Thursday, February 25, 2010

"All Together Dead" Book 7 of the Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris

"All Together Dead"
Book 7 of the Southern Vampire Series
by Charlaine Harris

Once again I dive into the world of telepath/part fairy Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie is a bar maid from Bon Temps, Louisiana that has a special gift/curse of telepathy and can hear people's thoughts, but only Human people. You see, in Sookie's world, vampires have "come out of the coffin," which is to say they have revealed themselves to the world and want to live alongside humans. With the invention of synthetic blood (True Blood) they no longer have to hunt humans for food. So humans and vamps live side by side, but that's not all. All sorts of creatures from the supernatural world live in the world, only they are waiting to see how the vamps fare before revealing themselves.

Sounds simple, right? Not really, especially not for Sookie, because with Sookie's curse she has never been able to maintain a relationship with a fellow human. Then walks in Bill Compton a vampire from the civil war era. Vamps seem to be blank when it comes to the brainwaves Sookie tunes in on. So she fell in love with Bill and they dated for a while. Then Bill went back to his former lover/maker and this pretty much ended their relationship, then to make matters worse the she finds that the Vampire Queen of Louisiana actually commanded Bill to seduce her because her gift could benefit the queen. Sookie then found herself working for the vamps and solving mysteries, but with Bill and her finished she dated other people, a werewolf and a weretiger. The latest, Quinn, a weretiger seems to be THE relationship.

In this latest episode in Sookie's life Louisiana has just been ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. I should mention here that the author, Charlaine Harris, did a very good tribute to the devastation and the rebuilding that hit Louisiana during this "real life" event. This book has some really nice references to the troubles still affecting that area of the U.S.

The world's Vampire community has decided to hold a major trade show, this trade show also includes some major events that affect the vampire world. The main event is the trial of the Queen of Louisiana to decide whether she is guilty of murder in the death of her husband, the King of Arkansas. As you may recall in the last book the King tried to kill the Queen and then he would take over both states, but Sookie foiled that plan and the King got offed.

The trade show or summit is being held on the shores of Lake Michigan in a newly built vampire-friendly hotel built to look like the Great Pyramid of Giza. With all the vampires in one place this seems like a perfect place for the vamp hunting Fellowship of the Sun Church to strike. Also many vampires don't want the Queen of Louisiana to succeed in her trial. So Sookie has to solve not one by many mysteries as she "enjoys" being with the Queen at the summit.

While this book was not one of the better books in the series, it did provide a nice homage to the victims of Katrina, and did have some mysteries that featured some serious twists and turns. I'm ready for the next book now.

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posted by Gil T. @ 9:57 PM Comments: 0

Friday, February 05, 2010

"Definitely Dead" Book Six of The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris

"Definitely Dead"
Book Six of The Southern Vampire Mysteries
by Charlaine Harris
Published 2006 by Penguin Group (USA)


You know, I still can't figure out what it is about these books that have me eager to read the next book in the series, but that is the case in Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Mysteries based on the life of Sookie Stackhouse. I was intrigued when I read a short story from the Sookie Stackhouse world, and then when HBO made the series "True Blood," I just had to read the first book. Now here I am finished with book 6 and eager to get into book 7. Normally I'm not one to go for romance stories featuring vampires, I would rather stake the undead than kiss one, but Ms. Harris has thrown in enough other creatures from the supernatural world that keeps the books lively and entertaining. In this book we have vampires (of course), werewolves, were-panthers, were-tigers, demons, fairies and witches. Let me warn you now before you read too much further into this review that if you haven't read any of the books in the series, this book has some spoilers you may want to wait to read about. In this book a lot is found out about Sookie and her bloodline, Vampire Bill and his relationship with Sookie and a few other surprises.

If you have read the books up to this point you will realize that Sookie doesn't have the greatest luck with suitors. So far she's been with two vampires, Bill & Eric, and a werewolf, Alcide Herveaux. She has also been "hit on" by a were-panther. But here in "Definitely Dead," Bill is dating another woman, Eric is trying to stay away and Alcide is dating another woman. She finally tells Calvin, the were-panther, that she's not interested. So with all the bad luck with men, can Sookie find someone? That answer seems to be yes and he's in the form of a were-tiger, Quinn. Quinn and Sookie met when Quinn was moderating the battle for pack leader in the Shreveport werewolf pack. As we begin book six Quinn asks Sookie for a date and she accepts. If you're wondering why she doesn't just date a regular human, well that's where her "disability" slips in. You see, Sookie is telepathic, she can read the thoughts of all humans, and that really puts a damper on human relations. With the supernatural folk, Sookie seems to draw a blank, but every once in a while she can pick something up from the supes.

Some background info you should know is that Sookie once killed Alcide's former girlfriend, a were-fox, by the name of Debbie Pelt. But no one knows this and everyone thinks that after Alcide abjured her she just took off. Not only did Sookie kill her but Eric hid the body, the bad thing is that this was when Eric was an amnesiac, now he doesn't know where he hid the body. This is probably for the good but Debbie's family is eagerly searching for her. Also, in Sookie's background (told in the short story "One Word Answer" in the compilation "Bite" {2005}) Sookie's cousin, Hadley, has crossed over to being a vamp, and the lover of the Louisiana Vampire Queen.

So with that in mind, Quinn and Sookie are attacked by two freshly bitten young weres as they are leaving the theatre from their date. Quinn then warns the Shreveport pack that since Sookie was a friend of the pack they should not allow this to happen. Sookie then has to go to New Orleans to attend the party celebrating the marriage of the Queen of Louisiana and the King of Arkansas. This marriage is purely a political thing, but Sookie soon discovers there is something more going on.

Sookie and Quinn are captured and make their escape through a Louisiana swamp. Sookie and the witch landlady for Hadley's apartment, Amelia are attacked by a freshly made vampire and a major war begins between two vampire factions. All this action and Sookie manages to out wit the bad guys and manage to maintain that level of humor that is Sookie Stackhouse in the Southern Vampire Mysteries. These books are really fun to read.

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posted by Gil T. @ 9:44 PM Comments: 0

Thursday, January 21, 2010

"Dead as a Doornail" The Southern Vampire Mysteries book 5 by Charlaine Harris

"Dead as a Doornail"
The Southern Vampire Mysteries book 5
by Charlaine Harris
Published 2005 by Ace books


Damn you Charlaine Harris, Sookie Stackhouse, & HBO's "True Blood" series. You got me addicted to an fun series of books. Okay, that's a bit harsh..how about just, "Darn you?" While most of the blame for my addiction goes to Charlaine Harris, I have to also blame HBO for turning these books into a series. I watched the first episode and was hooked and then had to read the books, now I'm hooked on those. I guess there are worse situations.

Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire Mysteries not only contain vampires but they also contain most of the folk from the supernatural world, there are werewolves weretigers, werepanthers, shape shifters of all sorts, menads, fairies, witches, goblins and even dwarves of myth. Not only that but each story is a real mystery thriller that is fun to solve, at least for the reader, maybe not so much for Sookie Stackhouse, who is always getting beat up.

Sookie Stackhouse is a bar-maid at Merlotte's bar in Bon Temps, Louisiana. She has what she calls a disability, she can hear other people's thoughts. She tries her best not to but sometimes it is necessary. Sookie also lives in a world where vampires have "come out of the coffin," in other words, the vampires have let the world know they exist. It's not such a bad thing because now they can drink a newly concocted synthetic blood (True Blood) and not have to feed off humans. Not all the vamps are full supporters of this which lead to some chilling moments. Sookie's boss, Sam, is the owner of Merlotte's and he has a secret, he's a shape-shifter. Now this is the interesting part, shape shifters and other mythical folk have not let their presence be known to the world, they are waiting to see how the vamps fare.

So now you have the back story, here's what goes on in this book.

Vampires, were-creatures, shifters and one fairy godmother are all up against a sniper with an apparent aversion to non-humans. As if trying to discover who's behind the shootings isn't enough, the telepathic Sookie has to cope with a few other distractions: her "Were" friend, Alcide Herveaux, needs her help in his father's bid to become the next leader of the local werewolf pack; her boss gets shot; her house partly burns down. So as you can see Sookie's calendar is full.

These books are very creatively written and, being told from Sookie's point of view, provide some great humorous moments. Humor, romance, supernatural beings, mysteries to solve all wrap up into some great stories that bring out the Scooby Doo feeling for adults. Check them out they are fun.

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posted by Gil T. @ 10:04 PM Comments: 0

Friday, January 01, 2010

"Dead to the World" Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 4 by Charlaine Harris

"Dead to the World"
Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 4
by Charlaine Harris
published by Ace, 2004

Continuing in the world of the Southern Vampires and the supernatural events in the life of Sookie Stackhouse, here's book 4, "Dead to the World." This book for me marked a bit of a milestone in the Charlaine Harris creations. This milestone is that this is the book that becomes more like the world of my favorite author, Jim Butcher. After all it was Jim Butcher that got me interested in the Charlaine Harris books.

What I mean by this is that when Jim Butcher writes his Harry Dresden novels he combines as many creatures as possible in his tales of the supernatural. Which makes sense, really, because if there is one creature in the supernatural world there has to be more. Charlaine Harris started this series of books with vampires and some hinting toward shape-shifters. By the 3rd book she had vampires, menads, shape-shifters and werewolves. In this 4th book she introduces the reader to witches, Wiccans and fairies. Thus creating a fun read in the supernatural world, and not just a romance series involving vampires. I will admit there were times in this book where I let out a displeasing sigh when the romance novel would burst out of the pages. But, Ms. Harris knew to keep that as a minor point and to move on with some great supernatural horror and adventure, oh, and some really funny dialogue. You gotta have your comic relief.

The stories are all told by the main character Sookie Stackhouse, a bar-maid in Bon Temps, Louisiana with the gift of telepathy. In this installment (which takes place just weeks after the previous book, "Club Dead") Sookie is ready for the New Year and her resolution is to not get beat up, a resolution that seems to be hard to keep when you run around with vampires and werewolves.

After leaving Merlotte's, the bar in which Sookie works for Sam the shape-shifter, Sookie sees a nearly naked man running in the cold night. From there things just get weirder. She stops to help the man. The nearly naked man turns out to be Eric Northman, the vampire sheriff for that area of Louisiana. The problem is that Eric does not know who Sookie is and worse yet he doesn't know who he is.

As the story unfolds it is discovered a coven of witches have moved into Shreveport, where Eric maintains his area from a bar called Fangtasia. By the way, the vampires are the only supernatural creature that, in the world created by Charlaine Harris, have made themselves known to the world. Vampire rights are an issue in this world. Fangtasia is mainly a "tourist" bar where normal people can come to stare at vampires while the vampires sip on "True Blood," the synthetic alternative to human blood.

Eric refuses the witches and they curse him. This curse sends him to Bon Temps without his memory. Sookie gets help from her brother, Jason, sending him to buy clothes and "True Blood" for Eric. Eric's second in command Pam, meanwhile tries to locate the witches so that the vamps can retaliate.

To add woe to Sookie's now Eric-babysitting service, Jason comes up missing. Thinking the witches may have kidnapped him so Sookie will reveal where she is hiding Eric, Sookie joins the retaliation by helping to recruit the werewolves of Shreveport and the Wiccans of Bon Temps.

In what turns out to be an explosive battle against this dark witch coven by Wiccans, werewolves and vampires, Charlaine Harris has written in an adrenaline fueled thriller with some great humorous moments.

These books just keep getting better.

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posted by Gil T. @ 7:59 PM Comments: 0

Saturday, December 26, 2009

"Club Dead" (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 3) by Charlaine Harris

"Club Dead"
(Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 3)
by Charlaine Harris
Published by Ace Books, 2003


So are you a fan of HBO's "True Blood," yet? HBO has adapted the first two novels in the Southern Vampire Mysteries series by Charlaine Harris, and if they stay true to form then the next season should cover the events from this book, "Club Dead." If so we should have some fun with werewolves and shapeshifters on the series, so be prepared.

I actually started reading this series after I read a short storie in the book of "My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding." I picked up that book because it contained a Jim Butcher story revolving around his Harry Dresden wizard character. I read the Charlaine Harris story based on the world of the Sookie Stackhouse vampires and found the writing to be very fun. So I gave the first book a chance. A few months after I read that first book I found out HBO was doing a series based on the book and felt that synchronicity had hit with my reading again. That and the books are a fun romp in the supernatural world of vampires, shapeshifters and the occasional werewolf. I will warn you this is another vampire series where everyone wants to be in love with a vampire rather than staking their blood-sucking hearts, but some get staked and as a narrator of her life in the world where vampires have "come out of the coffin," Sookie Stackhouse has a fun way of looking at life with the undead.

In this book Sookie's vampire boyfriend, Bill, has been acting secretively, and is on a mission for the Queen of Louisiana Vampires. Yes the vamps have queens and kings for each state, also within each state there is a region that is ruled by a sheriff. The sheriff for the region of Louisiana in which Sookie lives (Bon Temps) is Eric Northman a large viking vampire. Bill is supposed to work for Eric and the queen goes through Eric, except this time the mission Bill is on Eric does not know about. Before Bill leaves on this mission, he tells Sookie that if he does not return after a set time she is to look on his computer and share the information found there.

A couple of days later Sookie is attacked by a werewolf outside Merlotte's, the bar where she works, but Bubba the vampire is there to kill the werewolf. Bubba has got to be one of the funniest minor characters created in this vampire series, you see, Bubba is Elvis Presley, yes the King himself. It seems the coroner on duty when Elvis died was a vamp and a huge fan. The problem is that due to the inexperience of the vamp, the drugs coursing through the King's body and the dead too long aspect some problems occurred in the turning of Elvis/Bubba. Those problems are that Elvis doesn't really remember who he was and he's a bit dimwitted. So the Louisiana vampires now use Bubba as an errand boy and try to keep him out of the public eye and clear of any household pets as he likes to drink the animals' blood (cats being a particular favorite). Bubba is always cheerful, goodwill radiating from his fearsome smile. And will only sing when he feels like it. Sookie says that “though every now and then, he exhibited a streak of shrewdness” he follows directions quite literally.

Sookie then learns that the werewolf was sent to find her because Bill is being held captive and being tortured for some information. Sookie was supposed to have been captured to provide extra leverage in Bill's torture, but the only thing they knew about her was that she lived in Bon Temps, Bill had not given up any information under torture.

Eric then enlists Sookie and her talents to find Bill. Sookie's talents, which I should mention at this time are that she is a telepath, she can hear people's thoughts. So undercover with a werewolf, Alcide Herveaux, Sookie goes to Jackson, Mississippi to find Bill. Even though Eric has dropped the bombshell on her that Bill was planning on leaving Sookie to be with his former lover and maker, Lorena.

In Jackson, Sookie and Alcide create sexual tension between themselves (yep another love interest for Sookie), visit a Supernatural creature bar where they meet a goblin, hide the body of a dead werewolf, save a vampire from being staked by a religious fanatic, Rescue Bill and stake a vampire. All in a week for Sookie Stackhouse.

By the way, rumor has it that the guy who played Flash Thompson in the Spider-man movies, Joe Manganiello, will be portraying Alcide in the 3rd series of True Blood.

So if you like the light-hearted, horror-tinged supernatural tales you really should check out this fun series. Nothing serious here, just fun.

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posted by Gil T. @ 2:50 PM Comments: 0

Monday, October 05, 2009

Living Dead in Dallas Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mystery #2 By Charlaine Harris

Living Dead in Dallas
Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mystery #2
By Charlaine Harris
read by Johanna Parker
Published by Recorded Books
Approx 8.5 hours


Okay we have to wait for a few months before the return of the series "True Blood" on HBO and the return of Sookie Stackhouse, but during the interim I highly recommend picking up the books either regular or audio and enjoy the other storis in the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mysteries. I was told, due to my love of vampire and zombie stories, that I should check out the Sookie stories. I then read a collection of short stories that had a story by Charlaine Harris that took place in the Sookie world but was Sookie-less and found the writing very entertaining. By the way, the main reason I picked up the book was because it also featured a Harry Dresden story by my favorite author, Jim Butcher. So, liking the storytelling and the humor in the short story, I tried out Ms. Harris' novels. I read the first book just as season one of "True Blood" was at midpoint. After reading the book I had to check out the series and have been hooked on both ever since.

The Sookie Stackhouse series tells of a romantic world where vampires have "come out of the coffin," and are mainstreaming (trying to live alongside humans, rather than living ON humans). With the invention of a synthetic blood, now available in six-packs, the vampires can live without killing, but not all vampires are mainstreaming.

"Living Dead in Dallas" pretty much covers what was in season two of the "True Blood" TV series. I will tell you that the TV series took lots of poetic license and added things in here and there that kept to the main theme of this book but made for some more visually stimulating stories. For example, Maenad, a female follower of Dionysus(I'll explain more about the Maenad later) in the tv series pretty much took over Bon Temps, Sookie's hometown, while she was away in Dallas, giving a bigger role to Michelle Forbes, who played Admiral Cain on Battlestar Galactica. So that was okay.

Okay let's talk about this book. "Living Dead in Dallas" finds Sookie having to hold true to her word to help Eric and the vampires by using her "disability" or gift as the vampires call it, of being a telepath. Sookie can read thoughts and the vampires in Dallas have had one of their "nest mates" (vampires live in a nest within a city, you know) has gone missing. Also the cook at the bar where Sookie works, Lafayette Reynolds, is found dead and his body in the back seat of Detective Andy Belfleur's car. Lafayette was a gay black man that had a lot against him, but he was a friend of Sookies and she wants to find his murderer, but before that can happen sookie and her boyfriend vampire Bill are sent to Dallas to help find the missing vampire.

Before finding out her mission Bill and Sookie get into an argument and their car stops. Sookie threatens to walk either home or to Fangtasia, the bar owned by Eric. Bill goes to find a mechanic. While bill is gone sookie is confronted by a Maenad. Again Maenad's are ancient beings, their name literally translates as "raving ones". Often the maenads were portrayed as inspired by Dionysus, into a state of ecstatic frenzy, through a combination of dancing and drunken intoxication. In this state, they would lose all self-control, begin shouting excitedly, engage in uncontrolled sexual behavior, and ritualistically hunt down and tear animals (and sometimes men and children) to pieces, devouring the raw flesh. So now that your Greek mythology is refreshed, this Maenad wants to send a message to Eric Northman, yes the same Vampire Eric Sookie is out to see. The message comes in the form of a brutal attack on Sookie in which she is severely scratched and poisoned. Eric gets Sookie treated by a mysterious dwarf doctor who heals Sookie, barely, and Sookie and Bill are sent to Dallas. No rest or mercy when it comes to vampires.

In Dallas, Sookie Discovers that the missing vampire was last seen in the company of an ancient teenage vampire right before he goes missing. The young vampire turns out to be Godric an vampire that is wanting to "meet the dawn", or rather die in the sun, suicide for a vampire, because Godric has a very evil past, he has feasted upon children during his long life. Godric has turned himself in to a newly formed religious cult, "Fellowship of the Sun," whose sole mission is to destroy all vampires. Godric plans to sacrifice himself and the other vampire as the followers watch. Sookie goes undercover into the church to rescue the vampires.

When Sookie returns to Bon Temps, she continues to find Lafayette's murderer and traces it back to a group of locals that have weekly orgies, and the Maenad makes her reappearance.

During this story Sookie learns of more shapeshifters that are organized in Dallas and maybe a couple of real werewolves.

Johanna Parker delivers this story in a perfect Sookie Stackhouse voice, I'm thinking Anna Paquin may have studied the audio books to prepare for her role. The books are told in first person from Sookie's point of view and not only have the adventure and thrills but some really southern fried humor. Check them out while waiting for season three of "True Blood."

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posted by Gil T. @ 9:53 PM Comments: 0

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Dead Until Dark
from the "Sookie Stackhouse - Southern Vampire Series"
Written by Charlaine Harris
Narrated by Johanna Parker
Approx 10.5 hours



Once again a long about way to start reading a series led to this one, and yes I'm going to tell you about it before we talk about the book. Most of the time when picking out a book I have a list of favorite authors and go from there, usually in the science-fiction or horror realm. After all when reading I usually want to escape reality a bit so those are my chosen genres. Sometimes a friend will recommend a book or author and I'll check it out to see if something catches my interest. Another way is that I'll get books that are compilations of short stories from different authors, one of which will be on my list. That's how this one started.

I picked up the book "My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding," edited by P.N. Elrod because there was a Jim Butcher - Harry Dresden story in it. I immediately consumed that story and then went on to the others since they dealt with the supernatural and some had vampires. One such story in that book was one written by Charlaine Harris which took place in the world of Sookie Stackhouse but did not feature Sookie in the story. It was well written and had an intriguing view of vampires and the supernatural. So that stuck in my head, and when I wrote the review of that book I mentioned I would probably pick up a Sookie Stackhouse book and read it. I received a lot of emails telling me that Sookie is a must read. Hmmm...maybe I will.

Then I found out that HBO did a series, called "True Blood" which was based on these novels. I started watching and was hooked. What a great series with some cool views of vampires. Also the series featured something I love to read about and was happy to see in the book; sarcasm and humor. So I said "here goes," and picked up the first book in audio book form and was not let down in any way.

Sookie Stackhouse is a normal waitress in a bar in Bon Temps, Lousiana. (Already got me there, I love Louisiana.) Okay, Sookie may not be normal in all senses of the word, she does have a "disability," she can read minds. She considers this a disability because she can't help it all the time and no one really wants to know what everyone is thinking ALL the time. In Sookie's world there is a bit of a racial/social problem; recently vampires have "Come out of the Coffin" and revealed themselves to the world and want to live side by side with humans. Of course the vampires are not accepted by everyone easily and the fight for vampire rights is on. The thing that gets the vampires more accepted is that synthetic blood has been created in Japan and is sold in bottles so vampires do not have to hunt humans. Some still do.

During the excitement of vampires blending in society a sort of groupie following develops in which humans want to be bitten and/or have sex with vampires. These groupies are called "fang-bangers." And just like any groupie sub-culture they are looked down upon.

One night Sookie is waiting tables when Bill Compton, vampire, walks in. Sookie soon becomes attracted to Bill the vampire because his mind is closed to her. She enjoys the mental silence and they fall for each other. At this same time in Bon Temps, LA, a series of murders is occuring. Women who are known to have "cavorted" with vampires and work in the service industry are being killed. One of Sookie's co-workers is murdered, and since Sookie is well known to be "with" Bill she may be the next target. But not before more girls turn up dead, including Sookie's grandmother.

The police begin looking at Sookie's brother Jason ( well known for his bed-hopping), since he has slept with some of the victims. Sookie goes on her own investigation using her "disability" to find the culprit. She asks Bill to take her to a Vampire bar since all the women are known for their associations with vampires. The bar, Fangtasia, is owned by a powerful vampire named Eric. Eric is also somewhat of a political leader of sorts among the vampires. Eric learns of Sookie's disability which he refers to as a gift, when Sookie alerts him of a raid on the bar.

Eric then recruits Sookie to find out who's embezzling from the bar and Sookie promises to help at that time and again in the future only if the culprit is turned over to proper authorities. The embezzler turns out to be another vampire and before he can kill Sookie, Eric stakes him.

As you can tell there is lots of fun and excitement in this first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series and the narrator of this book Johanna Parker captures the southern accents and Sookie's voice perfectly. I should point out the book is told in first person from Sookie's own mouth.

Now on to the next book.

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posted by Gil T. @ 5:12 PM Comments: 0