In her mesmerizing new novel, the author of The Vampire Chronicles and the saga of the Mayfair Witches demonstrates once again her gift for spellbinding storytelling and the creation of myth and magic. Here, in a magnificent tale of sorcery and the occult, she makes real for us a hitherto unexplored world of witchcraft. At the center is the beautiful, unconquerable witch Merrick. She is a descendant of the gens de couleur libres, a society of New Orleans octoroons and quadroons steeped in the lore and ceremony of voodoo, who reign in the shadowy world where African and French--the dark and the white--intermingle. Her ancestors are the great Mayfair witches, of whom she knows nothing--and from whom she inherits the power and the magical knowledge of a Circe. Into this exotic realm comes David Talbot--hero, storyteller, adventurer, almost-mortal vampire, visitor from another dark realm. It is he who recounts Merrick's haunting tale--a tale that takes us from the New Orleans of past and present to the jungles of Guatemala, from the Maya ruins of a century ago to ancient civilizations not yet explored. Anne Rice's richly told novel weaves an irresistible story of two worlds: the witches' world and the vampires' world, where magical powers and otherworldly fascinations are locked together in a dance of seduction, death, and rebirth.
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"Rice melds her two series (Vampire Chronicles and Mayfair Witches) in this book. It's a good thing I had read the previous Witch books. I like the idea of the two stories in this book, and it doesn't feel too contrived to me because David Talbot is the connector. I will admit that I had to revisit/skim a few sections of both series so I could see how the characters all fit into this story."
— Kelly (4 out of 5 stars)
" Anne Rice is the best storyteller! I'm sure some of the imagery she generated in this book will stay with me forever. "
— Myra, 2/13/2014" One of my favorties in Rice's Vampire saga. "
— Monica, 2/4/2014" Merrick is OK for CD listening on a long car trip. I read many of the Anne Rice books years ago, and either I have moved on in taste or this Rice book just is not on par with others. It seems long and rambling. "
— Liz, 2/2/2014" For me, The Vampire Chronicles are the be-all-end-all of vampire novels. And while I have my favorites within the series, I find myself comparing every other vampire novel I read to the entire set. So, if you want to discuss them, go ahead and send me a note. And if you're new to the vampire genre, you can't go wrong with Anne Rice. "
— Vanessa, 1/25/2014" Along with Tales of the Body Thief, and The Vampire Armand, Merrick was one of the few books within the Vampire Chronicles that I didn't care much for. I didn't like the character Merrick, and I did not like the general plot. It only furthered Louis' depression and we can never be fully sure whether or not he came to an inner peace. It seemed poorly written, and only half-hearted. Not a favorite. "
— Serenity, 1/25/2014" Ok she's starting to merge the Vampires and the Witches. Not bad. "
— Maria, 1/21/2014" Merrick, although slightly out of the Vampire tale, is a very interesting and beautiful story. Not as flowery as some of other Vampire Chronicles became after the first 3 so it made for a very nice read. Really interesting and romantic. "
— Daniel, 1/19/2014" I don't remember much of this book. I've never liked witches though. They used to give me nightmares. "
— Stephanie, 1/15/2014" just got it today - what a great storyteller - stay tuned! "
— Margaret, 12/7/2013" I would say this is where it seriously jumped the shark. "
— Denae, 7/23/2013Anne Rice was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. She holds a Master of Arts degree in English and creative writing from San Francisco State University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in political science. She is the author of over thirty books, including tales of the Mayfair Witches. Her first novel, Interview with the Vampire, was published in 1976 and has gone on to become part of one of the bestselling series of all time. She continued her saga of the Vampire Lestat in a series of books, collectively known as the Vampire Chronicles, which have had both great mainstream and cult followings. She lives in Palm Desert, California.
Graeme Malcolm was an actor and winning audiobook narrator who earned twelve AudioFile Earphones Awards. He has performed on Broadway as Pharaoh in Aida and as Sir Edward Ramsay in The King and I. His television appearances include Law & Order, Follow the River, and Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson (with Laurence Olivier). His film credits include A Further Gesture, The Adventures of Sebastian Cole, and Reunion.