Merrick: The Vampire Chronicles 7

THIS BOOK TOTALLY SUCKS!!! I figured it would be great, as all of her other books are, but I was SOOO wrong! I can't even get through the whole thing because it's so boring. All of her novels have some sort of explicit details about sex and violence.....Not this one. I don't even think I will ever finish it!

(Yes, this is Bruce P. Grether, though the reviews I post may still say Thomas E. Manes, who is my partner, evidently because we began long ago with a single the store account.)

Many years in the past I noticed that the characters in Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles and the Lives of the Mayfair Witches have such complexity and depth that those readers familiar with them can discuss the characters endlessly, as if they are actual people we know. More than ever, I find this to be true of all of Anne’s characters. As in Shakespeare, even a walk-on part or cameo is never a stock figure. Each is an individual with internal aspects that render them somewhat unpredictable. This gives them life, even if they are undead, or a spirit.

When I finished re-reading The Vampire Armand, Armand himself seemed to suggest to me that I return to my first love in the series, Louis, so the next novel of the VC I would re-read would thus be Merrick.

Something I also challenge is the belief that the convergence of the VC and the Lives, with major characters from the two series directly involved for the first time, somehow does not work. For me, this noble experiment of narrative navigation not only succeeds—it serves as a necessary if temporary aspect of both series. Every strand of the intricate weave serves a purpose, even if it is to indicate a major shift of direction, which each of these three novels does in aiming at the next in sequence.

That final hybrid, Blood Canticle leads to a major seismic shift, which is also a sort of feedback loop without moving backwards, and with Prince Lestat resumes the epic scope and concerns or earlier novels, while adding abundant new characters. I would maintain that each of the novels is, in retrospect, necessary to its successors and sequels. This is so in terms of plot and story elements, even where major characters from earlier novels may never reappear or even be mentioned again.

When we meet Merrick Mayfair, of mixed race and a fairly distant relative of those Mayfairs we’ve known before, we learn that she knew David Talbot of the Talamasca when he was mortal. Now that David has been given the Dark Gift, he serves as a connection between Merrick and those immortals we know from the novels of the VC.

Though the Talamasca—those investigators of preternatural beings and the occult—have appeared in both series before, and New Orleans figures centrally in both series, here the narrative streams actually mingle and combine. It does feel like two rivers meeting to create a greater flow inevitably with some unusual effects and directions, a few disorienting eddies and whirlpools as the new mix unfurls its hybrid qualities.

From my own perspective, all along the fate of the Taltos beings from the Lives seemed to need further resolution, if not necessarily another entire novel of their own. Like many followers of the VC, by the time Merrick appeared I hungered to know what Lestat was up to following his return from a seemingly comatose state since the end of Memnoch the Devil, and his dramatic reappearance at the very end of The Vampire Armand.

Thus what has become a sort of trilogy of hybrid novels, for me proves most satisfying, as the Mayfairs are seen from some very different and new angles, and Lestat’s presence is evoked by the needs of Louis and the desperation of young Quinn Blackwood. Then in the third and final of these hybrids, Blood Canticle, at last the Taltos species also receives its own rather poignant resolution.

For me, this synthesis succeeds tremendously, as I love both series, and I admire how Anne forever inventively explores a variety of options. In fact, I feel the two series cross-pollinated and produced a vigorous new strain in Merrick, and also quite distinct yet vibrant variations in both Blackwood Farm, and Blood Canticle. The author never plays to our expectations as devoted readers, though she often plays with our expectations, and can be counted on to relentlessly provide moments of breathtaking dread and awe.

I love Merrick not only for this distant Mayfair relative of Rowan, Michael, and Mona Mayfair whom we already know from the Lives, but also because for the first time since Interview with the Vampire, Louis de Pointe du Lac takes center-stage much of the time. He plays a major role in this novel. Again, upon this recent re-reading, I’ve savored a closer, more prolonged encounter with the still somewhat neurotic, book-loving, retiring, and beautiful Louis.

Merrick Mayfair herself, a hereditary witch associated with the Talamasca, and her own divergent branch of the family offer many delicious modern-day views of New Orleans from a very different perspective than the Mayfairs we’ve known before. When David Talbot helps Louis connect with Merrick in order to try to learn more about the fate of the lost child vampire, Claudia, I really light up. (There may be mild SPOILERS or worse in the following, in case you want to read this book with absolutely no more hints of where it will take you.)

At any rate, Louis has for many, many years agonized with good reason over the loss of the “daughter” he shared with Lestat (who made her, perhaps primarily to keep Louis with him) and then, of course, Louis traveled with her to the Old World, where she met her tragic end. I’ve always suspected as well, that Lestat also made Claudia for himself; he had grown weary of Louis’s complaints and insecurity. Surely Lestat suspected that a vampire made so young might prove a fascinating and guilt-free predator that he could more fully admire. If so, of course, his intention backfired upon both “fathers” in this unorthodox family, when her frustration drove Claudia to seek Lestat’s destruction, which drove her fathers apart after all. Still, Lestat could never have foreseen the awful web of circumstances that would trap her, no more than Louis could have prevented it.

Basically, Louis now (in Merrick) wishes to contact the spirit of Claudia, in order to ask her forgiveness, and perhaps simply for reassurance that her spirit is at peace. Though in literal fact, Armand was more directly responsible for what happened to Claudia in Paris, there are numerous “ifs” of choice and circumstance with which Louis can torment himself. Part of the complexity here is: does Louis actually seek to discover if he can help Claudia find peace after all these years? How much is the endeavor to simply measure or assuage his guilt? Doubtless it’s some of both, and another fascinating portion of the weave is to observe Lestat’s role, for he has truly let go of the past more effectively than Louis is able to do—except that he still, sincerely loves Louis.

Without giving away the outcome of this effort, the results are not what Louis might have wished for. Not at all. The depiction of the ritual, and its outcome are truly riveting, and as with Memnoch the Devil the ultimate significance of the entire episode become plausibly somewhat uncertain.

How can we assess the authenticity, and veracity, much less the motivation of what seems to be a powerful spirit that may simply toy with us and torment us?

What Louis does as a result of the ritual truly devastated me the first time I read this novel, though it does not turn out so badly as I expected, and even ends up having an up side—after pretty much destroying a first time reader!

Are we always stronger when we survive adversity? Possibly if it does not too severely damage us, and yet, for this kind of immortal, attempted self-destruction may turn out to be reversible in ways it would not for a mortal. At any rate, the resolution of Louis’s reaction results in a kind of sharing with Lestat that has not occurred in over two centuries! And it produces a far different kind of shift for Louis than he sought, or ever expected.

Even the first time through Merrick, I wondered if Merrick Mayfair would survive for very long following the conclusion of her namesake novel. Unfortunately, the answer came all too soon at a place called Blackwood Farm, where cameos proliferate, and a pair of star-crossed lovers end up staking their very existence on the chance for an enduring love.

Regardless of the opinions of anyone else, I’m a huge fan of the “hybrid” novels that merge narrative streams from the VC and Lives, and yet I’m also thrilled that Lestat himself has again taken center-stage with his own new novel… in 2014. After all, who loves that spotlight and the adoration of his fans better than the Brat Prince himself? At last, his noble blood has been vindicated and his true regal nature is no longer a mere relic or vanity.

Merrick Mayfair herself, tragically flawed as a being and yet a key juncture in this immense web of story, points me toward the next hybrid novel, and those endearing and courageous young lovers, Quinn and Mona.

Blackwood Farm, here I come again!

'Merrick' was a well-done book that missed an opportunity to do better. The Long-Lost African-American Mayfair Family Branch could have made for intriguing reading but by keeping the focus so narrowly on Merrick herself the story delivered -- though good -- fails to be all it could have been. Additionally, with what happens to both Merrick and Mona in follow-up novels (I won't spoil-it!) kind of ruins the characters and makes you wondered why you and/or Anne Rice bothered investing in them at all. There also wasn't nearly enough Forbidden Sexuality and Charged Sensuality in this book which should have been a done-deal as it was part of the Mayfair Witches Series. Still, on the whole, a satisfying book.

excellent read just excellent.so satisfying to read. there should be another star or two for this kind of writing. anne you've out done yourself with this book. i love merrick. as i am sure you knew your readers would. only you can put pen to paper and come up with such a winning book. well done anne. i applaud your bravosity. anne rice proves herself to be the queen of the vampire authors once again. this story is thrilling. it's a page turner and you the reader will fall in love with the main character, merrick and the whole supporting cast. Yes she brings them all along with her as she explores the streets of new orleans once again. this is a second read for me as i read this book years ago, so imagine my surprise at being so thrilled when rereading this book. it seems so fresh,so vibrant, so timeless yet so present it could have been written yesterday. my hat is off to you anne.you have managed to shock me and thrill me once again. and that's hard to do these days.

There is something mesmerizing about any book written by Anne Rice. I have read many of her books over the years and I've always loved her style of writing. This book takes off with a wonderful and supernatural tale that spans thru Mayan jungles, ancient artifacts, witchcraft, Egyptian ancestors and plenty of vivid estates in New Orleans. Told from the viewpoint of David Talbot, longtime Talamasca member who has recently undergone a life changing transformation and must visit an old friend, Merrick Mayfair who knows nothing of her other Mayfair relatives made famous in Anne Rice's earlier novel, The Witching Hour.

Merrick Mayfair, a distant relative of Mayfair Witches in Anne Rice's series of the same name, is a powerful witch with roots in Voodoo. At a young age, she is left with no one to take care of her, and so is taken in by David Talbot and Aaron Lightner of the Talamasca and brought up to be a member of their Order.

Her deep friendship with David Talbot remains through the years despite his new vampiric body, and he seeks her help now with Louis to raise Claudia's ghost and find out if she is at peace. This is a dangerous proposition for all involved as it requires very powerful magic, as well as the risk that things unknown are sometimes better left undisturbed and unintended consequences can occur.

I enjoyed that this novel was a departure from the tedium of the past few Vampire Chronicles and brings witches into the series. The imagery and feeling of Louisiana and the Central American jungles was fantastic; I could practically feel the dense, humid heat. I also enjoyed the choice of David Talbot as narrator. What I didn't like was the feeling that some of the characters were vast departures from their previous portrayals (David as dirty old man, Louis not very attached to his convictions after all), as well as the ending, which I feel Anne Rice could have done in several different, more interesting ways. Overall, Merrick was not a bad read, ten times better than the Vampire Armand. Looking forward to what Blood and Gold may have in store.

Anne Rice tries to meld her two most popular series in "Merrick," where the Mayfair Witches and the seductive vampires collide. Unfortunately, with a limp title character and a meandering, weird plot, "Merrick" is most noteworthy for its unrealized potential and what it could have been, if Rice had cultivated it.

David Talbot encounters his protege/semi-lover Merrick Mayfair, an octaroon witch who now works for the Talamasca. He has an odd request for her: Louis de Point du Lac, a tormented vampire, wants to call up the spirit of the child vampire Claudia, so he can be reassured of her fate. And he needs Merrick's help to do so, since she has the ability to call up and control the dead with her voodoo magic.

David reflects on his first encounters with Merrick, her trips into the jungle in search of mystery artifacts, and the malevolent spirit of her dead sister Honey in the Sunshine. Now those artifacts may help her raise up Claudia's spirit, and might give Honey's spirit a way back into the world as well. But when Claudia is brought forth to speak with Louis, what she has to say may destroy him...

"Merrick" was advertised as the spot where the Mayfair and Vampire Chronicles converged, but that's kind of misleading. Except for some mentions of Julian Mayfair, there's only a vague connection with the "white Mayfairs." It's mostly vampires and more vampires, with only the Talamasca (a sort of supernatural FBI) as a connecting point.

As always, Rice's writing is lush and brimming over with steamy New Orleans atmosphere. But she could use some editing. There are constant references to Merrick getting snockered on rum, her breasts, her clothes, David lusting after her, Louis burbling about how he loves her, and so on. And Rice seems to lose her way in the final chapters, as if she wasn't entirely sure how to wrap up what she had started.

The biggest flaw of the book is Merrick herself. She's certainly an intriguing character, a beautiful witch who wants to be a vampire, and isn't afraid to bend the men (and vampires) around her fingers to get what she wants. But she doesn't seem to have any flaws, motives, or recognizable emotions. We get no insights at all to what she's thinking. Louis is a rather ineffectual presence, and David is basically there to lust after Merrick. But Lestat's brief appearance toward the end sets the pages on fire.

While "Merrick" is overflowing with promise, hardly any of that promise is actually used. Beautifully written but poorly characterized, "Merrick" tries to cast a spell but doesn't succeed.

Before I start talking about this latest book, let me talk of Anne Rice herself. She is, and always will be, my favorite writer of all time (next to maybe Shakespeare). Her books are almost always complicated, and always beg for one to think about what metaphors her books may have been hinting at. Beyond that, her writing style is sensuous and dream-like. When she writes, all one can see is beauty even in the most gruesome places. No one can make evil sound more seductive or beautiful than Anne Rice.
Not only is her writing style beautiful and almost poetic to read, but she's practically a genius. Her stories are a brilliant tapestry of horror, gothicism, romance, alternate history, fantasy, and perhaps even a touch of science fiction here or there. Her books are well researched and historically accurate, and I just adore the little references to Shakespeare and Keats, and the way she intertwines her tales with actual historic events. Also, her characters are infinitely complicated, and her books are choked with interesting discussions of philosophy and theories concerning the paranormal. Above all, she writes about beauty.
Her vampire, for instance, is the perfect vampire. Indescribably beautiful, intelligent, seductive, powerful, immortal, and sexually alluring.
Merrick is the latest installation in her critically acclaimed, best-selling series collectively known as The Vampire Chronicles. The first book in this series is the
now-classic Interview with the Vampire, which was first published in 1976. (Interview was made into a movie in the year 1994, starring Tom Cruise as Lestat, Brad Pitt as Louis, Kirsten Dunst as Claudia, Antonio Banderas as Armand, and Christian Slater as Daniel the boy interviewer.)
This latest chapter is the story of Merrick Mayfair, a mixed blood descendent of the infamous Mayfair witches living in New Orleans. The Mayfair witches are a large and wealthy family, first introduced in The Witching Hour. There have been two sequels to this book, Lasher and Taltos. Merrick, however, is the first book to directly connect her witch series and her vampire series, which is something that I find rather pleasing, as I'm sure it will other die-hard fans of Anne Rice.
Merrick, however, is of a mixed breed of African, French, Native American, and other nameless peoples, who holds contempt for what she refers to as the "white" Mayfairs. She is a powerful witch who knows Voodoo, passed on from her ancestors.
At the age of thirteen, she is taken in by an ancient, powerful organization known as the Talamasca. The Talamasca is a group of psychics who have been around for centuries. As their motto goes, they watch and they are always here. To clarify, they investigate the paranormal, but have a strict policy of non-interference. They know about vampires and witches, and other such beings, and keep massive records.
As an adult, Merrick has become a full-fledged member of the Talamasca. While in New Orleans, she is approached by her old friend David Talbot, former leader of the Talamasca, but now a vampire, created by Lestat several years prior.
He has come to Merrick on behalf of the vampire Louis, who understands how powerful a witch she is. Louis wishes for Merrick to call forth the spirit of the deceased vampire child Claudia.
Without recounting the entire novel, we learn Merrick's life story, including a
fascinating account of her trip into the jungles of South America with David as a young woman, where she believes that the spirit of her Oncle Vervain tells her she will find something that will change her destiny. As it turns out, she finds a jade mask in a cave that enables her to see spirits.
It's all very interesting how the story comes together at the end. After finding the mask, Merrick begins to believe that it wasn't her Oncle Vervain at all who sent her to find the mask--she begins to believe that it was her dead sister Honey in the Sunshine, who wanted Merrick to use the mask to help bring her across.
As it turns out, Merrick uses the mask to help call on Claudia. Claudia does come, but she is an embittered, hateful spirit, who despises Louis more than ever. Louis, who loved Claudia more than anything, is hurt, but the encounter also gives him the courage to do what he always wanted to but never could before: end his own life.
Louis has always been a tragic creature--the most human of them all. He hates his existence, but could never bring himself to end it out of fear of what comes after death. Also, Louis is my favorite character and I would never read another Anne Rice novel if she killed off my beloved Louis.
But as luck would have it, his plans for self-destruction are interrupted when he falls madly in love with Merrick, which causes David jealousy, who has always loved her. Unable to resist her, another surprise occurs when Louis makes her into a vampire--his first fledgling since the doomed Claudia over a century before.
In a fit of guilt, he tries to kill himself in the day's sunlight, but it turns out that he is too old to die so simply. Merrick finds him the next night, and with the help of David and Lestat, they use their blood to save Louis.
A little bit of backstory on Lestat--he has always been the mischeivous one; the one who loves to be loved and worshipped by mortals and immortals alike; the one who is evil because it is his nature to be so, but who has a loving heart at the core. Lestat has to be the most complicated character of them all. He is evil because he is a vampire, and therefore feels no guilt because it is his nature to kill, like a lion hunting a lesser species for food. And yet, he doesn't kill needlessly, but he enjoys killing when he does. He takes perverse pleasure out of hunting down the evildoer--letting the evildoer die by the hands of something more evil and powerful than himself is the ultimate justice, and the ultimate pleasure for Lestat.
Lestat is also truly immortal. He has drank from the blood of the elders, and is one of the most powerful and indestructable vampires in existence.
Also, despite his carelessness and spontenaeity, he is loved by everyone. People adore Lestat. But something happened to him in the novel Memnoch the Devil. It was a very Faust-like experience that affected him greatly. For the longest time, he laid down in a chapel in New Orleans, unmoving. Occassionally, music would awaken him, but he always went back into his seemingly empty state.
That is, until the day Louis tried to kill himself. He woke up to use his powerful blood to help Merrick and David save Louis. After that, Lestat started to become himself again. And Louis, strengthened by Lestat's powerful blood as well, was okay--emotionally as well as physically.
As it turned out, Oncle Vervain saw the future. Years before, he knew that Merrick would find the mask and use it to raise the spirit Claudia, and that Louis would fall in love with her and make her a vampire. In that way, her destiny had been changed, and Louis had nothing to be ahsamed of.
I very much liked the way it tied together at the end, and I'm pleased that both Louis and Lestat turned out to be fine at the end. And I like this relationship between Merrick and Louis. As I said, Louis is my favorite character, and for years he has drifted in an eternal state of melancholy. But now he has Merrick to make him happy, as well as Lestat and David.
The ending was also very enjoyable. It ended with enough of a closure to keep you satisfied, but with just enough of a cliffhanger to let you know that there will be a sequeal. (As if we ever doubted it.)
Overall, I would say it is a very pleasing book for Anne Rice fans, although first-time readers should find it enjoyable as well. The idea of a magic mask may be a bit of a stretch, but the way the peices of the story were intelligently interwoven more than made up for it. It was also fast-paced and exciting, and as always, beautifully written.
As I've said a million times in the past, Anne Rice will live on in the ages of literature. In the future, high school and college students will be studying her work. Oh, wait, they already do in some schools . . .

I began Merrick expecting something similar to one of the Lestat or Armand stories, since it is a continuation of the Vampire Chronicles. However, as the book is supposedly about Merrick Mayfair, I wouldn't have been surprised with something along the line of the Mayfair Witches. Ms. Rice gave me a reading experience that was not what I expected. Delightedly, Merrick sets out on its own path, apparently as the foundational novel for a new story line. The main characters are David Talbot, Merrick Mayfair, and Louis de Pointe du lac. David and Merrick dominate the story, with Louis playing a significant role only in the last quarter of the book.
The book does a fine job of developing the character of David Talbot, as well as developing further the Talamasca part of Ms. Rice's literary universe.
Merrick Mayfair is introduced by Talbot and richly described as a character. However, in this book we only see David Talbot's vision of Merrick Mayfair. It is complex and haunted. Having heard the woman described, you want to get to know her in person. It leaves this reader wishing for another book in the series written from the perspective of Merrick. Merrick appears to be a rich, complex, intriguing character who deserves to be further developed.
The voodoo and Meso-American shamanism addition to the Mayfair witchery through Merrick is a fascinating twist, well handled, and most appropriate. The imagery is rich and evocative, as is characteristic of all Rice's novels.
That said, I must also add that the story is really a love story involving: an alcoholic young woman from a dysfunctional family, a father-figure friend and lover who is going through an identity crisis, and a mutual friend who is clinically depressed and suicidal. The magic and vampirism are conventions used to help move the story forward but the real story is the dynamic of the relationships between these three vulnerable, struggling and confused people. I liked that in the story but those who may want only the already established vampire or witch formulae may be frustrated.

Without a doubt, Anne Rice once again delivers a spell-binding tale (literally!) of vampires and witches and characters you won't soon forget. Merrick as a character is a masterpiece -- she is strong and manipulative, yet at times when she appears weak and in need of help (like at the end of the novel), she is still believable. Louis's search for absolution from the child-vampire Claudia is heart-rendering, yet shows the inner strength of a vampire often portrayed as weak. And the rise of Lestat and the ultimatum issued by the Talamasca promise the reader more excellent sequels in the future.
What I did not understand was how this book could be advertised as a combining of the Vampire Chronicles and the Mayfair witches. That Merrick is a Mayfair seems to be just a footnote -- she knows almost nothing about her white cousins, nothing at all about their struggle with Lashar and Taltos. Perhaps Anne Rice will explore these connections in future novels, but for now, Merrick could have just as easily been any New Orleans witch of mixed ancestry, and the power of the book would have been retained. And unlike such books as the original "Interview with the Vampire" and "Memnoch the Devil," we don't get much discussion on philoisophical issues that I have grown to love so much in Rice's books. These issues do come up, of course, particularly the questions of what happens to spirits, the pluses and drawbacks to the Dark Gift, the strength it takes to end an "immortal" life, what it means to gain immortality at the age of 70 than as a young adult. Maybe there were too many issues for any one to be explored extensively. But the lack of indepth treatment does not detract from the story, and in fact for some, may be a bonus.

Hmmmm... Well it's definitely not one of Anne Rice's best, but contrary to the opinion of the previous reviewers, it is not her worst ... Actually, Merrick is a worthwhile read, after you suffer through the first 150 - 200 pages, then beyond that, it is a true gem.
Merrick herself is a very interesting character. I wish that Rice had made her the narrator of this tale. Instead she made her worst character... David Talbot, the storyteller in this potentially riveting tale.
David Talbot, British fuddy duddy supreme, an old geezer whom Lestat had a passing fascination with, and instead of letting him die, Davids soul is transported into the body of a young studly Latino, and in it Lestat bestows upon him, the Dark Gift (that happens in another book). Merrick is the object of this old/young mans affection. So, not only is it difficult to imagine this seemingly weak pancified man in another body, we must now imagine him as a strong and passionate individual who actually desires a woman.
Pushing David Talbot aside (kind of hard to do), the story in itself is quite good. Merrick Mayfair is a powerful seductress, coming from the bloodlines of the Mayfair Witches. She joined into the Talamasca at a young age. David was her mentor of sorts. I understood well how she came into existence. I loved her character, and I truly wished that we could have delved a little more into the life and mindset of this Voodoo enchantress.
Louis is as always Louis, and Lestat is, well, you should read the story to find out. Even when you find yourself bored to tears by David's ramblings (you will), don't stop. Go forward, because the end is quite riveting and shocking. Well worth the effort.

Not unlike other Anne Rice aficionados, I have plowed through her last few novels more out of habit. Rice just seemed to be simply churning out repetitive and, at times, uninspiring tales of her sizable vampire family. So going into "Merrick," the first fusion of the Vampire Chronicles and Mayfair Witch series, my expectation level was not particularly high.
Things did not look good early with Louis still over-obsessing over the loss of his vampire-child Claudia hundreds of years later (and nearly three decades worth of Rice novels to boot!) while body-switched vampire David similarly overwrought with his feelings of longing/love for the title character Merrick - a current Talmasca member and "wrong side of the track" Mayfair witch. Same vampires, different day/decade/century.
But alas there is good news. Despite using some of her familiar writing conventions (historical flashbacks, cliff-hanger ending) "Merrick" is arguably the tightest work of Rice's career - relatively short, well-paced, pretty darn entertaining with a discernable degree of energy. While it certainly does not reach the heights for the early Vampire Chronicles or "The Witching Hour," I felt it was the first positive, and more importantly forward, movement in the series in a long time. The last 50 pages or so (which I will keep free from spoilers) appear to finally resolve some lingering character issues, while also heightening expectations for future installments. With the recent death of her husband and some health crises of her own, here is hoping that Rice is able to maintain the momentum gained from this union of her Vampires and Witches series.

With "Merrick", Anne Rice promises to return us to the world of the Vampires and the Mayfair Witches. The combining of both supernatural worlds seems almost too good to resist. What a letdown. I had stopped reading her books after "Lasher" because I felt she was now writing at the mercy of a publishing schedule . The original allure that was in "Interview..." and "The Vampire Lestat" had been lost as she tried to get one book out a year and I felt the stories had become lackluster. Sadly that's how I felt about this novel as well. No one can deny that Rice is a wonderful writer, who illustrates her work with a sweeping romantic narrative, but I felt cheated here. The first hundred pages or so is almost nothing but recap from the previous novels as David Talbot introduces the title character. The promised Mayfair witches have a family relation to Merrick, but are only seen in one chapter of the book. The child vampire Claudia is used as a major plot point to propel the novel which felt old, and like an easy way out. Even Lestat seems like a hack, showing up in the last forty pages in what feels like a glorified cameo. I feel like she should put these characters to rest for a while and find a new subject to write about.I loved the early books and wanted to love this as well, and based on some of the other reviews I'm probably in the minority. However I can't say a book is good just because it contains characters I think were great.

The introduction of Merrick as a character in Ms. Rice's Chronicles to me signifies a shift away from how the vampires view themselves and there adventures to how the outside world views them, including witches and the Talamasca.
Merrick's orchestration of Louis, David, and Lestat can either be seen as what it is on the surface -- her desire to be with David forever -- or as a way for her to break free of the past that haunts her everytime she uses her powers or works with the Talamasca. Since she was young, she had wanted to learn all that she could -- devour knowledge -- and becoming an eternal living being has given her the ultimate gift...she can learn as much as she wants or needs until she can consume no more.
The talamasca, in this novel, is no longer passive, which signifies to me that they are no merely observing, but are trying to maintain a balance...keep vampires and the like at a distance because they threaten the delicate balance that the Order maintains. However, my question remains, why do the vampires and others maintain the balance by staying out of the affairs of the Order. What makes them so in control, and why are they unknown to the outside world? Who are they?
The book is beautifully written and maintains the readers interests as s/he tries to discern the motivations and desires of the characters right until the end. I recommend this book to anyone, not just Ms. Rice's fans.

Ann Rice revisits characters from her past efforts, as story lines from The Vampire Chronicles and the Mayfair Witches momentarily merge then are eclipsed by new themes of voodoo and sensuality. It's not that Ms. Rice has lost any of her writing ability, indeed her descriptions of locales ranging from New Orleans to Central American jungles can almost make you sweat while enduring a New England winter; but finding a compelling plot line is becoming more and more of a problem.
Merrick is a witch of substantial power, descended from a branch of the Mayfair family. Beset by multiple demons of the spirit world (ghosts and demons) and the temptations of spirits (alcohol), she has lived within the Order of the Talamasa since adolescence. Now her semi-incestuous mentor, David Talbot, seeks her help on behalf of Louis, the original protagonist of "Interview with a Vampire". After a great deal of reminiscing and tale-telling by David (who serves as narrator), we are brought to the type of resolution that dominates so many of Ms. Rice's novels of the past ten years or so.
Perhaps you should read this with the expectation of digesting a series of richly described short stories. Individual chapters can almost stand alone, yet the thread that passes for a story line is stretched entirely too far. Ms. Rice has done much better in the past.

Anne Rice has written the first crossover novel of the Vampire and Mayfair Witches Chronicles.
The Vampire Chronicles return to New Orleans after time primarily spent in Italy. Of greatest interest to Vampire Chronicle fans is the return to the forefront of Louis, seriously trying to get up the nerve to do himself in and as devestated as ever by Claudia's fate.
With the other vampires gone and Lestat once again in an apparently comatose state, David uses his worry over Louis as an excuse to contact his protege and sometime lover Merrick, a Mayfair Witch who he hasn't seen since his body switch and misses desperately. He asks Merrick to raise Claudia's spirit so that Louis can know the state of her soul. The question is not weather Merrick can, but weather her very contact with David and Louis will corrupt her despite their best intentions.
Some of the novel is disturbing - especially when David talks about his rather sordid past - but then again, the whole point of the series (at least to me) is the struggle between good and evil impulses and the consequences when evil wins out.
Although not my favorite of the series, no one who's kept up with the chronicles is likely to want to miss finding out if Louis finally gets some closure. And as always, New Orleans - itself one of the series' main characters - haunts you long after you've finished the last page.

Like many of the books in the Vampire Chronicles ("Interview With The Vampire", "Pandora", The Vampire Armand") the majority of the plot is flashback/backhistory for the purpose of character development. And as with Louis in "Interview", the title character is well worth developing, a fascinating character (although I must say I was disappointed by her actions near the end of the book; they didn't seem to be in character as it was established in the rest of the story.) But there is very little current plot, although more than in any of the others mentioned earlier. Far, far less, say, than in "The Vampire Lestat", "Queen of the Damned", "Tale of the Body Thief" or "Memnoch the Devil". Less than 100 pages out of 370 are devoted to things that ARE happening, rather than recounting things that happened years ago (that admittedly have much bearing on what is happening now, but still...).
Also, the writing (or at least, the proofreading) is sloppier than I remember it being in any previous installations of this series; ignoring the "...the sky grew ever more lighter" on pages 254-255, which is the kind of error I've come to accept as inevitable (if annoying) in modern mass-market paperbacks, Rice can't seem to keep track of her own characters' names. Several times, she refers to a character who she's introduced as "Matthew" as "Michael". Perhaps she changed her mind on the name in mid-writing, and failed to ferret them all out with the edit function on her word processing program. But this sort of sloppiness is really inexcusable in a writer of Rice's stature; it suggests to me that she's getting sloppy, and coasting on her laurels.
This book was definitely more interesting than "Pandora" or "Armand", and didn't actively annoy me as much as "Tale of the Body Thief" (a rant for a different day) but is less interesting than any other books in the series. If you're a big fan of the series, obviously, you don't need me to tell you that you want to read it. But if you're lukewarm to the series, it's a little below the average.

Merrick, the latest edition to Anne Rice's vampire chronicles is really two stories in one novel. Louis, the most contemplative and withdrawn of the vampiric clan, guiltily longs for the long dead child vampire, Claudia, he created in Interview with a Vampire. His guilt over her creation and untimely death nags his conscious. He asks David, a more recent vampire created by Lestat and former member of a secret order that investigates the paranormal, vampires, witches, etc. to seek out someone who can call up her spirit to set his mind at ease.
This leads to the story of Merrick Mayfair, a witch, whom David had taken under his wing when she was 14 afterlosing her grandmother. Merrick comes from a line of "witches" and her story, full of ghosts and spirits, is an interesting one. And there's some unique and interesting twists to the tale as we are lead up to her conjuring up of Claudia's ghost and her own designs on David and the world of the vampires.
The second story in the novel is the apex of Louis' melancholic existence as a vampire -- which has been an on-going if not always quite so stark drama throughout the Vampire Chronicles. Louis' contemplation of his existence and where itleads him is probably the most interesting part of the story.
On the whole this is an entertaining novel. For fans of the Vampire Chronicles we learn more about David Talbot and Rice seems to have found a voice through this character. There are times when the plot is a bit slow and plodding, but once Claudia's ghost is conjured up the plot picks up quickly through the end. Rice seems especially good here at subtly showing us her characters' personalities.
Overall, a worthy addition to the Vampire Chronicles.

If you are someone who has become addicted to Anne Rice's beautiful style and/or her Vampire characters, you should read this book! However, if you are not this type, not having read Rice's earlier work, I would advise against wasting your time or money. I say this because this book follows Anne Rice's formula for her later books, which is intolerable to anyone but her already loyal fans. It consists of a good introductary sequence, enough to catch the reader's attention, followed by an 100+ page boring life story, told in this book by the jerk of the century, David Talbot. Although at times amusingly unrealistic or even mildly exciting, David Talbot tells a story which is liable to put you to sleep! The only reason for anyone to read this book is for the breathtaking ending scene. Not only does this scene make up for the monotony of the entire book, it also astonishes the reader to the point of crying (on my part, anyway)! I guarantee some sort of emotional response to this book's late coming climax to any fan of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles! If you are not a long-time fan, however, pick up one of Rice's earlier works. Don't invest your time in this book, or any other installment of the Vampire Chronicles following Memnoch the Devil.

I usually purchase the first edition hardbound copies of all of Anne Rice's novels, but I forced myself to wait for the paperback. Was it worth the wait? You bet! Once again I was transported into the world of the vampires. Anne's novels are spellbinding and Merrick is no exception. Immediatly I was absorbed into her descriptions and the richness of her language. No one creates moving pictures for the imagination better than Anne Rice.
Merrick's story is told by fledgling vampire David Talbot. David goes to Merrick, a former protege from the Talamasca and a gifted witch, to ask a very important favor for the vampire Louis. Louis, the most melancholic of the vampires, is being plagued by constant memories of Claudia, the child vampire he and his master Lestat created and then lost years ago. David goes to Merrick to ask her help in conjuring Claudia's ghost with the hope that this will take away some of Louis' pain. But what David and Louis do not realize is that Merrick has her own agenda and must follow what she knows to be her destiny.
I think you'll find the scope of this novel to be narrower than Anne's other Vampire Chronicles, but it is a captivating read and I'm sure any Anne Rice fan will love it.

Merrick mixes the two great series Anne Rice has been working in for the last few decades. David Talbot, now a prominant vampire figure of the Vampire Chronicles, is brought back to Merrick, a Mayfair witch, because Louis wants Merrick to contact Claudia's ghost. Louis has been haunted by Claudia and he wants to make sure that she is happy, wherever she is.
This, of course, sets forth for some great historical horror like only Rice could write. The reason to read this book is that it tells us a lot about Talbot's past. Talbot has always been a mysterious character of which we didn't knew much. But this book sheds light on a lot of questions I had about this character. Plus, the book also introduces Merrick who will undoubtedly become a major figure in the series from now on. Merrick is a great character, one that Rice will have a lot of fun with in future novels. Finally, the book also holds some great romantic scenes between Merrick and Talbot, which only thickens the plot even more.
And finally, any fan of the Vampire Chronicles should read Merrick to know what happened to our beloved Claudia, the beautiful vampire child who was murdered in Interview With The Vampire. The end of the book is shocking, sad and very touching.
Merrick is some of Rice's best writing. It is her best book since Servants of The Bones, a great ride which any fan of Rice's work will not soon forget.

"Merrick" is the seventh novel in "The Vampire Chronicles" crossing over with "Lives of the Mayfair Witches" which exists in the same universe. David Talbot recounts his Talamasca past with one of its members Merrick Mayfair, a witch whose unsurpassed skills might be able to summon Claudia's spirit for the emotionally troubled Louis de Pointe du Lac. Similar with other novels, the author describes the characters and environments wonderfully.

A vast majority in the book consists of non-vampiric encounters between mostly David and Merrick prior to David's initial meeting by the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt. Even though the voodoo magic is rather fascinating, many chapters are boring filler, trying to hook the reader into two series by riding the vampire coattail with the fledgling's tale. Nevertheless the end ties the two worlds together in a disappointing yet intriguing manner.

I grow weary of the incessant whining by many characters, hoping for more aggressive and gory vampire-fashion bloodshed. Lestat makes a cameo appearance in a series he helped build. I truly hoped Louis would remain as he was after the summoning results and before Lestat's involvement. As with "The Vampire Armand", Claudia's character (initially very charming) is further butchered by events plus David's not an equally engaging individual as the storyteller Lestat.

The author forgoes some of the traditional limitations found in the vampire genre such as the crucifix, holy water, and garlic, creating her own world where images on reflective surfaces are allowed. The outrageously powerful vampires have telepathy and the eldest can perform telekinesis and spontaneous combustion on the younger vampires, abilities I've not encountered in other works. I believe having certain restrictions on the undead brings some balance to the victims yet the novel isn't as much about the conflict between vampires and humans as it is about internal turmoil.

Thank you.

As usual, Rice's delicious prose and unparalleled character development are top notch. The plot is engaging and intriguing. It's truly another Rice masterpiece that deserves it's place in the canon of modern American literature.
The only way in which this novel is a disappointment is to those readers who desperately are seeking either more Mayfair drama or a unification between the preternatural worlds that Rice has narrated. Yes, Merrick is a Mayfair. But she's one we've never seen, and she's seemingly unrelated to those Mayfairs that have won so many readers' hearts. By the end of the novel, of course you'll fall in love with Merrick, and be grateful to have her in you library. But what of Rowan, Michael, and Mona? Wouldn't it be more interesting to see how these witches would relate to Merrick, a voodooienne octaroon cousin?
It's an astonishing and powerful book, but if you're looking for more of the Mayfairs or hopingbeggingpraying for some kind of interaction between the Vampires and the Witches, you won't find it here. Hopefully, Rice is using this as a teasing precursor of great things to come.

I find it hard, no, make that impossible to believe, that the same author who wrote "Interview...," "...Lestat," "Q O D," and "The Witching Hour" is the same author who wrote "Merrick." To be more thorough, beginning with "Violin" and including the entire "New Vampire Tales" and ending with "Merrick"....is this in fact the same author ?! I just can't believe it is. Ms. Rice has always been long winded, but her words were in depth, intriguing and beautiful. This new "mystery writer" is simply just long winded. Painfully long winded....the passages just seem to rattle on and on with no particular place to go. If you haven't read this novel yet, trust me, reading a dictionary is more exciting than reading "Merrick." There are no moments of dizzying heights, no intrigue, no wicked humor, no jaw-dropping surprises to be found. Just rattling....and when a minor incident finally happens, you try to convince yourself that it was major, out of love for the author. This book was yet another disappointment from the camp of Anne Rice, but, as a long time fan, I have a right to wonder which camper is writing it. Could it possibly be that she's allowing her young son Christopher, whom is a writer, to do her work for her ? Whatever is the case, I miss the real Anne Rice.

In "Merrick", we have the marriage of the Mayfairs and the vampires through Merrick, who is a voodoo woman from the black side of the witchy family.

Louis has been tormented of late by Claudia's spirit, and he is out to make amends for what was done to her. Merrick is enlisted for the task.

Merrick also has her own issues to deal with, mainly revisiting a Guatemalan cave with David Talbot which we get all the background on through a series of flashbacks.

Like most of her female protagonists, Anne Rice paints for us the picture of a woman with a backbone. Unlike her male leads that tend to be complete wimps, Merrick is an interesting and strong character. In this book, through the telling of Merrick's story, we get an earthier Anne Rice. Granted, it would kill Rice to make a character of hers poor, and Merrick is not poor by any standard, but her background is more down to earth.

We are led on a creepy journey in this book that culminates with the raising of Claudia's ghost. Unfortunately, the book is anticlimactic, and we are built up for a big ending that never comes. I was disappointed by Merrick's fate in the end as well. Whatever spells she has cast on the vampires in her life, and whatever Louis' obssession, the ending was not fitting in my opinion. If that ending had come later in another book, or in some other way, I think it would have been better.

Overall, this is an entertaining book but it did not live up to the hype I got from another Rice fan before I read it.

Merrick is Anne Rice's return to her beloved Vampire Chronicles, this time with a little twist. She also melds her Mayfair Chronicles into the story, creating a thrilling page-turner of a book. The story follows Rice's best vampires, Lestat, David Talbot, Louis and Claudia.

Louis is even more melencholy than usual because Claudia is on his mind. Ever since Jesse, another member of the Talasmaca told him she knew of Claudia's ghost, Louis can't get her out of his head. Lestat is still in his deep slumber, so Louis enlists David to contact one of his old students, a powerful witch named Merrick Mayfair, who still works with the Talasmaca. Louis wants Merrick to contact Claudia's ghost, to see if she is at rest or if she still wanders lost for all time, so if she isn't at peace, either Merrick or him might make her move on. By doing this Louis feels he'll somehow fill a hole that's been there ever since Claudia was originally murdered way back in Interview with the Vampire.

David agrees and recounts serveral stories about his days with Merrick when he was still human. He tells many tales of how Aaron and him came to take her into their fold and many other tales of adventures they set out on together and how powerful a witch she really is. The story comes to an end with a fateful meeting with the ghost of Claudia and a few things that happen after the fact.

Don't be too fooled by the Vampire/witch meshing though. Although Merrick is a Mayfair, she's only of distant relations to all of the main characters from Rice's original witch chronicles. Not that Merrick isn't a great character, because she is, but it would have been nice to see some of the other Mayfair's make an appearance. Still, it's nice to see the two tales join together.

This book is another well written tale by Rice. Once again she paints rich new characters, as well as furthering the immensely interesting lives of her returning characters. The tale is rich in detail and has several adventerous parts like when Merrick and David go in search of a cave secreting lost artifacts. It's fast paced and always fun.

I had the opportunity to meet Anne Rice just recently at the booksigning of "MERRICK". She is a very sweet and wonderful woman. Everything that you thought she was, she is. She cared about what books of hers that we enjoyed and how we Loved the "Interview" movie in so on. Well anyway, this novel is wonderful! I found it difficult the first 100 pages, but then again It seems like I always have this problem! The narrator of this story is, of course, the wonderful David Talbot (Body Theif) and of his encounters and his life with the lovely Mayfair, Merrick. He is telling Louis this story of what had happened in her life. Louis is, of course, very interested because Merrick has the ability to talk to the dead, and of course, he would give anything to speak with Claudia again...
The novel is well written in the ways of Anne Rice. The story was brilliant and I was glued to the pages, as if reading into a journal of someone's real life! Any Rice Fan will enjoy this book! And also Lestat is in this one also!!!

Anne Rice knows that we love to read about Lestat and Louis, Armand and Claudia. No witches, no mummys, give us the original vampires! And so she does this - for a few measley pages. But hey, a new character is introduced, and for the bulk of the book we are taken back in time (as only Anne can do) to a story that is NOT a story about our beloved vampires, but about witches, voodoo and a 12-step program on how to traipse through the jungle and collect family heirlooms. Finally, finally at the end of the novel she brings our beloved Louis, David (and even Lestat in the final reel!) into play - but it is too little, too late. I must say that A.R. has the incredibly annoying habit of writing dialogue that is unbelievable for one simple reason: she has the speaker say the name of the person being spoken to again, and again and again. People do not talk like this!! "David? What did you think of that, David? Did you like it David, or David, did you think it was utterly banal? David?" What is more annoying in this book is that we get treated to this with names such as Great Nananne, Cold Sandra and the most annoying of them all: Honey in the Sunshine ...... good grief!

I made the mistake of beginning my reading of Anne Rice with this book, the latest installment of the Vampire Chronicles. She makes references to people and events which, as a first timer unfamiliar with her previous books, make no sense to me. (Of course I knew Lestat and Louis from Neil Jordan's ill-fated film version of Rice's first novel.) It would definitely help to read at least some of the other titles, so my next foray into Riceland will be the original INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE.
One could accuse Rice of false advertising here, as the book is more about witchcraft than vampires. The appearances of Lestat and Louis seem almost perfunctory, as though the publishers told Rice, "Hey, Anne, we need some vampires here. What can you do?" An even bigger problem is the book's inertia. Too much talk and not even action makes the reader impatient. Of course Rice does rise to the occasion in several parts of the novel, where she accomplishes some bravura set pieces. I'm talking of Louis's stalking victims in a derelict part of New Orleans, the "interview" of Great Nananne by Talbot, Merrick's transformation into her dead sister Honey, and the resurrection of Claudia. But these moments come only occasionally and are not enough to sustain overall interest.
This is a disappointing introduction to a novice like me, but at least I am curious enough to begin at the beginning.

Merrick Mayfair is a decendent of Julian Mayfair, the only known male witch of the Mayfair line. A woman of mixed blood, she easily passes for white. She has recently met up with David Talbot, but is not surprised that he is now a vampire in a younger body for she, too, is a member of the Talamasca, brought in due to her skills in witchcraft and voodoo. David Talbot knows Merrick. He has something of a history with this gifted young woman. His purpose for seeing her is to ask her to use her gifts to help another vampire Louis, who is still ridden with guilt over the death of his fledgling Claudia.
This story doesn't go as deep into the Mayfair history as I expected. In fact after reading it, I placed it on the shelf with my Vampire Chronicles not with my Witches Chronicles. This story touches mostly on David and his relationship with Merrick, both past and present. As she usually does, Anne Rice plunges us into a mysterious and mystic world, this time of voodoo and an ancient Aztec legend. One of my new favorites by her.

to getting back to what reading an Anne Rice novel used to be. I used to consider myself a strong Rice fan, but admittedly, I have skipped "Pandora", "The Vampire Armand", "Violin" and "The Vampire Vittorio". Heck, these novels are so off my radar that I am not even sure if I have recounted the titles properly. In addition to skipping her latest installments, for several novels now, I have skipped whole passages (or just skimmed them) due to her inclination to verbosity and overly detailed descriptions. I may be in the minority, but I actually liked Menoch & Servant of the Bones. Oh well. Back to Merrick.
It was the fastest read I've had in a while. I tend to skip over Rice's references to pedophilia and pseudo-homosexuality (inevitably, her gay characters actually turn out to be bisexual). I'd rather she assign sexuality to a character and stick to it. Actually,I have missed the smoldering sexuality so rampant in most Rice books. Merrick came close a couple of times, but I had a problem with the characters as introduced. It really bothered me that the age difference between David and Merrick was so vast - he's 50-something when he first meets her at the tender age of 14! What the? Could there have been some other way for that story to play itself out?
Then, there's Louis. I have never been a Louis fan, but even I found the "instant" love he and Merrick feel for each other to be completely unbelievable. David in the younger body was a much better fit. Actually, Lestat is a much, much better fit for her, considering their mutual manipulation tendancies. I felt that Rice got it wrong. Oh well.
But I can't complain. I couldn't get through 10 pages or either "Violin" or "Pandora". I finished this one in two sittings and will probably purchase the sequel as soon as it's published.

For devoted readers such as myself, the wait has been agonizingly long, the anticipation almost unbearably great. Finally, the new novel by Anne Rice has arrived. Its title is Merrick, and it was well worth both the wait and the anticipation. Merrick is, very simply, a wonderfully satisfying addition to the canon known collectively as The Vampire Chronicles.
In the nearly twenty-five years since the publication of the now classic novel Interview With The Vampire, Mrs. Rice has become justifiably famous for the creation of characters that are so vividly drawn and have such compelling stories to tell us, they have become legends of almost mythic proportion in their own right. Think of Louis de Pointe du Lac, The Vampire Lestat, the enigmatic child vampire Claudia, The Vampire Armand, Marius, Pandora, Memnoch The Devil...Rowan Mayfair and her consort Michael, Mona Mayfair, Lasher...and a host of others too numerous to mention. To that list of most memorable fictional personages, add the name Merrick Mayfair.
That's right. I did say Merrick Mayfair. What, you may be asking is a character with the last name of Mayfair doing in a Vampire Chronicle? Suffice to say that Mrs. Rice has made the brilliant choice to marry the world of her invincible vampires to the world of her enigmatic witches so lustrously created in her Lives Of The Mayfair Witches novels. The results of this decidedly unholy union are consumated in a richly imaginative story that could only have come from the deliciously dark pen of Poe and Shelley's daughter.
So, who is Merrick Mayfair? What does she want? How does she impact the lives and destinies of our beloved vampires?
As to the first question, Merrick Mayfair is distantly related to the First Street Mayfairs of Lives Of The Mayfair Witches infamy, though those witches play no role in Merrick whatsoever. Don't let this be a disappointment to any expectations you might have. Be content with the fact that the Lives Of The Mayfair Witches as we know them have ended with the conclusion of the novel Taltos. In The Witches' Companion by Katherine Ramsland, Mrs. Rice is quoted as saying: 'The Mayfair family is a huge imaginative refuge for me; it is living and growing in my mind all the time.' With the introduction of Merrick Mayfair, I suspect this is still true for Mrs. Rice. Let the Lives Of The Mayfair Witches stand as they are -- whole and complete. Let new Mayfairs come to the fore and tell their tales. If they are anything like Merrick Mayfair's, you will be as enthralled as with any story about the First Street Mayfairs.
To that, let me add that to describe Merrick Mayfair as a female Indiana Jones as some reviewers have done is appallingly simplistic. She is far more complex and enigmatic than that. She is totally unpredictable and therefore difficult to second guess. She is also a witch, make no mistake about that, with incalculable powers at her command. Her powers are so great, in fact, she is compared to the Witch of Endor (get out your Old Testament if you don't remember who SHE is) numerous times in the narrative, not to mention the fact that she is capable of giving creatures as strong as Rice's vampires pause. 'Touch me and I'll shatter you,' she wordlessly says at one point to the vampire Louis. Think, for a moment, about having the strength to shatter a vampire, and then you'll have some idea of just how powerful a witch Merrick Mayfair is. Kind of makes the First Street Mayfairs pale in comparison, doesn't it?
As to the second and third questions I posed, you'll have to read the book to find out what Merrick Mayfair wants and how she impacts the lives of our beloved vampires. I can't say anything without spoiling too much of the plot. What I can say is that the answers to those questions will surprise and satisfy you far beyond your imaginings. Truth be told, I felt sort of like a vampire as I was reading Merrick. Once I had bitten into the book and the gush of words began to flow, I couldn't get enough. The story became more and more involving, more and more compulsively readable after each page, that I simply had to know how everything turns out. It was beyond difficult to put the book down for something as trivial as work and other obligations.
If you are already a fan of Anne Rice, I can't urge you strongly enough to get a copy of Merrick as soon as possible. If you have not read any of her novels, it would be helpful for you to read all of six of the previous The Vampire Chronicles before beginning Merrick. You will not understand the significance of certain events or the relationships between the characters without doing so. All are five-star books in my opinion. I would also recommend that you read the three Lives Of The Mayfair Witches novels. Having copies of Katherine Ramsland's The Vampire Companion and The Witches' Companion isn't a bad idea either and, besides, they are both extremely interesting books in their own right.
And now I find myself where I began. With long months of waiting filled with anticipation before me until the next novel by the incomparable Anne Rice is published. Sigh. On that note, 'over and out' as The Vampire Lestat would say.

I made the mistake of beginning my reading of Anne Rice with this book, the latest installment of the Vampire Chronicles. She makes references to people and events which, as a first timer unfamiliar with her previous books, make no sense to me. (Of course I knew Lestat and Louis from Neil Jordan's ill-fated film version of Rice's first novel.) It would definitely help to read at least some of the other titles, so my next foray into Riceland will be the original INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE.
One could accuse Rice of false advertising here, as the book is more about witchcraft than vampires. The appearances of Lestat and Louis seem almost perfunctory, as though the publishers told Rice, "Hey, Anne, we need some vampires here. What can you do?" An even bigger problem is the book's inertia. Too much talk and not even action makes the reader impatient. Of course Rice does rise to the occasion in several parts of the novel, where she accomplishes some bravura set pieces. I'm talking of Louis's stalking victims in a derelict part of New Orleans, the "interview" of Great Nananne by Talbot, Merrick's transformation into her dead sister Honey, and the resurrection of Claudia. But these moments come only occasionally and are not enough to sustain overall interest.
This is a disappointing introduction to a novice like me, but at least I am curious enough to begin at the beginning.

Merrick Mayfair is a decendent of Julian Mayfair, the only known male witch of the Mayfair line. A woman of mixed blood, she easily passes for white. She has recently met up with David Talbot, but is not surprised that he is now a vampire in a younger body for she, too, is a member of the Talamasca, brought in due to her skills in witchcraft and voodoo. David Talbot knows Merrick. He has something of a history with this gifted young woman. His purpose for seeing her is to ask her to use her gifts to help another vampire Louis, who is still ridden with guilt over the death of his fledgling Claudia.
This story doesn't go as deep into the Mayfair history as I expected. In fact after reading it, I placed it on the shelf with my Vampire Chronicles not with my Witches Chronicles. This story touches mostly on David and his relationship with Merrick, both past and present. As she usually does, Anne Rice plunges us into a mysterious and mystic world, this time of voodoo and an ancient Aztec legend. One of my new favorites by her.

to getting back to what reading an Anne Rice novel used to be. I used to consider myself a strong Rice fan, but admittedly, I have skipped "Pandora", "The Vampire Armand", "Violin" and "The Vampire Vittorio". Heck, these novels are so off my radar that I am not even sure if I have recounted the titles properly. In addition to skipping her latest installments, for several novels now, I have skipped whole passages (or just skimmed them) due to her inclination to verbosity and overly detailed descriptions. I may be in the minority, but I actually liked Menoch & Servant of the Bones. Oh well. Back to Merrick.
It was the fastest read I've had in a while. I tend to skip over Rice's references to pedophilia and pseudo-homosexuality (inevitably, her gay characters actually turn out to be bisexual). I'd rather she assign sexuality to a character and stick to it. Actually,I have missed the smoldering sexuality so rampant in most Rice books. Merrick came close a couple of times, but I had a problem with the characters as introduced. It really bothered me that the age difference between David and Merrick was so vast - he's 50-something when he first meets her at the tender age of 14! What the? Could there have been some other way for that story to play itself out?
Then, there's Louis. I have never been a Louis fan, but even I found the "instant" love he and Merrick feel for each other to be completely unbelievable. David in the younger body was a much better fit. Actually, Lestat is a much, much better fit for her, considering their mutual manipulation tendancies. I felt that Rice got it wrong. Oh well.
But I can't complain. I couldn't get through 10 pages or either "Violin" or "Pandora". I finished this one in two sittings and will probably purchase the sequel as soon as it's published.

For devoted readers such as myself, the wait has been agonizingly long, the anticipation almost unbearably great. Finally, the new novel by Anne Rice has arrived. Its title is Merrick, and it was well worth both the wait and the anticipation. Merrick is, very simply, a wonderfully satisfying addition to the canon known collectively as The Vampire Chronicles.
In the nearly twenty-five years since the publication of the now classic novel Interview With The Vampire, Mrs. Rice has become justifiably famous for the creation of characters that are so vividly drawn and have such compelling stories to tell us, they have become legends of almost mythic proportion in their own right. Think of Louis de Pointe du Lac, The Vampire Lestat, the enigmatic child vampire Claudia, The Vampire Armand, Marius, Pandora, Memnoch The Devil...Rowan Mayfair and her consort Michael, Mona Mayfair, Lasher...and a host of others too numerous to mention. To that list of most memorable fictional personages, add the name Merrick Mayfair.
That's right. I did say Merrick Mayfair. What, you may be asking is a character with the last name of Mayfair doing in a Vampire Chronicle? Suffice to say that Mrs. Rice has made the brilliant choice to marry the world of her invincible vampires to the world of her enigmatic witches so lustrously created in her Lives Of The Mayfair Witches novels. The results of this decidedly unholy union are consumated in a richly imaginative story that could only have come from the deliciously dark pen of Poe and Shelley's daughter.
So, who is Merrick Mayfair? What does she want? How does she impact the lives and destinies of our beloved vampires?
As to the first question, Merrick Mayfair is distantly related to the First Street Mayfairs of Lives Of The Mayfair Witches infamy, though those witches play no role in Merrick whatsoever. Don't let this be a disappointment to any expectations you might have. Be content with the fact that the Lives Of The Mayfair Witches as we know them have ended with the conclusion of the novel Taltos. In The Witches' Companion by Katherine Ramsland, Mrs. Rice is quoted as saying: 'The Mayfair family is a huge imaginative refuge for me; it is living and growing in my mind all the time.' With the introduction of Merrick Mayfair, I suspect this is still true for Mrs. Rice. Let the Lives Of The Mayfair Witches stand as they are -- whole and complete. Let new Mayfairs come to the fore and tell their tales. If they are anything like Merrick Mayfair's, you will be as enthralled as with any story about the First Street Mayfairs.
To that, let me add that to describe Merrick Mayfair as a female Indiana Jones as some reviewers have done is appallingly simplistic. She is far more complex and enigmatic than that. She is totally unpredictable and therefore difficult to second guess. She is also a witch, make no mistake about that, with incalculable powers at her command. Her powers are so great, in fact, she is compared to the Witch of Endor (get out your Old Testament if you don't remember who SHE is) numerous times in the narrative, not to mention the fact that she is capable of giving creatures as strong as Rice's vampires pause. 'Touch me and I'll shatter you,' she wordlessly says at one point to the vampire Louis. Think, for a moment, about having the strength to shatter a vampire, and then you'll have some idea of just how powerful a witch Merrick Mayfair is. Kind of makes the First Street Mayfairs pale in comparison, doesn't it?
As to the second and third questions I posed, you'll have to read the book to find out what Merrick Mayfair wants and how she impacts the lives of our beloved vampires. I can't say anything without spoiling too much of the plot. What I can say is that the answers to those questions will surprise and satisfy you far beyond your imaginings. Truth be told, I felt sort of like a vampire as I was reading Merrick. Once I had bitten into the book and the gush of words began to flow, I couldn't get enough. The story became more and more involving, more and more compulsively readable after each page, that I simply had to know how everything turns out. It was beyond difficult to put the book down for something as trivial as work and other obligations.
If you are already a fan of Anne Rice, I can't urge you strongly enough to get a copy of Merrick as soon as possible. If you have not read any of her novels, it would be helpful for you to read all of six of the previous The Vampire Chronicles before beginning Merrick. You will not understand the significance of certain events or the relationships between the characters without doing so. All are five-star books in my opinion. I would also recommend that you read the three Lives Of The Mayfair Witches novels. Having copies of Katherine Ramsland's The Vampire Companion and The Witches' Companion isn't a bad idea either and, besides, they are both extremely interesting books in their own right.
And now I find myself where I began. With long months of waiting filled with anticipation before me until the next novel by the incomparable Anne Rice is published. Sigh. On that note, 'over and out' as The Vampire Lestat would say.

A seamless combination of the Vampire Chronicles and the Mayfair Witches. The plot and characterization were back to classic Anne Rice. Merrick is one of my favorite creations in a long while. I found her more intriguing than anything in Lasher or Taltos and the plot more tightly written than either of those books. This book digs on old ground, but uncovers a lot of new treasures. Plus, we get to visit with Louis and Claudia again, which makes it well worth the read. A great addition to the canon.

An unfortunate turn of events has led to the release of this book before it was completely formed. A devoted reader of the Vampire Chronicles will feel cheated--Louis and Lestat are merre footnotes in a plot that should have left them out entirely if the author couldn't have found a good place to put them. Merrick is very easy to despise, but more often than not she cultivates indifference in the reader--a horrible thing to do, considering she's the title character. The Mayfair Witches play no significant role at all in this story, and--like Louis and Lestat--would have best been left out completely. The potential for a truly gripping novel is there, but at the end of the book I was left saying, "this can't possibly be it, can it? The damn thing was more than 300 pages long!" The book jumps from plot twist to plot twist without ever letting the parts develop. I adore Anne Rice and have read all of her books (except the "Beauty" series)--she possesses the ability to paint the most lush, gorgeous pictures with words, as well as the sense to make the reader care about her characters, alive or Dead (the Mayfair Chronicles, in my opinion, are her best efforts yet, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment). The only glimmer of light was David Talbot, the narrator of this tale--I dunno, I've taken a shine to him for some reason. On the whole, however, "Merrick" feels like a book written by someone impersonating Anne Rice--and botching the job miserably. Come back, Mrs. Rice, please!!

I was totally caught unaware of the ending of this book ~~ and once again, Anne Rice surprises me! Last Rice book I read was Armand, which had a tendency to make me fall asleep. Merrick didn't. This book is such a lovely cross between the Mayfair witches and the Vampires. And reading it over a few foggy nights sure help set the mood for reading Merrick. I don't get scared very easily, but Rice's description of hunting for a long-lost mask is a little nerve-wracking. Her descriptions once again is very vivid ~~ I almost feel I was there. She is a little weak on the characters' interactions with each other ~~ she seems to have glossed over lots of meaningful conversations and focused too much on David, Louis and Merrick's physical beauty as well as their sexual attractions. But reading it makes up for those small deficiencies. I've always enjoyed Anne Rice's books and she didn't disappoint me on this book. It's not her best (The Witching Hour is much better), but it's not as bad as other fans seem to think. If you're looking for a good read, Merrick won't disappoint you there.

Merrick was a wonderful blend of the Mayfair Witches and The Vampire Chronicles. The story told from David Talbot's perspective started slowly but took off in the fine tradition that we have always known Rice to be capable of.
David begins his tale by searching out Merrick to request her help in contacting the spirit of Claudia. Louis suffers unending guilt for producing the fledgling Claudia, and needs reassurance that she has moved on to a happier existence. This will set off a chain of events that will take you back in time and introduce you to some of Rice's most vivid characters. Merrick uses a blend of Voodoo Magic and Catholicism to conjure up spirits that you will never forget.
Lestat plays a small but important role in this book and the ending leaves us with the promise of tales of his time spent out of body. A gauntlet is thrown down by the Talamasca, leaving us wondering if it will step out of its age old position of observation only. The events surrounding this are what will keep you turning the pages. This book brings me back to the style of the original Vampire Chronicles, which I so needed from this author.

Vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac asks vampiric detective David Talbot to find a way to contact the ghost of Claudia. David knows that if anyone has the ability to do this conjuring it would have to be Merrick Mayfair, a voodoo practitioner descended from a long line of witches. Although David has not seen Merrick in years, he still turns to her for assistance.

As Merrick and David discuss the ethics of disturbing the dead, a spark ignites between them. However, soon she travels to a remote part of the Guatemalan jungle where ancient powerful runes exist. However, the powerful witch remains in doubt about assisting the vampire with his quest to communicate with a ghost.

Maybe it is just this reviewer, but after twenty-two supernatural tales, the vampire chronicles seem a bit anemic. Still, once the great Anne Rice gets rolling, the story line takes off at a rapid speed as vampires converge on witchworld. The joy that holds MERRICK and the previous tales together remain Ms. Rice's ability to persuade the readers that the supernatural creatures and magical powers exist especially in New Orleans. The audience will find this tale turns extremely exciting in Central America and serves to tie up loose ends from previous novels as well as setting the stage for book XXIII. Vampire aficionados will relish Ms. Rice's latest entry in her beloved series.

Harriet Klausner

While I enjoyed pieces of this latest book, there were two things that Anne Rice could've done better.
The first was that she brings up this whole ancient civilization in Central America that is "Olmec or Maya, but neither." We do not learn anything more about this mysterious culture that Merrick's ancestors came from, which I think could've been developed a little bit more.
The second thing was the ending. She introduces a new character, in this case Merrick, and then turns them into a vampire at the book's end. In light of the fact that this happened in both "Tale of the Body Thief" and "The Vampire Armand," its sad to say that Anne Rice is getting a bit too formulaic.
If Anne Rice wants to come up with a good novel, she should explore the character of Gabrielle, Lestat's mother, who is also a vampire. She is only briefly featured in the earlier books and I think there's much more to be fleshed out there.

I've read all the Vampire books...Rice is amazing though I think I read the newer books just to keep up. After Queen of the Damned, I wasn't too thrilled w/ anything. Pandora, Armand, Vittorio...eh.
However, Merrick grabbed me and brought me on a wonderful thrilling adventure! A number of times I found myself tearing through the pages with almost a maddening ferocity! It's been a number of years since that'S happened...
I loved the first 3 books, mainly 2-3 though...Lestat and Queen. This is right up there IMO. It's got the typical Rice eloquence so even though the later books didn't interest me as much, she always paints a beautiful world for you to explore. A friend found this book 'boring' but I can't see how that's possible! The formula deviates slightly from Rice's recent publications, but retains that feel that can only be summoned by the author.
This book ties in the Mayfair Witches (Witching Hour series) with the Vampire books, but the former is only a small portion. This is a Vampire book all in all, and I highly recommend it. If you've has kept up with that series, I think it's a must read...especially if you've become somewhat bored with the recent Vampire books...this is a breath of fresh air, and an amazing tale. One I won't soon forget.