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The Vampire Chronicles #8
Kan ve Altın
Bir zamanlar Roma İmparatorluğu'nda gururlu bir senatör olan Marius, bir grup Kelt rahibi tarafından kaçırılır ve kanın karanlık dünyasına katılmaya zorlanarak, tüm vampirlerin doğaüstü özünü kendilerinde barındıran Kral ve Kraliçe'nin koruyucusu olur. Bu soylu vampirin gözlerinden pagan Roma'nın, imparator Konstantine tarafından yıkılışını, Sonsuzluk Şehri'nin Vizigotlar tarafından gözden düşürülüşünü ve Veba Salgını'nın ardından yaşanan acıları izleriz. Sonunda Rönesansın güzelliği ile bir ressam olan Marius, tehlikeli bir şekilde tıpkı bir ölümlü gibi ölümlülerin arasında yaşamaya başlar. Kalbini büyük ressam Botticelli'ye, büyüleyici Bianca'ya ve gizemli genç izdeşi Armand'a verir.
Bütün bunların ötesinde sonsuz aşkı, bir ölümle iken tanıdığı Pandora'yı binlerce yıl boyunca arar durur.
Ancak Marius'u, dünyanın en eski vampiri ile bir adalet arayışı savaşına sokacak acımasız ve tehlikeli bir kader beklemektedir...
Bütün bunların ötesinde sonsuz aşkı, bir ölümle iken tanıdığı Pandora'yı binlerce yıl boyunca arar durur.
Ancak Marius'u, dünyanın en eski vampiri ile bir adalet arayışı savaşına sokacak acımasız ve tehlikeli bir kader beklemektedir...
520 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
607 people are currently reading
28540 people want to read
About the author
Anne Rice
495 books27.6k followersAnne 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.
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.
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March 29, 2025
No matter how long we exist, we have our memories. Points in time which time itself cannot erase. Suffering may distort my backward glances, but even to suffering, some memories will yield nothing of their beauty or their splendor. Rather they remain as hard as gems.
Blood and Gold ~~ Anne Rice
I've decided to revisit my past by diving ~~ once more ~~ into The Vampire Chronicles
When Anne Rice died, I was incredibly sad. I first read Anne Rice at 13 ~~ soon I devoured everything of hers that she had written. Rice shaped me not only as a reader, but as a person. She unlocked an entirely new world for me as I traveled with Lestat and Amadeo, Marius and Pandora. Rice put into words how I secretly felt.
I read the Vampire Chronicles in order ~~ Lives of the Mayfair Witches too. Interspersed among these reads, I read Rice’s stand alone novels. The best of these was Cry to Heaven , now a lesser known work of Rice’s. In fact, it may be Rice’s best work.
Later, when she turned her back on horror and made her highly publicized return to Catholicism, I tried to read Rice’s The Songs of the Seraphim series, but they were terrible. The magic was gone. The writing had become preachy. And just like that she abandoned Christianity and returned horror. I read Prince Lestat but sadly, Rice was simply repeating herself. Then, Rice began to harass her critics, encouraging her fans to publicly attack those who poorly reviewed her books. Her fans terrorized her detractors. Lastly, she began to focus more and more on promoting her son's work as she slowly withdrew from the world. I had outgrown Anne Rice. Despite all this, I feel like a part of my youth had been taken from me with her passing.
And now, back to Blood and Gold
When I first read Blood and Gold, I found it to be average ~~ I'm not certain why. On this reread, I loved it. Finally, we get the backstory of Marius, while the stories of Pandora, Amadeo and Bianca are fleshed out.
Here is the story of Marius, patrician by birth, scholar by choice, one of the oldest vampires in existence, which sweeps from his genesis in ancient Rome, in the time of the Emperor Augustus, to his meeting in the present day with a creature of snow and ice, Thorne. Thorne is a Northern vampire in search of Maharet ~~ his maker ~~ the ancient Egyptian vampire queen who holds him and others in thrall with chains made of her red hair ~~ bound with steel and with her blood and gold.
When the Visigoths sack his city, Marius is there; with the resurgence of the glory that was Rome, he is there, still searching for his lost love Pandora, but bewitched in turn by Botticelli, the Renaissance beauty Bianca, with her sordid secrets, and the boy he calls Amadeo ~~ otherwise known as the Vampire Armand). Criss-crossing through the stories of other vampires from Rice's glorious pantheon of the undead ~~ always haunted by Pandora ~~ by his alter ego Mael, tracked by the Talamasca. The tale of Marius ~~ the guardian of Those who must be kept is a wondrous tale of the damned.
Blood and Gold ~~ Anne Rice
I've decided to revisit my past by diving ~~ once more ~~ into The Vampire Chronicles
When Anne Rice died, I was incredibly sad. I first read Anne Rice at 13 ~~ soon I devoured everything of hers that she had written. Rice shaped me not only as a reader, but as a person. She unlocked an entirely new world for me as I traveled with Lestat and Amadeo, Marius and Pandora. Rice put into words how I secretly felt.
I read the Vampire Chronicles in order ~~ Lives of the Mayfair Witches too. Interspersed among these reads, I read Rice’s stand alone novels. The best of these was Cry to Heaven , now a lesser known work of Rice’s. In fact, it may be Rice’s best work.
Later, when she turned her back on horror and made her highly publicized return to Catholicism, I tried to read Rice’s The Songs of the Seraphim series, but they were terrible. The magic was gone. The writing had become preachy. And just like that she abandoned Christianity and returned horror. I read Prince Lestat but sadly, Rice was simply repeating herself. Then, Rice began to harass her critics, encouraging her fans to publicly attack those who poorly reviewed her books. Her fans terrorized her detractors. Lastly, she began to focus more and more on promoting her son's work as she slowly withdrew from the world. I had outgrown Anne Rice. Despite all this, I feel like a part of my youth had been taken from me with her passing.
And now, back to Blood and Gold
When I first read Blood and Gold, I found it to be average ~~ I'm not certain why. On this reread, I loved it. Finally, we get the backstory of Marius, while the stories of Pandora, Amadeo and Bianca are fleshed out.
Here is the story of Marius, patrician by birth, scholar by choice, one of the oldest vampires in existence, which sweeps from his genesis in ancient Rome, in the time of the Emperor Augustus, to his meeting in the present day with a creature of snow and ice, Thorne. Thorne is a Northern vampire in search of Maharet ~~ his maker ~~ the ancient Egyptian vampire queen who holds him and others in thrall with chains made of her red hair ~~ bound with steel and with her blood and gold.
When the Visigoths sack his city, Marius is there; with the resurgence of the glory that was Rome, he is there, still searching for his lost love Pandora, but bewitched in turn by Botticelli, the Renaissance beauty Bianca, with her sordid secrets, and the boy he calls Amadeo ~~ otherwise known as the Vampire Armand). Criss-crossing through the stories of other vampires from Rice's glorious pantheon of the undead ~~ always haunted by Pandora ~~ by his alter ego Mael, tracked by the Talamasca. The tale of Marius ~~ the guardian of Those who must be kept is a wondrous tale of the damned.
August 23, 2017
Otro personaje entrañable que sin él no habría crónicas...
Ese mundo de ser un patricio adinerado es muy interesante, y todavía más el conocer hasta el último detalle sobre este ser inmortal que se ha convertido en leyenda entre los menos poderosos.
Me encanta que Anne nos traslade a hechos y momentos muy específicos en la historia añadiendo su dosis de ficción que encajan a la perfección, y que disfruto mucho leer.
Conocemos los amores de si vida y que sucede con el resto de los inmortales que ya conocemos y adoramos.
Ese mundo de ser un patricio adinerado es muy interesante, y todavía más el conocer hasta el último detalle sobre este ser inmortal que se ha convertido en leyenda entre los menos poderosos.
Me encanta que Anne nos traslade a hechos y momentos muy específicos en la historia añadiendo su dosis de ficción que encajan a la perfección, y que disfruto mucho leer.
Conocemos los amores de si vida y que sucede con el resto de los inmortales que ya conocemos y adoramos.
February 13, 2023
"What a tolerant one you are. You truly want to listen." Marius nodded. "I listen with my whole soul." He gave a little sigh and he looked out through the immense glass. "I'm weary of being alone, my friend," he said. "I cannot bear the company of those whom I know most intimately. And they cannot bear mine on account of things I've done."
~
"I needed them as they needed each other. As I needed Pandora. But I lived the lie. I lived it out of anger. This is what I'm trying to tell you. I have lived lies. I have done it again and again. I live lies because I cannot endure the weakness of anger, and I cannot admit the irrationality of love.
Oh, the lies that I have told myself and others. I knew it yet I didn't know."
Oh the angst. I'm not sure what it is, but there's something about the thread of existential angst running through Anne Rice's books that I emotionally connect with. 2022 was interesting for me, personally. Many people from my past started to show up in surprising ways - some I hadn't seen in over 10 years. Reconnecting felt good with some...Though it started to become ridiculous. By the end of the year I was ready for the surprise reunions to stop. The most random people from 7-10 years ago would pop up out from nowhere and take me by surprise. So, while reading this in 2022 I was able to connect with Marius' angst when it came to reminiscing on the past, at least in the very beginning of the book.
However, this changed. As I read further Marius became a let-down and emotionally exhausting. How he triangulated Pandora with the vampire queen? Devalued Pandora when they were together to then put Pandora on a pedestal after she left him? It came across as pathetic to me. I expected so much more from Marius after getting to know his character through Lestat's eyes in The Vampire Lestat.
Yet this is also what makes Anne Rice's books brilliant imo. Her ability to get me to see characters and situations differently by exploring scenarios through a different character's pov. I like how Anne Rice explored relationship dynamics through the lens of immortal vampires. Is it melodramatic as hell? Absolutely. Yet it's a creative way to explore human emotions while safely distancing yourself from ugly truths. We all have our own emotional worlds that color our experiences in different ways than others. We all live in our own realities that are often very different from our loved ones' realities. And failing to connect - bridge that gap - can lead to separations like the one between Marius & Pandora as well as Louis & Lestat. I've never seen another author capture this facet of relationships quite as well as Anne Rice. I still vividly remember how shocked I was to see Louis so differently while reading The Vampire Lestat compared to how I viewed him in Interview.
Part of me wonders how I would've interpreted this if I had discovered Blood and Gold as an adolescent. As an adult, I'm convinced the vampire queen represents the archetype of the evil mother in law from hell. Both the vampire king and queen and their relationship to Marius represent to me what it can be like taking care of aging parents (indeed, I'm still wondering what kind of relationship Anne Rice had with her husband and in laws). I don't even want to further analyze Marius. He's self-righteous, has pigeon-holed himself in this role of taking care of the vampire parents, and mainly whines throughout the entire book about losing Pandora.
I'm looking forward to finishing Pandora. Read her perspective and I hope Anne Rice included more info about her relationship with that vampire in the Middle East that had a brief appearance in Queen of the Damned.
~
"I needed them as they needed each other. As I needed Pandora. But I lived the lie. I lived it out of anger. This is what I'm trying to tell you. I have lived lies. I have done it again and again. I live lies because I cannot endure the weakness of anger, and I cannot admit the irrationality of love.
Oh, the lies that I have told myself and others. I knew it yet I didn't know."
Oh the angst. I'm not sure what it is, but there's something about the thread of existential angst running through Anne Rice's books that I emotionally connect with. 2022 was interesting for me, personally. Many people from my past started to show up in surprising ways - some I hadn't seen in over 10 years. Reconnecting felt good with some...Though it started to become ridiculous. By the end of the year I was ready for the surprise reunions to stop. The most random people from 7-10 years ago would pop up out from nowhere and take me by surprise. So, while reading this in 2022 I was able to connect with Marius' angst when it came to reminiscing on the past, at least in the very beginning of the book.
However, this changed. As I read further Marius became a let-down and emotionally exhausting. How he triangulated Pandora with the vampire queen? Devalued Pandora when they were together to then put Pandora on a pedestal after she left him? It came across as pathetic to me. I expected so much more from Marius after getting to know his character through Lestat's eyes in The Vampire Lestat.
Yet this is also what makes Anne Rice's books brilliant imo. Her ability to get me to see characters and situations differently by exploring scenarios through a different character's pov. I like how Anne Rice explored relationship dynamics through the lens of immortal vampires. Is it melodramatic as hell? Absolutely. Yet it's a creative way to explore human emotions while safely distancing yourself from ugly truths. We all have our own emotional worlds that color our experiences in different ways than others. We all live in our own realities that are often very different from our loved ones' realities. And failing to connect - bridge that gap - can lead to separations like the one between Marius & Pandora as well as Louis & Lestat. I've never seen another author capture this facet of relationships quite as well as Anne Rice. I still vividly remember how shocked I was to see Louis so differently while reading The Vampire Lestat compared to how I viewed him in Interview.
Part of me wonders how I would've interpreted this if I had discovered Blood and Gold as an adolescent. As an adult, I'm convinced the vampire queen represents the archetype of the evil mother in law from hell. Both the vampire king and queen and their relationship to Marius represent to me what it can be like taking care of aging parents (indeed, I'm still wondering what kind of relationship Anne Rice had with her husband and in laws). I don't even want to further analyze Marius. He's self-righteous, has pigeon-holed himself in this role of taking care of the vampire parents, and mainly whines throughout the entire book about losing Pandora.
I'm looking forward to finishing Pandora. Read her perspective and I hope Anne Rice included more info about her relationship with that vampire in the Middle East that had a brief appearance in Queen of the Damned.
December 14, 2008
The first Anne Rice book I read was The Mummy or Ramses the Damned. I was in the 8th grade. I loved it, and tried to read Interview with the Vampire but never finished it.
Almost five years later, I was in Sestriere, Italy, a small mountain town outside of Torino, near the French and Swiss borders. I was there for almost a week, and it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in my entire life. I could spend hundreds of words describing it all, but I'm getting off track. It was the end of my European jaunt with Nana, and I had exhausted the last of my cache of books on the train from Milan to Torino. I raided Nana's, and the only applealing option was the newest Anne Rice paperback, Blood and Gold.
I curled up in my bed with my new book, not exactly looking forward to it, but knowing it was better than nothing. But once I started, I couldn't stop, and finished it sometime around 4 am the next morning. I can't explain how I could suddenly be completely sucked in to this world, but when I got home, I raided my friend's collection of Vampire Chronicle books.
I've read them all, except Interview. That confuses many people, but I just can't get into it. All four main characters - Louis, Lestat, Claudia and Daniel - appear in other books, I'm familiar with the plot points, and don't think it's necessary. I just really don't think it's a very good book. I much prefer the characters' appearances in the other books.
I've loved many of the other selections in the series, but none quite as much as I love Blood and Gold. For me, it's the true last contribution to the Vampire Chronicles, even though two or three more books were published. (Those stories were Mayfair Witches crossovers, and I did not enjoy them very much.) It's Marius' story, and he and Armand are by far my favorite of the characters (followed closely by Lestat, who also plays a big role in Marius' story). Marius is very close to being the oldest vampire of the group, so his maturity and authority are to be expected. However, his immaturity and childishness are surprising elements, and those unforeseen qualities are some the reasons he is so interesting to read about. I've read it three times so far, and if I could give it another star, I would.
Almost five years later, I was in Sestriere, Italy, a small mountain town outside of Torino, near the French and Swiss borders. I was there for almost a week, and it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in my entire life. I could spend hundreds of words describing it all, but I'm getting off track. It was the end of my European jaunt with Nana, and I had exhausted the last of my cache of books on the train from Milan to Torino. I raided Nana's, and the only applealing option was the newest Anne Rice paperback, Blood and Gold.
I curled up in my bed with my new book, not exactly looking forward to it, but knowing it was better than nothing. But once I started, I couldn't stop, and finished it sometime around 4 am the next morning. I can't explain how I could suddenly be completely sucked in to this world, but when I got home, I raided my friend's collection of Vampire Chronicle books.
I've read them all, except Interview. That confuses many people, but I just can't get into it. All four main characters - Louis, Lestat, Claudia and Daniel - appear in other books, I'm familiar with the plot points, and don't think it's necessary. I just really don't think it's a very good book. I much prefer the characters' appearances in the other books.
I've loved many of the other selections in the series, but none quite as much as I love Blood and Gold. For me, it's the true last contribution to the Vampire Chronicles, even though two or three more books were published. (Those stories were Mayfair Witches crossovers, and I did not enjoy them very much.) It's Marius' story, and he and Armand are by far my favorite of the characters (followed closely by Lestat, who also plays a big role in Marius' story). Marius is very close to being the oldest vampire of the group, so his maturity and authority are to be expected. However, his immaturity and childishness are surprising elements, and those unforeseen qualities are some the reasons he is so interesting to read about. I've read it three times so far, and if I could give it another star, I would.
August 5, 2012
Shall I say Marius de Romanus is my new favorite vampire, in all of his oozing sensuality? Why, yes.
Reading this book made me excited to reread The Vampire Chronicles. I have to admit, I actually found myself falling in love with Marius, or at least developing a crush on him, towards the end of the book. Oh, how I would gladly pin a poster of this Ancient Roman Blood Drinker to my wall if ever they made one of him.
Besides, Anne Rice's perpetual glorifying sensuality found so prominently in almost all of her books and "luxurious, sumptuous, and the finest material of everything (of course, what else am I to expect when reading an Anne Rice novel?), there is also a very simplified history lesson. By this I mean, a very watered-down version through the eyes of a centuries-old Blood Drinker, of the rise and fall of Rome, the creation of Constantinople, the subsequent Dark Ages, and the Renaissance.
This has been, by far that I can remember, one of my most favorite books of the Vampire Chronicles series.
Reading this book made me excited to reread The Vampire Chronicles. I have to admit, I actually found myself falling in love with Marius, or at least developing a crush on him, towards the end of the book. Oh, how I would gladly pin a poster of this Ancient Roman Blood Drinker to my wall if ever they made one of him.
Besides, Anne Rice's perpetual glorifying sensuality found so prominently in almost all of her books and "luxurious, sumptuous, and the finest material of everything (of course, what else am I to expect when reading an Anne Rice novel?), there is also a very simplified history lesson. By this I mean, a very watered-down version through the eyes of a centuries-old Blood Drinker, of the rise and fall of Rome, the creation of Constantinople, the subsequent Dark Ages, and the Renaissance.
This has been, by far that I can remember, one of my most favorite books of the Vampire Chronicles series.
August 30, 2018
I'm kind of glad I waited more than a year to read this book after having read the first eight, plus the Mayfair Witches book all pretty much right in a row. I think I would have found the parts where Marius is retelling things that Lestat told us in The Vampire Lestat and that Armand told us in The Vampire Armand rather boring and repetitive. As it was, it was a nice reminder of things I'd forgotten, and I was able to jump right back in without re-reading, which would have been quite the undertaking.
I've always really admired the wisdom and even temper of Marius, particularly in The Queen of the Damned and although we knew a little of him from the two previously mentioned books, it was a treat to have his story fleshed out even more and his perspective shown on things we already knew the other side of. It's unfortunate that the character of Thorne emerges from the ice apparently only to listen to Marius tell a 500-page story and then complete a couple of acts no other previously introduced character would have been able to. I would have liked to have known more about him; the climax of this tale might have meant more or had more feeling for me. As it was, it was a little bit of a let down. I was feeling like awarding this book three stars because of that feeling, but sitting down to write about it has induced me to add back the fourth star I was intending to give it right before I came to the end. Had the ending been more exciting or satisfying, I probably would've given 4.5 stars. As it stands, it's a good, full, tale of history and blood and a fascinating vampire with a rather lame last three chapters. I hope that's a set-up for something more interesting, but it seems the next book in this series takes an entirely different tack. I am looking forward to completing this author's vampire-related works in their entirety.
I've always really admired the wisdom and even temper of Marius, particularly in The Queen of the Damned and although we knew a little of him from the two previously mentioned books, it was a treat to have his story fleshed out even more and his perspective shown on things we already knew the other side of. It's unfortunate that the character of Thorne emerges from the ice apparently only to listen to Marius tell a 500-page story and then complete a couple of acts no other previously introduced character would have been able to. I would have liked to have known more about him; the climax of this tale might have meant more or had more feeling for me. As it was, it was a little bit of a let down. I was feeling like awarding this book three stars because of that feeling, but sitting down to write about it has induced me to add back the fourth star I was intending to give it right before I came to the end. Had the ending been more exciting or satisfying, I probably would've given 4.5 stars. As it stands, it's a good, full, tale of history and blood and a fascinating vampire with a rather lame last three chapters. I hope that's a set-up for something more interesting, but it seems the next book in this series takes an entirely different tack. I am looking forward to completing this author's vampire-related works in their entirety.
October 18, 2012
I love a story - a good story. I read to escape, yes but even then, even when I pick up a book with the intention of running away – I end up, well thinking about the book. I read to study, relate to or learn from characters, story lines plots, drama. I don’t read to just read, make my chalk mark and on to the next book.
I enjoy books that I can savor – take my time over, and I truly love sharing the reading experience – so when someone mentions a book they love, I’m apt to pick it up.
And so I did
Did I mention I love to savor a book? Blood and Gold failed me on that score – only in the context that I was up way too late at night reading this week. I didn’t start out that way – honestly. I was taking my time, watching the language, getting to know the character.
There was a particularly unnerving scene where an age old vampire is literally killed – the process very unpleasant. I’ll confess I tip-toed away from the book for a day or two – but I couldn’t stand it and had to “fine out what happens next.”
And then I became a train wreck. Up until midnight – then the next night up until one AM – people at work gave me pitying looks – the next night – okay I fell asleep but last night I finished it.
A. I’m in love with Marius
B. I hate Marius
The immortal who did not lose his “human soul.” Nor did he lose his humanity at all. His loves were incredible and I found myself on this roller coaster experience falling in love when he did, feeling dizzy – and then suddenly hitting a brick wall. A thick brick wall.
Now – only to stop my stoning from Marius fans – and I can only imagine they are many…I’m going to state right here a very personal fact. I have always and I will always love older men. I adore them. When in my twenties I denied in publicly – which only made me a public liar that is all. In my thirties I felt that my attraction to older men would fade. Nope. Now in my forties – that’s all I want to date and yes the few relationships I’ve had time for -they were older than me by 15 to 20 years.
Soooooo….
He used that young girl. And if you read the book – you know who I’m talking about (B) He fell in love with a young man, shipwrecked him, I felt, in his denial of her. He used her again – made her vampire – and then I thought - thought - mind you, at last, at last…but no. He deceived her – and a deceit is worse than a lie. A deceit is fear. A deceit is hedging your bet. He did not want to be alone - He use this young beautiful creature to get to the love of his life. If it doesn’t work out – well he still had someone who loved him. But love doesn’t work like that – she loved this older man, this teacher, brother, father, lover –she loved him so much she could not feel jealousy – she wanted him to have what he needed. She needed only one thing – loyalty – and he failed her.
Oh – I thought – oh so human and I began to hate that I was reading this book. Hate that this fantasy was too much like reality. I’ve been deceived and I have deceived and sitting there into the late hours of the night with an Anne Rice novel reminding me that ink and pen characters are just as pathetic as my own mind – well I might as well have been reading any paperback sporting the Pulitzer or the Nobel.
Does that mean I hated the book? No, I did not. Actually I enjoyed the book very very much. I took exception of some of the usage, characterization – I felt was not done with enough care. I saw the author in a few phrases and it unnerved me – but again only because I felt the character of Marius deserved more care.
It was a good read. And I found myself today, thinking of Marius – the different plots, the sub plots, his incredible intelligence, his vulnerability – bordering on naiveté – I thought of him while I walked under autumn colored leaves, and the deep blue sky. When a character gets into your head like that – it was a good book.
I enjoy books that I can savor – take my time over, and I truly love sharing the reading experience – so when someone mentions a book they love, I’m apt to pick it up.
And so I did
Did I mention I love to savor a book? Blood and Gold failed me on that score – only in the context that I was up way too late at night reading this week. I didn’t start out that way – honestly. I was taking my time, watching the language, getting to know the character.
There was a particularly unnerving scene where an age old vampire is literally killed – the process very unpleasant. I’ll confess I tip-toed away from the book for a day or two – but I couldn’t stand it and had to “fine out what happens next.”
And then I became a train wreck. Up until midnight – then the next night up until one AM – people at work gave me pitying looks – the next night – okay I fell asleep but last night I finished it.
A. I’m in love with Marius
B. I hate Marius
The immortal who did not lose his “human soul.” Nor did he lose his humanity at all. His loves were incredible and I found myself on this roller coaster experience falling in love when he did, feeling dizzy – and then suddenly hitting a brick wall. A thick brick wall.
Now – only to stop my stoning from Marius fans – and I can only imagine they are many…I’m going to state right here a very personal fact. I have always and I will always love older men. I adore them. When in my twenties I denied in publicly – which only made me a public liar that is all. In my thirties I felt that my attraction to older men would fade. Nope. Now in my forties – that’s all I want to date and yes the few relationships I’ve had time for -they were older than me by 15 to 20 years.
Soooooo….
He used that young girl. And if you read the book – you know who I’m talking about (B) He fell in love with a young man, shipwrecked him, I felt, in his denial of her. He used her again – made her vampire – and then I thought - thought - mind you, at last, at last…but no. He deceived her – and a deceit is worse than a lie. A deceit is fear. A deceit is hedging your bet. He did not want to be alone - He use this young beautiful creature to get to the love of his life. If it doesn’t work out – well he still had someone who loved him. But love doesn’t work like that – she loved this older man, this teacher, brother, father, lover –she loved him so much she could not feel jealousy – she wanted him to have what he needed. She needed only one thing – loyalty – and he failed her.
Oh – I thought – oh so human and I began to hate that I was reading this book. Hate that this fantasy was too much like reality. I’ve been deceived and I have deceived and sitting there into the late hours of the night with an Anne Rice novel reminding me that ink and pen characters are just as pathetic as my own mind – well I might as well have been reading any paperback sporting the Pulitzer or the Nobel.
Does that mean I hated the book? No, I did not. Actually I enjoyed the book very very much. I took exception of some of the usage, characterization – I felt was not done with enough care. I saw the author in a few phrases and it unnerved me – but again only because I felt the character of Marius deserved more care.
It was a good read. And I found myself today, thinking of Marius – the different plots, the sub plots, his incredible intelligence, his vulnerability – bordering on naiveté – I thought of him while I walked under autumn colored leaves, and the deep blue sky. When a character gets into your head like that – it was a good book.
November 15, 2018
Not the worst (see 'Memnoch' for that) but certainly the most boring of all the Chronicles so far. I pretty much gave up on the series after 'Queen', but since I bought the whole lot, I'm wading through it still. However, it took me this long to realise that the problem with Rice's writing is that there is no beginning, middle and end. Funnily enough, real life biographies have more sense of a dramatic arc than this book, for example. The 'exotic' settings have become old hat pretty much since the second book and even if Marius is Rice's most developed character as some here claim--although I'm not sure--his predicament is also pretty much a rehash of whatever the other characters in the series have gone through in their respective tales. Also, the secondary characters in this book become real mainly through the fact that the knowledgeable reader connects them with earlier books in the series. Not worth the 570 pages. And don't these vampires ever shut up?
September 7, 2018
Boring to say the least.
In this book we are told the story of Marius from his own lips as he explains it to a newly risen vampire named Thorne. His story was already captioned and a couple of the previous books.
Perhaps I liked his story better as a caption instead of in full. Instead of wise he comes off to me as very pretentious and self-righteous. His story is boring because he is always in the right about everything and everyone else is in the wrong. And at first glance this may sound like the story of Lestat however he differs from Lestat in the fact that he's not comical and bratty. Instead he is simply just always the victor in every circumstance.
Though it is beautifully written like the rest of the series, I have to say I did not enjoy this book very much and found it a rather daunting read. I am hoping that the next few books are better but as I'm heading into number 7 my hopes are not very high at this point.
In this book we are told the story of Marius from his own lips as he explains it to a newly risen vampire named Thorne. His story was already captioned and a couple of the previous books.
Perhaps I liked his story better as a caption instead of in full. Instead of wise he comes off to me as very pretentious and self-righteous. His story is boring because he is always in the right about everything and everyone else is in the wrong. And at first glance this may sound like the story of Lestat however he differs from Lestat in the fact that he's not comical and bratty. Instead he is simply just always the victor in every circumstance.
Though it is beautifully written like the rest of the series, I have to say I did not enjoy this book very much and found it a rather daunting read. I am hoping that the next few books are better but as I'm heading into number 7 my hopes are not very high at this point.
September 14, 2014
Thorne, his long sleep interrupted by the waking and rampaging of the Vampire Queen Akasha, is now driven to find the one who made him, the one he saw in his visions – Maharet, one of the two oldest vampires in the world
He emerges from his icy tomb to seek his own kind – and finds Marius, the Roman, Child of the Millennium, Former Keeper of Those Who Must be Kept. And avid biogorapher – who recounts his history to the Norse vampire
Thorne emerges from his centuries of sleep, trying to find answers, trying to find his creator, trying to find some explanation for what happened in the vampire world. At first it seems lucky that he runs into Marius, ancient roman vampire who knows all the answers, but as he’s taken to Marius’s home he realises the dreadful truth… he had fallen into the hands of The Biographer Vampires and their Endless Exposition.
Despite having known Marius for less than a few hours, this poor vampire is then subjected to Marius’s entire 2,000 year old life story (as an added bonus, he also tucks in the story of Eudoxia, a vampire he met along the way). I honestly think these books aren’t even trying to come up with a plausible explanation for why these vampires feel a need to info-dump their entire histories with the most purple of prose – just randomly dropping it on a stranger will do now. Thorne wanted to know about the events of Queen of the Damned, it would have taken exactly 10 minutes to sum up the (limited) plot of that book! No-one asked you your life story, Marius!
To be fair, though, this is one of the better interminably long, over-detailed biographies in the series because a) Marius is a relatively relevant character and b) we get a good sense of him in this book which we haven’t seen elsewhere (unlike, say, The Vampire Armand which was repetitive and added nothing new).
We get a good insight into Marius’s character as time and again he repeats the same patterns – Marius needs company. Not just vampire company (though for much of his existence he seems to need or crave a vampire companion), but human company as well especially when he was younger (relatively speaking), often throwing open his home for people to join him in parties and salons – far more so. In some ways he’s very much a product of his time and place: he’s a Roman. He’s very civilised, very social and, tellingly, pretty arrogant. Which is a wonderful repeated sense I get of Marius which is well done because I get this sense while seeing through Marius’s eyes AND without Marius himself conceding the point. But Marius is Roman, the civilised man in the world of barbarians who need to be educated. From a young age he was entrusted with the duty of keeping Akasha and Enkil safe and repeatedly drank Akasha’s blood making him much much stronger than pretty much every vampire he met. There’s a lot of fuel to that arrogance but once you see it, it puts everything else into a whole new context with Marius.
Like the vampires he always has with him – he says he likes to be a teacher, but ultimately with both vampires and humans he wants to be the AUTHORITY – teacher, mentor, patron, father-figure (and lover at same time because it’s the Vampire Chronicles) up to and including his latest companion. Everyone is subservient to him, every vampire has had to look up to him or been in a weaker position than him – and any vampire who argued with him gets a completely disproportionate response from him: Pandora, Mael, when Armand defied him (and a great deal of Marius’s distrust of Armand seems to stem as much from his unwillingness to follow exactly the path Marius laid down as anything else), any vampire he has been with. He even has a completely childish snit with and Mael because they won’t take on Zenobia – who Marius has no time or inclination for; never once considering that if he didn’t want to take on a student then maybe nor did they? In turn it raises a question about why Marius wants humans around him – is it a desire for civilised company? Or is it a need for an entourage to lord it over?
It also puts into context the semi-frequent disasters that blight Marius’s life – is it because he’s too close to humanity? Is it because his overarching obsession with Those Who Must be Kept distracts him? Or is because, as we see hinted at over and over, the arrogant Marius is too careless and too sure in his own abilities to take precautions?
Read More
He emerges from his icy tomb to seek his own kind – and finds Marius, the Roman, Child of the Millennium, Former Keeper of Those Who Must be Kept. And avid biogorapher – who recounts his history to the Norse vampire
Thorne emerges from his centuries of sleep, trying to find answers, trying to find his creator, trying to find some explanation for what happened in the vampire world. At first it seems lucky that he runs into Marius, ancient roman vampire who knows all the answers, but as he’s taken to Marius’s home he realises the dreadful truth… he had fallen into the hands of The Biographer Vampires and their Endless Exposition.
Despite having known Marius for less than a few hours, this poor vampire is then subjected to Marius’s entire 2,000 year old life story (as an added bonus, he also tucks in the story of Eudoxia, a vampire he met along the way). I honestly think these books aren’t even trying to come up with a plausible explanation for why these vampires feel a need to info-dump their entire histories with the most purple of prose – just randomly dropping it on a stranger will do now. Thorne wanted to know about the events of Queen of the Damned, it would have taken exactly 10 minutes to sum up the (limited) plot of that book! No-one asked you your life story, Marius!
To be fair, though, this is one of the better interminably long, over-detailed biographies in the series because a) Marius is a relatively relevant character and b) we get a good sense of him in this book which we haven’t seen elsewhere (unlike, say, The Vampire Armand which was repetitive and added nothing new).
We get a good insight into Marius’s character as time and again he repeats the same patterns – Marius needs company. Not just vampire company (though for much of his existence he seems to need or crave a vampire companion), but human company as well especially when he was younger (relatively speaking), often throwing open his home for people to join him in parties and salons – far more so. In some ways he’s very much a product of his time and place: he’s a Roman. He’s very civilised, very social and, tellingly, pretty arrogant. Which is a wonderful repeated sense I get of Marius which is well done because I get this sense while seeing through Marius’s eyes AND without Marius himself conceding the point. But Marius is Roman, the civilised man in the world of barbarians who need to be educated. From a young age he was entrusted with the duty of keeping Akasha and Enkil safe and repeatedly drank Akasha’s blood making him much much stronger than pretty much every vampire he met. There’s a lot of fuel to that arrogance but once you see it, it puts everything else into a whole new context with Marius.
Like the vampires he always has with him – he says he likes to be a teacher, but ultimately with both vampires and humans he wants to be the AUTHORITY – teacher, mentor, patron, father-figure (and lover at same time because it’s the Vampire Chronicles) up to and including his latest companion. Everyone is subservient to him, every vampire has had to look up to him or been in a weaker position than him – and any vampire who argued with him gets a completely disproportionate response from him: Pandora, Mael, when Armand defied him (and a great deal of Marius’s distrust of Armand seems to stem as much from his unwillingness to follow exactly the path Marius laid down as anything else), any vampire he has been with. He even has a completely childish snit with and Mael because they won’t take on Zenobia – who Marius has no time or inclination for; never once considering that if he didn’t want to take on a student then maybe nor did they? In turn it raises a question about why Marius wants humans around him – is it a desire for civilised company? Or is it a need for an entourage to lord it over?
It also puts into context the semi-frequent disasters that blight Marius’s life – is it because he’s too close to humanity? Is it because his overarching obsession with Those Who Must be Kept distracts him? Or is because, as we see hinted at over and over, the arrogant Marius is too careless and too sure in his own abilities to take precautions?
Read More
October 21, 2021
Fantastic! I took my time with this book and savored every page. While I quite enjoyed Merrick, I took a 3-year break from the Vampire Chronicles. Anne Rice is one of my favorite writers, but I can take her works only in small doses. Does that make sense?
And maybe I’m doling this series out slowly, not wanting it to end.
Or maybe I just dread reaching Blood Canticle…
This is the story of the life of Marius, my favorite vampire in all of Anne Rice’s works. Lestat is a lot of fun, but I personally relate to Marius more. All the guy wants to do is hang out, paint, read. And occasionally kill innocents for their blood. He isn’t about the drama and intrigue, like Lestat. His life is one of quietness, of humbleness, and he just wants to revel in life’s pleasures with those he loves.
Rice successfully covers huge swaths of time in this book, as is common in her stories, but I feel this covers even more: thousands of years. She is great at making each time period feel distinct, and the reader really “feels” Marius living this long life, surrounded by many mortals he comes to care for who he knows will eventually die.
This book was also successful at making me want to reread The Vampire Armand, arguably my least favorite Vampire Chronicle thus far, because some things were clarified for me.
I’m sure I will soon move on to Blackwood Farm. When that is I do not know, but hopefully not in another 3 years!
And maybe I’m doling this series out slowly, not wanting it to end.
Or maybe I just dread reaching Blood Canticle…
This is the story of the life of Marius, my favorite vampire in all of Anne Rice’s works. Lestat is a lot of fun, but I personally relate to Marius more. All the guy wants to do is hang out, paint, read. And occasionally kill innocents for their blood. He isn’t about the drama and intrigue, like Lestat. His life is one of quietness, of humbleness, and he just wants to revel in life’s pleasures with those he loves.
Rice successfully covers huge swaths of time in this book, as is common in her stories, but I feel this covers even more: thousands of years. She is great at making each time period feel distinct, and the reader really “feels” Marius living this long life, surrounded by many mortals he comes to care for who he knows will eventually die.
This book was also successful at making me want to reread The Vampire Armand, arguably my least favorite Vampire Chronicle thus far, because some things were clarified for me.
I’m sure I will soon move on to Blackwood Farm. When that is I do not know, but hopefully not in another 3 years!
July 28, 2011
I'm quite surprised at how mixed the reviews are here as I thought this was yet another winner from Anne Rice!
Blood and Gold follows the history of Marius and his long and troubled existence as he travels and strives to keep his secret of 'Those Who Must be Kept' and forges relationships to keep him sane and to stave off his loneliness; from the peculiar bond with Mael and Avicus to the love and devotion of Amadeo and Bianca. For someone so strong Marius does a lot of running to save his secrets and he never loses sight of what he has lost... the beautiful Pandora. Marius watches the rise and fall of human and vampiric civilisations and falls head first into artwork for his shrine to 'TWMbK' and to his mortal love.
This novel nurtures the already well established character of Marius whilst upkeeping previous vampire chronicles in its wake and pleasingly adding the Talamasca for yet more interesting interaction with the supernatural. Marius' relationships between Amadeo, Bianca and Pandora are possibly the most intriguing with how he seemingly wishes to be the father figure to Amadeo and Bianca, stern yet loving whereas with Pandora a frenzy in which he must possess her overwhelms whatever love he may feel for her.
Personally I would advise this book. I agree that as with most Anne Rice books there does not feel like there is a beginning, middle and an end but as it is essentially a biography of a fictional character I feel it is presented wonderfully as always. The patterns of the vampire chronicles are the same but the characters themselves and their stories are not. This book is worthy of audience in its own right and I suggest you try it if you haven't already!
Blood and Gold follows the history of Marius and his long and troubled existence as he travels and strives to keep his secret of 'Those Who Must be Kept' and forges relationships to keep him sane and to stave off his loneliness; from the peculiar bond with Mael and Avicus to the love and devotion of Amadeo and Bianca. For someone so strong Marius does a lot of running to save his secrets and he never loses sight of what he has lost... the beautiful Pandora. Marius watches the rise and fall of human and vampiric civilisations and falls head first into artwork for his shrine to 'TWMbK' and to his mortal love.
This novel nurtures the already well established character of Marius whilst upkeeping previous vampire chronicles in its wake and pleasingly adding the Talamasca for yet more interesting interaction with the supernatural. Marius' relationships between Amadeo, Bianca and Pandora are possibly the most intriguing with how he seemingly wishes to be the father figure to Amadeo and Bianca, stern yet loving whereas with Pandora a frenzy in which he must possess her overwhelms whatever love he may feel for her.
Personally I would advise this book. I agree that as with most Anne Rice books there does not feel like there is a beginning, middle and an end but as it is essentially a biography of a fictional character I feel it is presented wonderfully as always. The patterns of the vampire chronicles are the same but the characters themselves and their stories are not. This book is worthy of audience in its own right and I suggest you try it if you haven't already!
October 29, 2021
This was my first Rice book. This sent me on my quest to read the rest. I loved her books.
January 29, 2015
“Sangre” me costó terminar este libro y “oro” valía el tiempo que perdí por hacerlo, fiel a mi convicción de no dejar libros inconclusos. No tengo ganas de hacerle una reseña extensa y detallada porque seguiría gastando tiempo: muchas de las cosas que no me gustaron son las que esta saga viene arrastrando desde hace un par de libros atrás. Pensé que Marius sería el mejor narrador de todos y me encontré con que ni siquiera sus perspectivas me convencen a la hora de relatar (otra vez) los años que pasó solo o acompañado. A estas alturas la solemnidad de la eternidad y todos los planteos sobre el bien y el mal se repiten. En algún momento leeré el siguiente porque ya lo tengo, a la espera de alguna mejora. La única estrella de la calificación es por las referencias históricas y porque (aún) está escrito de forma decente, a pesar de que noté una inclinación a volver el estilo más sencillo.
February 14, 2014
If not for Pandora, Blood and Gold would be my favourite novel by Anne Rice. The story of Marius, a logical Roman man, kidnapped and turned into a vampire against his will. But what stands out for me is the amazing amount of detail Anne Rice puts into her historical fiction. The splendor of ancient Rome, the horror of the Black Death, the energy and creativity surrounding the Italian Renaissance…all of the settings come alive and you feel like you’re really there along with Marius.
Marius himself is a very complex character. His traditional Roman upbringing and his naturally logical personality clash very well with Pandora’s free spirit and dreamy personality and it makes for a very interesting relationship. However, since Pandora mostly focused on their relationship, Anne Rice doesn’t spend nearly as much time on it. Instead, she focuses on the relationship between Marius and Armand, his student and the courtesan Bianca in Renaissance Italy. Blood and Gold certainly fills in a lot of the questions I had from reading The Vampire Armand. If nothing else, it paints Marius in a more sympathetic light!
Blood and Gold isn’t for everyone. If you get annoyed by long, detailed descriptions of historical events and daily life, you won’t enjoy Blood and Gold. But for someone like me, who loves it when a writer showcases their knowledge of the era, Blood and Gold is perfect.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Marius himself is a very complex character. His traditional Roman upbringing and his naturally logical personality clash very well with Pandora’s free spirit and dreamy personality and it makes for a very interesting relationship. However, since Pandora mostly focused on their relationship, Anne Rice doesn’t spend nearly as much time on it. Instead, she focuses on the relationship between Marius and Armand, his student and the courtesan Bianca in Renaissance Italy. Blood and Gold certainly fills in a lot of the questions I had from reading The Vampire Armand. If nothing else, it paints Marius in a more sympathetic light!
Blood and Gold isn’t for everyone. If you get annoyed by long, detailed descriptions of historical events and daily life, you won’t enjoy Blood and Gold. But for someone like me, who loves it when a writer showcases their knowledge of the era, Blood and Gold is perfect.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
April 1, 2013
This is truly Marius's opus as we follow him through the ages, loving and leaving one famous and infamous person after another. Can a vampire really love another more than himself? This question is never really answered here.Marius is smitten by Pandora, Botticelli, and dozens of others and has to leave them all behind, in one way or another.
He slogs through the Black Death with out a mark( he's a vamp after all he's already dead right?) Even a plague of that magnitude won't slow our beauteous boy down.
But in the end he seeks vengeance for all that he believes that was done TO him. I wonder, would he have chosen this life if he really knew what price of loneliness and abandonment he would have to pay in the eons of life he has?
He slogs through the Black Death with out a mark( he's a vamp after all he's already dead right?) Even a plague of that magnitude won't slow our beauteous boy down.
But in the end he seeks vengeance for all that he believes that was done TO him. I wonder, would he have chosen this life if he really knew what price of loneliness and abandonment he would have to pay in the eons of life he has?
June 7, 2020
Un verdadero hijo del milenio Marius el romano es quien nos narra esta historia misma que ya había sido tocada en ese horrible libro llamado Armand el Vampiro.
Si bien no es un grandioso libro y esta muy por debajo de los 3 primeros y geniales tomos de esta saga si creo que es bastante mas ágil y fácil de leer siempre y cuando tengamos en mente que Marius es un personaje profundamente Melancólico lo cual no de extrañar dado los muchos siglos vividos y la gran responsabilidad ( de los que deben ser custodiados) que cargo sobre sus hombros.
En resumen quizás una historia que no aparta demasiado a la saga pero que se siente como aire fresco después de cosas como Menoch o Armand.
Si bien no es un grandioso libro y esta muy por debajo de los 3 primeros y geniales tomos de esta saga si creo que es bastante mas ágil y fácil de leer siempre y cuando tengamos en mente que Marius es un personaje profundamente Melancólico lo cual no de extrañar dado los muchos siglos vividos y la gran responsabilidad ( de los que deben ser custodiados) que cargo sobre sus hombros.
En resumen quizás una historia que no aparta demasiado a la saga pero que se siente como aire fresco después de cosas como Menoch o Armand.
February 16, 2014
Of the books so far in the Vampire Chronicles this has been the dullest. I never would have imagined such a powerful and old vampire would live such a mundane existence. Excluding the part where he describes surviving the attack by the satanist this books reads like an autobiography of an everyday artist. He possesses skill in painting, sees the beauty in most everything, and fails to maintain happy relationships with those he cares for. That is essentially the book in a nutshell. For me this was a tedious read that I had to force myself through.
January 9, 2026
I had so much fun with this one. What’s more entertaining than the story of a 2,000 year old loser with no friends?
August 14, 2024
i’m sorry but marius is just for the people with daddy issues
November 20, 2024
if marius has 0 haters i am dead
October 29, 2025
I just don’t like marius
May 22, 2022
Anche questa volta non sono rimasta delusa, anzi, lo stile Unico della Rice mi ha avvolto come un bel mantello e mi ha accompagnata in questo percorso di secoli dove si sviluppa la storia del vampiro Marius. Bellissimo e consigliatissimo perché è uno dei più belli della saga!
August 31, 2017
All I can say is that I really loved this book. I finally knew all the story of Marius and Bianca. I found out so much of characters I knew just names.
I remember the scene with Zenobia that made me cry. It was so beautiful. And Bianca who saved Marius. And poor Armand. But mostly I paid attention on Marius and Pandora. They reminded me of myself and a girl I dated. She was real Pandora, and I was like Marius- begged her to stay with me, looked for her...but we still broke up.
I could understand and Bianca's jealousy. Bianca is really feminine and knows that no man can betray her. Well, Marius looks "good-evil". He can be very gently and loving, but also very evil and cruel. So I don't know if I like him or not. But probably I do. I was very sad when he lost his all books and paintings. I can imagine his pain.
In any case the whole book was very interesting, I enjoyed it very much. Now when I finished it, I have many thoughts in my head and I think "What I could do if I was one of the characters?". The end of the book was quite...strange. I was a little bit shocked and didn't expect such ending. (Maybe because I forgot to ask my friends who read this book more details, I asked my all friends who read every book of VC to tell me every single detail before I started reading). And I'm very sad about Santino's death.... I think Marius had to forgive him, because Santino helped him after all to repay for Armand. But how I can judge Marius of this revenge Thorne did for him, when I, myself, cannot forgive my enemies?
In summary, I think this book is very good to understand such emotions like anger, revenge, love, hate, solitude... I would never forget this book. It is locked in my heart forever. I bow for all Anne Rice works, because none of her books disappoint me. I loved all of them.
I remember the scene with Zenobia that made me cry. It was so beautiful. And Bianca who saved Marius. And poor Armand. But mostly I paid attention on Marius and Pandora. They reminded me of myself and a girl I dated. She was real Pandora, and I was like Marius- begged her to stay with me, looked for her...but we still broke up.
I could understand and Bianca's jealousy. Bianca is really feminine and knows that no man can betray her. Well, Marius looks "good-evil". He can be very gently and loving, but also very evil and cruel. So I don't know if I like him or not. But probably I do. I was very sad when he lost his all books and paintings. I can imagine his pain.
In any case the whole book was very interesting, I enjoyed it very much. Now when I finished it, I have many thoughts in my head and I think "What I could do if I was one of the characters?". The end of the book was quite...strange. I was a little bit shocked and didn't expect such ending. (Maybe because I forgot to ask my friends who read this book more details, I asked my all friends who read every book of VC to tell me every single detail before I started reading). And I'm very sad about Santino's death.... I think Marius had to forgive him, because Santino helped him after all to repay for Armand. But how I can judge Marius of this revenge Thorne did for him, when I, myself, cannot forgive my enemies?
In summary, I think this book is very good to understand such emotions like anger, revenge, love, hate, solitude... I would never forget this book. It is locked in my heart forever. I bow for all Anne Rice works, because none of her books disappoint me. I loved all of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2011
Marius used to be one of my favourite characters but after reading this book, I have realized he is quite boring. He is one of the oldest vampires, but he still doesn't know what he wants: he wants Pandora but he wants her gone when she is with him; he 'loves' Bianca but doesn't want to turn her until it becomes convenient for him; he 'falls in love' with Armand but he screws him over... Royaly. It is the actions (or the lack of actions) after Armand is taken from him, that I realized Marius loves to run away from his problems and cannot deal with flaws in other vampires. Don't get me wrong, I love flawed and imperfect characters, I just cannot forgive Marius for his treatment of Armand and how quickly he forgets about him. I think Armand deserved much more from Marius.
Speaking of Marius' loves, I couldn't care less for his love for Pandora. To me, it seemed quite forced, his obsession with her.
I still loved the descriptive way of Anne Rice's narrative, it always sucks me into her world, and I absolutely loved reading about Venice and life in Venice. But must say that I had very high expectations for this book and I was somewhat let down. It is still one of my favourites in the Vampire Chronicles; however, I felt that the book moved too quickly through some parts and dwelled too much on others and I was not really happy with the ending. I guess I just expected a lot more.
Most likely, I will read this book again, to absorb certain parts and see what I have missed out on reading it the first time.
Speaking of Marius' loves, I couldn't care less for his love for Pandora. To me, it seemed quite forced, his obsession with her.
I still loved the descriptive way of Anne Rice's narrative, it always sucks me into her world, and I absolutely loved reading about Venice and life in Venice. But must say that I had very high expectations for this book and I was somewhat let down. It is still one of my favourites in the Vampire Chronicles; however, I felt that the book moved too quickly through some parts and dwelled too much on others and I was not really happy with the ending. I guess I just expected a lot more.
Most likely, I will read this book again, to absorb certain parts and see what I have missed out on reading it the first time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2022
“É claro que no momento em que vi os livros, fui tomado de prazer. Isso sempre acontece comigo. Sinto-me tolamente seguro com livros que podem ser um erro.”
Eu continuo amando essa série, mas esse livro é um pouco cansativo de ler, acho que ela se estendeu muito na história do Marius, mas a escrita continua sensacional, amo demais as descrições da Anne.
Eu continuo amando essa série, mas esse livro é um pouco cansativo de ler, acho que ela se estendeu muito na história do Marius, mas a escrita continua sensacional, amo demais as descrições da Anne.
February 2, 2010
A melancholy walk through ancient history in the company of Marius, the two thousand year old vampire known and loved by both Lestat and Armand.
The history again is the main draw for me in this instalment (and what I felt was largely missing from Merrick), as we get to see the rise and fall of great civilizations as well as their cultures and art through the eyes of the more intellectual and learned of Rice's vampires.
There were moments when I felt like we were revisiting old themes a little too much - scenes revolving around Marius' passions for painting and Amadeo lingered over long at times, thanks to having already seen quite a lot of them in The Vampire Armand - and although ancient and wise Marius could be quite infuriating at times due to his propensity to throw hissy fits and stomp off taking Those Who Must Be Kept with him like a kid going home with his football when the game doesn't go his way. I also didn't really care about Thorne for the ending to have much of an impact on me and, in fact, had kind of forgotten that he was 'listening' to Marius.
All in all though, mostly my gripes come from missing Lestat, and this suffers only slightly from comparison.
The history again is the main draw for me in this instalment (and what I felt was largely missing from Merrick), as we get to see the rise and fall of great civilizations as well as their cultures and art through the eyes of the more intellectual and learned of Rice's vampires.
There were moments when I felt like we were revisiting old themes a little too much - scenes revolving around Marius' passions for painting and Amadeo lingered over long at times, thanks to having already seen quite a lot of them in The Vampire Armand - and although ancient and wise Marius could be quite infuriating at times due to his propensity to throw hissy fits and stomp off taking Those Who Must Be Kept with him like a kid going home with his football when the game doesn't go his way. I also didn't really care about Thorne for the ending to have much of an impact on me and, in fact, had kind of forgotten that he was 'listening' to Marius.
All in all though, mostly my gripes come from missing Lestat, and this suffers only slightly from comparison.
March 30, 2012
Another book-end story by Rice and no surprises. I'm determined to finish the series, but it is getting tedious. While this book seemed to have an easier prose than most of the Chronicle books (Body Thief aside), the lack of plot or tension or drama or really anything going on kept this book from a higher rating.
That said, and despite all that said, it was a page turner. Rice's prose in this volume is engaging and forward driven. While not much is actually going on, I was interested in what nothing was going to happen next.
Ultimately, it was a character piece (a long one) about how Marius learned how anger affects him and why he must keep his anger in check.
Too many characters and themes are brought up in this volume that aren't resolved. Since I know there are a couple more to the Chronicles, I hope for some resolution. Without giving away the ending, the resolution of this book was lacking and while it should have been satisfying, it was missing the emotional build up that the book had many opportunities of developing, but never did.
That said, and despite all that said, it was a page turner. Rice's prose in this volume is engaging and forward driven. While not much is actually going on, I was interested in what nothing was going to happen next.
Ultimately, it was a character piece (a long one) about how Marius learned how anger affects him and why he must keep his anger in check.
Too many characters and themes are brought up in this volume that aren't resolved. Since I know there are a couple more to the Chronicles, I hope for some resolution. Without giving away the ending, the resolution of this book was lacking and while it should have been satisfying, it was missing the emotional build up that the book had many opportunities of developing, but never did.
January 4, 2020
This is the 8th installment in the Vampire Chronicles. After Merrick I wasn't sure if I'd carry on with this series, but then I saw this one at the library, so decided to give it a go.
This installment follows Marius, the vampire from ancient Rome, the guardian of Those Who Must Be Kept.
I did enjoy the glance into his viewpoint of the glory and the fall of the Roman Empire, the establishment of Constantinople and I did like him as a character.
But I found the story very boring in places. We already know about Those Who Must Be Kept. And so I feel like it was the same story just told from a different angle. I really don't think it was necessary at all to be honest.
2.5 stars and it's very doubtful if I'll carry on with this series. I think I'm done as we seem to be going in circles.
This installment follows Marius, the vampire from ancient Rome, the guardian of Those Who Must Be Kept.
I did enjoy the glance into his viewpoint of the glory and the fall of the Roman Empire, the establishment of Constantinople and I did like him as a character.
But I found the story very boring in places. We already know about Those Who Must Be Kept. And so I feel like it was the same story just told from a different angle. I really don't think it was necessary at all to be honest.
2.5 stars and it's very doubtful if I'll carry on with this series. I think I'm done as we seem to be going in circles.
February 6, 2021
Too many house fires in one book, haha. I was feeling sad that Marius lost his books multiple times. But I love the fact that he is a bookish person.
I realized that Marius is kind of anxious vampire, which reminds me of myself (except vampire part). And he is definitely my favorite character from vampire chronicles, so I enjoyed a book about him.
Sometimes there are too many deep thinking (which is kind of boring) in this book, but it is common to all books from this series, so I am used to it.
Most of phases of Marius' life are very interesting and full of interesting and unique characters.
To sum up: I really enjoyed a book about Marius, but... I must say that relationship between Marius and Armand were portrayed way better in book about Armand.
I realized that Marius is kind of anxious vampire, which reminds me of myself (except vampire part). And he is definitely my favorite character from vampire chronicles, so I enjoyed a book about him.
Sometimes there are too many deep thinking (which is kind of boring) in this book, but it is common to all books from this series, so I am used to it.
Most of phases of Marius' life are very interesting and full of interesting and unique characters.
To sum up: I really enjoyed a book about Marius, but... I must say that relationship between Marius and Armand were portrayed way better in book about Armand.
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