Pandora, by Anne Rice, was written in 1998 and it is the first book in The New Tales of The Vampires series.  This is the first Anne Rice book I have read since 2000, where I read Interview With The Vampire and part of The Vampire Lestat.  I am so glad I have been finding near-mint conditions of her books at library book sales and started adding them to my collection over the last year.  Her writing is on another level of gorgeousness.  She writes with such poise, elegance, and mystique.  And, from what I remember about her previous book(s) I read, Pandora is no exception to the wonders of her writing style.

One of the things I enjoyed so much about Pandora was all the history woven into the story.  The story of Pandora's past begins around 15 BC in the times of the Roman Republic.  This story, however, is being told in writing as Pandora (in the "present" time) is writing her story in a letter.  Pandora tells us of her travels and her weird dreams/nightmares about blood drinkers and whatnot.  Like many vampires we know, Pandora is "a morose, despairing immortal who initially wanted immortality but soon regretted her choice and turns into a dark, indifferent cynic." In this book, we get to learn more about Roman times and religions, about Queen Isis, Osiris, and we get to learn a little more about some other vampires famous in Rice's world like Akasha and Lestat.

If you are a fan of Anne Rice's works, this is a no-brainer to pick up and continue your journey.  If you are new to her world or returning after a long absence, then this book is quite nice to pick up and use to reacquaint yourself with her style and the world of vampires she has so wonderfully crafted.  This one gets a 4 out of 5 stars from me and I am ready to add this woman to a list of authors whose complete bibliography I want to read!