One of Rice’s major changes in fantasy fiction was a uniquely sympathetic treatment of supernatural characters — the vampires. She portrays them not as terrifying cold-hearted blood-suckers, but as flamboyant, yet sensitive beings who ponder the meaning of life, endure both love and loneliness, and even undergo major moral conflicts (some vampires in Rice’s novels abhor killing humans, even though they are compelled to drink human blood as a means of survival).

The Vampire Lestat tells the tale of the life, death, and rebirth of a 17th century nobleman, the capricious Lestat de Lioncourt.

Aristocrat, actor, rock star, Lord of Darkness — the Brat Prince Lestat tells us the story of his immortal life in the Savage Garden that is our world. We follow him around the globe, from Paris to Alexandria, from mysterious Greek islands to the plantations of New Orleans in his quest for the meaning of True Evil...

The book begins with Lestat as a young man, a proud member of an impoverished line of poor aristocrats. His family is so poor, that Lestat has to hunt for their food, and they have no servants to take care of the crumbling castle that is their home. Among his two brothers and blind father, Lestat finds comfort only with his Italian mother, the beautiful Gabrielle. Even though she greatly loves her son, Gabrielle’s only interest is reading books (she is the only member of the family who can read more then her own name.)

After Lestat single-handedly kills eight wolves, he becomes friends with Nicolas, “Nicki,” a brilliant violinist who turns Lestat’s world upside down.

Ever since childhood, Lestat was the black sheep of his family. First he went wanted to become a monk, later he ran of with a troupe of Commedia del’Arte actors... Both times he was forced to return home and continue to wilt in the damp and dark corridors of his chateau. But with Nicki, Lestat learned of Paris, of the frivolities of Luis XIV, of the life and gaiety of the big city. With only a goodbye to his beloved mother, Lestat runs off to Paris with his friend. There, they find work at a theater. Because of his rakish good looks, our hero becomes an actor, and Nicki plays his violin in the orchestra.

Then, one night, Lestat mysteriously disappears, only to appear weeks later fabulously rich and greatly changed.

What happened? In the next couple of chapters we are riveted by Lestat’s account of his abduction by the great vampire alchemist Magnus, and, ultimately, he becomes Lestat’s maker, for it is he who turns Lestat over to the “Dark Side.”

The remainder of the novel captures your imagination as Lestat meets Armand, the tyrannical leader of a Paris vampire coven; his mourning over the loss of Nicki; the founding of the Theatres des Vampires… All throughout we are introduced to various characters, both minor and of major importance, but Lestat outshines them all. Swinging from hysterical laughter to bouts of depression and attempted suicide, Lestat is a character with more-than-human feelings. We cannot help but feel for him, suffer with him, and hope for his happiness.

Eventually Lestat crosses the Atlantic and finds himself in New Orleans. There he creates his two most beloved fledglings — the gentle Luis du Pointe du Lac, and the cruel child-vampire, little Claudia. Here Lestat recounts, in his own words, the tragic story that was written about in the previous book Interview with the Vampire. However, Interview showed Lestat as an evil, vain, stupid tyrant who oppressed both Luis and Claudia. However, now we discover everything from Lestat’s view, especially his heartbreak after he realized that Luis abandoned him… It is sad that he is misunderstood…

After the death of Claudia, Lestat retreats back to New Orleans, where he hides in solitude, waiting for his soul, heart and body to heal. Eventually he retreats underground, where for several decades he alternates between sleep and consciousness. Finally he awakes and in no time at all returns to his same old personality: he discovers an unknown rock-band and, as their lead singer, rises into stardom, breaking every single vampire rule that states that vampires cannot tell mortals who they really are. Lestat goes beyond everyone’s wildest expectations, going so far as to release music videos, CD’s, and write an autobiography. However, his final idea is the last draw for all the other vampires — an actual concert in front of thousands of mortals. As can be expected, disaster strikes, and a great evil awakes, something that will destroy the world if it isn’t stopped in time…

Here, however, the book ends, prompting you to continue reading the story in the third book of the Vampire Chronicles The Queen of the Damned.

Only one word can describe The Vampire Lestat — amazing! Not a single part of the book is boring, not one character is flat and unreal… Lestat’s exploits seem real, possible, and are told in the most captivating way yet. The book is punctuated by the autobiographies of other characters, such as Armand and Marius, but this does nothing to slow down the tempo. The Vampire Lestat may seem at first like a cheap vampire/horror pulp novel, but once you begin to read, all doubts are wiped away as you enter a dreamlike tale that will both break your heart and make you laugh…