Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse, #4)

by Charlaine Harris

book data

9,401 ratings, 4.15 average rating, 713 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		37%
4		42%
3		18%
2		1%
1		0%

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published

May 3rd 2005 (first published 2004) by Ace

binding

Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages

characters

Sookie Stackhouse, Bill Compton, Eric Northman

setting

The United States

isbn

0441012183 (isbn13: 9780441012183)

description

From Emma Bull's War for the Oaks to Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, from The X-Files to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, creators...more

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12/01/08

Beth(MN) rated it:

bookshelves: 2008, fairies, shapeshifters, tnbbc-winter-challenge, urban-fantasy, vampires, witches

Read in December, 2008

This book starts off with a bang. Boring Bill announces he is leaving for Peru and Eric, the 6’4” Viking, makes an appearance in Bon Temps under a set of highly unusual circumstances: he is running down the side of the road half naked and he has amnesia. Now honestly, don’t you think more books should start with a half naked vampire who has amnesia? If that doesn’t appeal to you, well, to be perfectly honest, you and I might have a hard time finding something to laugh about together b...more This book starts off with a bang. Boring Bill announces he is leaving for Peru and Eric, the 6’4” Viking, makes an appearance in Bon Temps under a set of highly unusual circumstances: he is running down the side of the road half naked and he has amnesia. Now honestly, don’t you think more books should start with a half naked vampire who has amnesia? If that doesn’t appeal to you, well, to be perfectly honest, you and I might have a hard time finding something to laugh about together because that tickles my funny bone on so many levels; I can’t even begin to explain.

There are several things going through my head right now in regards to this book:

--Eric with amnesia is hot.

--I’m not thrilled with the inconsistencies that continually crop up, but I find myself willingly forgiving them because I’m having so much fun with the story. One example that stood out in this book was a description of shirtless Eric where he didn’t have chest hair. But a later description is about what his chest hair looks like when it’s covered in blood. Hm.

--I’m glad Harris finally explained how Bubba is able to enter private residences even if he hasn’t been extended an invitation. I’d been wondering about that ever since the end of the previous book.

--Jason, Jason, Jason. What’s going to happen to you, Jason? I’ve felt indifferent to Jason for most of the series thus far, but in this one it hit me that he reminds me of someone I knew years ago. My then-boyfriend had a goofy friend who fit Jason’s description to a T in personality, appearance, you name it. That made me laugh.

--As for Sookie herself, she continues to get more interesting with each book. She’s likeable and funny and appealing because she feels like a real person. It’s typical in this genre for humans who spend a lot of time hanging around vampires, werewolves and other supernatural creatures to become something more human than human. But not Sookie. At this point, the only thing she has to protect herself against the big bads of the supernatural world are her telepathic abilities and the fact that she can wield a mean shotgun (which is kind of hot in a lesbie friend kind of way). The only thing I would change about Sookie is to advise her to lose the word of a day calendars. They’re silly.(less)

Like this review? yes (7 people liked it)

6 comments

09/05/08

Shannon rated it:

bookshelves: 2008, mystery-suspense, shape-shifters, urban-fantasy, vampires

Read in September, 2008

With Bill off to Peru, one night Sookie finds cocky, authoritative, smug Eric running almost naked down her road, his memory gone and his personality changed along with it. She takes him in despite many misgivings, and learns from Pam that he's been cursed by a witch. Then her brother Jason disappears and Sookie's worried the witches have taken him - though how could they know about him? Weres from Alcide's pack are being murdered and although she had promised herself not to get involved, she's ...more

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

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11/06/08

Jim rated it:

bookshelves: fantasy, paranormal

Read in January, 2009

Somewhat to my surprise, this book was every bit as good or a bit better than the previous ones. Very enjoyable, quick read which for me to say about a 4th novel in a series is somewhat unusual. I generally tire of series as repetition takes its toll. Not in this case.

Some new oddities are introduced in a good, logical manner, opening the world up & adding a bit more depth. Sookie's character develops more & our time line of events is confirmed. This book takes place about a y...more

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

3 comments

09/29/08

Vegas Princess rated it:

bookshelves: fiction, read-in-2008, vampire-books

Read in September, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

I really loved this book! Mainly because I loved the dynamic between Sookie and the memory-addled Eric. Plus the scenes with them "a-heming" were HOT! And Sookie didn't really get hurt too much, a nice change from the previous stories. Once again, Bill was absent for most of the book, which was fine by me. I much more enjoy Sookie's interactions with Eric, Alcide and Sam. What did confuse me a bit was him suddenly showing up for the fight and then when the fight was over nothing....more

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03/13/09

Joanie rated it:

bookshelves: own, vampire-fiction

Read in April, 2009

Book #4 in the Sookie Stackhouse series is just as good as the first one-maybe better. In this one Eric the vampire has been cursed by a witch and lost his memory making him much more vulnerable and endearing. Sookie's brother Jason goes missing and she has to try to save him as well as Eric. Sookie gets stronger and fiestier with each book-this series is really addictive.

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

2 comments

12/28/08

Jodi rated it:

Read in October, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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11/22/07

Kathy rated it:

Read in April, 2006

From a blog post I wrote in 2006:

My friend, Chris, loaned me the first five books in Charlaine Harris' series of Southern Vampire books. I went through the first three on the cruise and quickly finished off the last two when I got back to dry land.

These are really enjoyable books. The heroine, Sookie Stackhouse, is a telepathic waitress at a neighborhood bar in small town Louisiana. She spends most of her energy trying to avoid reading other peoples' minds. When she meets...more

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01/10/09

Alaine rated it:

bookshelves: 2009-read, all-time-favourites, fantasy-sci-fi

Read in February, 2009

This is another fast paced action-packed novel from Charlaine Harris. I honestly don’t know how she does it. I have read four in a row of the Southern Vampire series, and I’m neither sick of them nor have they slowed down even though the same plot format has been used in each book. Charlaine Harris is a master story-teller.

Further layers of Sookie and other characters are revelled in the course of this novel and yet another mythical creature. This book centres around Witches and ...more

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03/27/08

Jessie rated it:

Read in April, 2008

I love these books just for a quick fun supernatural read!

***Spoilers***

As much as I do like this series I am so disappointed in Sookie's morals here. C'mon....did you have to jump in the sack with Eric???? I mean it is ERIC for goodness sake!!!!

On the other hand, I am thrilled about Debbie!! She needed to be put out of everyone's misery and I was hoping she would die in the fight or that Alcide would kill her, but I guess Sookie blowing her head off with h...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

4 comments

09/24/08

Shae rated it:

Read in September, 2008

Witches now? Really? It seems like every book there seems to be more supernatural creatures to come in for some plotty goodness. I liked the Sookie/Eric stuff, even if he wasn't his normal self, I really liked him. I'm wondering if in future books he might be more like his memory-modified self, but who knows. I liked them together - even if they weren't actually a couple he was a million times better to her than Bill ever was. This book made me really dislike Bill because Sookie was realizing ho...more

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02/25/09

Stacey rated it:

Read in February, 2009

I love this series, lighthearted, fun. A mindless enjoyable read.

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02/22/09

becky rated it:

Read in February, 2009

Dead to the World was one of my favorite books of the series. It kicks off with Sookie and Bill having parted ways due to his no good cheating ways, with Sookie back in Bon Temps waiting tables and hoping for a return to normalcy. Ha! As Sookie's driving home from Merlotte's one night, she sees a half naked beautiful blonde man running down the road. Because Sookie is a sweetheart and let's be honest, has dealt with worst things than a possible crazy hitch hiker, she pulls over only to find ...more

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02/04/09

Kath rated it:

Read in October, 2008

My favorite in this series so far, October 4, 2008
I absolutely loved this book and it's my favorite so far in this series. Sookie is an incredible character. She's sweet, smart, sassy and doesn't take any crap from anyone. She's also a telepath, which makes her even more interesting.

She finds Eric, a gorgeous vampire leader who been interested in her past and she happens to have a blood bond with. When she finds him, she realizes, Eric doesn't remember anything at all. She agr...more

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01/19/09

Kristen rated it:

bookshelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy

Read in March, 2006

This series (the "Southern Vampire" series, that is) keeps popping up in my Amazon recommended list, probably because of stuff I've told it I own or like. So I've borrowed Dead to the World from the library.

I actually want to like this book more than I do. The heroine, Sookie Stackhouse, is appealingly intelligent and self-reliant and competent. The book's plot really does make sense, as long as you accept that the virtually never seen villains are total psychos. I suspect ...more

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01/17/09

Nymphsin rated it:

Read in February, 2008

recommended to Nymphsin by: Firnds from Hunters Haven!
recommends it for: Anyone who would like to read a great fictitious novel in style.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

This is the fourth installment, in the Southern Vampire Series, and, once again...it was a great read!
This is a book for all the Eric lovers.
Eric is found (half nekkid ) on the side of the road by, Sookie.
He doesn't recognize her and he had no clue who or where the hell he is.
Sookie, takes him home and has to take appropriate action to see what has happend to her Northman.
As the story evoles, her brother Jason, once again , becomes tangled in an odd web himself.
...more

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12/02/08

Fabian rated it:

(review of isbn 0441011675)

So after Bill there's Eric... the amnesiac. Whereas anybody else would run with the Mulholland Drivesque plotline and linger on the noir aspects that go hand-in-hand with vamp myth, Book 4 radically changes the series from the "Twilight" part of the spectrum to more "Buffy" territory. Proud to say that "Dead to the World" has less Sookie injuries and more beastly bloodshed than any of the books that came before it!

There is still that erotic prose that ri...more

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09/07/07

Sarai rated it:

bookshelves: paranormalromance

Read in April, 2008

recommended to Sarai by: Em
recommends it for: romance lovers, Sookie Lovers and Paranormal lovers

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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06/17/09

Therese Regina Marie rated it:

bookshelves: vampires-witches-werewolves

Read in April, 2009

There's never a dull moment in the life of Sookie Stackhouse. One minute she's just this somewhat ordinary girl (emphasis on "somewhat") albeit what makes her less than ordinary is the fact that she can read people's thoughts, of course, she also has a strange affinity for the Living dead, Shape Shifters, and Hunky Werewolves... What is a somewhat ordinary girl to do?

Speaking of the living dead, in this story; we get to see a totally different side of Eric Northman. True, t...more

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05/23/09

Laura rated it:

Read in February, 2009

Sookie Stackhouse is in for another foray with the supernatural in Dead to the World, the fourth installment of Charlaine Harris’s popular Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Chronicle books. In this novel, Sookie, a sweet and spunky telepathic waitress, deals with vampires, warewolves, shapeshifters, witches, and even a fairy! Eric, the head vampire in her area, is left in Sookie’s care while the entire supernatural community of Bon Temps, Louisisana gathers together to discover and fight ...more

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05/19/09

JBradford rated it:

Read in May, 2009

Book 4 of the continuing adventures of Sookie Stackhouse, the poor little mind-reading barmaid in a small town in northern Louisiana, who has now turned 26 and still is on the outs with Vampire Bill because of his faithlessness in the preceding novel. Charlaine Harris introduces another new aspect into Sookie’s world when a coven of witches move in to take over Eric Northman’s bar in the neighboring city of Shrevesport at the same time that Sookie’s philandering brother disappears after a...more Book 4 of the continuing adventures of Sookie Stackhouse, the poor little mind-reading barmaid in a small town in northern Louisiana, who has now turned 26 and still is on the outs with Vampire Bill because of his faithlessness in the preceding novel. Charlaine Harris introduces another new aspect into Sookie’s world when a coven of witches move in to take over Eric Northman’s bar in the neighboring city of Shrevesport at the same time that Sookie’s philandering brother disappears after a New Year’s party at the bar where Sookie works, owned by shift-changer Sam, who becomes a collie when the moon is full. Meanwhile, Vampire Bill, Sookie’s true love even if they are on the outs at the moment, has to go off to Peru to check out the vampire life down there in his continuing research on an inventory of vampires, as ordered by the Queen of Louisiana (whom we have not met yet). As if that were not enough, this book also introduces the fairy, Claudine, who suggests that there are three worlds, not just two—how much sense does that make? Moreover, the head witch in the new coven casts a spell over Eric so that he loses his memory, and Sookie finds him running along the roadside, naked and desperate, as she drives home from the New Year’s party, and his vampire second-in-command, the lovely Pam, decides that Sookie will have to hide Eric in her home to keep the witches from finding him. Since Eric has been lusting for her throughout the past three novels, this makes Sookie a bit uncomfortable, of course, but she seems safe enough, since memory-less Eric turns out to be a nice guy … but he is handsome, she is beautiful, and one thing has to lead to another, of course, since Bill is far away. Just to complicate the plot further, the coven of witches, some of whom are also werewolves, also decide to take over the interests of the werewolf pack in Shrevesport, and Sookie gets dragged into that because of her involvement with Alcide Herveaux, the werewolf whose affections are torn between Sookie and Debbie Pelt, a lynx shift-changer who is not as nice as she looks, and that also leads to involvement with the local coven of wiccans, which turns out to include a couple of Sookie’s fellow barmaids. Moreover, Sookie discovers that the girl her brother was celebrating New Year’s with is from an inbred community of shift-changers living in a small town up in the hills, and the leader of that clan takes a definite shine to Sookie. No one is ever going to accuse Charlaine Harris of having too-simplistic plots!

I gave this novel four stars, not to appease my beloved sister-in-law, who is beside herself that I only gave the preceding novels three, but because it is a good story, well told, and complicated enough to keep the reader turning the pages. I still think there are a few threads loose here, too, either from too much editing or because Harris simply lost track of things, and I also found a couple places where the copy-reader at Ace overlooked a missing word, but the story is engrossing and fast moving, and we continue to get an in-depth understanding of Sookie and her life, with the author demonstrating a high degree of talent in bringing that out by revealing Sookie’s thoughts while she is trying so hard not to respond to everyone else’s. This technique lets Harris introduce countless details, which not only tell us more about Sookie but also help move the plot along, while at the same time giving us insight into Harris’s sense of humor. Purists may ridicule the plot, but the story is very well told, and my hat is off to the author. One has to wonder how much of all this Harris had in mind when she started—and also to wonder where on earth she is going to go in the next six novels!
(less)

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polls

Who is your favorite love interest of Sookie's in The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris?

As of May 2009, The Southern Vampire Mysteries series includes: Dead Until Dark, Living Dead in Dallas, Club Dead, Dead to the World, Dead as a Doornail, Definitely Dead, All Together Dead, From Dead to Worse, Dead and Gone, and several short stories included in various anthologies.

Eric Northman

65 votes, 65.7%

Calvin Norris

0 votes, 0.0%

Bill Compton

14 votes, 14.1%

Alcide Herveaux

4 votes, 4.0%

Sam Merlotte

8 votes, 8.1%

Other

1 vote, 1.0%

John Quinn

7 votes, 7.1%

99 total votes

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quotes from this book

"...But also because I find I really do…" He paused, as if he were about to say something outrageous. "I find I have feelings for you." "Oh," I said into his chest, sounding as astonished as Eric had(...)"Eric," I said, after a long pause, "I almost hate to say this, but I have feelings for you, too." More quotes...