Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

Dead and Gone, the latest in the Sookie Stackhouse series, came out last Tuesday and only took me two days to read. While I must admit this isn't exactly my favorite in the series, it had the same entertaining charm as all the other books in the series.

In this book the shapeshifter community decide it's time to announce they're existence. This leads to many repercussions in Sookie's life, on top of a brewing war between faerie factions.

I think what frustrates me most about this books is that although Harris does not end them with cliffhangers, there are always a few loose ends that don't get tied up properly and leave you anxious for the next book. While I don't expect everything to be solved, I'm not a patient person so I don't like waiting for future books to answer questions I have.

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

This novel is the last one currently in print, the next doesn't come out until May. In this book Sookie has to deal with the aftermath of the vampire summit, a brewing werewolf war and a possible hostile take-over of Louisiana by rival vampires.

Just as I was really starting to like Quinn, this book turns him into a sort-of bad guy by having him almost betray Sookie to enemy vampires. Granted, I think I would have been a little more forgiving than Sookie had been given the circumstances, but I'm still disappointed. I can see them moving further ahead with a possible Sookie/Eric relationship. I love the book version of Eric, I wish we could see more of that Eric in the TV series.

All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

This novel takes place post-Katrina, during a summit of vampires. Sookie has been asked to attend as an employee of the Queen of Louisiana to use her telepathy to aid the Queen in overcoming the trial she's facing and other matters.

This book bothered me a little as I felt Harris had re-written the original plans for this novel to incorporate a post-Katrina Louisiana. No other book had more than a few weeks time period between books, but this book has the longest time-jump, about 6 months between the last novel and this one. Not to mention that two previous novels referenced the summit taking place in March. The delay of the summit is explained logically in this novel, but I still feel like Harris was trying to make a profit from incorporating Katrina into the novel. This probably isn't the case at all, that's just how I felt about it as I was reading it.

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

Book 6 in the Sookie Stackhouse series finds Sookie headed to New Orleans (Pre-Katrina) to take care of things after learning that her cousin Hadley has died for the final time. Unbeknownst to Sookie, Hadley had become a vampire who was then murdered by another Vampire about a year later.

While I was adamant in my last post about being annoyed with Sookie's ever-growing line of suitors, I have to admit that I grew rather fond of Quinn during this novel. I've also given up hope of Sookie and Bill getting back together. And wow, I can't believe I'm this interested in a series that reads so much like a soap opera!

Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris

This novel is the fifth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series (I told you I was going through them quickly). In this novel a sniper is shooting shifters in Bon Temps and the neighboring WerePanthers believe Sookie's brother Jason, a new addition to their pack, may be involved. Meanwhile, Sookie also becomes involved in the politics of the Shreveport Werewolf pack.

While I am still enjoying this books I have to allow myself a mini-rant. I hate soap-operas and dramas because of the constant back and forth of relationships. This is something that's starting to bother me about these books. It seems like every books since Sookie breaks up with Bill adds one more character to stand in line for Sookie's attentions. So far we have Bill, Eric, Sam, Alcide, Calvin and now Quinn seems all too interested in Sookie. I was okay when it was just Bill, Eric and Sam, but this is getting to be ridiculous. I just want her to get back together with Bill already!

Okay, rant over. Despite this irritation, I'm still really enjoying the books. I only have three more to read before I'm completely caught up. Then a new book comes out May 5.

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

Dead to the World is the fourth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. I think I said this before, but it's been a while since I've read through a series this quickly. They're such entertaining and easy reads that as soon as I finish one I'm ready to start right in on the next.

In this novel a witch casts a spell on Eric erasing his personality. He knows what he is and what that means, but that is all he can remember. Sookie becomes his caretaker until the situation can be resolved. She quickly begins to fall for this kinder, gentler version of Eric. Meanwhile, she is also searching for her brother Jason, who has disappeared and may have been kidnapped by the witches.

While Bill barely appears in this novel, it's kind of interesting seeing the alternate version of Eric, though at times I found myself missing the egotistical smartass version. And while I am a Sookie/Bill shipper all the way, I was also mildly amused by the relationship that sprung up between the two in this story.

Living Dead in Dallas and Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

Okay, so I'm reading through these Sookie Stackhouse novels like crazy. I never thought I would enjoy them this much. Granted, their not stellar writing or anything, but they are entertaining and they're quick reads. Since I don't have a whole lot to say on either book specifically, I thought one post for both would suffice.

In Living Dead in Dallas, a member of a vampire nest in Dallas disappears so Eric, sheriff of the area of Louisianna in which Sookie and Bill live, sends them to help locate the missing vampire. Back home, there is also a murder to solve (I won't say whose, because it ruins the first season finale cliffhanger if I do, although I thought it was fairly obvious when I watched it). While in Dallas Sookie discovers a fanatical vampire cult, The Fellowship of the Sun (which is already familiar to True Blood viewers).

In Club Dead Bill has been kidnapped while working on a project for the Queen of Louisianna so Sookie travels to Mississippi to find him. Of the first three novels, this one has the most coherent storyline. The first two tend to cover a lot of ground and have several storylines going at once, though this does lend well to adaptation for the series. However, the third novel really follows one storyline from beginning to end. I think this is probably the best novel so far.

One general comment I feel compelled to make is that while I loved Eric Northman on the show (Alexander Skarsgard is perfect for the role), I love him in the books even more. I'm really hoping we get to see more of Eric as he is written as the show progresses. I think this side of Eric was just starting to come out towards the end of the season. But Eric is such a great character in the books that I'm really hoping we get to see more of him in the second season of the series.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

I've know about this series for years, but despite my fascination with vampires could not bring myself to read them because they just seemed like a sci-fi pop-fiction, chick lit type series. After reading the first novel in the series I'm pretty sure my initial assessment was correct, but I loved it anyway.

Last week I watched the entire first season of True Blood and became enthralled with the series. Since it will be several months until the second season starts I decided to satsify my impatience and curiousity by reading the the novel the series was based on.

First of all I must say that I was impressed that an entire season of a TV show was based around one novel, and the series actually did a pretty good job of following the main outline of the novel. Naturally some things were changed, moved around in chronology, etc. But I was surprised how much of the novel actually made it into the series. I think the main difference between the books and the series may be that the books are a little more "innocent" in some ways than the series is. In other words, the books don't have quite as much graphic violence, sex or swearing.

I am fascinated by the character of Bill Compton in this book. In most of the vampires stories I've read, or watched on TV, the vampires hate what they are and/or are hesitant to enter into relationships with humans (ie Angel, Mick St. John, Edward Cullen). However Bill Compton is not at all ashamed of who he is and he is the one that seems to pursue the relationship with Sookie. It's an interesting persective on a relationship between a vampire and a human.

I am also a bigger fan of the written Sookie over Anna Paquin's Sookie. Maybe it's just because in the novels you can see the motives behind Sookie's actions and you're reading her thoughts. On screen she occasionally comes off as stiff or unemotional at times.

This book wasn't amazingly well-written or anything like that, but it was a quick read and fairly entertaining. If you're a fan of the series, you may enjoy reading these novels. But don't read too far ahead to the second novel if you want to remain unspoiled for season 2. The very first chapter gives away the identity of the victim at the end of season 1 (it was exactly who I thought it was).