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 )
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.