On the whole Anne Rice thingy...

[amanuensis1]

For years, I've still counted myself an Anne Rice fan. Not going to be a hypocrite here; I loved The Vampire Lestat (though not Interview With a Vampire--Louis was such a whiner) and Queen of the Damned, and found The Witching Hour enthralling. And then there are the Beauty books; ye gods, I don't think I would be a smut writer if it hadn't been for those. I read 'em in college, and it was one of those life epiphanies: people write this and people read this and, yes, people DO like this, just like me. Kinky, explicit, and just so good.

It's telling that I can't really remember what happened in a good percentage of her other Lestat and Mayfair Witches books, but I didn't think they were pieces of s**t--just mediocre. Most of them are on my shelf; I think I gave up around Pandora, deciding that the mediocrity had at last lost me, oh well.

I'd heard she's rejected editing for a number of years, which has made me say, "And it shows." I was also aware that she doesn't want fanfiction written of her universes, which I have always thought a pretentious attitude--you can't control people's creativity or fantasies, and as long as they're not making money off your creation, why should you care?

But for sheer gasket-blowing...I swear, I was all on the "Wait, wait, are we SURE this is really her?" side of things, because the sheer vitriol...my god. I've been waiting for the news item from Rice's agent refuting that that was her posting. Hasn't happened. I guess I'm the naïve one.

Does it stop me from being an Anne Rice fan?

Well, let me put it this way. People don't usually say, "I'm a Laurence Olivier movie fan." Or, "I'm a JK Rowling book fan." Or, to carry the thing ad nauseum, a Tori Amos song fan, or a Georgia O'Keefe picture fan, etc. They just say, "I'm a (person) fan." It's only when that person starts being offensive as a person that those qualifications come in--I'm a fan of Orson Scott Card's fiction; I'm a fan of Eminem's music.

But it's an odd, unconventional phrasing. When I used to say, "I'm an Anne Rice fan," did that mean I loved the lady herself? No, of course not; I didn't know her from Fried Rice. But everyone knew what I meant.

So, no, there will be no back-turning on books I know and love just because the lady's gone postal. Anyone want to come in here and sigh over how much fun Lestat was as The Brat Prince, and how much we wanted to be Rowan Mayfair, and how effing sexy the Tristan/Nicolas stuff was, please come right in, I have hot cider and pie waiting.

Comments

[aubrem.livejournal.com]

Armand/Daniel (was that his name?) in Queen of the Damned. *The* hottest thing ever. This was long before I'd heard of slash and really didn't understand what it was I was enjoying but I read those parts over and over and over and over again.

[pauraque]

I don't have anything to say except that I'm friends with Anne Rice's nephew. /random

[lamiael.livejournal.com]

So, do you know if she is as loopy in RL as she is in print?

[supergrover24.livejournal.com]

I wanted to be Mona Mayfair like you wouldn't believe. I still read all of her books. I always will. (And yes, I do think she needs an editor. So does JKR.)

[heinous_bitca.livejournal.com]

I never have read the Vampire books, but I'll cuddle up with you over the Beauty books. ;)

*Grabs a piece of pie...*

[ex-leianora730.livejournal.com]

Thanks! this is good! Did you bake it yourself?

Well... I just expounded on this subject to a very good friend of mine, and so need to catch my breath.

Okay... here goes!

"Cry to Heaven" is by far my favorite book by her. To be honest, I'd always thought she was pretentious, but back when I was still reading her stuff with what could be called regularity, I thought reading pretentious authors was fun, kind of like the people who think that blonds are sexy until one day, they wake up and discover that their tastes run to darker hair, you know?

Yes, I thought the man on man sex in the Beauty books was just... hot as all hell, and I still do, but I have found that even while I thought her stuff was fun, rereading it was almost impossible. I, too, was completely captivated by "The Witching Hour." The history, and the many details she wove into its structure were truly astounding, especially concerning the early history of New Orleans. Most of that was sstuff you generally don't find on the many tours you could take of the city. If nothing else, you can truly tell, as a reader, how much she utterly adores the place.

I was very irritated by her latest fit, though. I'm not going to sit here and say that she disappointed me, and why did she have to go and act that way, because I thought she was better than that, because damn it, she's human, after all, but still, she could have found a much subtler way to sayy all that. And, what the hell was all that about interrogating the text? What? You interrogate a person, not a text! I read books like the kind she writes with a mind to escape the real world, not interrogate, or analyze, or mull over the damned text! I spent three years of my life doing that almost constantly to everything I read, and don't have a damn job for all my hard work, which proves that I probably wasted my time.

Anyway, no, I probably won't stop liking what I do like of her books, I just don't think I'll invest in anything new she chooses to write. Being blind, I was buying the books on audio cassette, and that's expensive, let me tell you! I had a tradition going; every time one of her books would come out, I'd go to the nearest book store within seven days of its arrival, and start harping on the people behind the counter for my audio copy. Several book store managers got to know me quite well, and one of them even had a copy of each new book set out for me within a day of its release to audio format. Wait till he hears that I'll no longer be buying anything more of hers! He's going to be disappointed, I'm sure. :-) Ah well, I expect he'll find something to comfort him from the grievous loss of my presence. :-)

Re: *Grabs a piece of pie...*

[atalantapendrag.livejournal.com]

Are the Library of Congress (I think it's them) audiobooks for the blind versions of Anne Rice's stuff so much worse than the commercial releases, or does it just take too long to come out? Just asking because a former boyfriend of mine is blind, and I know he got his books on tape for free, and unabridged at that. He even had a subscription to Asimov's on audiotape.


Anne Rice is on my list of authors I won't give royalties to by buying her books. The others are Mercedes Lackey, Poppy Z. Brite, and Laurell K. Hamilton.

[kaysha.livejournal.com]

Thanks, that was more or less what I was thinking.¹

I haven't read any of her books myself, but I still want to do so, sometime. Sure, it seems she's gone crazy, and I believe people when they say most (if not all) of her writing is mediocre or even bad, but I want to be able to judge for myself, so.. *shrugs*.

¹

[nufaciel.livejournal.com]

I've read many of her books, and I enjoyed many of those that I've read, particularly the first four of the Vampire Chronicles (I adore Lestat.) Her books were the starting of my love for man on man, though I wasn't really aware of that fact at the time. Armand was a wet dream for me. I did adore the boy/vampire action at the beginning of The Vampire Armand.

I haven't really enjoyed her last several books all that much. Yes, she does need an editor. When you read a sentence ten times and still can't figure out what the hell the author is trying to say, because the sentence far too long and hideously structured, yes, you do need and editor. I haven't bought any of her books in a long time, though. That's what the public library is for. ;)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

And then there are the Beauty books; ye gods, I don't think I would be a smut writer if it hadn't been for those. I read 'em in college, and it was one of those life epiphanies: people write this and people read this and, yes, people DO like this, just like me. Kinky, explicit, and just so good.

While I haven't read the Beauty books in years and years, they did have a really big impact on me, similar to the one you described. When I saw them in the bookstore, I tried to sneak them out. (No, not without paying, but with as few people seeing me with them as possible.) It wasn't until I got them home that it hit me: If there were books being written and published about this kink, then there must be many people who like it! Maybe it's even "okay"!

So while I think she's a twit if the editing thing is true, I owe her a thanks for the Beauty series.

[pauraque]

Your icon is freaking me out, dude.

[theladyfeylene.livejournal.com]

I love you so very much right now and want to have your babies.

*is a fan of the Vampire Chronicles and has been very afraid to admit it recently*

[adinasauce.livejournal.com]

Hell, I've read Queen of the Damned at least fourteen times, no exaggeration.

I am a shameless Lestat fan, though I must admit my favourite Vampire is, hands down, Gabrielle. Theirloveissoincestous.

Also, I know I'm of a minority here, but I loved Blood and Gold.

[sorion.livejournal.com]

Hm... I tried several times to read her work... I just don't like it. Her writing style doesn't reach me and it never has.

As for her as a person... >_< Her trying to forbid fanfiction and telling her fans to boycott movies annoyed the hell out of me. I though she was a self-centered, stupid, little bint.

After that lovely little paragraph of doom I am even more certain of that... But I'd like to add delusion, egoism, hypocrisy and megalomania to her list of symptoms... -_-'''

(Sorry... But I just can't help it...)

[mandrill.livejournal.com]

Since I don't read Anne Rice books nor follow her exploits, can you give me the short version of what her latest fit was over? Just idly curious, that's all. :=)

[zing_och.livejournal.com]

She threw a hissy fit on amazon.com because she got bad reviews there. I lost the original link (the book's called "Blood Canticle, I think, if you want to go looking), but I copied it (http://www.livejournal.com/users/zing_och/47872.html) in my LJ. Only the bolding is me, the rest is her. Including the lack of paragraph breaks.

[loony-moony.livejournal.com]

Okay, did I miss something about Anna Rice? I feel out of the loop here. :)

As for the whole "I'm a fan of the ART, not the ARTIST", I have to say that my exception is Linkin Park, because I like what they say and I like their goofy public personae. How can you not love someone who likes anime porn? :D [/random babbling]

[mousapelli.livejournal.com]

Fried Rice *snerk* you are so cute.

I liked her first couple books as well (minus Interview, the movie of which i loved, but the book i hated), and Queen of the Damned was excellent, but i've never dared pick up anything later than that because they just sound...even reading the back makes them sound like tripe, i find.

lestat as a rock star is pretty effing hot. Lestat talking to the pope? uhm, hmm, perhaps i'll give that a pass.

[pyrodagger.livejournal.com]

I'm a bit out on the subject of Anne Rice's books. I never finished reading all of them. I agree that the first couple books were good, including Interview. That might have been because I saw the movie before I could ever find a copy of the book and imagined Brad Pitt reading the whole thing to me. He made Louis seem slightly less... whiny...

My favorite was always Armand. It initiated me into the world of man/man action with the beautiful Marius/Armand scenes. Several years later and fully versed on man/man love, I confront other people who've read it with the scene and they dodge my questions and say 'I must have missed that part.' or 'I don't remember that in there.'

[gmth.livejournal.com]

I've been waiting for the news item from Rice's agent refuting that that was her posting. Hasn't happened.

...and it won't. In fact, the news article that was posted actually went in the opposite direction.

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

William Burroughs--just to pull an example out of thin air--spent decades as a heroin addict, shot his wife to death in what he claimed was a consensual game of William Tell, abandoned his son, openly loathed women and openly bragged about sexual encounters with Moroccan street children. Next to that, and many other writers talented and otherwise on my shelves, Anne Rice screwing with her fans and making a fool of herself on Amazon rates a big, fat whoopdie-shit. Of course, maybe it's easy for me to say that because other than the Beauty books, I've never read her.

And speaking of the Beauty trilogy, Tristan/Nicolas = OMG SO HAWT MY VERY FIRST SLASH OTP YAY HOORAY. When I first read those books (well, the first two--I was so disappointed at not getting more T/N that I never finished the third), I was a sheltered young thing who thought she'd personally invented ponyplay. The Marketplace series may be more realistic but it isn't anywhere near as sexy.

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

"Thought she'd personally invented ponyplay" = Reference there to Anne Rice, not myself.

[tocada.livejournal.com]

That's why I constantly tell myself that I have a lot of obssesions, but not really an especial love for someone/thing. I even wrote it as essay for my English class; people just deceive me, in one way or another. I mean, I wouldn't be a fan of myself.

I loved Lestat in the early books.

[kagyakusha.livejournal.com]

Especially as a teenager. When I was a teenager, he really appealed to my sense of persecution. I mean the "older" vampires didn't understand him....Lestat is a teenager's HERO. *giggle*

mmm, cider....

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Lestat was a sexy bastard, and dammit he should never have been Tom Cruise, the weasel-boy.

But. Guido/Tonio. DED OF HOT even if any decent fanfic author would be laughed off LJ for attempting a no-lube first-time bottom scene like theirs. Emotional intensity yum yum yum.

Lestat, Louis loves you and always did. be nice to him.

::sighs::

Re: mmm, cider....

[fer-de-lance.livejournal.com]

DED OF HOT indeed. :) Very, very hot. That book probably is responsible for some of my kinks.

Besides, historically speaking, Crisco did not exist--anything that might serve as a safe and relatively clean lube was incredibly expensive (olive oils, cosmetic products like hand creams). I've always found it somewhat laugh-worthy when authors try to pull out Generic Lube Oil in fandoms like, oh, Pirates of the Caribbean, when it's highly unlikely from a historical standpoint that any such thing would exist. :D ((much amusement))

I never read beyond Interview, but... Lestat? Tom Cruise? Just--no.

was a fan too

[passive-rebel.livejournal.com]

i used to love her earlier work as well.
esp. the first 4 books (though 'The Vampire Lestat' & 'Queen of the Damned') were my favourite.

her work now seriously SERIOUSLY has gone down the drain. i don't even know why i bother to keep up with it. it's this strange affection you have for the older stuff that keeps you out looking and hoping that you might just get something worth your time.

i've also gone through the Witches trilogy and some of her other stuff. The Beauty series was HOT, and so very VERY smutty, heh. however, i've only read the first 2. if anyone has the softcopy of the third book, please email it to me. i'll be forever grateful. ^___^

l3stat@gmail.com

[slumber.livejournal.com]

Thanks for this. I'm not ashamed to admit I loved Lestat. In fact, I still do. Nothing changes the fact that she was able to write one of the most amazingly fascinating characters I've ever some across. Didn't like Interview with the Vampire due to the Louis whining too, but The Vampire Lestat was my absolute favorite. And, well, I cannot stop loving them because Anne Rice is such a prick. I'm just saying, it's sad that that has to be the case, because I'd rather like being a fan of the author too (like I am for Gaiman, for instance).

[aybara-max.livejournal.com]

Wasn't going to comment on this thread at all, didn't want to be snarky about something that doesn't really concern me... but had to briefly pipe up and voice my love as well for Neil Gaiman! And your icon as well, it made me smile... and briefly ponder the nature of baby romance mimicking. Er..yeah.. :o) Yay Neil!

[allhoneyboo.livejournal.com]

I always liked the scene with Laurent and Gareth when he had the itchy phallus in his ass. Hee.
And Beauty and the Captain with knife handle in the inn.
Oh, and Beauty with Mistress Lockley and Prince Richard in the bedchamber.

Heh, sounds like I'm playing Clue.

Tristin/Nicholas was hot, too. Especially when Nicholas teased Tristin into coming. Very hot.

I liked whiny Louis, though. He's my favorite character. But Interview isnt my favorite story, Queen of the Damned is. I stopped liking Anne Rice around the Tale of the Body Thief. Body swapping *rolls eyes* Just no. But I read Merrick and got even more annoyed. I hated what she did to Louis. I want to go back and read The Witching Hour, but I didn't really care for the Taltos storyline. But I think I need to reread the series.

[herbmcsidhe.livejournal.com]

Anne Rice's writing has always been uneven to me. Like many above, I enjoyed the first several Vampire books, including "Interview", and some of her other fiction - "Cry to Heaven", while often tedious, I found delightful - except for the Mayfair Witches saga. Once she began blending the two series, I rapidly lost interest. I still bought them, just to see if she could pull it off, but IMO, she hasn't. I haven't read the latest, but probably will at some point, "just because" (much the same as I will read the next Anita Blake or Merry Gentry - both of which have turned into Mary Sues as far as I'm concerned.)

The "Beauty" books never did anything for me - I thought they were terribly boring...but I was reading Kyle Onstott's "Mandingo" series as a child (yeah, very permissive parents - no wonder I turned out as warped as I did.)

[halonine.livejournal.com]

I met Anne Rice once... she signed Tale of the Body Thief for me. She did stay way over her scheduled time so that everyone could get their books signed, and was genuinely nice the whole time (I was near the end of the line). My anecdotal two cents... =)

[satanbaker.livejournal.com]

... Amen.

I too am a woobly Lestat fan. I liked Tale of the Body Thief too, but my favorite will always be Queen of the Damned (I <3 Khayman, and Baby Jenks). (and good god I'm surprised I made it through Interview) And god damnit, I haven't been able to get the first Mayfair Witches book, which is very annoying.

Are the Beauty books really that good? *wiggles eyebrows* I was always sort of apprehensive since when my sister said there were sexual acts involving cantelope. XD It just went wrong from there.