Rating: 
Summary: detailed descriptions are amazing
Review: I absolutely love Anne Rice's series the Vampire Chronicles. This one may have lacked the dramatic action of the pervious books but made up for it in character development. The reader finally gets to know what Armand was thinking, his inner loves, lusts and turmoil's. I love the descriptions of the paintings and of the way the fabric was. Rice is amazing at weaving her way through the centuries, describing Venice and Paris as only she can. It's a great novel for a person that is appreciative of Venetian paintings and lovely descriptions. This book read slower for me then the previous ones but I think it's because I got so absorbed in the overall feeling of the book. Armand was one of my favorite characters through out the story and I happy that we finally got a book dedicated entirely to him.
Rating:
Summary: THE VAMPIRE ARMAND by Anne Rice ...
Review: ... is an extremely difficult book to rate. It nearly returns to the old Anne Rice feeling towards the first part, as Armand tells the tale of his life to David Talbot. Everyone is here - Pandora, Marius, Lestat. It is absorbing, and Anne Rice is even more stunningly vivid in her writing than before, telling a tale of the ages. Yet the tale is occasionally confusing, annoyingly erotic, and towards the end, very much too religious - like her previous flop, MEMNOCH THE DEVIL. I must give the book a 4 for Rice's ability to keep me hooked through the whole thing, but it still can't compare with Anne Rice's earlier works. The ending will need to be read by Lestat worshippers, though, so pick it up - even if Armand isn't your type of vampy.
Rating: 
Summary: the blood is running thin
Review: Alas, the recycling of a clutch of familiar characters, settings, and sexual
situations does not a novel make. But the series has longsince lost its oomph,
in this reader's opinion, and only those motivated by nostalgia for previous
thrills will find this book a rewarding read. Too bad; there's an awful lot of
junk out there with "vampire" in the title, but once upon a time this author
produced novels about the breed that were bombshells of strong writing and
emotional effect.
Rating: 
Summary: another great vampire book
Review: -This review refers to the first paperback edition, not the mass market paperback.My edition comes with an Anne Rice interview. She says she felt like Armand needed his own story because so much had been said about Louis and Lestat. This book was dictated by David but they are Armand's words. The story begins where "Memnoch" left off. Warning: Lestat is not the central character in this book. While Armand tells his story, Lestat lies comatose in a cathedral. In this very lucid and detailed novel, it is clear that Armand and Lestat are near opposites. In "Vampire Lestat," Rice had constructed Lestat as a lover of evil, a "brat prince." Here, Armand seems more kind and in love with the gentler side of humanity. Lestat, before he supposedly met the Creator in "Memnoch", despised God. Here, Armand desperately wants to believe that God exists. Armand's story begins in Kiev where he is a painter of ikons in the Monastery of the Caves. He is kidnapped and taken to Venice, where he becomes a member of Marius's household. Marius houses and schools several young boys, and one could say that many scenes in Marius's household are very pedophilic, especially several homoerotic scenes with Marius and Armand. I choose not to look at it that way. Marius loves the boys, and is more of a father and teacher rather than a lover. This is not exactly so with Armand. Suffering from a fatal stab-wound, Armand is given the Dark Gift by Marius. The reader is then taken rather quickly through the rest of Armand's life, including the Theater of the Vampires. Do not pick up this book and read with a closed mind. Many scenes are homoerotic, but don't think that Armand is a homosexual vampire. He, like nearly all of Rice's vampires (including Lestat), adores the beautiful. Thus, there are heterosexual love scenes, too. The reader gets to meet Armand's human family in Kiev. His father is truly a tragic character. Rice's human characters are just as beautiful as her vampires. Armand also finds a companion within Marius's school of boys, Riccardo, one of the eldest of the group. Their relationship is one of the more interesting segments of the book. Riccardo's demise at the hands of Santino's Coven is grotesque, and the scene is unforgettable. Finally, Armand's relationship with Sybelle and Benji is simply precious and sweet. Sybelle and Benji are human children that Armand saves from an abusive brother. Benji is young, but acts grown-up, and he is inquisitive. Sybelle, who doesn't seem to be completely right in the head, plays Beethoven's Appassionata all day, and Armand loves listening to it. On a side note, it is a great piano sonata and is recommended to anyone who reads this book. Armand has thus come full circle. He has progressed from student to master. This book made me fall in love with Armand, just as I have fallen in love with Lestat. They are completely different yet equally beautiful characters.
Rating:
Summary: So misunderstood.
Review: *Sigh* if I hear another complaint about how the book has too many details...or comments from people who didn't want to know how sumptuous the velvet was...I think I will scream.
The book is *meant* to be that way- okay, I guess if you are shallow you won't really apreciate it...but it is meant to be filled with rich details...the book is supposed to be very aesthetic. Oh, and ¨there wasn't enough action/drama¨- for godsakes read a thriller instead. Armand's inner battles where exicting enough for me.
A lot of people were also saying that there was no need for this book because a larger portion of TVL already contained the story of Armand and The Children of Darkness... but this wasn't from the point of view of Armand,and as readers we didn't know enough about him to really understand why he clung on to their Santic beliefs. But, I assure you, after reading this book and learning about his childhood it will suddenly all makes sense.
One thing that did annoy me was that the part with Sybelle and Benji was so brief- that story had so much potential!
And another thing, I'm Russian so it kinda annoyed me when Rice kept repeating how Russian Orthodox make the sign of the cross...she did it 3 damn times in one chapter (without even bothering to be subtle) *argh!*
Conclusion: NO ONE, AND I MEAN NO ONE, CAN FLESH OUT CHARACTERS LIKE ANNE...I'd pay the price just to be witness to her excellent character exploration. *mutters* Coz there isn't all that much plot (minus one star, that). Oh, yeah and there were far too many bedroom scenes...I mean she probalby thought that she needed them to spice up the story...but it begins to get on ones nerves...plus it makes the story kinda trashy.
Lady_Macbeth, aged 14
Rating:
Summary: The best of Anne Rice's books
Review: I think that The Vampire Armand was a great book. it is lot better than the other books. I think that I didn't like was the fact that Armand is homosexual. I don't like that about him.
Other than that I thought that it was good. The thing that I didn't get because I didn't read any other Anne Rice's books at the time was the time line. I had no idea why Lestat was in a comma and didn't know when it happened in the story.
I like the fact that it was an adult story.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Brilliance yet again from Annie Ricey
Review: Armand for me was a very well written and wholey interesting. It helps the understanding of the other Vampire Chronicles such as Queen of The Damned.
Rating: 
Summary: Shoots & Ladders.
Review: The first half of the book was GREAT! I'd been looking forward to it cuz Armand was a fav. character, but the 2ed half made me want to rip the book in 2 & burn the latter part. After this book, I found it hard to like Armand in latter books; he'd become such a snivelling weenie with his brain in the clouds, living some annoying self-punishing fantasy. If you LIKE Armand, stop reading it after he parts ways with Marius. If you DON'T like him anyway, you;ll just hate him more after this.
Rating:
Summary: A most entertaining read...
Review: In Armand, Anne Rice unites the entirety of her touch of the erotica with her sense of historic praise. Surprising the life of Armand, one of the Elders with whom the reader is acquainted ever since the first novel of the series, the tale is not one as much of epic battles and the normal definition of corruption.
From the Venice of the Renaissance to the days of the Theatre and further still to the events of Memnoch, this is one lecture that manages to compress an entire life indeed.
The characterization of the main agent, however, might surprise, and to good reason. In fact, one could say, in the first half, Anne tries to repeat the tehnique so skillfully implemented in the Vampire Lestat - no longer are we faced to a character we have known and, to an extent, detested, a character who must have, at some point, served as Machiavelli's muse. Much like Lestat, as he voiced his displeasure in concern to Louis' manner of presenting him in Interview, Armand comes out, in the own telling of his life, as initially, the innocent. We have, in Armand, the very essence of the vampire as he is molded; struggling between beliefs and loves and priorities but, most importantly, trying to find his place.
To those more versed in the series, I would risk noting that here is very much the explanation of why Armand appeared ever the figure of no true place of his own. His story, a tragic one at best, revolves mainly on his own and fortune's inconsistency.
A discipol to the magnetic Marius, and an unaware paretaker of the myth of Those Who Must be Kept, Armand's happiness is stolen by the Satan worshipping group that later install him as a leader. Returning us to the more present times, the book also presents the reasons as to how it is Armand still lives after the passings of Memnoch, and what has and will come of the vampire coven.
My personal recommendation is for one not to expect the full engaging action of the other books, nor the sweeping mystery. Armand is much more a tale of growth, of individualisation, of emotional evolution.
The sensual fragments, reminding one of Anne's gift for the aspect expressed more blatantly in Ramses, will tend to bemuse, in the least. A fifteen year old Amadeo is initiated by his master in more secrets than one, and this will, invariably, attract a few romantic details. While not directing to the intercourse in itself, the erotica is overwhelming, making of Armand a book not to be handed to the unexperienced hands or to those of not an open mind - but, then again, which of Anne's books are?
I would advice you for the read, if only for the historic ambiance. Capturing the Renaissance Italy with vivid detail, Anne puts her readers in the position of compounding a parallel between today's morality, and those of the past, without gloryfing the latter in some lecture of no end.
Again, I mention, this is not a book for action. Queen of the Damned, Tale of the Body Thief, even Lestat will prove more adequate in the field. But this book has the reader take a moment and think of a few things, and its effect shall, after a surprising amount of time, endure.
A must read for the fans of the series - but not necessarily Anne at her best.
Rating:
Summary: Amadeo, the Angel
Review: One of my favorites by Rice. Admonished by many for being trite, and slugish. Must be read with an open mind, and less comparison to greater works such as Queen and Memnoch. Readers follow Armand and his 500 year journey through Europe, and i believe the Middle East, into Present day New Orleans. Ravished are we with erotic stories of passionate love, and distraugt we are left when told of abandonment. Give this book a chance, you will not be disappointed.
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