Anne Rice's Mayfair Chronicles: 3-Book Boxed Set: The Mayfair Witches, Lasher, and Taltos (Lives of Mayfair Witches)

Loved the characters; the way the tale was told; description of the different times; the way the passion just spilled out .

Classic

This bundle contains three books in one: The Witching Hour, Lasher, and Taltos. The Witching Hour is dense and detailed, but incredibly immersive, a 5-star read. LOVED! Lasher continues the story well and was a strong 4.5-star experience for me, with continued world-building. Taltos provides important story information but felt longer and more drawn out than necessary, landing closer to 3 stars. Overall, this is a rich, gothic series best suited for readers who enjoy slow, detailed storytelling and don’t mind taking their time.

I read this series years ago when first published and lent out the books which never got returned. I’m excited to read them again and keep these on my shelf. Beautiful box set, brand new with colorful covers. Came quickly too.

The Mayfair Witches is a seductive entree into the lives of an intriguing extended New Orleans family with an age-old secret. Once you get past Ms Rice's obsession with the male sexual member and rape, you find yourself getting caught up in the family's history, travails, dislocations, and actually caring about the family members. I first read The Witching Hour (the original name of her first book of the trilogy when it was originally published in the 1980s. When I began reading it, the story started to sound like a 'bodice rippper,' a genre I've never liked and derided. I'm not a prude, but gratuitous sex, violence, etc., turns me off. Nevertheless, I plowed on having read and enjoyed Ms. Rice's 'Feast of All Saints.' I found myself getting hooked on the Mayfairs and all the avenues by way of other people who play important parts in the future of the family. And, of course, one learns of The Talamasca, the organization that watches. Reading this trilogy is like going into a garden, rife with exotic and dangerous blooms, stately and menacing trees, mind-bending mazes and getting lost but not caring because of the scent of those flowers that might lull you into giving up your soul. It's a wonderful well-written saga of a Southern family as American as apple pie, Salem, and the Devil and Daniel Webster. It's worthy enough to remain a classic, a great example of Southern writing at its best.

I love Anne Rice, the story is great. However, the book binding in the 1st book is horrible. I've already lost around 10 pages and it's getting difficult to read as I have to hold the book very carefully, otherwise the binding gives and I lose more pages. Idk if it's an issue with the glue or the binding itself, but it's very inconvenient.

I bought this set because I had started watching the series on AMC and I hate waiting for the next episode. Now I'm in love with the Mayfair family and all of their drama. I will continue the series on TV since its clear that they were only inspired by the books. They are not following this story the way I had hoped. This story was fantastic and I can see how it would inspire the imagination of movie makers though. It's just not the same story. I love a good a witch story and I love stories that use the house as a character. And this story does exactly that. So may secrets, so many questions and so many elaborate answers. It always amazes me when an author can create an entire world on paper. This book was intricately mapped out, telling a story that started centuries ago and drifting effortlessly between today and all those years ago. This was a story I'll never forget.

Wow! this was my first anne rice experience and I was not disappointed! Anne takes us through many generations (13) of woman witche and their families (the Mayfair's), some how drawing in the reader as she goes. It's a fascinating epic story line (500 hundred years) that is so well detailed that one feels they are a part of her journey through time. It's a long book, over 1,000 pages, but the prose it so interesting I could not put it down. I found myself putting off tasks just so I could read this book. The story eventually takes us to New Orleans at the end of 1800 where Anne Rice is from, depicting actual places and events that still exist today. The book has so many twist and turns through the Mayfair history and Anne does creepy so well. Also the sex, when it's not incestuous, is excellent and done with taste. This book is now on my top ten list! There are just a few parts that slow down but muscle through them because it's so worth it in the end!