The Vampire Companion: The Official Guide to Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles

by Katherine Ramsland, Anne Rice

"The meaning of The Vampire Chronicles is still unfolding for me, and is as much connected to God as to the Devil, as much connected to pleasure as to pain. That the books are entertainment seems a given, and for that I'm grateful. That they can be seen as a religious journey is also clear. I am immersed in the questions, and praying for the answers. Lestat, c'est moi. I want you to love all of my characters. I am, in the writing of these and other novels, as ambitious as Dickens. I want everybody to cry when Claudia dies, just like they did for Little Nell."

-- Anne Rice

February 8, 1995

Interview with the Vampire. The Vampire Lestat. The Queen of the Damned. The Talc of the Body Thief Memnoch the Devil. With her bestselling, epic saga, Anne Rice has reinvented the legend and literature of one of fiction's most popular and captivating archetypes. Now, Katherine Ramsland, Anne Rice's biographer, has completely revised and updated the ultimate reference guide to the world, history, and adventures of these haunting characters, from the unforgettable Lestat to Rice's newest chilling creation, Memnoch the Devil.

Written with the full cooperation of Anne Rice -- and now with more than 1,200 entries -- The Vampire Companion offers an insightful exploration, appreciation, and interpretation of all the characters and events, names and places, symbols and themes in the five volumes of The Vampire Chronicles, including more than one hundred pages of new entries on Rice's latest vampire novel, Memnoch the Devil. Everything that readers might want to explore further is annotated and analyzed in this entertaining and enlightening the unforgettable characters of Louis, Lestat, Claudia, Akasha, Armand, and Memnoch; the important points of interest on Lestat's fascinating tour through Heaven and Hell; ancient lore; Rice's unique contributions to the mythos of vampires; the literary inspirations that echo through the novels; Rice's own reflections and revelations about her work and about the movie Interview with the Vampire; and much more.

Richly illustrated with new photos, drawings, maps, and a complete time line of events in The Chronicles, The Vampire Companion is as captivating as the phenomenal saga it explores. It is a guidebook that no visitor to the world of Anne Rice should be without.

Genres: Vampires, Horror, Nonfiction, Reference, Paranormal, Supernatural, Gothic

608 pages, Paperback

First published December 10, 1991

About the author

I've loved books since I was 3, and the library was a highlight of my childhood. I've been fortunate to be able to find great joy in what others have written and sometimes to give this to readers. I follow my own muse, because it leads me on interesting adventures. I began my writing career with "Prism of the Night: A Biography of Anne Rice." I had a bestseller with "The Vampire Companion." Since then, I've published 69 books and over 2,500 articles, reviews and short stories. I have also been an executive producer for "Murder House Flip" and "BTK: Confession of a Serial Killer." From ghosts to vampires to serial killers, I have taken on a variety of dark subjects, mostly in crime and forensics. I hold graduate degrees in forensic psychology, clinical psychology, criminal justice, creative writing and philosophy. Currently, I teach forensic psychology and criminal justice at DeSales University. My books include "I Scream Man," "How to Catch a Killer", "Confession of a Serial Killer", "The Forensic Psychology of Criminal Minds", "The Mind of a Murderer", "The Human Predator: A Historical Chronicle of Serial Murder and Forensic Investigation", "Inside the Minds of Serial Killers", "Inside the Minds of Sexual Predators", and "Inside the Minds of Mass Murderers". My background in forensic studies positioned me to assist former FBI profiler John Douglas on his book, "The Cases that Haunt Us", and to co-write a book with former FBI profiler, Gregg McCrary, "The Unknown Darkness", as well as "Spree Killers" with Mark Safarik, "The Real Life of a Forensic Scientist" with Henry C. Lee, and "A Voice for the Dead" with James Starrs. I speak internationally about forensic psychology, forensic science, and serial murder, and has appeared on numerous documentaries, as well as such programs as The Today Show, 20/20, 48 Hours, NPR, Dr. Oz, Coast to Coast, Montel Williams, Larry King Live and E! True Hollywood. Currently, I'm working on a fiction series, The Nut Cracker Investigations, which features a female forensic psychologist who manages a PI agency. "I Scream Man" is the first one.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an incredibly frivolous purchase and I enjoyed every page.

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read: Aug-Oct 2023

This is an incredibly well-researched labour of love from Katherine Ramsland that covers the first four books of The Vampire Chronicles. Ramsland had the co-operation of Anne Rice to write this mammoth encyclopaedia for all things related to the the world of The Vampire Chronicles, and it shows in the amount of information she is able to present in this companion guide.

I know there is a similar companion guide for the Mayfair Witches series, also written by Katherine Ramsland, and I am looking forward to getting hold of a copy of that one day too.

[Daniel Osborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I can say to those that want to pick this up is you have to have read Anne Rice before getting this. This book is basically an historical dictionary of the vampire chronicals. It starts from a-z. It even includes historical background and maps and her short story Interview With The Vampire that set the stage for her book. You really can't or at least i couldn't read it in one sitting you have to indulge in this book.

[Rosemary O'Malley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I freely admit to being a fan of companion books, especially encyclopedia formats. I have this one and The Mayfair Witches (as well as several others from different authors) and sometimes just like reading them in place of the novels. I use them to point me to things I want to learn about, often things that I wouldn't have known about without the novel in question.

I'm also fond of Katherine Ramsland's style. I think that puts me in the minority, but I've enjoyed her work.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can't remember when I actually last used this book. However, I was a huge fan of Rice's vampire chronicles (before she took them too far & messed them all up!) so, at one point in my life I felt it was neccessary to own this book because it somehow completed the series for me. Again, I very rarely use it or read it, but still feel compelled to hang on to it.

Does contain good information, though.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Afer double digit amount of books it was great to have a reference guide to help me keep everyone and everything in all of the awesome books straight, at my fingertips.

[Lexavolcanica · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's like having the behind the scenes feature.

[Eli Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome it made me open my eyes to some of he symbolism in the books!

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the must read for any (ANY) Anne Rice fan!

[Fangirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice additional information in regard to the vampire books by Anne Rice.

[Aion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must have for all Anne Rice fans!

[Laura Mccool]

Hey friends...I want this for Christmas!

[Analissa Blackwater · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is worth having. I haven't read it for a while, but I enjoyed it and recommend it.

[Joyce Jubs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to death as a teenager from cover to cover. I was amazed at all the companion tied everything together and helped me better understand the books.

[Denise Figueroa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this mainly for the IWTV short story. Louis was very different in that original short story. I would not expect him to interact with a mob boss. Wow! This original short story is SO different from the novel that Anne published! :O I love that this original short story was published!

I read this book here:
https://archive.org/details/vampireco...

[Teresa Mintram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I have read every book written by Anne Rice.
She is an amazing author. I find her book have me gripped through the whole book.
If you've never read a book written by Anne I would say you're missing out. 😀

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest, I owned this over 20 years ago when I was obsessed with Anne Rice and the Vampire Chronicles. It was awesome then, when I was in that headspace, but now, after so many other books have been written, it would be worthless to anyone else. I give 3 stars for nostalgia's sake.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's useful occasionally.

[Deborah Broom · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can I get to read vampire companion for free

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very repetitive and tiresome

[Marjorie Jensen]

Writing about Anne Rice for work is fulfilling one odd teenage dream

[Divinelily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super helpful to keep track and remind myself who the hell is who

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The meaning of The Vampire Chronicles is still unfolding for me, and is as much connected to God as to the Devil, as much connected to pleasure as to pain. That the books are entertainment seems a given, and for that I'm grateful. That they can be seen as a religious journey is also clear. I am immersed in the questions, and praying for the answers. Lestat, c'est moi. I want you to love all of my characters. I am, in the writing of these and other novels, as ambitious as Dickens. I want everybody to cry when Claudia dies, just like they did for Little Nell."

-- Anne Rice

February 8, 1995

Interview with the Vampire. The Vampire Lestat. The Queen of the Damned. The Talc of the Body Thief Memnoch the Devil. With her bestselling, epic saga, Anne Rice has reinvented the legend and literature of one of fiction's most popular and captivating archetypes. Now, Katherine Ramsland, Anne Rice's biographer, has completely revised and updated the ultimate reference guide to the world, history, and adventures of these haunting characters, from the unforgettable Lestat to Rice's newest chilling creation, Memnoch the Devil.

Written with the full cooperation of Anne Rice -- and now with more than 1,200 entries -- The Vampire Companion offers an insightful exploration, appreciation, and interpretation of all the characters and events, names and places, symbols and themes in the five volumes of The Vampire Chronicles, including more than one hundred pages of new entries on Rice's latest vampire novel, Memnoch the Devil. Everything that readers might want to explore further is annotated and analyzed in this entertaining and enlightening the unforgettable characters of Louis, Lestat, Claudia, Akasha, Armand, and Memnoch; the important points of interest on Lestat's fascinating tour through Heaven and Hell; ancient lore; Rice's unique contributions to the mythos of vampires; the literary inspirations that echo through the novels; Rice's own reflections and revelations about her work and about the movie Interview with the Vampire; and much more.

Richly illustrated with new photos, drawings, maps, and a complete time line of events in The Chronicles, The Vampire Companion is as captivating as the phenomenal saga it explores. It is a guidebook that no visitor to the world of Anne Rice should be without.

[fiona]

covers TVC 1-4 and The Witching Hour

i used it mostly for finding out who's who when the very ancient vampires were name-dropped.

[Carlos · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I was very excited at the prospect of gaining more insight into the magnificent world that Anne Rice created through her Vampire Chronicle, I was extremely disappointed to find an encyclopedia-style book that gave the same information that would be accessible by reading the novels and in some cases even failing to give all the information that could be gleamed from the books. Here is the bottom line, if you read Rice’s books you don’t need to read this one, and if you didn’t read them, this sterile encyclopedia is hardly a replacement.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have this book and Katherine Ramsland's The Witches' Companion and enjoyed reading through both. They're good reference books, and contain interesting information even beyond what you read in the series' themselves. I actually did my high school literature research project on Anne Rice, and both Ramsland's books were great resources. Fans of the Vampire Chronicles will love this companion book.

[Melanie's · Rating 5 out of 5]

I refer to this book often when I am checking on things. I adore it!

[David Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Vampire Companion: The Official Guide to the Vampire Chronicles by Katherine Ramsland (Ballantine Books 1993)(813.54). The author has compiled a wonderful aid to understanding the interrelationships between the large cast of characters in the Vampire series, Set alphabetically in encyclopedic form, the smallest bit of Rice's vampire lore is cataloged and patiently explained. This is a must read for fans of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles series. My rating: 7/10, finished 1997.

[Deborah Waltenburg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I own this, but can't remember how long ago I bought it. The younger me thought I needed it to fully comprehend The Vampire Chronicles. The older me realizes that really it's nothing more than rehashing and dissecting in order to sell yet another book. Probably a good resource for those delving into the world of writing fiction, supernatural or vampire lore, etc. Not so exciting for those who just like to read a book and glean their enjoyment from that and nothing else.

[Janna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Encyclopedias like this. However, since it was published in 95 and there have been 5 novels published AFTER it (six if you count Memnoch pub1995, not sure if it's included) will there or is there an edition that includes this information? An updated edition, or a fan addendum? I'd love someone to let me know!