Blackwood Farm

Blackwood Farm is a 2002 horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the ninth book in her The Vampire Chronicles series. The novel includes some characters who cross over from Rice's Lives of the Mayfair Witches trilogy (1990–1994), continuing the unified story begun in Merrick (2000).

Blackwood Farm
First edition cover
AuthorAnne Rice
Audio read byDavid Pittu
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Vampire Chronicles
The Mayfair Witches
SubjectVampires, Witches
GenreSuspense, Romance, horror
PublishedOctober 29, 2002
PublisherKnopf
Media typePrint
Pages544
ISBN0-345-44368-3
Preceded byBlood and Gold, Taltos 
Followed byBlood Canticle 

Plot summary

Tarquin "Quinn" Blackwood, heir to a powerful old family in New Orleans, has been plagued by a mysterious spirit named Goblin for his entire life. Made a vampire in his youth, Quinn seeks out Lestat de Lioncourt looking for help in getting rid of Goblin, who has become more and more malevolent. Quinn recalls his youth, his family, and his forced transformation into a vampire by Petronia. His stories allow Lestat to better understand the reach and power of Goblin, and clue in Lestat to the fact that Quinn is connected to the Mayfair family of witches. After his own failure defeating Goblin, Lestat asks the witch Merrick Mayfair, also a vampire, for assistance. Meanwhile, Quinn has fallen in love with heiress Mona Mayfair, and the ghost of their mutual ancestor Julien Mayfair warns him against making Mona a vampire. Goblin is revealed to be the spirit of Quinn's twin Gawain, who died days after being born. He is bound to Quinn, and is relentlessly jealous to experience whatever Quinn does. Merrick performs a ritual using Gawain's corpse to exorcise Goblin. She sacrifices herself by carrying the child's spirit into the hereafter with her, and Lestat is heartbroken.

Crossovers

Some characters from Rice's Lives of the Mayfair Witches trilogy (1990–1994) appear in Merrick (2000), and later Blackwood Farm and Blood Canticle (2003).[1][2][3]

Audiobooks

In 2002, Penguin Random House Audio released an abridged audiobook adaptation of Blackwood Farm, narrated by Stephen Spinella,[4] as well as an unabridged version, narrated by David Pittu.[5]

Critical reception

Blackwood Farm debuted at No. 4 on The New York Times Best Seller list,[6] spending a total of five weeks on the list.[7] Publishers Weekly wrote that the novel contains plenty of "intrigue, eroticism and obsession", adding that "Rice fleshes out her slim plot line with gory set pieces of vampire history in ancient Athens, Pompeii and 19th century Naples. She excels at vivid descriptions of macabre landscapes, gloomy estate houses and the lust that motivates her Blood Hunters and propels her ghoulish narratives. Her dialogue and characterizations, however—even of the durable Vampire Lestat—are flat and predictable here."[8] Reviewing the audiobook adaptation, AudioFile wrote, "Fraught with swamps, witches, cemeteries, forbidden love, and blood lust, all knotted up with family honor, this steamy potboiler is perfect for the 'vampirophile.'"[4]

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References
  1. Husband, Janet G.; Husband, Jonathan F. (July 30, 2009). Sequels: An Annotated Guide to Novels in Series. American Library Association. p. 569. ISBN 978-0-8389-0967-6. Retrieved May 15, 2020 – via Google Books.
  2. Petski, Denise (May 13, 2020). "Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, Lives of the Mayfair Witches Rights Land at AMC Networks". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  3. Mitovich, Matt Webb (May 13, 2020). "Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles and Mayfair Witches Series Land at AMC". TVLine. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  4. "Audiobook Review: Blackwood Farm by Anne Rice, Read by Stephen Spinella (abridged)". AudioFile. 2002. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  5. "Audiobook Review: Blackwood Farm by Anne Rice, Read by David Pittu (unabridged)". AudioFile. 2002. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  6. "The New York Times Best Seller list: November 17, 2002" (PDF). Hayes Publications. Retrieved May 18, 2020 – via Hawes.com.
  7. "The New York Times Best Seller list: December 15, 2002" (PDF). Hayes Publications. Retrieved May 18, 2020 – via Hawes.com.
  8. "Fiction Book Review: Blackwood Farm by Anne Rice". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 15, 2020.


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