Worried About Anne Rice

[Mr.Bobbo]

Okay,

I'll admit right-up-top here that I'm awaiting the last two titles from her catalog (not including the memoir, which should rightly come AFTER the "Christ the Lord" novels, in my reckoning). But honestly, is anyone else terribly worried that our "other" favorite horror/fantasy novelist has gone off the deep end?

I discovered Rice at the age of around 24 (in '93), and just...ate those books alive, over the years. Many of those were borrowed from the Electra, Texas public library in my "tough years"; too little money for new items to read, and too little for kids' shoes, toys, groceries and such. No worries, kids--we made it back, to a great extent, and I've had at-home online access for four years, or so. One of the weirdest travelogues I've been witness to, in this time, has been the Total Transformation I've seen on Anne's website.

After more than twenty years of tantalizing, near-perfectly-designed novels dealing with the Occult (and spiritualist philosophy, World History, "pop" culture, even Genetics-through-the-Supernatural, as in LASHER/TALTOS), this fine American writer first clammed up--for a good two or three years--and then threw that all away, to do novels about Jesus Christ, first as a child, and now as a young adult...

I've been a bit alarmed at this chain of career choices, to say the least. And please believe that I'm respectful of the author's work and am not merely wishing for more tales of Lestat and the Mayfair Bunch. But, Godamighty. What in the blue **** happened to Anne Rice, do you think?! I am not aware of this kind of "conversion" ever, EVER happening to such a world-renowned artist; except maybe, y'know, for Cat Stevens. Right?

Let me know, I'm really miffed, here.


Okay,
Bobbo

[bopropadop]

Well, I can respect her for following her heart, even though it breeds frustration from those of us who followed her previous works. Cherish what was. She might never return to the author we'd like to see.

[mojomofo]

In that hiatus, her husband died. I can imagine that would change ones outlook a bit, bringing home one's own mortality, raising questions of the afterlife, yadda yadda. So it is understandable that her focus would change, especially as she has said she "rediscovered" God.

That said, I completely feel you! I really liked "Christ the Lord", but do I miss the "old" Rice? Yep.

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

I think the death of her husband had a deep and profound effect on her (as it would).

Anne Rice

Long days and pleasant nights

[MrsSmeej]

Hi Mr. Bobbo... From what I heard, her husband's death deeply affected Ms. Rice and led her to a fundamental change in personal philosophy. She felt it important to share her conversion to born-again Christianity with her fans, as it was such a radical change from her previous attitudes.

It is startling, isn't it?

[staropeace]

I am not worried about her at all. Lots of other issues to think seriously about in this world. Just my opinion.
She isnt the OTHER favorite writer. Lol I got LOTS of other favs. Ann Rice has never been one of them.

[castlelady]

Being born again can radically change a person's life in every way. I think she's on the right track.

[Kim L.]

Her return to Catholicism happened before her husband was discovered to have a brain tumor (and died only 4 months later)--her newest book is an autobiography of sorts and explains it well. One interesting tidbit I learned is that as a child she didn't like to read; loved to hear stories but couldn't read well.

[brownmouse]

I think it is better to be writing what she is now than those A.N Roquelaures books - those were nasty (not that I read 'em :blush:)
I think she is very brave to make the decisions she has.

[LadyPain]

Easy enough to state that with Anne's choice to go back to christianity and write novels in that particular vein, I have stopped buying her work, with the exception of an old vampire or mayfair one that I am missing. I am not interested in her new stuff.

She wrote great vampire stories, but I am just not interested in the new stuff. She's just writing different fairy tales now, I guess. Her choice.

[Born In Sin]

Hi,

I think the death of her husband had a deep and profound effect on her (as it would).

Anne Rice

Long days and pleasant nights

Anyone else confused that she was born Howard Allen???????

[marew1]

Anne Rice was raised as a Catholic and loved her husband, Stan, deeply. She took it very hard after her husband died. It is not unusual to turn to solace after a traumatic experience. Ms. Rice probably feels closer to her husband now.

[Spideyman]

The death of loved one is a life altering event. It became a defining moment in her life and with it, she changed. As said, savor what she wrote in the past, and enjoy what she write now.

[poisonbat]

I am not worried, no not at all. I love the Vampire Chronicles and am currently reading them. But she has just made a life choice as so many of us do and has changed her genre. Not much more to it then that. She has turned to her lord to fill that which was lost. She is still a fantastic writer, just not my cup of tea anymore. I will cherish her old stuff and let a whole new audience enjoy her new stuff. :bat:

[the great kilted one]

Gorg fascinated her, and the Abbalah took her. Abbalah-doon!

[SusanNorton]

I'm not worried about her, either. The death of her daughter brought her over to the dark side, and her husband's death has brought her back into the light.

Thank God she has had her writing as an outlet. I enjoy reading just about everything she's written (but I'm not into S & M porn either, brownmouse).

[cupcake]

I once heard a rumor that her husband was the actual author and he had borrowed her name-anything to that or more urban legend stuff?

[Kim L.]

Her new book, Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession, does a good job of explaining what childhood was like for her and details her journeys as a writer and spiritual seeker. BTW, she returned to Catholic Christianity before her husband became ill.

[S Mcleod]

Well I'm not sure if she's being True to the Lord in her work..But it's a good thing she has decided to be on better terms with God.Unless she is blaspheming, it's a Very Good thing indeed.
-S Mcleod

[OrnateSky]

I have seen a lot of loss, and it does shock you a bit, and it may change you. But bad habits are hard to break and I think we'll see her back after a few years of missing the fun stuff!:umm:

[Gris]

Being "Born again" can absolutely change a person to this extreme.

I had a friend at the beginning of my Air Force days that was fun to be around, great friend to just hang out with and talk about whatever. Not opposed to the random party or going out, but just as content hanging out watching a movie.

Then she "found Christ".

Can't say that I had a conversation with her after that, EVER, which didn't involve me converting from Judaism to Christianity, every sentence ending with "if it's Christ's will", and in general being so overly fanatical that it was painful to be around.

That being said...

I think Anne Rice is playing a big joke on all of us and is going to write one final book about how Jesus was somehow a hybrid of the vampires and Lasher mythos.

[mojomofo]

That being said...

I think Anne Rice is playing a big joke on all of us and is going to write one final book about how Jesus was somehow a hybrid of the vampires and Lasher mythos.

:rofl::rofl:

[aussiewonder]

I'm with Staro on this one, she isnt my other favorite writer either.

[dsurrett]

As a Christian who shares many beliefs with Anne Rice, I applaud her for following the way she feels she should go in her writing. I don't think she's gone off the deep end, like some have alluded to. I think she's simply doing what she senses the Lord is telling her to do.
A profound relationship with Christ changes different things in different people's lives. For Anne, this relationship has affected the content of her writing. Many writers who are Christians do not limit their material to Christian-centered themes (John Grisham for example) but if a Christian does think he/she should stick with Christocentric (Christ-centered) books, I'm not one to argue with them.
I was extremely happy when I heard and read where Mrs. Rice had returned to the faith she had left many years ago, and still feel that way today.

[hipmamajen]

I think she is brave, and I respect her for following her heart in this way.

I'd rather see her doing this than churning out books that she doesn't care about just to sell them to her fans.

I hope she's at peace on her new path.

[smjohn]

Anyone else confused that she was born Howard Allen???????

Yeah...what's up with that?? I've never known a single female named Howard. Much less Howard Allen O'Brien.

[smjohn]

After reading further, I found that it was just some sick joke her mother played on her at birth. Most people grow up and say "my mom almost named me..." Poor Anne Rice gets to say, "my mom named me Howard". That's just mean.

[psj77]

I have seen a lot of loss, and it does shock you a bit, and it may change you. But bad habits are hard to break and I think we'll see her back after a few years of missing the fun stuff!:umm:

"It's not harder to do what's right. It just ain't as much fun" - Ray Wylie Hubbard, Conversation With The Devil

[Kim L.]

Yeah...what's up with that?? I've never known a single female named Howard. Much less Howard Allen O'Brien.

She never liked the name either LOL--when she was a kid she decided she wanted to be called Anne.

[Mr.Bobbo]

Wow!

Ladypain, that is a DEAD-ON assessment. She's "writing OTHER fairy tales now," ha! As a childhood Baptist and lifelong agnostic, I'll agree with you--and probably, this thread will die soon. Thanks, everyone, for confirming that this was noticeable to you as well. Just an anomaly? Probably so, but treasure this: She is still published, and somebody is getting that. She is still writing, and you KNOW that there is an audience (albeit a very, VERY new one). God (or whomever) bless her.

However, the woman is so very well educated (go TWU!), and "savvy" to ancient history and geography and folklore, that...I don't know, and forgive me, but it just seems like a bloody silly waste of both her talent and Purpose. Please forgive me, one and all, brothers and sisters, but I had to say that. And I won't beg pardon again for saying so...selah.


Okay,
Bobbo

[Deavlynn]

It's amazing how the power of Jesus Christ can change your life - and in this case your writing. I'm happy for her though, not worried.

What I think is interesting, are the Christians who are now reading her work and have never read her old stuff or even known it existed. They assumed she had always written this way. I know a couple of people who enjoyed the most recent work and so went back to read some of her other books. They were really surprised when they stumbled upon Lestat. I think it was an eye opening for a couple of sheltered minds.

[Q'smum]

I'm an Anne Rice fan and was happy to hear she was writing again. Acutally, just writing anything. I am just starting the Christ books, so I can't comment one way or another.
As to the name, her mother thought it was unique and the right thing to do!:sad:
Her husband wrote poetry and their styles are very different. Also, he was an atheist, and she returned to Catholisim prior to his terminal diagnosis, not after.

I am a Christian, and so her new subject matter doesn't bother me at all. Her writing style still seems very consistent. Like I said, I have to wait to tell you if I liked the new series. I loved the style of her vampire chronicles, even though I am not a vampire legend fan. I only read about 5 of them. I like what she does with a character. I also read 3 of her erotica. The brutality of some of the interaction :blush: can be quite colorful. And while that wasn't my cup of tea either, it was very well written. The Mayfair Witches were my favorite, still blows me away.

I know this may be sacrilege on this site. But everyone goes through disappointments from their favorite authors, even Sai King. There are a couple that I can't bring myself to read, and some I am sorry I did afterward. I really go through the dissappointment when I spot a new Sai King, only to find out it is short stories. They just don't bring out the best in him for me, so I have to put myself in the mood. It may be that this new genre of Anne Rice is the same.
But don't be too dismayed, the vampire fans weren't too thrilled with the Mayfair witches, violin and cry to heaven. Maybe you'll like her next set better.

[tillyn]

I have one book of hers and tried to read it. Couldn't get into it. Loved the movie I.W.aV. good story. (i think i liked looking at Brad Pitt mostly:blush:) The whole vampire thing doesn't jive with religion so i guess that's that. Old Stevie still does it best in my opinion.

[Q'smum]

Well, I finished the Christ Series, and like I promised in an earlier post, I am chiming in with my opinion of the new genre she is pursuing. I have to admit, it was pretty good. I think I liked the first one better than the second.
For those of you avoiding it because you're not interested in Christianity, don't avoid it. It is in her same style. The same way she brought you to the heart of the being of the vampies, violinists, singers, and taltos, she brings you to the heart of a little jewish boy on the edge of discovery. It is very well written. If you like her other books, you would like this one too. She approaches it the same way as she does all her "supernatural" characters, she introduces you to them from the inside out. Because you may know a great deal of the story line, you may assume that it wouldn't be quite a page turner. I found it as much of a page turner as her vampire tales, but not as strong a page turner as her Taltos/Mayfair witches tales. But she tells the story as a tale of personal discovery with a great deal of human emotion.