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Sunday, May 13, 2007

Catching up with series books, part two...


All Together Dead is the seventh book in Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire series, featuring telepathic barmaid Sookie Stackhouse. I enjoy this series quite a bit. I like the tone and the main character,so different than the sometimes manufactured "edgy" "urban" "attitude" (blah, blah, blah) of so many other vampire series. In the further adventures of Sookie and friends, we have now finally reached the vampire summit hinted at in the last two books. Sookie is being paid to be there by the Vampire Queen of Louisiana to act as a sort of human lie-detector. Eric Northmann, the vampire sheriff who shares a complex relationship with Sookie (Eric+Sookie 4eva!) will be there, as will asshole vampire ex Bill, and current beau, the weretiger Quinn (Billy Zane, get outta my head!). Most of Sookie's friends and family are very unhappy with her increasing involvement in the Vampire world. But she's getting paid quite a bit of money, and the girl needs it. Yet again, Sookie is going to find herself up to her armpits in dead bodies, deceit, plotting, general vampire weirdness, and males of various species trying to get with her.


I enjoyed this one more than the previous couple of books, I think because it was more focused on the vampires (Surprise, Surprise!) I just like her vampires, some of whom are big, muscular and gorgeous, and others who are short and dorky, or have names like Cindy Lou or Jodi or Fred. They're pretty dangerous and not very pleasant, for the most part, with values and social mores quite different from humans. In the previous book, Harris thinned the herd of Sookie's suitors somewhat. I appreciated the increased focus on Sookie's involvement with the vampire world, rather than on Sookie's love life. It's pretty much down to Quinn and Eric. I'm stumping for Eric, and there were some interesting developments in their relationship. This one was full of plot and world building, and the insight into the strained relationship between the vamps and humans was interesting. I felt that the villains and some of the events were highly foreshadowed, which made the characters seem a little slow. But the story kept my interest very well. I'm not as invested in this series as I am in others, which is good, because one can only be psycho about so many fictional characters. So I'm willing to see where Harris takes Sookie without sweating it all that much either way. Her journey has been a fun one so far. A B for this one.

Right now I'm reading No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole. So far, so good. After that, I'm gonna hit Dark Need by Lynn Viehl, another Darkyn book. The latter has one of my least favorite paranormal romance premises: the new love as a reincarnation of a long lost love, so I'm a bit apprehensive.

9 comments:

~ames~ said...

I really enjoyed this book as well. I'm enjoying Sookie's time with Quinn, but in my heart, her and Eric belong together. LOL

But now we have to wait a year for the next book to come out. :(

Stacy~ said...

I've never read Sookie. How would you compare it to another vamp series?

Mailyn said...

I've never read this series. Can't get past Sookie's name and the fact that it's more of a comedy than a dram a series. Funny vamps are not my thing. LOL.

Devon said...

Ames--I liked Quinn better in this one, but I definitely want her with Eric. P.S., what did you think of "The Office" season finale?

Stacy (& Mailyn)--This series is similar to others in that there is a heroine with preternatural powers who attracts every supernatural male in the vicinity. It differs in that Sookie is down to earth and awkward and humble, and actually experiences emotional growth. Her actions and decisions make sense :) The setting is Northern Louisiana and she's a barmaid, and most everybody she knows live pretty blue-collar lives. Harris also is a mystery writer, and that's definitely reflected in the plots (and I hate to say it, but the stronger heroine). The books are more about Sookie than hot vamps. The covers may be misleading, because while there is some humor, I wouldn't characterize this as a comedy series, and it's not the slapsticky MacAlister/MJD/Sparks etc. variety. Her other mystery series is very Southern Gothic actually.

Hope this helps!

~ames~ said...

I love Pam and Jim, that's no secret. LOL I love the smile on Pam's face when Jim says, "Ok, it's a date." AWWW! :P

I had to laugh at Kelly's reaction to Ryan and surprised that he got the job. What's going to happen to Karen?

What about you?

Devon said...

I actually thought it was kinda slow (but I think I was just desperate for something to happen with Jim and Pam). That smile on Pam's face left a huge grin on my face.

In the last ten minutes, they got me totally psyched for next season!

niferady said...

Hello all!

I'm new here and this is my first time doing a book discussion, but I love anything paranormal and I've read all of these books plus hundreds more!

I love to read! This series is great and I really am enjoying following the life and times of Sookie!

Mailyn, I know it's a funny name, but the series in now way strikes me as comic! It's pretty average everyday small town life, minus the vampires and shifters of course!

I agree with everyone else that Sookie and Eric should be toghter. Maybe we should get a petition going and give it to Charlaine...hmmmmm ;-) LOL!

Anyway, This really is a great series so far and I am waiting, albiet impatiently, for the HBO series based on Charlain's books to air. I'm not sure when it will, but I really hope it will be soon. It's the only reason I got satellite and HDTV! LOL!

Well, I hope my comments have kept in the spirit of the discussion. I look forward to hearing more and to talking (typing) about the next book.

Look me up on my space and add me to your friends if you have a profile. You can drop me a comment about where we met in my friends comments area! Love to hear from you all. www.myspace.com/niferady

TTFN

Jen

Anonymous said...

Yes! Billy Zane! I was trying to form a picture of Quinn in my head, I would get the skin tone, the baldness, the hot body etc. but never the face really...and Billy Zane is exactly who I would choose to play Quinn on Tv!! Thanks!!

Anonymous said...

Billy...No offense but he looks a bit odd to me.

I was picturing Vin Diesel, he seems more predatory. And he looks so freakin hot without a shirt.