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The Tale of the Body Thief

The Vampire Chronicles 4

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The Tale of the Body Thief

By: Anne Rice
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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About this listen

Electrifying, erotic, terrifying - the fourth novel in the Vampire Chronicles is as rich, as violent, as sensual as the runaway best sellers that precede it.

The burden of immortality is weighing upon the vampire Lestat. In a desperate bid to end his everlasting life, he attempts suicide by flying into the sunrise above the Gobi Desert. The attempt fails, but it intensifies his desire to be human again.

Just as Lestat resigns himself to the body of a killer, he is approached by the body thief, a creature who covets Lestat's monstrous power and can give him what he wants: a mortal body. Lestat, ignoring the warnings of those he trusts, agrees to surrender his vampire body for a week. But the body thief vanishes. Chaos ensues, and the newly mortal Lestat is left to discover what he had forgotten: the suffering, the weakness and the fragility of a living life.

©2016 Anne Rice (P)2016 Random House Audiobooks Classics Fantasy Horror Scary

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All stars
Most relevant
This probably Rice's most mature story about Lestat. Filled with intriguing characters and situations. It also make our hero re-assess his Life Death, rebirth and future..

Lestat grows up....

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While I did enjoy this, there were moments where Lestat was just a bit too stupid. I get his needs and his impetuosity, but, for a being as developed as he has become over the course of the Chronicles, there were moments where his naivety was a bit too unbelievable. Oh, and there was one confusing moment where Louis seemed to develop a Russian accent - a little odd. That said, I was hooked and can't wait for another episode.

Lestat the dimwit

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Anne Rice’s The Tale of the Body Thief is a phenomenal triumph—unsurprisingly so—and a dazzling fourth instalment in The Vampire Chronicles. While Interview with the Vampire lured us into the lush, tragic mythos of Rice’s immortal world, this entry rips the curtain wide open and asks the boldest question of all: What if Lestat could be… mortal again?

In typical Lestat fashion, what begins as idle fantasy spirals into cosmic chaos. The Brat Prince trades bodies with a mortal con man and quickly discovers that humanity, far from being the warm-blooded Eden he imagined, is messy, fragile, and terrifying. Watching him scramble—hungry, cold, full of regret and longing—makes for some of the most visceral and compelling writing Rice has ever done. And yet, this isn’t just a tale of loss. It’s a philosophical meditation on identity, agency, and the ever-blurring line between damnation and redemption.

What elevates this book above mere gothic romp is Rice’s language—opulent, razor-sharp, and occasionally heartbreakingly tender. And let’s not overlook the characters: David Talbot steals every scene he’s in, and their dynamic is electric—mentor, confidante, maybe more. (Anne always did love her subtext with a capital S.)

This isn’t just a great vampire novel. It’s a great novel—full stop. If you’re already invested in Lestat’s journey, this book will leave you breathless. If you’re new to the series, prepare for a dangerous addiction. Rice writes vampires the way Mozart wrote symphonies: with grandeur, madness, and soul.

A Haunting Masterstroke – Lestat at His Most Human (and Most Reckless)

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one of the deepest books of master Rice. The way she played with mortality, vanity and moral is a bless for the eyes.
in some parts the fine comedy Lestat exhales remind me the 2nd book of the series The Dark Tower. Sublime in any way

Delicious writing

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Honestly, she’s just an amazing story and tell her leather stories. Turn me into a vampire already please.

Just love Anne rice

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