One of my two favorite Vampire Chronicles. I loved the whole concept. ( )

This is my absolute favourite work by Anne Rice. Many disagree with me on this point. I enjoyed the exploration of faith, Christianity, good and evil, the alternate creation myth... that and Lestat goes completely off on one. A rather large cast list, but it's mostly Memnoch and Lestat. ( )

Haven't we seen this before? Exchange Louis for Memnoch and you have 'Interview with the Devil'. More angst immortal beings, but with a Christian flavor this time. ( )

I’m sad to say that this is the first Anne Rice book that I REALLY disliked. From the first moment I picked up Interview With the Vampire I became a crazy Anne Rice fan and I loved every one of her books that I read since. It took me forever to get through Memnoch the Devil; I started reading it about a year ago and then put it down because I couldn’t stand all of the religious drivel. I finally decided that I had read enough of the series that I needed to finish it no matter how painful it was. I personally don’t want to read a story that revolves so entirely around the Christian religion, as I happen to be an atheist. Putting my dislike for religion aside, this book felt preachy. Memnoch talked for far too long about his speculation on evolution, the nature of human beings, theology, and every other monotonous detail of the Christian religion. My only consolation was that by the end of the book Lestat still hated god and the devil though I would have preferred that they had remained out of the story altogether. I only read this book so that I could understand the rest of the story, even though I thought it was extremely boring. I makes me truly sad to know that Anne Rice has since gone on to become Catholic and write about Christ in earnest. I would definitely NOT recommend this book even for Anne Rice fans, it isn’t worth it! ( )

Memnoch the Devil is a tale far more philosophical and religious than any of Rice’s previous Vampire Chronicles. Her vampires have always wrestled with these questions of religion, philosophy and Their Place in the Grand Plan of ….whoever. In this book, Lestat meets the Devil himself. And, God Incarnate. With so many capitalized pronouns, Rice lays out a reimagining of the struggle between these two entities. Frankly, I’d like to believe it as Gospel Truth. But, of course, Lestat is the Damndest Creature and even he doesn’t believe what he experienced. So? What was the point of that, exactly?

Those who are fans of the campy suspense of Queen of the Damned or Tale of the Body Thief: this is not the book for you. Those who are fans of the historical backstory and scholarly interests of The Mayfair Witches and The Vampire Lestat: this book is not for you. Those who actually like the broody, questioning Louis of Interview with the Vampire, and the introspective Taltos: you might enjoy this book. Those who obsessively read everything Ann Rice has ever written (including her pseudonymous works): this book is for you (and me). ( )