The Mummy (or Ramses the Damned)

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Literature & Fiction
Author:	Anne Rice

I recently re-read the book to prepare for the 4th Gathering of AnneRicePhilippines. Read at your own risks. Corrections? Kindly point them out. I'm too sleepy to edit this "review."

Disclaimer: I have this one-sided and unconditional love for Ricean Vampires so this "review" may not reflect a sane person's opinions, nor those of the group. In short, it's me, it's not the book. =D

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILER!!!

WARNING: too random x_x


The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned, is a stand-alone historical-horror novel by Anne Rice, first published in 1989. Taking place during the early twentieth century, it follows the collision between a British archeologist's family and a resurrected mummy.

- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


*long sigh*

I've always loved Anne Rice' works, especially those belonging to the Vampire Chronicles. With this one however, I find my insatiable thirst quite unsatisfied. I felt betrayed at the book's end, felt like I've been let down. It was a fast read. And unlike majority of Anne's works, Ramses was built heavily from the very start.

Well I guess that's one of the story's major faults. It took off with a bang and ended with a loud thud. The unveiling of plot/s failed to sustain the thrill built from the very start.

The story's set during the Edwardian Age when adult women can't go out without a chaperon. It involves a murdered filthy rich-shipping-magnate-turned archaeologist, his beautiful and exceptionally intelligent daughter who's engaged to this dashing but impoverished son of the Earl of Rutherford. *whew*

One thing about this story's it's power packed with beautiful people (bawal yata ang panget noon, siguro baby pa lang pinapatay na), not that I'm complaining. Reminds me of our tele-seryes (or fanta-seryes). Anyhoot...

Central to the tale are immortality, lust (not love, oh no), and beauty. Minor details involve bisexuality, vengeance and insatiable hunger.

Immortality was presented here more of like a curse than a gift. Nothing, as in nothing, can ever ever kill a creature once he/she/it has taken the elixir of life. It's a one-way ticket to eternity. I secretly hoped that there'd be an anti-elixir but there was none. I guess in a way that makes it more difficult for an individual to decide on taking the elixir. Every time I read a book I try to imagine my self in the story, sort of like the Choose Your Own Adventure bit (grabe na yata ang tanda ko). So yeah, in my mind I didn't take the elixir. If I did, even if I'm in bits and pieces (literally), I'd be alive, every little piece of me.

The characters didn't seem to mind. Two major characters where offered the elixir, and both of them took it. I banked my wits that Elliot wouldn't take it, even if from the very start of his adventures he's only interested in getting a vial from Ramses, that the entire experience will make him a better man with better judgment. How awfully disappointed I was when he finally decided to take it. I hope you f*****' choke on it you old pervert!, I thought. I can understand Julie though. She's in love with Ramses, and he's an immortal, with the mightiest libido ever!!! So there, match his eternal horny-ness, girl! hehe... Man I'm sick.

Unlike in this story, Vampiric immortality is less eternal, in a way. Vampires in Anne's stories, depending on his/her strength, die with sunlight, fire and drinking blood from a dead body. They can always end their lives when they tired of it. And oh, sunlight is like a life source for our immortals in Ramses, but it kills our Vampire immortals. Although the sun has a different effect to them, both immortals from Ramses and The Vampire Chronicles go "underground" when they don't feel like socializing anymore.

And then there's Cleopatra. I've always loved her. I think she kicks major @ss. Unfortunately in this story, she's a ravaging horny-ness girl with an appetite for murder. Loves breaking necks. She had $ex with boys and after much enjoyment, snap! She kills for fun.

And it's just peachy that ex-lovers Ramses and Cleopatra, Julie and Alex switched partners. One-two-three-pass! Pwede bang makisali? Julie, why can't you just love Alex kasi? I'm telling you, that guy's worth more than the shipping company you inherited from your father. Hay...

And in the end... well there's really no end here. Major cliffhanger. Again it was like Choose-Your-Own-Adventure, only the consequence of your final decision was never revealed. "The adventures of Ramses... will/shall continue..." but I guess it never will. As far as I know, Anne had stopped writing about this kind of stuff already.

So I guess it's up to me, and you, to finish this story, set in the dark swamps of our minds.