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Summary: Blood and Gold
Review: I just read this book, very slowly for me; to make it last longer...Again, it was beyond my expectations...thanks so much for taking me away...and for giving so many people, (including my son), the beauty of Boticelli's work....I witnessed them first hand and admired them....how wonderful to see them mentioned in the book...
Rating: 
Summary: OK book
Review: This latest chronicle tells the story of Marius. Its very informative and well written, as are all of Anne Rice's books. The book starts off kinda slow, and only towards the last half of the book, becomes interesting. I was dissapointed in that there was not really that much in the book with Armand and none at all with Lestat or Louis. Yet, you do learn things in this book that you might have wondered from reading the other chronicles, which i found interesting. And as always, i recommend this book, along with any other Anne Rice novel.
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Summary: Wonderful Addition to the Vampire Chronicles
Review: In "Blood and Gold" the newest and much anticipated addition to the Vampire Chronicles, Marius finds his voice and speaks. Maker of Pandora and Armand, mentor to the vivacious Lestat, the Vampire Marius takes the reader on a journey across 2,000 years of history, from Ancient Rome, to Renaissance Venice and beyond. His search for beauty and quest to end his personal loneliness will not fail to trigger a deep emotional response from followers of this series. This fellow author highly recommends "Blood and Gold" to all fans of Gothic Horror. A must read.
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Summary: Good read...starts slow
Review: Another good solid read by Anne Rice. It kind of starts slow but really picks up. Don't pick this book up hoping to continue the saga of Lestat, Louis, or David Talbot. They are hardly mentioned in this book. As usual Anne has really done her research of the fall of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance that consumed her book about Armand. Solid read...I would recomend this book but only as a part of the whole series.
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Summary: A STORY YOU CAN SINK YOUR TEETH INTO
Review: Is there a reader on this planet unfamiliar with the name Anne Rice? Over the past 26 years she has penned 18 novels about her "beloved immortals" - vampires? Her first novel, "Interview with the Vampire," has become one of the best-selling books of all time, while all of her works leap to the top of bestseller lists. And now, much to her fans gasping, heart pounding delight, she has written "Blood & Gold" in which we learn the incredible story of Marius, former mentor to the Vampire Lestat, and champion of all that is good, a man of ethical reason. Marius, we learn was born in imperial Rome where he was later incarcerated and made a "blood god" by the ancient Druids. He observed pagan Rome at its hedonistic pinnacle, was witness to the plunder of that city by the Visigoths. Transported through time Marius does not fall victim to the Black Death during the Dark Ages. He triumphs to emerge once more in the heady swirl of the Italian Renaissance where he produces wondrous works of art and a vampire, Armand. In essence, "Blood & Gold" as narrated by Marius is the story of his unbelievable life over 2000 years. For the first time he reveals much, while in the past our knowledge of him has been limited to the descriptions of others. Remembered for arriving at a book shop appearance within a closed coffin inside a hearse, Ms. Rice is as colorful as the characters she creates. She pens stories that can't be put down or forgotten, stories, as it has been said, that you can sink your teeth into. With "Blood & Gold" she's done it once again. - Gail Cooke
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Summary: Plasma and Tarnish
Review: Since reading from Anne Rice's website that her followup to Merrick would be the story of Marius, the 2000 year old vampire who has graced the pages of most all of her other chronicles of the undead, I have waited patiently to read it. The result is disappointing. In past Vampire Chronicles, Anne Rice has comfortably found the voice of Lestat, Louis, Armand, David Talbot, Pandora, and a host of others. With Marius, she never really seems to find his voice. The first three hundred pages of this long-awaited novel are drivel. Marius, the strong, dedicated servant of Those Who Must be Kept, is nothing but a simpering, overly-analytical weakling. The book covers vast historical territory, but as has plagued the most recent Vampire Chronicles, at least in my opinion, it is all too underdeveloped. A sudden, all-consuming love of Botticelli is nothing more than a simple nocturnal visit to his workshop. The horrors of the destruction of Rome are glossed over. Marius the watcher simply witnesses his beloved Italy destroyed, and merely moves on. So out of character of his past convictions. He appears only a lovesick simpleton, moaning for Pandora, his lost love, wailing over the destruction of home after home by the ravages of fires set by a Satanic band of blood drinkers, and never appearing any stronger as a result of all this misfortune. The story only finds its momentum when we reach the part of Marius's tale already chronicled in The Vampire Armand, when he rescues the young Amadeo, as he calls him, from a brothel and takes him in as apprentice and lover, finally giving him the Dark Gift of the Blood to prevent his mortal death and provide him an immortal eternity to share with Marius, which as we already know is not the course of events. Following this, Marius fleshes out fully as a character. His love of Pandora is believable only in their inevitable reunion, his devotion to guarding the Divine Parents of the Vampires, so wishy-washy throughout the novel, becomes more palpable. The novel concludes with the Marius that I had come to understand from prior novels, yet the preceeding pages all seem to destroy that image. Most recently, Anne Rice has been criticized for losing focus of her characters from their original inception. I have found that while the characters have changed, it would seem a logical course of events as they live from century to century, and evolve just as we all do as human beings. However, the Marius here is not even a shadow of the Marius of prior works, and it seems as though Ms. Rice simply never found his voice to tell his tale. For the strength of Marius throughout the past novels, and even though the last 150 pages are worth wading through the rest of the book to reach, this overall is a disappointment at best.
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Summary: More tales of the vampires
Review: Marius has lived his two-thousand year life without telling his story...now is his chance. Once a Senator in Imperial Rome, Marius was kidnapped by Druids and made a blood-god. Forced to live his life in hunger for blood, Marius becomes the protector of Akasha and Enkil, the Queen and King of the vampires. As his story begins we follow him through his affair with the vampire Pandora, to the fall of Rome, and ultimately to his beginnings in a new civilization where he meets the blood drinker Eudoxia. We see Marius return to Italy, as he will live among the mortals and become a painter, fall in love with the beautiful Bianca, and come to meet the mysterious Armand. Marius's story will span the globe moving from Rome to Florence, Venice and Dresden, and to the English castle of the secret order of the Talamasca. His story will race through history, ending in present day where he will seek his revenge against some of the oldest living vampires. In 'Blood And Gold' Anne Rice has given readers a well told story of the great vampire Marius, and his struggles as a blood-god. In this new novel she explains how many have come to become vampires, as well as having many favorites return (such as Lestat). Fans of the vampire chronicles will enjoy the richly detailed novel, that is peopled with many characters, lush settings, and written with Ms. Rice's lyrical prose. Anne Rice has written another winner, even though the beginning of the story is a little slow, she more than makes up for it once the stage has been set for Marius's tale. A good entry in The Vampire Chronicles, and further proof Ms. Rice can keep these tales going for some time. Nick Gonnella
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Summary: Nice read, but typical Rice themes getting long in the tooth
Review: I have read all of Rice's books and enjoyed the majority of them immensely. I also enjoyed this one very much, but there are a few weaknesses in the novel, that have become standard in most Anne Rice faire. Again she suffers from the slow start syndrome, requiring that you read at least 100 pages before the story gets interesting. Then, as usual, there are about 200 pages of historic, biographic story about relating to the main character, the previously elusive Marius. Unfortunately, because Marius has been discussed in previous novels, there is some retreading here. However, this is the strongest part of the novel, and enjoyable. Finally, there is the somewhat anticlimactic climax (a more recent addition to the Anne Rice writing repertoire), which occurs in the present). As in her latest works (such as Merrick and Armand) this novel feels like a chapter in a much longer work, the end of which the author seems loath to get to. The familiar themes of isolation, existential anxiety, futility, and redemption are present in full force here as well, though these themes have lost much of their power to compel the reader as Rice's prose grows ever more esoteric (yes even more). However, even with these weak spots, the book is still enjoyable for those readers familiar with the backstory. Anne even at her worse is a decent writer and this is certainly not her worst. I like many readers am hoping for a reemergence of the old Anne rice, but I anticipate that such a rebirth will only occur in the climactic conclusion of what has become a lengthy tale indeed. Hopefully the 3rd act drag will pass soon.
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Summary: Hail Anne Rice!
Review: This is one of the book's i've been waiting for. IT WAS AMAZING! It answers so many questions about Maurius. Ever wonder what happened to him after his run in with the Vampire Cult? Or, if he was alive, why didnt he save Armand from the Paris coven? And does he ever repay Santino for destroying his family in Italy? Well this book answers all of that and more. A MUST READ for Anne Rice fans. If u havent read Anne Rice before you can still read this one 1st. It explains a lot of the history developed in the rest of the Vampire Chronicals. All Hail Anne Rice.
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Summary: Why????
Review: Another pointless and tired retelling of a story that has been told in four separate novels. Badly slapped together with a horrible wrap around story that seems to be constructed by a 5 year old. Don't waste your time. Maybe the next Vampire Chronicle will actually advance the series or at least have something new to say.
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