Will I have trouble reading Bullet...

[Lenore]

Again, I am faced with the problem of getting an ARC to review and not being up to date on a series. I have read up to Lunatic Cafe in the Anita Blake series. Now, they are wanting me to read the newest, Bullet. Am I going to be so lost? I am pretty good at picking up on things for books out of order, but there have been a lot of books in between. Mostly I worry about new character's backgrounds and their previous encounters with Anita.

[Deanne]

You need to read them all. You will be lost from all the characters and their connections to Anita.

[Lenore]

Unfortunately, I don't really get that option. I do not know why they did not ask me before sending it, but they did so now I must review it. If I read Bloody Bones, The Killing Dance, Blue Moon, and Burnt Offerings, will that be any better? I also bought the hardback Danse Macabre at the used bookstore (couldn't help myself) I know it is another big jump and I am not sure I can read them all with a time crunch, but would it help any?

[Lenore]

Thanks that helps. Anita's story-lines are usually okay as stand alones, but I do fear about the characters and their backgrounds.

[Leslie]

I started this series because there are so many books already out, and I hate always waiting for the next books in my favorite series.

Having said that, I find myself in an Anita Blake, vampire slayer/lover frame of mind.

I found that if I checked out the reviews, and comments, from the boards at Goodreads, It helped me keep all the diffrent stories and charaters straight.

There are some very detailed reviews. Some people even took the time to listed each charater, and which group they fit into. Ex. Vamps, Weres, Faires, Police and such.
Good luck! My mind is still spinning from Blood Noir.

Because I have been reading these books in the last week, I seem to remember that the author, makes point to go over and over, the diffrent stories from the diffrent books. (Which is nice if you have had some time between each book, but really annoying if you don't)

[Lenore]

Thank you. I will read it and hope I can keep up and don't miss anything!

[Kyle]

I would recommend reading The Harlequin, Blood Noir, and Skin Trade (since your on a time crunch).

Those three are the three before Bullet, I'm not counting Flirt because it was a complete and utter waste of time.

If you read those three you can message me and I'll give you a decent summary of the jist so you get whats going on? Better yet, if you want I'll do that for you anyways, your call.

my email: kgborland@live.com or you can pm on goodreads either one.

[Deanne]

While you are reading the book just post questions when you are unsure.

[Leslie]

FYI, most of her books are available on audible in a abridge version.

[Lenore]

Thank you Kyle. Knowing which ones to read is a great help. I will have to post questions as I read. The book hasn't arrived yet, but I will be sure to post when it does. Thank you for you help.

[Lenore]

Okay, I am on about page 100. So far, yes I am confused, but I am keeping up okay. I am starting to grasp where all the relationships came from. One question I am still facing is, what is with all of Anita's animals to call? How many does she have? Where did they come from? Why can she call them since she is a necromancer and not a vampire?

I know it will be hard to do, but since I skipped so many books, I would like to go back and read them. I would appreciate it if any HUGE HUGE plot spoilers could be left out if possible. I know it might not be, and if not, well just answer the questions the best you can. LOL Thank You!!!

[[deleted user]]

The series completely changes in Narcissus in Chains, if I skipped, it would be TO that one, read that, up to now, since that's when the current story arc (MarmeeNoir and all) started.

In NIC she faught a panwere- a guy who could change into a bunch of different animals. Anita was scratched and caught it from him, but the fact that she is JCs human servant keeps her from shifting.

I think she holds wolf, leopard, lion, and a bunch of tigers. (each "color" is it's own animal form".

[Lenore]

So she was scratched meaning technically (if she were just a human) she would be able to shift into the first that scratched her, but because she is JC human servant (making her have vampiric qualities) that she can hold more than one animal, but also not change?

[Yesenia]

yes that sounds accurate enough. You'll see how basically anything bad that happens to Anita ends up working to her advantage.

[Lenore]

Never mind. She was scratched by a shifter that can hold many animals. A panthlon maybe? I don't remember the exact term. But because she is part vampire she can not shift.

[Yesenia]

chimera

[Alisha]

Lenore *--*Phierce*-- * wrote: "Again, I am faced with the problem of getting an ARC to review and not being up to date on a series. I have read up to Lunatic Cafe in the Anita Blake series. Now, they are wanting me to read the n..."

Hey Lenore...being about halfway through the book... I'm thinking you wouldn't necessarily feel lost, but there will be a fair bit of emotional import that'll be missing. You may find yourself thinking, "am I supposed to care about this turn of events? cuz i don't." ^_^

One thing's for sure...it's a COMPLETElY different Anitaverse from Lunatic Cafe, but Laurell Hamilton is really good about writing descriptive details (to the detriment of some repeat readers, I'd imagine), such that you could get somewhat calibrated to the new situation.

All that said...I'm something of an Anitaverse superfan, so feel free to take me with a grain of salt. :o)

[Alisha]

Lenore *--*Phierce*-- * wrote: "Never mind. She was scratched by a shifter that can hold many animals. A panthlon maybe? I don't remember the exact term. But because she is part vampire she can not shift."

A Panwere. She could theoretically shift if she'd allow herself to...(or if one of the baddies forced it) but it'd be bad. or something. lawd, i ono! Yeah...Anita's panwere thing is super hella complex. :o)

[Lenore]

Agreed. I think that is the most confusing thing. I am starting to understand the concept with Micah, Nathaniel, Richard, Jean-Claude, Asher and Haven. The trimvulate (or however you spell that) is making more sense as I go along. The Mother of all Darkness is still a tad confusing since I didn't read the book where she was killed.

[[deleted user]]

Mother was asleep, her body in some kind of cave or something. She's been that way for centuries, I believe. She was sort of trying to wake up, communicating with Anita and such. She wanted to possess Anita or something- use her body so she could fully awaken.

Someone (the Council? The Harlequin? I forgot who) blew up her body. Everyone thought she died, but she pulled a Voldemort, sent her spirit out into several members of the council, so she's still "Alive".

And Anita doesn't have just the one tri, she has two. Somehow, she managed to make one with Damian as her vampire servant and Nate as her ATC.

This is all real spoilery, but as you are reading the last book first (almost) you're going to learn it all anyway, this just might make it a bit easier.

Personally, I wish Anita would shift already and be done with it. I'm tired of watching her inner animal walking up that path inside of her.

[Lenore]

I'm past all of that, but thank you. I believe it was the Harlequin that imprisoned her.

I am beginning to understand most of it. It is just the politics that are hard to grasp. That and the whole beast thing. I get it, but it will take reading the rest of the books for it to fully make sense.

I miss the old story-line though. I wish LKH had not gone away from the necromancer thing. That was Anita's signature, and now, it doesn't seem like it is a talent she uses much at all. Some maybe, but it is still sad. :(

[Kyle]

Its revealed in Bullet who blew up her body and who put her in the sleep in the first place. Not surprising revelations but revelations nontheless.

[Heather]

I don't know after OB the series pretty much turns into one lame sex scene after another. Here is what you need to know...

JC- Master Vampire, Anita's first paralover. Powerful we don't know how much yet. Sexy, manipulative, and hot!!!

Richard- Ulfric. He wants a monogomous relationship and hates that Anita sleeps around. They were engadged once before she turned all slutty. She is the Luna(?) female leader of the warewolfs. She also is the one that like punishes them or something. Richard is a forward thinker and wants a democracy but it doesn't work with animals. He also doesn't want to be a shifter. Everyone gets mad at him because he has different beliefs and is not cool with sharing Anita- until Bullet where he does a complete 180 and becomes just like everyone else. Boring!!!

Micha- pointless cat. He is like Ania's Nim Ra and Nim Raj. I mostly consider him wallpaper. He has a huge penis- that is basically it.

Nate- another pointless cat. 20 year old stripper that was basically a sex slave and Anita had to parent him. Then she decides that screwing him is a good idea. It feeds the audeur. He has long hair, purple eyes, likes to cook and strip, and is basically a woman without a vagina!! Again wish he would leave. He and Micha and Anita live together- and sleep together- yuck!!!

Asher- Master Vampire Scared from hold water. Him and Jc used to hit it back in the day with another woman- can't remember her name. They used to be in Belle's court. He is sensitive about his scars and seriously needs to stop whining all the time!! Anita does him with JC.

Damian- This one is weird. He has red hair and is like 1000 years old but weak as hell. Anita is his master. He is her vampire servent. Talk about a buzzkill. Anita formed a tri with him and Nate- again seriously weird. They give her power or something.

The rest are just Anita's sexmates. They give her power or feed the audear. I don't even remember their names.

Mother of Darkness is basically the equivalent of the monster on Lost. She is introduced and then not talked about and then comes back. Aparantly she wants to use Anita's body to live again.

So inconclusion Anita is the most powerful necrmancer, vampire servant/master, Nim ra, warewolf mate, probably tiger princess or queen, and everything else that you can imagine. She used sex for power and she has a lot of sex. like seriously she should be sore as hell. If she isn't having sex she is talking about it. She doesn't like tall blondes or anyone who doesn't think she is the best thing ever. All her men are short and huge- down there. She sleeps with pratically eveyone she meets and gets mad a people who have an opinion about that.

[Michelle]

Heather, that is the most hilariously accurate summation of the anita books i think i've ever seen.

[Heather]

Michelle wrote: "Heather, that is the most hilariously accurate summation of the anita books i think i've ever seen."

Thanks, I try!!!

[Lenore]

It was! I finished last Friday? and it was better than I thought it would be. Still, after reading the early ones so close together, this one cannot even compare!