Blood Canticle

The Vampire Chronicles

By: Anne Rice

Narrated by: David Pittu

Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Anne Rice continues her astonishing Vampire Chronicles in a new novel that begins where Blackwood Farm left off—and tells the story of Lestat’s quest for redemption, goodness, and the love of Rowan Mayfair.

Welcome back to Blackwood Farm. Here are all of the brilliantly conceived characters that make up the two worlds of vampires and witches: Mona Mayfair, who’s come to the farm to die and is brought into the realm of the undead; her uncle, Julian Mayfair, guardian of the family, determined to forever torment Lestat for what he has done to Mona; Rowan Mayfair, brilliant neurosurgeon and witch, who finds herself dangerously drawn to the all-powerful Lestat; her husband, Michael Curry, hero of the Mayfair Chronicles, who seeks Lestat’s help with the temporary madness of his wife; Ash Templeton, a 5,000-year-old Taltos who has taken Mona’s child; and Patsy, the country-western singer, who returns to avenge her death at the hands of her son, Quinn Blackwood. Delightfully, at the book’s centre is the Vampire Lestat, once the epitome of evil, now pursuing the transformation set in motion with Memnoch the Devil. He struggles with his vampirism and yearns for goodness, purity and love, as he saves Patsy’s ghost from the dark realm of the Earthbound, uncovers the mystery of the Taltos and unselfishly decides the fate of his beloved Rowan Mayfair.

A story of love and loyalty, of the search for passion and promise, Blood Canticle is Anne Rice at her finest.

©2003 Anne O'Brien Rice (P)2003 Random House, Inc., Random House Audio, A Division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Writing as if her blood-inked quill were afire, Rice seems truly possessed by her Brat Prince of darkness as she races through the story." -- Publishers Weekly

Dead air

Quite a few moments of dead air and it wasn’t always between chapters. So now I have FOMO.

Thank you Anne for closure

Listen to this book. Don’t listen to any negative comments. I was very pleased. Long live Lestat.

I love continuing stories.

So glad to have closure of sorts on the Mayfair Witches, Blackwood Farm, the tragic Taltos, and Le Stat. Open ended for Le Stat. I have really enjoyed such happy endings for so many characters.
David Titu did another marvelous interpretation on many, many characters. I specifically saught him out when purchasing this book.
Anne Rice is a marvel. What an imagination.

it took a lot of me to try to listen through....

the entire book. narrator with all due respect sounded ok but he made rowan sound like she smoked 3 packs a day. mona's character on the other hand was just horrible.

It was better than some of the harsh reviews

Not my favorite, but I adore my Vampire Lestat and would stick with him through it all. Will continue the series, of course! Off to buy the next book now!

Lestat, the Comic Narrator

Would you consider the audio edition of Blood Canticle to be better than the print version?

I liked the audiobook. i did not read the print version.

Who was your favorite character and why?

There were many characters which I liked as this book is a continuation of other books in the Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles. I liked Quinn, as he was a kind, gentle man, very loving and protective although he been turned to a vampire. Quinn's wife, Mona, is also an interesting character....born a witch, she was changed to a vampire by Lestat as she lay dying. Her moods are quite labile and at times and at times she seemed almost demented. Mona's aunt, Rowan Mayfield was also very interesting. A neurologist, a witch, a wife, and the guardian of Mona since her early childhood, Rowan was devastated first by Mona's imminent death and then by her being changed into a vampire. Lestat, of course, i always quite a character-- all ego, a long-lived vampire; he is the narrator of this story.

What about David Pittu’s performance did you like?

He gave an excellent performance. He does all the characters well.

Who was the most memorable character of Blood Canticle and why?

Probably Rowan Mayfield. She was torn emotionally by so many things. She loved Mona and is very protective of her. She is torn when she finds Mona is well and in love with Quinn and has been turned into a vampire. She loves her husband, in a way, but their marriage is one of duty. She is all-consumed with her research work and practically lives in her lab. For a time is this book she is passionately in love with Lestat and he is drawn to her too but, as her work is her life and he is a world traveling vampire, neither is willing to change their lives .

Any additional comments?

This book is the tenth book of the Vampire Chronicles and is actually the continuation of the characters and story of the nineth book, Blackwood Farms.

David Pittu, what were you thinking?

I liked the book it was a good summing up of "The Vampire Chronicles." I thought David Pittu did a good job with "Blackwood Farm" there were a lot ot voices and he did a good job with them. In "Blood Canticle" which is narrated by Lestat, Mr. Pittu used what I assume is his own voice to read the narrated parts and then other voices during the speaking parts. Lestat speaks in David's voice some times and then in Lestat's voice when Lestat speaks, but sometimes he started out speaking is his own voice and then after a few words changed. It was very disconcerting. I have the other books on audio and wanted to complete the set but it was very hard to listen to. Even though a lot of the narration was in Lestat's mind I don't think he would think in one voice and speak in another. Get the book anyway so you can finish the series but just be warned it may make you a little crazy.

Great story bad editing

The story and story teller were both good. The editing between Audible chapters was awful. Extra long awkward pauses that mostly don’t coincide with the actual book chapters. Mid scenes you have a random long pause.

Meh

I didn’t hate it, but it definitely wasn’t one of my favorites in the series.

love the narration and adore Anne Rice

this is my all time favorite series. this narration was captivating and enjoyable. word