Anne Rice VAMPIRE CHRONICLE: MEMNOCH THE DEVIL hcdj 1st

ISBN 0701163208

Size = 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall

After stalking and killing Roger, a ruthless but enthrallingly passionate mobster, Lestat is approached by his ghost. Roger's ghost asks him to take care of his daughter Dora, a devout and popular television evangelist, whom he wants to spare from embarrassment. At the same time, he is becoming increasingly paranoid that he's being stalked by a powerful force. Lestat and his companions try to protect her "church" from the fact that her father was a killer.

Eventually, Lestat meets the Devil, who calls himself "Memnoch." He takes Lestat on a whirlwind tour of Heaven, Hell and the main epochs in the evolution of the universe. The tour offers a retelling of the entirety of Biblical history from the devil's point of view, in an effort, by Memnoch, to convince Lestat to join him in a noble quest. In his journey, Memnoch claims he is not evil, but merely working for God by ushering lost souls into Heaven. Lestat is left in confusion, unable to decide whether or not to cast his lot with the Devil.

After the tour, Lestat believes himself to have had a major revelation. Among other things, he believes that he has seen Christ's crucifixion and that he has received Saint Veronica's Veil. He has also lost an eye in Hell. He tells his story to Armand, David Talbot and Dora, who have joined him in New York. Dora and Armand are deeply affected upon seeing the veil. Dora takes it and reveals it to the world and Armand goes into the sun and immolates himself in order to convince people that a miracle has occurred.

At the end of the novel, Lestat and David go to New Orleans. There, Maharet returns Lestat's eye to him, along with a note from Memnoch. This note reveals that Memnoch may have been manipulating Lestat to serve his own agenda. Lestat then loses control of himself and Maharet is forced to chain him in the basement of the St. Elizabeth's convent, which is owned by the vampires, so that he will not hurt himself or others. When he is at last released, Lestat enters a prolonged coma on the floor of St. Elizabeth's (in which he remains for the next installment of the Vampire Chronicles).

Although the novel fits in the The Vampire Chronicles storyline, the vast majority of it consists of the "tour" Memnoch gives Lestat of Heaven, Hell and of the cosmology and theology behind it all. The novel follows up on claims made by David Talbot in The Tale of the Body Thief that God and the Devil are on better terms than most Christians believe. It also reinterprets biblical stories to create a complete history of Earth, Heaven and Hell that fit neatly with the history of vampires given in The Queen of the Damned. 

Hard cover with dust jacket. Ex-Library.

Weight = 800 g

BOOK / DUST JACKET CONDITION = VERY GOOD / VERY GOOD

NEW: This book has been designated by the seller as brand new.

FINE: No defects, little usage. Older books may show minor flaws.

VERY GOOD: Shows some signs of wear and is no longer fresh. Attractive.

GOOD: Average used book with all pages present. Possible loose bindings, highlighting, cocked spine or torn dust jackets.

FAIR: Obviously well-worn, but no text pages missing. May be without endpapers or title page. Markings do not interfere with readability.

POOR: All text is legible but may be soiled and have binding defects. Reading copies and binding copies fall into this category.