Anne Rice’s Servant of the Bones is the tale of Azriel, a young man who is turned into a spirit during the Jewish exile in Babylon. Azriel’s spirit is attached to his gilded bones and can be called up by whoever owns then and says the right words. But Azriel is not easily controlled. Called up in the late 20th century, he becomes involved with a cult leader and his family; however, this spirit has his own ideas of right and wrong and follows his heart.
In the vein of Interview with the Vampire, Azriel tells his story to a neutral party, a professor alone in a cabin in the woods. The early pages read somewhat like a late 19th/early 20th century tale and grabbed me from the start. After a short introduction by the narrator, Azriel appears at the cabin door, helps the professor through an illness, and proceeds to tell his story, starting with his days in Babylon.
This was a very enjoyable tale, in which the reader feels for Azriel. Though it becomes evident early on that he is a killer, he has an overwhelming moral sense which leads us to root for him all the way.
Read Servant of the Bones and take a trip through history to an incredible conclusion.