Affliction (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #22) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Dec 21, 2012 Larissa rated it really liked it

Previous rating: 2,5 stars
I don’t know why, but I enjoyed this book so much more the second time around ;)

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Jan 06, 2013 Arushi rated it liked it

Shelves: paranormal

The book started on an interesting note. Anita is called by Micah's mother, informing her that his father, her ex-husband, is dying. She wants Anita to bring Micah home for a last visit.

You'd expect things to get moving after that. After all, the man only has days to live, but they don't. Micah and Anita have a long heart to heart phone conversation. So do Anita and Jean-Claude. The politics are mentioned. Background information is woven into the narrative - unobtrusively I might add - but it is The book started on an interesting note. Anita is called by Micah's mother, informing her that his father, her ex-husband, is dying. She wants Anita to bring Micah home for a last visit.

You'd expect things to get moving after that. After all, the man only has days to live, but they don't. Micah and Anita have a long heart to heart phone conversation. So do Anita and Jean-Claude. The politics are mentioned. Background information is woven into the narrative - unobtrusively I might add - but it is there. Everything that readers of this series already know is repeated throughout the novel - though usually information is only given once in the book - which is different than how it was in a few of the previous books and I am glad.

That is basically my biggest problem with Affliction. It is a good book but it could have been absolutely awesome, if it was just faster paced. Anita as a character has come a long, long way from the person that she was. She knows she has issues and realizes it when they are acting up. So now she tries to let things go, or give them time, and even sometimes give people the benefit of the doubt or a second chance.

But that does not need to be discussed in so much detail every time. There are so many heart to heart conversations in this book. Micah's father is dying - yet there are long chats with everyone about everything. Micah's brother about his issues with their father's domestic life, issues of some cops with women in general or Anita in particular, issues between Nicky and Anita, Dev and Anita. Issues with Asher and his issues in general - of which there are many.

Every conversation, no matter the urgency, was unhurried, a discussion of motives and situation. They just did not let the plot move. The plot was good, it made sense in the way that everything came together in the end, and you kept wondering right till the last moment. But the pace should have been much, much faster.

My other issue was the development of characters that did not lead to anything. Yes I was glad to know more about Micah's family, but the amount of detailing that was done was not required. Some characters were built up and then they simply vanished into the background or did not do much that warranted the kind of attention they had been given.

Anita again had issues with cops - but this time it was people who just did not get how bigoted they were or they were traumatized. Which was kind of good.

The end was anti-climactic. But after the way Anita destroyed the Living Dark, an anti-climactic ending is not all that surprising. I still was expecting more of a fight rather than the one we got because of the build-up. But it worked - and one of the things that really worked in it was the Wicked Truth. They are just fun to read about - especially as they are some of my favorite characters.

When Edward showed up only a third or so way through the plot I was so happy to see him. I am not quite happy with how Ted-like he is becoming for real - but then again he is still awesome to read about. Totally awesome. Him giving Anita relationship advice was weird but it made sense in a way. His calls, his laughing with the guys - it made him more human. I really hope LKH does not make him more human only to kill him because humans die in this world quite frequently.

I was quite glad to have an Asher-free book, just as I was glad that most of the book was dealing with the Zombie Apocalypse rather than the feelings of all the characters. Even with all the conversations, it was crisp - in the way which meant that at least some priorities were straight.

In general it is good book - gripping, interesting and definitely with a great plot.
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Dec 08, 2012 Missyb rated it really liked it

so glad this book is a case that Anita works on. Plenty of action, some humor, less over describing of everyone's hair, and some sex (but once is just with Jean Claude, about time). Good twist with who the big bad is. And so much Edward, once he arrives.
This book will make you want to hold Micah close. It has such sad moments, and such happy ones too, and some soul searching on many of their parts. Glad to have more Jean Claude in it, and Truth & Wicked are in it. This books shows a new side to ...more

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