The Vampire Lestat is a novel by Anne Rice, and the second in her Vampire Chronicles, following Interview with the Vampire.

Set in 1984 and the late 18th Century, the story follows the adventures of Lestat and his rise from humble beginnings, as a penniless aristocrat, to become the "brat prince" of vampires.

Synopsis

The story opens with Lestat de Lioncourt, thought to have been killed by Claudia in the previous novel, awakening from years of slumber. As he aclimates himself to modern times, he reads the novel dictated by Louis. Infuriated by his depiction in the story, he tracks down the author to give his story.

As a young man of 20 years, he is a rebellious and frustrated youth, the youngest son of a Marquis, and the sole provider of meat for his family's table.

When despair nearly takes his sanity, Lestat's mother sends him and his young lover, Nicholas, to Paris. Lestat and Nicki soon find work in a playhouse where Lestat becomes an actor. Within a few months, Magnus, an elder vampire, becomes obsessed with Lestat.

Lestat is kidnapped by Magnus and forcibly made a vampire. Magnus leaves Lestat an orphan fledgling and heir to a fortune, as the old vampire destroys himself on the night of Lestat's making. For the next several months, Lestat presents himself as a gentleman in the courts and palaces of Paris, while discovering the basics of vampirism on his own.

When Lestat's dying mother, Gabrielle , comes to Paris to see what has befallen him, Lestat gives her the "Dark Gift". This and several other blasphemies lead him to a confrontation with Armand , and the coven vampires of Paris.

Lestat leaves the Paris coven in disarray, and Armand disillusioned. After learning the story of Armand's beginnings, Lestat leaves Paris in search of Marius, Armand's creator. When despair once again threatens Lestat's existence, he goes "down into the earth" and sleeps.

Marius rescues Lestat and gives him the history of the Vampires. He then offers Lestat an opportunity to drink from Akasha , the Mother of all vampires.

From Greece, Lestat travels to New Orleans, and after the events in Interview with the Vampire, he "goes into the earth" again. In 1984, Lestat emerges to become a rock star. With fame and fortune finally in his grasp, Lestat seeks to start a war between humanity and vampires.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, and leads directly into the third volume, The Queen of the Damned.