What is the greatest vampire novel ever written? I pondered this question for a while, and this is my conclusion.
No disrespect to Bram Stoker’s classic tale, but I feel the best vampire novel has been written by Anne Rice. No, not Interview With a Vampire, even though Interview is one of the biggest top selling vampire works to date. Also, that book was an eye opener for me as a young man. I changed the day I read Interview. However, I feel strongly that the greatest work of vampire lore is Blood and Gold. Blood and Gold is the amazing tale of Marius, one I had longed to read ever since Pandora was released. I knew the story of the Ancient One was going to be amazing, and it was. Anne Rice’s wonderful, vivid recounting of Italy was breathtaking. As someone recently said to me, “Anne Rice writes the novels but it is we that live them.” She gives us pictures in our minds that she has created. That is how we live them.
No disrespect to Bram Stoker’s classic tale, but I feel the best vampire novel has been written by Anne Rice. No, not Interview With a Vampire, even though Interview is one of the biggest top selling vampire works to date. Also, that book was an eye opener for me as a young man. I changed the day I read Interview. However, I feel strongly that the greatest work of vampire lore is Blood and Gold. Blood and Gold is the amazing tale of Marius, one I had longed to read ever since Pandora was released. I knew the story of the Ancient One was going to be amazing, and it was. Anne Rice’s wonderful, vivid recounting of Italy was breathtaking. As someone recently said to me, “Anne Rice writes the novels but it is we that live them.” She gives us pictures in our minds that she has created. That is how we live them.
I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up a great little short story written back in 1982 called "Master of Rampling Gate". I recently came across this little treasure and was thrilled to read what felt like classic Anne Rice. It brought me back to the first time I had discovered her in a little bookshop in Seattle so many years ago. "Master of Rampling Gate" is not easy to find but if you have a Kindle you can read it that way. The download comes with several entertaining Anne Rice videos and historical facts. I highly recommend reading it.
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