The Master of Rampling Gate

by Anne Rice

"Vook presents a powerful story by the undisputed Queen of Vampire Literature, Anne Rice. The Master of Rampling Gate is a chilling tale of vampiric seduction enhanced by seductive videos about vampires, the black plague, the gothic style, and Anne Rice herself.

Set in the gasslit streets of 1888 London and the wild moors of the countryside beyond, The Master of Rampling Gate tells the story of Julie, a young woman who becomes obsessed with the house her father swore her and her brother to tear down upon his death. Julie can't imagine what lies in wait at Rampling Gate, a spirit that haunted her father for years and now yearns for her flesh. The Master of Rampling Gate is a sublime love story in which Julie struggles to choose between the world of reason and rationality and the dark promises of a creature she is almost helpless to resist.

Experience this rare Anne Rice short story as a Vook. Read AND watch the heart pounding tale as you take a journey back in time to the late 1800s, a world of endless nights, secret passions and the promise of dark and nameless pleasures . "

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Short Stories, Vampires, Fiction, Paranormal, Gothic

42 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Anne Rice (born Howard Allen Frances O'Brien) was a best-selling American author of gothic, supernatural, historical, erotica, and later religious themed books. Best known for The Vampire Chronicles, her prevailing thematic focus is on love, death, immortality, existentialism, and the human condition. She was married to poet Stan Rice for 41 years until his death in 2002. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history.

Anne Rice passed on December 11, 2021 due to complications from a stroke. She was eighty years old at the time of her death.

She uses the pseudonym Anne Rampling for adult-themed fiction (i.e., erotica) and A.N. Roquelaure for fiction featuring sexually explicit sado-masochism.

Reviews

[✨Bean's Books✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't quite say that I liked this one. I did enjoy it yes but the vampires came too little too late, for a graphic novel this wasn't really very graphic, and I can't really say that I like the artwork too much. It is all watercolors and definitely goes with the ambiance but it's just not for me. I did like the story.

["Nico" · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is actually my favorite thing I've read by Anne Rice unless you count the Beauty Trilogy. Even then, the writing here is streamlined from her usual unending babbling (and I'm an Anne Rice FAN) and is thus vastly superior to her other works. I might get some hate for that opinion, but it's true.

Additionally, it is in the style of a good gothic story. I'm talking about the literary movement here, not the people who dress up and listen to Bella Lugosi's Dead (though I'm one of those too) or the Goth and VisiGoth tribes. I'm rather a fan of the gothic novel and short story- I'll read any of them you throw at me, even the ones that are utter tripe. Though the tripe-ish ones get poorer reviews. Also, alot of Classic Novels (HELLO WUTHERING HEIGHTS!) are in the gothic tradition and many people don't note it. All the more the pity.

Even if you hate Rice's normally Verbose style, give this short story a try. It's good, I promise, and even if you don't like it, you've wasted at most a half hour. ;)

Additionally, I've reread this several times, and it still has yet to loose it's luster to me.

[debbicat *made of stardust* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite enjoyable short story.

Re-read August 28, 2018. It’s available to listen to for free on audible right now and I decided to listen again while commuting. The narrator is exceptional. I really annoyed it. I am in the mood for gothics right now. Maybe it’s fall coming on. Highly recommended!

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read: September 2016

The Master of Rampling Gate is an early Anne Rice novella. It features a vampire, the eponymous 'master' but this story does not take place within The Vampire Chroncles. It is set in Victorian England and is a love story between a human woman and the vampire.

Really this is no more than a 2.5 - 3 star story but the version I read on my kindle featured short videos at the start of each chapter with snippets of an interview with Anne Rice, or with historians giving us little details about the Victorian era. I liked this format so much that I had to give it more stars as a result.

Rating: 4/5 stars

[Binx CuentaCuentos CuentaCuentos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Espero impaciente el momento en que esta historia sea el complemento de alguna otra novela de Anne Rice (mi autora favorita); porque de momento, la encontré, insípida, simplona y por tanto aburrida.

[Paula Cappa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story for its atmospheric, imaginative qualities, and drama--and of course the Anne Rice flavors we all love. Julie the main character is so loveable and charming and when she and her brother Richard go to their inherited estate, Rampling Gate outside of London, they discover more than a quiet home in the countryside. There is a mysterious intruder. The blind housekeeper is very clear that “No ghost would ever dare to trouble Rampling Gate.” Ha! What about an "unspeakable menace"? This is a terrific little read by a master writer of the genre. It's just a little bit of "quiet horror" that will surely please the appetite.

[Lobo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Opowiadanie tak doskonale konwencjonalne, że mogłoby się ukazać w "Blackwood Magazine" w szczycie jego popularności. Podoba mi się klimat, śmiałe, zdecydowane operowanie kliszkami i konwencjami literackimi i to, że w ten sposób, pozostając bardzo wierną pewnemu wzorcowi literackiemu, Rice wydobywa na wierzch to, co zwykle pozostaje niedopowiedziane w powieści gotyckiej czy wiktoriańskiej powieści grozy: pewien potencjał niewinnej bohaterki do czynienia zła, który jest tym właśnie elementem inicjującym destrukcję ustalonego porządku. Genialne, trafne i przewrotne. Biorąc pod uwagę, jak dobrze Rice poradziła sobie z opowiadaniem, żałuję, że nie popełniła więcej krótkich form.

[Hanna (lapetiteboleyn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally listen to audio books, but I genuinely enjoyed listening to this whilst doing some chores around the house. Gigi Marceau narrates this short story beautifully and really works with Anne Rice's quasi-victorian, Gothic tone. The story itself is extremely Victorian Gothic, and echoes a century of romantic vampire novels, told in Rice's unique way. The characters at times fall (very) flat and there's enough melodrama to fuel an entire Shakespeare company through a season or two, but that's also just Anne Rice and if you enjoy her novels then you'll enjoy this too.

[Armand · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 90's graphic tale is a faithful adaptation of the short story of the same name by Anne Rice. That one is dreamy and exquisite, and my only mark against it is that it's too short.

This illustrated form provides an alternative vista through which one can experience the tale, and it works marvelously. Colleen Doran's watercolors are more than up to par, and I especially enjoyed the vivid images of the sprawling estate of Rampling Gate and its magnificent interiors. And the wardrobe!

I'm rating it 7.5/10 or 4 stars out of 5.

[LaTonya Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't bad but it wasn't one of favorites. It was just okay!

[Regina Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Family of the Vourdelak but make it sexy!

[Mandee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This title is available for free on Audible as part of their Masters of Fiction series in their Channel section.

Classic Anne Rice! Enjoyable story that the only problem I had with it was that it was too short (the problem I usually have with short stories lol)

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rampling Gates has the presence of a character. Right from the beginning, it's obvious that's what the author was reaching for:

"But I was born in that house, as my father was, and his father before him. You must do it now, Richard. It has no claim on you. Tear it down."

In the first few pages, mrs Rice shows the extent of her experience, everything is set up rapidly, as it should in a short story. You have the overwhelming presence of the site, established by the father first, who observes it has a claim on him, and the by the theatrical first sight of it for the main character, the light reflecting on it giving the illusion that it is made of gold implying that it should be considered as wealth, perhaps even as being precious. There's also the mysteries surrounding Rampling Gate, first by their father's desire that it be destroyed without further explanation and second by the reminiscence of a particular night when all the pictures of Rampling Gates were taken down, and the extraordinarily precise reminiscence of a stranger who was only glimpse but provoked, by his mere presence in London, the father.

Before long, as expected, we find the main character settling in as she develops an irrepressible fondness for Rampling Gates. It got a smile to my lips when the main character exclaimed:

"Richard, it is an enchanted place."

Rampling Gates is depicted as a place of joy, happiness and sought after calm. Yet, it is implied that there is a hint of something disquieting as well. It is surreal:

"What was this place, really? A place, or merely a state of mind? What was it doing to my soul?"

I don't really mind the predictability of a story when it's skill fully done, and I'll even go so far as to say that I sometimes enjoys seeing the inner workings as the story deploys itself. It is the case with this story from Anne Rice. 20 years ago, I was under Anne Rice's charm, now I'm charmed by her skill as a writer more than by the story itself. I admire how perfectly she controls the story and therefore her readers, there's not much room to play with a short story so everything has to be tight, and in this case, it is.

I enjoy that of the two seductions taking place, it is the one of Rampling Gates that is more detailed, that is taking the longest, the second seduction happening fast as if to have been seduced by Rampling Gates is equal to having been seduced by it's master. It is suggested that Rampling Gates and it's master are one and the same.

The master, more of a classical vampire than Anne Rice has gotten us used to; the quick seduction enhancing that impression, as if he had hypnotised his victim, much like the classic vampire does in the older stories. Although we recognise the author in the suffering, the torment of the vampire. He is not quite a monster even if he reminds of the classical vampire in some ways.

All in all, a quick enjoyable story, notting memorable but written by a skilful author. I would give it a 3.5

[Kellie Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was actually very surprised by this book. It was written in the very same fashion that Anne Rice writes all of her literary works (faster pace, smooth flow, and a lot of detail). The main thing that I enjoyed about this story was though there was a lot of detail it did not drag this book out. Many of the reviews i had read previous to reading this were of people complaining about how short it was, however, in my opinion if this was any longer it would have been too dragged out and may have lost the interest of the reader.
I purchased this book as an enhanced e-book and it was worth the money! It included videos of Anne Rice's influences for writting this story, stating why she picked the setting and how she came up with the plot. You also learn a little bit about her family, as well as, some fun facts about Anne herself.
I recommend this story and definitely the enhanced version if you have a little bit of time in your busy day and would like a quick but enjoyable read that gives you a little escape from reality.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only complaint I have is that the book is to short. The vampire and the Rampling family could have been developed into a much longer novel. There are6 short videos attached to the book with interviews with Anne rice explaining the reasons why she wrote about vampires. This alone made it worth buying this book. The descriptions of the house, and the brief history of the times was as usual for her books really good.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm reading a Vook.
Part book, part video, Vook!
Interactive reading was great.
There are not many Vooks available but
try one if you can. I read mine on my
iPhone.

[Randy Eberle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing we haven't seen before from Anne Rice...just a much shorter version of it.

[Teresa White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a huge fan of short stories, but this one was Imaginative
and a good read.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written.

[A.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A father tells his son to tear down the ancestral family home, Rampling Gate, after his death, but his sister points out they have never even seen it. [look, if dad wanted it gone, he could've done it himself, eh?]

So off they go to see the house.

Julie has a distinct memory of seeing a beautiful young man on a train when she was very young, but her father's reaction was fear and then rage. Later, they overheard him telling their mother that 'he should not have left the house'. He?

The blind housekeeper swears she has seen nobody, and the villagers all seem to love the old house. The longer they stay there, the more they love it, too.

But... one night Julie sees a beautiful man in the study and she is sure it is the same young man she saw on the train, but her brother Richard can't see him.

No prizes for guessing what happens, it's Anne Rice, you know?

Julie becomes a vampire, her brother sells her the house, and gets around Dad's order - he only told the son to destroy the house - but she did seem to embrace the horror too fast, given he showed her his past; screaming plague babies and all. And the next minute she's like Yeah! Let's go suck on some prostitutes! wtf?

And isn't he her great great grand-something? is this incest?

I don't know; it was just missing something...

3 stars

[Ⰰⱃⰿⰰⱀⰴ Ⱆⰾⰴⰵⱃⰻⰽⱁ Ⱅⰵⱄⰾⰰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zagrebačka naklada
Zagreb, 2008.
Prijevod: Sanja Petriška
Unutar tvrdih korica "Horor priča za laku noć".
Jezik je ok, bez izraženije razine jezične aktualizacije, ali ipak uspijeva ostvariti atmosferičnost i živopisnost teksta. Jezik se može dovesti u vezu, posebno uzevši u obzir sadržaj, s "didaskalijama" u stripovima Dylan Doga.
Sadržaj se fokusira na toposu ljubavi vampira i nevampirice.
Hasta luego!

[Glen Engel-Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A seduction story, but then, most vampire stories have some tinge of that at the core, often the temptation of living longer, but at a cost. The seduction here is that, but it is also the place, the house, the manor, of Rampling Gate, and what it means to stay in the family. Rice had a knack for very evocative and detailed prose that was lush, but not overly so—well, at least not in these early stories. Her style in later books would become much more embellished.

[Luciana Nery · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had never read anything by Ann Rice, and as this was a short story, gave it a try. Was in the mood for an horror story in a haunted house.

Er, this is just embarrasing. Ultra-romantic and formulaic. I was not expecting deep literature, but then I was not also expecting it to be so dull and unimaginative. Oh well.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not for me. The characters and the narration were just too precious. Anne Rice is not for the fans of the classic vampire tale, where living corpses are seen as unpleasant and get staked in the end. She revels in the lust for blood and equates it to passion and love. This makes it too 'romance novel' for me. This story had no depth and no real payoff.

[Poem · Rating 2 out of 5]

A novella with a strong Gothic- Victorian vibe. The development of the prose was a bit rushed in my opinion; it could have been longer but I enjoyed it for the atmosphere and mystery permeating every page.

[Reg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Typical vampire Rice. It was well done, of course, but there didn't seem to be much in the way of plot and it was over before it really caught my interest. Doesn't really stand out against the rest of her work.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This year I acquired a Vampire Anthology called The Vampire Archives. I haven't gotten to read any Anne Rice before this. However, if this is a good sample of what her work is like I will be reading more of her work.

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written but not my cup of tea. I was unbearably bored with this story.

[Allan van der Heiden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really shallow fiction. Not very descriptive and missing the usual in-depth story you’d expect from Rice.

[Margareta · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good comics to relax during a break or after a long day
I wish it were more elaborate and with more skeletons in the closet though