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In the company of the fearless Vampire Lestat, the beautiful sorceress
Merrick summons long dead family members and enchants all the men she meets.
Witchcraft is the theme of this Anne Rice tale of horror set primarily in the
present time (Lestat is now 200 years old), with eerie New Orleans, the heart
of voodoo, as the backdrop. This tale also takes us to Guatamalan jungles and
Mayan ruins, where Merrick leads David Talbot, our hero and storyteller. He
is, of course, seduced by her charms.
This intertwining of the world of vampires and the world of witches is an
interesting test of wills, charms, and the balance of life and death and the
source of life --- blood. The Vampire Lestat, famous from other Anne Rice
tales, makes an appearance in the last part of this abridged audio version,
but is a force throughout the book.
Read by the very English Sir Derek Jacobi, primarily a Shakespearean actor,
MERRICK takes on yet another tone, that of a more genteel premise --- as
opposed to the harsh reality of the force of life for the vampires within. Of
course, Lestat and Talbot are gentlemen; they are social animals, and
partially products of society. At times, I rewound and listened again to
portions, as I felt that I had missed some important connection between
passages. I assume that this was due to the abridgment.
In conclusion, Anne Rice has written another classic tale of horror with
exquisite use of language, vivid descriptions, and rich detail. Not since her
first novel have I been so entranced with this genre.
--- Reviewed by Marge Fletcher (aka: AudioMarge)
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