The Tale of the Body Thief

by Anne Rice

In The Tale Of The Body Thief, Rice's fourth episode of the Vampire Chronicles, Lestat, a vampire-hero rock star and seducer of millions, yearns to be reborn as a mortal. Tormented, he wanders the globe aimlessly until he meets the Body Thief.

430 pages, Hardcover

Published October 4, 1992

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

[Kimber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite installment of The Vampire Chronicles. This is my third time reading The Body Thief, now as someone who is much older who can fully understand the severity of Lestats interest in being a human, in giving up immortality and seeking out simpler pleasures in life. The little things matter, orange juice and bad spaghetti are a few which our lovely MC experiences for the first time. But then we see how when he becomes ill, with the flu of all things, begins to detest being human while being the most inhumane and romantic walking contradiction I have ever read about. I love Lestat and hate him for betraying David - our sheer stupidity and jealously. All in all, worth a read. Absolutely lovely. Especially the theological debate with Gretchen and the love he had for her. Just - omg. Absolutely love this book.


Bonus: first time reading the audio book and the narration was ✨ heaven sent ✨

[Evan Lidestri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne’s books are fun and weird. This is probably the pulpiest of the early novels. If Anne Rice wrote a cross between Freaky Friday and Weekend at Bernie’s, you will get Tale of The Body Thief. It’s brooding and touching and even more gay than the first three books. It gives an Ian Mckellan and Brendan Fraser in Gods and Monsters kind of vibe. Also: Lestat is a douche, but has great taste in clothes and is only redeemable in that he now has a dog companion — which is correct.

[Jude · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hateful. I hope wherever Anne Rice is she's rotting

[Amira Mata · Rating 2 out of 5]

a bit random compared to the first three books in the vampire chronicles. it really was just one of Lestat’s lil adventures, causing mischief and mayhem per usual. I did enjoy getting the development of Lestat and David’s relationship & look forward to their future.
very interesting to know that lestat is virtually indestructible now as well.

[Sophie Deal · Rating 4 out of 5]

No matter how strange Anne Rice's books become, I am yet to find myself anything but completely and utterly satisfied after reading them. This book was BIZARRE. So bizarre. But god, it was flavorful, delicious, and worth the read. I might have enjoyed this more than The Vampire Lestat.

[George Million · Rating 3 out of 5]

wasn't my favorite

[Eddy Estrella · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of My favorites on the chronicles, maybe not the most erotic or gore, but is the most sensitive and human, with the answer of being human again