Rating: 
Summary: This book (...)... and I'm not talking about the vampires
Review: Blood and Gold is a sad example of a writer who has lost touch with the characters that made her legendary. It should not even be labeled a vampire chronicle...its sub-title should be Anne's Rice needs more money than she already has and knows that her fans are dumb enoough to buy this book. It is just a rehashing of her older books with the expection of Ms. Rice trying to erase any of the homoerotic tendencies of her early works (ex. Marius' great love is now Pandora instead of Armand). The question must be asked why did Anne feel it necessary to invent another vampire, Thorne, instead of having Marius tell his story to David like everyone else has and why allow this upstart vampire to kill off a character that would have made a much more interesting book, the little-known about Santino? We can only pray that Ms. Rice goes back to her roots or that some lesser known author will step up to the plate. One star is an overstatement when it comes to this book!
Rating: 
Summary: Whatever....
Review: I love Anne Rice. I love the Chronicles (though not nearly as much as the Mayfair Witches). Why didn't I love this book? As you've probably already read, because there's nothing new here. Readers of all the Chronicles know most of this information about Marius. And as I've never really been as fascinated by him as I have by Maharet, Mekare, Pandora, et al., this book seemed more like filler to the next chapter.I don't understand why Rice continually pens these love missives to her male alter-egos, when she's continually created vibrant and exciting FEMALE characters. Why was Pandora's volume so thin, when she's lived over 2000 years? She's Marius' age, she appears fleetingly in most of the other texts, but she only merits a novella instead of the full treatment? Where are the volumes on Maharet and Mekare? The twins are the oldest vampires still walking the earth, and they spent most of their 6000 years apart? THAT would make for some fascinating storytelling. The only reason to read Blood and Gold is to glean more about the Vampire Bianca, a fledgling of Marius's. As she is younger than Armand by only weeks, it stands to reason she was not destroyed by Akasha, and still walks. There's someone I'd like to read about. Since Rice has decided not to continue the Mayfair series, it sure would be nice if she could give us some anti-heroines to read about in their place.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written, but no shattering revelations.
Review: In Ms. Rice's latest installment in the Vampire Chronicles, Marius tells his story. _Blood and Gold_ is beautifully written, but adds little more than details to Ms. Rice's vampire universe. Parts of Marius' life have been told in other volumes of the Chronicles, but Ms. Rice manages to avoid too much repetition. About 80 pages of the book is devoted to events previously recounted in _The Vampire Armand_, but the rest is either greatly expanded from previous tellings, or completely new. All of it is written is Ms Rice's distinctive style. As a reader, I shared Marius' love of his ancient cities, beautiful art, and his mortal and immortal companions. Unfortunately, the biggest problem with the novel is that it is really just backstory. None of the events Marius describes are particularly important to Ms. Rice's world. The themes that made her earlier Chronicles so compelling - the discovery of vampiric nature and origins, the suspense and danger in Akasha's plans for conquest - are sadly absent. As they must be, for those stories have been told. Even the introduction of a new character - the mysterious Thorne, an ancient vampire whose origins are linked to Maharet herself - was not enough to infuse the series with some new blood. What little we hear of his history, while tantalizing, is quickly forgotten as Marius takes center stage. Thorne's sudden dramatic role at the very end of the novel would have had more impact had we known more about his past. If you have read _Pandora_, _The Vampire Armand_, and _Vittorio the Vampire_, then this novel will hold few surprises for you, in content, style or author's intent. _Blood and Gold_ is every bit as good as Ms. Rice's more recent novels in this series, but it suffers from the same lack of new insights into the creatures she's created.
Rating: 
Summary: The art critic
Review: Anne Rice finally sheds some light on the mysterious Marius. His tale is long and dramatic as expected. This book separates itself from the other Vampire Chronicles (excluding Pandora) due to Marius having a belief system that predates Christianity(obviously). The typical philosophical arguements presented in Anne Rices work are painted differently here, due to Marius arriving in the world as a "pagan". He has no need or care for heaven or (...) (which is a pleasant change, although I miss (...) bells).
Descriptions are as usual magnificent, and her ability to breathe life into fictional charachters is as usual better than the rest.
One point however, if you're not familiar with renaissance art this might not be the book for you, however if you are at least little familiar you'll probably enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: Back to Basics
Review: Hooray! I'm not sure if my reading style has changed or if Anne Rice has returned to her formerly, very readable format, but this new vampire book was a delightful read. The characters are well-drawn and sympathetic. Marius' story fills in many of the gaps left from the previous books, particularly about Armand and his beginnings. Having been disillusioned by the last couple of books, I have returned to the fold, and I'm happy to be here.
Rating: 
Summary: Where is Lestat?
Review: I can't tell you how anxious I was to read Anne Rice's newest book. Although I am interested in the lives of each vampire, something is missing. That being Lestat, and the old Anne Rice we love and adore. The excitment is missing. We need the Brat Prince back in all his glory and adventure. Although I forced myself to read this book, some parts were good, on the whole it was boring. I refuse to give up on Anne Rice, and look foward to the next book with much enthusiasm, but I pray it is the Anne Rice of old.
Rating:
Summary: What, Did She Have An Editor Breathing Down Her Neck?
Review: I trust Anne Rice as an author, so I kept reading. When I finished this book, I was mad as could be, and I think Ms. Rice should give me my money back--I have already read this book. It exists in the form of The Vampire Lestat, Queen of The Damned, Pandora and The Vampire Armand. What's worse is that she sets it up as though some interesting and new truth may be brought to light by using the new character, Thorne, as basically a device (and not an especially clever one) to rehash old stories in far less interesting form than she put them originally. Liberally applied throughout the book is the phrase, "As followers of these chronicles will recall..." Uh-huh. Sure do, I replied in my mind's voice. And if I want to re-read your earlier books, I'll go to the book shelf and take them out for this express purpose. The only thing I can figure is that the writing of this particular piece was driven not by Rice's extraordinarily passionate imagination and literary madness from whence has come the many lush and luxuriant tales that we have come to treasure, but rather by a corporate shill insisting that a new Vampire Chronicle be "brought to market". I found this book chilling, and for all the wrong reasons.
Rating:
Summary: Yet ANOTHER vampire biography?
Review: Those who rushed to the bookstore on the day of its release find that the rush was over once the pages started to turn. Rice introduces a new vampire buried in a veritable coffin of ice, 'Thorn.' He makes a brief appearance at the beginning of the book and then only shows up toward the end when dear reader is pretty close to being glad that the story is just about over. Rice picks up the story of the vampire that we have heard so little about, 'Marius.' He makes brief and somewhat complicated appearances in earlier Rice vampire chronicles, but she never chooses to fully tell us what he is all about and where he came from. Rice ingeniously weaves the story with other books in her series, treading carefully through one of her more explicit historical vampire accounts, 'The Vampire Armand' and brings us to a point in history that explains the role of Marius in the overall hierarchy of vampires. She introduces us to a few other flashy, lavish and short-lived new vampires, but by the end of the book, dear reader feels like he has just read another cheap historical account of a fictional character, not an exciting story of the adventures of those who roam the night and destroy only the evil at heart. Those who choose to read this book in spite of my cautions are advised to read ALL of the previous vampire chronicles before beginning this one. To skip this introduction will leave the reader feeling very confused and disoriented, much like a vampire on the first night the dark gift courses through his cold, dead veins.
Rating:
Summary: Marius tells his story
Review: The Vampire Chronicles wouldn't be complete without the legendary Marius, who has appeared so predominantly in many of the previous stories, telling his side of the story. We start in modern times where Marius meets another ancient vampire Thorne, who has recently awakened from self-imposed hibernating sleep. Longing for company, Marius offers Thorne fresh clothing and a place to stay. Then he begins his story by taking us off to ancient Rome. Through Marius we see the fall of Rome, the rise of Christianity, the Byzantine Empire, and later the birth of the Renaissance. He meets several other vampires, creates some of his own, and has an encounter with the Talamasca. He talks of his lost love Pandora and spends centuries trying to find her. All the while, this story stays true to the earlier stories told in "The Vampire Lestat," "The Queen of the Damned," "Pandora," and "The Vampire Armand." Anne Rice is truly a gifted writer. She remains true to real life history as she creates her characters' history. Each character is deep and complex. We may not like the fact that Armand went on to led a Vampire Cult, but when we recall that as a child he was raised knowing that he would enter a monastery, it makes sense. Only a truly talented writer would venture so deeply into her characters' psychoses. There is some homosexual overtones that may disturb some readers, but remember vampires see beauty in everything. They don't really acknowledge traditional male/female roles, except on occasion. The romances do not seem overly sexual. Rather they express themselves thru touching, kissing, and sharing of blood. A great edition to a fantastic series!
Rating:
Summary: I could not put this book down
Review: I know when a book by Anne Rice is good or not. If it is good, I am not able to stop reading her book. If it isn't like "Merrick" was, then I will stop reading it altogether. "Blood and Gold" was an irresistable read for me. I thoroughly enjoyed every single page in this new installment of the Vampire Chronicles. I was so disappinted in "Merrick" I didn't even bother finish reading it because the storyline was not very compelling for me to read. To see that Anne Rice picked up where she left off with Armand's story with Marius' story I did not hesitate to pick up "Blood and Gold". Most Anne Rice fans would know that we were given a brief glimpse of Marius' life in "The Vampire Lestat", the second book in the Vampire Chronicles series. "Blood and Gold" delves further into Marius' past which delighted me since he is one of my favorite characters. The reader is introduced to other vampires other than Mael, Pandora and Armand, like Bianca, Euxodia, and Avicus. "Blood and Glory" shows the anguish that Marius went through with his separation from Pandora. I didn't know that in "The Vampire Lestat" or "Queen of the Damned". In fact he was downright obsessive when he was finally reunited with his beloved Pandora. Unlike in the stories about Pandora and Armand, Marius wasn't talking to David Talbot, the former Talamasca leader which was interesting. Instead the reader is introduced to a new character by the name of Thorne who was just as old as Maharet and Mekare, the twin sisters from "Queen of the Damned". Thorne wakes up from his sleep in an icey cave and winds up in a tavern talking to Marius, and eventually moving to Marius' house where Marius tells Thorne his life story. I really enjoyed "Blood and Gold". I rank it as one of my all time favorite books in the Vampire Chronicles. After being disappointed with "Merrick" and somewhat bored (still entertained) with "The Vampire Armand", "Blood and Gold" rekindered my fascination with Anne Rice's popular vampire series. I couldn't put this book down when I first read it.
| 
