Sookie Stackhouse Series (Possible Series Spoilers!)

[Melodie]

I'm about half way through it and expect to finish it tonight. I'll be back to talk about it. Really liked Eric telling some of his story to Sookie. Eric being my favorite character and all, guess it would figure I'd love a book that had a lot of him in it.

[Melodie]

I hated to see Claudine get killed off, too. Maybe she did get to be an angel. Sacrificing your life for someone else's is noble & selfless, so if that couldn't get you angel wings, what can?

I'm a huge fan of Eric, so seeing things move forward with him suits me just fine. I got a laugh or 2 out of his relationship talk efforts. You just don't expect to hear Eric saying, "You're only my lover. Not Quinn's, not Bill's and not Sam's. Aren't you?" Uncertainty from the Nordic God??? I love it! And he's not sure how to deal with her. I gotta tell you, fiery & passionate with that one would be enough to make me happy! ;-)

I didn't mind seeing Octavia go, but I do hope Amelia stays around. And was too bad about Tray, too. I also was glad to see Bubba pop back in. He isn't around much, but I like it when he turns up. My niece and I were disappointed that he didn't turn up in True Blood.

I was way over Bill until this book. He was the one who was there when Sookie needed help the most. He truly would have willingly died for her. And I'm really interested to find out where Eric was!

[Theresa]

I agree with everything you have both said... I stayed up way past my bedtime last night to finish the book. I think it was awesome! Right up there with Dead to the World.

It bothered me how Claudine died too... I loved her character and you are right, Jennifer, it did seem perhiphery. I know that Sookie was going through A LOT right at the end and probably was in shock, but I really hope Ms. Harris has her deal with the loss of Claudine in the next book.

Glad to see Quinn be gone in a seemingly permanent way. I was getting quite ticked off when he was ripping in to Sookie. What a jerk.

Melodie, I too was not a Bill fan in the least before this book. Now... well, I like him. I do believe he truly does love Sookie and man, those last couple of scenes with him... I think there might be a bit of a triangle coming up with Eric and Bill. However, I don't think they can undo the blood bond (?). I love Eric and really appreciated him telling Sookie about his history, but Bill was there for her. I will be very interested to find out where Eric was...

Nice to see Jason grow up a bit.

I loved the squirt bottles of lemon juice. :)

As a side note to Ms. Harris, thank you for not going too detailed on the Sookie torture scene. I am not a fan of reading about torture and felt that the scene was handled perfectly. Hardly any details, but enough that you get the idea. No gore necessary.

I laughed out loud a lot in this book. I give it an A+ all the way around.

[Melissa]

I'd love to see Sookie and Eric together. I think she's going to realize that a "normal" life just isn't going to happen for her. Maybe at that point, Sookie will see that it's not just the blood bond between her and Eric.

I've been thinking about Hunter a lot because I really expected more of him in this book. Maybe, if the fairy blood is the reason for Sookie's telepathy, it would stand to reason that it would also be the reason for Hunter's. With one of the "bad" fairies still running free, well, looks like trouble to me!

The only thing I think I was disappointed with was that we didn't get to meet any new vamps really. I was excited about the Las Vegas vamps taking over in the last book and that we'd see some new characters. Not that the ones she writes about aren't enough, I just thought it might be fun.

[Dawn]

****************SPOILER QUESTION*******************

So at the end when Sookie is asking Eric where was he and he responds "your killing me" what does mean? Did I miss something? Was it just the blood bond that he could feel her pain?

Also wow who knew Clancy hated having to guard the human?

[Kyle]

This one was sorta disappointing...am I the only one who felt that way?

[Melissa]

It's kind of that it doesn't live up to my expectations anymore. Not that I don't love the books and her writing because I do. There's just too much time between each book that allows me to think about the characters and kind of "write" my own version of what's going to happen in my head. I always go into her books reminding myself that she's more of a mystery writer. There is always more of a focus on plot and the whodunit than on the relationships. Time moves slowly in Sookie's world compared to ours. It hasn't been that long since she met Bill in the first book, but for us it's been years! I have the same thing going with Janet Evanovich and her Stephanie Plum books. I still love reading them, but wish things would move a bit quicker.

[Ranata]

Jennifer wrote: "Okay, I was waiting to see if anyone else would jump in with thoughts (thank you, Melodie!), but I'm happy to get the ball rolling. Remember, though, there are spoilers here, so don't read if you ..."

What if Sookie and Remy were to get together?? He's human but he knows about her telepathy thanks to Hunter. That would a real twist. LOL

[Kieraanne]

I really liked this book. I thought it was hilarious when Eric sent her that naked pic of himself...and I really liked her going over to Fangtasia to just "hang out" with him. I agree with Jennifer about the Fairy wars...what was the point of going into all of that if you're just going to close up that part of the story. The whole war thing also seemed very out of place to me. It may be that it's been so long since I've read the last book, but it seemed like Harris just made up some random plot that had nothing really to do with any of the overarching stuff she's written just so she could get another book out. But maybe that's just me. I liked Eric and Sookie being together, I liked that Bill isn't being such a jerk anymore (though I still like Eric better). I liked Bubba coming back, I missed him too...I wish there had been more vampire stuff going on but I guess that wasn't the point of this book. Was anyone else annoyed with all of the pregnant people? I'm pregnant right now so that may have influenced it, but Crystal is pregnant and dies, Tara is pregnant, Claudine is pregnant and gets killed. I was surprised they let her fight while she was expecting. If it's so rare for fairies to have offspring you'd think they'd fiercely protect the ones who did manage to get pregnant. I also agree that her death was too much of a side note. She had been a bigger character in the past and to just kill her off in some battle with no discussion or sadness or anything seemed disrespectful to her character somehow. I'm also glad that they didn't go into too much detail with Sookie's torture. I just finished a book with a lot of torture in it and I really appreciate Harris' writing style much more than the excessive detail some authors go into. I'd rather not have to picture such horrible things too graphically in my head. I thought it was touching how Eric said "you're killing me, you're killing me" when Sookie asked where he was and why he couldn't save her. I'd also like to know, but it was nice to see he was so upset about not being able to be there for her. I liked it when he asked her to come stay at his house in Shreveport with him and she's all like "uh..no" which just makes him all confused. Poor old fashioned Eric. ;) Now when is the next book coming out?

[[deleted user]]

Hey everyone! Check out my review of Dead and Gone at my blog - Undercover Book Lover. There are also other reviews and info on several contests. It's a new blog and I'm trying to drum up support. Thanks!

[Adam]

Quick question, guys. I'm quite curious about this series, but have been massively put off by vampire novels because of Twilight.

I hate all this stuff about "good" vampires that choose not to drink human blood. Goes totally against the trditional vampire lore, imo. Yet I was a massive fan of the Angel TV series, but then he didn't really *choose* not to drink blood, he was just cursed into it. So I know nothing about this book or the vampires in it, so I'm just wondering if it's worth me giving it a go?

[Dawn]

@ Adam
This is one of my favorite series. The vamps are neither good nor bad since they are in the open they are trying to act accordingly but they do drink blood just not in public and only from willing donors. Most vamps have little tolerance for humans. I think I was hooked from the first book. Like someone said before it is more like a mystery which is a nice pace in urban fantasy. I would say try it!

[Melodie]

Adam wrote: "Quick question, guys. I'm quite curious about this series, but have been massively put off by vampire novels because of Twilight.

I hate all this stuff about "good" vampires that choose not to dri..."

The Sookie books are probably my favorite series in any genre. Plenty of blood drinking, tho the vamps also drink TruBlood which is a synthetic that the Japanese developed. It is what allowed the vamps to "come out" and go public.

[Julia]

Adam,

My husband didn't love the first book in the series, when he read it recently, Harris wrote it a long time ago, it's not her strongest. If you don't hate it, try to keep reading the series. It gets much better. I've found this is so for many urban fantasy series. The first book is often weak.

[Nia]

I need the help of someone, who has read (and owns) "Dead and Gone". I'm reading the german translation right now, and there's a sentence that seems a bit weird to me. I would really like to know if it's the translator's fault or if it already was that weird in the original book.
Spoilery question to those who haven't read the book, so be warned!


It's in chapter 7, after Sam returned to Bontemps. Sookie tells him, that she is now married to Eric. I need the sentence after she said that.

It would be really great if someone could look that up for me.

[Donna]

Is this the right section?

"'By the way, Eric and I are married now.' If I'd hoped I'd get to make my exit on a light note, my judgment was way, way off. Sam leaped to his feet and grabbed me by the shoulders."

The start of that sentence is a bit awkward, but it fits Harris' style to me.

[Nia]

Thank you! That's the one.

Hmm, the translator must have had a very bad day... Since it's not the first time I noticed something like that, I think I will switch to the originals after this one.

[Dawn]

@Nia, sometimes translations really blow!

[Audrey]

I kiked the most resent book. Dead in the family shows that many people have changed. Although it isn't action packed like the others so some may not like it as much. It also sets up for something big thats going to happen in latter books. Totally cant wait !!

[Ethiesgurl]

ok can someone please tell me is sookie the queen of the fairies>??? what is she exactly?

[Melodie]

Ethiesgurl wrote: "ok can someone please tell me is sookie the queen of the fairies>??? what is she exactly?"

She has fairy blood. Grandpa Stackhouse apparently shot blanks, so Grandma got with a fairy and had Sookie's dad & her aunt Linda (Hadley's mother) by him. So, Sookie is part fairy. And Claudine is (was) really her fairy godmother! At least that's how it is in the books, what Alan Ball has in mind for True Blood is anybody's guess!

[Ethiesgurl]

makes sense...thanks:)

[Mis_Reading]

Please forgive me in advance because I am probably about to offend some people. I'm sorry.

I hated this series. My best friend loves it and sent me the first book, Dead Until Dark.

Oh. My. God. I hated it. It read like a bad 80's movie. There was potential, there was. But I thought the ball was totally fumbled and could already see this series turning into another Anita Blake type thing. Ugh.

Maybe the other books are fabulous. Maybe I should give it another shot, but when everybody is sex obsessed or towards the end when Bill crawls out of his resting spot and in his anger(she betrayed some information or something) throws Sookie to the ground and has angry sex right then and there? Yeah, I just don't want to read about that. Leave things to imagination, or heck, develop a hobby so that the only thing you know to fill your free time with won't just be sex anymore.

[Melodie]

Misty wrote: "Please forgive me in advance because I am probably about to offend some people. I'm sorry.

I hated this series. My best friend loves it and sent me the first book, Dead Until Dark...."

How nice to hear your opinion! And saying you were sorry if you offended some people was totally redundant because you don't care if you offended anyone. DEAD UNTIL DARK was not the best book in this series. Some are VERY good. And sex is an extremely small part of this series, unlike the Anita Blake series which has deteriorated into so much badly written erotica.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Misty wrote: "Please forgive me in advance because I am probably about to offend some people. I'm sorry.

I hated this series. My best friend loves it and sent me the first book, Dead Until Dark...."

I also only read the first in the series, and found it painfully written. Mostly it was the narration from Sookie, whom I found to be vapid and annoying.

There was, admittedly, a part of me which found parts of it titillating, and it was a quick read - but I have no real desire to continue to series. I think "read like a bad 80's movie" is actually kind of apropos.

As to the other - everyone should be entitled to their opinion, even if their opinion is a negative one. You weren't trollish in your response, you didn't call anyone names or insult people for liking it. You just have a differing opinion - that's life.

[Mis_Reading]

Colleen ~blackrose~ wrote: As to the other - everyone should be entitled to their opinion, even if their opinion is a negative one. You weren't trollish in your response, you didn't call anyone names or insult people for liking it. You just have a differing opinion - that's life.

Perhaps my comments were merely considered too blunt. I prefer to be blunt, though. It avoids misunderstandings. And I think it's good for people to be able to pitch both the good and the bad opinions so as to give a more accurate idea to newcomers what they might be getting into when they read a series.

[Julia]

Misty wrote: Maybe the other books are fabulous. and Perhaps my comments were merely considered too blunt.

Nah, your opinions weren't too blunt for me. You didn't like the first book, that's okay. IMO the Sookie Stackhouse series is not great literature, nor is it "fabulous," but it is fun.

Misty, have you found urban fantasy that is fabulous?

[Mis_Reading]

Julia wrote: "Misty, have you found urban fantasy that is fabulous?"

Hm. The only UF series I have found that I absolutely LOVE is one of those series that to read it is to either absolutely love it or hate it completely. Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series. I love the snarky, sarcasm through out, the fact that even though a character may be a complete ass, you love them anyway, that the series is moved forward by the characters personalities rather than sudden, out-of-left-field changes in plot.

Like I said, to know it is to love or hate it though. Melodie already commented in another thread that she hated the book(s). I suppose it depends on your sense of humor and personality.

[Melodie]

Misty wrote: "Colleen ~blackrose~ wrote: As to the other - everyone should be entitled to their opinion, even if their opinion is a negative one. You weren't trollish in your response, you didn't call anyone na..."

No, not too blunt. I just see no reason to preface your comments with "I may offend someone....sorry". If you're secure in your opinion there is no reason to apologize for it, and if you apologize anyway the apology is insincere.

[Mis_Reading]

Melodie wrote: "No, not too blunt. I just see no reason to preface your comments with "I may offend someone....sorry". If you're secure in your opinion there is no reason to apologize for it, and if you apologize anyway the apology is insincere."

That's your opinion. In my opinion, people who contradict the majority without some manner of apology come across as rude, because in fact, most of the time they are. I was trying to be polite while still being honest.

[Starling]

Misty, in my opinion, you are allowed to be both honest and polite. It is OK.

I loved Sookie the first time I read one of the books, and that was when there were only two of them. I like Charlaine Harris' heroines because they all have problems and all of them grow over the series. But that doesn't mean everyone else has to love them.

I've never seen the series you say you like and know nothing about it, but I'm going to look into it.

[Theresa]

Melodie wrote: "And saying you were sorry if you offended some people was totally redundant because you don't care if you offended anyone..." "I just see no reason to preface your comments with "I may offend someone....sorry". If you're secure in your opinion there is no reason to apologize for it, and i..."

Misty can be secure in her opinion and still apologize for offending anyone. We were all raised differently with different ideas on what is polite and/or appropriate.

Misty wrote: "That's your opinion. In my opinion, people who contradict the majority without some manner of apology come across as rude, because in fact, most of the time they are. I was trying to be polite while still being honest."

Personally, I just thought you were being polite. :) I, too, apologize before saying I hated a book in the online forum. I think this comes from having people freak out on me because my opinion dares to be different from theirs. I do not believe it is insincere to apologize... again, in my book, you were just being polite. :)

Regarding Sookie Stackhouse, I devoured the first handful of books. Somewhere along the line, I fell out of love with the books. I sort-of blame this on True Blood because I find myself unable to separate the books from the TV show. I know a lot of people love the TV show, but personally I can't stand so many of the characters (and the gore because I'm a wussy) that I stopped watching. At that same time, I stopped reading the books... haven't picked up the most recent one yet and I don't foresee myself reading it anytime soon.

[Melodie]

Theresa wrote: "Melodie wrote: "And saying you were sorry if you offended some people was totally redundant because you don't care if you offended anyone..." "I just see no reason to preface your comments with "I ..."

I don't make apologies for not liking a book, but I try to word it in a way so as to be not make anyone mad. Like, if I didn't like it because I thought the writing was bad I make it a point to say that was why. I don't apologize for not liking a book, but I also wouldn't go on a board and say "this book sucked!" either!

[Mis_Reading]

@ Starling: If you do read them, I hope you enjoy. I know I have! ^_^

@ Theresa: Well, I also considered that the other books were much better written, I mean, the sheer popularity of them suggests as much, I would think, anyway. I just couldn't get past how much I had to trudge through the first book to finish it. The story had potential, like I said, I just didn't think it well executed, but it was the first book in the series, and I'm not sure if it was her first book altogether. Maybe I will eventually try the others. Who knows?

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

Misty wrote: "Please forgive me in advance because I am probably about to offend some people. I'm sorry.

I hated this series. My best friend loves it and sent me the first book, Dead Until Dark...."

Don't feel bad. I read book 1 and felt it was kind of bland, so I didn't continue. There are a lot of other great UF series out there though, so hopefully you'll find ones that you like better.

[Amber]

I have been reading this series for a little while now and have come to a stand still you might say in reading dead and gone. I'm thinking i'm going to start some other books then come back to it later.

[Raven]

I read the first several books right after True Blood came out, in about a week. I liked them, they were fast reads. Eric is a complete hotty, and I've got myself a bit of a crush on him.

It's nice to see that I'm not the only one who is finding the series tapering off. The last book felt absolutely phoned in for me. Sure, it might be setting up for something big....but then again, there were major events that happened between books. Like Sophie Anne being killed. That was not something that should be glossed over in the spaces between books. The entire coup should have been published.

*sighs* Perhaps the next book will make up for it.

[Kathyjacks]

I read the whole series over 10 days and liked it alot. There were some scenes that were far fetched but as a whole the books kept me interested. I am a huge fan of the tv series and thats what got me interested in the books though and even during low parts of the series kept me reading just to see what would happen later in the tv series.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

I love this series - it's one of my very tops. Not disappointed with any of the books so far. Last was slower but I thought it needed a recovery time after the horrendous trauma of the preceding novel.