Rating: 
Summary: Wow, this was pretty bad
Review: I checked out the cd version from the public library and listened to it in the car.1.) The plot is mostly thin, and when it isn't thin its absurd(the whole Taltos "walking baby" thing is really dumb) 2.) Long sections of the book are filled with nonsensical conversation (does Anne Rice really know what the words "epistemology" and "hermeneutics" mean, or is she just throwing in philosophy buzzwords at random.) 3.) The most interesting dynamic (between Julien and Lestat) totally evaporates at the end leaving no apparent signification. The book had some funny parts and some interesting descriptions, but its lack of purpose shows painfully. Nothing in it seems truly inspired.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible book
Review: Anne should have taken some time off to grieve, and not to write this book. It is the worst of them all. I skipped entire chapters that were poorly written. My thirteen year old nephew speaks like Lestat. What a disappointment. Get it out of the library, so you don't have to pay for it, if you don't believe me. DON"T BUY THIS BOOK>>>>
Rating:
Summary: Don't Read It
Review: I really do feel sorry for those people out there that ended up adoring this book. It makes me wonder if they had appreciated the original Vampire Chronicles books. I know I did. And I sorely miss the poetic beauty that every other novel has presented. Forgive me Ms. Rouleau, but this book was no joyride. Enter now the witches and the search for Taltos. We've got Mona, Quinn, and Rowan all here. Aha! You've been fooled! You thought you were reading a Vampire Chronicles book! Now the mystery of Taltos and all that other stuff previously mentioned in the Witching Hour. Once again, they have you fooled. This is really the fourth of the witch series. We stumble on through a maze of trite dialoge and ridiculous discription. Lestat has been defiled to Anne's stress ball. She's angry that no one appreciated Memnoch. God willing she'll realize why people are so angry about this book. To all of you who enjoyed the book, I regret to say you have been bamboozled. Please, use your money for good and not to support a failing author looking for a check. Oh, and don't worry Ms. Rouleau, I'll leave my name.
Rating: 
Summary: Not her best, but not all that bad, either.
Review: The problem with this book, is that it's set in modern day times, and there's not a lot that we don't know about the vampires now. The story is pretty much an everyday life tale of Lestat and his latest 'coven'. Of course there is the part about the Mayfairs and the unnatural offspring, but that part wasn't all that interesting to me. I wish that Anne would write more books about new and different vampires, older vampires from different places and tell their life stories. That is the books I like the best. Lestat has already told his story, so we know all about him and his spoiled self. A life story for Mael would be nice.
Rating:
Summary: A Bloody Mess of a Book
Review: Blackwood Farm was reasonably entertaining. Blood Canticle is a turgid pile of pretentious writing (aka literary wankery). Even worse than the awful Blood and Gold. Lestat trying to sound hip and energetic is pathetic. Anne Rice, do us all a favour, STOP WRITING. Mourn your dead husband instead and shut up.
Rating: 
Summary: SUPERB LISTENING
Review: Thanks to the accomplished voice of David Pittu the latest in the list topping Vampire Chronicles from Anne Rice simmers with suspense. The multi talented Pittu who excels not only as a voice performer but as actor, director, writer and teacher easily inhabits this world of vampires and witches. His reading is made all the more powerful by thoughtful use of pauses and inflections - superb listening! With Lestat as the narrator "Blood Canticle" begins where "Blackwood Farm" concluded. The wicked one whom we all came to love is now, would you believe, a seeker of good - not just good but he aims for sainthood. Quite a switch. Characters include many from Rice's previous works, all finely knit into the tale. Beloved of Quinn Blackwood Mona Mayfair returns to Blackwood Farm to die. Her demise is circumvented by Lestat who makes her vampire. Rowan Mayfair, a top neurosurgeon and witch, arrives intent upon seeing Mona. We will learn that she and Mona have much in common - all involving the murkily mysterious Taltos (an unearthly ancient race who resemble humans although not very much). Ms. Rice seems to have had a fine time imagining "Blood Canticle," sparked by a kidnaping, rife with romance and adventure. Listeners will have a fine time, too. - Gail Cooke
Rating:
Summary: What is UP with the negative reviews?
Review: If you like the character of Lestat, dont listen to "reviewers" like "reader from French Quarter, New Orleans" who havent even the guts to name themselves honestly. Trust me, READ THIS BOOK. Form your own opinion. I did just that and while disappointed with many of the vamp chronicles in recent years, found myself unable to put this book down. AT LAST, we have Lestat speaking in his own voice again, and not the catatonic, or insecure, confused Lestat we've glimpsed from novels post-Memnoch, but the secure, strong, vibrant, life loving, motorcycle riding, powerful, macho, rich, witty, sexy BRAT PRINCE is back! And he's back in his full velvet frocks, dashing blonde mane, sensual french accent, and full lusting hunger for humans, my dears!! For this reason alone, the book is worth buying. But this book is about more than our favorite anti-hero, it's about the wonderful Mayfair witches, and answers the question many Rice fans have asked, "How would Lestat react to this dysfunctional brood?" She could have used Louis, she could have used David, or Marius, but she saved the best for last, and used Lestat. She chose a wonderful theme from which to introduce our hero into the 21st century, and Lestat implores us all to share in the pure FUN and joys of living in the 21st century. It's my personal opinion that there are many naysayers who have been naysaying so long, their minds are no longer open to pure entertainment. Which of course is what Canticle is... Pure entertainment. Don't look for Rice to answer any deep, philosophical questions here, for it's clear this was a pure joyride. The book has an upbeat, maniacal, life-affirming pace that many of the more "goth" Rice fans simply wont appreciate. BUt if you're a fan of the kind of book you absolutely loose youreself in, the kind of book in which one single character takes you on a ride from which you don't want to return, and if you LOVE Lestat DiLioncourt, GET THIS BOOK. DOnt even wait for paperback. Go to the library if you must, but instead of watching "American Idol" this week, meet Lestat again. He's here, and he is, as before, your every dream.
Rating:
Summary: Rice Still Has a Trick or Two Up Her Sleeve
Review: When I first read the reviews for "Blood Canticle" my heart sank--I had been looking forward to a good read, Anne Rice style. I requested the book as a present, so I was still obligated to read it, regardless of the negative reviews. I admit, the first 115 pages or so are rough, as described they are filled with a manic, egocentric rant by the vampire Lestat. Once the rant has time to play itself out a wonderful, curious and intriquing story is revealed--that of the Taltos. Those of us who are Rice fans will already be familiar with the Taltos, yet this story reveals more details concerning the character of these unique beings. I give the book five stars because if you survive the hackneyed beginning at the hands of Lestat, a whole new world is revealed. Rice is not all washed up or rung out from mourning, she still has a trick or two up her sleeve. If you enjoy having your vision of the world and its wide variety of beings revealed in vivid detail, give "Blood Canticle" a chance. With patience you will find that the rambling of Lestat is there to create a counterpoint to the languid world of the Taltos. Moreover, those who shy away from goth, will find that the Taltos offer a sci-fi element that is refreshing. Rice is a gifted writer, mistress of detail who is so brazen that she even combines several different genres (horror, science fiction, the fantastic and romance)successfully, between the covers of a single book. You go girl!
Rating: 
Summary: An Anne Rice opinion
Review: Frankly, I think all of you who gave this novel one star suck. I think you suck because you're expecting a writer to live up to what *you* want. That's not what writing is about. Frankly, I've been amazed to see Anne churn out all these vampire books for so many years. The quality of the writing comes and goes, but for me they have not been her best works anyway. They're written to appease the masses and for once the masses aren't appeased. So what? Does that make her less of an author? No. Is every Dickens a masterpiece? Did Shakespeare really write all those plays with his name on them? (No!) My introduction to Anne Rice was The Witching Hour when I was eighteen years old. Following that, I read the other two in the series. I was enchanted, simply enchanted, and hooked on this writer who was brilliant. I can't remember which of her books I read next, seriously. I tried to keep up with what she was putting out between 93-2002 or so, and I think I did a fairly good job. However, I also went and read the things she wrote under pseudonyms. In fact, I think I read them before starting with the vampires. I read the Beauty series. I thought I was going to pass out, they were so good and I was ecstatic there were three of them! I couldn't guess what happened next, and she so thoroughly pulled me into the world she'd created that I was in love. Then, I read Belinda. There just aren't words for Belinda. I love that story. I love it with all my heart. It charmed me, it made me cry, it touched a little girl part of me that always wanted to be rescued (and loved) and never was. Exit to Eden. I was in lust with Exit to Eden. I've read it several times (that's saying a lot because I don't usually read books more than once). The twists and turns of the plot, the realism of the worlds she created, the emotional rawness of the characters and the way that rawness intersected with their sex lives. Then, finally, I came across one that was very old. One that no one really talks about, much. Cry to Heaven. It not only introduced me to subject matter I knew nothing about, but enthralled me. I wanted to know more, I wanted to learn more, I was inspired. I ate that book greedily and I still cry, like all of you vampire fans, that there wasn't more. In my opinion, all of these novels surpass the recent vampire novels in quality and depth. The depth of the characters, the depth of the plot, the emotional realism. In todays economy, the author is responsible to the fans, like it or not. So you've had your vampire novels, they keep coming. Now you want to cry because the last one, the end of the series no less, wasn't good enough for you. What about all the ones you absolutely loved? Weren't they *enough*? Weren't they enough of an achievement for any writer? I believe that in some ways Anne has stunted her growth as a writer by continuing to cover old territory. She's done that for a while. I think she probably has done it for the fans, for the people who love the vampires. Even if that wasn't the prime motivation, it factored in. I don't care if you want to knock her for the personal things she's got going on in her life. It really doesn't matter to me. What matters to me is her evolution as a writer. That hasn't been happening with the vampire series for some time now. I want to see more of Anne, not more of what her fans want to see.
Rating:
Summary: I really enjoyed it!
Review: Not more than ten minutes ago I finished reading "Belinda".Yes. Anne Rice's 1986 novel under the name Anne Rampling. An absolutely brilliant, wonderfully compelling and very REAL piece of work_minus the mysticism. Truth to tell, this was the third time reading this book. I loved it the first time_somewhen in the late 1980's and I love it even more now. Of course for different reasons. Fifteen years ago I was a teenager still living at home. Now, I am a 33 year-old man living on my own, trying to hone my Goddess-given creative abilities into something worthy and memorable. Times have changed. I have changed. My outlook on life, love, people, art, beauty_everything has changed,is changing and will continue to do so until the day I die (and quite probably even after). So what is my point? What has "Belinda" got to do with "Blood Canticle"? Simply this...Everything, everyone CHANGES. It's an inevitable fact/law of nature. It is my belief that artists_whether litarary, musical, pictoral or what-have-you_because of our creative, 'feeling' natures, are more responsive to life's little alterations that occur daily. And as we change so to our creations change. Art history has clearly shown us this. Think Rodin, Picasso.
Now, no matter the cause, be it external, simple, complex, beautiful or unpleasant, the result is always the same. We are no longer who we were. Jeremy walker could not be the be-loved author/illustartor of little girl's books after meeting Belinda. By the same token we cannot expect Mrs. Rice to be the same author she was two years ago or for that matter, two decades ago. Even more so now given her recent losses(sadly, her husband Stan Rice and happily, her weight_as reported by People magazine). She is not the same person in mind, spirit and body who wrote T.V.L. all those years ago. I for one understand this and accept it. All we can expect is that she remains true to herself, her art and the message she wants to reveal. Which brings me to "Blood Canticle".
I thoroughly enjoyed reading B.C. It did not send me into raptures (as T.V.L. did when i read it the 1st, 2nd, 3rd...you get my point). It did not reveal certain truths and lessons that I can apply to my life as it is now (as "Belinda" did). Perhaps this will come in the 3rd or 4th reading. Yes. I will read it a fourth time. I enjoyed this book simply because it did what ALL A.R. novels have done_taken me out of this mortal existence into another realm, through time and beauty. For those few hours, I will always be grateful and thankful.
So what Lestat is no longer the same brat prince we fell in love with in T.V.L. Thank goodness! I am very glad he isn't. I mean, he's been around for what, two centuries How can we NOT expect him to cahnge? Not sad to say, even ghosts, withches, spirits and vampires_yes! Vampires, are subject to that six letter phenomenon...CHANGE. Lestat is everchanging, ever-evolving. It's what makes him interesting and I love him now as I loved him then. As for his saintly asperations...We ALL have dreams and desires that will never, ever be realised in this lifetime. Lestat himself acknowledges this truth. It does not mean however that said aspirations should be left buried to be forgotten. They are part of who we are. They are part and parcel of who he has become since "Memnoch The Devil". Deal with it.
Lestat still goes around doing exactly what he wants in his own inimitable style. Only now he seems closer to understanding his own sense of morality, though some issues still remain inscrutable. Hell, he even managed to surprise himself by TRULY falling in love. In LOVE! You can't get a better catalyst for change than that! Now can you?
Anne Rice, in allowing Lestat to grow yet still remain true to himself, all things considered, has remained true to herself as a gifted artist. Come what may (and I am looking forward to what does) I will always be a devoted reader.
Before I end, I must say that I do hope to read more Belinda-type books from Mrs. Rice now that the chronicles have been laid to rest...for the while, if the rumours are to be believed. After all these years I still find the lives of mere mortals like jeremy and Belinda quite refreshing and interesting_at least when Anne Rice does them.
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