La comunidad de la sangre

The Vampire Chronicles #13

by Anne Rice, Manuel Manzano Gómez (Translator)

«La historia que voy a contaros tiene poco o nada que ver con el mundo moderno. Es un cuento tan antiguo como el género mismo, sobre la lucha de los individuos para encontrar y defender su lugar en un universo atemporal, junto a todos los demás hijos de la tierra y del sol y de la luna y de las estrellas.»

De la mano de Lestat conoceremos cómo se convirtió en el líder del mundo vampírico y su lucha para encontrar un lugar en el universo de los muertos vivientes y cómo, en contra de su voluntad, debe luchar contra las fuerzas amenazadoras y aparentemente imbatibles de la oscuridad. Desde las torres y las almenas de un castillo ancestral en las montañas nevadas de Francia, hasta los verdes montes de Luisiana con sus fragancias a magnolias y jazmín, pasando por las islas vírgenes del Pacífico y la ciudad de San Petersburgo durante la corte de la emperatriz Catalina, La Comunidad de la Sangre es un apasionante viaje en el que el lector encuentra la esencia más pura del universo de Anne Rice.

Genres: Horror, Vampires, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Supernatural, Gothic

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 2, 2018

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

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lacking that certain bite, the Brat Prince is back. The Vampire Chronicles are becoming a bit long in the tooth to be truly entertaining.

[Dev · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know what's worse, that Anne Rice keeps consistently writing the worst book I've ever read or that I keep reading them even though I KNOW what I'm getting into. Well, I think she finally broke me with this one. I don't know if she's planning on continuing the Vampire Chronicles further [please just let it die], but if she does I genuinely don't think I can read it at this point. I know I know, I got through the fucking bird aliens book but THIS one broke me? Well, read on. I did a pretty in-depth liveblog over on Tumblr when I was first reading this [1] [2] [3] [4] so head over there if you want to see my chapter-by-chapter reactions but I'm just gonna try to put together a condensed review here.

Basic summary: All the racism and sexism you expect from an Anne Rice book but now with the added bonus of at least half the page space being devoted to recapping shit you already know! As if people are literally just starting this series now. As if anyone still bothering to put up with this who are not people who basically have the entire series memorized and probably know more about it than Anne herself at this point. Be ready for plenty of rambling about stuff that has no relevance to anything even mildly masquerading as a plot point. Also be ready for the plot to flit in shortly about halfway through and then flit back out again so they can have a ball or something.

Also Lestat doesn’t WANT to kill people, no matter what he has done in the recent past or will do in the near future. Really, it's totally not his fault and we should feel sorry for him even though he's literally in charge of everything at this point. He has to kill all these random vampires because reasons! People sit around and talk about things that have already happened instead of showing any action on the page. There are 500 characters with 500 new powers and 500 unrelated plotlines. Also Lestat is the only one who can do [X thing] even though he actually totally isn’t. Gary Stu powers activate! Just when we thought we were finally done let’s introduce even more characters in the very last chapter! #yikes

My hot take: The creation of this stupid vampire court is literally the worst thing to have ever happened to this series. The absolute best explanation of this whole new trilogy that I have seen was by goth-mabel on Tumblr who called the whole thing "an absolute monarchy run by rapists" and I've never read anything more accurate in my life. Not only has Anne ruined her main character by refusing to acknowledge his many many flaws, but she's taken literally all the fun out of being a vampire. I'm not reading a vampire book to read about bullshit bureaucracy.

All the vampires lives at Lestat's stupid castle where he burns their clothes and dresses them up in Lestat Approved Fashions TM. Villains are anyone who doesn't fawn all over him and do exactly what he wants all the time. The regular classist and racist justifications for killing random vampires that are just so par for the course in this series that I honestly can't bring myself to spend time going over them all in detail but rest assured they're still there.

Oh and he makes a lot of the younger vampires into servants in the castle and makes them wear uniforms and call him 'sir'. I shit you not. There's one woman who just follows him around and keeps brushing his hair. And they give him a throne to sit on and a ring that everyone can kiss. Barf. You know what my idea of hell is? Spending eternity brushing your hair and doing your goddamn taxes, Lestat. Literally what is the point of being immortal if you're still in the same shitty situation you were in during life basically. Remember the last time they made a coven and it was just them hanging out on an island sized shopping mall? So much more relatable.

Lestat spends the whole book going on about how wrong it would be to keep humans in the dungeons for them to feed on and then they're like 'well let's do it though' and then he's just like OKAY! I mean I know this is a series about vampires so you kind of HAVE to do some hand wavey bullshit with like …being okay with them being killers and all. But there is SUCH a difference between ‘I went out and killed this dude relatively quickly because I need his blood to live’ and 'we are keeping live people locked up in our dungeon indefinitely so we can continuously feed off them’.

Like this would almost be brilliant if she was TRYING to turn Lestat into the very thing he hated back when he was human / a young vampire but she HAS NO IDEA AND THINKS ALL HIS BAD CHOICES ARE TOTALLY JUSTIFIED! It's incredible. I used to love Lestat so much and now I just wish he would die. Like the whole 'brat prince' thing was never supposed to ...actually turn into him being given any kind of political power. He's not fun if he literally IS the establishment. Anne Rice's crusty old ass sitting here writing this book like: what are kids into today? the monarchy? public executions? So relatable, Anne. All I could think of when he started keeping humans in the dungeons was Lestat freaking out over all the bodies in Magnus' dungeon back when he was made. Give me that Lestat back!

In conclusion: Itwas both slightly better than the last book [less bird aliens, half the length] and also infinitely worse [Anne is entirely out of touch with reality, all this monarchy bullshit, characters we like get no page time, literally everything fun about immortality has been stripped away in favor of the same bullshit bureaucracy we all hate so much in the mortal world, Anne could not structure a coherent plot to save her life]. If there is another one I genuinely don’t think I can read it. I know it seems over-dramatic but she has genuinely taken every single piece of fun and magic out of this world and it’s just awful. Usually I can see how someone would like a book even if I rate it low but I am genuinely baffled that anyone enjoys this shit.

[Jenna ❤ ❀ ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, what to say, what to say? I am so torn by this latest installation of Lestat's antics, don't know how I really feel about it. Don't get me wrong, the writing is beautiful, pure and classic Anne Rice. Anyone who loves her writing style will be delighted with this book. I think perhaps my reading preferences have changed, think I have changed. I'm just not feeling the love anymore. That really bothers me; I have loved Anne Rice since I first read Interview with the Vampire 25 years ago, have eagerly awaited and pre-purchased each and every new novel. This is the first I have not pre-purchased but instead waited for a library copy and oh! I feel so guilty over that! Can anyone relate to the loss of love for a series or author? Is it just me -- surely it is not!-- who has fallen out of love with an author. I'm still intrigued by Lestat and all the other characters Anne Rice has so lovingly and meticulously created over the years; I still care about them. However, I no longer find myself craving to know more and more and more; no longer have the patience to wade through all the poetic sentiment and flowery descriptions that Anne does so well. I feel a little as though I'm grieving for a lost love. Times change though, and hopefully we as individuals do too. For this reason, I never re-read a book, no matter how much I loved it. Indeed, the more I love a book, the more reason I have not to re-read it. I don't want to read again and find it doesn't quite mean the same thing or that it has lost some of its luster. To be sure, we might re-read beloved books and find even deeper layers of meaning, have an even larger appreciation, care about the characters even more. However, that is not assured, and I just don't want to fall out of love with a book I cherished.

So for this reason, perhaps I should have stopped reading Anne Rice a couple of books back when I noticed I was getting a bit impatient with them. Instead, like an addict, I continued to devour every book and every word, searching and longing for that old rush, that old high I would get when reading her books. Alas, it now evades me, my blood no longer courses faster and faster through my veins with each word, my brain no longer drenched with endorphins at the mere sight of her books. I have fallen out of love.

As for the book itself, anyone who still loves Anne Rice (ah, how I envy you!) will no doubt love this book. Lestat is back, perhaps better and more mature in many ways. Most of the characters we know and love from previous books are included in this one, and there are a few new vampires as well. There is beauty and gore, passion and horror, love and hate. There is opulence everywhere you turn, the vampires life one of such extravagance. I found it a bit slow-going and more description than action. However, I think that has always been true of Anne's books, and one of the reasons I loved her so in the past. I loved and submerged myself in the depth of emotions, in the life that these who were not alive still felt.

It's difficult to decide whether to give this a 4 or 5 stars. How much did I like it? Merely, sadly, only a 3. However, it deserves a higher rating and I could never give Anne less than a 4. She is as ever, a brilliant writer. If you love her, you will not be disappointed with this book, except perhaps that it's rather short at only 256 pages. You might be left feeling hungry for more.

[Fabian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Indeed, it's right there on the cover, "A tale of Prince Lestat."

Yeah, the whole vampire kingdom faces annihilation again (which makes me recall the fabulous Chronicle "Queen of the Damned") and we revisit the coterie that we've come to love (and almost forget). And the entire thing is an encyclopedia of what's occurred thus far in the series (such as the Atlantis People one assumes from the previous Rice novel, "Prince Lestat & the Realms of Atlantis"), one more anecdote to jot inside the Terrible Historie des Vampires. Just a jot, not a story, or an epic of the Chronicles. No. One thing occurs--the apex of the tale is misplaced, the climax arrives very early--and that's it. Wake me from my eternal slumber once something more fun and befalls Lestat & Co.

[Erin Clemence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne Rice is back with “Blood Communion: A Tale of Prince Lestat”, her most recent novel in the Vampire Lestat series. As a huge fan of Anne Rice and the Vampire prince, I have been awaiting this novel for months, and of course, as usual, I was not disappointed.

Lestat is now the reigning prince of what he calls the ‘Blood Communion’, blood drinkers young and old who are loyal to him. When one of his own threatens his and his followers’ existence, Lestat must go against what he has promised and prepare to fight Rhoshamandes. Lestat continues to grow in favour among the vampires, and is worshipped and adored everywhere he goes. As he tries to accept this new position, Lestat regales his court with stories of how he came to be, and reflects on his past.

In “Blood Communion”, we are re-introduced to many of the original characters from Chronicles. Louis, Marius, Armand, even Jesse and David. Through his narration, Lestat reminds us of the pertinent facts from the other novels, both necessary and convenient after so many years. Rice spans the globe through Lestat as he tells of his travels, and we are soon in France, than New Orleans, and then eighteenth-century St. Petersburg, detailing the beautiful settings that have made her novels so enjoyable.

Although there are many characters in this novel, they are familiar and comforting and as each character is re-introduced, their storyline is added to, rebuilding the connections with the reader.
It is a challenge to accept the version of Lestat that has been presented in the last few Lestat novels. Gone is the arrogant, self-centred rock star who taunted his peers to reveal their identity. Now a human-loving, pacifist is in his place, one full of love for all kinds and desperate to live in a world of peace. I suppose we all grow with age, but I do miss the rebel rock star Lestat a little.

The new Lestat novels are a must-read for fans of Rice’s Vampire Chronicle’s. Beautifully told through Rice’s powerful descriptive language and breathtaking settings, this novel brings some hope and peace into the vampire and human world as they continue to co-exist under Lestat’s leadership.

The Queen of Vampires is back, and I am so thrilled to see her creative talent at work once again. Lestat has changed so much over the years and I am anxious to see where he will lead us next.

[Elise · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

It was better than Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis but it still wasn't good. I genuinely hope that this is the last book in the chronicles because Anne has clearly run out of ideas, and it's time that she just quits, you can't continue forever you know...

This book basically has the same plot as Prince Lestat and also Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis. There is a threat and Lestat and his endless group of people in the court have to find a solution. Every complaint I had with the previous book still stands, the books never will go back to that amazing Gothic writing that the first books had, now Rice opts for endless discriptions of clothing and what people look like, this time paired with pages and pages filled with describing a ballroom dance. I also found the whole message of Lestat loving everyone very repetivive and I would never describe him as having that characteristic at all if you go back to previous books. Not only Lestat's personality has changed a lot throughout the 3 most recent books, a lot of the characters that we know well have changed significantly in the way they act, and it doesn't fit with the personalities that we have grown to know them having.

She pulled the same trick which she did at the end of Memnoch and then getting into The Vampire Armand. This was done very unconvincingly and I never felt any emotion over the things that were supposed to be emotional because I knew that we were being "lied to". (If you want to know what I'm referring to, read the text with the * which is at the end of this review, it's a spoiler.) I think that Rice would have been much braver actually deciding to go the dark route, but she didn't, and I think it's purely because she would get a lot of hate from long-time readers who don't agree with her decisions. It's all about making money anyways....

Some random things that I didn't like:
- Vampires suddenly become weak when there's a lot of iron around. (Why introduce this in book 13?!) That didn't at all work for the believability of some things that happened in this book.
- Random people like Barbara and that architect guy (I already forgot his name and I finished the book not even an hour ago) being treated as if they are miracles, but we as readers couldn't care less about them.
- How believable is it that a village of people would not notice that there are 2000 immortals gathered in a castle on a mountain?

Rice tried to make things right, but this book was full of things we've already read before, so you can't get any improvement that way. It was just nothing special.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
* We are made to believe Louis, Gabrielle and Marius got killed by Roshamandes but it's done so badly that I sensed from the first moment that they were presumed dead, that it was all just fake.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will always defend Anne Rice. She's made questionable choices over the years but her initial vampire books still mean so much to me, and I will always jump at the chance to read her ARCs.

In this book, Lestat, now the "prince" of the vampires, is settling into his role. It's a difficult one for him because he's rebellious by nature, but his title means he is guarded at every moment and advised (read: nagged) by elders on matters he would rather ignore. Still, he must do what is best for his Court, which means facing the vampires that threaten its stability. Among these are Arjun (Pandora's abusive progeny), Rhoshamandes (I had high hopes for him and Benedict), and Baudwin, a bitter fiend who claims to descend from the legendary Gundesanth. (The jury is still out on whether Gundesanth, who appears later and goes by "Santh," is actually as good as he appears. I kept expecting him to turn on Lestat, and I'm still not convinced by him.)

I took a number of notes as I read this book, so here they are.

• There is a glut of vampires. I can barely keep track of them. I'd adjusted to the vampires introduced in Prince Lestat, some even intrigued me, but more keep coming. I'm not sure it's necessary to bring all of them to Court, and I find it hard to believe that they can possibly maintain discretion with that many vampires partying all the time.

• It seems like every vampire under the sun (ha) is at Court except Daniel. Where the hell is Daniel Molloy? He appeared in Prince Lestat but I don't think he was even mentioned in this book, and I can't remember if he made an appearance in Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis. Daniel is a fan favorite so I find his absence pretty troubling.

• The book is very talky. I miss Anne's lush descriptions.

• I still can't bring myself to care about Benji and Sybelle.

• I also don't care about the Replimoids (the creatures from Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis) and I find it incredibly fucked up that they seem content to enslave their own clones. Kapetria dressed it up prettily and swore they put a stop to the kind of cloning that produces mindless, subservient beings (cloning from clones), but even she admitted that her curiosity would get the better of her eventually. It's clear that the Replimoids will keep doing whatever they want. Armand begged Lestat to destroy them, for the sake of humanity, but nothing really came of that discussion. I guess the jury is out on them, too.

• I'm pretty sad that Rhosh and Benedict have already left us. I found them fascinating and I wanted more of their history. Maybe I just have a thing for sweet monks.

• On the other hand, Benedict's suicide was so deliciously dark. I'm used to Anne's vampires committing themselves to the sun or the flames. Offering his blood to the coven, plucking out his eyes, requesting kettledrums and the Dies irae... it was all so ancient and sacrificial. I loved it. I still think Benedict was gone too soon, though.

• I liked the violence in this book, which is something you won't hear me say often. The destruction of Rhosh was so brutal, and the image of Louis, Gabrielle and Marius with their heads twisted completely around took me by surprise. Anne really lingered over those gory details like she did in the older books. The violent nature of her vampires (juxtaposed with their humanity and their passion) is one of the reasons why I love this series so much.

• Man, these vampires spend a lot of money. They're perfect capitalists! They're also constantly dancing.

• Armand claims to love Lestat more than anyone. That kind of hurts my heart. I adore Marius and Armand, and Daniel and Armand. I don't know that I believe him.

• I want to know more about Notker and his alpine boy choir. Come on, why haven't we gotten his story yet?

• Why would Lestat agree to keep mortal victims in his dungeon? Sure, they're evildoers, they're treated well, and Lestat isn't exactly a paragon of morality, but wouldn't he encourage the hunt? It seems to me that this practice will make the new crop of young vampires lazy.

The book felt slightly unfinished to me, perhaps because I have so many questions, and there are so many characters she hasn't explored in detail, but I still tore through it. Anne's writing just compels me. One night I read a hundred pages. I wanted more from this book but I still liked it. More than anything, I'm buzzing with anticipation over the upcoming "Vampire Lestat" TV series.

[Marcos GM · Rating 3 out of 5]

[ESP/ENG]

- Esto es lo que he soñado para todos nosotros - lloré -. ¡Que esta corte viva para siempre!

Me prometí en su momento que ya había terminado con esta saga después del enorme fiasco que me supuso El príncipe Lestat y los reinos de la Atlántida, y que esta saga que tanto me había gustado en sus inicios y tanto tumbo había dado ya no era lo mismo. Pero como suele pasar, del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho, y al final ha caído. Aunque también ayuda saber que, esta vez sí, la saga termina aquí, para bien o para mal.

¿Qué nos cuenta el libro? Tras los acontecimientos de esta nueva "trilogía" que empezaba con El príncipe Lestat y seguía con lo que seguía 🙄, los vampiros de este universo se habían juntado en una Corte, con el personaje de Lestat como príncipe de los vampiros. Tras muchos avatares, parece que todos estaban más o menos unidos en armonía, salvo Rhoshamandes, que anda por ahí jodiendo la marrana quemando una casa y queriendo destruir al sempiterno Lestat. Unos pedirán que se le destruya, otros que también, y Lestat decidirá que no, que no es problemático. Error que da pie al grueso de la novela.

Al final esta novela no va de nada, la historia como tal se queda muy escasa. Es más una serie de divagaciones sobre estos personajes y lo que pueden ser o no, la trama en sí queda relegada al último cuarto que es Rhoshamandes secuestrando y "matando" a vampiros queridos por Lestat, que al final queda en que sólo los había secuestrado. La mayoría de la novela sucede en la propia Corte, el castillo original de los Lioncourt, entre charlas y bailes. Por suerte cuenta con algunas escenas de acción que animan un poco el ambiente.

-No estás solo- afirmó ella -. No importa lo fuerte que sea, hijo mío - añadió -. Ya no estás solo.
Nos tienes a todos nosotros.

En cuanto a los personajes, hacen su aparición la mayoría de los conocidos, y otros nuevos (a estas alturas de la saga se me hace raro que algunos de esos "originales" no hubieran salido todavía), pero todo gira entorno a Lestat una vez más. Por contra, siguen saliendo los Replimoides, que me dejan muy indiferente. Por desgracia en sagas tan largas queda poco ya por innovar, y esta novela adolece un poco de esto. Y las nuevas adiciones no tienen tiempo de lucirse (Gundesanth, por ejemplo)

Un par de detalles que no me han gustado pero no son parte de la trama: El título por un lado, como siempre con la traducción. La comunidad de la sangre lo llama, cuando debería traducirse por La Comunión de la sangre, y si bien es entendible pierde el sentido, puesto que comunidad ya eran antes. Por otro han metido un nuevo elemento, que es el envolver a un vampiro en hierro para anular sus capacidades, algo ni siquiera planteado hasta ahora y que queda bastante raro (un personaje dice algo del estilo de: ah, sí, el clásico envolver en hierro, ¿no os lo habían dicho?)
Para compensar, y al menos en español, es la primera edición que trae ilustraciones salpicadas entre sus páginas, un detalle curioso.

Como cierre me funciona, pero como historia independiente ha sido algo insustancial. De lejos me quedo con los primeros y con títulos como Sangre y oro (no me canso de recomendar este libro)

Porque en verdad eran mi pueblo, mi tribu, mi familia. Y lo que ocurriera de ahora en adelante no sería solo mi historia. No, sería la historia de todos nosotros.

Nota personal: en el momento de valorarla le di 4⭐ redondeando al alza, puesto que lo valoro con 3.5, pero habiendo dejado unos días entre valoración y reseña lo bajo a 3⭐, me deja una sensación no tan agradable para subirlo.


-------------------------------

Once again, the quotes are translated because I read a translated edition.

- This is what I have dreamed for all of us - I cried -. May this court live forever!

I promised myself thtat I had finished with this saga after the enormous fiasco that supposed to me reading Prince Lestat and the kingdoms of Atlantis, and that this saga that I had liked so much in its beginnings and so much tumbling had given was no longer the same. But as usually happens, there is a long way from said to fact, and in the end I chose to read it. Although it also helps to know that, this time, the saga ends here, for better or worse.

What does the book tell us? After the events of this new "trilogy" that began with Prince Lestat and continued with what followed 🙄, the vampires of this universe had come together in a Court, with the character of Lestat as prince of the vampires. . After many ups and downs, it seems that everyone was more or less united in harmony, except for Rhoshamandes, who is out there fucking around burning a house and wanting to destroy the everlasting Lestat. Some will ask that for him to be destroyed, others the same and Lestat will decide not, that he is not problematic. A mistake that gives rise to the bulk of the novel.

In the end this novel is nothing, the story as such is very little. It's more of a series of ramblings about these characters and what they may or may not be, the plot itself is relegated to the last quarter which is Rhoshamandes kidnapping and "killing" vampires loved by Lestat, resulting that in the end he just kidnapped them and they were safe. Most of the novel takes place at Court itself, the original Lioncourt castle, between chatter and dances. Luckily it has some action scenes that liven up the atmosphere a bit.

"You are not alone," she said. It doesn't matter how strong you are, my son,” she added. You are no longer alone.
You have all of us.

As for the characters, most of the known ones make their appearance, and some new ones (at this point in the saga it seems strange to me that some of those "originals" had not come out yet), but everything revolves around Lestat once again. On the other hand, the Replimoids continue to appear, which leave me very indifferent. Unfortunately, in such long sagas there is little left to innovate, and this novel suffers a bit from this. And the new additions don't have time to show off (Gundesanth, for example)

A couple of details that I did not like but are not part of the plot: The title on the one hand, as always with the translation. The community of blood calls it, when it should be translated by Blood Communion, and although it is understandable, it loses its meaning (this applies only to spanish edition). On the other hand, they have introduced a new element, which is wrapping a vampire in iron to nullify its abilities, something that has not even been considered until now and which is quite strange (a character says something like: oh, yes, the classic wrapping in iron, didn't they tell you?
To compensate, and at least in Spanish, it is the first edition that includes illustrations sprinkled between its pages, a curious detail.

As a closure it works for me, but as an independent story it has been somewhat insubstantial. By far I prefer the first ones and with titles like Blood and Gold (I never tire of recommending this book)

Because they were truly my people, my tribe, my family. And what happened from now on wouldn't just be my story. No, it would be the story of all of us.

Personal note: at the time of evaluating it I gave it 4⭐ rounding up, since I value it with 3.5, but having left a few days between evaluation and review I lowered it to 3⭐, it leaves me with a not so pleasant feeling.

[Chandra Claypool (WhereTheReaderGrows) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a LONG time since I've read Anne Rice. Years... decades even! I've always been a fan so was excited to get my hands on her latest, Blood Communion. At less than 300 pages, this is considerably shorter than most of her books so was a quick read. The first few chapters summarizes what you may have missed up to this point (this is book 13 in the Vampire Chronicles after all). I did enjoy this since, as I said, it's been really long since I've been in this world.

What I found interesting with this story was that there was more dialogue and less vivid descriptions as I'm used to getting from Rice. There is still that standard luscious violence that happens and the kinship between the majority of the vampires to survive while still having to manage and almost police their own kind. So many questions as to why some things were happening in this book and good lord, if we didn't have enough vampires to try and remember, here's a hundred more! However, I did notice at the back of the ARC that there is an appendix to list the vampires and places so that would've been helpful I think (though to be quite honest, I'm one of the people that rarely reference these types of things in books).

The Blood Communion - the community of vampires that deal with their uniqueness but still have the "human" tendencies of loyalty, love and camaraderie and all the issues pertained to these fallible qualities.

It was definitely nice to be back with Lestat and in this vampiric world. It didn't quite hit me with sharp enough fangs as I would have liked... but with the new Lestat tv series coming up, I'm glad I was able to read about his journey and growth... although, I do think my time reading these chronicles just may be up. EEP! Devoted fans will power through and love this one.

[Lorellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book feels like an ending and a very regal one. But also like a promise of so much more beyond what part of the story we got to hear, and we may never hear that part, but still I like to imagine that it’s there. I don’t want to say much more about a yet unpublished book, just know that Lestat shines as always.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

problem for Anne rice is she opened with a bang. interview was a bestseller upon publication and the 2 follow ups may have been as well. maybe that's why Anne rice


tried to return to her roots as a relatively

short focused story. yet she couldn't resist overpopulation of characters

[Bailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a lot I want to say about this book, and what this series has become. I'd planned to write a review that would rival the length of this little story. (barely 256 pages with large margins, font size and pictures!) But the more I think about it, the more tiring that seems. So I will first list the few things I liked, then the few things I think are weak, and how they represent why the series has lost its magic.

What I liked:
-A detail about how a vampire put a ring on Lestat but it didn't fit. So as he pushed it on, metal chipped away from it due to their strength so it could fit.
-Armand was the only vampire who is not trapped in the new Vampire Hivemind, because he lashed out at Lestat when he was angry. I thought this would create conflict but it didn't. But it was a real emotion and showed that vampires can still have them. Or at least one does.
And that's it for that.

Weaknesses, and how they show the series has gotten weaker:
-By making Lestat Prince, and the elder vampires ignoring his morals in favour of their Hivemind opinion. This could have made for some tension, conflict and even a return to Lestat's form by having him rebel or lash out in some way. He's meant to be the youthful, rebellious and modern contrast to the traditional stuffy vampires. A sliver of this is found, as the issue is brought up, only to have Lestat at the end comply to their opinions and obey their desires. He gives up control to his Council because he feels they are right simply due to their age, a "respect your elders" mentality. This is introduced and concluded before it could make for good drama and story.

-Whenever Lestat disagrees with the Hivemind opinion, he is punished for it. He does not want to kill vampires for every little crime. The other vampires insist over and over yet he keeps his opinion. But of course, this vampire is the most evil villain to ever evil and kidnaps the vampires Lestat loves and relies on. He is then repeatedly reminded that that was HIS fault for not immediately killing a vampire on sight. This is just one example of every "I told you so" punishment Lestat gets. The Hivemind are written to be right in everything, and Lestat is punished for going against their collective opinion.

-The Hivemind vampires. Every character, old and new, ghost or Atlantis alien, all have the same opinion. None deviate from the opinion. There are dialogue exchanges where they all repeat the same phrase to Lestat in a row. Characters traits are gone, no one is unique. They are a mindless mob. Like I've repeated, that could be compelling if it caused real conflict, but it doesn't.

-Any conflict is resolved off screen without Lestat, or when Lestat is asleep. I am not kidding. He is told how something is resolved when he wakes up. He spends half the book asleep. This is just...baffling. Why is from his pov at all if this is how the story is told?

I think the biggest issue with this book is not all of those. It's not all of the new problems introduced two books ago. It's the fact that this story is completely disconnected from the real world. There is only one human character in this book, and he is turned into a vampire during. The fact that there are no humans, or any display of the real world just ruins what the series once was. What was the first book about? Louis breaking their one rule to be interviewed by a human. Second and third? Lestat breaking the secret on a global scale and interacting with the new world he woke up to. Many of the other books show the characters body switched into humans, their lives before becoming vampires, or connect in some way to the world around them. This story is set in one castle, with hundreds of vampires. And they don't even detail them hunting humans, drinking their blood.

This is the weakest book in the chronicles for these reasons. It's lost its heart, its reason to keep going. There's no conflict, challenges, tension, or fear for their secret or lives. Everything's resolved, or ignored, or ends up okay. There is no life, no humanity, no personality.

[Jim C · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is part of a series that has been around for forty years. It continues the story of the Brat Prince or otherwise known as Lestat. This is definitely not a starting point and one must have prior knowledge of this series before reading this book. In this one, there is a threat to Lestat's dream of the Court and all its members engage how to deal with this threat.

This was a quick read as it fell under three hundred pages. Actually, this could have been even a quicker read as the opening act was basically a review of every Court vampire and their exploits we have already seen in this series. I am not sure if this is the end of the series but it read as if it is the swan song. I liked the idea of a threat to Lestat and his court but I believe the execution of this plot was weak. I never believed the twists that happened during it and I thought its resolution was way too quick. I could say that about the whole book. Every thing seems to fall into place rather easily and I never really sensed any drama.

As I said, this read as if it is a series finale and it seemed like the author wanted her main character to finish on top. There is nothing wrong with that if it was earned. I don't think it actually was in this book. I keep waiting for this series to recapture the magic of the earliest books. There are glimpses of the magic but it never truly succeeds in capturing it.

[Marilu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect ending for the Vampire Chronicles. Though it's a bittersweet one.
I don't know if it was just my feeling, but the whole book had that finale aura around it. I'm gonna miss reading about my hero, the Brat Prince, who's always up to something (and almost always it's something not... good haha). What can I say?, I have a soft spot for him in my heart. He's my favourite character ever and like most fans of this saga, I'm in love with him.
Without giving away any spoilers, all I could say is that it was nice to leave him happy, as by the end of this story, he felt he achieved everything he wanted through his adventures of the entire chronicles: to be seen, to be known, to be loved.
That's why I say it was bittersweet, at least for me. We leave him in the nicest circumstances possible, but knowing we won't get to read anything new.
The great Anne Rice gave us that high note to say goodbye to Lestat and all our beloved vampires. And I loved this book.
One of my favourite writers. May she rest in pace.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book by Anne rice that I can only give 3 stars to for me to so that is truly shocking but I think it's time to let lastat go into history now

[S.D. Hintz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how all the vampires came together from previous books. The read was as charming as it was magically violent.

[❀⊱RoryReads⊰❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[VintageVamp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the final book for the Vampire Chronicles. Anne Rice wrapped everything up nicely.


****Spoilers***************************



Is it just me or did Lestat gain a new power? Every vampire is following his lead! Well, except Rhoshomondes (sp?) When did they all fall under his thrall? Even the ancients Santh and Gregory protect and assist him.
Lestat waffles a lot as a leader. He refuses to order Rosh's death even when he kidnaps Louis and his mother. Armand is angry about this but nothing comes of it.

It all sounds like a different Lestat. Because he has finally grown up! He does take out Rosh by himself and is lauded by all vampire kind.

I was never a fan of the alien/bird story (Realms of Atlantis) but I guess the replimoids were needed to create Amel's body. I think the vampire docs and scientists could have cooked up a clone or two instead.

This was a short, easy read for an Anne Rice book. We did get an ending and I'm grateful for that. Although it does feels a bit rushed and weak. We did get some fun Lestat moments.

Memnoch The Devil and the Atlantis books were my least favorite of all the Vampire Chronicles.

3 - fangs🩸

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This lush, atmospheric novel brings together many characters we know and, oddly, love. Heartbreak is matched by new relationships. Ah, Lestat and Louis, the complex romance continues. The restoration of Lestat's chateau is fascinating: the textures, materials, towers, and the preparation for a Winter Ball as 3,000 vampires gather for the book's intriguing climax. An horrific new source of bodies/blood will have you squirming (lest we forget, this is horror) and seems a springboard to the next book. The experience of entering Rice's 'Blood Communion' universe is simply breath-taking.

[Kirsty ❤️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to love these books when I was younger but nowadays it seems to grate on me. I was hoping that a new one would bring back the love I once had for this series. It didn't quite do that. It's a classic Anne Rice style, if you've read one book you know the writing style and it's easy to follow. It's Lestat so easy to enjoy & be invested in the character. There are plenty of other known names from the past too. 

I think if you love these books you'll enjoy it but I think what I want from a book has changed since the first novel and this time it's not for me.

[Pax · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy have I been out of the Vampire Chronicles loop haha. So many characters since I read about Lestat many years ago! But this was a nice revisit for me. Lestat is still an icon and I enjoy his complexity immensely.

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly its another yawn fest from Anne Rice. The first two chapters are a recap and after that despite the escalating issues facing Lestat and co I honestly just felt that he was being a dick. He brought on all the problems in this book and after all the possible shocking events (that turned out alright in the end of course) I just found myself not caring about any of the characters I once loved.

There just was no real good plot to sink your teeth into and hearing about how beautiful and wonderfully dressed the vampires are for the millionth time I just switched off. Give me the grandeur of Marius, Armand and Pandoras books, the novelty of Vittorio's or the energy of blackwood farm's but this crap? No thanks.

[The Nerd Daily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Seven Jane

After two books of alternating points of view—Prince Lestat (2014) and Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis (2016)— Rice, and Lestat, are back in the newly released Blood Communion. In a first person narrative flouting more dialogue than previous books in the series, the eleventh instalment in Rice’s Vampire Chronicles sees the charmingly insufferable vampire continuing more or less the same path he’s been on for the past few centuries: seeking a beautiful respite and fame for his unquenchable ego, and comforting himself with insincere self-flagellation every step of the way.

Indeed, told completely from the perspective of The Brat Prince himself, Blood Communion is exactly the sort of epicurean tale you might expect from the vampire who simultaneously laments each of his numerous mistakes while continually ignoring any wisdom that might prevent him from making his next.

It is Lestat de Lioncourt in all his pompous, velvet-cloaked, self-indulgent glory, and we love him—and Rice—for it.

For those of us loyal People of the Page (Rice’s name for her avid followership) who have tired of worrying how, if, or (for-the-freaking-love-of-Akasha) when Amel’s consciousness might be extracted from Lestat or about the motives of the replimoids (in fact, there is mercifully little mentioned about Kapetria or Amel until the final few pages), this is the story we have been waiting for.

Once again, the ever self-absorbed and easily besmitten vampire romances himself through his own panderings, all the way from a superficial infatuation with newcomer Dmitri Fontayne (or Mitka, as he prefers), a former lover of none other than Pandora, who beguiles Lestat with his fragile hands, impressive wardrobe, and well-furnished home (sound familiar?), to the quickly dispatched Baudwin. This latter is ultimately ended by his maker, a newly introduced ancient Gundesanth (Santh), who, as it turns out was a member of the Queen’s blood priesthood and companion of Nebamun (known now as Gregory). Alas, it wouldn’t be fitting for a new addition in the Vampire Chronicles if it didn’t introduce and subsequently forget new characters at lightning speed.

In an instalment that is most reminiscent of The Vampire Lestat (1985), Rice’s latest, lushly-written addition to the Chronicles acts as a sort of bookend to the series Louis kicked off, returning us back to the mortal days of Lestat. It is, also, perhaps the most unabashed love letter from Rice in all her glorious descriptions of Lestat. We revisit some of the most impactful, character-shaping moments of his personal history—Claudia’s death, the conversion of Gabrielle, the tryst with Memnoch, et cetera—and see the culmination of these moments arrived as Lestat finally achieves the proper nobility he has desired since his mortal days in his family’s crumbling castle in France.

Though the novel lags in the beginning and feels somewhat rushed toward the end, there are moments of intense action and violence in Blood Communion, the likes of which haven’t been seen since Queen of the Damned. Two such scenes of note involve the ill-fated Rhoshamandes (yes, finally) and his beloved Benedict. It is Lestat himself who cheaply head butts and then rips the former’s head from his ancient body, subsequently ingesting and then vomiting back Rhosh’s eyes. The second gruesome death of note (although it happens prior to Rhosh’s) is when poor Benedict terminates his own immortality (shortly after delivering Lestat an actual throne) in a gory exit that makes the stage scene of the young French woman in the Théâtre des Vampires look positively G-rated.

Of course, Rhosh’s eventual demise has been long-awaited, and Lestat honors though does not participate in Benedict’s. However, if you’ve ever expected The Brat Prince to actually face consequences—from condemning poor Claudia to short-lived immortality, to destroying the Théâtre des Vampires (something over which Armand is still deliciously bitter), to teaming up (albeit-temporarily) with the blood queen Akasha, to continually and incessantly ignoring the insight and caution of Louis, Armand, Marius or any of the other blood drinkers Lestat clams to love yet never actually shows any affection—or to perhaps grow into the maturity of a centuries-old vampire, it isn’t happening here. Not even and perhaps especially not know that he enjoys the role of crowned Prince, a position he ceaselessly wrings his hands over (and which is constantly reinforced by vampires who, after Akasha, might know better!). Instead, any maturity we might find in Lestat is tempered by his own grandiose musings as he comforts himself with his progress in establishing the court, hosts decadent balls and ceremonies, restores his ancestral home—Chateau de Lioncourt—and the surrounding village, considers and then bestows the Dark Gift to his lead architect, and still manages to come out of yet another challenge to his dominance not only the winner, but somehow improved. He is, for better or worse, the same bratty blond vampire he has always been—just maybe a little less repentant about it.

But then so are the rest of the vampires. The always-dramatic Armand. The ever-inconsolable Louis. The incessantly-brooding Marius. Gabrielle, who remains as elusive and temporal as Pandora. But perhaps therein is Rice’s subtle nod to a simple truth—the suggestion that despite all its flaws and all its imperfections, that no matter how long removed from the realm of the living, no matter how well-preserved in velvet and beautiful immortality, the human condition persists within us all.

Blood Communion is the necessary next step of the Court as we have come to know and love them, and it is Lestat de Lioncourt as we simply can’t live without him.

All hail Prince Lestat!

[Lynette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. The first 2 chapters were a little slow and a bit of a rehash on what has gone on in previous book. I can see the point in that, in case it was your first time picking up one of her books or, like me, you forget and need reminding. I had a good time reading it and did not want to put it down or it to end. A great little adventure for our dear Prince Lestat...enjoyed seeing the growth in him through out the novel. And the message of love through out as well...something we should live for and need to learn ourselves, every day. Especially now. Love each other. There were a few twists and turns, some surprising/shocking. I always enjoy Anne's continuation of her vampire mythos, always giving us something new to know about them. I laughed, I almost cried...it makes me impatient for the next novel to see what the group and our dear Prince have in store next.

[Catherine Pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Anne Rice for about 11 years. I have just about all of her books along with her husband's (Stan Rice) books. I have yet to read Christopher 's (son). My boyfriend got me into Anne Rice by actually giving me his whole set and told me to read the books. I did and was hooked bad lol. Anne Rice is a great writer and this book is so great. The book is making me think that she is about to retire Lestat and everyone else, but I am not sure. I hope not lol I do cannot get enough of her books. In order to understand the books, you would have to read them in order, all 13 books. Not sure if she had written another one yet for the chronicles. I surely hope she is not retiring the series.

[Angela]

Wait.

WTF. Maharet dies?!?! And I quote (from the blurb - but don't read it, I guess, if you're still catching up on this series): ...the mysterious Rhoshamandes, proud Child of the Millennia, reviled outcast for his senseless slaughter of the legendary ancient vampire Maharet...

Now I'd believe that Lestat could possibly kill Maharet. He's probably more powerful. But she was THE OLDEST VAMPIRE IN THE WORLD. How did some fucking kid kill her? Fuck that nonsense.

[Latasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

i was really not feeling this one. Lestat annoyed me so much! if he really had listened to the other vampires, none of that shit would've happened. Then!! there's the stunt with Marius and oh hell no, i don't think so! i just didn't like this one as much as the others. next time, please bring Simon Vance back.

[Deity World · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t believe the vampire chronicles have ended I’ve enjoyed every moment of lestats life and stories
RIP Anne Rice

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the majority of this latest Vampire Chronicle at some ridiculous hour of the night while unable to sleep. Although it was pleasantly distracting, being very tired was not sufficient to quiet the more critical parts of my mind. ‘Blood Communion’ is a short and fairly slight novel. As with the previous two books, it is dominated by Lestat. In this case, to the exclusion of all other points of view. There isn’t even a lengthy flashback from another character, the staple of the series. Now, I’ve adored Lestat for nearly twenty years so I say this with love, but he needs to pipe down. ‘Blood Communion’ introduced several new characters whose stories I would prefer to have heard. They were not given the chance to tell them. In Prince Lestat, it was lovely to read the first new tale of my beloved vampires for more than ten years. In Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis, there was the wonderfully bizarre alien business to shake things up. Here, everything felt a little too familiar. Upon reading the previous book, I hoped the next would shift focus to someone else and/or delve into the constitutional difficulties of setting up a vampire world government. Neither of these eventuated.

Before getting into over-analysis, I should mention various things that I liked. The illustrations were charming. I immediately liked Lestat’s ultra-efficient chief civil servant/housekeeper Barbara. It was adorable when Lestat bonded with a new vampire pal over parquet flooring. Louis’ attempts to read in peace were very relatable and I’m glad he found someone to discuss Tolstoy with. Lestat’s joy at giving young vampires makeovers is sweet. Obviously I am still emotionally invested in the main characters of this series. And I always enjoy the lavish descriptions of antique furnishings and velvet garments, even though they don’t vary much. I began the book laughing at Lestat’s perpetual need to remind the reader of his handsomeness, just in case you failed to notice in the previous twelve books that he’s six feet tall with long blond hair. It’s sort of endearing, especially as he inevitably follows up with, “All my friends are super-sexy too, let me explain how!”

I found the plot a bit underwhelming, however. The central theme is how the new Lestat-ruled vampire kingdom deals with vampires killing (or trying to kill) other vampires. I felt the lack of Rhoshamanades point of view was rather a weakness, whereas his voice was a strength in Prince Lestat. Here he was a rather opaque antagonist, apparently motivated to threaten Lestat’s closest loved ones by the loss of his lover Benedict. Yet Benedict’s death evidently wasn’t Lestat’s fault. Rhoshamanades was, as I recall, the only character not to be in love with Lestat in previous books. Possibly the fact that everyone else was pushed him over the edge? His death at Lestat’s hand, while dramatic, lacked the power that it would have had if his motivations had been clearer, I think. Moreover, I was puzzled by prior scenes in which Lestat was the only one arguing that Rhoshamanades shouldn’t be killed. Lestat has never struck me as the most merciful vampire in the world. I expected a less murderous attitude from David and the science vampires, in particular. Events then overtook what could have been a fascinating schism, as the court disagreed en masse with their feudal lord/prince/god-emperor.

The worshipful attitude that all other vampires have towards Lestat continued to be interesting and maddening in about equal measure. The character I was most disappointed with was Marius, who as Lestat’s self-styled Prime Minister had supposedly been working on a vampire constitution. When Marius started making a speech at the denouement ball, I was expecting something good. Then there was practically nothing! He’d been painting a mural on the ceiling instead. His so-called constitution was just ‘Slay the evildoer for one’s own peace of mind. And keep the secret always of our presence, our nature, and our powers.’ That’s no basis for the government of a global diaspora! You were a Roman, Marius, surely you could come up with something more sophisticated? There’s nothing there about not killing each other, let alone resolving pettier matters of property destruction and interpersonal conflict. Armand’s belief that all the aliens (still unfortunately referred to as Replimoids) should be killed is clearly going to cause problems. That boy has shown an impressive ability to hold a grudge in the past. How will such issues be resolved in a civilised manner, without arson? Perhaps the ballroom was not the place for a long constitutional speech. That’s still what I wanted, though. In the penultimate chapter Lestat says: ‘It was a feudal pact that we were offering: Come to the Court, acknowledge it and its rules, and you will forever have its protection, no matter where you go.’ But what are its rules, exactly? And is it really sensible to recreate the French Ancien Régime’s absolutism? Do none of the vampires remember the French Revolution?

Another matter I felt was rather sidestepped concerned this ‘slay the evildoer’ clause. Lestat apparently signed everything that crossed his desk with little attention, including documents that result in his castle’s dungeons being stocked with human snacks for the young vamps: murderers, arms dealer, and people traffickers are mentioned. The vampires seem to take a costumed vigilante’s perspective on evil-doing; kill the individual, ignore the system. Imagine if they looked more closely at the political and economic structures that encourage individual acts of violence, that create a market for weapons dealers, and that cause human trafficking. It certainly doesn’t seem like they prey on shareholders in weapons manufacturers, or CEOs of firms who use trafficked labour, or politicians whose policies worsen inequality and suffering. In fact, ‘Blood Communion’ and the rest of the Vampire Chronicles depict vampires as the 0.1%, hoarding their extensive wealth for themselves and their children with no regard for the world around them. Their furnishing of islands and castles with antiques and art is unlikely to result in much wealth trickling down.

Why are there no Marxist vampires, is what I’m asking.

Tangents aside, with no bizarre alien nonsense dominating the plot I found Lestat’s cult of personality less endearing than in previous books. Now that there seems to be stability, albeit of an emphatically feudal kind, in the vampire world, I think it’s time for someone else to narrate for a change. If there isn’t going to be a civil war over the constitution, could we perhaps hear Barbara’s story? Although I found this a weaker entry in the Vampire Chronicles, it was still enjoyable. I loved the many outfit descriptions and Louis dancing with Lestat. I suspect I would have enjoyed it more as a teenager, though.

[Jaksen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sad little dnf for this one, though I got two-thirds in. I have loved the Lestat books from the very beginning, have read Interview With the Vampire three times and plan to do it one more time, at least. Most of the others I have LOVED, though not reviewed here on Goodreads because I read them as they came out and long before I joined Goodreads...

Having said that, this book is a continual rehash of other books, with TOO MANY CHARACTERS. Omgoodness, did I just use caps? Methinks so. But I am so disappointed because on every page we get endless lists of all the vampires which Letast has...

Fought with. Loved. Argued with. Loved. Created. Had sex with and loved. Battled and then befriended, or vice versa. And Loved. Names, endless names, and there I was thinking, who was that? Marius? Armand? Pandora and who - what - where - when? The only one who really stood out for me was poor Louis and even he is TOTALLY UNDERUSED HERE.

There is a rule in writing, which I just made up: When you get too many characters, many of whom are damn confusing and interchangeable and who just get in the way of story plot dialogue and anything else you have to say: Kill them. Or make them move out of town. Get married, have kids, go off on a retreat, live in a cave somewhere and they can send a postcard now and then. Just. Get. Rid. Of. Them.

I got dizzy reading this, constantly wanting something new, terrific, dynamic, exciting instead of nothing very much happening, and a constant listing and taking account of each one of them in endless lists of names.

Too many characters. Never though I'd give a bad review because of that - and yes, yes, there are books with a multitude of characters. (GOT comes to mind.) But make them so distinct and different that they matter, don't blend them all together in a hodge-podge court or whatever, where most of them just stand around a lot not doing very much of anything at all.

Oh, I am so sad to write this review. I do love me some Lestat, just not this Lestat, in this book.

Sadly, two stars.