Are you interested in reading Anne Rice books in order? Here is what you need to know about this successful horror writer and her incredible series.

How to read Anne Rice’s books in order

If you are interested in exploring the bibliography of Anne Rice, you should know the proper reading order.

Exploring the literary world of Anne Rice

Anne Rice was an American writer (born Howard Allen Frances O'Brien), and she worked on various popular series. Her focus was on gothic fiction, Christian literature, and erotic novels. Her most famous series is The Vampire Chronicles, and the first book was adapted into the legendary movie - Interview with the Vampire. Anne Rice also wrote novels under the pen names Anne Rampling (Exit to Eden and Belinda) and A.N. Roquelaure. Anne Rice was born in New Orleans in 1941, she spent time in New Orleans, San Francisco, and Louisiana, and she died in 2021 in Rancho Mirage, California.

Anne Rice book series

Since Ann Rice worked on multiple series, so prior to reading, you should know what to expect and where to start.

The Vampire Chronicles series

The Vampire Chronicles is a gothic horror story, and it is the most popular series Anne Rice wrote. There are thirteen books in the series, and the first one was adapted into a successful movie starring Brad Pitt as Louis, Tom Cruise as Lestat, and Kirsten Dunst as Claudia. What is interesting is that Interview with a Vampire started as a short story and became a hugely successful series.

Sleeping Beauty series

The Sleeping Beauty Quartet is the next series on the list, and it consists of four stories. These novels were written by Anne Rice, but she used a pseudonym, so the books were published under A.N. Roquelaure. The Sleeping Beauty Quartet is a series of erotic BDSM stories.

Ramses the Damned series

Ramses the Damned series is a trilogy that started in 1989. It is a horror story set at the beginning of the twentieth century. At the start of the trilogy, the story follows a British archaeologist and a resurrected mummy.

Lives of the Mayfair Witches series

Lives of the Mayfair Witches is a trilogy that started in 1990, and some see it as a spin-off of the Vampire Chronicles. There are a few characters from the other series that appear here as well, and it is a great collection of supernatural fantasy novels.

New Tales of the Vampires series

There are two stories in the New Tales of the Vampires series, and it is another spin-off of the Vampire Chronicles. Both entries in the series are horror novels, and they are a nice addition to the collection.

Christ the Lord series

Unlike the majority of novels written by Anne Rice, the Christ the Lord series does not focus on vampires and the horror fantasy genre. Instead, it is a two-part series depicting the life of the young messiah.

The Songs of Seraphim series

The Songs of the Seraphim is a two-part story and it focuses on an assassin with a tragic past. The series, which started in 2009 became an instant hit and made it to the New York Times bestseller list.

The Wolf Gift Chronicles series

The Wolf Gift Chronicles is another two-part story, and the books were published in 2012 and 2013. The story focuses on Reuben Golding, a journalist who is turned into a werewolf. He is forced to run from authorities while trying to find a way to solve the problem.

In what order should you read Anne Rice’s books?

If you are interested in reading one of the many series Anne Rice wrote, you should know the proper reading order.

The Vampire Chronicles books in order

The Vampire Chronicles started in 1976, and there are thirteen books you can check out.

• Interview with the Vampire (1976)
• The Vampire Lestat (1985)
• The Queen of the Damned (1988)
• The Tale of the Body Thief (1992)
• Memnoch the Devil (1995)
• The Vampire Armand (1998)
• Merrick (2000)
• Blood and Gold (2001)
• Blackwood Farm (2002)
• Blood Canticle (2003)
• Prince Lestat (2014)
• Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis (2016)
• Blood Communion: A Tale of Prince Lestat (2018)

While the Interview with the Vampire is the most famous of the series, other entries are worth reading if you like the genre.

Sleeping Beauty books in order

The Sleeping Beauty Quartet series was written under the pseudonym A.N. Roquelaure, and it started in 1983. There are four books you can find.

• The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty (1983)
• Beauty’s Punishment (1984)
• Beauty’s Release (1985)
• Beauty’s Kingdom (2015)

As you can probably guess, these medieval fantasy stories are loosely based on the story of Sleeping Beauty.

Ramses the Damned books in order

Ramses the Damned is a trilogy that started in 1989.

• The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned (1989)
• Ramses the Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra (2017)
• Ramses the Damned: The Reign of Osiris (2022)

The second and third books in the trilogy were written with Christopher Rice, and the final installment was published posthumously after Anne Rice died.

Lives of the Mayfair Witches books in order

As mentioned earlier, the Lives of the Mayfair Witches is somewhat connected to the Vampire Chronicles.

• The Witching Hour (1990)
• Lasher (1993)
• Taltos (1994)

The trilogy has a crossover with Merrick, Blackwood Farm, and Blood Canticle.

New Tales of the Vampires books in order

New Tales of the Vampires is a shorter series, and it includes only two books.

• Pandora (1998)
• Vittorio the Vampire (1999)

While the books are mostly independent, it would be great if you read the Vampire Chronicles as well.

Christ the Lord books in order

There are two novels in the Christ the Lord series.

• Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt (2005)
• Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana (2008)

The first story focuses on the life of Jesus Christ when he was seven and eight.

The Songs of Seraphim books in order

The Songs of the Seraphim books were published in 2009 and 2010.

• Angel Time (2009)
• Of Love and Evil (2010)

The main character is named Toby O’Dare.

The Wolf Gift Chronicles books in order

This two-part story came out in 2012 and 2013.

• The Wolf Gift (2012)
• The Wolves of Midwinter (2013)

The series has elements of horror, gothic, and fantasy.

Standalone novels in order

Anne Rice wrote several standalone novels, and you can read them in any order you want since they are not a part of any series.

• The Feast of All Saints (1979)
• Cry to Heaven (1982)
• Servant of the Bones (1996)
• Violin (1997)

Most of these novels have elements of historical fiction and horror.

Non-fiction books

Anne Rice wrote a single non-fiction book, and it is her autobiography.

• Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession (2008)

The autobiography explores important moments of Anne Rice’s life, her connection to Jesus, growing up in a Catholic family, and inspiration for her thrilling stories.

Graphic novels

If you want something a bit different, you should know that Anne Rice wrote a graphic novel as well.

• The Wolf Gift: The Graphic Novel (2014)

It is a reimagining of the story, set in a modern world.

Audiobooks of Anne Rice’s writings

Listening to audiobooks is always a simpler way to explore someone’s bibliography, and Anne Rice’s stories are no different. You can go through all of these novels in audio format, and it will save you so much time.

Listen to Anne Rice’s books on Speechify

Speechify is one of the best audiobook platforms you can find today. It is easy to use and offers thousands of writers from which to choose. If you love the horror genre, you should know that Anne Rice is not the only writer you can find on Speechify. Take a listen to Anne Rice’s The Sleeping Beauty Quartet, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, or Stephen King’s Pet Sematary, The Mist, or It. There are also various other genres and stories, including the latest titles. The app offers incredible audio quality, and it is available on all devices. Download Speechify Audiobooks today and explore everything from bone-chilling tales to erotic romance reads.

FAQ

How many books are in the Interview with a Vampire series?

There are thirteen books in the Vampire Chronicles, and the Interview with a Vampire is the first book in the series.

What is the most recent Anne Rice book?

The most recent book is the final part of the Ramses the Damned trilogy, and it was published in 2022. Two months after Rice died. It’s called Ramses the Damned: The Reign of Osiris.

What is the first book in the Vampire Chronicles?

The first book in the Vampire Chronicles is Interview with a Vampire, which was adapted into a movie in 1994. There is a TV series as well.