Memnoch the Devil

Rating:
Summary: Religious Enlightment
Review: I enjoyed this book because it allowed Anne Rice to show another side to her. This book tested my belief in the creation of earth, humans, and God's purpose. I just didn't agree with Memnoch trying to pretend he was just an innocent by stander in God's creation of life. She really put my imagination and personal view of heaven to the test. I would recommend this book if you are open minded to religious beliefs.

Rating:
Summary: What an experience!
Review: Memnoch the Devil is phenomenal. Fans of darkly intense novels like The Triumph and the Glory or Hannibal will like this book. People who liked The Devil's Teardrop will like this book. People who liked The Last Day or The Fist of God will like this book. Memnoch the Devil has everything one could ask of a book. A vast range and scope of human emotion and experience is encapsulated into Anne Rice's fiction, in a very eloquent manner, she is the master.

Rating:
Summary: Anne's Most Creative
Review: I read Anne Rice's book "Memnoch the Devil", about two years ago. It was fascinating. I was amazed all the way through the dialogue with God, Lestat and Memnoch. How was this even thought of. I couldn't get enough of it. Those who were upset because they thought it was bashing Christians (I am Catholic) shouldn't be. This is fictional horror, and if they want fact or Christian-like novels, these are not the place to be reading. Once again, Anne shows her great creativity in writing. I am always waiting for the next book of the Vampire Chronicles. How intreresting it would be to sit and talk to Anne to try and understand what is inside her to write.

Rating:
Summary: Words do so little justice . . .
Review: Simply Incredible. I began reading the series this past spring when I noticed how that "Vittoro" book was clinging to the best sellers list for dear life. I have to say as I worked my way backward through the series I became greatly disinterested in the series star, Lestat. However, it was this book that won me over and helped me understand the character Lestat in the books which prominently feature him (namely "The Vampire Lestat"). If the books in this series were to be reissued I would be the first to suggest that this book (Memnoch the Devil) be released right after "Interview . . ." so that the reader gets a clear picture of the characters who are to develop, and has a full grasp on the Christian overtones which motivate these primarily post-Renaissance fatally Romantic characters.

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Summary: Memnoch belongs in Hell!
Review: Ms. Rice, I love you...but...What was Memnoch about? I read it twice and couldn't figure it out. The Vampire Chronicles have been fabulous, up until now. Lestat, David, Armand. Absolutely! I don't understand the entire Christian mythology-esque undertones. The significance of Veronica's Veil and drinking the blood of Christ was totally beyond me. I could almost believe Lestat's otherworldly companion except for his tour of heaven. I just read THE VAMPIRE ARMAND, PANDORA, and VITTORIO, and I'm not worried. Just be careful what muse you listen to.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: I think this was a great book and my favorite by far from Anne Rice. I feel sorry for the people who gave this book a bad review because they felt it's purpose was to "bash Christians", obviously they are not very well educated. If nothing else, this book makes you think about God, the devil, heaven, hell and the theory of creation in very philosophical terms. It's purpose was probably to make everyone think a little differently, not to make them reject any religious or personal beliefs in God. So if you want to sit down with a good book that gives you a very thought provoking take on creation, read this one, it's worth it.

Rating:
Summary: Anne's best book....
Review: I have read all of Anne Rice's books, and this is by far her absolute best. I was very disappointed to see readers rate this book so poorly. They obviuously miss the point. This book transports readers to places rarely written about. And with Anne's wonderful vivid detail, it is truly a delight. A highly thought provoking novel. I highly reccomend it!

Rating:
Summary: This book sucked!
Review: I read this book about two years ago, and it completely killed my interest in anything else Anne Rice could write. The first four Vampire novels and the Mayfair Witches were excellent, but apparently writing those novels completely dried out her creativity. It seems Mrs. Rice can't think of anything original to write anymore, so she falls back on the old, "Let's piss off the Christians" tactic. This novel was disgusting and offensive to anyone with half a belief in God. It's a big, long sermon about how God is a big old meanie and the Devil is really a great guy. Maybe I could even overlook this if the sermon made any sense or was even halfway interesting. Anyway, this book was very disappointing. If you're gonna write about the Devil, at least make him scary or evil instead of trying to make us feel bad for him.

Rating:
Summary: I love Anne Rice's theory on God
Review: If anyone knows horror, it's Anne Rice! She knows just how to write a compelling story. The kind that sticks in your head forever, and maybe changes your point of view. I was sad to read this book though. To know that the cronicles are over.

Rating:
Summary: i think everyone missed the point
Review: while reading the various reviews of this book I realized that everyone, whether they hated or loved it, may have missed the point. this book is pure genius but not for the reasons many stated. anne rice is not trying to let us in on her personal religious beliefs or use the vampire chronicles as her personal soapbox as one review would suggest. The point isn't that god is bad or memnoch is bad or god is good. She does not contradict anything set forth in interview. she is not attempting to shock us with her visions of heaven and hell. not to say that the visions of these places were not magnificent and perfectly written, which they were and any intelligent and unbiased reader would have to admit that the visions of these places were at least intriguing. the purpose of this book was to show that it is impossible to ever know the real truth about these things (god, creation, the devil, etc.). lestat himself was there firsthand and presented directly with all the answers, all the visions, and then had them yanked out from under him and left to wonder if this was real or that was real or if the whole story was just a flat-out lie and some game the devil was playing to amuse himself or toy with what may be his only worthy adversary (did anybody realize that memnoch did not like the title "devil" yet he signed the note "memnoch the devil"). the purpose of this book was to show how eager we all are to believe in something, as was lestat, even if it's coming from the devils mouth. I'm sure I'm not the only one who found himself riveted by memnoch's story and believing in his words (even though I generally do not believe in religion and god). then at the end we are left wondering what is real and what is lies. the best line of the book is when maharet says "its not all lies, not all of it, that's the age old dilemma". In other words, even ones as old as these ancient vampires will never know the truth, rice is just reminding us. either way, the reader was presented with a tale of creation, god, and the devil, one that was presented as truth, and then was left at the end (by something as cheap and inarticulate as that note) saying to himself, "wait a second, this is a novel, this is anne rice, this isn't the truth, memnoch doesn't exist, this is fiction." that is the true genius of the book. at the end you feel betrayed by memnoch, you feel lied to and tricked, you feel stupid for almost believing his story. in other words, you feel exactly how lestat feels. you are the main character and your memnoch is anne rice and she tricked us all. I understand how some may be put off by that but I have never read a book where I knew exactly how the main character felt, exactly how he felt. that is the genius of the book, the emotion that it stirs, not all the religion. if you want religion read the bible, if you want an amazing story read memnoch the devil.

im eager to hear what you think of this.