basically vicious, selfish and confused. (Where are a good, fire-sharpened stake and a sledgehammer when you need them?)

While I thank my friend for the opportunity to expand my pulp fiction horizon, I also hope she forgives me.

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