Who's Your Author? discussion
Paranormal Writers
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Laurell K Hamilton
I agree that Necromancy is such a large part of Anita's character, and is what brought her into the paranormal world to begin with. It's also what made her such a target for Marmee Noir. It feels as though it's been a long time since we've heard about her own personal power set (as opposed to those she gained through the triumverate). Perhaps with her developments and realizations of the last book, Anita's other powers can get some page-time too. In light of what her base powers enabled her to do with Damien, I think there are more surprises in store!
I miss her necromancy. And it was mentioned in Skin Trade but only as a brief mention :(
It's a power that is solely Anita's. With all her stated fears in the last book that she's losing herself, maybe she'll feel driven to focus on it more.
There are lots of directions that the next bunch of books can go. I'd like to see Anita consolidate some of her new and old powers. I'm looking forward to the continuation of the Mommy Dearest plot thread because I doubt if that one is over at this point. And mostly I want to know what happens next.
Agreed Starling.. there are so many directions books can go and LKH is taking one of those.I am sure alot of people like it and alot dont. I do not think any direction would cause the demise for her as she is a very talented author who has many fans and has created through her books a loyal following (even if those arent happy atm with the direction of the books)
My solution to my irritation with the books direction was to stop buying the books and getting them from the library. That way, if I was upset about the book I didn't mind much because I didn't pay for it. I'm still interested to see what happens with Anita, I'm just not willing to shell out the bucks for it.But that's just my way of dealing lol.
I definitely don't think "demise" is the right word. Some fans have gone by the wayside, but there are still plenty who are interested, just like any other series. And even within the steady fan base, there are bound to be some frustrations. Can't please all of the people all of the time. I think all of us are curious about her powers though! Both old and new ones. It's a natural thing, to be eager for more info--and with Anita, those powers seem so linked to her character development. Too bad she can never get a calm moment to actually explore what she's got now!
My dream book at the moment would be at home with her core men, those linked directly to her powers, and having Anita experiment with her magics. Too boring for a whole book, of course. There's no action in that. But a short story? I'd like that, along with the story of Asher teaching Nathaniel how to master someone. Ah, that dreams would come true!
Oh same here on the dream book Michelle!
Jess, I totally agree with voting with your feet. I've done that myself with other series, although none of them were paranormal series. But there came a point where I wasn't reading any more WHEEL OF TIME books and I wasn't reading ANYTHING George RR Martin wrote. It didn't matter that I enjoyed the earlier books. I had hit my enough is enough phase.And I doubt very much is Hamilton is going anywhere except to the bank and the best seller's lists.
Apparently her publisher and the publishers of the graphic novels are making her go back and re-write the series from incubus dreams...taking out the groteque amount of sex, that can't be put in a graphic novel by Marvel.
They might be un-demising LKH. Oh and she said something on twitter about a new idea, so we might be seeing a new series next year :D
I keep wondering if Anita is going to start a supernatural SWAT team in St. Louis.
Interesting, Kyle. I wonder what work-around she'll use for the arduer since it's such a focal point. If you leave it out, is it really still Anita Blake?!
Well I for one like the graphic sex and dont feel that she is causing her *demise* by writing it.And no, I think if you leave out what she has gained from the men you may as well have her write OUT JC and everyone that comes with him because it will NOT be the same. Not by a long shot.
Indeed. Now, I'm curious as to how she's going to sanitize it for Marvel. Feels like selling out, considering how vocal she's been about the sexploration.
Shoulda gone manga!
She was Anita before the arduer and she will still be Anita with the arduer under control. They've been talking about what will happen once it is under control for several books.
Agreed, Starling, as far as the books. We just mean in the graphic novels, if Marvel makes LKH edit out the arduer.
If they do make her sanitize the GNs to the point of leaving out the arduer, LKH and her GN crew will have to come up with a different plot twist to help Anita affect her switch to being even more at ease with the "monsters."
I just finished Micah. It made me laugh. I don't think it was supposed to, but I couldn't help myself!
Okay, so I am a little behind you guys on the books, but I finished Blue Moon and am now taking a break before I read Obsidian Butterfly. I can see where the whole ardeur thing is going and I don't mind all the sex, but somehow things are more satisfying for me if the herione can have a HEA with one guy. Is there any chance she will get the ardeur under control and settle down with one guy? I am a little disappointed there doesn't seem to be as much dialogue between Anita and JC and there does with her and Richard so far. It makes it hard for me to see the realness of her relationship with JC. I think they have a lot of attraction but I think part of Anita's appeal to JC is the power he gets from her. I think Richard truely loves Anita but he is annoying with all his whining and immature behaviour! At this point I would almost rather see Anita with Jason! Love him!
Meredith919, in the last book, Skin Trade, Anita does start to get the arduer under control. But if you want a HEA with only one man, you're probably reading the wrong series! I don't think it will ever be Anita and just one other person. Same goes for Merry Gentry.
Personally I think Anita's HEA will be with several men. The white picket fence with Richard died very early in the series. Was there even a possibility of that by book 4 or 5?But I do think that the total number of men in her life will get limited to the important ones, the ones she already thinks of as "dates" and not the others. I'm pretty sure even Jason is going to end up out.
Totally agree, Starling. On the Jason topic, I always see him as more beloved friend (with benefits).
I can't stand Richard.. I hope they never end up together!!I think I would like to see her happily with Jean Claude and Asher. Maybe with Micah as well..
Jeeze.. imagine that room. whew.
The only ones I feel sure about are JC and Micah. I think there will be more men in the HEA, but those are the only two I couldn't ever see her separated from.
I dont even LIKE Micah that much.. the way he came into her life was really stupid and odd to me that I never took a liking to him as much as the others.I am really not even sure why.. but I DO like the way he is opposite of what Richard is.. and how I really feel Richard should be.
Ahh sigh.. lol
I wonder what it is about these men? I like Micah well enough, but I don't like Asher. Or Richard. At all. I kind of hope Nathaniel gets stronger and becomes more of a player.
Oh man I adore Asher! lol I HATE Richard.. And I LOVE LOVE Nathanial and JC! :D
Nathanial and Damian because they belong to her. JC because she belongs to him, and frankly Richard in some way because he belongs to JC as well. And Micah because they own one of the shifter groups as a mated pair.
♥Tricia♥, now that I think about it, Micah sorta melts into the background for me, but I too love his being Richard's polar opposite. His appearance on the scene did strike me as strange, but that shower moment was a goodie.
He's sorta the concerned daddy to offset her stern mommy. I don't think she could ever do without him emotionally. He's such a safe haven for her.
I love Asher too. Oh, how that man features in my fantasies. If I could have one character make the leap off the page into reality, he'd be my choice!
I have to say I LOVE Asher too. I wouldn't be disappointed if Anita ended up with JC and Asher!
Neither would I, Meredith919. So long as Asher was on more equal footing. Anita's been dealing with the m/m love, but I don't think she's fully there yet. She still seems to be a lil squicked by it from what I recall.
I think that we can see the number if men in her life go up before it goes down. She needs a strong male in her life that matches up with each of the beasts she carries. There's also a chance and that she gets more animals to call then just Nathaniel and Jason. Oh wait, does Crispin fit that role, at least for one of the tiger colors she carries?I've always liked Asher and her other men. I'd like to see more Damian. I enjoyed seeing more of Wicked Truth in Skin Trade though I hope they don't turn in the moody whiny men like Requiem. I really liked Requiem before he became all attached.
The thing I like about Wicked and Truth is how badass they are...they're manly men....not the feminine like Jean Claude and Asher (I like them too of course).
Yeah she definately will never stick to one, she can be quoted actually in saying that *Two men just plain do it for her*. Or something similar.. Anyone remember the exact quote? Did I get it right? lolAnyhow I am not totally against Micah, just it was weird how they came about, but I suppose since he is Richards opposite that she really needs someone like him in her life.
As far as Richard goes, LKH said in an interview that we would be seeing a change in Richard in the next book.. and this was when she was talking about Skin Trade. Why she would say that and then not even have him in there is beyond me. It was a radio interview that I was listening to.
I wonder what's in store for the next.. it will be at least a year before we find out /cry
Anna, I so agree on Wicked Truth. Even though I love JC and Asher, the manly men aspect is welcome. That's why I loved Richard before he turned into a jackass! Too bad Anita doesn't like them as much precisely because of their manliness. I liked Requiem too, pre-attachment.
For some reason, I see Asher as being far less "feminine" than JC. Might be because of his Dom qualities.
You've gotten the quote right enough, I remember her saying that. It was sort of refreshing that Richard wasn't in Skin Trade. I'm not sure that I want Richard to change, I think that every series needs someone that the reader can love to hate if you know what I mean. I know that he's tightly connected to Anita and JC so it would be better for them if he becomes nicer and all but I don't want him to be one of the men she has sex with. I can see if he becomes more accepting but I can't see him and Anita being anything but more tolerant of each other.
You do need someone to hate, but there have been points where I've been tempted to skip passages with him in them because of his pig-headed whining and repetition. THAT is NOT good!
It is kind of a shame about Richard because I really liked him at first and then he turned into such a jackass! Why does he have to be so damn hot though!?!?! ha ha
I know right?I guess it is true we need someone to love/hate.. why did it have to be Richard?! lol
I hear ya. I love Richard but damn I do hate him sometimes.
I liked Richard the first few books but than he became so hateful. Michele, I can see why you think of Asher as being less feminine then JC...but Wicked and Truth are on a whole other level. They carry around weapons and there looks are less feminine then most of Anita's men. I think she made that observation in Skin Trade.
Richard IS effin hot. Everytime she describes him I want to eat him up.Anna, you ain't got to tell ME they're on a whole other level! I was happy to see characters with no discernible feminine traits. Broad-shouldered warriors with chisled features. Yum. The long haired pretty boy can be very nice, and personality ups the sexy factor greatly (hence my JC/Asher love), but I always gravitate toward the big strong hunk of masculinity.
Michelle, hehe, we're on the same page. I get your love for JC/Asher, I share it. I agree about personalities upping the sexy factor, heres to hoping that we to see more of Wicked's and Truth's personalities without LKH ruining them...like she sort of did Requiem.
Ya I LOVED Requiems personality.. before she turned him into a whiny baby /sigh
I liked the way he was so chivalrous and witty with his quotes. He still is but its so much more...melancholy.
Pondering...am I right in thinking LKH changed mostly the more manly men into whiny babies? Richard, no explanation necessary. Rafael, practically begged to have sex with them. Requiem, again explanation unnecessary. And Anita seems to think Wicked Truth will go the same way, with Wicked(?) already complaining he doesn't get a piece of her often enough. So manly=whiny?
Oooh noo!! You're right. I really liked Rafael too, is he addicted to the ardeur?
Anna, I don't think she had sex with him more than once...and he only wanted it for the political protection it would provide. The rats were the only major were group in the area without metaphysical ties to Anita and JC's crew, so Raf wanted a guarantee.Oh, I pray he never gets addicted!
Good, good. I remember the scene where he practically begged Anita for sex and it had me worried. I can see his reason for his actions.
For some reason Hamilton seems to draw "fans" who hate what she is doing with her characters. Disliking where a series is going is OK. Just stop reading and go elsewhere to find books you prefer. There is also nothing wrong with saying what you are objecting to. Or voting with your feet.
But it is no use saying that you know what the character is like better than the author does and that she has no right to move her character into areas you don't approve of. Like it or not, the author can do anything they want with a character and there is nothing the readers can do about it, except stop reading.