The Vampire Armand (Vampire Chronicles).

New York, NY Random House: Ballantine Books, 1999. Paperback First Edition Thus [1999]; First Printing indicated. First Edition Thus [1999]; First Printing indicated. Very Near Fine in Wraps: shows only the most minute spine lean and the pages have tanned somewhat, due to aging. The Binding remains perfectly secure; the text is clean. Very close to 'As New'. NOT a Remainder, Book-Club, or Ex-Library. 8vo. 400 pages. Trade Paperback. I have read all of The Vampire Chronicles over at least 20 times and I love each and every one of them, but while Lestat is my favorite character this particular book of Armand's life story is my absolute favorite. I love how after reading this book all the gaps that you may have had about Armand finally get filed in. After reading this book I finally understood him. It is like Anne put's her all in each and every one of her characters and Armand is no exception. He is by far the most complex of all her chronicle vampires and you see that in this book. I love how in this book you get to see a tender side to Armand that you really don't get to see much. You get to see the change he made from Amadeo to Armand. This story is just amazing. Also Anne's attention to detail is magnificent. She treats every detail like it is the key to all understanding and I admire that. I also admire her attention to historic details. I love how in her chronicles she always intertwined her fiction and the lives or her vampires with historic places and events. It is very thought provoking. Overall I love how while reading this you can feel every emotion that Armand felt. When he is happy you feel his happiness and when he is sad you feel and understand it all. Out of all the chronicles though this book is the one that I literally get engrossed in to the point that it is like I am not merely reading it, but I am there. I get so sucked into his story that it is like I am no longer just sitting in my room reading a book, but I am there. This at times makes it difficult, especially when Armand becomes numb, because I feel every emotion he has as if it was my own, but it is worth it because this book is beyond all words. Anne Rice did wonderfully with this book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys imaginative fiction in this genre.