by Anne Rice
4. The Tale of the Body Thief (1992)—Lestat’s memoir in which he recounts his disastrous encounter with a clever and sinister mortal named Raglan James, a sorcerer experienced in switching bodies—a battle which forces Lestat into closer involvement with his friend David Talbot, Superior General of the Talamasca, whose scholarly members are dedicated to the study of the paranormal.
5. Memnoch the Devil (1995)—Lestat narrates a personal adventure, this time filled with devastating shocks and mysteries as he confronts a powerful spirit, Memnoch, claiming to be none other than the Devil of Christian lore, the fallen angel himself, who invites Lestat to journey with him to Heaven and Hell, and seeks to enlist Lestat as a helper in the Christian realm. Many questions remain unresolved as to who or what Memnoch is and whether he is a truth teller or a liar.
6. Pandora (1998)—Published under the series title New Tales of the Vampires, this story is Pandora’s autobiographical confession, recounting her life in the ancient Roman Empire during the time of Augustus and Tiberius, including her great and tragic love affair with the Vampire Marius. Though it does recount later events, the book is principally focused on Pandora’s first century as a vampire.
7. The Vampire Armand (1998)—Here, Armand, a profound and enigmatic presence in earlier novels, offers his autobiography to the reader, explaining his long life since the time of the Renaissance when he was kidnapped from Kiev and brought to Venice as a boy brothel slave, only to be rescued by the powerful and ancient vampire Marius. Yet another kidnapping puts Armand in the hands of the cruel and notorious Children of Satan, superstitious vampires who worship the Devil. Though Armand concludes his story in the present time and introduces new characters to the Chronicles, most of the account focuses on his earlier years.
8. Vittorio, the Vampire (1999)—One of the New Tales of the Vampires, this is the autobiography of Vittorio of Tuscany, who becomes a member of the Undead during the Renaissance. This character does not appear elsewhere in the Vampire Chronicles, but he is of the same tribe and does share the same cosmology.
9. Merrick (2000)—Told by David Talbot, this story is centered on Merrick, a Creole woman of color from an old New Orleans family and a member of the Talamasca, who seeks to become a vampire during the last years of the twentieth century. This is a hybrid novel, involving a glimpse of a few characters from another series of books devoted to the history of the Mayfair Witches of New Orleans to whom Merrick is related, but it principally focuses on Merrick’s involvement with the Undead, including Louis de Pointe du Lac.
10. Blood and Gold (2001)—Another in the series of vampire memoirs, this time written by the ancient Roman Marius, explaining much about his two thousand years amongst the Undead and the challenges he faced in protecting the mystery of Those Who Must Be Kept, the ancient parents of the tribe, Akasha and Enkil. Marius offers his side of the story of his love affair with Armand and his conflicts with other vampires. This novel concludes in the present but is principally focused on the past.
11. Blackwood Farm (2002)—A hybrid novel narrated by Quinn Blackwood recounting his personal history and involvement with the Talamasca, the Undead, and the Mayfair Witches of New Orleans, who figure in another book series. Set in a brief period of time in the early twenty-first century.
12. Blood Canticle (2003)—A hybrid novel, narrated by Lestat, recounting his adventures with Quinn Blackwood and with the Mayfair Witches from another series of books. This story focuses on a brief period of time in the twenty-first century.
13. Prince Lestat (2014)—Over a decade has passed since Lestat, the infamous Brat Prince, went into self-imposed retirement. The vampire world is virtually leaderless and in chaos, with vampires warring for territory in the big cities. Young blood drinker Benji Mahmoud launches a clandestine vampire radio station to call on the Undead worldwide to keep the peace, while begging the elders of the tribe to come forward and help their children. When some vampires begin hearing a mysterious telepathic voice—asking them to burn coven houses and destroy their own kindred—Lestat has no choice but to come out of exile and help the tribe face the challenges threatening to destroy it.
14. Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis (2016)—Lestat, the new Prince of the Vampires—having established his glamorous and beautiful Court at Château de Lioncourt in the mountains of France—is hoping to rule the Undead in peace when a new and mysterious enemy presents itself. Strange beings appear offering an unexpected dimension to the story of Amel, the spirit animating the entire vampire tribe. And Lestat must confront the very real possibility of immediate and total vampiric extinction.
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