The Tale of the Body Thief

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The Tale of the Body Thief
The-tale-of-the-body-thief.jpg
First edition
Author Anne Rice
Country United States
Language
English
Series The Vampire Chronicles
Genre Gothic, Horror
Published
October 4, 1992
Publisher
Knopf
Media type
Print (Hardcover, Paperback) & audio book
Pages 448 pp (hardcover & paperback edition)
ISBN
978-0-679-40528-3 (hardcover edition)
OCLC
26703895
Dewey Decimal
813/.54 20
LC Class
PS3568.I265 T34 1992
Preceded by
The Queen of the Damned
Followed by
Memnoch the Devil
The Tale of the Body Thief is the fourth novel in Anne Rice's The Vampire Chroni
cles series, following The Queen of the Damned. Published in 1992, it continues
the adventures of Lestat, specifically his efforts to regain his lost humanity d
uring the late 20th century. Chapters from the book appeared in the October 1992
issue of Playboy.
Contents [hide]
1 Plot summary
2 Motifs
3 Film adaptation
4 References
Plot summary[edit]
At the beginning of the story, Lestat grows depressed and becomes remorseful bec
ause of his vampiric nature. Although he tries to limit his victims to murderers
, serial killers and other criminals, he nonetheless caves into temptation once
in a while and kills an "innocent" or someone who he feels does not necessarily
deserve to die. Lestat also suffers from constant nightmares concerning his late
"daughter," Claudia, for whose death he blames himself.
The "coven" of vampires formed at the end of The Queen of the Damned has long si
nce broken up, and Lestat has become extremely lonely. Among his only remaining
friends is the mortal head of the Talamasca Caste, David Talbot, who is seventyfour years old. Although Lestat has repeatedly offered David the Dark Gift, Davi
d has always refused to become a vampire and keep Lestat company through eternit
y. Lonely and depressed, Lestat goes to the Gobi desert at dawn in a half-hearte
d suicide attempt. When he does not die, he goes to David's home in England to h
eal.
A mysterious figure, Raglan James - the eponymous "Body Thief" of the story - ap
proaches Lestat with what seems to be a cure for his ennui and depression. James
sends Lestat several messages hinting that he has the ability to switch bodies.
Eventually, he proposes to Lestat that the two of them trade bodies for a day.
Against the advice of other vampires and David Talbot, Lestat jumps at the oppor
tunity. Unfortunately, James has no intention of ever switching back, and Lestat
is forced to scheme to regain his body.