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  • Interview With The Vampire

  • The Vampire Chronicles, Book 1
  • By: Anne Rice
  • Narrated by: Simon Vance
  • Length: 14 hrs and 24 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,034 ratings)

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Interview With The Vampire

By: Anne Rice
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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Summary

In a darkened room a young man sits telling the macabre and eerie story of his life - the story of a vampire, gifted with eternal life, cursed with an exquisite craving for human blood.

Anne Rice's compulsively readable novel is arguably the most celebrated work of vampire fiction since Bram Stoker's Dracula which was published in 1897.

As the Washington Post said on its first publication, it is a 'thrilling, strikingly original work of the imagination . . . sometimes horrible, sometimes beautiful, always unforgettable'.

©1976 Anne O'Brien Rice (P)2011 Random House Inc.

Critic reviews

"One of the most wonderful, erotic, sensual books ever written" (Sting)
"A spine-chilling nightmare... highly accomplished... an impressive feat of imagination" ( Sunday Times)
"Thrilling... a strikingly original work of the imagination...unforgettable" ( Washington Post)
"The most successful vampire story since Bram Stoker's Dracula" ( The Times)

What listeners say about Interview With The Vampire

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

revisited

I read this book and indeed the whole series over 20 years ago and decided to revisit them on audio book to see if they were what I remembered.
Anne Rice certainly has a gift for descriptive writing, evoking a real ambiance that you can almost smell taste and feel. I had forgotten the depth of that skill. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the story as opposed to reading it, it didn't detract from my imagination.
The story is everything I remembered, and I am now about to start The Vampire Lestat.

18 people found this helpful

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A Trip Down Memory Lane

Would you consider the audio edition of Interview With The Vampire to be better than the print version?

I fell in love with the Vampire Chronicles when I was in high school (very early '90's!) and having discovered audible fairly recently, decided to have a revisit. I hadn't remembered how much anguish there is in the story and this does make it drag a little sometimes. Simon Vance performance is great and really consistent and manages to keep you interested in when you're getting frustrated with 'Louis''s painstakingly slow thought processes! That said, having reached the end I shall now be downloading The Vampire Lestat. If you're going to take the trip you may as well make the whole journey! I'm pleased to see Simon Vance is narrating that one too. Would I say the audio version is better than the print? I couldn't say - it's been too long since I picked up the book.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

It makes you wonder what happens next!

What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?

He manages to make Louis' interminable meanderings very pleasant to listen to! His accents switch depending on who is talking and he's very consistent. Definitely one of my preferred narrators found so far.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wish I had 12 hours to sit and listen to a book in one sitting! I did find myself listening to it at every available opportunity!

12 people found this helpful

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New life!

It was wonderful to listen to one of my favourite books read aloud to me on my commute. It brought it to life and Simon Vance has done an excellent job.

10 people found this helpful

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Read for university.

Had to read this for university. Had a much easier time with the audio book. Voice acting was great and kept me interested.

4 people found this helpful

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so long winded and dislike the narrator

so much waffle. so long winded. I found myself just skipping ahead a few lines so very often thinking just get to the point already! I almost quit altogether a several times but wouldn't let myself.. I've read it before maybe 20 years ago I don't remember it being so bland or I wouldn't have bothered. plus the Narrator trying to put on a generic vampire accent got on my nerves. his emotion was off there was just no fire the whole book was just so blaa! don't know how it got made into a film and don't know if I can be bothered to work my way through the whole series as was my plan of they are all like this. I don't often leave reviews but I'm so very disappointed to the point of annoyance so many expectations and so let down

3 people found this helpful

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A landmark

The writing and the performance were so seductive and so strange because they were so seductive. I dont understand why it isnt recognised more as a landmark in LGBTQ literature. It was so ahead of it's time, that it feels fresh even today.

3 people found this helpful

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awesome

well read by Simon vance and awesome story. I would highly recommend this to anyone.

3 people found this helpful

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not for film lovers!!!

Amazing! wish I had never seen the film first! well writen and narrated, classic! read before the film!

2 people found this helpful

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You will either love it or hate it...

If you could sum up Interview With The Vampire in three words, what would they be?

Best book ever...But then again, I am biased. I love Anne Rice and it's my favourite novel. I imagine it's a love / hate scenario, you will either love listening to Louis and his struggles or you won't. Either way, the writing is unbelievable. Not what you get these days, with vampire YA and all that crap - the picture Rice paints of New Orleans made me fall in love with the place years ago and I still hope to see it myself someday.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Too hard to choose. If you are already a fan, you know why (rhymes with les-dot).

Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances? How does this one compare?

First time listening to Simon Vance. I have read about him and wasn't disappointed. Listening to it for the first time really brought it to life for me and I caught things that I had missed before, having read it many times.

2 people found this helpful

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Sheer excellence

I've read this book many times in the thirty years since I first read it at thirteen. The audiobook is nothing short of spellbinding. Simon Vance's narration is perfection.

1 person found this helpful

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  • JLBOSHOFF
  • 19-01-22

Left wanting more

The narrator was amazing but the store unfortunately not. Very boring at regular moments during the book.

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  • Kindle Customer
  • 12-08-21

Gripping and intimate

A study in the futility of immortality. The paradox of the desire to experience and love against the need to truly have meaning. I loved the narration and it's musical pace.

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  • Lana
  • 04-05-15

pretty good story i liked it

i liked it better than the movie. way more info and deeper look into characters