Pandora

Rating:
Summary: Pandora - A New Age of Vampire Literature
Review: After years of anticipation, Anne Rice's latest novel, Pandora has finally been released, and it was beyond a doubt worth the wait. Rice has become famous over the past few decades because of the huge success of her Vampire chronicles series. The first book in the series, Interview With A vampire, made all of America fall in love with the novels intriguing lead characters Louis, Claudia, and most especially Lestat. Years later, after we all had become even more familiar with these characters after the phenomenal success of the rest of the Vampire chronicles series, Rice turned Interview with a vampire into a screenplay. The result was a major motion picture that finally gave a face and voice to the characters we had already come to know so well through Rice's ingenious writing style. Now the characters of Lestat, Louis, and Armand became images of Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Antonio Bandaras in our minds as our experience with the movie forever changed the way we read the text. I won't lie to you Ñ the movie was nowhere as good as the book. It is impossible though to fully translate those fantastical written images onto a screen. Also, the public might not have been ready for the intense eroticism prevalent in almost every chapter. The movie did cause an increase in America's knowledge of the existence of Anne Rice, though, which accompanied by the growing vampire craze (caused probably by mass role playing games and the wonderful writing of Buffy The Vampire slayer), has set the stage perfectly for the release of Pandora, Anne Rice's latest novel. Yes, Pandora is about the same vampire who was Marius' on and off flame throughout the Vampire chronicles. Beyond that though, we must set this novel completely apart from everything Anne Rice has written previously. Technically, Pandora is not a part of the aforementioned series. It is the first book in a new series called New Tales of vampires that is spun off from Vampire chronicles Upon inspection, Pandora was probably the perfect character to use in the first installment of the spin-off series. Her name was extremely prevalent for much of the last series, and gradually we would learn tiny bits of additional information about her. We knew Marius loved her. We knew that she was one of the most ancient, powerful vampires. We knew nothing but these basics though because she seemed eternally destined to the role of background character All this served to make the writing of Pandora's history a much sought after event. This new novel is not just about Pandora. It is also narrated by her Ñ making this yet another huge departure from the original vampire series. An Anne Rice book about vampires not narrated by Lestat? It is something almost shocking at first, and it will take people a while to get used to. Lestat fans will be dismayed to know that he barely gets a passing reference in this novel Ñ and is relegated to the very same realm that Pandora received in all his novels. It is actually extremely fitting, I suppose. I was always a huge fan of Lestat. His charisma and hilarious characteristics are what gave me a more well rounded scope of vampires. As a rabid Buffy The Vampire Slayer fan, I was for a long time simply conditioned to root for the good guy and against the bad guy. Anne Rice has blurred the lines for me though. Who is to say who the good guy really is? Isn't the vampire only doing what he needs to ensure his survival? This has nothing to do with romanticism Ñ it goes all the way back to when Darwin wrote about the origin of species. We all do what we need to survive, and those who don't, won't [survive]. Who are we to judge what others do to keep themselves alive? Such a compelling change of view on the part of the reader (especially a stubborn one such as myself) is added proof that the author is doing her job well. It takes a writer I think to fully appreciate the art of writing, and I got to say, when reading Pandora, as well as everything Rice has ever written Ñ I was in awe. Most of Pandora deals with her mortal existence. Set in ancient Rome during the rule of Augustus, the novel follows Pandora through life as she grows from a friendly little girl into an independent young woman. Along the way, we see how she is loved by all she comes across, yet strangely seems apart from all of them. In truth, much of the story seems to place her and the entire world around on a completely different track. She is in the middle of everything, yet she is a part of nothing. All that changes when she meets Marius, the one person she truly seems to connect with. He is older, charming, and gorgeous Ñ but does not meet the approval of her father. Disappointed yet obedient, Pandora accepts her father's wishes and accepts the possibility that she will never see Marius again. Years go by, and because of circumstances that I will leave for perspective readers to discover on their own, Pandora's entire life falls apart. Alone, and miserable, she begins to be plagued by mysterious dreams. She flees her homeland and winds up in Antioch, far away from the land where she once had everything. The dreams only grow stronger, and Pandora flees to the temple of the goddess Isis for help Ñ where she re-encounters a now vampiric Marius after years of separation. This is a romance that every reader will root for, and its culmination will be quite unlike anything anyone has ever seen before. From our knowledge of the earlier Lestat novels, we know that Pandora goes on to be a powerful vampire, still alive after two thousand years Ñ many of them apart from Marius. So, what makes all this occur? This is a story with more drama and curves than anything I've ever read before Ñ but you'll have to read the book and find out for yourself.

Rating:
Summary: Unexpected delight
Review: I admit I'm an obsessed Vampire Chronicles fan, but even if I weren't, I would really enjoy this book. This would be the book to give someone who says they don't like vampire stories or that Anne Rice is a bad writer. This book requires little knowledge of any of Riceh's previous vampire books and contains universal themes.

I thought I would hate this book, so when it came out, I skipped it. I had read the five previous vampire novels, but I skipped this one because I didn't think I would like Pandora and it was a "new tale" so I skipped it. I read The Vampire Armand (which I loved simply for being so much richer, not the short tale told here) but it wasn't until recently that I picked up the book and gave it a chance. I'm glad I did. It is beautifully written and a new take on the vampire experience, the human experience. It's a good look at the ancient world as well, although I think many readers give Rice too much credit for all his "historic research" because there are still lapses in here, but overall it's quite an intersesting look at life in ancient Rome and those times.

I would recommend this book to anyone but sexual puritans, people who are bored by history, or those people who can't handle philosophy. I also think Christians would be offended by this book.

Rating:
Summary: Pandora Is A Nice Break
Review: Don't get me wrong. I love Anne Rice, and the Vampire Chronicles are among my favorite books ever. However, in reading the other vampire books, one is ever re-reading things we already knew. When you read Lestat, Armand, Marius, and Louis, the tales are so intertwined that sometimes, it gets a little redundant. Pandora is a nice change. We don't know much about Pandora from the other books aside from the fact that she is old, and she is Marius' fledgling. When she recounts her life story for David Talbot in this book, it is refreshing in that sense, because it is entirely new, but it is also refreshing in the sense that Pandora is not as wimpy as her male counterparts. No, no, not the homoerotic thing. The weeping thing. How often do the male vampires weep at the sight of a Botticelli, or at the sound of a musical piece? They cry and lament over everything! Not Pandora. Pandora is made of tougher stuff. She has a backbone. Sure, she has a sensitive side. A very sensitive side. However, we know that she is not going to stain her dress with blood tears because she is lost in artwork or music. As usual, Rice makes you feel as though you are living in Ancient Rome, and her grip on historical accuracy is forever impressive to me. The story is not focused on how Pandora became a vampire so much as the events leading up to it, which is also a nice change because that story has been told before a number of times. The only reason that Pandora gets a 4 in my review is because it just seems that more could have been said. This is rarely a complaint I have about Anne Rice, but I wanted to know more details about her life between Marius and the modern era.

Rating:
Summary: Between Rome and Paris
Review: In this lustrous tale of romance, and macabre horror, Anne Rice tells the story of Pandora (whose given name was Lydia) in her first installment to 'The New Vampire Chronicles.' Being my first Anne Rice novel, I felt hesitant at first, yet as the story unwound it released my imagination to the foundations of the lead character and it was like nothing I've read before. The complexity of Rice's writing contributed to her intricate details of the Roman era and her love of history was evident in this novel. The character's thoughts and descriptions weaved a vivid picture of the settings with regard to the details and it was anything but bland. I gained respect to the charisma and intelligence of the lead character, even through her psychologically wounded past. Entwined with the poetry of Ovid and the cruelty of Tiberius, the Emperor of Rome it gave it a realistic quality. Though Akasha should have been mentioned more, her prescence thourghout the book was interesting. Overall, I believe this is a great beginning for Rice's new series with historical acuracy and the time frame fits perfectly into the plot. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Anne Rice or loves romance and horror.

Rating:
Summary: From an Anne Rice fanatic......
Review: When someone coined the phrase "Get a life" they may have been referring to us Rice fans. Or, maybe it's an "afterlife"....At any rate, I started the series backwards, first off. I was recommended Blackwood Farm here, on AMAZON . That was great,so I moved to the others in the series, paying no mind to the order they were to be read in. Guess what ? It really didnt matter. Any one could could pick up anywhere in the series and still love these tales. Pandora, one of the few really strong women of the night, takes us from our modern times, to the love of her human life, Marius (of Blood and Gold) You get a history of an age long gone, of Romans, pagen beliefs, the constrictions placed and freedoms allowed women of that era. The imagery is wonderful, descriptions lush without becoming boring. Pandora looses all she loves to start all over again, in a strange city, followed by a strange male figure, who is both her protector and maker. We meet Flavius, her servant, love ,and future fledgling. This book, I had it read in 3 nights, did not want to put it down. Unlike Vittorio, this is a story worth telling.

Rating:
Summary: Pandora
Review: Pandora is another well written vampire novel by Anne Rice. This book takes a diffrent turn then her vampire chronicles by not being a continuation to the series, but instead being the description of a vague character only mentioned in the rest of the series. Pandora is about the life of a strong woman who starts life in ancient Rome and then goes on to live through to our century because she received "the dark gift" from the one she loves most. If the beautiful imagery and characters arent enough to enrapture a reader, the intriguing story line should do it. This tale explores the mortal and immortal life of a young woman who refuses to conform, and shows her inner struggle to validate a lifestyle which requires the taking of human life. This short story is told to David Talbot (from the other vampire chgronicles) and is not only a history of her life (told by her) but also a personal reflection on time and life. This short tale only made me want to know more on the life and future of the inriguing character that is Pandora.

Rating:
Summary: New Chronicle, Old Vampires
Review: Although Anne Rice's book Pandora is placed into the category of "The New Vampire Chronicles", many of the main characters in the book were very familiar to me as an old Anne Rice fan.

The heroine, Pandora, was mentioned extensively in 'Queen of the Damned', which was Rice's mid-eighties third installment of the original Chronicles. Pandora's lover Marius was a main character in Rice's second Chronicle, 'The Vampire Lestat', as well as making appearances in 'Queen of the Damned'. I would suggest both of these books as appetizers to 'Pandora'.

'Pandora' introduces us to many new beings, both human and non-human, as it leads the reader on a journey through ancient Rome, Egypt and Greece.

I was completely taken by this book, and must admit that it is probably my favorite of the books that Rice has written so far (just began 'Merrick' today). Rice brings ancient Rome to life in all it's perverted glory. Lovers doomed to darkness, Pandora and Marius, are romantic as well as confounding. The book holds enticing secrets both new and old.

Never a dull moment lies within the pages of 'Pandora', and readers both familiar and unfamiliar with Rice's characters should have no problem following along.

Rating:
Summary: From an Anne Rice fanatic......
Review: When someone coined the phrase "Get a life" they may have been referring to us Rice fans. Or, maybe it's an "afterlife"....At any rate, I started the series backwards, first off. I was recommended Blackwood Farm here, on AMAZON . That was great,so I moved to the others in the series, paying no mind to the order they were to be read in. Guess what ? It really didnt matter. Any one could could pick up anywhere in the series and still love these tales. Pandora, one of the few really strong women of the night, takes us from our modern times, to the love of her human life, Marius (of Blood and Gold) You get a history of an age long gone, of Romans, pagen beliefs, the constrictions placed and freedoms allowed women of that era. The imagery is wonderful, descriptions lush without becoming boring. Pandora looses all she loves to start all over again, in a strange city, followed by a strange male figure, who is both her protector and maker. We meet Flavius, her servant, love ,and future fledgling. This book, I had it read in 3 nights, did not want to put it down. Unlike Vittorio, this is a story worth telling.

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional historical novel.
Review: The "autobiography" of the Vampire Pandora, who has appeared in "The Vampire Lestat" and "Queen of the Damned" as a minor character, is a fascinating look at the life of a woman in ancient Rome. It bears some stylistic similarities, and some similarities of plot and character, to the "Cynthia, Witch of Syracuse" stories of Dorothy J. Heydt that appear in Marion Zimmer Bradley's "Sword and Sorceress" series, but it is hardly derivative. There are also some similarities between the character of Pandora and that of Olivia, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's vampiric "childe" of Saint Germain. This book is delightfully well-written, and is a pleasure to read on many levels: powerfully moving story, interesting historical perspective, compelling philosophical insights, and fascinating characters. One of Anne Rice's best-written vampire novels.

Rating:
Summary: I love this book!
Review: My grandmother handed me this book and told me to read it. She said she didn't like it, but thought I might. I was skeptical at first, for I had never read anything by Anne Rice before. Let's just say this book is perfectly told with a voice that pulls you in. You can see what Pandora sees as you read. I am now on the hunt for anything by Anne Rice. ^_^