The Talamasca and The Watchers Council?

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

For those of you familiar with Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, you'll recall the Talamasca, which are a group that studies and documents the supernatural world, but does not interfere. One of its core members, David, has a very close relationship with Lestat. The group is comprised of a group of bookish intellectuals who are fascinated with the "dark" world yet clueless overal as to its true nature.

It occurred to me that The Watchers Council is quite similar.

Who thinks this was a nod to Anne Rice? Afterall, she was the queen of vampire fiction.

 

[dexeded]

I haven't read Anne Rice nor do I know of the Talamasca, but from what you wrote about it, I don't think so. A governing/watching entity like that is pretty common in books and shows. Usually as some sort of interference to the protagonist. Like the Ministry of Magic in HP, or the White Council in the Dresden Files.

 

[Taake]

I would say yes and no. They're quite similar in the way that they're kind of present time historians, recording the goings on and observing the dark realm so to speak.
But the Talamasca are more "observe and be not of it" than the Watcher's council, not that the Watcher's council like to get their hands dirty but they are right in the thick of it with the Slayers, putting their own lives at risk in the process. Also I feel they're a bit more scary than the Talamasca.
I mean the I doubt the Talamasca has a special 'hit' team sent out to coldly 'take care of business' or that they would (probably could but I doubt they would) be willing to bribe governments to have people deported.

I guess I'd say that the Talamasca seem more... on the up and up. They don't really have a 'mission statement' the way that the Watchers Council do. The Talamasca primarily sits back and records but doesn't get involved.

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

What about David? I think Giles and him are very similar characters.

 

[Taake]

You know I've never thought about it but Giles and David are rather similar! It's been a while since I read Anne Rice but I was always very fond of David, although I don't necessarily love where his character ends up

 

[ILLYRIAN]

I'd have to agree with you.
To my mind the Talamascans and the watchers council were both lame organisations, if it wasn't for the characters of David and Giles I wouldn't have liked either of them.