I was very hesitant to start this series. There have been so many lackluster and just bad revisions of earlier works as of late. The remake of King's "The Stand" I would just count as lackluster. The revision of Tolkien in "Rings Of Power" I would just count as bad. And I didn't get past episode two of "House Of The Dragon", though I know many enjoyed it. But it turns out I had no reason to worry about the revision of "Interview...". I read Anne Rice's classic novel when it first came out, more than once actually, and I followed all her works until many volumes later when her novels, Taltos and Memnoc the Devil stuck me as lackluster rehashings of old ideas. It didn't even seem like her writing. But her masterwork "Interview..." has remained unrivaled in Vampire lore. It was as impactful on the genre' as Tolkien was to fantasy. When the first film came out I was amazingly surprised by Tom Cruise's performace as Lestat. So was Anne Rice, who had objected to his casting at first. And young Kurstin Dunst as Claudia was truly frightening and acted the part like someone well above her years. A great adapation which I still enjoy to this day. And though it is an updated story, this new revision of Rice's tale has the breadth of history, the beauty of language, the romance and the horror of her novel. It is also true to the books in its own peculiar way. Truer than the first foilm in some counts, as in the nature of vampire tears and the depiction of Armand, although not totally accurate, is much closer to that of the novel. It is not a retelling but a revision and imo stands wonderfully on it's own merits. I was surprised and pleased and am looking forward to season two.
(EDIT: I have to correct myself, it's been so long since I read them I forgot, but Lasher was Rice's first novel that I didn't like Especially coming after her amazing novel The Witching Hour, for which Lasher was the sequel. But it was so weak, imo, that I never finihsed. And Memnoc The Devil sort of ruined Rice for me completely. I never read Taltos.)
(EDIT: I have to correct myself, it's been so long since I read them I forgot, but Lasher was Rice's first novel that I didn't like Especially coming after her amazing novel The Witching Hour, for which Lasher was the sequel. But it was so weak, imo, that I never finihsed. And Memnoc The Devil sort of ruined Rice for me completely. I never read Taltos.)