 | Publisher: Berkeley Trade / Penguin Audio Release Date: First published October 1st 1996 / Audio unabridged edition (January 7, 2010) Format: Audio MP3 Pages: Hardcover, 336 pages/ Audio Length: 6 hours Source: Library Borrow via Overdrive Genre: Urban Fantasy Review Date: January 28, 2013 Rating: 3 bookmarks Synopsis: In Laurell K. Hamilton's New York Times bestselling novels, Anita Blake, vampire hunter and animator, takes a bite out of crime-of the supernatural kind. But even someone who deals with death on a daily basis can be unnerved by its power... When Branson, Missouri, is hit with a death wave-four unsolved murders-it doesn't take an expert to realize that all is not well. But luckily for the locals, Anita is an expert-in just the kinds of preternatural goings-on that have everyone spooked. And she's got an "in" with just the kind of creature who can make sense of the slayings: a sexy master vampire known as Jean Claude. |
This book has a change of scenery and change of Anita. This story leaves St. Louis area and goes off to Branson where Anita and Larry go to raise a bunch of 200+ year old corpses for a paying client. In addition to the location change, I noticed a pretty large shift in Anita's character. To me she seemed a more annoying, crabby and even more abrasive than usual at times. The tone of this book was very different from the last four. More dark, more gory, more attitude. I didn't connect as much with Anita as I had in the last book, The Lunatic Cafe, which I loved.
Also, I felt that there were too many characters! Yes too many characters. I never though I'd say that. But in addition to all the characters piled into this book, there were many plots going on. There were only three, but it seemed a bit much for some reason. Maybe it was due to all the new characters. Thankfully in the end they did all tie together, but I don't know. This wasn't my favorite installment, actually I can safely say this was my least favorite in the series so far.
If you all have been keeping up with my reviews of this series, you already know I don't like the girly vampire Jean Claude....ugh! This book was a lot of Jean Claude helping Anita with all the scary monsters and humans doing horrible things. I keep waiting for my dislike of him to change, but it hasn't. Oh well.
I like that we got a better feeling about Larry, he's cool for a newbie necromancer. I think he's a great work partner and apprentice for Anita. He's still young and learning, but he brings Anita back to reality and makes her think about her own actions sometimes. I also liked that we got to see Anita in a really weak state in a situation that had nothing to do with her relationships with Jean Claude or Richard.
I enjoyed the creativity of the story line. It wasn't like anything I ever read before. Fairies drinking other faerie blood, cursed evil fairies, vamps drinking faerie blood, family curses, and a lot more craziness ...even Anita almost being pulled over to the "dark" side, for real.
As the previous 4 installments, the narrator was spot on. She is the one constant and reliable thing about this series. I hope they never change the narrator! I will continue on and listen to book 6, The Killing Dance, but I think I may take a month off from this series and get back to it in March.
What did you think of this book? Feel free to link up your review so I can check our your thoughts.
Happy Reading & Listening,
~Tamara
Also, I felt that there were too many characters! Yes too many characters. I never though I'd say that. But in addition to all the characters piled into this book, there were many plots going on. There were only three, but it seemed a bit much for some reason. Maybe it was due to all the new characters. Thankfully in the end they did all tie together, but I don't know. This wasn't my favorite installment, actually I can safely say this was my least favorite in the series so far.
If you all have been keeping up with my reviews of this series, you already know I don't like the girly vampire Jean Claude....ugh! This book was a lot of Jean Claude helping Anita with all the scary monsters and humans doing horrible things. I keep waiting for my dislike of him to change, but it hasn't. Oh well.
I like that we got a better feeling about Larry, he's cool for a newbie necromancer. I think he's a great work partner and apprentice for Anita. He's still young and learning, but he brings Anita back to reality and makes her think about her own actions sometimes. I also liked that we got to see Anita in a really weak state in a situation that had nothing to do with her relationships with Jean Claude or Richard.
I enjoyed the creativity of the story line. It wasn't like anything I ever read before. Fairies drinking other faerie blood, cursed evil fairies, vamps drinking faerie blood, family curses, and a lot more craziness ...even Anita almost being pulled over to the "dark" side, for real.
As the previous 4 installments, the narrator was spot on. She is the one constant and reliable thing about this series. I hope they never change the narrator! I will continue on and listen to book 6, The Killing Dance, but I think I may take a month off from this series and get back to it in March.
What did you think of this book? Feel free to link up your review so I can check our your thoughts.
Happy Reading & Listening,
~Tamara
