Book Review: Ramses the Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra
By Anne Rice & Christopher Rice
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group | Anchor

Anne Rice and her son Christopher Rice collaborate to expand the saga of Ramses the Great in Ramses the Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra. The story blends ancient Egyptian mythology with Edwardian opulence, resulting in a rich and imaginative setting. Ramses and Cleopatra, resurrected by the elixir of life, engage in a tangled web of intrigue, passion, and ancient rivalries. The novel also introduces an enigmatic figure from the distant past, adding further layers to the elixir's mythos.

While the writing captures Rice's signature lushness and a grand sense of drama, this book doesn’t quite reach the captivating heights of Interview with the Vampire. The narrative is enjoyable, with engaging world-building and compelling moments, but the pacing occasionally lags, and some character dynamics feel underdeveloped. Still, fans of Anne Rice’s immersive storytelling will likely find themselves drawn into the dark glamour of this tale.

Overall, it’s an entertaining read, particularly for those who enjoy Anne Rice's take on immortality and gothic themes, even if it doesn’t eclipse her most iconic works.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Terrific book! As a lifelong Anne Rice fan, this checked all the boxes. I could definitely tell Christopher’s writing from his mothers yet it was still nice to see the return of this iconic character after all these years. A must read for Rice fans.

It didn't quite read like other Anne Rice books, but it was still enjoyable. I was a bit confused as to whether this was a reprint or a new book. There were several plot points that reminded me of other books.

Facebook started off slow but gained speed further on into the story. this is definitely a book that all Andres fans should read and the addition of her son's writing truly made it a great story.

Highly enjoyable!!! I.knew I would love this and I wasn't mistaken!!! Modern but also whimsical! Loved it so much!

Anne Rice, as always, delivers a well detailed plot with a beautiful description to go in hand.
I have only read one of Christopher Rice's novels and his style compliments Mrs. Rice' prose and witting literate paintings in a grand detail.

Really, is there anyone out there who doesn't enjoy a good Anne Rice mystery of the ancients? This is just another success for Ms. Rice (and her son) and carries on the tradition of her captivating story telling. I turned the virtual pages at breakneck speed, and devoured every word. Highly recommended for those who love this genre.

*My sincerest thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reviewing an ARC at no charge.*

I just had a difficult time getting into this one, even after doing a quick review of the first book. I kept getting distracted and putting it down and I finally had to call it because none of the characters were doing it for me.

"From the iconic and bestselling author of The Mummy and The Vampire Chronicles, a mesmerizing, glamorous new tale of ancient feuds and modern passions.

Ramses the Great, former pharaoh of Egypt, is reawakened by the elixir of life in Edwardian England. Now immortal with his bride-to-be, he is swept up in a fierce and deadly battle of wills and psyches against the once-great Queen Cleopatra. Ramses has reawakened Cleopatra with the same perilous elixir whose unworldly force brings the dead back to life. But as these ancient rulers defy one another in their quest to understand the powers of the strange elixir, they are haunted by a mysterious presence even older and more powerful than they, a figure drawn forth from the mists of history who possesses spectacular magical potions and tonics eight millennia old. This is a figure who ruled over an ancient kingdom stretching from the once-fertile earth of the Sahara to the far corners of the world, a queen with a supreme knowledge of the deepest origins of the elixir of life. She may be the only one who can make known to Ramses and Cleopatra the key to their immortality—and the secrets of the miraculous, unknowable, endless expanse of the universe."

Anyone else find it out that this blurb seems to be hinting that Anne Rice wrote The Mummy, when it was just The Mummy of Ramses the Damned NOT the iconic movie franchise. It's Egypt so I'll still read it... I just now have blurb issues...

I started reading Ramses the Damned while sitting at the DMV--obviously I had a lot of time on my hands. For those who have never read an Anne Rice book before, note that you HAVE to carve out a lot of time to even begin. She is more than just thorough and descriptive. She is one of the few writers out there able to pick you up and sling you right into the middle of the story you're reading before you realize what has happened.

I'd waited YEARS for this story and when I got it I was so excited. The characters were perfect (which is as expected from Mrs. Rice) and the plot was certainly wonderful. I can't tell readers much more than I already have because I don't like to give spoilers. But, thumbs up from me. Five stars.

It took me a while to get into the story , not because I didn't like it,but because it's been a long while I've read Ramses The Damned , once I got into the story ,I fell back in love with the characters.With that said I want to say thinks to Netgalley for giving me a chance at fell back in love with Ann Rice and her stories

Just like with any Anne Rice book I am pulled in and feel as if I am there. This long awaited book back to her style that I know was everything I wanted it to be and more. I am still thinking about this book days later.

Slow start, with a complicated plot and many so characters to follow. It was intriguing enough to keep me invested in reading but I was thinking it just an okay read... And then right around 60% the fruition of the build-up came together and BOOM, I was completely and utterly hooked.

Really, this wasn't anything to write home about. The story dragged in parts, and by the end I felt that they were just looking for a way to wrap up the story. I was looking forward to reading this, but in the end, I probably could have waited and borrowed it from the library.

Loved the first book in the series and this was a great follow up. Anne Rice does it again.

This is the decades-awaited sequel to Anne Rice’s The Mummy. I was so excited to read it that I had to go and buy the first part and read it first. The first one was almost as good as her vampire books (nobody can top Lestat in my eyes!). Unfortunately, this one wasn’t as good as The Mummy. It character hopped a lot and dragged a bit during the first half. Because of that, I had to keep putting it down and read something else. I know she wrote this with her son, so I don’t know if she wrote half and he wrote half or what, but it was a bit disappointing. The writing was still great, just took too long to get through.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Anne Rice is an author that I have loved for many years and The Mummy was of my ultimate favorites of hers. I was skeptical when I heard of a sequel being released for it so many years down the line but as I've always wanted one, I didn't question it! Still, it must be said that this was a weaker novel than the first. Perhaps this can be attributed to there being two authors this time around instead of one (Anne and Christopher Rice wrote this together). I thought it a while for the story to really get going, especially for a sequel.

But the characters were still as entrancing as they were in the original novel. Julie, Ramses, Cleopatra were all enigmatic characters and the new characters were also wonderful. There is a lot of what I have come to expect from Anne Rice's writing; rich historical setting, meticulous detail, and entrancing turns-of-phrase. While there were some things that faltered, overall it was an enjoyable journey back into a familiar world.

I honestly don't think I will be buying anymore Anne Rice novels. This one and the last vampire book were just mediocre at best, tagging along the coat tails of her fame.

When I first saw that there was a sequel to The Mummy, I was really excited. The Mummy is one of my favorite's of Anne Rice. So I was a little let down when I actually started reading the book and the plot started to unfold, and I quickly found myself not really caring about what happens to the characters anymore. Ramses the Damned is an ok book, but nowhere as good as the original. I think that maybe I had built the original up too much in my head, but I really expected a more exciting story from Mrs. Rice.