Lasher (Lives of Mayfair Witches)

by Anne Rice

Book Overview

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - From the beloved author of the Vampire Chronicles, the second installation of her spellbinding Mayfair Chronicles--the inspiration for the hit television series! "[Anne]... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345397819
• Release Date: August 1995
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 640 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 1.0" x 4.1"

Customer Reviews

A Haunting, Erotic, Incestuous Old-Fashioned Family Saga!

I loved every minute I spent reading Anne Rice's "The Witching Hour," and therefore looked forward to reading the book's sequel, "Lasher." I am certainly not disappointed now that I have finished the novel. I do want to mention here that although "Lasher" is part of a trilogy, it stands very well on its own as an independent work. I was almost as spellbound by this second book in "The Lives Of The Mayfair Witches Trilogy" as I was by the first. The author continues spinning this seductive story in a manner that captures the reader's interest and imagination until the very last page. The characters introduced to us in "The Witching Hour," geneticist Rowan Mayfair, her husband, Michael Curry, their friend Aaron Lightner, along with a huge cast of ghosts, witches and Mayfair clan members, return to delight and chill, depending on your perspective. And some new folks, (not all human), come on board also. As the novel begins, the author summarizes the storyline and takes up the narrative at almost the same spot where the prior novel left us. Lasher, the former otherworldly spirit who haunted the Mayfairs, is now a flesh and blood supernatural being. He chose to leave the world of specters to join us humans in three-dimensional space on earth - New Orleans' steamy Garden District to be precise. He made this transfer through Rowan's birth canal. You have to read it to believe it. So Rowan and Michael, along with their many other roles, are also Lasher's parents. And you thought Rosemary and her baby had problems! Lasher, a very sensual, mesmerizing, manipulative entity, longs for love, yet doesn't really understand the human concept of the word. Therefore his motives are constantly misconstrued. And why not? He hasn't the faintest idea of how his actions impact others - a psychopathic supernatural entity? Or just your everyday misunderstood demon? You decide. Lasher is one of Ms. Rice's more complex characters. He has had a love affair with every Mayfair witch, down through history. Interfamily relations, as a consequence, are not what they could be. Talk about dysfunctional families! Also, Lasher's affection is all consuming - he tends to drain those whom he loves - an emotional vampire, in other words. And he is draining in the more literal sense too. Baby Lasher almost sucks the life out of Rowan as she breast feeds him. Rowan, as the reigning Mayfair Witch, and his Mom, is now center screen on Lasher's radar. He grows to maturity within days of his birth, (Taltos - what Lasher is - mature very quickly), and then he kidnaps Rowan. Obsessed with having a child by her so that his race, the Taltos line, will continue, Lasher rapes her. The only females capable of carrying Lasher's child are witches, who have the required double length strand of DNA. If this strand of DNA is absent, the pregnant woman has a spontaneous miscarriage and usually dies. Yep! Rowan has the special strand. Lasher and Rowan have a daughter together, Emaleth. And this is not

The search continues....

I found this book to be all that I imagined it to be and more. It picks up exactly where The Mayfair Witches leaves off without missing a beat. Can Michael find his true love? If he does, will it be in time to save her? You'll have to read it to find out. If you enjoyed The Mayfair Witches, you'll love this book. The description of each character and scenery transports you to the frontline of the story. You won't be able to help but be cocooned in the story with the Mayfair family and feel each reaction as they do. Rarely do books come along that so involve you as Anne Rice's books do. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has either read The Mayfair Witches or is looking for a truly spell-binding, fictional book concerning the unknown of this world. Read one of The Mayfair Witches Chronicles, and you will just HAVE to read the rest.

Wait! You have to finish!

I was disapointed that someone reviewed this book that didn't even finish it! I was struggling through the middle but raced through the end, which kept me hanging on. I definatly recomend this book, it was a wonderful follow-up to The Witching Hour. Rice is a sequel queen (just look at Lestat compared to Interview). I love her sensual writting and am recomending this book to everyone I know. I do think Witching hour should be read first, just so you get the back-ground. Also, see the vampire chronicles for more Talamasaca info. After reading Lasher I wonder why they were interested in Vampires. Anybody have any ideas? Or should I just read Taltos?