I have always loved Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, and I was extremely excited when I first heard she was returning to the world of Louis and the Brat Prince a few years ago. Now, we're on to the second installment of this new series, and I'm afraid that, at least for me, things have likely come to their end.
*SPOILERS follow*
I wasn't entirely sold on including Atlantis in the vampire mythos when I first heard the title, but I decided to give it a chance. A long time follower ot Ms. Rice's Facebook page, I knew how passionate she was about Atlantis and the many theories surrounding it. That passion, however, seems to be the problem.
Don't get me wrong, I understand writers have worldviews and opinions. And while I enjoyed Interview with the Vampire's bleak nihilism more than I did Lestat's Catholicism in Blood Canticle, I understood that, as Ms. Rice herself recovered her faith, so did her characters. However, one thing is having a shift in perspective and another is forcing a new passion where it doesn't fit.
The premise of the novel is that, surprise surprise, Amel isn't *really* a spirit, but instead the ghost of the dead ruler of the long-lost Atlantis. That already stretched my suspension of disbelief, but I was willing to let it slide. That is, until the second big reveal in the novel: the existence of... essentially... evil Ancient Aliens.
I won't get too much into the details of the book, but suffice it to say that this new addition simply does not work. From Gothic novel we turn to sci-fi and, with all due respect to Ms. Rice, it's not particularly well-researched sci-fi. It honestly feels like Ms. Rice decided to use her latest novel as a soap box through which to share her latest interest. As someone who cherishes and loves the characters she created, it's extremely disappointing to see them treated in this way. But, I suppose, that is the author's prerogative. Just as it is mine not to look too closely for the next installment of the series.
Ultimately, if you decide to read it, keep an open mind. It's not what long-time fans of the series are used to, but there is some beautiful writing in there, and that's always worth something.



